Chapter 170: It Doesn’t Matter What Surname You Have

The letter from their hometown arrived quickly, and Lin Xiangnan and the others received it.

Lin Xiangnan was indifferent to her brother’s decision, but Hu Meili was furious.

“What’s wrong with this child? Why did he change his mind so quickly?” Hu Meili couldn’t help but spin around in place, muttering, “If I were at home, I’d beat him to death.”

“Mom, isn’t this normal? Don’t all men do this?”

Lin Xiangnan, ignoring the presence of Gu Zhenhua and his brother, launched into a general attack: “A woman with a good family background and beautiful looks chasing after him, any man would be tempted. There are basically no exceptions.”

Her words stunned Gu Zhenjun for two seconds. He held his child and pondered for a moment.

It seemed that it didn’t have to be a woman with a good family background and beautiful looks. As long as she was a girl of similar age, genuinely liked him, and didn’t mind his flaws, he would be incredibly touched and willing to marry her.

Lin Xiangnan seemed to have not spoken falsely.

Gu Zhenjun lowered his head in shame.

Gu Zhenhua, however, stood tall and chest out, pledging his loyalty to Lin Xiangnan.

“Wife, I’m not like that. You know my situation. I always avoided those female comrades in the past, unlike my brother…”

“Don’t compare apples and oranges. How can you be the same as my brother? Your unit is a nest of bachelors, all men, how many female comrades could there be? My brother is a colleague with Zhou Kangmei, they see each other every day, how could he resist the temptation?”

Gu Zhenhua was just trying to show his loyalty, and even when he was rebuked, he just laughed and didn’t mind.

This wasn’t a suitable occasion, he planned to wait until they were alone in bed at night to reveal his sincere heart to Lin Xiangnan.

He was sure that Lin Xiangnan would love him even more after seeing it!

Thinking about this, Gu Zhenhua couldn’t help but grin smugly.

Hu Meili didn’t have the heart to care about anyone else. She frowned and pondered for a long time, still unable to understand why Lin Xiangdong had compromised so quickly.

“Your brother spent five or six years in the countryside before getting together with that rural girl, Sun Xiaodie. He’s only been back in the city for a year…”

Lin Xiangnan scoffed, “It’s strange for a newly arrived city intellectual to fall for a rural girl. Don’t they all think city people are superior?”

They all talked about the unity of workers and peasants, but that’s what everyone thought in their hearts.

Newly arrived intellectuals still had their hearts set on returning to the city and wouldn’t think about finding a partner in the countryside.

Lin Xiangdong only got together with Sun Xiaodie after five or six years in the countryside. After such a long time, their batch of intellectuals had their spirits worn down by the heavy farm work, and most had given up hope of returning to the city.

If they weren’t going back, they couldn’t stay alone in the countryside forever. They had left their families behind when they went to the countryside, and they didn’t even have anyone to talk to. Over time, people in the intellectual settlement gradually married local people.

Lin Xiangdong had persevered for five or six years, which was considered quite a long time.

In this era, not everyone was mentally prepared to be a bachelor.

Everyone wanted to get married and have children in the normal way.

They would all get married eventually, and Zhou Kangmei was a good woman, not averse to his past, and they had things in common. Lin Xiangdong had always thought she was excellent.

But because of the burden he carried, Lin Xiangdong had been rejecting Zhou Kangmei’s advances.

Now he had relented, and a large part of the reason was Zhou Chang, who had said that they couldn’t wait any longer.

Lin Xiangdong’s past affairs were a concern for Zhou Chang, but he couldn’t go against his daughter, so he had to compromise.

Since the child would take Zhou’s surname, Lin Xiangdong wouldn’t need to pay a dowry.

Lin Xiangdong wanted to save money to compensate his ex-wife, and Director Zhou didn’t object. Even after marriage, Lin Xiangdong could still set aside a few yuan from his salary every month.

Two hundred yuan was a lot of money for Lin Xiangdong to save, but for Zhou Chang, it was just two months’ salary. The Zhou family didn’t consider it a huge sum.

Lin Xiangdong and Sun Xiaodie had no longer been in contact, but he was stubbornly determined to compensate her. So even though Director Zhou didn’t like it, he still thought Lin Xiangdong was responsible.

In this era, divorce had an impact on both men and women, making remarriage more difficult than a first marriage.

Lin Xiangdong’s marriage prospects were neither high nor low, could Sun Xiaodie be any better? With Sun Xiaodie’s conditions, she could have chosen anyone in the brigade before, but after the divorce, she could only settle for less.

Regardless of right or wrong in the past, his decision to divorce and return to the city had ultimately affected Sun Xiaodie’s life.

Sun Xiaodie didn’t dare to hold Lin Xiangdong back in the countryside, she didn’t want to bear the psychological burden, so that burden fell on Lin Xiangdong who had returned to the city.

With a job and a steady monthly ration, able to eat and dress warmly, Lin Xiangdong was physically liberated, but his spirit remained unfree.

“After my brother returned to the city, he always lived frugally and didn’t mind his reputation at all, telling people about his divorce. It was obvious he was doing it on purpose, not wanting to get married.”

Lin Xiangnan curiously asked Hu Meili, “Now that my brother has finally agreed, why are you still against it? During the New Year, weren’t you the one urging him to get married the most?”

“Zhou Kangmei has a fiery temper. The Zhou family is too powerful.” Hu Meili answered curtly.

“But your brother is willing.” Lin Xiangnan said, “Didn’t you see how much he praised Zhou Kangmei in his letter?”

Lin Xiangdong had already shown Zhou Kangmei the ugliest and weakest aspects of his nature, and Zhou Kangmei still firmly chose him. Lin Xiangdong couldn’t resist that.

Even though both Lin Xiangdong and Lin Xiangxi had spoken well of Zhou Kangmei in their letters, Hu Meili was still not happy.

“I’m not agreeing to this marriage. I have to write a letter back and make it clear.”

To make Lin Xiangdong understand her meaning thoroughly, Hu Meili drafted a letter for the first time. Before, she had just written whatever came to mind, but now she was starting to think things through.

“First, I have to firmly state my position… Then I have to tell him the disadvantages of marrying into a family…”

Seeing Hu Meili’s serious expression, Lin Xiangnan couldn’t help but comment with a smile, “Your points are clear. But this isn’t marrying into a family, you’re talking nonsense.”

“No dowry. The child takes Zhou’s surname. Isn’t that marrying into a family? What else is it?”

“Only one child takes Zhou’s surname. It’s not like all the children will take Zhou’s surname.” Lin Xiangnan said, “If they have more children in the future, it’s Zhou Kangmei who will be pregnant for ten months, why can’t the child take their mother’s surname?”

Gu Zhenhua, the loyal follower, immediately chimed in, ” Xiao Nan makes a good point. I don’t mind if the child takes their mother’s surname.”

Hu Meili rolled her eyes, “I don’t mind either. My surname is Hu, not Lin. I don’t care what surname the grandson takes.”

“Then why are you still against it?”

“I’m just worried that your brother will be wronged, and then there will be gossip, I don’t know how hurtful it will be. Now he thinks Zhou Kangmei is good, but if he’s subjected to those harsh words for ten or twenty years, I don’t believe he’ll still feel the same way…”