Chapter 26.1

Mother Zhou cried all the way to her younger son’s grave to burn paper offerings, comforting her child’s spirit in heaven. The family accompanied her, and when they left the cemetery, they all felt a weight lifted from their hearts.

Zhou Junhui wiped her tears and exhaled the heaviness in her chest. “Mom, let’s look forward now. I used to be thoughtless and didn’t know how to speak. This isn’t your fault, that man surnamed Sun was too wicked. He has been punished now, so let yourself go.”

Mother Zhou’s tears flowed again, but her daughter wiped them away. She nodded solemnly, looking back at the cemetery, taking a deep breath, and then gazing up at the sky.

Today was a bright sunny day, and the setting sun spread its beautiful light across the world like satin. How long had it been since she had paid attention to the beauty around her? The deceased had passed, everything should look forward.

“I hope Minshan is reborn into a good family.” She let go of her obsession, leaving only a sense of hope and blessing.

“He will. Our Minshan is so kind. In his next life, he will definitely have a good family.”

Luo Lan reached out to hold her mother-in-law’s hand. “Look ahead. Don’t cry. The person who caused Minshan’s death has been punished. We should feel relieved.”

The woman sniffled and nodded. “Mm.”

The family had resolved a significant matter, and they let their mother rest and calm her emotions. The women went to the kitchen to prepare a meal. Zhou Junfang, who usually focused on her studies, came to help today. It was then that Luo Lan discovered the girl had never cooked before.

“What? You’ve never cooked at all?”

The young girl smiled shyly. Her skin was fair and delicate, and when she smiled, dimples appeared on her cheeks. Such a lovely girl was hard to resist. It was no wonder she had never been in the kitchen before. If she had a daughter like that, she wouldn’t want her in the kitchen either.

“You can just help with peeling garlic.”

“Okay.”

Since it was getting late, they hadn’t prepared any meat. Today, they were making vegetarian dumplings. Luo Lan was in charge of preparing the filling, and while she worked, she kept an eye on Zhou Junfang, noticing how meticulous the girl was in her tasks.

It was just peeling garlic, but she did it more delicately than embroidery. She peeled off the outer skin piece by piece, then meticulously removed the inner layers, ensuring that the thin membrane at the very end was also carefully stripped away.

Oh my God, she had already boiled the eggs, chopped the vermicelli, and diced the wood ear mushrooms, while she still hadn’t finished peeling a few cloves of garlic.

The girl noticed her gaze and turned to her with a confused expression. “Sister-in-law, what am I doing wrong?”

“Nothing.” Since she had already peeled the garlic, the next step was to smash it. She might as well say a bit more. “Give it to me, I’ll chop it for you. This way, it will be quicker to smash.”

“Okay.”

She took the knife and quickly chopped the garlic cloves into small pieces, putting them into the mortar. She handed the garlic mortar along with the pestle to the girl. The girl politely thanked her and began to carefully pound the garlic. By the time she finished making dumplings with Zhou Qingshan, the garlic was finally ready.

Not to mention, it was pounded to perfection, turning into a paste without a single garlic strand remaining. With vinegar mixed in, the family gathered around to eat dumplings.

Zhou Junhui had also been making dumplings, so she naturally knew who had pounded the garlic. After taking a bite, she said, “Little sister, you really have no temperament. This garlic isn’t spicy at all.”

There was a local saying that garlic pounded by someone with a fiery temperament would be spicy. If this garlic wasn’t spicy, then the person who pounded it must have a good temperament. The Zhou family unanimously agreed that today’s garlic was indeed not spicy.

Mother Zhou looked at her youngest daughter’s obedient face and couldn’t help but start to worry. This child was too well-behaved, yet she was facing such a situation. What will happen in the future?

“Qingshan, you need to pay attention to your sister’s matters.”

“Understood.”

Parents are probably all the same. They worry about their children even when they reach old age. As soon as one issue with the son is settled, they start worrying about the daughter. After saying that, she turned her attention to her eldest daughter.

“Junhui, you’re not young anymore. It’s time to think about your lifelong happiness. Are there any suitable candidates in your workplace? Mom can help you talk to them.”

Zhou Junhui felt a moment of tension as the whole family looked at her. “Mom, why are you bringing this up again? Don’t rush, don’t rush, I’m not yet thirty. Why are you so anxious?”

“Why shouldn’t I be anxious? Some of your classmates are already mothers, and you’re still hanging around here.”

“Hanging around? You make it sound like I’m hanging myself.” Zhou Junhui lowered her head and mumbled, then took a deep breath as if she had made a resolution. “Don’t rush, I think it’ll be soon.”

“Really? Do you have a partner? Where are they from? What do they do? How old are they?”

“Mom, you’re firing questions like a machine gun. Which one should I answer first?”

“Don’t talk back. Just tell me what the other person does!”

“I didn’t say I have a partner. I mean I think it’ll be soon. Can’t you listen?”

“Go on,” Mother Zhou rolled her eyes. “I thought you had a partner. You’ve been joking around with me this whole time.”

Zhou Junhui smiled and didn’t say much more, but Luo Lan noticed a fleeting moment of disappointment on her face. What was the girl really doing? If she were in a normal relationship, there wouldn’t be a need to hide it from the family.

Zhou Junfang was obedient, finishing her meal and then cuddling up to her mother. “Mom, can I sleep with you tonight?”

Mother Zhou gave her a gentle pat. “You’re a big girl now, how can I feel at ease with you acting like this?”

The girl affectionately wrapped her arms around her mother’s, pressing her head against her shoulder. “If you’re worried, just keep me by your side. Then you won’t have to worry.”

Mother Zhou shook her head and smiled helplessly, unable to do anything about her youngest daughter. This child had always been well-behaved and was also beautiful. As the youngest, her parents inevitably spoiled her a bit. They hadn’t even noticed how they had raised her this way. After so many family issues, this child had remained silent for quite a while, and now she was starting to act cute with her mother again.

“You need to be independent. I can’t be with you for a lifetime.”

“Mom, some classmates at school said they want to go to the countryside to explore. After graduating from high school, there won’t be any assignments. Everyone has to go to the countryside. What’s it like there? Is it farming?”

“Huh? When did this happen? How come I didn’t know?” Mother Zhou grew anxious, having been so immersed in past sorrows that she was slow to notice changes around her.

“It’s starting this month. Although many classmates say they don’t want to go to the countryside, there are also many who want to go. Mom, is farming hard?”

“Oh my, that’s something you can’t endure.”

Mother Zhou panicked and pulled her to find her son and daughter-in-law. Tonight, it was Zhou Junhui who was in charge of cleaning the dishes. Luo Lan and her husband had finished washing up and were already lying in bed. Upon hearing her knock, they quickly put their clothes back on.

“Mom, what’s going on? What’s so urgent?”

“Junfang, what are we going to do about her in the future? If she can’t take the college entrance exam, is she going to have to farm?”

So that’s what this was about. Luo Lan let out a quiet sigh of relief. She invited her mother-in-law and sister-in-law to sit down. “I’ve discussed it with Qingshan. The best solution is to let her go to the countryside for two years. Then I’ll find a way to get her recommended for university.”

“Can that work?”

“That’s the plan, but recommendations are usually for those who have outstanding performance at work. Don’t worry too much, we’ll think of a way later.”

“Why do you have to go to the countryside to get recommended?”

“It’s a rule.”

Fine then, Mother Zhou fell silent. This was the bigger environment, no one could change it. Life flows in the current of the times, and no individual can swim against the tide. What’s needed is to go with the flow. Life is like a journey, and we are just a traveler.

“Don’t worry, there will always be a way. No one can die from the pressure.” Luo Lan said cheerfully, pouring water for her mother-in-law. “No parent can accompany their child for a lifetime, and the countryside isn’t as scary as you imagine.”

Mother Zhou sighed. “I’m also from the countryside. I’m not looking down on it. If it were Junfang going, I’d have no problem. But this child has never farmed before.”

“Training isn’t necessarily a bad thing.” They were looking for other options for Junfang, but they hadn’t said anything before it was finalized, lest they disappoint her if it didn’t work out.

“I know that’s how it is,” she said, setting down her glass after drinking some water. “Alright, I won’t disturb your rest. Since things are like this, let’s face it. It’s useless to back down.”

Zhou Qingshan and Luo Lan exchanged glances, both feeling relieved by their mother’s state. Yes, as long as one maintains a spirit of fearlessness, nothing can bring them down.

The family’s greatest concern seemed to have stabilized now, and the couple slept particularly well that night. With their worries lifted, the family felt much lighter; after breakfast, it was time for school and work, while their mother stayed home.

“Lan’er, are you coming back for lunch?”

“No, I’ll just eat a bit in the cafeteria.”

“Why don’t you bring your lunch tomorrow like Junhui?”

“Sure.”

Zhou Junhui was lost in thought as she held her lunch box. Did Mom see the fried eggs she made today? No matter, she needed to have a good talk with him. What did he really mean? There was no reason to be so sneaky about not having a place to live.

The work at the Women’s Federation didn’t involve much physical labor, but it required a lot of talking. In the morning, she received two big sisters, and by noon, Luo Lan felt like her mouth was about to catch fire. She grabbed her lunch box and headed to the cafeteria with Sister Liu, unable to hold back her complaints along the way.

“There can’t be this many people seeking help every day, right?”

“Not really. Many people still don’t realize what women’s protection means. When they’re bullied, they don’t think to resist or seek help.”

“Yeah, not many in our village know. Even if they did, they’d just say family matters should be kept private, and it’s shameful to air family grievances.”

“Exactly, they only know how to oppress women. Why should the women have to suffer in silence?”

“Right, some issues need to be made public to be addressed properly.”

“Hmm. What was the situation of the person you assisted today?”

“She had a fight with her husband, and her in-laws kicked her out. I said I’d go back with her, and she agreed wholeheartedly. But while I went to the bathroom, she disappeared.”

“Was it that woman in the blue dress?”

“Yeah, that’s her. She doesn’t have a job, and she has three kids. When I asked her why she had a fight with her husband, she hesitated and wouldn’t say.”

“Every family has its own troubles. Alright, since she left on her own, don’t worry about it.”

“You two always go everywhere together.”

Just as they were chatting, Director Liu approached with his lunch box. They were sitting at a four-person table, with her and Sister Liu facing each other, and Director Liu came over to sit next to her. She scooted to the side, leaving a large space between them.

“Director, aren’t you supposed to bring your lunch? Why are you eating in the cafeteria today?” Sister Liu asked casually.

“Don’t mention it, my mother is unhappy with me and won’t cook for me.”

“Why’s that?”

“Pressure to get married.”

“Haha,” Sister Liu laughed heartily, jokingly pointing at her leader. “Your old mother is anxious to have grandkids, huh?”

“She hasn’t mentioned grandchildren. She only says that if I don’t get married soon, when she’s gone, I’ll have no one to wash my clothes or cook for me.” After the divorce, finding a new partner was a challenge.

As she spoke, Director Liu glanced at Luo Lan, who kept her head down, not participating in the conversation. At thirty, you really can’t cook or wash clothes? Your mom is right. If she’s gone, you won’t starve, but you’ll still suffer.