Chapter 38

Mother Zhou turned around anxiously, “When did this happen? Who is it?”

Zhou Junhui sat down calmly, “A while ago, an older sister mentioned it. He’s a distant cousin of hers. He lives in the suburbs and works in our factory. I’ve been with him for a month, and I think he’s a good person.”

“What does his family do? Is he a formal worker at the factory or a temp? If you get married, where will you live? Have you been to his house? What do his family think?”

Luo Lan’s questions were clear and covered everything Mother Zhou wanted to know. Mother Zhou looked at her daughter, worried she might fall into another pit.

“He’s a formal worker; his family farms. They work in the brigade. There are four siblings in the family—two older sisters are already married, and there’s a younger brother in high school. The house isn’t particularly spacious, but he’s done well for himself; he’s managed to get a room in the factory for us to use when we get married.”

“What does he look like?”

“Mom, he’ll come this weekend, and you can see for yourself.”

Mother Zhou was silent for a moment before saying, “In the end, a man’s looks aren’t that important. As long as he doesn’t have any serious flaws, that’s fine. The living situation is settled, and his family is agreeable; there shouldn’t be any problems this time.”

Luo Lan asked softly, “How do you plan to get married?”

Zhou Junhui understood her sister-in-law’s meaning: “We won’t need the family to prepare anything. We’ll do what we can afford. We’ll just put the two single beds together and use an old table as a cupboard. We can get a square table for eating, and that’s enough.”

“Alright, let’s wait until he comes to visit this weekend and see.”

“Okay.”

Zhou Junhui was twenty-two, which wasn’t particularly old. But if she had found a suitable partner, getting married could be a good thing. Once the family knew about her plans, Zhou Junfang was brought back home by her brother over the weekend.

“I just finished repaying the meat tickets I owed, and now I have to borrow two more months. I’ll save some of this meat for you to eat.”

As Mother Zhou spoke, she began to put the meat away, but Luo Lan quickly reached out to stop her. “Mom, we already finished the last batch; it didn’t go to waste. I’ve been eating milk powder and biscuits, and look how good my complexion is! I look so healthy that a sister from our unit is envious, saying my pregnancy is making me more beautiful. I don’t need you to save the meat.”

“But…” In this era, there really wasn’t much good food, and the monthly rations were limited. With her daughter-in-law expecting, she wanted to save some good food for her.

“Let’s cook it all; I’m craving it. Today, let’s enjoy a good meal.”

“Alright, I’ll make it all.” The woman put the meat on the cutting board and turned to say, “Lan’er, go outside; don’t stay in here.”

“Okay.”

After Zhou Qingshan brought his sister back, the siblings went into the kitchen to help. Luo Lan leisurely settled into the side room. Before long, Zhou Qingshan brought her a cup of prepared jujube tea, noticing she was knitting and curiously looking at her several times.

“Wife, is that for the baby?”

“Yeah. I have some leftover yarn for you, and I can mix it with some other scraps to make a sweater for the baby.” After saying this, she looked up at her tea cup, and her husband had uncovered it.

“Red jujube tea. You said your mouth didn’t taste good, so I added a bit of brown sugar.”

“Thanks; I’ll eat the jujubes after I drink it.”

He looked down at her belly. “It seems to be getting bigger.”

“It does seem so. My clothes are tight.”

“You need to make new clothes; otherwise, by next year, your belly will be even bigger, and you won’t have anything to wear.”

It was the twelfth lunar month, and as they chatted, snow began to fall outside. The coal fire inside was burning warmly; they had replaced the chimney this year.

“By the time the weather warms up, we can make do with what we have. Otherwise, if it’s too loose, you won’t be able to wear it after the baby is born.”

“Do you want to soak your feet? I can get water for you.”

“No need. Stop nagging and hurry to the kitchen to help your mom cook.”

“Alright.”

The man smiled as he stepped out the door. He didn’t know much about pregnancy, but he had gathered some information from the women at work who had given birth. They said that it would be fine to manage during the later stages of pregnancy; otherwise, once the baby was born, it would be a waste if there were no clothes to wear.

The snowflakes fell gracefully, soon blanketing the ground in white. Walking on it made a crunching sound underfoot, and Zhou Qingshan reminded his mother to be careful outside.

Mother Zhou looked back and said, “What a heavy snow. The New Year is coming again.”

Zhou Qingshan knew his mother was reminiscing about his father and younger brother and wanted to comfort her. “Mom…”

“I’m fine; I’m just feeling a bit nostalgic. Time really flies.”

She had long given up hope of hearing from her husband, as if he had already passed away. The issue with her younger son had been settled, and it was time to let go. The deceased are gone, and those who live should carry on.

“I was thinking about cutting some cloth to make clothes for the baby, but I don’t know whether it’s a boy or a girl.”

“Can’t you make clothes that can be worn by either gender?”

“Then…,” Mother Zhou thought for a moment, “I’ll make it sky blue; that can work for both boys and girls. And I need to prepare a little blanket too.”

“Tomorrow, the unit will issue vouchers; buy whatever you need. Lan’er will get heavier and has no experience.”

“Of course, I’ll do it. As the grandmother, it’s my responsibility to prepare these things. You all don’t need to worry; I’m just chatting with you.”

The table was set with both meat and vegetables, and with a mix of anxiety and anticipation, Mother Zhou prepared for the arrival of her future son-in-law, who, upon seeing him, immediately thought he was a good match.

The young man was slightly shorter than Zhou Qingshan but had a spirited demeanor. He brought pastries and a bag of dried peaches from his home. “I heard my sister-in-law is pregnant, so I brought this sweet and sour fruit; it’s good to soak in water. It’s a bit dusty, but my mother says to rinse it with cool water before soaking.”

Recently, Luo Lan had been feeling like she had no appetite and was just thinking about asking the system to buy something to soak when he brought this right to her door. She happily accepted it, finding this thoughtful young man quite pleasant.

“I was just thinking of soaking something. I can’t drink plain water at all. This is perfect; thank you!”

“My family had only a little to spare, so I was worried you wouldn’t like it and didn’t bring too much.”

“This is already plenty. Come, sit down, let’s chat slowly.”

The young man had already settled the housing issue, and his parents were very satisfied with Zhou Junhui. However, since they hadn’t met yet, if they were to settle things, they would need to find an opportunity to visit his home.

During dinner, he was quite reserved, only eating a piece of pork rib and later just picking vegetables, saying he liked to eat radishes.

“Eating radishes in winter is like ginseng; it’s a good thing. But radishes aren’t suitable for pregnant women with a weak constitution,” he said, passing the pork ribs to Luo Lan. “Sister-in-law, you should eat more meat; pregnant women need more nutrition. You’re nurturing a small life, and you need meat for that.”

This young man was quite articulate, better at conversation than Zhou Qingshan. He understood what marriage entailed and took the initiative to plan for what was needed. His words were pleasant, and the family’s first impression of him was good.

After the guests left in the evening, Luo Lan asked her mother-in-law and sister-in-law a very private question. “He doesn’t mind your past, right? He should know about your previous relationship.”

“He knows, and he doesn’t mind. But I didn’t mention that…”

There was no need to say it outright; Luo Lan understood what she meant. The matter of the miscarriage was known only to the family. “That’s something you can’t mention. Just treat it as if it never happened, and forget it yourself.”

Zhou Junhui silently nodded. At that time, it felt like the sky was falling. If it weren’t for her brother and sister-in-law, she truly wouldn’t have known what to do. If anyone found out about her past, her life would be ruined.

“By the way, have you discussed who will manage the finances after marriage?”

“We have; he’ll give everything to me.”

Luo Lan nodded. “Alright, I have no objections.”

Having a formal job, he seemed like a well-rounded person. He could talk and understand problems, which meant he could resolve issues and make his wife happy. This was actually very important; having a partner who could ease emotions in a marriage was, in her opinion, even more valuable than the ability to earn money.

Mother Zhou had always been indecisive, and since her daughter-in-law had no objections, she felt the same way. Zhou Qingshan had just had a few drinks with the young man and was also quite satisfied with him. All aspects of his character were commendable, and he showed a lot of responsibility in his actions and speech.

“Well, the New Year is coming soon. You should take some time to visit his family and meet his parents.”

“Okay.”

Mother Zhou laughed and embraced her younger daughter, looking at her youthful, innocent face with a smile. “Your sister is getting married, which leaves only you. If I can help all you sisters settle down, I’ll have completed my mission.”

Luo Lan confidently replied, “Mom, don’t worry. Junfang is still young; there’s no rush. In two years, she can go to college and find a good job afterward. Our Junfang is such a sweet child; she deserves someone who is capable and caring.”

Mother Zhou said, “Yes, listen to your sister-in-law. For now, just focus on teaching well and performing well; strive to be recommended for college.”

“I know.”

Zhou Junfang still had a youthful look, her speech and actions obedient, making her endearing to everyone. Strong-willed people like Luo Lan enjoyed treating their sister-in-law like a younger sister, thinking about her future.

The brigade school was on winter break, so Zhou Junfang could stay at home until the new semester started. The next day, she accompanied her mother to buy fabric to make clothes for her nephew, and Mother Zhou also encouraged her to learn sewing.

“You won’t get anywhere without skills; you need to start learning from the basics.”

“Okay.”

Zhou Junhui managed to visit her future in-laws and returned to tell her mother that the wedding date was set for the twenty-second of the twelfth lunar month. “The day before the New Year. This year, I won’t be spending the New Year at home.”

“Is his family doing well? Marriage is a big deal, and family is very important.”

“They’re a very friendly family. They even saved some rabbits for me. Oh, and they let me take home some mountain chicken. I’ve put it in the kitchen; Mom, you decide how to handle it. Let’s keep it for my sister-in-law to regain her strength.”

When Mother Zhou went to the kitchen, she was surprised to find three chickens. “Why so many?”

“There’s more than that. They also gave me 150 yuan as a betrothal gift. They said they couldn’t buy a bicycle without a ticket, so they asked me to keep the money for now.”

This was the proper attitude for a marriage, and hearing this made Mother Zhou very happy. Her daughter had found a good family this time, and since they lived nearby and were respectable people, she felt reassured.

Luo Lan, upon hearing that the wedding date had been set and was coming up soon, took out the clothes she had prepared for Zhou Junhui and also got her some wool, which was quite hard to find during this era. The orange color was meant for women.

“Sister-in-law, keep this for yourself. You’re so generous with such good things.”

“Of course! I asked someone to buy it just for your wedding.”

“Your sister-in-law has given it to you, so just accept it.” Mother Zhou was pleased to see her children getting along. She noted her sister-in-law’s kindness, knowing it would be returned in the future.

“Thank you, sister-in-law.”

Zhou Junfang came over and grabbed Luo Lan’s hand. “Sister-in-law, teach me how to knit sweaters. I have time during the winter break, and I want to knit a sweater for my little nephew.”

Luo Lan pinched her fair, rosy cheek, feeling the delicate touch of her skin, which was as soft as a baby’s. This girl truly had a natural beauty that was hard to overlook.

“How is our Junfang so obedient? I just love it!”

Zhou Junfang’s cheeks were incredibly smooth, and Luo Lan couldn’t help but keep pinching them. Her sister-in-law was too well-behaved, so of course, she wanted her to learn to knit. Although her movements were slow, the work she produced was neat and meticulous, and Luo Lan really liked it.

Before they knew it, it was the day of Junhui’s wedding. They chose to have a simple ceremony at their workplace. They finished the ceremony in the morning and surprisingly returned to work in the afternoon, only coming back to the family home for dinner in the evening.

“It smells so good! Mom, what are you cooking?”

“I’m making a big batch of pork buns and oil cakes. Go wash your hands and get ready to eat.”