Chapter 27.1: Mother-In-Law

Ye Fan and Chen Xiaohui were both unfamiliar with antiques. When Chen Xiaohui heard about old items, she couldn’t wait to buy them right away, while Ye Fan chose to do some research before making a purchase. This made Chen Xiaohui seem a bit thoughtless in comparison, which left her quite frustrated.

She didn’t want to admit this in front of Ye Fan, but as soon as he left, Chen Xiaohui immediately began looking up information and asked Geng Zhiqin if he knew any history professors or archaeology experts. In the evenings, she would read books, and on Sundays, she either visited scholars or went to recycling centers and second-hand shops to broaden her knowledge.

Tao Chunlan grew worried that Chen Xiaohui might be slipping back into her old habits. But after careful observation, she realized Chen Xiaohui was genuinely trying to learn. Though relieved, Tao Chunlan still felt a bit lonely with Chen Xiaohui being out all the time. Left alone at home, she couldn’t help but think about Dabao, Erbao, and Ye Fan.

During the days when Ye Fan was home, Tao Chunlan clearly noticed that Chen Xiaohui maintained a fairly decent relationship with her. One day, during a relaxed family meal, Tao Chunlan casually mentioned how much she wondered about Dabao and Erbao and how she really wanted to visit them.

Without thinking, Chen Xiaohui immediately said, “Then go!” The words came out so quickly that it felt as though she was eager for Tao Chunlan to leave the house. Realizing how it sounded, Chen Xiaohui hastily added that she was free on Sunday and could take Tao Chunlan to the station.

Tao Chunlan, seeing that Chen Xiaohui had no objections, smiled and said they should write a letter to Fanfan since she didn’t know yet. Chen Xiaohui pointed out that writing a letter was too slow — even express mail would take about half a month round trip — and suggested sending a telegram instead.

Chen Xiaohui helped Tao Chunlan send the telegram. Ye Fan replied with a letter, reminding Chen Xiaohui not to buy express tickets since express trains only had hard seats. Given their mother’s age, sitting in a hard seat would be uncomfortable. Ye Fan told them to buy a sleeper ticket instead and said she would pick them up in Hangcheng.

Chen Xiaohui learned her lesson — she had almost bought a piece of furniture from the late Qing dynasty at a Ming dynasty price. She no longer dared to act on her own assumptions and decided to follow Ye Fan’s advice completely this time. Still, she couldn’t help but feel that she was lacking in judgment or perhaps limited by her past life experiences, never having truly struggled on her own. She realized she wasn’t as thorough as Ye Fan.

A few days before Tao Chunlan’s departure, Chen Xiaohui directly asked Geng Zhiqin if they should bring anything for Dabao and Erbao.

Geng Zhiqin, being clever, secretly bought a package, planning to send it to the Ye family without anyone knowing. However, her mother eventually found out anyway.

When Ye Fan arrived in Hangcheng and saw both her mother and another older woman standing side by side, she felt a headache coming on. In disbelief, she asked, “Why are you here?”

Yu Wentao lifted her chin and replied, “If your mom can come, why can’t I?”

With people bustling about the waiting room, Ye Fan, worried Yu Wentao might start causing a scene, quickly said, “Then both of you just wait here for a bit.”

Yu Wentao saw Ye Fan about to leave and asked, “Where are you going?”

Ye Fan replied weakly, “To buy you a ticket. Are you coming with me?”

Yu Wentao had never been to the south in her life — she hadn’t dared to before. But seeing trainloads of delicacies and goods shipped to the capital made Jiangnan feel neither distant nor intimidating. She had attended school for a few years and had heard poems like, ‘When spring arrives, the river in Jiangnan turns as green as blue — how can one not long for Jiangnan?’ and ‘The scenery in Jiangnan is beautiful; during the falling flower season, I meet you again.’

Curious about Jiangnan, Yu Wentao had asked her husband if he missed Dabao, suggesting she could visit on his behalf. It was a clever little scheme, but Father Geng didn’t bother exposing her motives. He simply asked who would take care of their two youngest children if she left.

That evening, Geng Zhiyé’s second brother and sister-in-law returned home, saying they weren’t busy at the moment. Barring any unexpected events, the second brother could stay home for a week.

The next day, Yu Wentao bought her ticket and picked up some snacks for her grandchildren.

Because they were in a hurry, there was no time to notify Ye Fan in advance. Throughout the journey, Yu Wentao kept worrying that Ye Fan might not have time to buy her a return ticket. She turned to Tao Chunlan and said, “In-law, keep an eye on the luggage. I’m going to see if the Jiangnan train station looks any different from ours.”

With that, she asked Ye Fan where the ticket office was. She figured they could buy their own tickets later — that way, Ye Fan wouldn’t have to go all the way to Hangcheng just to escort them back.

Ye Fan thought to herself, How considerate of you.

If you’re so considerate, why did you come all the way here without saying a word?

Since Yu Wentao was already there, Ye Fan couldn’t just send her back, nor did she have the energy to say anything hurtful.

Once Ye Fan bought the train tickets to Yongcheng, Yu Wentao finally relaxed and started observing the differences between people from the south and the north.

Ye Fan, noticing how leisurely Yu Wentao was acting, asked, “What are you looking at?”

Yu Wentao replied, “They say Jiangnan is full of beauties, but they don’t seem that beautiful.”

Ye Fan was speechless. “Let’s just get on the train first.”

Yu Wentao shifted her gaze back. “Right, get on the train. We still have to take a boat too? I’ve never been on a boat before.”

Ye Fan felt a bad premonition and kept a close eye on Yu Wentao once they boarded the boat. Sure enough, Yu Wentao didn’t disappoint — before even sitting down, she craned her neck, peering eagerly into the water.

Ye Fan sighed. “Sit down. It’s easy to get seasick if you’re standing.”

Yu Wentao quickly sat down, but her eyes stayed fixed on the water.

Tao Chunlan, exhausted from two days of travel, admired Yu Wentao’s energy. “Aren’t you tired?”

Yu Wentao shook her head. “I slept the whole way — what’s there to be tired about? I was about to burst from sitting still.”

While Ye Fan was busy pouring water for Tao Chunlan, not paying attention to her, Yu Wentao reached her hand into the sea, scooping up a handful of seawater and sniffing it. “It smells so fishy!”

The fishing boat wasn’t large, and the fisherman steering it was quite close to them. He couldn’t help but ask, “Accountant Ye, is this your aunt?”

Yu Wentao turned to Ye Fan, clearly curious about how she would respond.

Ye Fan gave her a sidelong glance and said, “Dabao and Erbao’s grandmother.”

The fisherman looked surprised. “She’s so young!”

Ye Fan explained, “My wife’s biological mother passed away early. Aunt Yu is her stepmother. But she’s the one who raised her.”

Yu Wentao was very pleased with this answer, smiling from ear to ear as she humbly added, “I didn’t do much, really — just some laundry and cooking.”

Ye Fan thought to herself that her smile would be more convincing if she toned it down a little, but instead, she replied, “There are a lot of people at home — it must’ve been tough.”

At last, a flicker of embarrassment crossed Yu Wentao’s face. After all, she had only done laundry and cooked for the first couple of years. Once her daughter was born, it was mostly her siblings or her mother who came to help. Now that she was retired and staying home, she technically had to care for the whole family — but with modern appliances and running water, it wasn’t exactly back-breaking work.

Yu Wentao’s family lived in the outskirts of the city, where they still had to fetch water by hand. Their home used both electric and oil lamps — the children did their homework by electric light, but the elders, worried about the electricity bill, preferred using oil lamps.

Every time Yu Wentao’s family visited the Geng household, they would always say that aside from the yard being a bit small, everything else was great. Without fail, they would remind Yu Wentao to live well and not cause trouble for the Geng father and son.

Yu Wentao was well aware that her husband, plagued by illnesses and nearing seventy, still had young women willing to marry him — after all, the widow of a retired cadre received a pension, and being connected to the Geng family came with its advantages.

Take her own family, for example — her siblings didn’t have any special skills or much education, and they weren’t particularly smooth talkers, so finding good jobs was tough. They’d been farming in the village for years. But because Yu Wentao married into the Geng family, no one in the village dared to bully the Yu family.

With Geng’s father earning a high salary and not caring about how much Yu Wentao made, she was able to send money back to her family every month, paying for her nieces’ and nephews’ school fees and buying them clothes — and no one ever said a word about it.

The year Yu Wentao first married into the Geng family, she felt wronged. No one cared about her feelings — if she was upset, she could only stew in silence. But after a while, she realized she couldn’t keep tormenting herself like that. Once she adjusted her mindset, she found that being a stepmother was actually easier and more comfortable than being a biological mother.

If it weren’t for her fear of Geng’s eldest son, Yu Wentao would have been bouncing off the walls these past few years. It was precisely because of that fear that she occasionally worried — what if the old man passed away and the eldest son kicked both her and Geng Zhiqin out? That’s why she was so eager for Geng Zhiqin to secure a stable, well-paying job and find a good woman to marry. If that day ever came, she could always go live with her daughter.

But back to the present — afraid the fisherman might ask more questions and embarrass her further, Yu Wentao quickly changed the subject. “How much farther?” she asked.

The fisherman pointed to a green mountain in the distance. “Right there.”

Yu Wentao was surprised. “That small?”

Ye Fan explained, “The island looks rectangular from above. We’re on the west side now — once we get to the south, it’ll seem bigger.”

The fisherman steered the boat south. Before long, they reached the southern coast.

Yu Wentao still didn’t think it was that big. But as the boat drew closer, her eyes widened in surprise. “The island looks like it’s getting taller.”

Ye Fan helped her mother off the boat. “The boat’s on the sea — the water isn’t flat, so it just looks that way. Hurry up, they’re waiting to head home.”

The fisherman smiled. “No rush, my house is nearby.”

Yu Wentao noticed him stepping off the boat too. “You’re coming with us?”

The fisherman replied, “I live right behind the family quarters.”

Tao Chunlan said politely, “Thank you, sorry for the trouble.”

Seeing her pale face, the fisherman urged her to go home and rest.

Yu Wentao, carrying several big bags, asked, “Fanfan, is it far?”

“Grandma?”

Yu Wentao froze. “Dabao?” She looked up and saw Dabao running toward them — only to stop short, turning back to glance at his father as if to confirm. “Did I see that right?”

Geng Zhiyé shook his head, equally surprised.

Still in disbelief, Dabao sprinted forward. “Grandma?”

Yu Wentao dropped her bags to the ground, took a few quick steps, and hugged Dabao tightly. “Did you miss Grandma?”

Dabao asked, “Why are you here?”

“You little rascal! Just like your mom. Why can’t I come?” Yu Wentao put him down and clapped her hands at Erbao. “Come give Grandma a hug!”

After not seeing her for more than half a year, Erbao hesitated, unsure.

Yu Wentao pretended to be upset. “I’m your grandma — don’t you remember me?”

With Mom and Dad right there, Erbao wasn’t scared. She grinned and reached out. “Grandma!”

Yu Wentao scooped up her soft, sweet-smelling granddaughter, finally feeling like she was home. “My little Erbao! Grandma missed you so much. Your grandma didn’t even want me to come — why not?” She turned to scold Tao Chunlan. “If it weren’t for me, you wouldn’t even know if someone sold you off!”

Geng Zhiyé was puzzled. After a long journey — car, transfer, and boat — how was she still so full of energy?

Yu Wentao, still excited, said, “It’s so different from back home. The wind there is hot, but here it’s cool.”

Geng Zhiyé picked up the luggage. “Let’s go home first.” Then he asked Tao Chunlan, “Mom, are you carsick?”

Tao Chunlan shook her head. “Not carsick, just a little seasick.”

Geng Zhiyé told Ye Fan to support her. “Walk slowly — it’s less than a kilometer away, we’ll be there soon.”

Hearing it was so close, Yu Wentao immediately told Dabao to lead the way.

Dabao was thrilled — Grandma was here, and now his other grandma too. He shouted, “Follow me!”

Erbao wanted to get down. Yu Wentao put her down, took her small hand, and hurried after Dabao.

At this moment, the sky hadn’t completely darkened yet, but the inside of the houses had. In the family quarters, every household had turned on their electric lights, casting a glow that spilled out onto the paths. Before Yu Wentao even reached Ye Fan’s doorstep, Zhuang Qiyue spotted her.

Zhuang Qiyue turned to Wan Siqin, the wife of the chief of staff, and asked, “Is Xiao Ye’s mother really that young?”

As soon as she spoke, Dabao came running over. “Grandma, this is the place.” He suddenly pushed the door open. “Grandma, come on in!”

Zhuang Qiyue and Wan Siqin exchanged a glance — weren’t they welcoming Ye Fan’s mother? Why did it seem like they brought back a mother-in-law instead? This could cause trouble. Without a word, the two women, perfectly in sync, split up and each returned to their own homes.

Wan Siqin reached her door but couldn’t resist pausing. She saw Ye Fan supporting an elderly woman as they walked from the west side, with Geng Zhiyé a few steps ahead, frequently turning back as if worried they might suddenly collapse.

Curious, Wan Siqin waited for Geng Zhiyé to come a little closer and asked, “Captain Geng, is Dabao’s grandma here?”

Geng Zhiyé stopped and waited for Ye Fan and his mother-in-law. “Yes. Feeling a bit seasick. Have you eaten yet?”

Wan Siqin replied, “Just ate. You haven’t, have you?”

Geng Zhiyé nodded. “I’m going home to get some food.” He called out to Ye Fan, “Fan Fan, I’m heading home first to grab a bowl of rice.”

Ye Fan raised a hand in acknowledgment, and Geng Zhiyé went home.

Under the light from the house, Wan Siqin noticed that Dabao’s grandmother looked unwell, so she urged Ye Fan to go home and rest. Then, she headed east, stopping at Zhuang Qiuyue’s door. Zhuang Qiuyue came out from inside. Wan Siqin whispered, “All the mothers are here — poor Accountant Ye must be so annoyed. Honestly, even her mother… why name her ‘Fan’ (which sounds like ‘annoyance’)? Wouldn’t the ‘Fan’ from ‘flourishing flowers’ have been better?”

Zhuang Qiuyue looked her over. “Why do you seem a bit… gloating?”

Wan Siqin shook her head. “No, no. It’s just—” Life on the island was dull, and no one had come to show a movie in ages. Now that there was finally some drama — even if it involved the family of Captain Geng — Wan Siqin didn’t want to miss it. “Luckily the sister-in-law didn’t come. Otherwise, with the mothers-in-law and the sister-in-law… Good heavens, what a nightmare!”

Zhuang Qiuyue said, “It wouldn’t be a big deal if the sister-in-law came — as long as it’s not Chen Xiaohui.”

Wan Siqin suddenly realized. “Right! I almost forgot — Ye Fan wasn’t born to her mother. I remember someone saying that Captain Geng’s mother passed away when he was very young. So… a stepmother going up against a foster mother — tsk —” She grew more excited the more she spoke. “I’m going to take a look!”

Zhuang Qiuyue quickly grabbed her and pulled her back. “Back then, Tian Xiaofeng used to stand at the crossroads gossiping about Ye Fan with a bunch of women — you never went over to watch.”

Wan Siqin huffed. “Those women cursed Accountant Ye every day. What was I supposed to say? Embarrassing! Besides, I’m not just trying to watch the drama — I’m worried the mothers-in-law might start fighting.”

Zhuang Qiuyue was also curious. “They haven’t even eaten yet — are you planning to stand there and watch them eat?”

Wan Siqin imagined the scene and hesitated. “Then tomorrow — I’ll check it out tomorrow.”

Zhuang Qiuyue stood on her tiptoes, trying to peek inside the house, but she could only see Geng Zhiyé bustling around. Curious, she went home, opened her window wide, and squinted toward Ye Fan’s kitchen, but all she saw was Dabao’s grandmother hurrying back and forth.

Political Commissar Liao found it odd. “Aren’t you going to take a bath? What are you looking at?”

Zhuang Qiuyue jumped, quickly shut the window, and lowered her voice. “Dabao’s grandmother and great-grandmother are both there.”

Commissar Liao’s face shifted instantly. He moved to the window, about to open it, but hesitated — afraid he might witness something awkward. “Well — Captain Geng, hang in there,” he muttered, eyes brimming with amusement.

Zhuang Qiuyue was surprised. “Didn’t you say you could pull some strings with the commissar? And didn’t Captain Geng say he wanted to partner up with you? Why are you—”

“It’s different. You wouldn’t understand. This feels good!” Commissar Liao laughed as he lay down on the bed. “He’s always calculating this and that — no one ever outsmarts him. Finally seeing him get a taste of his own medicine — how can I not be happy about it?”

Zhuang Qiuyue was speechless. “What kind of comrade are you? More like a frenemy.” She rolled her eyes at him and went to the kitchen to fetch water and wash up.

But it wasn’t over yet.

The next morning, after washing up, Commissar Liao went straight to the entrance of the Geng family home. He saw Dabao and Erbao playing in the courtyard and slowly edged over to the gate of Ye Fan’s yard. “Dabao, have you had breakfast yet?”

Dabao handed the pinwheel his grandmother brought to his younger sister. “Not yet. Uncle, have you eaten?”

Commissar Liao replied, “Not yet. Where’s your dad?”

At that moment, Yu Wentao came out of the house. Seizing the opportunity, Commissar Liao stepped into the yard. “Are you Dabao’s grandmother?”

“You must be Lao San — Zhiyé’s comrade, right?” Yu Wentao walked over.

Commissar Liao exchanged pleasantries with her, asking if the journey was tiring, why she was up so early, and so on.

Meanwhile, Tao Chunlan, who had shared a bed with Yu Wentao the night before, was miserable — she hadn’t dared to turn over all night and was now sore all over. Seeing Yu Wentao so full of energy, she couldn’t help but grumble, “How does she have the energy to chat with everyone? Doesn’t she get tired? Fan Fan, you shouldn’t have invited her.”

Squatting nearby, washing vegetables, Geng Zhiyé glanced up. “Weren’t you the one who invited her?”

Tao Chunlan was at a loss for words.

Ye Fan gave Geng Zhiyé a light kick on the leg, reminding him to be more respectful to his mother-in-law. “Are you sleeping with Dabao tonight? His bed with Erbao is pretty wide. Erbao can sleep with my mother-in-law — it won’t be too cramped.”

Tao Chunlan nodded. “Call her in. She keeps saying she practically raised Dabao and Erbao and can’t stand not seeing them for a day. Honestly, she’s got some nerve. Anyone who doesn’t know better would think she’s your biological mother-in-law.”

Ye Fan nodded. “Alright, I’ll call her in. Could you light the firewood?” She shot a look at Geng Zhiyé, signaling him to hurry up and start cooking.

Geng Zhiyé gave a subtle nod.

Ye Fan went outside. “Good morning, Commissar Liao.”

“Morning.” Commissar Liao sounded a bit disappointed — he’d expected some drama at the Geng household, but everything seemed surprisingly harmonious. “Is there enough room for everyone at home?”

Ye Fan thought to herself, Even if there isn’t, we have no choice — there’s no guesthouse on the island. “There’s enough room. Thanks for your help yesterday.”

School hadn’t started yet, so both Dabao and Erbao were at home. Geng Zhiyé stayed behind to watch over them, having asked Commissar Liao the day before to oversee the training — usually, Deputy Commander Niu handled it, but he was on leave.

Commissar Liao smiled. “You’re too polite. Just let me know if you need anything. I should head back — my family’s about to eat.”

Yu Wentao added, “Auntie, our house is right next door. My husband’s home every day, so if Accountant Ye is busy, you can always ask him for help.”

Yu Wentao thanked him and, once he returned next door, commented, “Fan Fan, your neighbors seem really nice.”

Ye Fan nodded. “Go wash your face and brush your teeth.”

At the doorway to the living room, Commissar Liao paused, glancing toward the house next door. Yu Wentao was even more obedient than his youngest sister — she immediately went back inside to wash up.

Surprised, Commissar Liao walked into the kitchen and said, “Accountant Ye’s household is nothing like I imagined.”

Zhuang Qiuyue smirked. “Not enough drama for you?”

Commissar Liao chuckled. “I thought it’d be a showdown between the mother-in-law and the mom — like two sharp knives clashing. Turns out, Accountant Ye is like a spear and a broadsword — strong enough to handle both of them at once. Impressive.”

Zhuang Qiuyue was surprised. But after thinking it over carefully, it made sense — if the relationship between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law wasn’t harmonious, the stepmother wouldn’t have dared to come to the island alone. And if the bond between mother and daughter wasn’t strong, someone with Ye Fan’s temper wouldn’t still be carrying the Ye family name.

Given the situation, even if the mother-in-law and the mom didn’t get along, they would both restrain themselves for the sake of their shared loved ones.

Unfortunately, not everyone saw it that way.

Yesterday morning, when Ye Fan left the island, someone asked her where she was going. Ye Fan didn’t think there was anything to hide, so she simply said she was going to pick up her mom.

The military families in the residential area all knew that Ye Fan wasn’t biologically related to the Ye family, so they were curious about how she got along with her mother. That’s why, last night, not only did Zhuang Qiuyue and Wan Siqin purposely wait for her, but many others lingered at the alley near the Ye household, pretending to chat while secretly watching.