Daily Life After Marriage in the 1960s
Daily Life After Marriage in the 1960s Chapter 41

Chapter 41

Chen Xiuni was anxious for her husband and desperately wanted to get along well with Jiang Suihan. Xu Zhao’s grandfather was connected with influential figures, and given his background, his promotion was expected, so there was nothing surprising about it.

She was trying to ingratiate herself with Jiang Suihan, hoping that Jiang Suihan could influence Xu Zhao to speak well of her husband to the military leaders. This was better than anything else.

It wasn’t that she was opportunistic, but she had no choice. Coming from a rural background without a strong family background, her husband’s lack of ambition meant that at his age, his career was nearly over. A promotion would provide more options for the future, especially when retiring.

Jiang Suihan noticed Chen Xiuni’s peculiar tendency to compare herself with others, often portraying herself in a negative light. She couldn’t tell if Chen Xiuni was genuinely struggling or if it was just her nature to exaggerate and highlight her own misfortunes.

“I don’t know much about his work in the army. He rarely talks about it at home, and I don’t inquire about his job. You know more about such matters. Many military matters are confidential and can’t be discussed, even with family.”

Chen Xiuni couldn’t hide her disappointment on her face. “I see. Military people are tight-lipped. I was just curious and wanted to ask.”

She secretly complained in her heart about Jiang Suihan, for being so composed and guarded. She had expected her to be a simple, easy-to-please girl but realized she had misjudged her.

Wu Guihua now deeply regretted coming along with Chen Xiuni. She no longer wanted to stay at the Xu family’s home and stood up without even giving Chen Xiuni a glance.

She said directly, “It’s getting late, and I have things to do at home. I’ll be heading back now. Xiao Jiang, do come over to my place when you have time.”

Jiang Suihan set down the scissors in her hand and said, “Alright then, I won’t keep you. We can meet up again when we have time.”

Seeing that Wu Guihua was about to leave, Chen Xiuni felt awkward about staying any longer. She hesitated, looking at Jiang Suihan as if she wanted to say something.

Jiang Suihan didn’t give her the chance, smiling and waving goodbye before closing the door.

Sitting back on the stool, Jiang Suihan sighed. She disliked social interactions as they were time-consuming and tiring, and one wrong word could easily offend someone.

On the way home, Wu Guihua spoke with some reproach, “What’s wrong with you today? Your words were so sarcastic, it was infuriating. Xiao Jiang didn’t do anything to provoke you. It’s Xu Zhao’s business if he wants to support his younger brother-in-law. He hasn’t taken anything from your family. There was no need for you to lecture and act all high and mighty. Xiao Jiang has a good temper and didn’t make a fuss. If it were me, I’d have ignored you and kicked you out.”

Today’s events had made Wu Guihua a bit wary of Chen Xiuni. She was aware of Chen Xiuni’s flaws, which she used to overlook, but now she found that Chen Xiuni sometimes took herself too seriously. She spoke without considering the situation, making others uncomfortable and creating awkwardness.

Chen Xiuni pouted, clearly dissatisfied, “I didn’t say anything wrong. It’s not common for someone to marry in with their younger brother in tow. Isn’t that just making Xu Zhao out to be a fool? I was only trying to remind her for her own good, so she won’t regret it later. Alright, I know my words can be harsh sometimes, but honest advice is often unpleasant to hear. You’ll see that I was right in the end.”

She felt aggrieved. Although she did have her own little agenda, she genuinely meant well. No matter how close you are to your younger brother, it’s more important to ensure your own well-being after marriage. After all, she’d have her own children in the future, so she needed to prioritize her own family.

Men are always attracted to beautiful young women. She admitted that Jiang Suihan was young and attractive, and Xu Zhao liked her and was willing to support her younger brother. But in the future, when she’s no longer young, with wrinkles and spots on her face, she wondered if Xu Zhao would still feel the same way.

Wu Guihua couldn’t hold back her anger and gave Chen Xiuni a disdainful look. It was as if Chen Xiuni had lost her mind and couldn’t take any advice.

“I don’t want to argue with you. It’s pointless. I’m going home,” she said, turning and leaving.

Chen Xiuni’s mouth moved as if to speak, but she couldn’t catch up. Wu Guihua decided she didn’t want to talk to this foolish person and ignored her.

At the Wang family’s house, dinner time.

Wang Lijuan ate her meal and casually mentioned, “While washing vegetables this evening, I heard someone say that the military is building a primary school. If there’s a school, they’ll need teachers. Elder Sister, do you think I have a chance to become a teacher at the military’s primary school?”

She wanted to stay in the military and needed an excuse. If she kept avoiding finding a match, her family would definitely become suspicious. Elder Sister had mentioned that Brother-in-law agreed to let her stay home, but having one more person in the family would add to the pressure. Over time, Brother-in-law would definitely have objections.

The military building a primary school was a great opportunity. She had completed middle school, so teaching a bunch of children who knew nothing would be easy. By mentioning it in front of Brother-in-law, she hoped he could help with the arrangements. After all, she wasn’t a military dependent, so she wasn’t the primary candidate.

Wang Liying’s eyes lit up at the mention: “Why didn’t I think of that? Little sister, you’re so smart. Being a teacher is great, the work is light, just teaching classes, and there are winter and summer vacations. It’s much better than working in the fields back home.”

She eagerly looked at Li Hongjun and asked, “What do you think, Old Li? Do you think my little sister can go?”

Li Hongjun frowned. What do you mean by whether she can go or not? She spoke as if he was the leader in charge of this matter. As long as he said the word, your little sister could go on to be a teacher.

“It’s not impossible, but I’ll need to look into it further. As you know, there are few positions available for family members in the military. Many family members are waiting for jobs. Little sister, strictly speaking, isn’t a military dependent, so we’re not sure if she can apply.”

With the entire family relying on his salary, it would be great if his wife’s sister could get a job at the military school, adding to the family’s income.

Wang Liying was thinking about what she could do: “Then you should find out carefully. It would be best if you could find out which leader is in charge of this matter.”

Li Hongjun’s expression became serious: “What? Are you thinking of bribing a leader? I’m telling you, don’t entertain such thoughts. If people find out, how will I continue working in the military?”

He was upright and methodical, absolutely not allowing such corrupt thoughts to exist around him, as they harmed both others and oneself.

Wang Liying glared at Li Hongjun with irritation: “What are you thinking? I don’t want to bribe anyone. What do I even have to offer? Our family doesn’t have anything that would interest anyone. I just want you to find out what plans the responsible leader has so that we can prepare in advance.”

Li Hongjun sighed in relief, glad his wife wasn’t planning anything wrong. His tone softened: “Alright, I’ll find someone to inquire tomorrow and let you know when I have news.”

Wang Lijuan continued eating her meal slowly, lost in thought. In her dreams, she remembered being a teacher at the military primary school, though the book didn’t detail how she got the job.

She had complete faith in everything in the book and wouldn’t allow any accidents to occur.

Wang Liying looked at Wang Lijuan: “Little Sister, what are you thinking? Why aren’t you eating your vegetables?”

Wang Lijuan forced a smile: “Nothing, I just suddenly remembered something.”

She wondered if Jiang Suihan might have the same idea. The thought made her uneasy. She really didn’t want to be in the same place as Jiang Suihan.

She glanced at the calendar hanging on the wall. It was still a long way to the New Year. She prayed silently that time would pass quickly so that she could realize her dream soon and live the life she had always dreamed of.

*

Jiang Suihan handed Xu Zhao a towel to wipe the sweat from his forehead.

Xu Zhao extended his hand to show her that it was covered in dirt. He bent down, bringing his face closer to hers, and looked at her with a smile.

Jiang Suihan pursed her lips but still complied, raising her hand to wipe the sweat from his forehead.

Xu Zhao tilted his head back. “You need to wipe my neck too.”

He was really pushing it.

Jiang Suihan didn’t say anything, her face slightly reddening, as she continued to wipe the sweat.

In the past few days since returning home, Xu Zhao had immediately taken out a hoe to loosen the soil in a section of the yard. The hoe was borrowed from the logistics department; they would need to buy their own hoe for future use, as borrowing from the logistics department was inconvenient.

Xu Zhao asked, “What do you plan to plant?”

He was somewhat concerned. Jiang Suihan had grown up in the city and had no experience with farming. If she accidentally killed the crops, it might upset her.

Jiang Suihan confidently replied, “Don’t underestimate me. I asked Sister Wu, and she said that in this season, you can plant radishes and cabbage. These crops grow easily and aren’t difficult.”

Xu Zhao was skeptical. Hearing someone who had never farmed before say that planting was easy was hard to believe.

After a brief silence, he said, “It’s worth a try. Just don’t overexert yourself.”

Jiang Suihan assured him, “Don’t worry. I’ve written down everything Sister Wu mentioned. She has years of experience with farming. If I don’t understand something, I’ll ask her. You’ll see, I’ll definitely succeed.”

She planned to not only grow vegetables but also plant some flowers. The yard looked bare and unattractive. Once the flowers bloomed, it would brighten up the yard and improve her mood every day.

Xu Zhao responded with a nod, “I wish you success.”

Jiang Suihan cheerfully replied, “Thank you.”

Just planting vegetables, and she already had external help. She was confident she would succeed.

Xu Zhao said, “The army’s primary school plans to hire three teachers. The requirement is at least a junior high school education. The recruitment notice should be posted in a few days. You’ll need to apply first and then take the exam.”

Jiang Suihan, resting her chin on her hand, thought about it. She had graduated from primary school many years ago and didn’t have any textbooks at home. She was considering whether to borrow some from Sister Wu, as Zhao Dajun had just graduated from primary school and might still have his textbooks.

“Are there many people with junior high school education in the family compound?”

Xu Zhao replied, “As far as I know, many of them come from rural areas. Their families are poor, and some couldn’t afford to go to school. Some have never attended school at all.”

Jiang Suihan joked, “Then I must have an advantage.”

Xu Zhao agreed, “You could say that.”

He thought that if she wanted to work, she could. If she got tired or decided she didn’t want to continue, she could quit and come home. He could support her and all he wanted was for her to be happy.

Jiang Suihan began to dream about the future: “Once I start working and earning money, I’ll buy you some delicious food.”

Xu Zhao laughed, “Alright, I’ll be waiting.”

He felt like a child dreaming about spending money even before starting work, just like Jiang Leyun.

The next day, Jiang Leyun got into a fight.

“Leyun, what happened? Why are you so dirty? Did you get into a fight?”

Jiang Suihan pulled Jiang Leyun over, anxiously examining him. His clothes were messy, as if he had rolled in the mud, and there was a noticeable red mark on his neck.

Jiang Leyun pouted, trying hard not to cry, “I was playing with Xiaojun on the playground, and Li Zili wanted to take my little tank. I wouldn’t give it to him, so he tried to grab it. Xiaojun helped me, and we started fighting. Li Zili is strong and pushed me to the ground, but I wasn’t afraid. I even bit him, so I didn’t lose.”

His last sentence had a tone of pride, as if he was quite pleased with himself.

They had been playing well until Li Zili and his group came over to join them. Zhao Xiaojun, who was familiar with Li Zili’s bad behavior, didn’t want to play with him. Li Zili was known for being greedy, always trying to take other kids’ toys and being unreasonable.

Li Zili wanted Jiang Leyun’s little tank, which was a gift from Xu Zhao and something Jiang Leyun treasured. When Jiang Leyun refused to lend it, Li Zili was unhappy, especially in front of other kids. He called Jiang Leyun stingy, insulted him, and made rude remarks about him living off his sister and her husband.

Unable to tolerate this, Jiang Leyun rushed at Li Zili and started hitting him. Li Zili, who was two years older and stronger, quickly overpowered him.

Zhao Xiaojun, being loyal, immediately jumped in to help, wrestling Li Zili and calling on other kids to join in.

The kids, excited and caught up in the commotion, all started fighting—pulling hair, scratching faces, throwing punches, and kicking each other. Eventually, the fight became chaotic, with no clear distinction between friends and foes. The main parties, Jiang Leyun and Li Zili, were somewhat overshadowed by the general melee.

After understanding the situation, Jiang Suihan wasn’t sure how to react. Children fighting wasn’t a big issue, but she didn’t want to discourage Jiang Leyun’s confidence.

Quickly thinking through it, Jiang Suihan crouched down to Jiang Leyun’s level: “I’m not saying you did anything wrong, but you weren’t entirely right either. Li Zili was rude, and his family didn’t discipline him properly. That’s his fault. You were brave to stand up to him and didn’t back down. I’m proud of you for that.”

Jiang Leyun’s eyes gradually brightened, and his tightly pressed lips couldn’t help but curl up into a smile.

Jiang Suihan changed her tone, becoming serious: “But there’s an important point you’ve overlooked. How old are you? You’re just a little kid, and you’re fighting so fiercely with someone older and stronger. Can you really handle it? If you get hurt and make me and your brother-in-law worry, won’t you feel guilty?”

Seeing her brother’s guilty expression, Jiang Suihan paused for a second: “I’m not saying you should be a pushover. If someone bullies you, just standing there and taking it would be foolish. You should fight back to avoid being seen as an easy target. Otherwise, people might think we’re pushovers and will continue to bully us.”

People tend to bully the weak and fear the strong. Sometimes, the kinder individuals are more likely to be taken advantage of.

Jiang Leyun nodded vigorously, clenching his little fist: “Exactly, we must fight back to show them we’re not easy to bully.”

So, when Li Zili tried to take his little tank, Jiang Leyun fought back, even if it meant both of them ended up hurt. He wanted to make sure Li Zili knew that if he didn’t want to give up his toy, then no one else could bully him.

Seeing her brother’s determined expression, Jiang Suihan couldn’t help but smile and ruffled his hair: “Regardless, hitting people is wrong. Of course, that child was at fault first, and you hit back in self-defense. What I want to emphasize is that while fighting is an option, safety is the priority. You must avoid getting hurt.”

“And remember, it was he who took your things first. He was in the wrong. But if you strike first, then you become the one in the wrong. Others will think you’re unreasonable and might side with Li Zili. Sometimes, relying solely on violence to resolve issues is not the best approach.”

Jiang Leyun looked at his sister with curiosity, scratching his head in confusion: “So what should I do?”

Jiang Suihan patiently explained: “Use your smart little brain. Although this time you were right, hitting someone changes the situation, making both sides at fault. People often focus on what they see and ignore the reasons behind it.”

After Jiang Leyun took a moment to think, she continued: “Doesn’t that seem unfair? Smart people solve problems with their brains. Sometimes, you don’t have to handle things personally. There are other ways to make sure the other person is punished. Understand?”

Jiang Leyun seemed confused, feeling like he was standing in front of a door to a new world that seemed close but was actually far away.

Jiang Suihan didn’t realize that this conversation would leave a deep impression on Jiang Leyun. As he grew older and became more cunning, he would cleverly deal with those who constantly troubled him, setting traps while appearing as a savior to others—truly a pitfall for the unwary.

Knowing she shouldn’t explain too much to a child for fear of leading him astray, Jiang Suihan vaguely said: “You’re still young, and you won’t understand even if I explain. For now, let’s leave it at this. When you grow up, you’ll naturally understand.”

Jiang Leyun pouted and grumbled: “It’s always like this. Just because I’m small, you don’t explain things clearly. How can I know if you don’t tell me? Adults always bully us kids.”

Jiang Suihan laughed and pointed at his nose: “I’m not bullying you now. But when you grow up, we’ll see who gets bullied. Look at you, all dirty. Go take a bath and change your clothes. Do you have any other injuries?”

Kids are cute at this age, but they lose their charm as they grow up.

Jiang Leyun huffed: “No more injuries. I’m going to change clothes now.”

His sister was getting more difficult. She was just teasing him.

As expected, someone came to complain.

Wang Liying burst through the courtyard gate, fuming: “Jiang Suihan, come out here! Don’t think you can hide inside. I know you’re home. Look at what your brother did. He’s just a kid and he’s already hitting people. Look at what he did to my son. Is this how you teach your kids?”

“My son only said a few words. If you don’t like it, you don’t have to listen, but he hit him right away without any warning. Isn’t there any justice? If you don’t give me an explanation today, I won’t leave. I’m going to report you to the army for bullying.”

Her son had returned home crying, with snot and tears all over his face, his clothes torn and dirty, and the buttons lost.

Wang Liying only had this one son, whom she treasured. She rarely scolded him, let alone hit him, and when her son came crying, saying the new kid had hit him, she was heartbroken.

She took out some cookies to pacify him and, feeling outraged, thought that the Xu family had gone too far. Jiang Leyun, a kid relying on his brother-in-law, dared to hit her son. The nerve of that child!

Dragging her son, she headed straight to the Xu family to demand an explanation, intending to settle scores with them.

Inside, Jiang Suihan was reading when she heard the loud bang and Wang Liying’s angry voice. Startled, she patted her chest to calm her racing heart.

When she stepped outside, she saw Wang Liying and a few others standing in the courtyard, looking very aggressive. They clearly wouldn’t be easy to deal with.

Jiang Suihan wasn’t afraid of Wang Liying. The army wasn’t a place where people could be unreasonable.

She stood a few steps away from Wang Liying, maintaining a calm expression, and took the initiative: “Sister Wang, you came here threatening and shouting. If someone didn’t know better, they’d think I stole your money or food. I know why you’re here—it’s because your son got beaten. Are you here to make amends? I was actually worried you wouldn’t come, so I was planning to visit your home myself.”

Wang Liying glared angrily: “When did I ever say I would apologize? Your brother hit my son, and now you come to argue with me? Are you out of your mind? Instead of apologizing for hitting someone, you have the audacity to accuse me. Are all the principles of justice on your side?”

“I’ve finally realized today that your family’s moral standards are like those of bandits. No wonder your brother is so unruly. Your parents clearly never taught you anything about proper conduct!”

She was furious, thinking that her son had been terribly wronged. This Jiang girl actually had the nerve to expect an apology from her, as if it were some kind of fantasy!

She couldn’t believe that a twenty-year-old girl could outdo her. If Jiang Suihan didn’t personally apologize and compensate for the damages, she would take the matter to the military and demand the military leaders intervene.

°.✩┈┈∘*┈˃̶୨୧˂̶┈*∘┈┈✩.°

Ayalee: Hi everyone, I just realized that chapters 38 and 39, which I meant to unlock last week, were still locked because I forgot to untick the “sell content” option. 🙈 I’m really sorry for the mix-up and any inconvenience this caused! Thank you so much for your understanding ❤️ I hope you enjoy the chapters. Wishing you all happy holidays! 🎄✨

Ayalee[Translator]

**•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚ ˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚***•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚

Leave A Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

@

error: Content is protected !!