Witty Wife, Better Life-Chapter 49 - 47 Visiting Relatives

Chapter 49: 47 Chapter Visiting Relatives

Chapter 49: 47 Chapter Visiting Relatives

On the afternoon of the second day after New Year’s Day, a young man wearing a military overcoat and a cotton hat walked into Taoshu Village from outside.

After entering the village, Li Hongjun looked up in the direction of his home and wiped his face with his hand, scraping off the ice that had formed on his eyelashes. He was almost there.

He had set off from his unit on New Year’s Day, ridden on a train all night, transferred to a bus after getting off the train, and finally made it to the county town. With no transportation available from the county town to Taoshu Village, he had no choice but to walk back.

Hearing the knock on the door, Qiu Shuping, who was playing with her grandson on the kang, called out to her daughter, “Xianghe, go open the door and see who has come?”

“With so many people at home, why am I always the one called upon to do anything and everything? Can’t I get a day of rest?” Li Xianghe said reluctantly, but she obediently went to open the door anyway.

“Second Brother is back.”

After opening the door and seeing the person standing outside, Li Xianghe let out a scream, then shouted loudly.

“What’s the matter? What’s happening? Who’s here?” Qiu Shuping in the house, hearing her daughter’s shriek, quickly called out.

“Mom, it’s my Second Brother who has come back.” This time, Li Xianghe’s voice was even louder. “Second Brother, come in quickly. I’ll take your bag.” Ever since she saw her Second Brother return, her eyes hadn’t left the military bag slung over his shoulder.

Li Xianghe’s shout was heard not only by Qiu Shuping but by everyone in the Li Family. Now, the entire Li household was like a temple fair, with the eldest daughter, who had been busy in the kitchen, and the eldest son’s wife, son-in-law, and son, all running out of the house.

“Mom, I’m back,” said Li Hongjun, looking at the family gathered in the yard and smiling slightly.

“You child, we have finally been looking forward to having you back, but why wouldn’t you send us a telegram in advance to let us know?” Qiu Shuping complained, her eyes slightly red as she looked at her second son, whom she hadn’t seen for a year.

“Oh, Mom, let’s not talk about this outside. Let’s get your little brother-in-law inside to warm up,” the eldest daughter-in-law said anxiously, supporting her back with one hand.

Only then did Qiu Shuping remember that the whole family was still crowded at the entrance to the courtyard.

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“Alright, alright, let’s all go inside,” she said, stepping forward to pull her second son into the house.

So, a large group escorted Li Hongjun inside.

Seeing the old dad sitting on the kang, Li Hongjun’s eyes became slightly moist. “Dad, I’ve come back.”

Li Wangcai had barely managed to settle himself after hearing his daughter’s words, feeling a bit anxious to go outside and look, but maintaining his dignity, he contained his eagerness and waited for his second son to come inside to see him.

“How come you got leave this year?” Li Wangcai asked, looking at his second son, his face creasing deeper.

“We had some situation in the regiment, and since the regiment commander couldn’t return home, he gave me his leave,” explained Li Hongjun.

“It’s good you’re back, it’s good you’re back,” Li Wangcai said excitedly, patting his own son several times.

The family then gathered around Li Hongjun to catch up. Li Hongjun wasn’t a talkative person. When he used to be at home, his relationship with the family wasn’t that good, especially after his sister-in-law had married into the family, their relationship had approached rock bottom. This was one of the reasons he decided to join the army. Therefore, during the few times he came home on leave, apart from his old dad and elder sister, he found the others a bit too much to deal with, especially with their irrelevant questions.

Fortunately, it wasn’t long before the eldest sister, Li Xianglian, called everyone to eat, and Li Hongjun’s expression finally eased.

The Li Family was large, so they had to set up two tables today, one on top of the kang and another below. The family squeezed in closely and all sat down.

The Li Family was a large household. The head of the family, Li Wangcai, 52 years old, was an old soldier who, due to his service in the war, hadn’t returned home for several years. By the time he came back, his family had already decided on his behalf and married him to Qiu Shuping, now 55 years old. She was a very capable housewife who knew how to manage familial relations.

The eldest son, Li Hongxing, was 28 years old. His wife was Liu Jia, the niece of Qiu Shuping’s eldest sister’s family, now 26 years old. The couple had two grandsons for Qiu Shuping, one 6 years old named Li Shiguo, nicknamed Goudan, and another 4 years old named Li Shijia, nicknamed Erdan. Liu Jia was four months pregnant with another child.

Li Xianglian, the eldest daughter, was 26 years old; her son-in-law Liu Jianjun was 28 years old; they had three children: 7-year-old Liu Honglei, 6-year-old Liu Jia, and 3-year-old Liu Hongtao.

Li Hongjun was next in line.

Following him were an 18-year-old sister, Li Xianghe, and a 15-year-old brother, Li Hongqi.

They ate in two separate groups: men of all ages ate at the kang while the women ate at a table on the ground.

Li Xianghe watched the men chatting enthusiastically at the table, gritted her teeth, and finally couldn’t hold back. She suddenly asked, “Second brother, did you bring me a scarf when you came back?”

She had already rummaged through the small bag her second brother had brought back and found nothing, but she still hoped that perhaps Li Hongjun had the scarf on his person. After all, she had clearly asked for it in her letter.

“No, where I was is just mountains galore. They don’t sell those things there,” Li Hongjun took a glance at his sister and continued eating without raising his head.

“Then give me some money, and I’ll buy it myself,” Li Xianghe said, as if it were a matter of course.

“Are you begging for a beating or what? What’s there to buy? There isn’t spare money for that,” Qiu Shuping rebuked, although she doted on her eldest daughter. The money in her second son’s pocket was meant to show her respect, and now her eldest daughter was asking for it—that would be taking money out of her own pocket.

“Why not? He can give strangers five yuan a month, so why can’t he give me some? I’m his own sister, after all.” Li Xianghe was indignant, and she ended up voicing what should not have been said.

Instantly, Li Hongjun shot her a sharp glare. Li Xianghe pouted stubbornly in response, though she dared not continue the argument.

Qiu Shuping’s expression darkened. She glanced at her second son and her husband before turning to scold her daughter, “What nonsense are you spouting?” The issue was a sore point for her as well.

Why should her son, who wasn’t even married yet, be financially supporting the woman’s family? If there was so much money, couldn’t some of it be used to show more filial respect to her, his mother?

However, she knew her second son’s temperament well: he was as stubborn as a mule. She and her second son had never had a good relationship, and she truly feared that if she opposed him, he might give all his wages to that woman in a fit of pique. He was certainly capable of doing such a thing.

“Why can’t I speak about it if second brother can do it? I should be able to say it,” Li Xianghe muttered under her breath, still not convinced.

Li Hongjun glanced at his father but said nothing. He had discussed the matter with only his father and had asked him not to tell their mother. Now that everyone at home knew, it must have been his father who had said something.

Li Wangcai felt his face burning. His son had just told him to keep it a secret, and he had blabbed to his wife at the first chance. There was no way to justify it.

“Stop talking nonsense. She isn’t a stranger; she’s your future sister-in-law. Right now, your sister-in-law is alone and facing difficulties. What’s wrong with your brother giving her some money to get by?” Li Wangcai shouted defensively, his face red with frustration.

“Dad, please calm down. Xianghe doesn’t understand these things. Let her older sister talk to her later. It’s the New Year; let’s not be angry,” Liu Jianjun interjected, playing the peacemaker, a role he was accustomed to in the Li family.

“Grandpa, I want a chicken leg,” Li Shiguo chimed in at that moment, causing trouble.

“Me too, me too!” Liu Honglei and the other little rascals all joined in the chorus.

“Alright, alright, there’s enough for everyone,” Li Wangcai’s mood immediately brightened like a sunny break in cloudy skies.

“Mom, has Yunfang come by the house during the New Year?” Li Hongjun asked, as if it was an offhand question.

“No…” Before Qiu Shuping could finish, Li Xianghe interrupted, “The grains have already been moved here; why would she need to come?”

“What do you mean? What grains?”