Chapter 9

When Han Zecheng saw her eyes light up at those words, they suddenly sparkled in the dim evening light—beautiful and captivating.

Ever since he received her letter yesterday, a tense anxiety over possibly losing her had weighed heavily on his heart.

Now, it resurfaced.

They’d been married for five years. Of course, he knew she didn’t truly like the life she was living now.

University—that had always been a knot in her heart.

But for Su Ruo, hearing this news in the middle of such a hopeless situation was like a ray of light piercing through the darkness.

Her memory remained stuck at the time just after graduating from high school. Though education wasn’t much emphasized back then, her foundation was solid. Taking the college entrance exam wouldn’t be an issue for her.

Su Ruo thought she wouldn’t be able to sleep that night.

But maybe it was because her body was still weak from illness—while listening to him talk beside her, at some point, she unknowingly drifted off to sleep.

The next morning, when she woke up to sunlight streaming through the window, she had another moment of confusion.

But she quickly came to her senses. One look at her surroundings, and she knew she hadn’t gone back. This dream, where she’d lost five years of memories, might actually be real.

Just as she sat up, the door cracked open and a little head peeked in.

Then she saw Han Guo’s big beaming smile. The little boy looked delighted. “Mama, you’re awake?”

She chuckled.

After last night, she wasn’t as panicked or resistant to this situation anymore.

She got up and asked, “Guoguo, how long have you been up?”

“For a while now. Mama, are you feeling better today?”

“Mm, I’m fine now.”

As the two of them were chatting, the door opened again and a tall figure walked in.

Su Ruo looked up at him, and the moment her eyes met his, her face heated up for some reason and she quickly looked away.

Somehow, having an extra husband felt more awkward than suddenly having a son.

She had slept beside him last night.

And that kiss yesterday…

She couldn’t even think about it.

Her face grew even hotter.

Han Zecheng was taken aback by how flustered she looked.

He saw her lower her head, her usually pale face and ears rapidly turning red. Something in his heart softened.

In a gentle voice, he asked, “You’re up? Feeling better today?”

“Mm.”

Su Ruo answered softly.

He had never seen her act so meek before. His usually stern face softened a little as he said, “Then I’ll bring you some water to wash up.”

“No, no need,”

Su Ruo hurriedly said, “I’m already much better. I can wash up myself. But…”

She glanced toward the door. From outside, she could faintly hear voices. The Han family was already up.

She looked back at him a bit cautiously and asked, “Can you come with me? I’m not familiar with the layout of the house… and I don’t know anyone…”

“Okay.”

He glanced at her clothes and said, “You get changed first. I’ll wait for you in Guoguo’s room.”

With that, he took their reluctant son and headed to the room next door.

Su Ruo looked at the gently swaying curtain and felt a bit of warmth in her heart.

No matter what, the situation she was in now wasn’t as unbearable as she had imagined.

She took a deep breath, forced a small smile, shook herself awake a little, then turned to open the wardrobe behind her.

When she opened it, she saw it was full—rows and rows of coarse cloth clothes in shades of blue and gray.

When Han Zecheng saw her eyes suddenly light up at those words, they looked especially beautiful and captivating in the night.

Ever since he received her letter yesterday, the tension of potentially losing her had been weighing on his heart.

And now, that feeling surged again.

They had been married for five years, so he naturally knew that she didn’t truly like the life she was living now.

University—that was a knot in her heart.

But to Su Ruo, in the midst of a terribly bleak situation, hearing such news was like a ray of light piercing through the gloom.

Her memories were still stuck just after graduating from high school. Although education was no longer a major focus in schools back then, she had a solid foundation. Taking the college entrance exam wouldn’t be a problem for her.

Su Ruo thought she wouldn’t be able to sleep that night.

But perhaps because her body was still weak after her illness, she fell asleep at some point while listening to him talk to her.

When she woke up the next morning, she was momentarily dazed as sunlight streamed in through the window.

But she quickly came back to her senses. Looking at her surroundings, she knew she still hadn’t returned to the past. This dream of having lost five years of memory was probably real.

As soon as she sat up, the door opened a crack, and a small head peeked in.

Then she saw Han Guo’s big smiling face. Full of joy, he said, “A’ma, you’re awake?”

She laughed.

After last night, she was no longer as panicked or resistant to her current situation.

She got up and said, “Guoguo, when did you get up?”

“A while ago. A’ma, are you feeling better today?”

“Mm, I’m fine now.”

As they were talking, the door opened again, and a tall figure walked in.

Su Ruo looked up at him. When their eyes met, for some reason her face flushed, and she quickly looked away.

Having an extra husband was far more awkward than having an extra son.

They had even slept together last night.

And that kiss from yesterday…

She couldn’t bear to think about it.

Her face burned even more.

Han Zecheng was stunned by her awkward expression.

Seeing her lower her head, her pale face and ears quickly turning red, made his heart soften.

He said gently, “You’re up? Are you feeling better today?”

“Mm.”

Su Ruo answered softly.

He had never seen her so obedient before. His usually serious expression softened a bit as he said, “Then I’ll go bring water for you to wash up.”

“No, no need,”

Su Ruo hurriedly said, “I’m fine now. I can go out and wash up myself, but…”

She glanced at the door. She could already hear voices faintly from outside—clearly, the Han family members were already up.

She looked back at him cautiously and said, “Can you come with me? I’m not familiar with the layout of the house… and I don’t know the others…”

“Alright.”

He looked at her clothes and said, “Go change first. I’ll wait in Guoguo’s room.”

Then he dragged his reluctant son into the next room.

Watching the swaying curtain, Su Ruo felt a warmth in her heart.

No matter what, the situation wasn’t so unbearable after all.

She took a breath, smiled a little, and, gathering her energy, turned to open the wardrobe behind her.

When she opened it, she saw many clothes—rows of coarse cloth garments in shades of blue and gray.

She reached out and touched them, bit her lip, and finally settled her gaze on a military green shirt hanging in the back. Though its color was similar to the others, Su Ruo immediately recognized it—it was one of her old shirts.

At times like this, familiar things always offered a sense of security. She took it out and changed into it.

After changing, she went next door to her son’s room, where the father and son were already waiting for her.

Guoguo was sitting at the desk, and Han Zecheng stood behind him, watching him flip through a book.

As soon as Su Ruo entered, both of them turned to look at her.

He glanced at the clothes she was wearing, paused for a moment, but quickly looked away and met her eyes. Seeing the unease and nervousness there, he said gently, “Let’s go. Don’t worry.”

Su Ruo didn’t wake up too late, but the Han family had been up even earlier.

Following Han Zecheng out the door, she saw the same mother-in-law, Wu Guizhi, she had met yesterday, and an older man sitting at the table. A young woman was entering from outside with two bowls of food.

The woman placed the bowls on the table, turned to look at them, and smiled, “Oh, Second Sister-in-law, are you feeling better? I was just thinking about bringing you some porridge.”

Su Ruo smiled and nodded at her.

She figured this must be the third sister-in-law, Wu Jiaoyan.

As for the unfamiliar elderly man at the table, he must be her current “father-in-law,” Han Heping.

Sure enough, Han Zecheng addressed the two at the table, “Uncle, Mom.”

Su Ruo took a deep breath. Though it was hard, she still followed his lead and said, “Uncle, Mom.”

Han Heping smiled warmly and nodded. “Good, good, as long as you’re better. Come, sit and eat.”

Wu Guizhi, however, had a sour expression.

She glared at Su Ruo with eyes full of disgust.

How could she not be disgusted?

What kind of attitude did she have yesterday?

Now she was all demure and sweet in front of her son, wearing a form-fitting outfit that made her pale skin glow, humbly following behind him calling people “mom” and “uncle”—wasn’t that the act of a seductress?

Yesterday she’d even said things like “If you have opinions, talk to your son,” “If he agrees, I agree”… Wasn’t that just showing she didn’t care about her mother-in-law’s opinion? Like saying: Your son sides with me—what can you do?

Wu Guizhi was fuming.

Han Heping gave a few coughs.

Only then did Wu Guizhi restrain her anger. Drooping her eyes, she said coldly, “If you’re better, go help your sister-in-law in the kitchen. Don’t just sit around waiting to be served.”

Then she turned to Han Zecheng and said, “Zecheng, since you’re rarely back, go greet all the uncles and elders in the village today.”

Han Zecheng’s face darkened the moment he heard her first sentence. He said, “Mom, A’ruo is preparing for the college entrance exam. I’m taking her to the county today to pick up some reference books.”

Then he turned to Su Ruo and said, “Come on, let’s go to the kitchen first.”

“Bang!” Wu Guizhi slammed the enamel mug in her hand onto the table and shrieked, “College entrance exam? What exam! Zecheng, I’ve said this before—if she wants to take the exam, you two should divorce first!”

“You went ahead and married her without a word back then, and I didn’t say anything. I thought as long as she settled down, stayed home, and took care of the family, I’d tolerate it. But all these years, she still acts like a capitalist’s young lady, and we’ve been waiting on her hand and foot. I turned a blind eye to that, but now she wants to abandon her husband and son to go flirt around in the city, and you still indulge her? Are you really going to wait until she’s…”

“Mom!”

Han Zecheng’s expression turned icy, and he interrupted coldly, “This is the new China. A’ruo is my wife, not your servant, and definitely not an oppressed daughter-in-law from the old society. You don’t need to take out your anger toward my father on her.”

Then he turned to Su Ruo and said, “A’ruo, go back to the room and pack. We’re leaving today.”

Su Ruo was stunned.

She truly hadn’t expected her mother-in-law to be so… blunt.

She thought yesterday’s harsh words were because they were in private. She didn’t expect such a public scolding in front of everyone.

But after the shock, she felt relieved. She pulled her son along and turned back to their room.

This was better.

No need to come up with an excuse to move out.

With this kind of mother-in-law, how was she supposed to prepare for the college entrance exam living here?

She had looked through the account books yesterday and counted the money in the drawer. As long as she understood the situation well and convinced Han Zecheng, money wouldn’t be an issue for moving out. There were just a lot of details to sort out.

Back in the room, she seriously started packing.

Outside, Wu Guizhi was so furious that her whole body was trembling when she saw Su Ruo turn around and leave.

Breathing heavily, she cursed, “What are you doing? What are you doing, Zecheng! I went through so much to give birth to you and raise you, and this is how you repay me?”

As she spoke, her heartache welled up, and tears rolled down her face.

“Guizhi,”

Han Heping, seeing Han Zecheng’s cold expression, felt a little anxious and quickly tried to mediate, “Guizhi, calm down. Zecheng finally came home—what are you doing?”

Then he tried to reason with Han Zecheng, “Zecheng, your mom’s doing this for your good. Sigh…”

He sighed heavily, clearly hesitant to say more, but said helplessly, “You don’t know—our village and the nearby ones have seen a lot of city returnees filing for divorce, saying they want to take the college entrance exam. Your mom hears gossip all day in the village, so when she heard your wife wanted to take the exam, she got worked up and lost her temper.”

Wu Guizhi was already overwhelmed with pain and anger. Now, hearing her old man’s words, she felt even more aggrieved and bitter. Tears streamed down her face as she slapped her thighs and cried, “Isn’t this all for you? All for you! Just look at how seductive and flirtatious she looks—anyone can see she’s the type to attract men. Back then, you refused to marry a girl from our village and insisted on marrying her. I gave in. The whole family treated her like royalty. And now she wants to take the college entrance exam and go back to the city. It’s obvious she doesn’t want to live with you anymore! Do you really want to wait until you’re wearing a cucko—”

Han Zecheng’s face turned dark with rage.

Not wanting her to say anything even more vile, he directly cut her off and said, “You don’t need to worry about that anymore. I’ll go to the brigade secretary today and get A’Ruo’s college entrance exam registration form. Tomorrow, I’ll take A’Ruo and Guoguo with me to the army base.”