"I'm sorry." Xu Ruantang waited for Chen Lin to finish speaking before lifting her eyelids to look back at him, her tone neither humble nor arrogant, "I do not agree with your statement, nor do I intend to interfere with Chen Ji's decision."
“I did marry Chen Ji, but I married him as a person, not the Chen family.”
As Xu Ruantang spoke each word carefully, Chen Lin's hand holding the teacup visibly trembled.
"What are you saying?!"
"Please let me finish speaking." Chen Lin was about to get angry, but Xu Ruantang stopped him and said, "Chen Ji is twenty-eight years old this year. He graduated from a prestigious university and is currently a regimental commander. You know all of this, right?"
So what makes you think he lacks the ability to handle his own affairs?
I can't change other people's minds, but as his wife, I should be the one to trust him and respect every decision he makes.
After Xu Ruantang finished speaking, there was a two-second silence in the study before Chen Lin's voice suddenly rose: "Can't you tell he's out of his mind right now?!"
Chen Lin glared at Xu Ruantang as if she were some kind of monster. "I didn't understand before how he could become so rebellious and unreasonable after just one trip to the countryside."
Now I know, it was all because of your instigation!
From the moment Xu Ruantang first met Chen Lin, she knew that he disliked her, but she didn't care. Many people disliked her, so what did it have to do with her?
"You're the unreasonable one, you're the most unreasonable of all." Xu Ruantang was no longer willing to tolerate it; this old man's words were getting more and more outrageous.
"Chen Ji just didn't follow the path you planned for him, is it really worth making him sound so worthless?"
Is having a child really about fulfilling your dream? If your dream is so important, why don't you just work harder to achieve it?
Chen Jiyou has the right to choose his own life. He is not a tool for you to fulfill your own selfish desires, not even if you are his father.
With each sentence Xu Ruantang spoke, Chen Lin's chest heaved violently.
He never expected that a country girl who hadn't received much education would dare to stand here and lecture him!
He's her father-in-law, how dare she?!
Besides, where did she get these fallacies? He was speechless and couldn't refute her, feeling choked up for a moment.
Chen Lin picked up the teacup on the table, and Xu Ruantang instantly darted towards the door.
This action nearly made Chen Lin faint with anger. "I'll drink tea!"
He's an elder, after all; how could he possibly throw a teacup at his daughter-in-law!
"Oh, then please enjoy your drink. I'm leaving now."
Xu Ruantang slipped away, but the old lady dragged her downstairs to have a meal before she went to the restaurant.
The current gift box packaging is also made of paper, and the printing is somewhat rough.
Given the circumstances of that era, many people would simply carry a hemp rope and oil paper package as a gift; gift boxes were considered quite high-end.
Then there's the metal box, but Xu Ruantang and Qiu Liang both felt that the metal box was too expensive and unnecessary.
Xu Ruantang took a moment to ask Sister Juan, "When I came over, I saw the neighbors were moving out. Are they going to rent it out?"
Sister Juan nodded. "Yes, the landlord's family is moving to the city and plans to rent it out."
Xu Ruantang thought of her godmother. Her godmother and Aunt Liu had recently made a lot of clothes in the courtyard. As the weather got hotter, many people were asking them to make dresses.
"Sister Juan, how's business for tailor shops these days?"
"That's good. Ready-made clothes are expensive, so many people choose to buy fabric and have a tailor make them, which is more cost-effective."
Xu Ruantang sat down next to Sister Juan, wiped her hands, and asked, "Sister Juan, do you know how much the rent is for the yard next door?"
"Thirteen yuan a month. The Qiu family's old neighbors are next door. What, you want to rent it?"
Sister Juan smiled and looked at Xu Ruantang. Her eyes always brightened when she noticed something, even though she herself probably didn't realize it.
Xu Ruantang nodded. "Yes, I want to rent it and open a tailor shop for my godmother."
Moreover, the courtyards here are quite large, and there are two rooms in the back that people can live in.
If Xiaobao really leaves, his godmother will probably find it even harder to adjust to staying in the compound all day.
If we move next door, she'll be working here too, and we can look after each other.
I don't care how much money I make, as long as it relieves my boredom and I don't get sick from being idle.
Aunt Liu is also available; she can come and work with us if she'd like.
"Then I'll go ask for you."
Sister Juan also likes her godmother very much. The two talked a lot on the outing that day. Sister Juan also lost her child and could understand her godmother's feelings the most.
As she spoke, she asked Xu Ruantang to take her next door.
Xu Ruantang pursed her lips, thought for a moment, and said, "Tomorrow, I'll go back tonight and ask my godmother for her opinion first. Once she agrees, you can take me there tomorrow."
Once the matter was settled, Xu Ruantang went back to her work.
The store has been doing very well lately, and Qiu Liang is finding it difficult to manage everything on his own.
He gets up very early every day to start making things, but no matter how many people are there, he remembers what Xu Ruantang said: he doesn't make more and more, but keeps the production limited.
By the time everything was sold out, it was already time for the workers to get off work.
Xu Ruantang sipped her chilled plum juice, nestled in a chair to replenish her energy.
A shadow fell, blocking out all her light.
Xu Ruantang thought the umbrella had fallen over, but when she looked over, she realized that Chen Ji had been standing behind her at some point.
"You actually came?" Xu Ruantang was pleasantly surprised. Chen Ji must have gone home, as he had changed into casual clothes.
Xu Ruantang pulled up a stool next to her and patted it. "Sit down. What would you like to drink? Plum juice or mung bean soup?"
The little girl had expressive eyes and a rosy complexion, perhaps from the setting sun.
Chen Ji sat down next to her, a smile playing on his lips, and said, "This."
Xu Ruantang followed his gaze and saw the half-finished plum juice she had drunk. "Here! For you."
Since Chen Ji didn't look down on her, she naturally wasn't pretentious.
"Ruan Tang, who is this?" Qiu Liang finished his work and pushed Sister Juan out as well.
Both of them were somewhat surprised to see the man next to Xu Ruantang.
This was the first time she had ever seen anyone come to see her. The man sitting next to her was tall and had a noble air about him, so he didn't look like an ordinary person.
In contrast, Xu Ruantang was still sitting crookedly, as if she wanted to lie down flat.
Xu Ruantang introduced with a smile, "This is Sister Juan, and this is Qiu Liang, who is also the owner of Qiu's Pastry Shop."
As she spoke, she introduced Chen Ji to the two of them, "This is Chen Ji."
Chen Ji's lips curved into an ambiguous smile as he glanced at Xu Ruantang, only to find that she had already shut up and remained silent.
So he extended his hand and said to Qiu Liang and Sister Juan, "Hello, I am Ruan Ruan's husband, Chen Ji."
Sister Juan's eyes widened. "Comrade Chen, hello."
During a previous outing, the old lady had told them how well her third grandson and his wife matched, how good their relationship was, and how handsome her third grandson was.
At the time, Sister Juan thought it was an elder praising a younger person, but she didn't expect that the old lady was not exaggerating at all, and was even being modest.
Qiu Liang remained calm, his face still as dark as ever.
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