Chapter 23

The apartment assigned to Chen Zai was on the second floor, with about the same floor space as Shu Yuan’s home. However, it had a tiny bathroom and kitchen located near the entrance, with the doorway slightly offset and facing another door across the hall. This kind of layout was common in many homes of that era.

There was only one bedroom, and the living room was also quite small, only big enough for a folding round table.

The previous resident had taken everything with them, leaving the kitchen stove and chimney, which were standardized fixtures. The rest of the apartment was completely empty.

“This is great. Xiao Man, this is our new home. It’s close to Grandma’s place too, just a few minutes’ walk away,” Shu Yuan said with satisfaction.

She was fed up with living in a tube-shaped apartment building where the entire floor shared a washroom and toilet. Though there was a communal kitchen, most families cooked in the hallway right outside their doors. Many households didn’t even bother to close their doors, and there was no privacy at all.

Having a one-bedroom unit with its own kitchen and bathroom was much more convenient.

Xiao Man had already looked through all the rooms. The fact that he could use the toilet at home amazed him, and he cheerfully said, “The new home is pretty nice.”

This was a home shared by both his mom and dad.

Chen Zai had originally thought Shu Yuan might complain that the place was too small and inconvenient for the two of them. To his surprise, she was quite satisfied, so he said, “As long as you two don’t mind.”

He couldn’t tell whether she was just extremely optimistic or simply hadn’t realized that the small space was actually a big issue for them as cohabitants.

“Hold the end of the measuring tape for me,” Chen Zai said as he handed one end of the tape to Shu Yuan and stepped back. The two of them moved positions several times. Then he called out to Xiao Man, “Write this down. Room width, four point two meters.”

Xiao Man held a pen and paper, head lowered, earnestly recording all the data.

After measuring the bedroom, they moved on to the living room. Chen Zai said, “Think about what furniture you want to get. As long as it fits, you can buy it.”

“I’d like to keep it simple. Just enough furniture to meet our needs,” Shu Yuan replied. The apartment was truly too small to hold much anyway.

The two of them also discussed the matter of the bride price. Shu Yuan believed she still owed Chen Zai 1,600 yuan, so she didn’t want any bride price. However, to save face for the bride’s family, the Chen family would give 600 yuan, all of which would go toward building their small household.

Shu Yuan’s dowry consisted of three brand-new cotton quilts and Xiao Man’s small quilt. These had been gradually put together over the years by Li Hongxia. It had completely emptied out the Shu family’s resources, and they had no savings at all. And in these times, dowries typically didn’t include money.

The discussion went very smoothly. After leaving the staff housing compound of the Fifth Hospital, Chen Zai took them back to the entrance of the staff housing compound at the electronics factory, and they went their separate ways for dinner.

When Chen Zai returned home, Chen Fumi brought up the idea with him, “A one-bedroom apartment is too small. You two should live at home instead. I think Shu Yuan has a great personality. With her here, the house feels more lively. Xiao Man is a bright and lovable child too. If he stays by my side, I’ll raise him well.”

Chen Zai declined, but he spoke gently. “Living in the staff housing compound makes it easier to get to work, and it’s also close to Shu Yuan’s mother’s place.”

Chen Fumi knew that Chen Zai had a distant nature, which had to do with both his parents and his time being sent down. Even with him still alive, Chen Zai was unwilling to live in the family courtyard with his wife and child. Once he passed away, Chen Zai’s ties with his uncles and cousins would become even more distant. With only Xiao Man and Shu Yuan by his side, wouldn’t he feel lonely?

——

In recent days, Li Hongxia had become the center of attention at the electronics factory. No matter where she went, people would stop her to ask about her son-in-law. It suited her perfectly, and she couldn’t wait to show off.

The gossip-loving crowd was overly enthusiastic, and she ended up repeating the story Shu Yuan had prepared over and over. She even spiced up the tale Shu Yuan had made up, and everyone listened with great interest.

Quite a few people had seen Chen Zai before. He was truly well-proportioned and upright in appearance. His looks and demeanor alone made him convincing, so it was easy for Li Hongxia to win over the crowd.

Everyone believed her. There was clearly no issue with his conduct, and it wasn’t some scandalous romantic affair. It was simply that the man had been sent down and had no choice. The story of how he and Shu Yuan had supported each other in the countryside was especially touching.

The gossip gradually died down. Some of the nastier rumors disappeared on their own. The unmarried girls and young wives envied Shu Yuan for her incredible luck in landing such a good partner, while the older women envied Li Hongxia for gaining a wonderful son-in-law out of nowhere.

Li Hongxia was floating with pride from all the compliments. She also felt that this second son-in-law was truly excellent and a perfect match for her daughter.

The matter of Shu Yuan having a child out of wedlock was now close to being completely cleared up.

However, that evening during dinner, Li Hongxia said, “Shen Zhongcheng’s mother came to the gate of the staff housing compound asking about you. She found out that you’ve gotten a marriage certificate and are even planning to hold a wedding.”

Shu Yuan was puzzled. “Why would she take the initiative to ask about me?”

While eating, Xiao Man perked up his ears, the most alert of them all. “Mom, you must be careful. Shen Pan and his dad might try to ruin the wedding.”

Hearing Xiao Man speak in such a serious and earnest tone, Shu Yuan couldn’t help but laugh. She patted the soft hair on his head and said there wouldn’t be any problem. But that night, as she flipped through her notebook looking for ways to make Shen Zhongcheng pay back the money, she suddenly realized that Xiao Man had a point!

Shen Zhongcheng was someone who acted completely on a whim. While she was trying to figure out how to get the money back from him, she had no idea what he might be thinking.

So she said to Li Hongxia, “Mom, thanks to Xiao Man’s reminder, I’m counting on you to block Shen Zhongcheng on the day of the wedding. Don’t let him into the Chen family courtyard.”

Li Hongxia choked a little in her throat. “What, you really think Shen Zhongcheng would try to cause trouble?”

Shu Yuan was perfectly calm. “He’s not a bad person, just someone who doesn’t play by the rules. I don’t know if he’ll show up at the wedding to sing a song for me or recite a poem or something.”

Li Hongxia was completely speechless. “Just look at the kind of people you used to associate with!”

The aunties in the staff housing compound had only just started to change their opinion of her. If her past involvement with Shen Zhongcheng were to be dug up now, who knew what nasty rumors might start circulating again? And if it reached Chen Zai’s ears, would the second son-in-law get upset?

At that thought, Li Hongxia’s expression darkened.

Shu Yuan, however, didn’t feel so burdened. She silently reminded herself that all of that had been the original host’s doing, not hers. Really, not hers.

Of course, she had to make her stance clear. “There was nothing between me and Shen Zhongcheng. We didn’t even hold hands!”

Li Hongxia gave a snort. “That’s more like it.”

Then she immediately started complaining. “I’m attending the wedding as someone who should sit at the main table. I’m a guest, an honored one at that, and now you’ve gone and given me this job!”

Shu Yuan quickly reassured her, “Mom, your seat at the main table is guaranteed.”

Shu He grinned and said, “Second Sister, just leave this job to me. I love doing this kind of thing. I promise I’ll block him successfully.”

Xiao Man tugged at Shu Yuan’s sleeve. “Mom, let Xiao Man do it instead. Xiao Man wants to help block him too.”

Shu Yuan beamed with joy. “Having a grown-up son really comes in handy. Alright then, you’ll take the lead on this. Grandma and Auntie will follow your command.”

Xiao Man clenched his little fists and cheered himself on. “That guy and his dad definitely won’t succeed.”

His serious tone paired with his childish voice was so adorable it made Shu Yuan burst into laughter.

Shu Yuan hadn’t expected Chen Zai to stop by again in the evening to see Xiao Man. He came early, and as the mother and son were about to head out, they saw him waiting by the roadside. Shu Yuan thought to herself, was he worried about her? Did he come all the way here just to make sure she was taking good care of the child?

She didn’t want to bring up Shen Zhongcheng in front of him, knowing he definitely wouldn’t say anything nice, but she still repeated the story she had told Li Hongxia.

As expected, Chen Zai never failed to live up to his reputation. His gaze was full of scrutiny, and his usually calm tone carried a faint edge. “He still can’t get over you?”

Shu Yuan gently explained that the man just acted on impulse and whim.

Don’t be fooled by Chen Zai’s handsome and refined appearance, he certainly knew how to get under someone’s skin. His voice was steady, but his words were cutting. “Well, that’s great then. If he shows up at my old home, it’ll really bring some glory to the place. If he wants to sing, it’ll just help liven things up.”

Shu Yuan: “…”

So this is how it’s going to be, huh? No room for conversation?

She silently vowed that this memory merger really wasn’t doing her any favors. She probably didn’t even know Shen Zhongcheng as well as Chen Zai did.

Xiao Man had already caught on. Whatever was going on between his mom and dad, their conversations always seemed to go off the rails. He quickly stepped in to smooth things over. “Dad, we’re going to stop him. Mom has already made arrangements at the entrance of the alley.”

Chen Zai’s tone softened. “It’s simple. Xiao Man, I’ll have someone watch the gate at the old house. Just don’t let him in.”

Xiao Man was very pleased with his dad’s proactive attitude and clapped his hands repeatedly. “Okay, Dad, let him taste what it’s like to be turned away at the door.”

Shu Yuan had a question. “Among the guests your family invited, is there anyone who knows him?”

His voice was calm and pleasant. “A well-known writer like him is bound to be recognized by someone. Might even be a chance to discuss literature. It’s a small matter, Shu Yuan, no need to overthink it.”

Shu Yuan: “…”

She was still trying to figure out how to get money back from Shen Zhongcheng. One thing was clear, and she was doing everything she could right now to clear her own name and didn’t want to stir up trouble that could ruin her reputation. She didn’t mind thickening her own skin, but she was thinking mainly about Xiao Man and Chen Zai.

His parents had money and could repay the debt on his behalf. Was there any leverage she could use? Could she pressure them into pushing Shen Zhongcheng to pay up? But she wasn’t familiar with his parents and didn’t have any dirt on them to use.

A sudden idea came to her. Shen Zhongcheng had a very strong sense of pride. If she struck at his ego, left him embarrassed and stripped of his dignity, he might just pay the money back.

In truth, she thought attacking someone’s self-esteem was a rather nasty thing to do, but she was simply too poor, so poor she could barely afford food. She had no room to worry about the dignity of a man who owed her money.

With this plan in mind, Shu Yuan felt a burst of happiness. She was convinced it would work.

Chen Zai gave the two a ride back to the gate of the staff housing compound. He stretched out his arm and lifted Xiao Man down from the bike. “I won’t go in.”

Seeing her lost in thought, Chen Zai asked, “What are you thinking about?”

Shu Yuan recalled the things he had just said earlier and responded with irritation, “Thinking about you.”

Chen Zai: “…”

Seeing him left speechless, all of Shu Yuan’s earlier frustration instantly vanished!

Xiao Man felt a warm glow in his heart. Mom said she was thinking about Dad!

He tilted his little face up and beamed at Chen Zai. “Dad, Mom said she was thinking about you. She’s really nice to you.”

Facing his son’s innocent little face, Chen Zai couldn’t keep his expression stiff. After a long effort, he managed to force out a single word through clenched teeth. “Mm.”

Xiao Man was very satisfied. It seemed that sometimes his parents got along quite well.

The wedding was on Sunday. After breakfast, which they ate as usual in the morning, Li Hongxia took out a bright red wedding dress and said, “Had this made by a tailor. Looks really nice, go ahead and put it on.”

Shu Yuan had originally planned to wear her everyday clothes. She hadn’t expected her mother to have prepared a red wedding dress for her. She flipped through it casually and said, “Mom, this looks like a uniform from a fancy restaurant.”

Li Hongxia gave a snort and said, “Just wear it. Let people see that this is the first marriage for both of you. Our family’s little flower looks good in anything.”

Shu Yuan had no choice but to change into the bright red outfit. It was a Chinese-style wedding dress paired with a knee-length skirt. No matter how she looked at it, it still seemed like a work uniform to her. But Xiao Man immediately offered sincere praise. “Mom, you look really beautiful and festive in this dress.”

Shu Yuan pinched Xiao Man’s soft, bouncy cheeks. “My big boy sure knows how to sweet-talk.”

At this moment, she really felt that having a hardworking son who could bring her value wasn’t so bad.

A little after eight o’clock, Chen Zai came by bike to pick up the mother and son. He was dressed in a white shirt and slacks, with his hair neatly combed, every strand in place. Handsome and fresh-looking, he and Xiao Man wore matching clothes. With their strikingly similar looks, the father and son standing together were truly a sight to behold.

As she sat on the back seat of the bicycle, Shu Yuan reminded him, “It’s time to test our acting skills. We have to look like we’re madly in love.”

Chen Zai was very straightforward. “I might not be able to pull that off.”

Shu Yuan thought for a moment and said, “Then just gaze at me and Xiao Man with affection. You can at least do that, right?”

Chen Zai’s thin lips pressed into a firm line. “…”

Xiao Man sat on the bicycle’s top bar, his small hands gripping the handlebars tightly. With his dad’s arms encircling him, he felt completely secure. In a crisp voice, he asked, “Mom, do I need to act too?”

He really liked his mom, but he wasn’t very familiar with his dad yet. He figured he might need to act as well.

Shu Yuan laughed. “You don’t need to. Just carry out your mission.”

Xiao Man hadn’t forgotten his important task for the day. “Okay, Mom,” he replied.

The first act in their performance at the Chen household was to receive the guests.

The relatives invited by the Shu family were Shu Yuan’s uncle and eldest aunt, bringing both of their families. The photo studio would close early at noon, and all four coworkers would come for lunch. The two apprentices would be in charge of taking photos of the wedding, including a family portrait. Shooting and developing were all free, considered a benefit provided by the studio.

The Chen family, on the other hand, had plenty of relatives and friends. Chen Zai had even invited the director of the Fifth Hospital to serve as their wedding officiant.

Chen Zai’s third aunt was loud and lively, making her presence very well known, but she took good care of all the guests, including those from the bride’s side.

Once Momo arrived, Xiao Man got busy right away. He pulled out a drawing he had made the night before and showed it to her. “We have to stop these two people. One is a strange uncle in his thirties, and the other is a five-year-old kid. Grandma will guard the busier east alley. We’ll cover the quieter west alley.”

After looking at the drawing, Momo raised a concern. “We might not recognize them.”

Xiao Man, full of confidence, said, “Then just stick with me.”

Momo immediately accepted the mission.

At first, Modi acted all proud, waiting for Xiao Man to invite him. But he quickly realized that Xiao Man and Momo didn’t plan to include him, so he came over on his own and asked, “Can I join?”

Xiao Man nodded. “You can, but you have to follow my lead.”

Modi happily joined the game and asked, “What if we can’t stop them?”

Xiao Man already had a plan. “Then we’ll tell them the west alley is blocked and send them to the east alley. Then I’ll go tell my mom.”

The two little teammates quickly agreed. They both thought Xiao Man was really smart.

Duo Bao was shy and didn’t talk much. After a while, she slowly came over and asked, “Can I join?”

Duo Bao was the child of Chen Hui, a cousin from Chen Zai’s eldest uncle’s family. Xiao Man looked her over and said, “Alright, you can join too.”

Xiao Man announced the mission objective. “We must protect my mom’s wedding.”

“Okay,” came several soft childish voices in unison.

Shu He stood nearby, watching the group. Since Xiao Man had already planned everything out, she figured she could just play the role of supervising the kids.

Shu Yuan’s worries were not unfounded. The Chen family courtyard was filled with guests and lively chatter, but Shen Pan had already been making a fuss for days, and today he was especially troublesome.

He demanded of Shen Zhongcheng, “Tell Shu Yuan to come to our house and cook.”

“She can’t marry someone else.”

“Tell her to send Xiao Man back to the countryside. I’ll begrudgingly forgive her and let her be my mom.”

Shen Zhongcheng was worn out by his endless noise. And of course, he himself wasn’t entirely unwilling. Though he hadn’t been invited, he still brought Shen Pan to attend the wedding. He didn’t intend to cause a scene. He simply wanted to perform a song he had written for Shu Yuan, playing and singing it during the wedding. The lyrics were: “Dark-haired girl standing by the frozen river, I’ve already laid down my lonely pride for you…”

Carrying his lingering sorrow, he stepped into the old alleyway, and there he met a female comrade who also seemed to be wrapped in sadness. She looked pale, lonely, and beautiful, like a snowflake about to melt.

Moved by their mutual sense of melancholy, he asked, “Are you one of Chen Zai’s admirers? I can see that you’re very upset. Looks like we have the same destination, the same goal. Can we talk?”