Chapter 39

Li Cuihua’s eyes widened. Normally, she would have yelled, but this time, she didn’t dare to utter a word.

Wang Dani was fair and didn’t shortchange them.

Tang Wan took a bite of the wild vegetable and egg dumplings. It was so delicious, she almost lost her tongue.

Being in this environment, she experienced the happiness people of this era felt when they ate dumplings.

“So fragrant.”

Lu Qiming devoured a dumpling, not caring that Tang Zhou was sitting next to him.

The younger children were also happily munching away.

Tang Wan was engrossed in her dumplings when a dumpling was placed in her bowl. It was Lu Huaijing.

“I’ve had enough. You eat.”

She knew he was being considerate, but Wang Dani had given her more than enough.

“Third brother really loves his wife.”

Li Cuihua glanced at Lu Huai’ren, who was burying his head in his dumplings, and muttered sourly.

“Your mouth is always running!”

Wang Dani was already in a bad mood, and Li Cuihua’s sarcastic remark naturally got her back up.

After the meal, Wang Dani was the first to put down her chopsticks, “Third brother and third brother’s wife are leaving for the army soon. I need to make something clear. Before third brother got married, he sent money home every month. Now he has his own family, so he doesn’t need to send money home anymore.”

“Mother, how can that be? That’s their way of showing filial piety.”

Li Cuihua, who had just been beaten, quickly jumped in. Their family could only afford to live comfortably with third brother’s help.

If third brother stopped sending money, they would have to be very frugal.

They had two children who needed to eat and go to school.

“I’m not dead yet. I can work.”

Wang Dani slammed her hand on the table. “I’m informing you, not asking for your opinion. If you have any objections, fine. Each family pays me ten yuan a month, fair and square!”

“Mother, where would we get the money?”

Li Cuihua felt that her mother-in-law favored third brother. Everything had been fine before. Why did he get to stop paying now?

“If you know you don’t have money, then shut up. You’re so shameless, you save a few yuan a year and still expect to contribute to your family.”

Wang Dani glared fiercely at this troublemaker and then threatened Lu Huai’mei, who was about to speak.

“Don’t worry, I can earn your tuition.”

When her husband died, some of his comrades secretly concealed a part of his pension, which she could use.

Since they had tuition money, Lu Huai’mei and Lu Huaiyi didn’t say anything more. After the meal, Tang Wan and the others prepared to leave.

Wang Dani personally saw them off on the ox cart, carrying a small package in her hand.

“Third brother’s wife, this is some dried radish and wild vegetables from our own drying. I also cooked some eggs. Take them with you on the train.”

It was a mother’s love. Wang Dani was worried that Tang Wan, a city girl, wouldn’t appreciate it, but Tang Wan smiled and accepted it.

“Thank you, mother.”

Then she took out another cloth bag, lowered her voice, and whispered to Tang Wan,

“Mother has prepared some seeds for you. If you don’t know how to plant them when you get there, ask third brother’s wife’s friends. I heard that people in the family compound can get a plot of land. This way, you and third brother can grow whatever you want to eat without having to buy it.”

“Thank you, mother!”

Tang Wan said this very loudly. She was worried about having no seeds to plant in her spatial storage device.

“Third brother, take good care of your wife.”

Wang Dani patted Lu Huaijing’s back again and wiped her eyes. She couldn’t cry, or third brother would worry.

“Don’t worry, mother.”

Lu Huaijing, a big man, had tears in his eyes. Just then, a group of people came from the Shi Ping village.

It was Yan Fusheng and Zhao Bin.

The old Lu family followed behind them, muttering curses. Lu Jian she cursed at Liu Lanhua, who was being escorted.

“You stinking woman, you dared to cuckold me! I’m going to beat you to death!”

Lu Jian she kicked Liu Lanhua as he cursed. The man beside her was the one who had been hiding in the haystack with her.

Tang Wan didn’t know him, but she could tell that the man was a coward.

At least he didn’t defend Liu Lanhua, and he even tried to appease Lu Jian she,

“Jian she, we’re all from the same village. You can’t be so ruthless. It was Liu Lanhua who seduced me. It has nothing to do with me. I’m willing to compensate. Can you please not send us to the commune?”

“…”

In those days, relationships between men and women were strictly controlled. Tang Wan thought about it carefully and understood why.

Once they were sent to the commune, they might be sent to a farm.

They might even be paraded through the streets.

Wang Dani, who had been feeling sentimental just now, suddenly perked up. She patted Lu Huaijing.

“Go, go. Have a safe trip.”

Then she ran off to watch the commotion, her feet barely touching the ground!

Liu Lanhua was getting what she deserved. She still remembered the dung-throwing incident and couldn’t miss this opportunity.

Tang Wan: “…”

“Hold on tight, we’re off.”

The old man driving the ox cart chuckled, and the cart left Shi Ping village along the road.

The Lu family’s house gradually faded into the distance. Lu Huaijing stared silently at it, seemingly reluctant to leave.

Of course, there were other villagers on the ox cart, heading to town for various reasons.

They were mostly middle-aged women. Seeing Tang Wan, radiant and beautiful, and recalling the money and coupons they had found that morning, they felt a surge of envy.

“Jing Ya’s wife, you just got married. Why aren’t you at home taking care of your mother-in-law?”

“Yeah, yeah. Jing Ya is in the army all year round. Since you’ve married him, you should be filial to him.”

“…”

“My mother said she didn’t marry a wife to have her serve her. You ladies are so concerned. No wonder your daughters-in-law don’t like you.”

Before Tang Wan could speak, Lu Huaijing retorted without hesitation, making Tang Wan laugh.

His boyfriend power was amazing!

“Don’t envy me, ladies. My mother told me to go to the army with Huaijing so I can give her some grandchildren.”

Tang Wan blushed. This was indeed what Wang Dani had whispered to her that morning.

It effectively shut their mouths. The women scoffed and said no more.

The road was bumpy, and Tang Wan felt dizzy. She closed her eyes and refused to talk.

“Wife, lean on me.”

Lu Huaijing saw that Tang Wan was probably carsick and quickly put his arm around her. Tang Zhou anxiously asked,

“Sister, are you okay?”

“Don’t worry, I’ll be fine after a while.”

Tang Wan caught sight of someone standing at the entrance of the village. It was Lu Hongying. She stood there with red eyes, looking at Lu Huaijing as if he were a heartless man.

But Lu Huaijing didn’t even give her a glance!

The journey was bumpy, but they finally reached town. Tang Wan leaned against the wall and took a large gulp of water from her spatial storage device.

Only then did the nausea subside.

By the time they reached the train station by bus, Tang Wan was already feeling lightheaded.

Lu Huaijing got a few oranges from somewhere and handed them to Tang Wan.

“Zhou Zhou, take care of your sister. I’ll get the train tickets.”

“Okay.”

Tang Zhou peeled an orange and gave it to Tang Wan. “Sister, oranges are sour, they can help with your nausea.”

“Okay, thank you.”

Tang Wan ate a few segments of orange, and the feeling of discomfort subsided a bit.

She saw Tang Zhou squatting beside her, looking dejected.

“I wonder how Mom and Dad are doing.”

He hadn’t dared to mention his parents at the Lu family’s house, afraid of causing trouble for his sister. Now, he couldn’t hold it in any longer.

Tang Wan was about to comfort him when she saw Lu Huaijing walking towards them, carrying the train tickets, his long legs striding.

But when he met their eyes, a flicker of guilt crossed Lu Huaijing’s eyes.

“Wife, your parents…”