Chapter 45 : Self-love

Chen Dongsheng also put down the newspaper, looked at his daughter jumping up and down, and asked with a smile, “Honghong, why did you come back so late today?”

“Dad, I had a conversation with Zhu Yanli.” Chen Hong didn’t dare to tell the truth. She wasn’t sure about Han Zhenyu’s feelings, so she didn’t want to say anything to her family.

Chen Dongsheng winked at Yu Huimin.

Yu Huimin nodded slightly and said to Chen Hong, “Honghong, Zhu Yanli is getting married soon, right?”

Chen Hong ate a dumpling and said vaguely, “I heard it’s going to be settled by the end of the year.”

“It’s so fast. You two are already 20 in the blink of an eye.” Yu Huimin sighed, stroking her daughter’s hair. “Honghong, you’re the youngest in the family. Your parents wanted to keep you for a few more years, but we’re afraid of delaying you.”

Chen Hong was stunned when she heard this. She put down her chopsticks, hugged her arms, and acted coquettishly, “Mom, I’m still young!”

“But Yanli, who’s your age, is getting married soon.” Yu Huimin teased her, “If your parents wait too long, all the good boys will be taken by others.”

“Whoever wants to pick can pick, I don’t care.”

Although Chen Hong said this, she was thinking about Han Zhenyu in her heart. She ate the dumplings in her bowl, her face flushed.

“If you don’t care, your parents will be worried. We don’t want our precious daughter to stay at home as an old maid.”

Yu Huimin smiled and said, “I met your Aunt Sun today. Her youngest son is 24 this year and works at the post office. Your aunt and I went to see him and both thought he was a good boy. How about arranging a meeting between you two?”

When Chen Hong heard her mother talking about introducing her to someone, she immediately became anxious. She waved her hands and said, “Mom, I don’t want to meet him. I…”

In her rush, she almost revealed Han Zhenyu’s identity.

Yu Huimin and Chen Dongsheng were both perceptive. Seeing their daughter’s intense reaction, they both suspected that she might have someone in her heart.

The couple exchanged a glance and said nothing more.

Chen Hong finished the bowl of dumplings absentmindedly, then stood up and said, “Dad, Mom, I’m full. I’m going back to my room.”

Yu Huimin also put down her chopsticks. Chen Dongsheng said, “Go on and ask?”

Chen Hong had just laid down on her bed when Yu Huimin came in. “Honghong, what’s wrong with you? Don’t you want to find a partner? Or do you not like Aunt Sun’s son?”

Seeing that her daughter still wasn’t saying anything, she sat on the edge of the bed and said, “It doesn’t matter if you don’t like him. Mom and Dad will find you someone better. After all, this is a lifelong thing. You have to like them yourself.”

Chen Hong hesitated for a moment and then said hesitantly, “Mom, I have someone I like.”

Yu Huimin’s heart sank upon hearing this, but she didn’t show it on her face. She smiled and asked, “What a fool you are. When did this happen? Why didn’t you tell me? Is the boy from our factory?”

“Mom, we haven’t even started dating yet.” Chen Hong lowered her head shyly. “He’s the driver in the factory’s transportation team.”

When Yu Huimin heard that he was from the transport team, she felt relieved. As long as he wasn’t some troublemaker from outside, it would be fine.

The transport team was one of the better departments in their factory, and people who worked there generally had some connections.

“What’s the boy’s name? Who’s in his family? What do his parents do?”

“His family seems to be from the countryside.” Chen Hong didn’t want to say it at first, but she knew she couldn’t hide it.

When Yu Huimin heard that he was from the countryside, she frowned and asked, “Is he a temporary worker or a regular employee?”

Chen Hong immediately said, “I heard that he will be promoted to a regular employee soon, and his household registration will be transferred to the factory.”

Yu Huimin’s expression improved, but she was still worried. She smiled and tried to coax her daughter into telling her more, “What’s his name? Your father often deals with people from the transport team, so he might know him.”

She planned to visit the transport office tomorrow to find out more about the boy, to see whether he was attracted by their family’s status or if he genuinely liked her daughter.

Chen Hong bit her lip and said shyly, “His name is Han Zhenyu.”

Seeing her daughter’s shy expression, Yu Huimin knew that she had fallen for him.

She sighed inwardly, thinking to herself that girls couldn’t be kept away when they grew up.

Chen Dongsheng was reading a newspaper in the living room. When he saw his wife coming out of their daughter’s room, he asked quietly, “What did Honghong say?”

Yu Huimin sat next to him and told him about her daughter’s boyfriend.

“He said he’s from the countryside and now works as a driver for the transport team. His name is Han Zhenyu. Judging by the girl’s expression, he must be quite taken with her. Go and ask around tomorrow to see what kind of person he is, to have made her feel this way.”

She voiced her concerns to her husband, “I’m not sure if the boy is attracted by our family’s status or if he really likes our Honghong.”

Chen Dongsheng, thinking more deeply than his wife, shook his head and said, “He’s a country boy who managed to join the factory’s transport team. He must have some ability. I don’t think he’s dating Honghong because of our family’s status.”

“You mean, the boy really likes our Honghong?” Yu Huimin asked.

Chen Dongsheng picked up the newspaper and replied, “It’s hard to say right now. Don’t worry. I’ll go to the transport team tomorrow to ask. If it’s really like you said, we’ll find a way to separate them.”

“Alas, that’s the only way,” Yu Huimin sighed.

Both parents believed their family’s circumstances were good, their daughter was beautiful, and she had a decent job. However, they never suspected that it was their daughter’s one-sided wish, and that the other party was actually a married man.

Su Xiaqiu returned to the brigade headquarters that evening. The brigade leader had not yet left and was having a meeting with several team leaders in the office.

When the captain saw her, he took a letter from the table and said, “Su Xiaqiu, there’s a letter for you, sent from Haicheng.”

“Thank you, Captain.” Su Xiaqiu took the letter with a smile and said goodbye to the team leaders present. “You leaders are still working so late. You’re really working hard.”

Her words made everyone laugh. The leader of Group 4 asked her, “Su Xiaqiu, how is the construction of the house going?”

“It’s just the beginning, still early,” Su Xiaqiu replied, waving at them. “I won’t disturb the leaders from their meeting. Goodbye.”

A few of them smiled kindly.

Han Baoqiang, looked unhappy. He muttered to himself, “It’s really outrageous for a female comrade to be so smooth-talking. Zhenyu doesn’t even care about his wife.”

Su Xiaqiu had already gone out and didn’t hear what he said if she had, she would have definitely scolded him again.

Team leader Hongbing glanced at him and replied calmly, “Uncle Baoqiang, this is a new society. You should put away your old ways, or the younger generation will laugh at us for being old-fashioned.”

Han Baoqiang felt a little uncomfortable hearing the captain’s rebuke but could only smile and reply, “The captain is right.”

Su Xiaqiu touched the letter, noticing it felt quite thick, so she didn’t open it immediately.

She first lit the kerosene lamp and closed the door before opening the letter.