Chapter 3: I Want to Go to the Countryside

Fu Jingchen’s eyes surged with emotion as he stared intently at Jiang Yuman.

These past few days, no matter how many times he promised that he would treat both her and the child well once they went to the countryside, she had refused to give in.

She cried and made a scene, nearly tearing the roof off the house, even going so far as to say she was carrying a burdensome child.

But after just one night, not only did she relent in front of him, she even made such a statement in front of the entire family…

What was her real motive?

In this household, what else could she possibly want to take?

If she was just toying with him, then why say it in front of the entire family?

Everyone in the family was looking forward to this child and hoping she would stay in this home.

If it all turned out to be a lie in the end, could he even bear the blow?

And… was she truly willing to give birth to the child?

These thoughts surfaced in his mind, making even the pain in his injured chest throb faintly.

“It’s true.”

Jiang Yuman had no idea how complicated Fu Jingchen’s thoughts were. She glanced around the room and spoke: “Before, I just couldn’t handle the sudden change. I was upset and lost my head. But this morning, I figured things out.”

As she spoke, she looked at Fu Haitang. “Just like Little Sister said, even a tiger won’t eat its own cub. I’ll give birth to the child.”

Fu Haitang stared at that vixen-like face and let out a scoff quickly turning her head away.

But her ears quietly perked up.

What was with this woman today? Was everything she said really true?

Fu’s Mother’s eyes were already red. She looked at Jiang Yuman, barely holding back her tears.

“Manman, thank you—thank you for being so considerate.”

The Fu family finally had something to look forward to.

“Mom, please don’t say that…” Jiang Yuman, for once, felt a twinge of guilt.

Being “considerate” really didn’t suit her at all.

After all, she was lazy, greedy, and a bit of a flirt.

Fu Wangshan also took a deep breath, as if remembering something. He turned to his wife and said, “Go get the box.”

“Alright, alright.” Fu’s Mother quickly wiped the corners of her eyes and brought over a wooden box.

When she opened it, it was packed full. Inside were various ration and supply coupons, as well as neat stacks of Great Unity notes.

At a glance, the money alone had to be at least three thousand yuan.

Not to mention all those ration tickets for grain, meat, sugar, and even industrial goods—every last one issued by the military.

With this many coupons, life in this era wouldn’t be hard at all.

Jiang Yuman stared at the box in front of her. This must be what the whole family had given to the Original Host in the novel, hoping to plead with her not to have an abortion, right?

Even a starved camel is still bigger than a horse.

So much wealth, and yet the Original Host had the nerve to say it was just something you’d toss to a beggar?

That ungrateful brat really didn’t know how good she had it.

With all this money and coupons, even if it couldn’t compare to life before the trouble started, it would definitely be far from hardship.

Seeing Jiang Yuman’s gaze fixed on the box, Fu’s Mother quickly said: “Manman, this is everything the family has right now. I still have a few pieces of jewelry upstairs—you’ll take those too when the time comes.”

Pausing for a moment, Fu Wangshan also spoke up: “It’s not much, but it’s all yours. Once we leave the day after tomorrow, everything will be on your shoulders.”

“Even though I’ve been suspended from duty in the military, I still have some old comrades. They can help you find out where we’ll be sent in the countryside.”

He paused, his voice catching slightly. “If the child is born and you don’t want to keep it, just send the baby to us.”

It was clear—this money was all they could offer for their grandchild.

From now until the child was born, if the money wasn’t all used up, it could at least serve as a small token of compensation to their daughter-in-law.

Fu Wangshan didn’t expect his daughter-in-law to raise the child herself. Besides, he didn’t want to ruin a young woman’s future.

He understood what kind of person his daughter-in-law was—quick-witted, and undeniably beautiful.

If not for the child, it wouldn’t be hard for her to remarry into a respectable family.

Jiang Yuman never imagined that the elderly couple actually had this kind of plan.

For a moment, she was stunned.

It was Fu Haitang’s angry voice that snapped her back to attention. “Dad, Mom, it’s already come to this—how can you still believe this woman’s nonsense?”

“I think she’s just tricking us now, and once we’re sent to the countryside, far from anyone’s control, if she really decides not to keep the child, what could we even do?”

This box full of money and coupons had been sent by Fu Wangshan’s closest friends from the military. It was their only fallback once they were sent down.

And now it was being handed over to Jiang Yuman, the woman who only cared for wealth and status—Fu Haitang simply couldn’t trust her!

She had said it herself—how could someone seem like a completely different person overnight? Turns out, she just wanted to squeeze out every last thing they had.

“Haitang, enough!” Fu’s Mother scolded, clearly upset.

They had witnessed Jiang Yuman’s antics over the past days, and this possibility wasn’t entirely out of the question.

But even so, they didn’t dare to gamble on it.

“Jiang Yuman, do you swear in front of all of us that what you said this morning wasn’t a lie?”

Fu Haitang ignored her Mother and turned to question Jiang Yuman directly.

“I don’t need to swear,” Jiang Yuman replied softly.

Fu Haitang sneered, “I knew it! You—”

Before she could finish, Jiang Yuman’s firm voice rang out again:

“Because I’m going to the countryside with Jingchen.”

As her words fell, the entire table fell silent.

Everyone’s breath caught.

Fu’s Mother’s eyes widened in shock. “Manman, are you joking?”

She had been desperate to divorce and have an abortion just days ago, and now she not only completely changed her mind, but even wanted to go to the countryside with them!

“Mom., I’m serious.”

Jiang Yuman looked at Fu Jingchen beside her, not missing the way his fists clenched.

Her usually delicate voice now carried a hint of resolve. “A husband and wife are like birds sharing the same branch—how can one fly away when disaster strikes?”

“And we’re a family. A family should stay together, no matter the circumstances.”

“But the life in countryside… you won’t be able to endure it…” Fu’s Mother had already started wiping away tears.

When a diligent person suddenly becomes lazy, people scold them. But when a lazy person suddenly becomes diligent, people praise them.

At this moment, Jiang Yuman was clearly the latter.

Their once unruly and dramatic daughter-in-law had suddenly become so understanding—it left the elderly Fu couple both gratified and deeply guilty.

“I’m not afraid,” Jiang Yuman said, her complexion a little pale, but her tone resolute. “Besides, with Jingchen by my side, he won’t let me suffer.”

She was telling the truth. In the novel, Fu Jingchen was an exceptionally responsible and rare kind of man.

This much was clear from how he treated the Female Lead after marriage—utterly devoted, never allowing another woman to come close.

And this entire family genuinely cared about the Female Lead and the child.

Following them meant she could feel at ease.

The woman before them had bright eyes and pearly teeth, with a trace of unease in her gaze—anyone who looked at her would feel protective.

But Fu Jingchen’s handsome face was dark as thunder. He stood silently, expression grim, and without saying a word, he pulled Jiang Yuman up the stairs back to their room.

“Hey!” Fu Haitang instinctively rose to stop them.

But Fu’s Mother held her back.

“Mom, why are you stopping me?” Fu Haitang looked utterly confused.

“Your brother and sister-in-law are going to talk. What are you tagging along for?”

Fu’s Mother wiped her tears. Thinking back to the conversation just now, she felt a renewed sense of hope for their future.

Glancing at the bowl of porridge Jiang Yuman hadn’t finished, she murmured to herself, “I need to reheat the porridge quickly, or Manman won’t have anything to eat later.”

With that, she hurried off to the kitchen.

Fu Haitang watched her mother’s flustered figure and couldn’t help but roll her eyes.

But thinking back to what Jiang Yuman had said earlier, she couldn’t help but mutter to herself.

The countryside was so harsh—could Jiang Yuman, a woman who had nothing going for her except her looks, really endure it?

With that thought, she glanced upstairs, a faint suspicion forming in her mind as if she were beginning to guess what her Big Brother might be thinking.