Chapter 22

Xiao Man immediately looked up at the two of them. Weren’t families supposed to live together? Were Mom and Dad about to start with their tricks again?

Shu Yuan gave him a long look, meeting his deep and intense gaze. The tone of inquiry and negotiation didn’t irritate her or make her bristle.

She said, “The hospital will assign housing, right? It’s not convenient for Xiao Man and me to keep squeezing into one room with Shu He. She’s in high school, and it’ll affect her studies.”

Besides, she wanted to escape the oppressive hold of Li Hongxia’s bloodline. Living long-term under her mother’s overbearing rule versus being free in her own little household, of course she would choose the latter.

Chen Zai pushed his bicycle as the three of them strolled slowly along the street. The man spoke, “I don’t want to live at Grandfather’s house. This transfer back was rushed. The hospital only has a spare one-bedroom unit right now. But the hospital is building new apartments, and the director promised to assign me a three-bedroom unit. The new building won’t be ready for at least another year.”

Seeing the question marks all over Shu Yuan’s face, he met her gaze calmly and said, “A one-bedroom unit is definitely not ideal, but at least it’s not a communal building. It has its own toilet and bathroom, relatively private and convenient.”

Xiao Man was full of deep worry. He didn’t even know what a one-bedroom unit was, but he had a feeling his parents were going to disagree on this issue again. He quickly said, “A one-bedroom is fine, as long as the whole family can live together.”

What else could Shu Yuan say? She could only reply, “Alright then.”

After that difficult consensus, Chen Zai asked for Shu Yuan’s opinion again. “Let’s skip the wedding ceremony.”

Shu Yuan looked at him again, and it happened that he was looking at her too. Both were trying to read the other’s true thoughts through their eyes. Shu Yuan said, “We should hold a wedding. If we want to clean up the reputation of having a child out of wedlock, then we need a proper ceremony. We should openly tell everyone that we’re married and also introduce Xiao Man to them.”

Chen Zai nodded. “Alright. I’ll go back and discuss it with Grandfather. Get on the bike, I’ll take you two back.”

Back at the photo studio, just as they reached the entrance, Huang Juan leaned out eagerly, full of gossip. “Sister Shu Yuan, did you two get your marriage certificate?”

Xiao Man answered first, his voice brimming with joy. “Yes, my mom and dad got the certificate.”

Huang Juan exclaimed, “That’s wonderful. It really wasn’t easy for you two. Now your family is reunited at last. The hardships are finally over.”

She had also been completely convinced by Shu Yuan’s explanation.

Shu Yuan smiled and said, “Yes, Xiao Man suffered in the past, but from now on, he’ll have a normal family.”

Huang Juan beamed. “Congratulations, Sister Shu Yuan. And you too, Xiao Man.”

“Thank you, Auntie Huang,” Xiao Man said cheerfully.

——

When Shen Zhongcheng returned home, Dai Shufang saw his gloomy expression and quickly asked what had happened.

Shen Zhongcheng looked dejected. “Shu Yuan is going to marry Xiao Man’s father.”

The thought of the three of them leaving him behind and walking farther and farther away side by side made him so stifled he could barely breathe.

Dai Shufang was utterly shocked. “How is that possible? Don’t you have enough charm to attract her?”

Attract her to come into their home to raise Shen Pan, to work as their nanny. Shu Yuan admired Shen Zhongcheng, was diligent, obedient, and easy to control. Her son already had no shortage of admirers, and Shu Yuan was simply a passable choice.

Shen Pan immediately started shouting, “Hurry up and get Shu Yuan to come cook for me. Grandma’s food tastes awful. Tell her to send that Xiao Man kid back to the countryside. I hate that country bumpkin.”

Dai Shufang hurried to soothe her grandson. “Calm down now, don’t start making a fuss.”

Seeing that Shen Zhongcheng remained silent, she grew anxious. “She’s not scheming again, trying to marry into our family, is she? Just wait. In a few days, she’ll definitely come crying and begging at our door.”

——

Back at home, the moment Xiao Man saw Li Hongxia cooking dinner in the hallway, he cheerfully announced the good news. “Grandma, something good happened.”

Li Hongxia immediately turned her head from the rising smoke of the cooking oil and stared at Shu Yuan, asking warily, “Something good? What are you up to now?”

Faced with her mother’s sharp, interrogator-like stare, Shu Yuan didn’t answer. She dragged Xiao Man into the house, and Li Hongxia quickly followed, pressing her again. “What did you do?”

Shu Yuan set Xiao Man down, took off her crossbody bag, pulled out the household registration book, and instructed Xiao Man to return it to the drawer in Grandma’s room. Then she took out a slip of paper, waved it, and said, “What else could I have done? I got a marriage certificate with Xiao Man’s dad. Before, we had a child out of wedlock, but now we’re a proper legal family of three.”

Li Hongxia was dumbfounded, staring at that piece of paper for quite a while before she finally mumbled, “Got the certificate? You didn’t even tell me beforehand. You didn’t tell me when you had the child, and now getting the certificate is another act-before-you-tell.”

Shu Yuan opened the drawer and cheerfully slipped the marriage certificate into a notebook. “Isn’t this a surprise for you? You were always urging me to find a partner. Now you can relax. The marriage is done, the child is here, and you don’t have to worry about anything. All the major life events are sorted in one go.”

Li Hongxia was at a loss for words, and after a moment, she huffed, “I can’t control you. If life turns out badly, just stay away from me. Out of sight, out of mind.”

She thought to herself, neither of them is particularly proper. Living together is bound to be a mess.

Xiao Man was trying hard to understand why Grandma had such a reaction. When he saw Shu He come through the door, he quickly told her, “Auntie, my mom and dad got their marriage certificate!”

Shu He’s face lit up with joy. She set her schoolbag on a chair, crouched down and picked Xiao Man up, carrying him into the room. “Second Sister, congratulations. Now Xiao Man won’t be an unregistered child anymore, and no one can gossip about it.”

She glanced at Li Hongxia. “Mom, why are you pulling a long face? Second Brother-in-law is pretty decent. He’s a doctor, he’s good-looking, and just by the look of him, you can tell he’s a proper man.”

Xiao Man immediately voiced his agreement. “Auntie is right, my dad is great.”

Li Hongxia didn’t buy it and asked with suspicion, “You’ve got to let us meet Xiao Man’s dad at some point. You’ve been hiding him all this time. Is it because there’s something unspeakable about him, or are you just too embarrassed to show him?”

Shu Yuan answered calmly, “Of course both sides’ parents have to meet. I’ll discuss it with him. The spinach vermicelli in the pot must be mush by now. Why don’t you go take a look?”

Li Hongxia gave both daughters an equally sharp glare, stomped off outside, and tossed back a line as she went, “Then I’ll be waiting.”

——

Back home, Chen Zai immediately shared the news with Chen Fumi.

The old man was just as shocked. Not long ago, Chen Zai had only mentioned that he had a son, revealing nothing more. He hadn’t said a word about getting married, and now, all of a sudden, there was both a wife and a child.

There was a hint of reproach in his tone. “You didn’t give us the slightest heads-up beforehand.”

Chen Zai replied calmly, “It wasn’t convenient to get married while I was in the countryside. Now that the conditions are in place, it’s time to register the marriage.”

Chen Fumi studied Chen Zai’s expression carefully, trying to read something from his face.

But the matter was already settled, and saying more would be pointless. It was better to just accept it. He had only one lingering question. It wasn’t that the conditions had only now become favorable. Chen Zai had been eligible to marry ever since his rehabilitation. So why the delay and secrecy until now? He suspected the issue lay on the woman’s side.

Maybe the woman had been married before? Or maybe she was involved with a married man? Just thinking about it was upsetting.

“You’ve got the certificate now, so you can’t keep hiding it. When are you bringing your wife and child home for us to meet?” Chen Fumi asked.

Chen Zai found the word “wife” very unfamiliar and replied lightly, “I’ll discuss it with her.”

——

Taking advantage of the fact that Chen Zai hadn’t officially started work yet, on the third day, which was Sunday, Shu Yuan had a day off and arranged for both families to meet. Lunch would be at Shu Yuan’s home, and dinner at Chen Zai’s.

The two sets of parents wouldn’t meet each other directly until the wedding.

Li Hongxia believed Shu Yuan’s fiancé wasn’t reliable, but since the marriage certificate had already been issued, and it was the son-in-law’s first visit, she had to treat it seriously. Lunch had to be rich, very rich.

The night before, she sorted through all the ration coupons she had. The next morning, a little after four o’clock, she went to wait in front of the butcher shop. She waited a long time, but the market hadn’t opened, and no one else had come to line up. Only then did she realize she had been too anxious.

At the butcher shop, she bought pork, chicken, and fish, then went to the vegetable station for fresh produce. Satisfied, she carried two large mesh bags full of meat, vegetables, and a bottle of orange juice back home.

A little after nine o’clock, Shu Ping arrived with Momo and Modi to help cook with Li Hongxia. Shu He didn’t have school that day, so the house was unusually lively.

Shu Yuan gave them a heads-up. “Dr. Chen doesn’t like talking much. Don’t bombard him with questions.”

After all, this was just a fake marriage. Everything was just for show, and there was no need to put pressure on either side.

Li Hongxia said nothing, but she had a bad feeling. Was her second son-in-law going to be another one like Zheng Jianshe?

At ten o’clock, Shu Yuan and Xiao Man met Chen Zai at the entrance of the staff housing compound. From a distance, they could already see the mesh bag hanging from his bicycle handlebar, filled with pastries, white sugar, and fruit. These were essential gifts for a son-in-law visiting for the first time. Normally, there should have also been cigarettes and alcohol, but the Shu family didn’t need those, so Chen Zai brought some fabric instead, packed in a travel bag and tied to the rear seat.

Shu Yuan gave him a heads-up. “Almost everyone in the housing compound knows me and Xiao Man. The aunties and grannies are all super curious about Xiao Man’s dad. You’re bound to be stared at. If anyone starts gossiping, I’ll talk back, so be mentally prepared. Let’s ride fast so we don’t get surrounded and stopped by them.”

Chen Zai nodded. “Alright.”

The two worked in sync. Chen Zai lifted Xiao Man onto the bike’s crossbar, while Shu Yuan removed the travel bag from the rear seat and carried it by hand. Then she hopped onto the back seat, and the bike rolled through the compound gate.

Shu Yuan’s prediction was right. The moment Chen Zai showed up in the housing compound, he attracted attention. A group of chatting aunties by the roadside first noticed Xiao Man sitting up front, and from a distance, one of them called out, “Xiao Man, who’s that riding the bike with you?”

Xiao Man immediately shouted proudly, “My dad! My mom and dad already got their marriage certificate. We’re a family now!”

He couldn’t wait for everyone in the compound to know that he had a father, that he wasn’t an illegitimate child, and that his mother had a proper partner without any moral problems.

Finally catching sight of Shu Yuan, who had been blocked by Chen Zai’s broad shoulders, Auntie Liu raised her voice in disbelief and asked, “Shu Yuan, is that really your partner?”

Shu Yuan replied with a bright smile, “Yes, Dr. Chen, my partner, Xiao Man’s biological father. We were both in the Northeast for the past few years.”

The long-speculated and much-discussed father of Xiao Man had finally appeared. The aunties were beside themselves with excitement, their eyes glued to Chen Zai. Like Li Hongxia, they had assumed Xiao Man’s father wasn’t someone decent. They hadn’t expected him to be so handsome, with a refined, clean, and composed air.

The man didn’t say a word, but his profession and appearance alone had already won over the hearts of the aunties.

They all wished for a son-in-law like that.

Before, they had gossiped behind her back, saying Xiao Man’s father must be disreputable. But now, seeing him in person, they found themselves envying Li Hongxia for unexpectedly landing such a good son-in-law.

There was also a dignified, untouchable aura about the man that made people feel too embarrassed to speak ill of him behind his back.

“Don’t rush off, Shu Yuan. Get down and chat for a bit. Everyone’s been waiting,” Auntie Yang called out as she saw the bike not slowing down.

Shu Yuan kept smiling. “He’ll be coming to the compound often from now on. My mom’s waiting for us to come back and eat.”

Once they left the crowd behind, the bicycle picked up speed. Along the way, they exchanged brief greetings with other acquaintances. It wasn’t until they entered the communal building that things finally quieted down.

Li Hongxia was scraping fish scales while nervously glancing toward the corridor entrance. When she saw Shu Yuan’s little family of three appear, her eyes suddenly welled up.

She had imagined Xiao Man’s father to be awful, but the man standing before her was tall and upright, with decent features and a calm, steady demeanor. He was nothing like the unreliable person she had assumed.

Relief washed over her all at once. She set the fish aside, washed her hands clean in the ceramic basin, and walked over to the family with a beaming smile. “You must be Xiao Man’s dad. We’ve been looking forward to this. Come on in.”

It wasn’t just Li Hongxia who was pleased with Chen Zai. Shu Ping and Shu He were also very satisfied with him. Their expectations for Shu Yuan’s partner had been extremely low, as long as he was a decent person. But Chen Zai had a proper profession, was polite, well-spoken, and far exceeded what they had imagined.

With so many people in the room, it felt cramped, but it was also lively. Shu Yuan poured soda for the three children. Once they had their drinks, they quieted down and sat in the bedroom, sipping slowly.

Momo swirled the soda in her glass and said, “Xiao Man, now you can tell the other kids that you have a dad.”

Xiao Man lifted his little face proudly. “Yes, I have a dad.”

Momo acted just like a big sister. “I’ll go with you to tell the kids in the compound.”

Xiao Man felt the warmth in Momo’s kindness and said, “Okay. Thank you, Sister Momo.”

Li Hongxia now looked at her son-in-law with the eyes of a mother-in-law, growing more fond of him the more she looked. She had long forgotten Shu Yuan’s warning that Chen Zai wasn’t talkative, and began asking him everything from work to family. Chen Zai wasn’t impatient at all and answered each question one by one.

The meal was as grand as the Shu family could manage, a full display of sincerity. There was chicken with mushrooms, braised fish, sautéed pork liver, moo shu pork, and radish stewed with pig’s trotters, filling the table to the brim.

Zheng Jianshe, as usual, showed up right on time for the meal, strolling in leisurely. He was quite surprised to see Chen Zai. He hadn’t expected the unreliable Shu Yuan to end up with such a decent partner. She must have taken advantage of him when he was sent down to the countryside.

Clever girl.

Chen Zai noticed the sympathetic look Zheng Jianshe gave him and found it completely baffling.

With the whole family squeezed around the round table, the atmosphere was lively. Shu He smiled and suggested, “Second Sister, tell us about your life in the countryside.”

Li Hongxia chimed in, “Yes, do tell. There are always nosy old ladies asking me, and I never know what to say.”

Shu Yuan scratched her head uncomfortably. To be honest, she didn’t have a smooth connection with the original host’s memories and couldn’t recall much about the past. But that didn’t stop her from satisfying everyone’s curiosity. She could just make things up. Climbing mountains to mine big stones, logging in heavy snow, digging irrigation canals, she spun it all as shared experiences with Chen Zai, making it sound incredibly vivid.

Sure enough, they loved hearing it, listening with great interest and chiming in with comments now and then.

Chen Zai, sitting beside her and listening as he ate: “…”