Chapter 65.1

Xu Zhao opened the back seat and started unloading the things from the car.

Su Ying approached and grabbed Jiang Suihan’s hand with a smile. “Is this Sui Sui? We finally met, mother-in-law and daughter-in-law. Good girl, you have worked hard during this period.”

As she spoke, she discreetly examined Jiang Suihan, nodding inwardly. Indeed, she was beautiful. Having lived over fifty years, Su Ying had seen many young women, but few were as striking as Jiang Suihan—an oval face, fair skin, and large, bright eyes like black grapes. Her overall presence made it hard to look away.

Su Ying privately thought that her son was indeed lucky. It was no wonder he called home immediately after meeting her in Mingjiang, without hesitation.

Jiang Suihan’s initial nervousness was eased by Su Ying’s warm and kind smile. She smiled back, “It’s nothing, Mom. You must be exhausted after traveling from the capital. Please, come in and rest.”

Calling her “Mom” made it feel less awkward.

Su Ying patted Jiang Suihan’s hand. “It’s alright. I used to travel with Xu Zhao’s father during the war. That was much harder. It’s just that I’m not used to sitting on a train for such a long time.”

She turned to the quiet child standing aside and smiled. “Is this Lele? You two siblings look so alike, both with high noses and big eyes, and similar foreheads.”

She sighed silently, feeling sorry for the child who lost his parents at such a young age. Fortunately, he had an older sister. Otherwise, it would be incredibly tough for a seven or eight-year-old boy to survive in these harsh times.

Jiang Suihan said to her brother, “Quickly greet your aunt.”

Jiang Leyun looked at Su Ying curiously and said cheerfully, “Hello, Auntie. Are you thirsty? Should I get you some water?”

Su Ying, who loved lively and cheerful children, patted his head. “Thank you, Lele. But Auntie is not thirsty.”

Seeing how lively and spirited the child was, Su Ying could tell he was doing well here, with no signs of worry or trouble on his face.

She then took out a large banknote and handed it to Jiang Leyun. “Here, buy some candy with this.”

Jiang Leyun looked at his sister, unsure whether to accept it or not.

Jiang Suihan quickly refused: “How can candy be so expensive? He is just a kid and doesn’t need so much money. Mom, please take it back. We have candy at home, enough for him to eat for several days.”

Su Ying stuffed the big unity into Jiang Leyun’s hand and said in a pretended angry tone: “This is from me as an elder to the younger generation. You can’t refuse it. Take it quickly.”

Xu Zhao, holding the items, paused and said casually, “Just take it. It’s a custom in the capital, and my mom has plenty of money. To her, this amount isn’t much.”

Su Ying shot Xu Zhao a glare, “You’re always good with words. Hurry up and move the stuff inside.”

Having so many items piled at the door would attract unwanted attention and gossip. After living in the compound for over ten years, she knew that some people were envious and prone to spreading rumors.

Jiang Suihan bent down to help, but Su Ying immediately stopped her with an urgent tone, “Stop! You shouldn’t bend down while pregnant. Go in quickly, we don’t need your help here.”

Jiang Suihan was a bit taken aback by the sudden command.

Su Ying felt a bit regretful, realizing that her reaction might have frightened her daughter-in-law. She quickly added, “I’m not angry with you. Look at your frail little body and pointed little face. I have every reason to suspect that Xu Zhao didn’t take good care of you.”

Oh no, she has already left a bad impression on her daughter-in-law when they met just now. Will she think she is arrogant and unreasonable?

Xu Zhao put the things in the living room and when he returned, he just heard his old mother slandering him again. He suddenly felt very tired.

“Mom, I think you should go back to the capital,” Xu Zhao suggested.

Su Ying was confused, “Why should I go back right after arriving? What’s the fuss?”

Xu Zhao, maintaining a calm demeanor, said, “You’ve just arrived and are already trying to drive a wedge between us. I can’t feel at ease with you here.”

The logic was flawless.

Jiang Suihan tried hard to suppress her laughter, her shoulders shaking with amusement.

Su Ying choked and laughed awkwardly: “Sui Sui is so small that she would fall down if the wind blew, and her chin is so sharp that it can tear paper. How dare you say that this is taking good care of her?”

Xu Zhao sighed in frustration, “I just got back from a mission a few days ago. Couldn’t you give me more time?”

He had only learned a few days ago that Jiang Suihan was pregnant, and these days had been mentally taxing for him. He hadn’t slept well, waking up at every little noise, checking if she needed water, a bathroom break, or if something was wrong.

Su Ying challenged him, “You’re just making excuses. You’re a grown man, still going to the army every day. What if a mission comes up and you’re gone for months? How will you take care of her then?”

Xu Zhao was left speechless, beginning to question if his mother’s visit was meant to complicate his peaceful life.

Jiang Suihan sensed Xu Zhao’s frustration and quietly stepped forward to change the subject, “Mom, stop standing outside. Please come in.”

They moved all the items into the living room, and Xu Zhao went to return the car.

Jiang Leyun brought a half-cup of warm water, “Auntie, have some water.”

Su Ying smiled, “Thank you, Lele.”

Jiang Leyun waved his hand, “You’re welcome.”

He had just received ten yuan from Auntie Xu. A cup of water for ten yuan was quite a deal.

Su Ying put down the cup after drinking and began unpacking, “This is fine cotton fabric, softer than regular cotton, suitable for making clothes for newborns. And these are some fabrics. Xu Zhao’s second sister helped get fabric tickets to buy them. She works at a department store and has access to these things.”

She continued, “These are dried seafood—shrimp, scallops, and squid. You can make seafood porridge in the morning. And this is adult milk powder, best to drink a cup every day for extra nutrition. This ginseng was obtained by Xu Zhao’s father. Though it’s not a hundred years old, it’s still about seventy or eighty years old. Keep it for the day of delivery, but I hope you won’t need it.”

Jiang Suihan stared at the mountain of items in shock, “Mom, how did you manage to get all this on the train?”

Su Ying casually rubbed her wrist, “I wasn’t alone. There was also Xiao Li, who is Xu Zhao’s grandfather’s aide. He came along and bought a return train ticket for the afternoon.”

Jiang Suihan was touched, “Mom, thank you for all your effort.”

Su Ying, feeling uncomfortable with the emotional exchange, said awkwardly, “It’s nothing. It’s what I should do. Since you married into the Xu family, we’re all family now. Just eat well and rest well. We’re happy with a boy or a girl. Don’t stress about the baby’s gender. You know, Xu Zhao had two older sisters before him. Before he was born, I was anxious too, but Xu Zhao’s father reassured me that every child is a gift from heaven, whether a boy or a girl, they’re all treasures.”

Worried that her daughter-in-law might feel pressured about having a boy, Su Ying decided to ease her concerns and advised her to focus on her health and happiness, avoiding unnecessary stress.

“Oh, and I almost forgot. This is from Xu Zhao’s grandfather, meant for his granddaughter-in-law.”

Jiang Suihan opened the envelope to find a stack of cash, probably twenty or thirty notes. She was astonished by Grandpa Xu’s generosity, “We’re financially okay. We didn’t even use the eight hundred yuan sent earlier. Please return this money to Grandpa.”

Su Ying insisted, “I’m just passing it along. It’s not my money to manage. Just take it. Even if you return it, Grandpa will find ways to spend it on you. It’ll make him feel at ease.”

The old man’s salary and allowances were high, and with his living expenses covered, he saved a substantial amount each year. And honestly, once Grandpa Xu was gone, most of the money would likely go to Xu Zhao.

Jiang Suihan hesitated for a moment. “Alright, I’ll accept the money for now. If you need it, Mom, just let me know.”

She suddenly felt that the baby in her womb was like a little fortune bringer. Even before birth, the baby was helping the parents earn money, even if it was just family money.

Su Ying began unpacking the items one by one, sorting the food into one pile and the clothing and other necessities into another. “Where’s the utility room?”

Jiang Suihan pointed to a small room on the right. “That’s it.”

Noticing the darkening sky, she realized it was time to start preparing dinner.

Jiang Suihan got up from her chair. “I’ll go make dinner. Mom, what would you like to eat tonight?”

Su Ying quickly said, “You stay here. I’ll make it.”

Jiang Suihan felt it was inappropriate to let her mother-in-law cook after the long train ride. Su Ying had been busy unpacking without rest.

“Let me handle it. Mom, don’t try to take over. It’s just making dinner, it’s not hard.”

Since her daughter-in-law insisted, Su Ying had to agree, though she reminded her to call for help if needed.

Once Su Ying had organized the items, she poured herself a glass of water and sat in the yard, enjoying the breeze. Jiang Leyun brought out a chair and ate a piece of chocolate, happily swinging his short legs.

Since the family incident, he hadn’t had chocolate.

Su Ying saw the child eating with such joy. “Is it good?”

Jiang Leyun nodded: “It’s delicious. I haven’t eaten chocolate for a long time.”

Su Ying thought of the child’s family background and didn’t know what to say: “We still have some at home. If you eat one piece every day, you can eat it for several days. When you finish it, auntie will buy you another one.”

Chocolate had to be bought from a foreign store, which required not just money but also special vouchers.

Jiang Leyun shook his head: “Save it for everyone to eat together.”

Su Ying couldn’t help but pat Jiang Leyun’s head. “So well-behaved.”

It was clear the child was well-raised, and the daughter-in-law must have put a lot of effort into raising her only brother.

Children are often candid, so Su Ying began to probe about the young couple. “Do you think your sister and brother-in-law have a good relationship? Have they ever had arguments?”

Jiang Leyun looked at Su Ying with his clear eyes, wondering what her real intention was in asking these questions. Was she hoping for or against conflicts between his sister and brother-in-law?

“Auntie, why don’t you ask them?”

Su Ying hadn’t expected to be asked back. She hesitated, “I’m afraid if I ask them personally, they will be embarrassed.”

Then Aunt Xu, don’t you think I would be embarrassed?

Jiang Leyun thought to herself, with an expression that said, “Auntie, are you embarrassed?”

Su Ying awkwardly nodded. “Yes, as an elder, it’s not appropriate for me to ask such things.”

Jiang Leyun was puzzled and didn’t understand why such questions would be hard to ask.

Perhaps it’s a matter of being a child and not an adult.

“I think my brother-in-law likes my sister,” he said with certainty.

Su Ying’s eyes lit up immediately. “Really? Do you really think so?”

Jiang Leyun nodded vigorously. “Yes, I asked my brother-in-law, and he admitted it.”

Su Ying pressed further. “Did he admit it to you directly?”

Jiang Leyun took a bite of chocolate and spoke a bit unclearly. “Yes.”

Su Ying smiled, narrowing her eyes. “I was worried he was too reserved, but it turns out he can speak up.”