Chapter 37 : Make trouble again at night

Li Yue’e came over and saw her new daughter-in-law sitting in the house in a daze, while her son was nowhere to be found.  

When Su Mo noticed her, she quickly stood up and greeted, “Mom, you’re here.”  

“Yes,” Li Yue’e nodded. “Where’s the third brother?”  

“He had some wine and is sleeping now,” Su Mo replied.  

“Did you cover him with a blanket?” Li Yue’e asked, concerned. “It’s cold now, and if a drunk person sleeps without one, they’ll catch a cold easily.”  

“I did, and I also laid a mattress on the kang,” Su Mo reassured her.  

Li Yue’e nodded with satisfaction. At least her son had a caring wife, even if he had collapsed drunkenly onto the kang.  

She placed a half bag of flour on the table. “This is the leftover flour your husband bought for the banquet. There’s still half a bag left. Keep it to use later.”  

Su Mo waved her hands quickly. “Mom, you don’t need to bring it over. Keep it at your place and use it yourself.”  

Li Yue’e was relieved by her daughter-in-law’s filial gesture. “You can keep it. The brigade will distribute grain soon, and your father and I will have enough to eat. But you’ll need to buy more grain yourselves. When you do, buy some corn to grind into cornmeal and mix it with white flour, it’ll last longer.”  

She paused thoughtfully. In the ten days her daughter-in-law had worked, she likely hadn’t earned many work points. After repaying the grain borrowed from the brigade, how much would she have left?  

This half bag of white flour, weighing about 15 to 16 kilograms, could last for two months when mixed with an equal amount of cornmeal.  

Su Mo felt a little embarrassed. She indeed didn’t have many work points and needed to spend money on food.  

“Put it away,” Li Yue’e said with a wave of her hand.  

“Alright,” Su Mo agreed reluctantly. Unsure where to store it, she placed the flour on the wooden cabinet in the west room. She realized she needed a wooden shelf in the west room to organize food supplies.  

“When the third brother wakes up, bring him over to my house for dinner,” Li Yue’e said. “I’ve set aside some dishes for you. Let’s have a good family meal tonight.”  

She had also invited her daughter and son-in-law to join so the whole family could gather. The marriage had happened so quickly, and Li Yue’e worried Su Mo might not recognize all the family members yet. It would be embarrassing if she failed to greet them on the street.  

“Alright,” Su Mo nodded quickly.  

Li Yue’e didn’t stay long, leaving to handle the many chores at home, including washing and returning the borrowed tables, chairs, bowls, and chopsticks.  

After Li Yue’e left, Su Mo noticed her bamboo basket in the corner of the main room. She took out her daily necessities, organized them, and carried the remaining items to the west room with the basket.  

She then inspected the side rooms. The larger one stored firewood and several large earthenware jars, likely for pickling sauerkraut. The smaller room was a dry toilet, surprisingly clean and tidy.  

Su Mo felt satisfied. Compared to the smelly toilets at the educated youth camp, this was a relief.  

However, she noticed there was no dedicated bathroom. Did they use the large bathtub in the west room for bathing?  

After walking around, Su Mo decided to unpack her suitcase. As she opened the door to her room, she saw Lu Changzheng suddenly sit up on the kang, his sharp gaze like a soldier ready for combat.  

The bloodthirsty intensity in his eyes startled Su Mo. At that moment, she realized fully that her husband was a frontline soldier.  

Until now, he had always been gentle in her presence, never revealing such a sharp and dangerous side.  

For his part, Lu Changzheng had been startled awake. His instincts from years on the battlefield made him react defensively at the slightest sound.  

Seeing Su Mo’s frightened expression, he immediately felt regret. His expression softened, and he stretched out his hand. “Wife, come here.”  

Still dazed, Su Mo walked over and placed her hand in his outstretched palm.  

With a sudden pull, Lu Changzheng drew her into his arms and pressed her down onto the kang.  

Su Mo’s heart raced. When she looked up, she met his fiery and intense gaze, leaving her completely frozen.  

Seeing her stunned expression and slightly parted lips, Lu Changzheng leaned down and kissed her passionately.  

He had been waiting to do this for a long time, and today he could finally do it openly.  

Su Mo was stunned by Lu Changzheng’s sudden boldness. She couldn’t recover for a while and could only let him take control.  

When his hands began to wander, Su Mo finally snapped out of her daze and started to struggle. “Chang… Changzheng, Mother said we need to come over for dinner tonight. You… you can’t act recklessly!”  

Hearing this, Lu Changzheng paused. He buried his face in her neck for a moment to calm himself, then chuckled. “Alright, wife, I won’t act recklessly now. We can save it for tonight.”  

Su Mo’s face turned bright red. She pushed him away, stammering, “Move aside! I need to finish unpacking my things.”  

Though relationships between men and women were normal even in the end times, Su Mo had never experienced it and was still shy.  

Understanding her mood, Lu Changzheng obediently stepped aside and helped her stand up.  

He smiled as he thought to himself, ‘My wife isn’t a harmless little white rabbit, she’s a feisty kitten with claws. If I make her mad, tonight might not go well for me.’  

After Su Mo got up, she fetched a basin of water and began wiping down the closet. Then she unpacked her suitcases, placing clothes and supplies on the kang to organize them later. She set the shoes near the door.  

Sitting on the kang, Lu Changzheng watched his wife with tender eyes. The warmth of having a home of his own filled his heart. ‘So this is what it feels like to have a home. It’s wonderful.’  

Once the wardrobe was dry, Su Mo folded the clothes and arranged them neatly inside. She placed her hairbands, lotion, and other items on the dressing table.  

As a southerner unfamiliar with the kangqin (a storage compartment under the kang), she didn’t think to use it for storage.  

After tidying everything, Su Mo looked at the empty suitcases, wondering where to store them. Before she could decide, Lu Changzheng picked them up and placed them on top of the wardrobe.  

Su Mo blinked at him but said nothing. ‘Well, this is how people store things in this era. It might not look pretty, but it works.’  

“Wife,” Lu Changzheng said cheerfully, “let’s head over earlier, finish dinner quickly, and come back to rest sooner.” It was already five o’clock, and it would be dark by six. Eating early made sense.  

Su Mo nodded, picking up a bag of White Rabbit candies, of which she’d only eaten a few. She planned to give them to the children.  

When they arrived, Li Yue’e was just about to send someone to call them for dinner. The food was ready and only needed reheating. It was better to eat while there was still light to avoid stumbling in the dark later.  

Seeing the couple, Li Yue’e greeted them warmly and invited them to eat.  

The family, with its 16 members, sat at two tables, one for the adults and another for the five children.  

Su Mo handed the bag of White Rabbit candies to Li Yue’e, who shared them with everyone: two candies for each child and one for each adult, saving the rest for the kids later. The children, overjoyed, shouted happily, “Auntie!”   

This was Su Mo’s first time meeting many of Lu Changzheng’s relatives. He quietly introduced them to her: Eldest brother : Lu Xingjun, Eldest sister-in-law: Liu Yuzhi, Nieces: Lu Fengqin and Lu Aiqun, Nephew: Lu Guoqiang, Second brother: Lu Weiguo, Second sister-in-law: Lu Guihua, Nephews: Lu Guodong and Lu Guoliang, Younger brother-in-law: Yang Jingming  

As a top student with excellent memory, Su Mo quickly remembered their names.  

With everyone gathered for the wedding, Lu Boming, the patriarch, was in high spirits. He even ate half an extra steamed bun, which was rare for him.  

After dinner, the family sat in the main room chatting.  

“Now that the third son has started a family, our duty as parents is fulfilled,” Lu Qing’an, the father, announced. “A big tree has many branches. Our family doesn’t have the rule of waiting for the parents to pass before dividing the household. While everyone’s here, we’ll split the household tomorrow morning.”  

This had already been agreed upon, so no one was surprised.  

Eldest brother Lu Xingjun hesitated briefly. “The third son just got married. Dividing the household the next day, doesn’t that seem inappropriate?”  

“There’s nothing wrong with it,” Lu Qing’an replied. “The third son can’t stay long. The sooner they separate, the sooner he can settle his wife properly.”  

Hearing this, the family agreed to divide the household the next day.  

Since it was their wedding night, the family didn’t want to keep the couple for too long. After chatting briefly, they sent them home.