Reborn in the 70s: Pampered by Regiment Commander-Chapter 548 - 373 Qiyan Returns

Second watch of the night.

---------------------

"Qihui!"

"Qihui!"

"..."

A series of shouts from outside filtered in, and Zhao Qihui quickly got up to welcome them. Chuxia and Luo Xiaoqiong poked their heads to look outside and saw a girl in her early twenties with thick eyebrows and big eyes, a robust figure, very much meeting the aesthetic standards of that era. Both of them recognized her—Zhao Qihui’s close friend Su Qin.

Knowing the two must have something private to discuss, Chuxia and Luo Xiaoqiong tactfully withdrew their heads and signaled to each other to let the curtain fall back into place.

"Su Qin, what’s happening?" There was a cart stopped outside; the visitor surely knew there were guests at her home, so Zhao Qihui asked with curiosity.

"Your sister and her husband are back," Su Qin pulled her outside and whispered mysteriously.

Zhao Qihui looked puzzled, "Which sister and brother-in-law of mine?"

"How many sisters do you have? Of course, Zhao Qiyan..." Su Qin suddenly smacked her forehead, "Right, there’s also a cart parked at your doorstep? Did someone important visit? Are you in a matchmaking meeting?"

"You really have an active imagination..." Zhao Qiyan shot her a glance, "It’s my aunt’s family and my future sister-in-law’s family who are here. I’m asking you, did you actually see Zhao Qiyan?"

"Could that be false? She greeted me herself and said that man was her husband." Su Qin leaned toward Zhao Qihui’s ear and whispered, "She’s put on quite some weight, and she was holding her lower back as she walked. It looks like she’s going to be a mother."

"Really... really?" Zhao Qihui repeated and realized she sounded redundant, so she laughed embarrassingly, "It’s not that I don’t believe you, I just habitually repeat things. It’s... it’s just so unexpected."

"Yeah, I was also startled, so I ran over to tell you right away..." As Su Qin spoke, her gaze kept darting into the house. Zhao Qihui sighed inwardly and tactfully conveyed that it was time for her friend to leave, "Su Qin, my cousin and my future sister-in-law are leaving for City A early tomorrow. I’ll come to see you then."

"Why hasn’t your brother come back?" Su Qin asked with a hint of persistence.

"He’s on a business trip and won’t be back for a while. My sister-in-law came with my cousin’s family. My cousin hasn’t been back since her marriage, so she took this opportunity to bring my aunt and uncle back home, and also to visit a few important relatives."

"Chuxia is really lucky." Since Chuxia often visited Zhao’s house, Su Qin was quite familiar with her. As for Chuxia becoming the Regimental Commander’s Wife, Su Qin could only admire her with envy. As for feelings like jealousy and spite, they were momentarily set aside.

"My grandma used to say that Chuxia has a face of fortune and that her future would certainly not be bad. One time, my aunt was present and she laughed so hard she nearly passed out..." Zhao Qihui sighed sentimentally, "Now looking at it, my grandma really was right. Of all our kids, she’s the most successful."

"You and Chuxia are close, so you won’t have to worry about the future. Not like me..." Su Qin couldn’t help sighing, "My parents are hell-bent on a big dowry. Tell me, whomever’s family it might be, if you’re cleaned out to marry a daughter-in-law home, will you treat her well? Thinking about the days ahead, I just get a headache."

"Su Qin, Chuxia has just married into the family, I really can’t bring myself to ask her for anything." Zhao Qihui had no choice but to speak plainly.

"I know, I know..." Su Qin’s eyes flashed with embarrassment, "I’m just venting to relieve my heart. If I talk to my parents, they’d scold me until I couldn’t look up.

Talking to my sister would only make her more heartbroken. The man she liked back then was split up by my parents. Now, she’s slaving away at her brother-in-law’s home, and if I mention this to her, wouldn’t I be rubbing salt in her wound?

In our village, I’m closest to you and can trust you, so I can talk to you about it. Of course, I also harbor the hope that you might be able to help me out.

Then again, I’m aware that you’re busy studying for university right now. If Chuxia really could get you a way out, why would you need to work so hard?"

"It’s not that Chuxia won’t help me, it’s that our entire family agreed we cannot just reach out our hands for help because Chuxia married into a good family. How would she be valued at her husband’s family if that happened?

You also know the situation of my aunt’s family. Even if we add up all of us, we’re nothing compared to my cousin’s husband’s family.

So, our family can only help my cousin and not hold her back. Su Qin, I know you’re also being pressured by your parents, but I really have no way out either," Zhao Qihui said with a look of difficulty.

"I know, I know..." Su Qin forced a strained smile, "I should head back home. Come see me tomorrow, I have something serious to discuss with you."

"What serious matter, and you’re being all secretive." Zhao Qihui sized her up, "You know me. Are you deliberately keeping me in suspense?"

"It’s not that..." After a pause, Su Qin said somewhat shyly, "My aunt introduced me to a suitor, from her hometown village. He’s coming to my house tomorrow to meet, and I got his photo yesterday. I want you to help me evaluate him. You have a better eye for people than I do. If you think he’s suitable, I’ll meet him formally tomorrow. If you don’t think he’s good, then I’ll just go through the motions."

"Don’t..." Zhao Qiyan said in shock, waving her hands, "If your mother hears you talking like this, she will eat me alive. Besides, I’m not as capable as you say. From a photo, you can only see what someone looks like. What else can you really tell?"

"Don’t be afraid, you’re pretty accurate at judging people’s character, and you have to give me your opinion on this matter," Su Qin said. Before Zhao Qihui could respond, Su Qin trotted out of the yard.

Zhao Qihui shook her head helplessly, turned around, and went back into the house. Li Aiyuan looked at her daughter, "What did Su Qin want, chattering on for so long?"

"She mainly told me that Zhao Qiyan is back, and she brought her husband with her..." As Zhao Qihui spoke, she looked towards Old Master Zhao and Old Lady Zhao, "Grandpa, Grandma, Su Qin said that Qiyan greeted her, and she even introduced the man as her husband..."

"Bang!" Before Zhao Qihui could finish, Old Master Zhao slammed his fist onto the kang bed, "Such a disgrace!"

"If they really are going to come, they might pop in later..." Li Aiyuan hesitantly looked at Old Lady Zhao, "Mom, should we start cooking now or wait until they’ve come and gone?"

Glancing at the clock on the wall, Old Lady Zhao said, "Let’s start cooking now. They can do their thing while we do ours. I don’t believe they can turn the sky upside down on us!"

Zhao Qihui timidly glanced at Old Master Zhao, "Grandpa, you’re not really going to throw a broom, are you?" Seeing the old man glare at her, she quickly added, "If you plan to, I’ll go to the other room to chop fillings. I’m afraid you might accidentally throw the knife onto my hand with the broom."

The anger on Old Master Zhao’s face immediately turned into embarrassment, he coughed, turned his head away, and fell silent.

Luo Xiaoqiong, clueless about what was happening, just looked at Chuxia puzzledly. Chuxia didn’t know either, so she pretended not to see Luo Xiaoqiong’s gaze and hung her head, playing dead.

Unfortunately for her, Luo Xiaoqiong wasn’t willing to let it go and nudged her, "Tell me what’s going on."

"I dare not," Chuxia said crisply. Although she didn’t know what was going on, she could tell from Old Master Zhao’s expression that it was surely some kind of blunder. But she couldn’t just make things up.

Old Lady Zhao thought she was scared of Old Master Zhao scolding her and didn’t want to embarrass her future daughter-in-law, so she picked up the conversation, "When your grandpa loses his temper, he’s not himself. That New Year, Qihui was on the kang edge chopping dumpling fillings when Qiyan arrived. Your grandpa asked her if she had finished her winter vacation homework yet, instead of answering, she was just idly tossing around.

Qiyan can’t stand it when someone doubts her, rolling her eyes as if your grandpa was worrying for nothing. He took the broom handle and threw it at her. She dodged with her leg, but it ended up hitting Qihui’s hand instead.

Qihui was sweeping up the fillings with a brush, and with such a violent smash, the pain made her pull back and her hand went straight onto the knife blade, slicing a big gash."

"The scar is still here," Zhao Qihui said, deliberately swinging her scar in front of Old Master Zhao’s eyes, "Grandpa, if I can’t get married, it will be your fault."

"Ahem..." Old Master Zhao coughed loudly, glowering at his granddaughter, "You’re talking nonsense. It’s only left a small white line, how can it be called a scar?"

"Woof, woof, woof..."

The sound of barking drew everyone’s attention to the window, only to see short-statured Zhao Qiyan and a short man waddling in.

"Brother, is that Liu Zhenqiang?" Chuxia asked Jing Zhe uncertainly.

"Yes," Jing Zhe nodded affirmatively, "Although he’s gone a bit pale, put on a fair bit of weight, and now wears gold-rimmed glasses, a toad is a toad, no matter how much it grows, it won’t turn into a frog."

Chuxia: "..." Is there much difference between the two?

"Grandpa, Grandma, Uncle, Eldest Uncle’s Wife, Little Aunt, Little Uncle... I’m back..." After greeting everyone, Zhao Qiyan pointed to the man beside her and introduced, "This is my husband, Liu Zhenqiang, currently the deputy chief of Luping District Police Station in Yunmen County of A City. Next year, he’ll be promoted to chief..."

The smug look on her granddaughter’s face made Old Master Zhao extremely uncomfortable. He wanted to wave his hand and chase this shameless granddaughter away, but there were still Luo Gangshun’s family and Jing Zhe in the house. He gritted his teeth and endured as long as he could, but finally, he couldn’t hold it any longer and, with a loud "bang," he slapped the kang edge. "Zhao Yushan!"

"Dad?" Uncle Zhao Yushan quickly stood up and looked at his father, confused about what he meant.

"Take Zhao Qiyan to the village committee, let her announce it through the loudspeaker, and while you’re at it, let her tell everyone about how she has cut ties with our family."

"Dad..." Zhao Yushan looked at Old Master Zhao torn, unsure of what to do.

"If you won’t go, I will. Give me the keys to the village committee." The old man said as he began to slide off the kang.

"Thump!" Liu Zhenqiang knelt down and gave three loud kowtows, then stood up and looked earnestly at Old Master Zhao, "Grandpa, Qiyan had many faults in the past, I’m here on her behalf to apologize to you. She’s not showing off right now, she just wants Grandpa to know that she married into a good family and wants you to be at ease." The story is to be continued. If you like this work, you are welcome to visit Qidian (qidian.com) to cast a vote for recommendation or monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please go to m.qidian.com to continue reading.

This chapter is updated by freew(e)bnovel.(c)om