Chapter 18.2

After putting the dishes away, her mother-in-law returned to the main hall without saying a word. Seeing Luo Lan preparing to leave, she stopped her.

“I’ve prepared gifts for your brothers and sister. Check if there’s anything else that needs attention.”

“No need to prepare everything.”

“That’s not acceptable. For the first time, we need to reassure the family.”

A tin of cookies, a jar of preserves, and a bag of sugar were prepared for Luo Lan’s family. The sugar was packed in a paper bag, estimated to be about half a pound. These items required tickets to buy, which even city dwellers had to save up for. Her mother-in-law’s thoughtfulness made Luo Lan genuinely appreciative.

“Thank you, Mom, you’re so kind.”

On the second day of their marriage, she was still wearing the same clothes from yesterday—a light purple cardigan over a white collared shirt, and black trousers that hung straight. Her poised appearance pleased her mother-in-law greatly.

“We’re family now, so there’s no need to be so formal.”

“Mm.”

The couple was heading back to her family’s home. They debated about who should ride which bike. Zhou Qingshan’s bicycle was an old one his father had left behind for several years. Luo Lan’s bike was brand new, but it was a ladies’ bike, so it wasn’t practical for him to ride.

“How about we each ride one bike?”

“That works.”

“Hey, wife, are you serious?”

“I’m just agreeing to your suggestion.”

“Forget I said anything. Here’s the plan: I’ll ride your new bike and I’ll take you with me.” It was his last concession to use the ladies’ bike.

“Alright.”

The couple set off, with Luo Lan enjoying the ride on the back of the bike. It was the busy autumn harvest season, with fields full of farmers collecting crops. The landscape had changed from colorful flowers to golden autumn hues, reflecting the joy of the harvest.

As they turned off the main road onto a small path leading to her village, they encountered familiar faces who looked up at them. In this era, riding a bicycle was more impressive than driving a car today, attracting many envious gazes.

The girl from the Xu family, who had previously been set up for a match with Zhou Qingshan, was picking corn in the field. Standing next to her was her sister-in-law, whom she had clashed with upon entering the family.

“Do you regret it now?”

“Why should I regret it? Third brother and I have been childhood sweethearts. It was my own choice.”

“Such stubbornness.”

Her sister-in-law was blunt and unkind, piercing directly into her heart. Having been married for months, she had severed ties with her natal family. Without a proper introduction letter, she was a rootless drifter. In an era where reasons to go out were strictly controlled, she was looked down upon by her in-laws. Her husband had initially supported her, but over time, he had also become neglectful.

“An old saying goes, a woman should keep a hand from her natal family even when she lives to ninety-nine. Do you think men never change? Look at Luo Lan—she’s riding a brand-new Western bike now. If you had listened to your parents back then, that good life could have been yours.”

Xu Yinlian did not respond, stubbornly continuing to pick corn. Her in-laws were cramped for space and had motives to stir up trouble between the newlyweds, and they acted on it repeatedly. But her words were indeed hard to refute. Besides stubbornly working in the field, she felt she had no other options.

Luo Lan and her husband rode directly to her elder brother’s house. They had expected to wait outside until after noon since the workers would still be working, but when they arrived, they found the courtyard gate open. Her eldest sister-in-law was home waiting for them.

“Look at you two, such a well-matched pair. Why be so formal with gifts?”

Luo Lan understood the customary politeness among relatives and brought in the gifts intended for her brother’s family. “These are from my mother-in-law.”

“It’s all just formality. Don’t be so formal in the future.”

In such familial exchanges, gift-giving involved a lot of back and forth. If you truly took it seriously and came empty-handed next time, you’d be labeled stingy for not bringing gifts to your natal family. Luo Lan disliked this kind of pretense, but such customs were difficult to change single-handedly.

Helping her sister-in-law in the kitchen, Luo Lan was pushed out. Her sister-in-law insisted she wasn’t allowed to touch anything. Once married, she became a guest in the home she had lived in for twenty years; it was no longer hers.

It was eleven o’clock, and with an hour left before the workers returned, the couple was bored in the house. She suggested they take a walk. “There’s an orchard west of the village. This season, apples and pears are ripe.”

“Let’s go explore.”

Staying in the house felt awkward, so the couple left together. At this time, most people who could work were out earning work points, leaving only the elderly, the weak, and children in the village.

“Do rural areas get an autumn break?”

“Yes. Is there no autumn break in the city?”

“Not really. But schools have a three-day break.”

“When I was young, there were just a few schools in the village. Most children who went to school were boys. My brother and the others were already past school age. I started first grade when I was nine.”

“Your parents were quite good.”

“Yes, they were very kind to my sister and me. They said life isn’t easy for women. My sister was twelve at the time, and my mother also wanted her to go to school, but she felt too old and shy, so she didn’t go.”

“It’s a pity.”

“Yes, she now says she was foolish then. If she had learned to read and write, she wouldn’t feel so lost when reading newspapers now.”

As they chatted, they arrived at the edge of the orchard. It was surrounded by thorny brambles, and standing on tiptoe, they could see the branches laden with ripe fruit. The harvest was good this year, not only for crops but also for the orchard.

“The branches are bending under the weight.”

He nodded, seeing the bright red apples. “Are apples from your village delicious?”

“They are. After the Mid-Autumn Festival, the fruit will be sent directly to the city.”

“Do the cooperatives distribute any?”

“This year they probably will, since it’s a bumper harvest. A small portion will be distributed to the team members. Why? Do you want some?”

“No, just asking.”

“Ah,” as they spoke, a sharp female scream suddenly pierced through the air. They both turned their heads towards the source of the sound, curious about what had happened. Luo Lan, always quick to act, was already moving towards the direction of the scream.

“Hey, wife,” Zhou Qingshan wasn’t one for seeking out trouble and wanted to avoid missing lunch. But seeing Luo Lan so eager, he didn’t want to dampen her spirits. He followed her with long strides, and soon they arrived at the scene of the incident—a large road beside a cornfield.