5. Abandoned Military Wife (5)

Lin s.h.i.+heng arrived just in time, just when He Xuezhu’s family came.

The reason why Li Chunhua did not like He Xuezhu, was a large part because of her maternal family.

Her father is a doctor, and her mother is an ordinary woman in the village. The reason why the husband and wife were together at the beginning was because of their three views. Their three views are very simple: the son is treasure and the daughter is gra.s.s.

(三觀 / Sān guān = Generally speaking, the three views refer to the world outlook, values, and outlook on life. It’s different to each person, it usually depends on how you grew up or in what type of era and country.)

When they got married, they wanted to have a son, but it was a pity that they gave birth to three daughters in a row before they got a baby boy. From then on, they spoiled their son to high-heaven and disliked their daughters.

When the eldest daughter was born, although the husband and wife were disappointed, it was also the first child at least. They had a little more love for her. When the second daughter was born, the couple’s face was not very good. Xuezhu mother’s body was already a little poor because she had even given birth to a child before. She was nursed by her husband with difficulty. When the third daughter came, He Xuezhu was born, she would have been thrown her directly into the river to drown if it hadn’t been stopped by Xuezhu’s grandparents who were still alive at that time.

He Xuezhu struggled to live until she was one and a half years old and her mother gave birth to a son.[read at translateind0 to support the translators]

The parent’s wish came true, but the three sisters’ lives were not easy, on the contrary, it was even more bitter than before.

The son is delicate and only wants to drink milk powder, but the family has no money. Father He and Mother He not only work hard to make money for their son but also asked their three daughters to earn money. He Xuezhu is young, and she doesn’t have to follow her mother every day like the two older sisters. Her mother was too lazy to take care of her at that time. Fearing that she would wander about, she simply tied her waist to the leg of a table with a hemp rope for a whole day.

When He Xuezhu grew up and learned to distinguish herbs, her task was not to do needlework and sell them for money with her sisters, but to go up the mountain with her father to collect herbs.

The four children grew up gradually, and the family’s life was getting better. There was even a notice to each household that a new primary school was opened in the village. But, Father He fell down a hill and died while he was collecting medicine.

If the pillar of the family is gone, then most of the income will be gone. When the son marries a daughter-in-law and wants to build a new house, what should the He’s do?

Sell the daughters![ not reading this at Translateindo? it’s been stolen]

Most of the families whose mothers sell their daughters are so poor that they can’t afford daughters-in-law. After all, because they are poor, any family that had some affection for their daughters wouldn’t be willing to marry their daughters to them.

But Mother He doesn’t mind. As long as she can offer the bride price, she can nod and marry her daughters off easily.

(Bride price = sum of money given to a wife’s family to bring the bride to the husband’s home; not a dowry.)

He Xuezhu’s elder sister and second sister married poor families. They did not go to school, were oppressed by their parents at an early age, and had no thoughts of resisting. After an obedient marriage, the He family never contacted them again.

This is what Li Chunhua took a fancy to. She was unhappy with her husband’s family and did not want to have another unhappy relations.h.i.+p with her daughter-in-law’s family. In addition, when she wanted to find a daughter-in-law, she took a fancy to He Xuezhu who was diligent and honest, with a good figure and a decent appearance. She also has some skills in collecting medicine and diagnose small illnesses. Marrying Xuezhu to her son would definitely give her a fat and white grandson. Therefore, she directly made a deal, gave money and set the marriage.

But in the end, she didn’t expect that the He family had changed the old style of ‘a married girl is like water thrown out’ and came to the Lin’s frequently, always borrowing money.

(嫁出去的姑娘潑出去的水/ Jià chūqù de gūniáng pō chūqù de shuǐ = a married girl is like water thrown out/ a married girl cannot be involved with her maternal family affairs anymore, nor do they get involved with her affairs.)

How can Li Chunhua endure it?[support the real translat0rs @ translateindo]

She was able to split from Lin s.h.i.+heng’s father’s family, she was never an easy person to mess with. The He family failed to make her yield money every time they came. When they left, she would reprimand He Xuezhu.

Unfortunately, they were all slapped in this way, but it seems that the He family are unable to understand people’s expressions. Every time, they thicken their skins and come to Lin’s home again, regardless of what kind of treatment the daughter would get in the Lin family.

Li Chunhua’s only weakness is her son, and it so happens that her son is a person who cared about face, filial to his grandparents and also to his wife’s family. She can’t do anything about it. She could only drive them away when they come.

Mother He had just brought her son to the door and said.

“In-law, I heard that s.h.i.+heng was seriously injured and disabled?”

Li Chunhua directly grabbed a kitchen knife and went up, “Who the F*** said who is disabled?!!”[translateindo.C0m does not post chapters anywhere else]

Even He Xuezhu, who has always been bossed around by her mother, didn’t look very good, “Mom, what are you talking about? s.h.i.+heng is fine.”

“Don’t listen to people in the village that are saying that. Don’t you care about s.h.i.+heng?”

Mother He was frightened by Li Chunhua’s vicious and wicked manner of wanting to kill someone, her legs softened. She felt a little regretful for saying it too directly. She quickly laughed and added. “That’s what they said, not what I said!”

“Yes, yes, I also heard these words. Elder sister, you quickly stop your mother-in-law, ah!”

He Xiaobao immediately spoke. Although he was also a bully, infront of Li Chunhua he was weak. He was full of resentment toward his own sister; who he bullied growing up.{we do not translate 4 other websites besides translateindo}

“In-law, slow down. I heard that s.h.i.+heng was injured, and I’m afraid that he had hurt his body? The relations.h.i.+p between you and the old Lin couple is not very good. s.h.i.+heng can’t adopt their baby in the future. Look at my Xiaobao. That’s Xuezhu’s own brother. In terms of kins.h.i.+p, it must be my Xiaobao … er, Oh my G.o.d ah!!”

If Li Chunhua had just intimidated them before, she was really angry now. She threw a broom on the ground and looked at the mother and son squealing, darkening her eyes and scolding them with her hands on her waist.

“You’ve lost your conscience! Your son is the one who is disabled! My son is all right! Want to be adopted?! Dream on!  Even in the next life, it would never happen!”

He Mother’s heart burst with fright. Thinking about the Lin’s money, she swallowed her saliva and restrained herself from running away. She said cautiously: “In-law, slow down. I heard this from s.h.i.+heng’s second-aunt. She said that s.h.i.+heng was seriously injured and wanted to adopt her son. I just thought, your relations.h.i.+p with the Lins isn’t very good anyway. You might as well adopt our family’s Xiaobao.”

“You! You! Today, I have to kill you … “

Li Chunhua lost her kitchen knife, picked up the broom on the ground and hit them.[ not reading this at Translateindo? it’s been stolen]

The two people were shocked and were about to escape, but behind them came a clear male voice: “What’s going on?”

Li Chunhua made a gesture and looked at her handsome son standing outside the gate with his military uniform and bags on his back. Her eyes immediately turned red: “s.h.i.+heng ah…”

He Xuezhu, who was trying to stop people from fighting each other, also froze in place. Looking at her handsome husband, who was standing tall and smiling. She looked down at her dirty hands; because she had been feeding chickens before. She hid her hands behind their back awkwardly and approached cautiously, “s.h.i.+heng, you are back.”

“Yes, didn’t I say it in the letter?  That I’ll come back in a couple of days.”

“Mom, what’s going on?”[ not reading this at Translateindo? it’s been stolen]

Listening to her husband’s question, He Xuezhu bowed her head in embarra.s.sment. “Well, my mother and brother are here.”

She knew s.h.i.+heng didn’t like her family. Every time he sees them, he wouldn’t want to touch her at night. Even He Xuezhu herself was powerless. She even hated her own family. How could they come to Lin’s house so recklessly?

The more they’re like this, the more He Xuezhu couldn’t lift her head in her husband’s family. Especially now, when s.h.i.+heng had already seen them.

He Xuezhu kept her head down to prevent people from seeing her eyes. She knew that he was going to be disgusted again. When her body was shaking slightly because of sadness, her shoulder was hugged by a slender warm hand.

She raised her head in dismay. It was Lin s.h.i.+heng who took her shoulder and leaned close to her.

Her jittery heart seemed to fall to the ground in an instant.

Lin s.h.i.+heng looked at the mother and son standing opposite him with conflicted expressions. His lips suddenly showed a gentle smile. After two low coughs, his speech was also intimate.

“It turned out to be Mother-in-law and Xiaobao. We haven’t seen each other for a long time. The last time I saw you it was three months ago, wasn’t it?”[support the real translat0rs @ translateindo]

Mother He and He Xiaobao were stunned for a few seconds, they didn’t think Lin s.h.i.+heng would be so accommodating. When they thought of how they came to make trouble before, and how the man in front of them didn’t look very good but was still being hospitable, their hearts settled down.

Mother He immediately smiled warmly: “Yes, yes. Back then you were too busy, the last time you came home was three months ago. Mother-in-law also misses you ah. When did you come home? Mother didn’t see you…”

Li Chunhua’s face was green when her son treated the mother and son well: “s.h.i.+heng you …”

“Mom, please wait a minute while I talk to Mother-in-law.”

Li Chunhua has always loved her son to death. Hearing this, she could only suppress her anger, and watch while her son listens to this woman’s nonsense.{we do not translate 4 other websites besides translateindo}

“If we talk about the relations.h.i.+p between our two families, it’s very close. What I say may not be pleasant to hear… Your grandparents are solely thinking about your second-uncle. Only my family really loves Xuezhu and you, son-in-law. My Xiaobao is also a sensible child. Look, he is young but he already has so many friends in town…”

“s.h.i.+heng, our two families are broken bones are still connected…. aren’t we?”

(打斷骨頭還連着/ Dǎ duàn gǔtou hái liánzhe = broken bones are still connected; Although separated, there is still a relations.h.i.+p that cannot be broken.)

Lin s.h.i.+heng smiled and added: “Broken bones are still connected with tendons. Mother, you are right. I think so too.”

“I regard Xiaobao as my own brother.”

“Yes, yes, isn’t he still a brother?  s.h.i.+heng, Mother felt very sad when I heard that you were injured, but fortunately, you can still take out money to build a house. Mother-in-law is also a little comforted, otherwise it will worry me to death. Look at your little brother, his wife had just given birth to a big fat boy. This child is weak, and he needs money … ”

As soon as they are listened too, it comes back around to money again. Li Chunhua and He Xuezhu’s face changed. He Xuezhu endured her fear of her own mother in her bones and whispered: “Mom, s.h.i.+heng’s money was exchanged for his life. You can’t …”

“Xuezhu..”[read at translateind0 to support the translators]

Lin s.h.i.+heng called his wife’s name, patted her on the shoulder and looked at He Xiaobao with a smile: “Xiaobao, I regard you as a brother. Do you also regard me as your brother?”

He Xiaobao received a look from his mother and expressed his devotion: “Yes! Elder brother s.h.i.+heng, I also regard you as my brother. ”

“That’s great.”

A relaxed smile appeared on the handsome young soldier’s face: “I was injured in the army. let alone walk around, I need someone to take care of me. Just now, Mother-in-law said that my grandparents are unreliable. As for my family, Xiaobao and I are the closest. Mother-in-law, didn’t you ask me to look at a bicycle when I came back last time?  Have you bought it yet?”

Mother He gradually began to feel something was wrong, “That … still, haven’t had time. It’s because a baby was just born …”

“Just don’t buy it.”  Lin s.h.i.+heng took his wife’s shoulder and looked relieved. He coughed twice and leaned weakly on his wife: “Look, let Xiaobao lend me the money. I have to go to see a doctor on my return. I was afraid I couldn’t afford to spend the money. I was worried all the way here. I didn’t think Mother-in-law and Xiao Bao were so considerate and came to my house to help.”[read at translateind0 to support the translators]

As he said this, he held out his hand and grasped He Xiaobao’s hand who looked bewildered. His pale face looked tempting for a moment: “Xiaobao, look at your sister and my mother, both of whom are women. They can’t help me to go to the toilet at night and carry a urinal bucket. You are not the same. A young man is very energetic. You can stay at my house tonight. We two brothers can talk overnight and you can accompany me to the provincial capital tomorrow.”

He Xiaobao stiffly turned to his mother; who hurriedly pulled her son back.

She just remembered that Lin s.h.i.+heng has been coughing since she entered the door. What if he has tuberculosis?

Why is she so stupid! Just think, Lin s.h.i.+heng’s illness might be contagious… Why didn’t she think about how he still needs to see a doctor!? Staying in a hospital costs a lot of money!

“That, in-law … my Xiaobao is still young, the family’s daughter-in-law just gave birth to a baby. We will go back first …”[read at translateind0 to support the translators]

They wanted to leave, but Lin s.h.i.+heng was still unwilling to let go. He stretched out his hand to catch them. “Mother-in-law, don’t go, I’ve just come back. Maybe, you can let Xiaobao stay.”

How can his mother-in-law care enough to answer? She was busy pulling her son out of the Lin’s gate in a rush.

Let her darling son wait on others and even give them money?

Dream on!{we do not translate 4 other websites besides translateindo}

Li Chunhua also reacted at that moment, the corners of his mouth rose crazily. Looking at the back of the mother and son duo, she finally felt relief and satisfaction.

Why didn’t she think of this before?

Lin s.h.i.+heng was just about to pick up the bag on the ground when He Xuezhu grabbed it first and stood up to see her husband looking at her. She tried hard to endure the sadness in her eyes and comforted herself while hugging the big bag: “s.h.i.+heng, you don’t have to worry about my family affairs. Let’s have a good meal first and then go to the city for treatment. You don’t have to worry about the money. I can collect medicine and diagnose minor diseases. I’m sure we can make it through.”

She said this sentence even though she wasn’t sure herself, but she showed confidence on the surface. She was afraid that her husband would suffer in inside. As soon as she finished, Lin s.h.i.+heng burst out laughing.

He poked her forehead a little, and his pleasant magnetic voice laughed: “Silly wife.”{we do not translate 4 other websites besides translateindo}

After that, Lin s.h.i.+heng took the bags that she was struggling to hold and walked to the house.

He Xuezhu looked at his back blankly and subconsciously looked at her mother-in-law: “Mom?”

This was also the first time Li Chunhua found out how gullible her daughter-in-law is. Thinking of her hard-pressed face just now and how the girl planned for the family seriously. Her heart felt a little soft. She copied her son and poked He Xuezhu’s forehead.

“You are married to our family. Come on, let’s go in. Mom’s stewing Chicken Soup for you.”

Her son came back healthy and the mother and son duo had left. Li Chunhua was very satisfied. She was happily busy in the kitchen, which was rare for her. He Xuezhu was helping her. When the meal was ready, Lin s.h.i.+heng hadn’t moved from his room.

Li Chunhua told her daughter-in-law to set the table and lift the curtain to call him.[support the real translat0rs @ translateindo]

Before she went in, she was afraid that her son was asleep and took a peek from the c***k of the door. She looked at the handsome young man sitting at the window staring blankly at a piece of paper. She opened the door and went in.

“s.h.i.+heng, come and eat …”

Lin s.h.i.+heng was startled, he had his back to her. He jerked the paper away from the table and stuffed it into the drawer. He turned stiffly and looked fl.u.s.tered: “Okay, okay, I’ll be right there.”

Li Chunhua’s brow wrinkled up immediately.

Her heart became suspicious, but her face smiled as if nothing had happened.  “Go quickly, your wife is waiting for you.”

“Okay, I’ll be right there.”[support the real translat0rs @ translateindo]

Lin s.h.i.+heng stood up and went to pull Li Chunhua, “Mom, let’s go out together.”

This clearly showed that he didn’t want her to stay in the room and see the paper just now.

The curiosity and suspicion in Li Chunhua’s heart grew heavier. If her son had not done so just now, she would have no idea. But the thought of him hiding it in such a panic just now …

The two went into the courtyard, and Li Chunhua smiled: “I’m going to get something in the house. You go first.”

Lin s.h.i.+heng stood in his place and looked at her as she hurried into the room. Thinking about the diagnosis; that he could no longer have children, he gently raised his eyebrow.