A Good Country Wife
Chapter 226 - 225 Knowing Reflection_1

Chapter 226: Chapter 225 Knowing Reflection_1

"Mother, why did you come all the way here to wait? Look at you, so anxious," Zhao Fuquan said as he saw his elderly parents approaching. He quickly stopped the ox cart, feeling somewhat helpless. Elderly folks are just like that, unable to let go of even the smallest concerns, not waiting at home but running out to the village entrance.

"Fuquan, where are Dalang and Erhu? Why didn’t they come back with you, did something happen to them? They haven’t been mistreated by Erhu’s new bride, have they?"

"Mother, don’t say things you don’t know about. Erhu’s wife is very good to Dalang and Erhu; they’ve grown taller and stronger, and now they’ve even started learning to read and write. They say by next year they will go to school, and they will certainly make something of themselves in the future," Zhao Fuquan said with an honest smile, happy about this in his heart. To them, the farmers who face the soil and the sky every day, being able to read and write was an incredible thing. Zhao Fuquan himself did not have the means; he could barely provide for his family and was not able to send his sons to school.

"Really?! That’s wonderful! My poor daughter passed away so young, leaving behind these two boys. I, this old bag of bones, have no other hopes but for Dalang and Erhu to succeed in life, to marry and have children, to live good lives. Then I could close my eyes in death contented," said Zhao Fuquan’s mother, Liu, as she wiped the corner of her eye, unable to stop feeling sorrowful every time she mentioned her late daughter. Beside her, Zhao Fuquan’s father, Zhao Sangen, was also moved, silently puffing on his tobacco pipe.

"Mother, what are you talking about? You’re still strong and healthy, you and father are sure to live a long life. Don’t talk about such inauspicious things anymore. Dalang and Erhu are doing very well now. Erhu’s new bride is more than kind; she treats Dalang and the others as if they were her own children. You don’t need to worry about them anymore. Just set your mind at ease and live your life well," he said.

"You’re not lying to me, are you? Stepmothers can’t possibly be that nice. It would be good enough if they could tolerate Dalang and Erhu, let alone treat them like their own children. Surely you’re just trying to soothe me," Liu expressed, still finding it hard to believe how her eldest son praised Erhu’s new bride.

"Mother, why would I lie to you? Dalang and Erhu are also my sister’s sons, my own nephews. How could I not care for them deeply? Dalang and Erhu will come to visit you in a few days. What I’ve said is true. You haven’t met Erhu’s new bride and don’t know her; she is good-looking and amiable. When I visited, she was very courteous, offered the best she had to entertain me. She’s just a bit young and naive, treating everyone well without a hint of suspicion. I’ve already warned Erhu to guide his wife more, so that she won’t be deceived by others," he explained.

"Listening to you talk about it, how come Erhu’s wife seems like a naïve young girl?" Zhao’s elderly parents began to truly believe after their son’s description. Described by their simple eldest son as foolish—she must be really simple-hearted indeed.

"Exactly, look, when she saw that I was visiting, she specifically had me take a lot of things back with me, saying that she and Erhu wanted to show respect to you two with these gifts, which filled up half the cart. I said there was no need, but she insisted I take them with me, grateful for how you’ve looked after Dalang and Erhu over the years," he responded.

"Oh, now that’s something. With all these fine things—they wanted to give, but still, you shouldn’t have taken them. She’s really a naïve girl, not to empty out her house bringing things to us. It seems she is truly sincere. For Dalang and Erhu to get such a stepmother is also their good fortune," the Zhao elders said as they looked at the cargo filling half the ox cart. Although they spoke those words, deep down they felt quite pleased and finally believed what their son had said. They all smiled and climbed onto the ox cart, returning home with their son.

Zhao Fuquan had brought back so many things from his trip to the Zhao Family Village. The daughters-in-law of the Liu Family were unusually enthusiastic, crowding around with beaming smiles to help carry the items, each one of them praising Lin Yue in turn. Even when their husbands’ blood sister from the Zhao Family had visited before, they had never seen her receive such compliments.

"Fuquan, why didn’t you bring Dalang and Erlang back to stay for a while? It’s been more than half a year since they visited, and we, their aunts, really miss them. I’m sure the grandparents are longing to see their grandsons too," Sun, Zhao Fuquan’s wife, said with unexpected sweetness. The other brothers’ wives all echoed her words, insisting on bringing Dalang and Erlang over for a visit.

Zhao Fuquan was somewhat speechless. Over the years, he had never heard his wife suggest bringing Dalang and Erlang back to stay. Each time he did bring them over, she would greet him with a cold face, and it was the same with the second brother’s wife. Only the third brother’s wife was a bit better. But now, out of the blue, there came such a statement. It was clear that the gifts sent by Erhu’s wife on the ox cart had made an impact.

Women really are superficial, Zhao Fuquan thought, feeling contempt for his wife on this account for not the first time. Couldn’t she give him some pride, not always acting so greedy for money? It was quite embarrassing.

After the big uncle had left, Zhao Erhu kept thinking about what had caused the argument that had upset his wife a few days ago. With the kids clinging to his wife all day, he hadn’t found the chance to ask. But finally, at bedtime, Zhao Erhu got around to voicing his question.

After asking, Zhao Erhu carefully watched his wife’s face, only relaxing a bit when he saw no sign of displeasure. Sometimes having a younger wife could be quite a headache, he thought; even though she was delicate and sweet, she was not very steady and could be fickle.

Zhao Erhu didn’t realize that all women are changeable; he just hadn’t paid much attention to women before. Zhao’s wife was quiet and reticent, barely speaking to him throughout the day. As for the Li Family’s wife, she was lively and talkative, but not quite to his taste, and he lacked patience with her and didn’t accommodate her much, which is why he had felt less affected by her. Now that he cherished his little wife deeply, paying close attention to her every mood, whether she was happy or not, he realized that she could indeed be quite changeable at times.

"Wife, please don’t be angry, okay? I’m asking because I really want to know what you’re thinking. If I’m wrong and don’t realize it, you need to tell me, so I can change and not make the same mistakes again, right? You’ve said before that a husband and wife should be honest with each other, and I’m just trying to do as you’ve instructed."

"Do you really think that way?" Lin Yue arched an eyebrow, impressed that this man had made some progress and had learned to reflect on himself. Not bad at all.

"If you ask me, I’ll tell you. The thing is, I wasn’t angry because of anything else but because you made decisions about things without consulting me, like with Dalang and Erlang going to Xiaoxi Village. I’m their mother too, aren’t I? Shouldn’t you have discussed it with me first before deciding? Does this mean you don’t respect me, or could it be that you don’t consider me at all? Otherwise, if it were the Zhao Family’s wife present, wouldn’t you have discussed it with her?"