Chapter 70

“Xiao Zhou, Xiaoyu, how can you say that about me?” Zhang Mengdi felt very wronged.
“We’re all family. What’s wrong with relatives chatting about these things? Besides, you should call me Cousin Auntie. Once I marry your uncle, our families will be even more closely related.”

The matter of asking about the salary was true—not only did she want to know, even her aunt was curious. Neither the father of the two kids nor Fu Qingshan had ever told the family how much they earned each month after starting work. Zhang Mengdi felt that the brothers’ way of doing things really hurt her aunt’s feelings. Her aunt was only trying to do good and was worried about the family. Who doesn’t support their family once they grow up and start working? Fu Zhuohua had passed away, so Fu Qingshan was supposed to take on the responsibility of supporting their parents and younger brothers.

But exactly how much Fu Qingshan earned each month? Neither her aunt, the stepmother, nor even her uncle, the biological father, knew. Zhang Mengdi thought Fu Qingshan wasn’t very filial and was too guarded with the family. She hadn’t expected to find out about Fu Qingshan’s salary—she couldn’t even get information from Xiao Zhou and Xiaoyu.

People said Fu Qingshan treated his two nephews especially well, but Zhang Mengdi felt that was exaggerated; otherwise, these two kids wouldn’t even know how much their own uncle earned each month. Still, that didn’t stop Zhang Mengdi from wanting to marry Fu Qingshan. Fu Qingshan was the most handsome young man in town—he was probably the best-looking young man even in the county seat. He had attended military school, was a proper university graduate with a respectable job, and everyone in town praised him as a promising young man. If she could marry Fu Qingshan, who knows how many girls in town would envy her.

“This young lady, please don’t talk nonsense,” Fu Qingshan said coldly, scolding her, “What you’re saying damages my reputation and causes me great trouble.”

Qiao Xinyi burst out laughing and looked down at the two children. “Is this the aunt your stepmother found for your uncle?”

Fu Linzhou shook his head seriously. “No, that’s not her. The other aunt is from the county seat—that’s the aunt Grandma Zhang likes.”

Zhang Mengdi didn’t know about this. When Fu Linzhou said her aunt liked the county girl, her expression immediately changed.

“Xiao Zhou, what did you say? You mean my aunt found another one for Brother Qingshan?” Zhang Mengdi suddenly got anxious. She wondered why she hadn’t heard her aunt mention this to her parents these past few days, or she wouldn’t have come early to Aunt Feng’s to ask Feng Zhenzhu about it. But Feng Zhenzhu was tight-lipped—she didn’t even know Fu Qingshan had come back today until he arrived.

“That aunt said if she marries Uncle, she can help Uncle Three find a formal job in the county seat. Grandpa and Grandma Zhang were so happy that they grabbed that aunt’s hand and called her daughter-in-law,” Fu Zeyu pouted.

“You and that auntie are both no good. Brother and I don’t like you,” Fu Zeyu said as he walked over to Qiao Xinyi and held her hand. “My uncle has a girlfriend now. Brother and I like this bald auntie.”

Qiao Xinyi sighed. Those kids’ mouths—“auntie” is auntie enough, but “bald auntie”? What kind of compliment is that?

Aunt Feng hurriedly added, “Zhang Mengdi, Fu Qingshan has a girlfriend now. What you said just now was really inappropriate. Young people today all advocate freedom in marriage. What your family and your aunt discuss privately isn’t final. You said those things in front of Qingshan’s girlfriend. If people misunderstand, won’t you cause trouble for the young couple?”

Aunt Feng really looked down on the Zhang family—not because Zhang Zao hadn’t gone to school. Aunt Feng hadn’t been to school either. But Zhang Zao and the Zhang family’s behavior was really hard to describe—frankly, they were selfish and shameless.

As soon as Feng Zhenzhu heard that Fu Qingshan had a girlfriend, she instantly became happy.
“Zhang Mengdi, did you hear that? Brother Qingshan has a girlfriend now. Don’t come looking for me anymore. We were never really friends anyway, yet you keep coming by every now and then, acting like we’re super close.”

Feng Zhenzhu pouted, clearly displeased. “When classmates see you coming to find me, they make a fuss, thinking maybe I have something going on with your brother. I’m really fed up with you siblings.”

Zhang Mengdi was self-deluded, and so was her brother, thinking that because she associated with Zhang Mengdi, she was interested in him, making them quite smug at school. A few words from the group made Zhang Mengdi’s eyes redden. She bit her lip and looked at Fu Qingshan, hoping he would speak up for her.

At this moment, she was angry both at her aunt for going back on her word and at Fu Qingshan for completely disregarding her feelings and dignity. Her parents had already told people she was going to marry her aunt’s stepson, Fu Qingshan, and live well with him, but now Fu Qingshan suddenly brought home a girlfriend. How was she supposed to hold her head high in front of the neighbors?

“Brother Qingshan, how can you secretly have a girlfriend outside? Our families agreed that once you came back, you’d marry me~” Zhang Mengdi turned to look at Qiao Xinyi and suddenly cursed.

“You shameless woman! Are there no men in your big city? Are you really that cheap? As soon as you see a man, you can’t let go? Why must you steal Brother Qingshan from me?”

Qiao Xinyi laughed in anger and gave Fu Qingshan a look. The trouble with this bad matchmaker was his problem to solve.

Fu Qingshan’s expression was very unpleasant, and his voice was cold and harsh.
“Zhang Mengdi, I want you to apologize to my girlfriend!”

“And I am a person, not an object. I’m not someone that Zheng Youliang or Zhang Zao can just give away as they please. Whoever I want to marry is my own business, and they have no right to interfere!”

Zhang Mengdi’s words were harsh, but Fu Qingshan didn’t give her any face.
“Whoever agreed to let you marry into the Zheng family can marry you. But as for me—even if I never have a girlfriend, even if I stay single all my life—I would never marry you. If your Zhang family wants to become even closer relatives, well, Zheng Dajiang doesn’t have a girlfriend either. Marrying him would truly make the families closer.”

Zhang Mengdi really started crying, her eyes full of tears as she looked at Fu Qingshan.
“Brother Qingshan, how can you treat me like this? Our families are relatives, right?”

“My mom only had me and my older brother. I don’t have a sister. Don’t call me Brother Qingshan anymore; we aren’t close. From now on, when you see me, call me Comrade Fu Qingshan.”

Fu Qingshan didn’t want to hear any of the Zhang family calling him Brother Qingshan.

“You must apologize to my girlfriend. If you don’t apologize here, when you go back to Zhangjia Village, you’ll have to apologize in front of the whole village.”

Zhang Mengdi’s face went pale, her tears stuck in her throat. If this got blown up in the village, would she still have any reputation? If she couldn’t marry into the Zheng family, could she still get married at all?

“I…” Zhang Mengdi’s tears fell harder. “You’ve abandoned me. I’m already so miserable, why do you treat me like this?”

“Who abandoned you? You say the funniest things.” Feng Zhenzhu looked at her with disgust. “Brother Qingshan never paid attention to you. It’s just you and your family being self-deluded.”

Seeing that no one in the yard wanted to speak up for her—even the two kids she had always tried to please were making faces at her—Zhang Mengdi waited a few seconds, saw Fu Qingshan wasn’t joking, and had no choice but to grit her teeth and apologize.

“Sorry, what I said earlier was inappropriate.”

Zhang Mengdi wasn’t sure if it was shame or sadness over losing the man she thought she had won. After apologizing, she cried and covered her face as she ran away. Passing by Qiao Xinyi, she deliberately bumped her hard with her shoulder.