Chapter 76

The mother and her three children returned home in the afternoon. The trip had taken quite some time, and they were starting to miss home.

The mother and her three children took an overnight train, and by the time they changed trains at midnight, Liu Liu was already asleep. Jin Xiuzhu and Yanyan carried the luggage while He Yan held his sister.

It was fortunate that He Yan was there; boys do have more strength. With one hand holding his sister and the other carrying things, he led the way for them. His tall stature deterred anyone from bothering them.

The train went directly from the neighboring provincial capital to G Province, and this time they had sleeper berths. Jin Xiuzhu slept with Liu Liu in the middle, Yanyan on the top, and He Yan on the bottom, as he wanted to be ready in case of any trouble at night.

The mother and her three children spent two days and two nights on the train, arriving in the provincial capital city of G Province on the morning of the third day. They then transferred to a bus to get into the city, arriving at the station around three in the afternoon.

After getting off the bus and seeing the familiar surroundings, everyone felt a bit more relaxed.

Liu Liu was the happiest, "We're home."

Fu Yanyan couldn't help but ask, "So happy?"

Liu Liu's face was full of innocence, "Of course! I can see Dad now."

Fu Yanyan smiled slightly.

Liu Liu added, "I used to love our old home so much, but after coming back this time, it didn't seem as good. Now I like it here more."

He Yan interjected, "It's all the same. Once we move away, you'll feel the same way."

Liu Liu hummed, insisting that she liked it here the most right now.

Jin Xiuzhu led them home, taking a detour to go shopping on the street and buy a lot of vegetables and fruits.

Upon returning home, Jin Xiuzhu was too tired to cook, so she sent He Yan to the State-owned hotel to buy some buns and two dishes.

When He Yan returned with the buns and dishes, Jin Xiuzhu and Fu Yanyan had already cleaned up the house. After a simple meal, Jin Xiuzhu went to the kitchen to boil a large pot of hot water.

They hadn't had proper baths during their trip, and after several days on the train, they all smelled. After boiling the water, the mother and her three children took turns bathing and washing their hair. Then they washed two large basins of clothes by the well in the courtyard.

Lunch was late, and none of them were hungry, so dinner was prepared later. Jiang Mingchuan arrived when they were halfway through cooking.

Jin Xiuzhu hadn't expected Jiang Mingchuan to come back that evening, thinking he would stay at the military base since they had been away for several days.

Seeing them, Jiang Mingchuan was surprised, "Why didn't you tell me you were coming back?"

Jin Xiuzhu put down what she was doing and greeted him, "We got back around three o'clock, and we were busy washing our hair and taking baths. By the time we finished, it was dark. We were planning to call you tomorrow morning. Why did you come back?"

Jiang Mingchuan wheeled his bicycle inside, "I thought you might return tonight, so I've been coming home these past few days."

Jin Xiuzhu nodded, "Sit down and rest. You're all sweaty."

Liu Liu, being playful, climbed onto the bicycle after her father parked it.

Fu Yanyan saw this and told her to be careful.

Outside, it was already dark, but still very hot. The family had an electric fan running.

Jin Xiuzhu was burning herbs in an old iron basin to repel mosquitoes. She noticed there were many mosquitoes in the house after being away for several days.

Jiang Mingchuan poured himself a glass of water and asked about their experiences over the past few days.

Jin Xiuzhu started by talking about Bai Jingzhi, "Everything is almost ready. We've agreed to return to the capital together after the New Year. Jingzhi hasn't been back with us before, so this is a good opportunity."

"She told me that Ji Ling has no issues with it and can make the decision himself. He can take twenty days off for the New Year, which is enough."

Jiang Mingchuan nodded and then asked about the situation at the military base.

Jin Xiuzhu mentioned Wang Ling and Qian Yufeng's family, as well as Wu Xiaojun's injury, "According to Wang Ling, he can't serve in the military anymore. I told her that a formal job could compensate for his inability to serve, but it won't solve the root of his problem. I suggested she involve him more in activities to keep him occupied."

"When we left, I noticed how silent Xiaojun was, not saying a word. I thought he was just sad about his grandmother's passing, but it turns out there was another reason. If this continues, something bad might happen to him."

Jiang Mingchuan frowned, "Xiaojun did a good thing by saving someone. Even though he can't serve in the military, he fulfilled the purpose of protecting the country."

"You did the right thing by suggesting Wang Ling involve him more. It will give him another path forward."

"Exactly. I told Xiaojun that if he learns even half of what Wang Ling knows, he won't have to worry about food or shelter."

Jiang Mingchuan's expression softened, feeling that Jin Xiuzhu's words were a bit exaggerated but acknowledging the truth behind them. People need to look forward.

He hoped Xiaojun would realize this soon.

Jin Xiuzhu sighed, "You wouldn't believe it, but when we parted ways, Xiaojun's eyes were red, and he thanked me."

She added, "Qian Yufeng and her husband care too much about face. They treat outsiders well but neglect their own children. In the past, they favored Xiaojun because he was a boy, but now that he can't serve in the military, they favor Daya because she does well in school. They have two rooms, one for Daya, and they could easily rent another room for Xiaojun. Even if they can't afford another room, they could partition a space for him."

Qian Yufeng and her husband are good friends, but as parents, they don't always treat their children equally.

Jin Xiuzhu knew she was overstepping by mentioning this, so she didn't say anything directly to Qian Yufeng. She only mentioned it to Jiang Mingchuan upon returning.

Hearing this, Fu Yanyan couldn't help but look at Jin Xiuzhu, realizing she had forgotten about this matter.

She was happy for Daya but hadn't considered what Xiaojun was going through, similar to what Daya had experienced.

She had known for a long time that some parents don't truly love their children; they prefer those who are successful.

Jiang Mingchuan understood her concern for the children and disapproved of parental favoritism.

However, he also knew that many parents show favoritism, and many military spouses leave their less-favored children with grandparents or relatives. Compared to others, Qian Yufeng and her husband were already better.

Jin Xiuzhu acknowledged that she might be overthinking it. Having no children in her previous life, she had a strong belief that parents should treat their children well.

"Forget about them. Political Commissar Zhu might be promoted by the end of the year or next year. He wants you to work harder."

Jiang Mingchuan laughed, "How could it be that fast? No matter how hard we try, we can't catch up with him."

In the evening, He Yan prepared three dishes and a soup, and all five members of the family ate until they were stuffed.

Jiang Mingchuan was in charge of washing the dishes, leaving his mother and the three children in the living room to do homework and draw. After he finished washing, he went to the courtyard to take a cold shower.

He directly poured a bucket of well water over himself. Jin Xiuzhu heard the commotion and said irritably, "Do you really think you're made of iron? When you get old, your joints won't be able to handle it. Let's see who takes care of you then?"

Feeling guilty, Jiang Mingchuan turned around and quickly rinsed himself, facing away from her.

When he returned to the living room, Jin Xiuzhu didn't even bother to look at him, continuing to draw with her head down.

Jiang Mingchuan glanced at his son, and He Yan gave him a smug smile, even making a gesture, "Dad, you're in trouble."

Jiang Mingchuan: "…"

This kid is really annoying.

Jiang Mingchuan sat next to Jin Xiuzhu, wiping his hair with a towel and initiated a conversation, "Has anything interesting happened these past few days?"

Jin Xiuzhu looked at him expressionlessly, "What did you promise me?"

Jiang Mingchuan rubbed his nose, "It's too hot here."

"Just because it's hot, does that mean you can take cold showers? During the time I wasn't home, did you take cold showers every day? Don't you know your own body? How many injuries have you had? Your leg was broken before, and when I was nursing you back to health, I told you to keep warm and avoid getting chilled. You can't help it during training, but at home, you can't even manage to take a proper bath. What else can you do?"

Jiang Mingchuan lowered his head and remained silent.

Seeing his attitude, Jin Xiuzhu got angry and put away her drawing tools, heading straight to their room.

Jiang Mingchuan glanced at the three children nearby, who were watching the scene unfold, and sternly said, "Go to bed early."

Then he quickly got up and chased after her. Just as he reached the door, it slammed shut with a loud "Bang!"

He turned around and saw the wide-eyed stares of the three children. Clearing his throat, he tried to save face, "Your mom just cares about me too much."

Then he urged them to go to their rooms and sleep.

He Yan and Fu Yanyan bit their lips to suppress their laughter, gathering their things and heading to their rooms.

Before leaving, Liu Liu asked curiously, "Dad, why don't you go inside? Is Mom not letting you in?"

Jiang Mingchuan: "…"

This child is also annoying.

Fu Yanyan almost burst out laughing and quickly pulled her sister away, "Mom and Dad are just playing around."

Liu Liu: "Okay, Mom and Dad are so cute. I've never played like this."

After seeing the kids leave, Jiang Mingchuan tried the door handle. It was locked from the inside. He instinctively looked around, saw no one, and whispered, "Honey, open the door. I'm sorry, okay?"

Inside the room, Jin Xiuzhu fanned herself and sneered, "What exactly are you sorry for? Since you love cold showers so much, why don't you soak in the well tonight? Why bother sleeping?"

Jiang Mingchuan rubbed his nose again and lowered his voice, "Honey, I really know I was wrong. I won't do it again."

Jin Xiuzhu remained silent.

Jiang Mingchuan thought for a moment and added, "I promise to take hot showers every day from now on."

Hearing this, Jin Xiuzhu got even angrier, "Are you taking hot showers for my sake? How old are you? Do you need me to watch over such trivial matters? Do you really think I want to harm you?"

"No, I know you're doing it for my good."

"Then why did you still do it?"

"I just wanted to be lazy. I won't do it again. I'll listen to you, okay? I really know I was wrong."

"Honey, let me in. There are a lot of mosquitoes outside."

"Baby, I haven't seen you for so many days. I miss you."

Hearing this, Jin Xiuzhu felt her ears heat up and spat at the door, "Shameless! Who are you calling baby?"

"Baby—"

Jiang Mingchuan continued shouting from outside. Worried the kids might hear, Jin Xiuzhu reluctantly opened the door. As soon as she did, Jiang Mingchuan smiled and quickly squeezed inside.

As soon as he entered, he wrapped his arms around her.

Jin Xiuzhu swatted him with her fan, "Hot or not?"

Jiang Mingchuan kissed her forehead, "Not hot."

Jin Xiuzhu broke free from his embrace and glared at him, "Stop being cheeky. If you do this again, just wait and see what happens."

"Okay, I'll listen to you."

Jin Xiuzhu huffed and went to bed.

Jiang Mingchuan followed and lay down beside her. Seeing Jin Xiuzhu turn her back to him, he moved closer. Jin Xiuzhu, feeling the heat, pushed him away, but Jiang Mingchuan had no choice but to rest his hand on her waist.

Jin Xiuzhu must have been tired, as she fell asleep quickly. Hearing her steady breathing, Jiang Mingchuan slowly moved closer and closed his eyes, snuggling up to her.

The next morning, before dawn, Jin Xiuzhu felt as if a heavy weight was pressing on her. Before she could react, she felt a series of kisses.

After Jiang Mingchuan left, it was still dark outside. Jin Xiuzhu felt a bit tired and fanned herself with the fallen fan. Once the heat dissipated, she closed her eyes for a brief nap.

In the morning, He Yan must have gotten up to make breakfast, as the sound of heavy footsteps and the voices of the two daughters echoed through the house.

Jin Xiuzhu woke up in the morning. He Yan was not at home, and Yanyan was helping her sister with their summer homework in the living room. Seeing that she had just woken up, Liu Liu immediately said, "Mom is a big lazy bug today too."

Usually when Liu Liu slept late, Jin Xiuzhu would tease her like this. She didn't expect her to remember it.

Jin Xiuzhu smiled.

Fu Yanyan reminded her, "Brother left some food in the kitchen."

"Where is your brother?"

"He went to the school to study."

Jin Xiuzhu nodded, turned to wash up in the kitchen, and came out carrying the meal He Yan had left for her.

In the morning, Jin Xiuzhu accompanied her two daughters with their homework. In the afternoon, after the two children woke up, the three of them went out to buy groceries and stopped by the post office to check for any letters.

Sure enough, when they arrived at the post office, there were indeed letters for her, including her royalties and letters from Fang Min and Zhong Xue.

A few days ago at Fang Min's house, Fang Min mentioned that she had written a letter and asked if it had arrived. It seemed to be this one.

The content of the letter was about the marriage arrangements between their families. Some details were unclear, and Director Zhu was worried his sister might not handle things well, so he thought it was better to ask more questions.

As for Zhong Xue, Jin Xiuzhu was quite surprised. Although they had occasional interactions, they weren't frequent. She wondered if there was something important, so she opened Zhong Xue's letter first.

The first few paragraphs were greetings. She had only recently learned that they had moved away. She had been very busy lately; the department store wasn't as bustling as before, and many counters had closed down. As the director, she felt a lot of pressure. Her parents were considering finding her a new job, but she hadn't decided what to do yet. She heard that the south was developing well and was considering moving there.

She then mentioned that her family had introduced her to a man who was two years younger than her. He had been previously married but had no children. His ex-wife, whom he had grown up with, had passed away due to illness. The man's family circumstances were slightly worse than hers. They had been dating for a while, but their relationship was lukewarm—neither of them felt particularly fond of each other.

She wanted to know if Jin Xiuzhu thought she should continue seeing him. On one hand, she felt it wasn't necessary, as she was content with her current life. On the other hand, her family wanted her to find someone, saying that once the children grew up and started their own families, it would be too late for her to find someone, leaving her alone.

Zhong Xue understood her parents' intentions but didn't want to force herself into anything. She had been worrying about these two issues and decided to write Jin Xiuzhu a letter for advice, hoping for some guidance.

Because she often interacted with Wang Ling, Wang Ling frequently told her to seek advice from Jin Xiuzhu whenever she had problems. Zhong Xue kept this in mind.

After returning home, Jin Xiuzhu wrote back to Zhong Xue. Normally, Jin Xiuzhu wouldn't get involved in such matters, fearing that giving bad advice might lead to resentment.

But thinking that Zhong Xue must have written to her because no one else could help, she felt compelled to respond. Jin Xiuzhu has always been soft-hearted towards women.

She didn't directly give her opinion but instead shared some amusing anecdotes about her interactions with Jiang Mingchuan and their three children. She also mentioned her recent trip to s city with Bai Jingzhi, where she saw the gift Ji Ling bought for Bai Jingzhi, and her visits to Wang Ling, Qian Yufeng, and Fang Min.

Qian Yufeng had bought her a watch and told her that she finally felt confident wearing it outside. When Qian Yufeng saw her with a watch, she bought one too, but her family didn't understand.

Finally, she wrote, "Make your decision based on your heart, don't care about others' opinions, and focus on yourself. You are the one living your life."

While Jin Xiuzhu was writing the letter, her two daughters were watching her with their heads tilted to the side.

Fu Yanyan understood and nodded as she read.

Jin Xiuzhu laughed, "Do you really understand what I'm writing?"

Fu Yanyan pouted, "What's there not to understand? Mom wants to show Aunt Zhong Xue what a happy family looks like, and by comparing it with Aunt Qian's situation, she's showing what it's like to marry someone you don't love."

She added, "But Mom, not everyone is lucky enough to find someone they love and who loves them back."

Jin Xiuzhu was silent for a moment before saying, "If you can't find someone, then don't get married. Why must you marry someone? If you don't like someone or can't find the right person, live your life well. We're not in the old society anymore; women can support themselves."

She smiled at her daughters and said, "I hope you both live happily, rather than marrying someone just for the sake of it and enduring unnecessary hardships."

Fu Yanyan was shocked by Jin Xiuzhu's words; she never expected her to say such things.

She knew that in the future, many parents would prevent their children from dating during school and then force them to go on blind dates after graduation. In her previous life, she even witnessed a girl jumping off a building due to family pressure. At the time, she stood nearby watching the girl cry her heart out. She thought that if she were still alive, "Jin Xiuzhu" might have pressured her to go on blind dates too.

She was glad she died early.

The girl survived, and Fu Yanyan didn't know how she managed to jump down and protect her.

For a moment, their bodies touched, and the girl seemed to see her, widening her eyes.

That was the only time in all those years that someone had seen her.

Fu Yanyan was happy at the time; she didn't think much about it, just not wanting her to suffer the same fate. The girl thanked her and promised to live well and never do such foolish things again.

Fu Yanyan felt relieved.

This incident happened long ago, almost forgotten until Jin Xiuzhu's words brought it back. But now, Jin Xiuzhu was telling her that marriage wasn't necessary as long as they were happy.

Seeing her daughter's incredulous face, Jin Xiuzhu smiled, "Don't worry, Mom will make sure you have plenty of money. You won't need to worry about these issues."

To Jin Xiuzhu, in the Great Jing Dynasty, women needed to marry to rely on men for survival, but here, women were just as capable as men. Why should they worry?

Fu Yanyan nodded.

Liu Liu tilted her head, "Then I won't get married either. I'll stay with Mom and Dad every day."

Jin Xiuzhu patted her head, "Okay, whatever you want."

On September 1st, the three children went back to school.

Jin Xiuzhu had become familiar with the locals and could now chat with people while buying groceries.

One evening, Jiang Mingchuan told her that a military wife lived next door and suggested she visit if she had time.

Jin Xiuzhu asked about the situation, but Jiang Mingchuan wasn't clear. It seemed the couple had an argument, and the wife wanted to leave. The husband rented a place in the city for her to stay.

Jin Xiuzhu was puzzled. "How serious could it be? They have to live separately?"

Jiang Mingchuan shook his head. "I didn't ask for details. It was Commander Tan who specifically sought me out. He said his wife has been in a bad mood lately and asked if you could go talk to her."

Jin Xiuzhu huffed. "Without giving any clear explanation, he wants me to talk to his wife? How am I supposed to do that? Did she do something she's ashamed of and can't admit? I'm not going. I'm not as naive as Sister Wang, taking on all the troublesome tasks."

Jiang Mingchuan nodded. "Alright then, I'll ask again tomorrow."

He didn't understand the intricacies of marital issues. He mainly thought Jin Xiuzhu might get bored staying at home all day, so having someone next door to chat with seemed like a good idea.

Now hearing Jin Xiuzhu's concerns, he realized he might have oversimplified things.

"Well, forget it then. Let's not get involved."

Jin Xiuzhu hummed in agreement.

But unexpectedly, the next day, while Jin Xiuzhu was at home, the woman living next door came over unannounced.

The woman was very polite, bringing a bag of fruit with her. She introduced herself to Jin Xiuzhu, "Hello, are you the wife of Commander Jiang? My name is Li Yun, and I live next door."

She didn't mention being Commander Tan's wife.

Jin Xiuzhu understood immediately; this woman clearly didn't want to discuss her husband.

"Hello, nice to meet you," Jin Xiuzhu said, inviting her in.

As the woman sat down, she touched her belly. Jin Xiuzhu noticed and guessed she must be pregnant, but judging by the size of her belly, it wasn't far along. Without saying anything, she made her a cup of flower tea and smiled, "I hadn't seen anyone living next door before. Did you just move in today?"

The woman shook her head. "I moved in a couple of days ago but stayed inside. It gets boring at home, so I decided to come out and visit. I've heard about you, so I thought I'd drop by."

Jin Xiuzhu turned to wash some fruit for her. "That's great. I don't have many people to talk to either, so it gets lonely here."

Li Yun smiled. "Thank you. I just wanted to find someone to chat with."

Jin Xiuzhu asked about her work and interests. Li Yun answered, and they chatted for a while. After finishing their tea, Li Yun left, but before she did, they agreed to go grocery shopping together the next morning.

The next morning, around nine, they went out together. On the way back, Li Yun's face changed when she saw a woman standing at her doorstep.

Instead of going home, she tightly gripped Jin Xiuzhu's wrist, forcing a smile, "Sister, can I stay at your place for a bit?"

Jin Xiuzhu glanced at her doorstep, nodded, and gently patted her hand, "Sure, come in. Stay for lunch and try my cooking."

Li Yun managed a weak smile.