Chapter 28

Lin Xixi was making up stories. She couldn’t possibly reveal true names and identities. She stammered, “I didn’t see their faces; I don’t know who they are.”

She paused and then raised her voice again. “I’ve only been here for a few days. I don’t know anyone. But Aunt Qiao, you should know them all, right? You should be able to recognize them by their voices, shouldn’t you?”

“I can’t tell,” Qiao Wei confidently replied. “I hardly interact with them, and I can’t even remember their names. If you don’t believe me, ask your sister-in-law.”

Once again, Lin Xixi was left speechless.

Because Sister Yang had already told her that Captain Yan’s wife was cultured and somewhat proud, not mingling with uneducated people like them. She warned Lin Xixi not to imitate Qiao Wei but to be more friendly. As neighbors and comrades, with the men having a comradeship from their military service, it was better not to keep such a distant relationship to avoid creating distance!

Qiao Wei was grateful for this setting of her character as someone distant from strangers, which saved her a lot of trouble in her transmigrated life.

She said, “Next time you hear something, grab hold of them and don’t let them escape.”

“You’re a good girl; how can you let them tarnish your reputation like this? When you come to your uncle’s house, do you want him to help you find a match in the military? If your reputation is damaged, how will you find a partner?”

Lin Xixi retorted with determination, “I haven’t done anything like that!”

Having been reborn, she couldn’t let herself be called a loose woman like in her previous life!

Qiao Wei chuckled. “I thought about it. Maybe the men they’re talking about are your uncle and our Captain Yan.”

“Huh?”

“We went to the bathhouse on Tuesday to take a bath, right? You came out first. Maybe you, your uncle, and our Captain Yan were together, and there wasn’t anyone else. The men are at the camp during the day, and we can’t see them. When they come back at night, you’re busy cooking and taking care of your uncle and sister-in-law, so you don’t have time to meet others, right?”

Lin Xixi immediately nodded, expressing her anger, “Yes, yes! I’ve been here for a few days and haven’t seen many people!”

She had come here specifically for Yan Lei, but unexpectedly, Qiao Wei didn’t die, and Yan Lei was living a normal life. The so-called normal life meant that whenever Lin Xixi wanted to see him, she had to sneak out early in the morning, almost getting caught by her uncle.

It was quite challenging.

For someone who rarely left her house, she was still criticized by others. It was frustrating.

“So you see, these people don’t know anything. They just start spreading rumors about you when they see you standing close to two men,” Qiao Wei said. “There’s nothing credible about it.”

Lin Xixi suddenly became calm.

Because she finally realized that something was off. How did she end up being talked about by this Qiao Wei? Wasn’t she supposed to be discussing Qiao Wei’s alleged elopement? Why, after a moment, was this woman talking about her?

If she let her continue like this, who knew where the conversation would lead? Lin Xixi made up her mind and directly asked, “Did you really not run away with someone?”

She stared at Qiao Wei.

Qiao Wei raised her eyelids and said, “Find the person who said that to me. I’ll drag her to the courtyard, and we’ll call everyone out, both men and women! I’ll confront her in front of everyone and see what basis she has for saying such things!”

Lin Xixi shrank back.

She hadn’t expected Yan Lei’s wife to have such a strong personality. If she really spread rumors about her (supposed) elopement everywhere and Qiao Wei caught her in the courtyard in front of so many people, what would she do?

She didn’t have any evidence. It all relied on her aunt’s “heard” and “rumored,” but that was over twenty years ago, almost thirty years ago.

Lin Xixi couldn’t help but feel discouraged. The path of spreading rumors seemed difficult to navigate.

Qiao Wei finished the sweet soup in her bowl, wiped her mouth with a handkerchief, turned to the two children, and asked, “Is it delicious?”

Yan Xiang had already finished the peaches. Holding the bowl, he nodded, “Delicious!”

Wu Nier had not finished even one piece. Holding a peach on her chopsticks, her face and mouth were smeared with sweet soup. Hearing the question, she mumbled with a mouth full of peaches, “Delicious! Sweet!”

“When eating, don’t talk. Speak after swallowing.” Qiao Wei rubbed her furry head, turned back to Lin Xixi, and changed the subject directly: “If you come here to find a partner, you’ve chosen the right place.”

“It’s not about looking down on our peasant brothers; we’re all proletarian brothers. There’s nothing to look down on. It’s just that, in daily life, in terms of eating, drinking, and living, it’s definitely better to find a worker or a soldier. Especially in the military, the treatment is much better. Among the non-commissioned officers, many young ones who haven’t married yet have higher salaries than workers. Finding a partner from the military is definitely better than finding one in your hometown. You’ll have enough money and tickets to use.”

Qiao Wei could see that Lin Xixi seemed to have an obsession with Yan Lei, but she wanted to guide her not to hang everything on one tree. There wasn’t just Yan Lei in this world.

In the end, she couldn’t achieve the perspective shift for Lin Xixi. It was also because the original text always compressed the protagonist’s “past life,” quickly summarizing the plot before immediately entering a new life and making new choices. Going straight into sweet petting wouldn’t reveal the protagonist’s more complex inner thoughts.

Qiao Wei thought that if Yan Lei wasn’t suitable, Lin Xixi could find Zhang Lei, Zhao Lei, Li Lei, Wang Lei, and others.

But for Lin Xixi, she didn’t want to just casually marry someone.

Life was truly unpredictable. Back then, the educated youth from the city seemed so impressive to her, but later she realized they were just ordinary people.

Marrying someone like Zhang Lei or Zhao Lei, who knew if they would end up like her educated youth husband, losing their job?

 In the future, the current military officers will mostly be demobilized and transition to civilian careers. Most of them are mediocre individuals.

Someone better off, like her uncle, who is just a mid-level leader in an ordinary government agency. The family lives relatively comfortably.

However, they are far from being extremely wealthy.

At that time, Sister Yang also told her niece Lin Xixi, who came to borrow money, that they had lost contact with Yan Lei and couldn’t reach him anymore.

Even in Captain Zhao’s family, the only “important person” they knew was Yan Lei.

People’s status is like a pyramid, with fewer people as you go higher. There are not many exceptional individuals.

For example, in a factory, there is one team leader for every five workers, one section chief for every five teams, and one workshop manager for every two production lines. In a factory of hundreds of people, there is only one factory director.

Exceptional individuals are like finding a needle in a haystack. Being extremely wealthy belongs to a very small number of people.

Lin Xixi, in her rebirth, said that if she marries a mediocre person and lives a mediocre life, it would be a joke. She even feels that marrying someone slightly stronger would be meaningless for a life of modest prosperity.

If she doesn’t become the wife of a high-ranking official, if she doesn’t become an extraordinary person, then what is the purpose of this rebirth?

And from the information she possesses, the only wealthy person she could catch ahead of time more than twenty years ago is Yan Lei!

It’s not Zhang Lei or Zhao Lei; it must be Yan Lei!

Qiao Wei is not clear about Lin Xixi’s thought process. She has never given up guiding Lin Xixi to find another way out, even suggesting, “Otherwise, look at the Chief’s bodyguards and drivers; they are also good choices. Following the Chief, there will be connections in the future, and you won’t worry about your future…”

Lin Xixi’s visit today did not achieve its purpose at all, and she has been holding her breath in her chest. When she heard this, she couldn’t help but retort, “Then the Chief is unlucky, and we’re unlucky together! Unless we draw a clear line…”

She suddenly realized that she had said something she shouldn’t have, and her voice abruptly stopped.

Qiao Wei gently tucked the stray hair by her temple and calmly asked, “What line? Where are you trying to draw a line from?”

Lin Xixi stammered, “I mean, whether it’s good or bad to be with the Chief, in case something happens…”

She felt guilty and evaded the topic, saying, “Wu Nier, Wu Nier, have you finished eating? Let’s go back!”

Qiao Wei scolded her, “Let her finish her sweet soup.”

In the future, no one drinks this sugar water; it’s too sweet. Who would want it? But here, adding a spoonful of sugar to plain water makes it delightful for the kids. This sugar water also has a peach flavor, which is sweet and satisfying, like nectar to Wu Nier.

She cradled the bowl and gulped it down.

After finishing, she wiped her mouth with her sleeve, but Qiao Wei quickly caught her, saying, “Hey, hey!”

Qiao Wei pulled Wu Nier to the side of the well, washed her sticky mouth, chin, cheeks, and hands, and used her own handkerchief to wipe her dry, saying, “Remember to bring a handkerchief.”

After tidying up, she pushed her towards Lin Xixi, saying, “All set.”

Clean and neat.

Lin Xixi pulled her hand, scolding her, “You and your sweet tooth!”

What’s so delicious about the canned peaches?

She was a middle-aged woman from the 1990s with a low level of education, adopting the most traditional and old-fashioned methods of raising and disciplining children.

Especially now, in a very bad mood, when she pulled, she didn’t control her strength and gave Wu Nier a stumble.

She came holding Wu Nier, and when she left, she pulled and tugged.

The three words “good stepmother,” repeatedly emphasized in the original text, showed cracks at this moment. Without sufficient incentive, there is no motivation to maintain a loving face for the child.

Qiao Wei watched her leave, and even the fake smile on her face faded.

After Lin Xixi left, she closed the gate.

Turning around, Yan Xiang was still holding the sugar water bowl, sitting on a stool. When Qiao Wei walked over, he said, “Mom, Sister Lin is scary.”

Although Yan Xiang was young, he was very sensitive and delicate. Lin Xixi accidentally shattered the image of “liking children,” and he keenly sensed it.

So later, under the “care” of his stepmother, he became a silent and introverted young man.

Qiao Wei felt sorry for him.

She squatted down and rubbed Yan Xiang’s head, saying, “Don’t be afraid; it’s someone else’s family.”

Yan Xiang’s small body relaxed.

Qiao Wei rubbed his head again.

Lin Xixi, in Qiao Wei’s place, not only couldn’t find the information she wanted but also received many suggestions for finding a partner.

So annoying. What partner to find? She just wants to marry Yan Lei. Who can compare to Yan Lei?

They don’t even know how big of an official Yan Lei will become in the future.

Lin Xixi didn’t expect that her uncle, Captain Zhao, had already arranged a blind date for her.

Returning home after dinner in the evening, Captain Zhao quietly said to his wife, “This Saturday night, I’ll make some arrangements. You, dress up Xixi a bit.”

Why dress up? Lin Xixi came from the countryside, and her clothes were all brought from there. Although she was young and beautiful, she looked good even in sackcloth, but for a formal occasion like a blind date, Captain Zhao still wanted her to look a bit more presentable.

After all, she was his own niece.

He said, “Otherwise, should I buy her some fabric pants?”

Sister Yang slapped his arm with a snap, saying, “Money is precious; there aren’t many fabric coupons. Junjun and Wu Nier’s clothes are all patched up.”

Captain Zhao was also in a dilemma. It’s not that he couldn’t afford it; it’s just that fabric coupons were too scarce. With many children in his family, they consumed a lot of fabric. He often had to find ways to get fabric coupons.

Sister Yang said, “Don’t be troubled. I think Xixi and the Yan family are almost on the same level. Xiao Qiao has a lot of beautiful clothes; I’ll go borrow a set from her.”

If it were someone else, Captain Zhao would think it’s no big deal; borrowing things and even clothes to wear is a common occurrence. But Qiao Wei—that woman, relying on her education and beauty—is cold and proud, looking down on them, especially on those born with muddy legs.

Captain Zhao, who has muddy legs himself, also doesn’t like to deal with Qiao Wei.

“Is that okay? Her?”

Sister Yang cut a sound: “Can’t she progress? I think she suffered a setback and was bullied by relatives in the provincial capital this time. Finally, she’s become more sensible and knows something about social etiquette. I’ll go find her now.”

Sister Yang hurriedly went to borrow clothes.