Chapter 19: Erecting a Monument to Her Chastity

Chen Airong saw the relatives off to their car. After they had all left, she returned with a kind expression and asked Su Luyun, “Yunyun, have you collected Changdong’s allowance for this month?”

“Not yet. I was thinking of going in a couple of days once things settle down.” She still had some money on hand, so there was no rush.

“Then, should Mom go collect it for you?”

“Sure.” Su Luyun, of course, had no objection if her mother-in-law was willing to run the errand.

So, Chen Airong went to collect the living allowance. It wasn’t far, directly at the neighborhood office. Seeing Chen Airong arrive, Director Wang Shuimiao said, “Airong, are you here to collect Changdong’s allowance?”

“Yes,” Chen Airong nodded. “Is it convenient now?”

“Convenient. It’s all ready, just waiting for you,” Director Wang said without hesitation. This was because the higher-ups had already given instructions, and Wang Shuimiao and Chen Airong were also very familiar with each other. They had been old neighbors for over ten or twenty years. So, it was no trouble at all; a signature was all that was needed.

Chen Airong took the thirty-yuan allowance but didn’t rush back immediately. Director Wang pulled her aside to chat, asking how Changdong was doing. And, of course, about Su Luyun, her daughter-in-law.

Yesterday, the touching drama that Su Luyun had put on had already spread throughout the area overnight. The neighborhood office was very well-informed, and the news had circulated everywhere by early morning. In the past, their impression of Su Luyun, this young wife who seemed to be a spendthrift, was quite ordinary; they thought she had only beauty but was impractical! But after such an incident, she was actually unwilling to leave and even wanted to stay and take care of him. This made everyone look at her with new respect.

Especially the gossiping aunties, who, with red eyes, repeated Su Luyun’s original words: that she was a Zhou family person in life and a Zhou family spirit in death. Those of their age couldn’t bear such tragic stories. The image of such a steadfast young wife, loyal to her husband, truly tugged at their heartstrings. They couldn’t bear it; they simply couldn’t. So, when spreading the rumors… oh no, when relaying the message, they naturally added a lot of color. As a result, when Director Wang asked about it, her tone was very gentle.

Chen Airong also felt great pity for her third daughter-in-law. When chatting with Director Wang, she was full of emotion, “How dare I keep Yunyun? She’s only twenty-two, and her life is still long. Keeping her wouldn’t that be a sin? I told her this morning that the old Zhou family would never force her to stay, but the words had barely left my mouth when her tears started flowing, and she cried, begging me not to drive her away, saying she wanted to stay and take care of Changdong…” As she spoke, Chen Airong’s eyes also reddened a little.

Director Wang was known as the “Iron Lady” of the neighborhood office, but she was also emotional. Hearing Chen Airong say this, her heart couldn’t help but ache, and she praised, “This is a good child, truly a good child!” To not leave when her husband was like this, such character was beyond reproach! Director Wang was emotional for a while, then said, “I heard that she directly gave you Changdong’s three thousand yuan to keep, is that right?”

“Yes, she didn’t keep a single cent for herself. Today, Changdong’s cousins, maternal uncle, and maternal aunt came over and also tried to give her money, but she didn’t take any…” Chen Airong also recounted how her daughter-in-law had politely refused everyone’s red envelopes today. She was also afraid that outsiders would again suspect her daughter-in-law was staying for money; her daughter-in-law’s sincere heart absolutely could not be slandered! Director Wang greatly praised Changdong for marrying such a good wife, but it was just a pity…

Chen Airong stayed for a while and then went back. But while she returned, the news about Su Luyun spread again. Before, they had only heard it through others, but this time it was Chen Airong, the mother-in-law herself, who said it. How could it not be touching? The women felt sympathy, emotion, and admiration. The men, in addition, felt a bit of envy. Some with loose tongues even sourly asked their wives or partners: If I were like that, would you still be loyal to me?

The women directly retorted: Can you be like Zhou Changdong, who handed over his savings book upon marriage and let me spend as I please? Back then, Su Luyun could buy a small courtyard without batting an eye! Do you have her financial means and her magnanimity to let her wife spend freely? If you did, they could also be loyal! Confronted like this, the loose-tongued men directly brought boredom upon themselves.

However, this matter also reached Zhao Yuzhu’s ears. Zhao Yuzhu listened and then let out a cold laugh! This was simply a joke, a huge joke! When did Su Luyun ever become associated with chastity? What kind of person she was, others might not know, but she knew best! If it weren’t for the restriction of military marriage before, she would have long been sweet-talked into giving herself to Sun Congxing! And even if she hadn’t been sweet-talked, she had still held hands! That time, when Sun Congxing held her hand, she even came back and shared that fluttering feeling with her! She said that holding Sun Congxing’s hand felt like an electric shock! Even now, Zhao Yuzhu still remembered Su Luyun’s radiant face at the time. Look, how brazen had she become? Yet now, everyone was actually praising her for being devoted and chaste? And those even more exaggerated aunties said that if this were in the old society, they would have to erect a monument to her chastity as a commendation! These words, when they reached her, truly made Zhao Yuzhu laugh in anger!

She couldn’t help it and went directly to find Su Luyun. They were just across the street, very close. When she arrived, Chen Airong had already returned the living allowance to Su Luyun. Su Luyun was home alone, boiling rice porridge for Zhou Changdong. Seeing Zhao Yuzhu arrive, she didn’t send her away, because she liked to see Zhao Yuzhu’s expression, clearly hating her to death but still having to pretend and be hypocritical with her.

Zhao Yuzhu met her cat-and-mouse gaze. Although she couldn’t tell what the gaze meant, she instinctively felt a bit uncomfortable. She twitched the corner of her mouth and said, “Cousin, are you cooking porridge?”

“Yes, boiling some rice porridge for Changdong to drink. Aren’t you busy? Why do you have time to come over?” Su Luyun said casually.

“What do I have to be busy with…”

As soon as she said this, Su Luyun acted as if she had just remembered, smiling and saying, “Look at me, I forgot again that you’ve moved out. I thought you were still at the old house, having to wash clothes for the whole family and cook for the whole family.” This cousin must have been green with envy before, right? They both married at the same time but lived completely opposite lives after marriage. One lived a carefree and comfortable life at her in-laws’, sleeping until she woke up naturally. The other woke up earlier than chickens, slept later than dogs, ate worse than pigs, and worked more than oxen at her in-laws’. They were both human, but the difference in treatment after marriage was so great. With her cousin’s personality, her心态 must have already exploded, right?

Zhao Yuzhu’s face almost crumpled! This fool, was she mocking her? But looking at her indifferent expression, she didn’t think so. How could Su Luyun have the ability to be so sarcastic to others? She always spoke her mind directly! So Zhao Yuzhu could only digest it herself, but she still hadn’t fully mastered it, and her face was still a bit stiff. She said, “Those are all things of the past, and besides, we’re all family, so it’s nothing for me to do a bit more at home.”