Back to the 60s: The Struggle Career of a Charmed Wife
Chapter 1540: Competitive Spirit 2

Feng Qingxue followed, greeting a few parents who were watching over the children.

"Hello, Sister Qingxue."

"Sister Qingxue, you’re not on duty today?"

Lu Jiang held the highest position in the Wucheng military, so among military families, Feng Qingxue naturally held the place of prominence. Everyone greeted her with a smile whenever they saw her.

Feng Qingxue smiled and nodded, "That’s right, not on duty today, just bringing the kids out to play."

Noticing the worried look on Peng Aihong’s face, she asked, "Aihong, is something troubling your family? Tell me, and we’ll all think of a way to help you solve it."

One of Feng Qingxue’s responsibilities was to help military families address their difficulties.

"She’s worried about finding a wife for her eldest son," Ding Min answered in her stead. "Zhou Fei’s elder brother Zhou Cheng is honest and reserved, not much of a talker. He works at a mechanical factory in the Capital, and even at twenty-five, he still hasn’t found a wife. Recently, thanks to introductions from friends and relatives, he finally found someone, but the bride’s family is demanding the ’Three Turns and One Sound’ along with ’Thirty-six Legs.’"

While the era’s obsession with using marriage as a form of comparison had eased somewhat, it hadn’t disappeared entirely; otherwise, phrases like ’Three Turns and One Sound’ and ’Thirty-six Legs’ wouldn’t still circulate.

Feng Qingxue listened and asked Peng Aihong, "If you can’t get these items, does that mean the bride’s side won’t agree to the marriage?"

Peng Aihong nodded and sighed, "My son is such a disappointment. He has his heart set on this girl. Because of this, he’s even had a falling-out with his father. I’m both furious and heartbroken! Money isn’t the issue for us. His father has served as a soldier for so many years, and I’ve saved up quite a bit. But without tickets and Industrial Coupons, it’s just impossible to procure these things! So far, we’ve only managed to get hold of a self-confidence bike ticket and a wardrobe coupon through connections. As for the watch, radio, and sewing machine, we can’t even touch those tickets!"

After hearing her out, Feng Qingxue disapproved and said, "To fall out with Captain Zhou over such a trivial matter? Does he still expect to be filial to you in the future? You shouldn’t keep indulging him."

If one of the Lu Family kids behaved like that, she’d cut ties with them without hesitation.

Once you’re an adult, you’re free to do as you please. If you want the ’Three Turns and One Sound’ and ’Thirty-six Legs,’ then figure it out for yourself.

Luckily, the Lu Family kids were all very filial. She even had money in hand from the children sending allowances home after they started working, which she gladly used to arrange their weddings. Even now, when she says not to take half of Lu Tianjun’s and Guan Cheng’s salaries, the brothers still send remittances every month. Their wives also regularly buy things for the family.

Peng Aihong’s eyes reddened slightly. "His father and I have said the same, but we can’t stop their tantrums. It’s humiliating. Yesterday, they came all the way from the Capital just for this. They demanded money, tickets, and goods. At one glance, they caught sight of Su Meixiang’s new wool coat and immediately asked us to buy one for her. They flatly declared that if we didn’t buy it, the marriage was off, acting as if Zhou Cheng’s fate was entirely in their hands."

Ding Min’s face darkened. "Aihong, how come you’ve never told me about this? What kind of person is Su Meixiang? Can we even compare ourselves to her? Every month when she gets her salary, she only thinks about buying herself new outfits. Barely halfway through the month, they don’t even have enough to eat. When our family is eating meat, her family is sipping coarse-grain porridge! This daughter-in-law of yours, she’s truly problematic. Demanding the ’Three Turns and One Sound’ and ’Thirty-six Legs’ might barely make sense, but to add on a hundred yuan wool coat as well—as if money grows on trees?"