Chapter 27

Lin Yao wasn’t a shy girl, and she had been thinking about getting their marriage certificate for some time.

Now that Gu Shi’an had brought it up, she naturally agreed.

After all, living together without a certificate didn’t feel right.

And with Deputy Director Gu’s looks, broad shoulders, slim waist, long legs, and a monthly salary he handed over in full, she knew she was getting a good deal.

Lin Yao’s face lit up with joy, clearly in a great mood. Her slender, fair legs swung playfully back and forth, tempting Gu Shi’an to reach out and grab them.

Although he recalled the soft slaps from the night before, Gu Shi’an held his large, burning hands steady. Without a change in expression, he strode out of the house in long strides.

If he didn’t leave now, he feared he might lose control…

*

The courtyard was silent that afternoon, and Lin Yao leisurely took a nap in her room.

The past few days had been unbearably hot. Even the bamboo grove outside the window couldn’t offer any cool shade. Lin Yao had only slept for a short while before the heat turned her cheeks red. She fanned herself briskly with a palm-leaf fan, longing for her old fifty-square-meter apartment. Though it was just a one-bedroom unit, it had air conditioning and an electric fan. She could lounge on the sofa in summer, eat chilled watermelon, and binge-watch dramas. How comfortable that had been.

Alas, the past was gone and couldn’t be retrieved.

After reminiscing about her previous life, Lin Yao resigned herself to her current reality. She climbed out of bed, fetched an enamel basin, and filled it with well water as Gu Chunmei had once taught her. She sprinkled the water around the room, opened the carved windows, and gently waved the fan. Whether the trick actually worked or it was just a coincidence, a cool breeze began to flow through, bringing a refreshing chill.

Feeling much cooler, Lin Yao sprawled on the soft bed, stretched out her body, and fell into a sweet sleep, holding her small quilt.

She slept soundly until after 3 PM. The gentle breeze made her nap incredibly comfortable. When she woke up, she stretched lazily, slid into her slippers, and wiped her face with a damp towel. The icy coolness on her skin made her whole body relax, as if her pores were opening up.

In the courtyard, Gu Shidong was humming to himself as he scrubbed clothes in a small basin.

The men of the Gu family had washed their own clothes since their youth, and Dongzi, though mischievous, wasn’t allowed to slack off.

If he didn’t do his laundry, Gu Chunmei would mock him as someone “incapable of managing anything or understanding life,” predicting that no girl would marry him and he’d remain a bachelor forever.

Angered by such remarks, the boy would protest, “Who says I can’t wash clothes?”

Starting last week, Gu Shidong had begun washing not only his own clothes but also his sister’s. Otherwise, his sister would report to Comrade Zhang Cuilan about how he had secretly watched Li Aifeng and Lin Daguo’s dispute that morning.

Lin Yao, munching on a sponge cake while sitting on a small stool, watched the drama unfold with amusement. She teased the boy with a mischievous grin, “Dongzi, why aren’t you eating the sponge cake I just bought?”

Gu Shidong snorted, “What’s so great about sponge cake? I stuffed myself with egg cakes yesterday. I don’t care for this.”

The truth was, Zhang Cuilan had instructed him to finish washing and hanging the laundry before he could have any snacks.

Lin Yao let out an “Oh” and playfully poked his cheek. “Hey, your drool is dripping!”

Startled, Gu Shidong quickly wiped his face with his hand, only to find it clean.

Just as he was about to yell, “Sister-in-law, you tricked me!” Lin Yao patted his little bald head, smiling fondly. “Our Dongzi has grown up. He’s now a sensible and reliable young man.”

His chest puffed up with pride, and his grin stretched to his ears.

Delighted by the praise, the “young man” enthusiastically washed all the handkerchiefs and rags Lin Yao had brought out and even cleaned the doors and windows of the house until they sparkled.

Rain had been plentiful recently, and the Gu family’s small vegetable garden was thriving. The squash and cucumber vines planted earlier had grown rapidly, their fruits hanging abundantly from the trellises. The lush greenery was a delight to the eyes.

On such a fine day, Lin Yao and Gu Shidong watered the garden, pulled weeds, and harvested plump cucumbers. It didn’t take long to fill a basket.

The freshly picked cucumbers, free of pesticides, were perfect for making cold dishes or pickled snacks. Nothing would go to waste.

Before the workday ended, Gu Chunmei came rushing home on her bicycle. As soon as she entered the gate, she called out to Lin Yao, “Yao Yao, the county lumberyard is selling scrap wood at a discount. Let’s queue up to buy some!”

Hearing this, Lin Yao quickly went inside to grab their wood ration coupons.

The Gu family relied on both coal briquettes and scrap wood to get through winter. The government-supplied coal alone wouldn’t suffice.

While Gu Shidong squatted in the garden pulling weeds, Lin Yao reminded him, “Dongzi, the sponge cake is in the house. If you want to eat it, wash your hands first. Don’t grab it with dirty paws.”

Gu Shidong nodded obediently. “Got it, Sister-in-law.”

Gu Chunmei raised an eyebrow in surprise. “Wow, this rascal is unusually well-behaved today. How rare.”

Before leaving, Lin Yao carefully checked her bag to ensure the ration coupons were intact. Gu Chunmei had already brought out a wheelbarrow with two large baskets to hold the scrap wood.

The lumberyard was just one street away from their courtyard. The two women walked briskly, only to find a long line already stretching outside the yard.

Lin Yao hadn’t expected so many people to be buying scrap wood in this era.

The scorching heat made her reluctant to wait in line.

Noticing her sulky expression, Gu Chunmei tugged on Lin Yao’s braid and teased, “What’s this? You’re willing to wait when you go to the movies with my brother, but you can’t handle queuing up with me for wood? Newlyweds really are something else!”

Lin Yao wasn’t embarrassed at all. Her eyes wandered, and she spotted a tall figure approaching in the distance. Nudging Gu Chunmei with a grin, she said, “Sister Chunmei, your considerate Da Tou Brother is here.”

Following her gaze, Gu Chunmei saw Xu Xiangqian approaching, drenched in sweat but smiling brightly.

“Chunmei, the wood is too heavy for you. Let me help.”

Lin Yao winked at Gu Chunmei. “Oh my, newly engaged couples are truly different!”

Xu Xiangqian scratched his head, flashing a wide grin that revealed his pearly white teeth, his eyes sparkling as he gazed at Gu Chunmei.

Gu Chunmei: “…”

When it came to being thick-skinned, she truly conceded defeat to Lin Yao, both in heart and words.

*

During this era, the lumberyard only discarded unusable scraps and wood shavings. The better pieces had already been picked over by the early-arriving uncles and aunties.

By the time it was Lin Yao and the others’ turn, only a pile of small, fragmented wood pieces remained. Gu Chunmei wasn’t discouraged. She crouched down and carefully picked out some fire-resistant wood strips. Lin Yao joined her, and the two of them sorted through the pile with a sense of joy, as if treasure hunting in a mound of discarded wood.

After they finished picking, they had two large baskets brimming with wood. Loaded onto the wheelbarrow, it was quite heavy, but with Da Tou Brother acting as free labor, there was no need for Lin Yao or Gu Chunmei to push it.

Since the young couple was spending time together, Lin Yao knew better than to linger as a third wheel.

She used the excuse of needing to go home and slipped away first.

In truth, Lin Yao didn’t have much to do at home. Seeing Da Tou Brother come to find Sister Chunmei, she suddenly found herself thinking about Deputy Director Gu Shi’an.

—Would Gu Shi’an come home early today?

That guy worked overtime all the time and didn’t know to come home earlier to keep her company… to spend time with family.

Lin Yao strolled leisurely along the street. An elderly woman was selling jasmine flowers on the roadside for just one cent per bunch. She bought a bunch, planning to put them in a vase at home.

It was around quitting time for most factories, and the female workers, carrying their cloth bags, hurried home.

Due to the hot weather, the factory women had switched to their lightweight, dark blue summer work uniforms. Looking down the street, it was a sea of blue and gray, completely lacking any aesthetic appeal.

Lin Yao turned into a small alley leading to the shared courtyard, not noticing Lin Hongna in her gray work uniform and sour expression.

Ever since Lin Hongna was caught in bed by Old Lady Qi, she could no longer stay in Linjia Village.

The atmosphere in the village was conservative. Even in the relatively more open city, her scandalous affair with Sun Jialiang would have been enough to ruin her reputation.

Lin Hongna wasn’t stupid. When she couldn’t stay in the village anymore, she clung to Sun Jialiang, insisting they move to town.

Sun Jialiang, already stressed, had to appease Lin Daguo’s family by arranging for Lin Hongna to work at a lightbulb factory.

Lin Hongna didn’t feel she had done anything wrong. She just wanted a better life. After all, she was going to marry into the Sun family eventually. Whether sooner or later, what difference did it make? Why shouldn’t she have been close to Sun Jialiang before marriage? If she got pregnant with a grandson for the Sun family, there was no way that old hag in the Sun family could continue to look down on her!

Lin Hongna thought she had it all figured out, but she never imagined that her father would have an affair too!

And it wasn’t just the affair—her mother caught him red-handed.

Men were all the same, greedy for what wasn’t theirs. While she was busy enough dealing with her own mess, she still had to clean up after her parents’ drama. It was utterly exhausting!