Reborn in the 70s: Pampered by Regiment Commander
Chapter 258 - 193: They Left!

Chapter 258: Chapter 193: They Left!

"Ooooh..."

"Ooooh..."

"..."

As the sun’s first rays pierced through the mist and scattered across the earth, the unique wake-up calls of the countryside reverberated one after another...

The moment the crowing began, Zhao Yulan and Lin Baohe almost simultaneously sat up. "Honey, you can’t sleep either, huh?" Zhao Yulan said with a smile, passing the brand-new clothes to Lin Baohe.

"How could I?" said Lin Baohe as he dressed, sighing, "My heart is both happy and anxious. Can you believe how quickly the days have passed? Our Xia is about to get married, isn’t she?"

Zhao Yulan quickly put on her clothes and got out of bed. "Enough chattering, come down and help me check the dowry items again to make sure we aren’t missing anything."

"We’ve checked no less than ten times, there’s definitely nothing missing..." Lin Baohe sighed as he spoke, "With the little we’re giving as a dowry, how can I feel at ease?"

The new house for Chuxia and Zhou Mikang was right inside the Zhou family’s large estate. The Zhou family had prepared all the furniture needed, and even the trendy sewing machines, bicycles, and watches, they had already provided for Chuxia. So, other than quilts, bridal cakes, and some snacks like chestnuts and dates, they couldn’t think of any other suitable gift to give.

Initially, the couple thought no matter what the Zhou family said, they would still give Chuxia an additional dowry. However, when they planned to go shopping with Zhao Yushan, he analyzed the situation for them.

Once married, Chuxia would live with her in-laws, and their house lacked nothing. As for bicycles and sewing machines, those would just take up space and were unnecessary. Why keep them lying around?

The watch Chuxia wore cost over six hundred bucks. Buying a cheaper one was unnecessary, and a more expensive one might seem like they were trying to outdo the Zhou family, so that wasn’t a good option either.

What else then?

Jewelry? They thought about it and decided against it. In the years of steel production, everyone had melted down their jewelry. Now, you couldn’t see anyone wearing jewelry anywhere. Moreover, the Zhou family came from a distinguished revolutionary background; what if it displeased them? That would not be good for their daughter either.

Clothes? Their daughter was a soldier, so any clothes made wouldn’t get much use. Plus, fashion styles change slightly every year. Making too many would just be unfashionable, and in the end, it would just be a waste of money stored away.

After much thought, the couple had no other options and had to settle for giving what they could. But deep down, they still felt uneasy.

Listening to Lin Baohe bring it up again, Zhao Yulan also sighed, "Xiao Zhou even sent a telegram specifically telling us not to buy those useless things. Let’s just leave it at that for now. Later, when we have a grandson, we can spend the money on him; it’s all the same."

"That’s the only way, sigh," Lin Baohe sighed as he got off the bed and went to unlock the heavy gates of the courtyard, just in time to see Luo Gangshun and his wife, both dressed in brand new clothes, walking over.

Fat Auntie laughed from afar, "I guessed you two would be up by now."

As the group entered the room, Fat Auntie took a look at Zhao Yulan’s eyes, "You didn’t sleep all night, did you?"

"Couldn’t sleep at all," laughed Zhao Yulan. "You’ll understand when it’s time to marry off your daughter."

"Raising a daughter is like this, worried when you can’t find a good husband’s family, and still worried after marrying to a good one..." Fat Auntie said as she walked towards the room where the dowry was kept, "Let’s check it one more time, to make sure nothing is missing."

Luo Gangshun shook his head with a smile, "Obsessed. She’s been nagging me since early to check the dowry again for peace of mind."

"Yulan’s the same, got down from the bed and straight onto checking the dowry." Lin Baohe welcomed Luo Gangshun into the house, handing him a cigarette, "Is all the work in the village arranged nicely?"

Luo Gangshun nodded, "Yeah, with Jianfeng overseeing it, there’s nothing to worry about."

Jianfeng, Dagang’s Grandpa’s eldest son, Chen Jianfeng, was just elected as the village head last month and is Luo Gangshun’s deputy.

"Let’s take this opportunity to visit Hongqi."

"Mmm."

"Last time I saw that kid, he’d gotten even stronger."

Luo Gangshun sighed, "What’s the use of being strong if he’s not smart?"

When Fat Auntie, finished counting the dowry, overheard the two men’s conversation, she waved it off, "It’s a day of great joy; let’s not talk about this now. After Xia’s wedding, we’ll find that rascal Hongqi and see if he still recognizes his parents."

"I hear a car coming," Zhao Yulan poked her head out and said before swiftly running outside. The others quickly followed, pulling open the gate to see, indeed, a green van decorated with red silk stopped outside the courtyard.

As the vehicle’s door opened, Zhou Mikang and Zhou Hanliang stepped out together.

"Dad, Mom, Uncle, Auntie..."

"Uncle, Auntie..."

"Regimental Commander Zhou, Instructor Zhou, you’ve worked hard!"

"Xiao Zhou, Instructor Zhou, come in for a drink of water."

A few people greeted each other and entered the house.

The neighbors close by, hearing the commotion, all came out to watch the excitement, circling around the car, touching it over and over with their hands...

Lin Chuqiu, who had been sent out to gather information, spotted the large van parked at his second uncle’s house and bolted towards the Lin family ancestral home.

"Grandpa, Grandma, they’re here! They’re here!..."

Inside the Lin family ancestral house, Old Master Lin and Old Lady Lin, dressed in brand-new clothes, sat on the heated brick bed, while Lin Baojiang and his wife, Lin Baohai and his wife, sat on the edge of the bed. Lin Chudong and his wife, Lin Chuchun, sat on the stools below the bed, all donned in sparkly new outfits.

Hearing Lin Chuqiu shouting as he came in, Old Master Lin and Old Lady Lin straightened their backs. Old Master Lin waved his hands towards his eldest and youngest sons, "You guys, go to the other room. When your second brother comes to call us, we have to give him a hard time first."

"Dad..." Lin Baohai hesitated, "What if second brother doesn’t come to fetch us?"

"Set your mind at ease, if he no longer wants to stay in Dalin Village, he won’t come to fetch us. This is about seeing who can keep their cool. At your age, how can you not keep your composure over such a trifle?"

Old Lady Lin snorted, "You know how much second brother cherishes Chuxia, we were just panicking blindly these few days. It was only after my sister-in-law spoke to me that I realized what was happening. He wants us to enhance his prestige, yet he doesn’t want us to bask in any of his glory. Second brother is not that sly, it’s all his wife’s doing, oh, her heart is just too wicked!"

"Dad, Mom, we’ll go to the other room," Lin Baojiang said, glancing at Zheng Sanqiao, and the couple led the way to the west room.

In rural customs, the east room is reserved for the most honored; ever since Old Master Lin and Old Lady Lin moved in, Lin Baojiang and his wife gave up the east room for them and moved to the west room instead.

After hearing what Old Lady Lin said, Lin Baohai fully relaxed, pulled Yang Aihua along, and followed his older brother and sister-in-law towards the west room, instructing Lin Chuqiu to keep gathering information.

As for Lin Chuchun, he snorted disdainfully and went to sit in the yard by himself. He had just settled down when he saw his uncle and aunt, Second Grandpa Lin and Second Grandma Lin, running in with a "gudong, gudong" one after the other.

"Why are you sitting here, Chuchun? Don’t let the dew soak your clothes..." As Second Grandma Lin cautioned him, she scampered into the east room with tiny steps.

Lin Chuchun couldn’t help but snort again. Second Grandma Lin’s tiny feet would normally hurt just walking, so how come she didn’t feel any pain running so fast now?

A bunch of fools!

His second uncle and aunt hadn’t planned to invite them at all, yet here they were, foolishly thinking about how to stake a claim, hmph, he wanted to see how much longer they could pretend to be happy.

He didn’t feel particularly close to his second uncle and aunt either, but he just disliked how his grandparents, his eldest uncle and his wife, and his own parents bullied his second uncle and aunt.

This time, after the whole family discussed and decided, he went to report to his second uncle. Without waiting for his second uncle to say anything, he left.

His second aunt ran out to stop him, her face full of things she wanted but hesitated to say.

He was not a fool; he clearly understood his second aunt was grateful to him, yet she didn’t know how to express it.

Then, he shrugged off his second aunty’s hand with a cold face and ran back home.

He didn’t want to owe his second uncle and aunty any favors. It wasn’t like he was deliberately helping them, he was just paying back his slightly older but incredibly dumb cousin.

Hmph, that dumb cousin couldn’t even understand why he wouldn’t side with Chuqiu to bully her. She was just too stupid, if she hadn’t grabbed his hand that time he slipped into the river – dragging herself in too – would he have changed his attitude towards her?

What a moron! Completely and utterly stupid!

"Grandpa, Grandma, they’re gone... they’ve left... they’ve left..." Lin Chuchun was wallowing in his thoughts when he heard his twin brother’s shouting again. He stood up to meet Lin Chuqiu who was running in the door, and followed him into the east room.

In the room, Second Grandma Lin was talking nineteen to the dozen. Upon hearing Lin Chuqiu’s shouts, her mouth turned down saying, "This kid, they couldn’t have left so easily, that would have all been for nothing, wouldn’t it?"

Lin Chuqiu was panting heavily, "...they really left... hurry up..."

Old Lady Lin’s face darkened, "Your second uncle and his wife sent for us and you just came calling? You foolish boy, have you forgotten what your grandparents taught you? Didn’t we tell you not to let them see you?"

"They didn’t see me, they left, the car drove away!" Lin Chuqiu finally caught his breath and was able to clearly express himself.

"The car drove away?" Old Lady Lin repeated, slapping her thigh suddenly, her voice rose an octave, "What did you say? You’re saying the car drove away?"

Old Master Lin quickly patted Chuqiu’s back to soothe him, "Chuqiu, speak slowly, did the car come this way, or did it leave the village?"

The four people seated on the bed all held their breath, eyes widened looking at Lin Chuqiu; their expressions revealed apparent... unease...

"It left the village," Lin Chuqiu said while pulling Old Master Lin down off the bed, "Grandpa, come quickly, let’s take the bike and go after them, if we don’t hurry, they’ll leave without us." (To be continued. If you like this work, welcome to Qidian (qidian.com) to cast your recommendation vote, monthly ticket. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please go to m.qidian.com to read.)