Chapter 35: Good Deeds Are Rewarded

“Xiuxiu, are you going to the hospital to see Captain Jiang?”

Wu Zhipeng came home from work at noon and saw his sister carrying a lunchbox and a jar heading out. He smiled with a twinkle in his eyes.

“Yeah.” Wu Xiuxiu’s pretty cheeks flushed a light pink. She nodded shyly.

“Mom made pork bone soup and meatball soup today. I’ll bring them to Brother Yunhan to try.”

It had been three days since Brother Yunhan, disregarding his own safety, chased her to the printing factory family housing area, fainted and was admitted to the hospital. She waited at the hospital until Brother Yunhan woke up, accepted his proposal, and confirmed their relationship.

These past few days, Mom had been asking her to visit Brother Yunhan at the hospital every day and bring him delicious food.

Thinking about it made her feel guilty towards her family.

The reason she felt guilty was because Mom bought several pounds of meat every day just to let her bring food to Brother Yunhan.

During this time, each person was only allotted one pound of meat per month. Furthermore, meat was expensive, costing 7 or 8 cents per pound.

Their family of four had four pounds of meat a month, but it was already the end of the month, and they had finished all four pounds.

To ensure her daughter could bring meat to Brother Yunhan every day, Mom went to great lengths and found someone to help her get five meat tickets, buying five pounds of meat. Two pounds were specifically pork bones, for making soup for Brother Yunhan.

Five pounds of meat was quite a lot of money. For their family’s financial situation, it was a significant burden.

Moreover, it was the end of the month, and her brother’s salary would soon be spent.

Earlier, she overheard Mom talking to her sister-in-law, saying that they only had a few cents left. They were truly broke.

She decided that after returning from the hospital, she would take some meat and other food from her space and bring it home. She would also give Mom fifty yuan.

She had already gone to Brother Jiang as planned and sold him a thousand eggs, earning one hundred and seventy yuan.

Giving Mom fifty yuan was no problem!

When Mom and the others in the family asked where she got the things and the money, she would just say she found a hundred yuan.

Mom and the others might not believe her, but there was no evidence to prove she was lying, so they would eventually believe her.

Actually, she wanted to come up with a better explanation, but she had been racking her brains for days and couldn’t think of anything.

She hadn’t found a job yet, and she couldn’t tell them about her going to the black market to sell things for money. She could say she went to the black market, but she couldn’t explain where the things she sold came from.

Therefore, after much deliberation, she decided to go with “found money.”

“Our mom is really good to Captain Jiang, her future son-in-law. She makes delicious food for him every day, with meat in every meal.” Wu Zhipeng laughed.

“Captain Jiang is injured, and he needs to replenish his strength now. Of course, I’ll make delicious food for him every day, with meat in every meal.”

At this moment, Ding Hongjuan walked out from the kitchen and spoke.

“Captain Jiang can feel his future mother-in-law’s love and care every day. He must feel very warm inside, thinking that his future mother-in-law is the best in the world.”

Following behind Ding Hongjuan, Dong Xiaoye also came out of the kitchen and laughed.

Ding Hongjuan felt a little embarrassed. She turned back and lightly glared at her daughter-in-law. “You little girl, you’re getting bolder and bolder. Now you dare to tease your mother-in-law and make fun of her!”

“Mom, I’m innocent. How could I dare to tease you or make fun of you? Even if you gave me ten more lives, I wouldn’t dare!” Dong Xiaoye quickly waved her hands and shook her head.

Ding Hongjuan curled her lips, and said to her daughter-in-law, son, and daughter, “Our family’s conditions are really incomparable to Captain Jiang’s. Our social standing is too far apart. We can only try our best to be good to Captain Jiang, to make him think that our family and Xiuxiu are good.”

Because of this idea, even though they were left with only a few cents, she still went to great lengths to get meat tickets, spending extravagantly to buy five pounds of meat. She cooked delicious food every day and had her daughter bring it to the hospital for Captain Jiang.

“Mom, you’re so wise!” Dong Xiaoye gave her mother-in-law a thumbs-up, flattering her.

“You’re just being sarcastic.” Ding Hongjuan curled her lips again.

“Mom, why do you have such strange customs in your hometown that prevent me from going to the hospital to visit Captain Jiang right away?”

Wu Zhipeng suddenly looked at his mother, a hint of frustration in his eyes.

“I haven’t met Captain Jiang yet. I really want to see him.

After all, he’s my future brother-in-law. I need to meet him soon and see what he’s like.” He was filled with curiosity.

After learning about Jiang Yunhan, he wanted to rush to the hospital to visit his future brother-in-law, but his mother wouldn’t allow it.

His mother said that according to the customs of their hometown, as the only man in the family, his first meeting with his brother-in-law should be at his sister’s house.

This way, his sister and brother-in-law would be happy after marriage and everything would go smoothly. Otherwise, the opposite would be true.

Although he found this custom strange, he thought it was better to be safe than sorry.

For his sister’s happiness and smooth sailing after marrying Captain Jiang, he could only patiently wait for Captain Jiang to recover and come home from the hospital. Then he would meet his future brother-in-law.

Thinking about this, Wu Zhipeng shifted his gaze to his sister.

“Xiuxiu, when will Captain Jiang recover? When can he be discharged?”

“The doctor said it will be at least half a month,” Wu Xiuxiu replied. “Brother, are you so eager to see Captain Jiang?”

“Of course!” Wu Zhipeng said. “He’s my future brother-in-law. He’s going to spend his life with you, take care of you for the rest of your life…

As your brother, and since Dad is gone, the saying goes that the elder brother is like a father. I have to carefully examine him for you to see if he’s a good person, if I can trust him with you.”

“Don’t worry, Captain Jiang is excellent in every way. He’s absolutely someone worthy of a lifetime commitment…

Just his Captain status alone can protect Xiuxiu for life, preventing anyone from bullying her. It can ensure that Xiuxiu lives a stable and prosperous life.” Ding Hongjuan said.

“Like Mom said, Zhipeng, you can rest assured,” Dong Xiaoye quickly nodded in agreement.

“Yes,” Wu Zhipeng nodded. “Indeed, just his Captain status alone can protect Xiuxiu for life, preventing anyone from bullying her, and ensuring that Xiuxiu lives a stable and prosperous life.

Luo Yong came to me again, forcing me to help Xiuxiu break off the engagement and give her to him. He threatened and intimidated me, saying he would do this and that if I didn’t agree.

I told him that Xiuxiu’s fiancé is a soldier, a Captain, and he immediately backed down. He hasn’t come to harass or pressure me these past two days.”

Hearing this, the three women in the Wu family breathed a sigh of relief.

Wu Xiuxiu said, “Brother Yunhan’s status is really effective. Just mentioning it scared away that scoundrel Luo Yong.”

“Captain Jiang is truly a timely rain! His appearance has solved all the problems Xiuxiu was facing!

Now we don’t have to worry about Xiuxiu not finding a good man to marry for a while, and we don’t have to worry about Luo Yong coveting Xiuxiu anymore!” Wu Zhipeng laughed.

“Didn’t someone who knew about fortune-telling say that Xiuxiu has a very lucky face, a face of wealth and prosperity? They were right!” Dong Xiaoye also said with a smile.

“Our Xiuxiu’s good fortune is truly extraordinary. Her luck is incredible. She donated blood to save Captain Jiang, and while he was unconscious, he fell in love with her. He left the hospital against medical advice to find her and propose.

I heard that a Captain’s salary is very high. Their monthly salary plus allowance is over a hundred yuan.

And Captain Jiang is also a high-ranking official’s child. His family must be very wealthy. Xiuxiu marrying him will definitely mean eating and drinking well every day, enjoying endless wealth and prosperity.”

“This is what happens when good deeds are rewarded. Our Xiuxiu is kind. She risked her life to donate blood to Captain Jiang, saving his life, and that’s why he fell in love with her while unconscious and wanted to marry her!” Ding Hongjuan looked at her daughter, smiling happily, her eyes sparkling with admiration.

Dong Xiaoye and Wu Zhipeng quickly nodded in agreement. Ding Hongjuan praised her daughter a few more times, then suddenly looked like she remembered something and furrowed her brow slightly.

“Xiuxiu, don’t delay. Go to the hospital to see Captain Jiang. If you delay any longer, the bone broth and meatball soup will get cold. It won’t taste as good if it’s cold.” Ding Hongjuan waved to her daughter.

“Okay, I’m going.” Wu Xiuxiu quickly nodded.

She had forgotten her main purpose after seeing her brother come back and chatting with him, her mother, and her sister-in-law. She really wasn’t a good fiancée or girlfriend.