Reborn in the 70s: Pampered by Regiment Commander
Chapter 252 - 190: Worry

Chapter 252: Chapter 190: Worry

The hour of the first watch had just arrived.

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The fluffy, snow-white cotton was evenly spread beneath the white quilt, topped with a red satin cover embroidered with the auspicious character for happiness. The women folded up the white lining and each held a corner, pulling long cotton threads that made a "zing-zing" sound as the even stitches spread out.

The women’s hands were busy, and their mouths were just as busy.

"Second sister-in-law, you and your husband are truly blessed. I mean, there are plenty of people in our village with a bunch of kids, but who has received such blessings from their children?

"Indeed, just look at this tile-roofed house. You won’t find a second one like it in the whole county!"

"Ah, my daughter is already seventeen. I’m not even hoping she’d get us a big tile-roofed house; I’d be content if she could add a sewing machine to our home. Not to make you laugh, second sister-in-law, but I’ve dreamed of owning a sewing machine like yours!"

"Wenying’s mother, you really dare to dream big. That Bee brand sewing machine costs several hundred! I’m not as greedy as you; I’d be quite satisfied with a Peony brand one."

"Your Jianxin is a boy, can you really compare with me?"

"Why can’t I?"

"Could your daughter-in-law buy you a sewing machine?"

"..."

Fat Auntie glanced at the woman who was momentarily at a loss for words and jokingly said, "Jianxin’s mother, your boy has the looks and the stature, attracting a flock of young girls every time he’s out. Just spread the word that whoever can bring a sewing machine to you as dowry can marry your Jianxin. I guarantee, if you do this, your sewing machine will be even more solid than Wenying’s mother’s machine!"

The compliments of her son made Jianxin’s mother’s mouth curl into a smirk, but she didn’t forget to rationalize, "Fat Sister-in-law, a mother can’t just sell her son for a sewing machine. A daughter-in-law needs to have a good heart. Sewing machines can be bought with money, but a good heart can’t be bought that way."

Wenying’s mother nodded in agreement, "You’re right. Whether it’s a son-in-law or a daughter-in-law, you have to first look at their character. Even if the family has mountains of gold and silver, with a bad character, life won’t be comfortable."

"Ah!" Fat Auntie sighed and fell silent.

Wenying’s mother and Jianxin’s mother both looked somewhat embarrassed; caught up in their conversation, they had forgotten that Fat Auntie had always been dissatisfied with Zhong Hongying as a daughter-in-law, thinking about Aunt Zhong’s temper. If the Luo family really married Zhong Hongying, life would indeed not be easy.

Being somewhat closer to Fat Auntie, Zhao Yulan spoke without reservations, "Don’t worry so much. Until the wedding day, no one can say for certain what will happen."

"It’s not that I’m worried about marrying into the Zhong family. I’m worried about my foolish son..." Fat Auntie sighed again, "We are all close here, so I don’t mind saying this.

Hongqi is stubborn. Even now, he writes a letter to Zhong Hongying every day. Initially, I thought, if he really set his heart on marrying Zhong Hongying, then let him marry her. At worst, they could live separately later on.

But now, Zhong Hongying is also going to join the army. With her character, how could she possibly still fancy Hongqi? Ah, with Hongqi being so single-minded, I’m afraid he might not take it well and might ruin his life."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Yulan’s brows also furrowed slightly. Since Luo Xiaoqiong had joined the army, Zhong Hongying had been visiting Fat Auntie regularly to chat, which gradually made Fat Auntie more accepting of her despite her initial displeasure.

"Has Hongying not been by these past few days?" Zhao Yulan asked.

Fat Auntie shook her head, "Ever since she received her enlistment notice, she hasn’t come over."

"Ah!" Wenying’s mother sighed, "She’s always aiming for the high branches, that one. Fat Sister-in-law, if they really break things off, I think it might be for the best. Such a daughter-in-law is not easy to manage."

Jianxin’s mother immediately agreed, "Exactly, Fat Sister-in-law, I think your worries are a bit unnecessary. Our Hongqi is stubborn, but he’s not a fool. If Zhong Hongying really changes her heart, wouldn’t he have let go of her by now?

Our family’s conditions are clear, and so are Hongqi’s. It’s easy to find a good daughter-in-law! You just get a wife for him, let him sleep beside her on the kang for a few nights, and I guarantee he’ll forget who Zhong Hongying even is."

While a mother knows her own son best, Fat Auntie didn’t want to argue about it with others and just chuckled, patting Jianxin’s mother, "You rough-hewn woman, who talks about their nephew like that?"

Jianxin’s mother laughed, "Rough words but rational thoughts. Isn’t this how everyone gets by? Besides, I’m not saying it in front of my grand nephew. Just us old women here, what’s there to act ignorant or shy about?"

"You..." Fat Auntie pointed playfully at Jianxin’s mother, her expression a mixture of exasperation and amusement, "Can’t your mouth ever produce something nice to say?"

"Fat Sister-in-law, where did I speak poorly?"

"Nice, very nice, really nice."

"..."

Yulan, who almost always cooked in the same pot as Fat Auntie, could definitely see that Fat Auntie was not truly at ease. Moreover, based on her understanding of Hongqi, she knew Fat Auntie’s worries were not unfounded. However, there seemed to be no good solution to this issue right now.

Hongqi was not one to take advice easily. Sometimes she wondered, since Fat Auntie and Gangshun were not stubborn to the core, who had Hongqi taken after?

When Baohe came back home in the evening, Yulan told him about the matter.

Baohe pondered for a while and sighed, "Fortunately, our Chuxia never took a liking to Hongqi."

"You..." Yulan was speechless, "I’m talking to you about Hongqi, why do you bring up our Chuxia?"

"If our Chuxia had taken a liking to him and he still had Zhong Hongying on his mind, wouldn’t our Chuxia be the one suffering?"

Yulan glared at him hatefully, "Cha Xiang is almost worried to death, and you’re still thinking about this. If she knew, she’d probably stop talking to you altogether in the future."

"You just worry too much. Hongqi isn’t stupid. Once he figures it out, no one will need to persuade him. He’ll definitely know what to do."

"But what if he doesn’t figure it out?"

"Zhong Hongying is serving in the same unit with him. With her temperament, if things don’t work out with Hongqi, do you think she couldn’t find someone else? If even this doesn’t make Hongqi see clearly, then all your worrying is in vain."

After pondering for quite a while, Yulan sighed deeply, "That’s true. If he can’t figure it out after all that, then there really is no cure for his stubbornness. Ah, who does he take after to be so stubborn?"

"Maybe his grandma was just that stubborn?"

"Right!" Yulan slapped her forehead, suddenly enlightened, "You’re right, I had almost forgotten. His grandma was indeed stubborn. Actually, when you think about it, being stubborn isn’t all bad. Without Hongqi’s stubborn grandma, Fat Auntie wouldn’t have married Gangshun so smoothly."

Back in the day, when Fat Auntie and Gangshun were to be engaged, a girl from the village who fancied Gangshun had her parents desperately finding a mediator to propose to the Luo family, declaring that they demanded no dowry.

The Luo family was quite poor at the time, and Gangshun had two younger brothers who were not yet betrothed. Gangshun’s father was tempted to save the dowry money for his other two sons.

However, Old Lady Luo firmly disagreed and even went to the proposer’s family to express her stance. Ultimately, under Old Lady Luo’s arrangement, the full dowry was paid to marry Fat Auntie.

But this didn’t mean Old Lady Luo liked Fat Auntie as a daughter-in-law. Ever since Fat Auntie married into the family, Old Lady Luo was always indifferent to her, no matter how hard Fat Auntie tried to please her.

Over the years, Old Lady Luo had lived with her youngest son and daughter-in-law, never staying at her oldest son’s house despite Fat Auntie’s invitations. Looking at it this way, Hongqi’s personality did indeed resemble Old Lady Luo’s quite a bit.

However, if Hongqi’s personality was indeed like Old Lady Luo’s, Yulan genuinely felt there was no need to worry about Hongqi. Once he saw clearly and understood, he would know which path to take.

Thinking of Old Lady Luo, Yulan was reminded of Old Madam Zhou.

Alas, she didn’t know if Old Madam Zhou would be as stubborn as Old Lady Luo, forever not accepting Chuxia. Though she was just an old lady, she was, after all, an elder’s elder. If she didn’t like Chuxia...

"Dad, do you think Regimental Commander Xiao Zhou’s grandma might act like Cha Xiang’s grandma?"

"These things are beyond our control. As long as Regimental Commander Zhou treats Chuxia well and Zhou’s parents-in-law treat Chuxia well, we shouldn’t demand too much of others."

Yulan waved her hand dismissively, "Forget it. Let’s not think about these things anymore. Relying on such baseless worries, our daughter will never get married."

"In just over ten days, our daughter will belong to another family..." Baohe’s eyes showed a hint of sadness, "It hasn’t been long, wrapping her small quilt, just that little bit, and now she’s going to be someone else’s wife, sigh!"

Yulan also became melancholic for a while, then looked seriously at Baohe, "Dad, when Chuxia has a child, I want to go and help her with the child. I don’t trust others to do it. I fell ill because I didn’t take proper care during my confinement; I can’t let Chuxia walk the same path I did."

"The Zhou family might not..."

Yulan cut Baohe off, "Whether they might or might not, I just can’t rest easy."

Baohe quickly replied, "Alright, alright. Then you go and help Chuxia with her child. But we should discuss this with our in-laws first; otherwise, it might be hard for Chuxia in the Zhou family in the future."

Yulan nodded, "Mmm, I’ll discuss it with them at the wedding."

"Right now, we need to discuss the matter of sending off the bride. It should be decided." Baohe massaged his forehead with a headache, "If we send too few people, I’m afraid the Zhou family members might look down on Chuxia. If too many, I really don’t feel assured."

"Our parents and brothers are actually playing hard to get, knowing that we can’t do without them. They are just waiting for us to come and ask them. But if we ask them now, in the future..." Yulan sighed, not continuing further. (To be continued. If you like this work, you are welcome to vote for it at Qidian (qidian.com), and to buy a monthly pass. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please read on m.qidian.com.)