Chapter 43 : Marrying a Son-in-Law

“Jingui, you’ve misunderstood. It’s true that Changsheng separated from us before, but after my brother and sister-in-law passed away, our two families came together again. Lizi was also raised by us,” argued Jiang Changyi. “Besides, now that Lizi is married, a married daughter has no right to claim her parents’ house, right? This house should belong to us and Tianci.”

“Jiang Changyi, do you even have a conscience saying that? Are you really raising Jiang Li?” Zhao Jingui shot back.  

“Lizi’s annual pension of 60 yuan and the work credits of a strong laborer have all gone into your family’s stomachs. The money Shuzhen left when she died, dozens of yuan was snatched by you and your wife. Then you turned around and refused to let Lizi continue her education. She’s been working like a slave in your home, serving your family and working in the fields to earn work points. Why doesn’t the heavens strike you two heartless wretches with lightning? Wait until you’re dead, how will you face your brother in the afterlife?”  

“You shameless shrew, I’ll kill you!”  

At some point, Jiang Tianci, who had been hiding in the kitchen, stormed out, holding the kitchen knife he had used to kill the chicken. The knife’s tip was pointed directly at Zhao Jingui’s chest.  

Li Youtian, watching the scene unfold, reacted swiftly. He stepped forward, yanked his wife aside, and grabbed Jiang Tianci’s hand with his iron-strong grip.  

The knife clattered to the ground.  

Li Shengli, standing nearby, became enraged and kicked Jiang Tianci hard, sending him flying several feet.  

Wang Juhua screamed in despair and lunged at Zhao Jingui. The two women immediately began to fight.  

Seeing this, the Li family brothers didn’t hesitate and joined in, grabbing whatever weapons they could find.  

The Li family, being one of the largest in the village, had the upper hand. Zhao Jingui’s maternal family, the Zhao clan, was equally influential, living in the neighboring Hehuatang Production Brigade with five strong older brothers.  

The outcome was inevitable. The Jiang family was beaten soundly, Tianci’s face was swollen and bruised, Wang Juhua’s mouth was bloodied, and Jiang Changyi ended up with a limp.  

As they huddled together crying, the production team leader, Jiang Baoshan, arrived. After examining the house sale agreement Zhao Jingui presented, he turned to the Jiang family with a scowl.  

“What is this nonsense? You even pulled out a kitchen knife! Are you trying to kill someone?” he yelled.  

“Jiang Changyi, your second brother’s house has been lent to your family for years. You have no right to treat it like it’s yours.”  

“Captain Jiang, that’s not fair!” Wang Juhua interjected. “My second brother passed away early, and now my mother only has me to rely on in her old age. Isn’t it only right that we should keep the house? My mother even agreed to it!”  

“Your mother’s consent doesn’t count,” Jiang Baoshan said impatiently. “When the family separated, there was a written agreement, and both your father and second brother left their fingerprints on it. Are you saying you can override that agreement?”  

Wang Juhua, her face pale, retorted angrily, “Jiang Li is just a married girl. Changsheng’s family line is finished. How dare she take this house? It belongs to Tianci!”  

Jiang Baoshan sighed, rubbing his face in exasperation. “If you don’t let her keep the house her parents worked hard for, who will you give it to? Her nephew from the next village?”  

He added, “Jiang Li said that if she and Qi Shaoqiang have a child, they will give the child the Jiang surname to continue Jiang Changsheng’s family line.”  

Jiang Changyi’s eyes widened in disbelief. “That’s recruiting a son-in-law! Does Qi Shaoqiang agree to this?”  

For the first time, Jiang Changyi felt a pang of regret. This “dead girl” had outmaneuvered him. By marrying Qi Shaoqiang, she seemed to have completely broken free from his control. Could he still hope to exploit the Qi family in the future?  

Wang Juhua collapsed to the ground, wailing in frustration. Jiang Tianci was equally helpless and furious.  

The three of them, battered and bruised, supported each other to the county clinic for treatment. The visit cost them another five yuan, adding insult to injury.

Jiang Baoshan made the final decision, and the Li family seized the opportunity. Within two days, they demolished the original courtyard wall shared with the Jiang family and constructed a tall new wall around the east wing.  

The Jiang family’s once-spacious courtyard was suddenly halved, leaving it cramped and narrow.  

When Wang Juhua returned home and saw the new setup, she nearly exploded with anger. It was midsummer, yet the two rooms on the west side were already completely shaded, with no sunlight reaching them. She could only imagine how much worse it would be in winter.  

Not only would they have to burn more lamp oil, but the rooms would also be dark even during the day, making them practically uninhabitable.  

—  

Meanwhile, at the Qi family home in Bailutang, the wedding feast had gone smoothly, leaving all the guests satisfied with the delicious dishes.  

The villagers who came to help were quick and efficient, cleaning all the borrowed pots, pans, and utensils and returning the tables, chairs, and benches in perfect condition.  

By evening, everything had been tidied up. The Qi family sat down to enjoy dinner together, feasting on the leftovers from lunch. The spread was still impressive, with plenty of tasty dishes to go around.  

Chen Xianyun lit the fire, Qi Shaoqiang reheated the dishes, and steamed a freshly picked eggplant.  

The eggplant, straight from the private vegetable plot, was steamed, torn into strips, and dressed with minced garlic, soy sauce, and chili powder. Its simple yet delicious flavor was a welcome contrast to the oily dishes from the afternoon.  

Jiang Li, who had found the earlier meal a bit heavy, thoroughly enjoyed the steamed eggplant.  

Seeing her delight, Chen Xianyun placed the plate closer to her with a warm smile. “If you like it, eat more. The eggplants are just in season, so there’s plenty to enjoy for a while.”  

“Thank you, Mom,” Jiang Li replied with a grateful smile. “You should eat some too.”  

Nearby, Old Lady Qi sat in a rocking chair, sipping wine and softly humming an opera tune.  

Qi Shaoqiang noticed and brought out a plate of fried peanuts from the cupboard. “Grandma, here’s something to go with your wine.”  

The old woman’s crescent-shaped eyes sparkled as she smiled. “Good boy, Grandma loves peanuts.”  

Qi Shaoqiang then turned to the others. “Mom, Lizi, you eat too.” He picked up a piece of dried beans with his chopsticks and placed it in Jiang Li’s bowl.  

Jiang Li, feeling satisfied, said, “These dried beans are delicious. If you stew them with pork belly in an iron pot, they’ll taste even better.”  

“I’ll make it for you tomorrow,” Qi Shaoqiang promised. “We still have a piece of pork belly at home. It’s too hot to keep the meat for long anyway.”  

Though Chen Xianyun hesitated, not wanting to use up the meat so soon, she agreed after hearing her son. “It’s better to eat it before it spoils,” she said. “Food shouldn’t go to waste.”  

After dinner, Jiang Li offered to wash the dishes, but Chen Xianyun shooed her out of the kitchen. “Go pack your clothes. Let Shaoqiang fetch water for you to bathe. You don’t need to do this.”  

Taking the loofah from his mother, Qi Shaoqiang said, “Mom, you’ve worked hard all day. You should rest. I’ll take care of this.”  

Chen Xianyun felt a wave of warmth in her heart but quickly changed her tone. “Don’t hang around here anymore. Go spend some time with your wife. She’s still adjusting to this house. Take her around.”  

In her heart, she was already looking forward to holding her first grandson.  

—  

Inside the house, Jiang Li was tidying her things. Her dowry consisted of three quilts, some money, and a jade bracelet.  

The money was carefully accounted for: 300 yuan in total, with 80 from selling the house and 188 as the betrothal gift. Among this, 20 yuan had been contributed by Jiang Changyi.  

After spending 7.50 yuan on the chicken and 12 yuan at the department store, she was left with just 3 yuan, not counting the loose change.  

As Jiang Li prepared to put her quilts into the cabinet, Qi Shaoqiang walked in. Noticing her efforts, he stepped forward to help. With a few swift movements, he arranged the quilts neatly.  

Then, from another cabinet that had been recently built, he took out a passbook and handed it to her.