Chapter 26

When Bai Hongmei arrived at Courtyard No. 28, the banquet had already ended.

Zhang Guifen, who was slightly drunk, lay on the car board and waved happily at Qiao Baozhu: “Come into the house, kid. It’s windy. Don’t catch a cold.”

Qiao Baozhu smiled and nodded: “Don’t worry, Auntie, when Shen Xiao comes back, we will go to see you together.”

After saying that, he walked to a carriage at the back and handed Fang Shan a porcelain cup filled with braised pork and a large bowl of leftover catfish.

“Don’t be disgusted by these leftovers. Go to the cafeteria and buy some steamed bread to have another meal tonight.”

Fang Shan and the others generously took the leftovers and said with a smile: “Who would be so heartless as to dislike it? These are all the good meats that the sisters-in-law specially left for you, and you gave them all to us.”

“There’s still some at home, and it’ll last for a few days.”

Fang Shan and the others saw Qiao Baozhu’s dowry and knew that she had no shortage of food, so they were not polite to her. Taking the leftovers, they smiled and said, “I’ll wash the enamel pot and bowl and bring them to you tomorrow.”

“I’m not in a hurry to use it. I’ll bring it back when I get to work.”

Fang Shan chuckled: “I think you are so happy that you have forgotten everything. We educated youth are entitled to 5 days of wedding leave when we get married. Have you asked your boss for a note? And don’t you need to pack your things in the dormitory? You have your own family, but you still plan to squeeze into the same dormitory with us?”

Qiao Baozhu smiled awkwardly and said, “I forgot about this.”

She had been away from the farm for so many years that she couldn’t remember many things. Qiao Baozhu smiled and asked everyone to leave. She turned around and saw Bai Hongmei walking towards her aggressively.

Qiao Baozhu knew very well that Bai Hongmei was coming for her.

She pretended to be ignorant and walked into the yard with a smile on her face, talking to her sisters-in-law who were helping her clean up.

“Sisters-in-law, stop busying yourself and come into the house to have a rest. I will do this little work by myself later.”

Wu Meili was cheerful and cheerful. She swept the yard skillfully while smiling, “Let’s help each other with this little work. It will be done in a short while. Bride, please come into the house and have a rest. You have been exhausted all day.”

“Auntie Wu, Auntie Qian didn’t eat with us just now. I want to cut a piece of pork and send it over when we return the table. Can you help me choose a piece?”

When Wu Meili heard what Qiao Baozhu said, she couldn’t stop smiling and kept praising her.

“Captain Shen is so lucky to have married a beautiful and kind family member like you. Okay, I’ll help you cut a piece after I finish sweeping the yard.”

As she was speaking, Wu Meili caught a glimpse of a flash of red entering the yard.

Seeing the face of the person who came, Wu Meili’s face darkened and her tone was cold and disgusted.

“Why are you here?”

When Bai Hongmei saw the burly Wu Meili, she curled her lips in disgust.

She raised her noble head and asked in a very pretentious manner: “I heard that Shen Xiao got married today. As her sister-in-law, of course I came to see the bride.”

“Bai Hongmei, I’m not being harsh. Since you know that today is Captain Shen’s good day, is it appropriate for a widow like you to come here and watch the fun?”

Bai Hongmei blushed, put her hands on her waist and said angrily: “What’s inappropriate? Wu Meili, you are a military family member after all, why are you so superstitious? After all, you are an uneducated and rough person who can’t read a few words and yet you believe in some feudal superstitions.”

Wu Meili was about to retort, but Qiao Baozhu pulled her sleeve.

Qiao Baozhu was seen standing in front of Wu Meili, looking at Bai Hongmei with a smile.

“It’s you. We meet again.”

“Last time you ran away crying, did you go back to the supply and marketing cooperative to buy fabric?”

“If you haven’t bought any, I still have a lot of work cloth in my dowry, which is perfect for naughty little boys.”

Bai Hongmei didn’t expect that she not only failed in the beauty contest, but also let the bitch in front of her expose her affairs.

Wu Meili was initially worried that Bai Hongmei would make trouble and anger the bride. Listening to the conversation between the two, it was clear that there had been friction before, and Bai Hongmei had been defeated.

The gossip factor was burning, and Wu Meili asked excitedly.

“Baozhu, from what you said, you two have met before?”

Qiao Baozhu smiled and nodded, pretending to be innocent and said, “Yes, I met him at the supply and marketing cooperative before.”

“Well, that’s enough!”

Bai Hongmei was afraid that Qiao Baozhu would tell her what happened that day. She knew that if Qiao Baozhu told the truth, Wu Meili and the other stupid and ugly women would laugh at her.

She didn’t want to stay here and be ridiculed by a few idiots who were not as good as her.

“I’ve known Shen Xiao for so long, but I’ve never heard him mention marriage, and I didn’t know that the groom didn’t go to pick up the bride, and the bride came here on her own.”

Bai Hongmei looked at Qiao Baozhu with sarcasm in her eyes, “As Shen Xiao’s friend, I would not feel at ease if I didn’t take a look at who the bride is. If you knew he was going to marry you, I wouldn’t have come. It’s a pity that Shen Xiao didn’t mention your relationship at all after the last meeting. Okay, I’ve seen the person, I won’t get in the way here. I advise you to associate more with cultured and well-educated people for Shen Xiao’s future.”

Bai Hongmei left behind a few ambiguous words and walked away in a swagger.

Wu Meili was so angry that she yelled, “Bullshit, who do you think you are to teach others a lesson?”

Several family members who were washing pots and dishes in the house came out when they heard the noise outside.

Seeing Bai Hongmei lowering her head and walking out in a hurry, several people looked at each other tacitly and couldn’t help rolling their eyes.

“No need to ask, he must have heard that Captain Shen’s family had come in. He was unwilling to give up and ran over to take a look.”

“I think she came here to show off her power, and she dressed like a bride. Does she think that if she dresses a little wildly, she can become a grown-up girl? It’s really funny.”

Several family members looked at Bai Hongmei’s back, and their expressions looked as if they had swallowed a fly.

Qiao Baozhu seized this opportunity and asked everyone about Bai Hongmei with an innocent and curious look on her face.

“It seems like the sisters have a lot of complaints about her? Isn’t she a family member of a martyr?”

Upon hearing this, Zhang Cuilian pouted her lips, looking as if she didn’t want to say more.

Wu Meili was a person who couldn’t hide her thoughts. When Bai Hongmei interrupted her question, she knew there must be a story behind it.

At this moment, she didn’t even have the heart to sweep the yard. She threw the broom away and pulled Qiao Baozhu into the house.

“Sister Baozhu, there’s no rush to do the housework. Let me and your sisters tell you something important first.”

After entering the house, Wu Meili first asked Qiao Baozhu how she and Bai Hongmei knew each other.

Qiao Baozhu told everyone what happened that day in a concise and concise manner.

“This is how it happened.”

Qiao Baozhu did not make any subjective comments about Bai Hongmei, but simply narrated the story calmly.

Even so, several family members were still very angry after hearing this.

“A woman who is almost 40 years old is still like a little girl, buying clothes and spending money every day!”

“When Wei Yanda was alive, she was unwilling to come and join the army. Now that he’s dead, she refuses to leave.”

“What should I do? She will cry and act weak and pitiful.”

Wu Meili pinched her throat and imitated Bai Hongmei: “I don’t want to embarrass the organization, but I have no choice. I have three children to feed and I’m pregnant. The only one we can rely on is the organization.”

Several family members were laughing so hard that they were rolling on the ground, but Qiao Baozhu grasped the main point.

“What? Bai Hongmei is pregnant? She’s still pregnant?”