Daily Life in the 70s
Chapter 310 Different

Chapter 310: Chapter 310 Different

Yang PeiMin felt that after hosting the meal, things were a bit different. The Military Wives and neighbors grew warmer and more cordial toward her, willing to talk things over face-to-face and promptly relay any negative gossip about herself.

"Old Mrs. Cui just couldn’t keep her mouth shut again. Didn’t we not invite her that day? Recently, she’s been dragging people into this matter, talking about how stingy and petty we are, such pitiful talks about her two little grandsons who have never eaten meat... But hey, we just listen and forget it. Who doesn’t know that we have our limitations too, and things need to be handled appropriately? Her son is stationed in our camp, but do they have the face to complain? With so many elderly and children, and it wasn’t even a feast for drinks. Didn’t they take some leftover meat and dishes home? Everyone got a couple of bites, right? Some people are just never satisfied, always wanting to eat your whole cow."

Yang PeiMin shook her head and chuckled. She had expected such idle gossip from Mrs. Cui, and thanked the Military Wife who had reported it to her, "Don’t mind it; it was because of the wedding that we didn’t invite you over for a meal... I was thinking, with the New Year coming and the year coming to an end, a gathering meal is needed... Sorry I couldn’t make everyone happy..."

The Military Wife comforted her, "You’re just too polite. It’s old Mrs. Cui who’s thick-faced. This matter... it’s only your family that handled it with dignity. Everyone knows you’re pregnant, we understand this, so we won’t bother about those people."

Yang PeiMin smiled and nodded.

As for others who seemed different, there was Shen Yixiang.

She noticed that Yixiang seemed distracted, often sitting there lost in thought, knitting a sweater but then stopping midway, her mind apparently wandering off somewhere.

Yang PeiMin sat down beside her and couldn’t help asking, "Yixiang, are you troubled by something?"

Shen Yixiang snapped out of her reverie and shook her head, "What could I possibly be troubled by? Nothing at all."

"No troubles, yet you’re so absentminded? Look at what you’ve knitted?"

Shen Yixiang quickly looked down at her work and saw the unfinished, knotted mess, and couldn’t help but feel a bit embarrassed, smiling sheepishly, "Maybe I’ve just got nothing to do these days and my brain gets sleepy."

Yang PeiMin didn’t believe it and looked at her, "Yixiang, winter is halfway over, and you weren’t like this before. Have you caught my pregnancy distractions?"

"Sister-in-law, don’t ask anymore, I’ll be fine in a few days."

Shen Yixiang’s lips were sealed tight like a clamshell. Yang PeiMin couldn’t get a word out of her. When Shen Yiguang arrived home that evening, she mentioned the matter to him, "She’s definitely troubled by something recent, why else would she act this way?"

Shen Yiguang glanced over and felt his sister probably didn’t have anything serious on her mind. If there was anything, it would just be some minor matters or girl’s small personal concerns, nothing unusual.

Seeing how Shen Yiguang did not take it seriously, Yang PeiMin turned to face him, "Don’t take this lightly. Let me analyze it for you, see if I’m right. The only different thing these past few days is us hosting that meal, and during it, there was talk about her. It’s related to her. Weren’t some people eyeing her? I saw several young men looking at your sister quite keenly. Yixiang may have declined on the spot, not considering it, yet a young girl’s mind often changes..."

Shen Yiguang grew serious, "Alright, I’ll have a word with those young men to find out."

"Just don’t be hasty," Yang PeiMin looked at him with concern.

"Don’t worry, I have a clear idea. Keep an eye on Yixiang and see if it’s really because of this."

Yang PeiMin nodded, "I should say though, if she really wants to date someone, I won’t stop her. At most, I’ll just help her analyze the guy’s character, along with some advice."

"The way I see it, we should first understand the man’s family, character, and all aspects. If suitable, then let him approach her. If we wait to find out through dating, and it turns out they’re not suited, by that time feelings would be involved, making it a dilemma whether to continue or not."

The man actually sounded quite reasonable.

But matters of the heart are really hard to predict—who knows, there might even be love at first sight? Yang PeiMin blinked, "Then, you handle it. You know I’m pregnant and my mind tends to be muddled."

Shen Yiguang gently wrapped his arm around her shoulder, speaking softly, "You should go get some rest. I’ve got this."

So, Yang PeiMin went to bed at ease.

However, the following evening, as Shen Yiguang returned home, Shen Yixiang rushed up to ask, "Brother, did you send Lu Haijun to the field training unit?"

Shen Yiguang hadn’t even taken off his military cap when she bombarded him with questions, causing his expression to darken, "Did he tell you about it?"

"No, I asked someone else. Brother, why did you transfer him? Couldn’t you have chosen someone else?"

"Shen Yixiang, what’s going on between you and Lu Haijun?" Shen Yiguang stared at her sharply.

Realizing she had revealed something, Shen Yixiang immediately felt guilty, "Brother, it’s nothing. Wasn’t it just having a meal? That day at your house, when we met outside afterward, we had a brief chat. I just wanted to know about life in the military, and he’s quite interesting to talk to..."

"Come here and explain yourself!"

Yang PeiMin, hearing the commotion from the room, came out. Seeing the siblings in such a state, she realized what was happening. She decided to let them talk and stayed back in her room. Shen Yiguang called her over, "Come and listen to what she has to say."

Shen Yiguang looked at Shen Yixiang, his tone becoming serious, "What exactly did you say at the dinner table? You forgot all about it after the meal?"

Shen Yixiang looked down at the floor, "Just a few extra words, you know, about friendship... Do you understand what friendship is? I’m just like an ordinary friend."

"Shen Yixiang, tell me, do you think anyone would believe that? Even you don’t believe it, right? Right after saying that, you stayed with him and got seen, what would people think? Isn’t this embarrassing?"

Shen Yixiang was silent for a moment, then said softly, "Then what if I do start dating him? Brother, he’s not a bad person, and he’s under your command. If there were any issues with his character, you would have gotten rid of him, right? Brother, what do you think?"

"No!"

"Big brother! Why not? We’re both single, what’s the problem? Is it because you’re worried about people laughing at me after our talk, and then me being with him? Then we can just date for now, not think about marriage. Besides, I still believe in not rushing into marriage too soon. I still want to be dutiful to our parents for a few more years before considering it."