Chapter 31 Mother-in-law Likes It Very Much

“You’re very clever, how could you be stupid?” He didn’t believe Lin Qiyue’s nonsense at all.

Lin Qiyue held her head and pitifully complained to Qian Xiuying, who was busy in the living room, “Mom, Lan Yuchu hit me!”

Qian Xiuying heard the commotion and came out from inside. Seeing Lin Qiyue touching her head and looking like she wasn’t really hurt, she figured the young couple were just fooling around.

“Lan Yuchu, are you done with your wife? How dare you bully her?” Qian Xiuying played along and scolded her son.

“I didn’t bully her,” Lan Yuchu earnestly defended himself.

Lin Qiyue pouted and rolled her eyes at him before turning and heading into the room.

Qian Xiuying couldn’t help but roll her eyes at her son too!

Seeing his mother’s expression, Lan Yuchu got nervous, thinking he really had hurt Lin Qiyue. He quickly followed her into the room.

Lan Yusui saw everything clearly from her room. This couple was so lovey-dovey it made her want to curse.

Back in their room, Lan Yuchu leaned in and asked, “Let me see, did I really hurt you?” As he spoke, he reached out to check Lin Qiyue’s head, but there was no sign of any injury. She had just been teasing him.

“Let go of me. I’m going to find Mom. You go running, and hopefully bump into your childhood sweetheart so you can come back and dump me!” Lin Qiyue spoke sarcastically.

It seemed like ever since they slept together, she started to care more about his actions. Thinking about how several people lived in the military family compound and he still went out running every day—it was like he was giving the female lead a chance! The thought frustrated her.

She didn’t know why, but she just felt that the female lead wasn’t quite like how she was described in the novel.

Anyway, she didn’t have time to think about it. She took out some fabric and started getting to work. Seeing Lan Yuchu still sitting there, she looked up and asked, “Aren’t you going for a run?”

How could Lan Yuchu still dare go? His wife was clearly mad, judging by her tone.

One looked like he knew he’d done something wrong, and the other hadn’t realized her joke was taken seriously.

“Wife, I’m not going. Don’t be mad, okay?” Lan Yuchu apologized immediately, regardless of whether he had actually done something wrong.

Lin Qiyue was momentarily confused, but quickly realized that he must think she was angry. Maybe she’d gone too far with the joke. She shook her head and laughed.

“I was just joking with you, don’t take it seriously. I know my husband would never do anything to betray me. You go do what you need to do, I’m going to start working now.”

After saying that, she lowered her head and began sketching.

Lan Yuchu saw how nonchalantly she brushed it off and became even more convinced she was really angry.

He hugged her from behind and apologized in a trembling voice: “Wife, I was wrong. I’ll listen to you, I won’t go running, I’ll stay far away from Comrade Duan, and I shouldn’t have knocked on your head. If it hurt, you can hit me or yell at me—just please don’t be mad.”

Hearing his pitiful voice, Lin Qiyue felt bad. She turned around and met his panicked gaze. Her heart softened—he really was so simple-minded, he couldn’t even tell it was just a joke.

She stood on tiptoe, kissed him on the lips, cupped his face with both hands and said, “I’m not mad, really. I’m making a bag for Mom right now. Don’t disturb me, okay? We can talk later.”

Lan Yuchu looked at her uncertainly, unable to tell if she was angry or just hiding it.

Understanding his hesitation, Lin Qiyue changed the subject: “We’re leaving tomorrow. Did you pack your things?”

“I’ll pack later,” Lan Yuchu replied.

“Go ahead and pack now. When I’m done, I’ll help you,” Lin Qiyue said, gently patting his shoulder.

Then she let go of him and picked up the scissors to get to work. She quickly cut the fabric and began sewing along the edges. After a few minutes on the sewing machine, she finished the first layer. Since the bag needed two layers, she repeated the process and sewed them together.

Once it was done, she embroidered a plum blossom on the bag to keep it from looking too plain. By the time she finished everything and looked at the clock, it was already 9 p.m.

Lan Yuchu sat nearby watching his wife work so diligently, and he had already packed their luggage for the next day.

“All done! I’ll go let Mom try it out,” Lin Qiyue said, taking her finished work to find Qian Xiuying.

In the living room, Qian Xiuying was organizing some packages. Lin Qiyue glanced at her and said, “Mom, when we came back today, Yuchu and I bought you a pair of cloth shoes at the mall. I also made you a fabric bag since your old one looked pretty worn out. See if you like it.”

Qian Xiuying looked down and saw Lin Qiyue holding a pair of shoes and a cloth bag. Even if she wasn’t overjoyed, her face lit up with a big smile as she accepted them.

“Mom has shoes to wear, you didn’t need to spend money. You and Yuchu should save that for yourselves!” she said, though her happy expression betrayed her words. She was clearly thrilled—this was the first time her daughter-in-law had given her a gift. How could she not be happy?

“Mom, a pair of shoes doesn’t cost much. And you’re our mom—giving you a pair of shoes is the least we can do. Try them on and see if they fit,” Lin Qiyue said as she helped her sit down.

Qian Xiuying was truly happy. She looked at Lin Qiyue with a smile and then sat down to try on the shoes.

“Looks like a perfect fit.”

Seeing her slip them on so easily, Lin Qiyue nodded in satisfaction.

Qian Xiuying stood up and took a few steps. “Very comfortable, the soles are nice and soft.”

“Mom, it’s just that you’ve been wearing old shoes for too long—they’ve gotten all stiff. That’s why the new ones feel so comfortable.”
It turned out that they were the kind of people who were easily satisfied. Seeing Qian Xiuying’s smile—though she was trying to hold it back—her genuine happiness was impossible to hide.

“Qiyue, Mom is doing just fine. You don’t need to spend money like this. You and Yuchu will have plenty of expenses in the future,” Qian Xiuying said, even though she was clearly happy to receive the shoes from her daughter-in-law. “If you’re going to live in Xicheng, the conditions there won’t be as good as here in Pingcheng. You should save your money for when you’re there.”

She was sincerely worried that Lin Qiyue might struggle to adjust to life in Xicheng.

“Don’t worry, Mom. We have enough money. The ¥1,000 you gave me last time—I’ve saved it all.”
Last time, because Qian Xiuying found out Shen Qingmiao had taken her money—perhaps out of guilt—she stuffed ¥1,000 into Lin Qiyue’s hands.

Qian Xiuying held a high-ranking position, but even so, her monthly salary was just a bit over ¥150. To give away ¥1,000 in one go, along with fabric coupons and food ration tickets—that said a lot.

Lin Qiyue could tell that Qian Xiuying wasn’t someone who played favorites. There had just been misunderstandings and prejudice in the past. But she had never criticized the original Lin Qiyue harshly.

Qian Xiuying and her husband, Lan Huaixi, were barely home a few times a month, so she hadn’t noticed how Shen Qingmiao was mistreating Lin Qiyue.

“It’s Mom’s fault. If I had paid more attention at home, maybe none of that would have happened.”
Qian Xiuying blamed herself. She felt that her misjudgment had harmed both her sons and involved Qiyue in the mess.

“Mom, the past is the past—let’s not bring it up again. Look at the bag I made you. See if it’s usable. I spent two whole hours making it!”
Not wanting to linger on painful memories, Lin Qiyue quickly changed the subject, even pulling a dramatic expression to show how hard she’d worked. Hopefully, she’d get a few compliments—after all, she had put a lot of effort into it.

Qian Xiuying took the bag Lin Qiyue handed her, nodded in satisfaction, and held her hand.
“Qiyue, you really understand me. You noticed I needed new shoes, and this work bag I use every day has turned yellow and worn—it really was time to replace it. Lately I’ve been worrying about what kind of bag to get.”

The more she looked at Lin Qiyue, the more she liked her. She smoothed a few strands of hair from Qiyue’s forehead and said emotionally,
“They say daughters are like little cotton-padded jackets—soft and warm. That saying really is true.”

Even though Lin Qiyue wasn’t her biological daughter, she had lived with the family for quite some time.

“As long as you like it, Mom. When I come back, I’ll make you a few more in different styles, so you don’t have to worry about them wearing out.”

Qian Xiuying smiled and gently declined,
“One is enough—Mom can use it for a long time. Spending hours to make a bag for Mom isn’t worth it. You should make yourself some new clothes instead.”
She was worried Lin Qiyue would tire herself out after hearing it took two hours to make.

She held the bag lovingly, reluctant to let go.

“It’s okay. I can do it. Next time I’ll spend even less time to finish one for you,”
Lin Qiyue said. For something she enjoyed, of course she was willing to put in the time.
Maybe she could even turn it into a source of income.
They couldn’t run a full business now, but earning a bit of extra money for the household wasn’t out of the question.

“Good child,” Qian Xiuying said. She put aside the shoes and old bag, then placed a package in front of Lin Qiyue.

“Qiyue, this is a little something I prepared for the neighbors. Uncle Li and Uncle Liang’s families are struggling—they have a lot of kids. I prepared some fabric for the children and some of Yusui’s old clothes. She barely wore them, and they’ve all been washed. They’re perfect for the little girl in Uncle Liang’s family. There are also some candies and snacks inside.”

She continued,
“Those two families have been good to us. Back when you were about to be sold off, it was your Uncle Li who spent money to send us a telegram. That’s a debt we owe—and it should be repaid.”

Qian Xiuying took a few hundred yuan from her pocket and placed it in Lin Qiyue’s hands.

“Child, take this money and buy some treats for the neighbors’ children when you go back, okay?”