My Mother-in-Law is Reborn [Seventies]

Ming Mei was at home during her postpartum confinement, and the busiest person was Zhao Guihua.

The New Year holiday was only a few days long, and although Zhuang Zhixi had a few extra days of paternity leave, it passed by in the blink of an eye. Once the holiday was over, he had to return to work. In those days, there was no such thing as taking leave because your wife was in confinement. That would have invited gossip and criticism.

Moreover, the factory wouldn’t grant such leave anyway.

Zhuang Zhixi had already been home longer than most, and once he went back to work, Zhao Guihua was left to manage everything at home. Don’t think being a housewife is easy—with Ming Mei in confinement, Zhao Guihua felt like the household chores had doubled overnight.

What she missed most was the idea of a postpartum doula.

Unfortunately, such services didn’t exist back then.

After some thought, Zhao Guihua realized that while the rest of the family was at work, she could manage on her own, but now she also had to take care of Ming Mei’s meals, which had to be prepared separately. She eventually decided to seek help from Wang Zhaodi.

The two of them had a whispered discussion, and then they consulted Jiang Lu.

No one knew exactly what they talked about, but from that day on, Wang Zhaodi started coming over daily to help. After finishing her chores at the Zhou household in the morning, she would come to Zhao Guihua’s place to clean, do the laundry, and prepare lunch and dinner.

However, Wang Zhaodi’s frequent visits to Zhao Guihua’s place didn’t attract much attention.

This was mainly because no one in the front courtyard paid much attention to such things. Wang Xiangxiu was too busy taking care of her children, Bai Fendou was too mopey over his recent heartbreak to notice, and as for Uncle Lan—he had to go to work.

With Wang Zhaodi’s help, Zhao Guihua’s workload became much lighter. She was a good mother-in-law, going out of her way to prepare delicious meals for Ming Mei.

For instance, early one morning, she went out and came back with a carp. She made a carp and tofu soup for Ming Mei, simmering it for so long that the broth turned a milky white. When Zhao Guihua brought the soup to Ming Mei, Ming Mei said, “Thank you, Mom.”

Zhao Guihua rolled her eyes. “What kind of nonsense are you saying? It’s only right to take care of you during your confinement.”

Ming Mei smiled softly and took small sips of the soup. Despite eating so well—today it was carp and tofu soup, tomorrow pig trotters with soybeans, and the day after that, chicken stewed with chestnuts—Ming Mei didn’t gain any weight.

On the other hand, the two babies, who had started out as skinny, reddish little monkeys, had quickly transformed into plump, fair-skinned little darlings.

Both babies had chubby cheeks and arms that looked like little lotus roots.

The two little ones had big appetites, and it was a good thing Ming Mei was eating so well, or else she might not have been able to keep up with their demands. Fortunately, aside from their hearty appetites, the babies were easy to care for. They rarely cried and mostly just ate and slept.

Besides the babies, the ones who had gained weight were Hutou and Xiao Yanzi.

These two kids were lucky—Ming Mei’s confinement period happened to coincide with their winter break, so they were home every day. Since Ming Mei was eating so well, the two kids also got to enjoy a bowl of something delicious every day.

They were thrilled.

Hutou said with a silly grin, “If Auntie Ming Mei keeps having babies, that would be great.”

Zhao Guihua scolded, “Stop dreaming and go play.”

Hutou chuckled and, after finishing his meal, ran off with his sister to play with their friends.

While Ming Mei was still in confinement, Li Fang finished hers. She came to visit Ming Mei, carrying her baby girl, whom she had named Zhenzhen. Her full name was Li Zhenzhen.

Li Weiwei, Li Junjun, and Li Zhenzhen—those were her three children.

Little Zhenzhen was about ten days older than Ming Mei’s twins, and she was also a chubby little thing.

As a chef, Li Fang’s husband made sure his family never went hungry, and Li Fang herself had gained quite a bit of weight. She had originally been slim and tall, but now she looked a bit stocky. This wasn’t surprising, though, since her mother, Aunt Wang, was also a sturdy woman.

That was probably why Aunt Wang had been chosen as the courtyard manager—she was someone who could handle things.

And yes, this year, she was still in charge.

Aunt Wang felt like she was being tied to this position forever, and it was exhausting.

She had already identified Zhou Qun as her successor, but since Zhou Qun had a job and wasn’t around the courtyard much, it wasn’t a good fit. So, Aunt Wang tearfully accepted another term.

Li Fang now resembled her mother more than ever. She brought Li Zhenzhen over, but the little chubby girl was still too young to play with anyone and was mostly sleepy. The three babies were laid side by side, and they all looked adorable.

Li Fang sighed, “How did you manage to raise them so fair-skinned?”

Ming Mei’s eyes sparkled as she teased, “Well, I’m fair-skinned, and Zhuang Zhixi is too. They take after us.”

Li Fang: “…”

Can we even have a proper conversation?

Is this how you’re going to talk?

She muttered, “Well, you *are* fair-skinned.”

Ming Mei laughed, and after she was done, she said, “I’ve also been drinking milk powder—the kind meant for adults—and they’ve been drinking my milk, so that might have something to do with it. But honestly, I don’t really know. This is my first time raising babies.”

Li Fang was surprised. “You’ve been drinking milk powder?”

Ming Mei: “The kind specifically for adults.”

Although Li Fang had eaten well during her own pregnancies, she couldn’t help but marvel, “You’re living the good life.”

Ming Mei: “I’m in confinement, after all. My mom and mother-in-law both say that the postpartum period is very important. If you do it right, your body will recover well. But if you don’t, it can really take a toll on your health.”

Li Fang nodded in agreement.

She had given birth to three children and was still in great health, all because she had taken good care of herself during her confinements. After all, it was her own mother who had looked after her, so of course she had been well cared for. Li Fang had also seen neighbors who hadn’t been so fortunate—some women had to do chores and even wash clothes with cold water during their confinements, leaving their health in shambles.

Some of them, still young, already looked pale and fragile, as if they could break at any moment.

Li Fang said, “Aunt Zhao is really good. She might seem strict, but look how carefully she’s taking care of you during your confinement. It’s like having your own mother here.”

Ming Mei smiled softly. “I know.”

Zhao Guihua walked in at that moment. “That’s a nice thing to say, but since when am I strict?”

Li Fang immediately apologized. “I was wrong.”

Zhao Guihua chuckled. “You sure know how to apologize quickly. I made some glutinous rice balls. Have some.”

Li Fang shook her head. “No, thanks. My parents have already prepared some.”

Her family never lacked for good food. During the New Year season, her father and husband took every opportunity to work as freelance chefs, so their household was always well-stocked with delicious meals. It wasn’t just Li Fang who had gained weight during her confinement—the whole family had.

She asked, “When will Ming Mei finish her confinement?”

Ming Mei: “Around mid-March. I’m doing a 45-day confinement.”

Li Fang looked at Ming Mei in surprise. Ming Mei smiled and said, “I didn’t want it to be so long… I feel like I’m going to start smelling. But my husband thinks I went through a lot, so he wants me to take extra time to recover properly. I couldn’t argue with him.”

Li Fang opened her mouth to say something but stopped herself. Instead, she said, “That’s not a bad idea. He’s not wrong.”

What Li Fang really wanted to say was that Ming Mei’s labor had been quick.

She had given birth three times herself and had seen many other women go through childbirth. None of them had had it as easy as Ming Mei. Ming Mei had started feeling uncomfortable after lunch on New Year’s Eve and went to the hospital. She had some contractions, but they subsided quickly.

The real labor pains started on the morning of New Year’s Day. She was admitted to the delivery room in the morning and had given birth by noon.

By any measure, that was a fast delivery.

Li Fang thought Ming Mei had had it easy—it really didn’t seem like she had suffered much.

But then again, she decided not to say anything. If the couple felt like Ming Mei had gone through a lot, it wasn’t her place to comment. Besides, Ming Mei had people taking care of her, and Li Fang once again marveled at how good a mother-in-law Zhao Guihua was.

Since giving birth, Li Fang’s own mother-in-law hadn’t even visited.

Li Fang said, “I really envy you.”

Ming Mei burst out laughing. “What’s there to envy? You’re doing just fine yourself.”

Li Fang smiled. “I envy you for having such a good mother-in-law.”

Zhao Guihua: “You’re just finding ways to compliment me now.”

Li Fang: “Exactly!”

She held the child and chatted for a while, and it was almost noon before she started heading back. As she passed by the Zhou family’s house, Aunt Zhou called out to Li Fang, saying, “Fangfang, why did you bring your chubby little girl out?”

Li Fang pursed her lips and replied, “Aunt Zhou, my baby’s name is Zhenzhen.”

What kind of name is “chubby little girl”? She’s a proper young lady!

That name doesn’t sound nice at all.

Aunt Zhou chuckled, “Alright, alright, Zhenzhen it is. But your Zhenzhen is indeed a chubby little girl, isn’t she?”

Li Fang asked, “Aunt Zhou, do you need something? If not, I should head home.”

Aunt Zhou quickly said, “Wait, wait a moment. I need to ask you something.”

She continued, “You’ve finished your postpartum confinement, right? Are you planning to host a full-month celebration?”

Li Fang shook her head, “No, we’ll just have a family meal. It’s not appropriate to hold such events now. Supplies are tight, and it’s not encouraged anyway.”

Aunt Zhou nodded and said, “Oh, I see.” Then she asked, “What about their family? Zhuang Zhixi’s wife, Ming Mei, still has about ten days left in her confinement, right? Are they not hosting one either?”

Li Fang replied, “I’m not sure about that. I suppose they won’t either. Besides, her confinement period is longer, so they’re probably too busy to host anything.”

“Longer?”

“Yes, her confinement is forty-five days.”

“What?!” Aunt Zhou was shocked. “That’s… Back in our day, we had to take care of the baby right after giving birth. There was no such thing as a confinement period. If someone managed to rest for ten days, they were considered lucky. Now it’s forty-five days?!”

Li Fang smiled and said, “Times were different back then. Life is better now, so things have changed. Besides, Aunt Zhao is very good to her daughter-in-law. She wants Ming Mei to recover properly during her confinement, which is the right thing to do.”

Aunt Zhou didn’t say anything else, just muttered an “Oh” and turned to go home.

Although she went home, a competitive feeling started brewing in her heart. There were three pregnant women in the compound, and everyone had been paying attention. Li Fang had her mother taking care of her, ensuring she ate well, and her little girl had grown into a chubby baby. Ming Mei was having a long confinement period.

That left her family, didn’t it?

No, this absolutely wouldn’t do. Her family couldn’t fall behind. As the wealthiest family in the compound, they couldn’t be lacking in anything. Since that was the case, they absolutely couldn’t lose face. That Zhao Guihua was really cunning, probably using this to boost her own reputation.

Others might not know, but she did.

Even though Zhao Guihua claimed to be taking care of her daughter-in-law during confinement, she had also hired Wang Zhaodi to help.

She didn’t know the exact details, but Aunt Zhou was aware that Wang Zhaodi was being paid. No wonder Zhao Guihua was willing to let her daughter-in-law have such a long confinement—she didn’t have to do much of the work herself!

And she got a good reputation out of it!

How cunning!

Hmph, as if she couldn’t do the same?

Aunt Zhou thought she could easily follow suit.

Learning from others wouldn’t lead her astray.

She pursed her lips, firm in her resolve. If Zhao Guihua could do it, so could she.

In the past, she had been too straightforward, always complaining and grumbling, which made people think poorly of her. But now she realized that one needed to know how to build a good reputation. Look at Zhao Guihua—wasn’t that exactly what she was doing?

That very evening, Aunt Zhou announced, “Jiang Lu, once you give birth, we’ll have a fifty-day confinement period.”

Jiang Lu: “???”

Her chopsticks trembled slightly.

Aunt Zhou smirked coldly and said arrogantly, “Our Zhou family is the wealthiest in the compound. We can’t lose face.”

Jiang Lu: “???”

Zhou Qun chimed in, “That works.”

As a man, he didn’t really care about such things.

Aunt Zhou sneered, “Heh.”

Zhao Guihua, you’re only doing forty-five days? We’ll do more!

Hah, can’t beat that, can you?

No one knew about Aunt Zhou’s competitive streak. Everyone was too busy to care about such things. Ming Mei wasn’t allowed out until mid-March, and by then, she felt like she was going moldy. However, the benefits of a long confinement period were evident.

Despite having just given birth, her complexion was even better than before—rosy and glowing.

Ming Mei carried her little basket and called out to Li Fang. The two of them went to the bathhouse together. After their bath, they felt refreshed and invigorated. Unlike the men who could spend the whole day chatting inside, the women didn’t linger for long.

The weather was cold, and since they had just given birth, they couldn’t afford to be careless.

Ming Mei wrapped a towel tightly around her head, double-layered, not caring about how it looked as long as it kept her warm. As soon as she got home, Wang Zhaodi came over and asked, “Sister Ming Mei, where are the clothes you just changed out of?”

Ming Mei: “…”

She felt a bit embarrassed but was starting to get used to it.

She said, “Don’t touch my undergarments. I’ll wash those myself.”

Wang Zhaodi nodded, “I know.”

She took Ming Mei’s outer clothes and the damp towel to wash. Aunt Zhao brought over two pots of hot water for her to use. Wang Zhaodi smiled brightly, not feeling tired at all.

Even though she was now working for both the Zhou and Zhuang families, the workload was nothing compared to what she used to do at home. Back then, she had to do much more, even going out to gather firewood in the winter, leaving her hands covered in chilblains.

As for washing clothes… she had to chip a hole in the frozen river and wash them in icy water. No one cared if the water was freezing. It wasn’t just her family—many in her village did the same. Every winter, their hands would be riddled with chilblains.

But now, even though she was being paid for her work, both Aunt Zhao and Aunt Zhou made sure she had hot water to use.

It felt so warm, something even her own mother had never done for her.

After washing and hanging the clothes, Wang Zhaodi patted her hands in satisfaction.

Mid-March wasn’t that cold anymore, and she felt that the work wasn’t too taxing.

She secretly touched her savings, feeling even more motivated.

Aunt Zhao wasn’t hiring Wang Zhaodi for free. She paid her ten yuan a month.

The ten yuan covered two tasks: cooking lunch and dinner, and washing clothes and diapers—mainly the baby’s diapers. In winter, people didn’t change their clothes often.

Underwear wasn’t her responsibility, and outerwear wasn’t changed frequently.

So Wang Zhaodi felt a bit guilty about the money, but Aunt Zhao insisted she deserved it. She had worked hard, and the payment was fair. Besides, it helped their family in a time of need.

Ten yuan was indeed a significant amount, but it was because the baby was still young and needed care. Once the child grew a bit older, they wouldn’t need to spend this money anymore. Of course, this wasn’t something they could openly discuss.

Aside from Jiang Lu, no one knew Wang Zhaodi was being paid.

After all, Wang Zhaodi still lived and ate with the Zhou family, so they had to inform Jiang Lu.

Since they needed to consider Jiang Lu’s upcoming childbirth, they agreed to end the employment relationship around the time Jiang Lu gave birth. Wang Zhaodi and Aunt Zhao had settled on three months, and she had already received her second month’s payment.

Since arriving last year, Wang Zhaodi had saved up a decent amount of money and felt incredibly happy. After finishing her work, she didn’t rest. Instead, she picked up her newly bought fishing rod and headed out. She hadn’t gone far when she ran into Qiang Dandan.

He glanced at the fishing rod in her hand and asked, “Going fishing? Why aren’t you riding your bike?”

Wang Zhaodi replied, “Zhou Qun took the bike today. I’ll just walk.”

Without hesitation, Qiang Dandan said cheerfully, “Hop on. I’ll give you a ride.”

“Huh?”

Wang Zhaodi looked at him in surprise. He said, “I’m heading there too. Might as well go together.”

Wang Zhaodi knew that Qiang Dandan often went fishing. She had run into him a few times, and their skills were about the same.

“What are you waiting for? Get on!” Qiang Dandan urged. “It’s more fun with company.”

After a moment of hesitation, Wang Zhaodi said, “Alright then.”

She hopped onto the back of his bike, and Qiang Dandan pedaled off swiftly.

Wang Zhaodi quickly steadied him, her face slightly flushed. Da Qiang, however, remained oblivious and said, "Let me tell you, I know the best spot, but there's always this old man who tries to take it from me. It's so annoying! If he gets there before me, fine, but sometimes he shows up late and still expects me to give it up. Isn't that just too much? Sometimes I refuse, and he starts acting all high and mighty because of his age. This time, let's go together. If he starts nagging again, you’ve got to back me up. We’ll stand our ground."

Wang Zhaodi replied, "That’s really too much! He’s just taking advantage of his age!"

"Exactly!"

"Let’s deal with him together."

"Sounds good to me."

The two of them quickly rode their bikes to the moat and soon found a decent spot. Wang Zhaodi didn’t know much about good or bad fishing spots, but since Da Qiang said people fought over this one, it must be good.

"This is the place. Last time I was here, I caught a huge fish. Do you know what I mean by huge? It weighed almost eight or nine pounds! I couldn’t even finish it by myself…"

"That’s really impressive!"

"Right?"

They sat down and baited their hooks. Wang Zhaodi had prepared the bait herself earlier.

Da Qiang, curious, asked, "How long are you planning to stay with the Zhou family?"

He was just being nosy.

Who wouldn’t be curious?

Wang Zhaodi replied, "I’m not sure. I’ll stay for now. Maybe my parents will call me back soon, or maybe Sister Jiang Lu won’t need me anymore."

She wiped her face and added, "I really don’t know."

Da Qiang nodded and said, "I heard Aunt Zhou is your godmother? You’ve got a big heart. That old lady isn’t exactly known for being kind. She’s fierce and has a sharp tongue."

Wang Zhaodi frowned at this. "Da Qiang, you shouldn’t say that. My godmother is actually very kind. Sure, her words can be harsh, but she’s not a bad person."

It wasn’t surprising that Wang Zhaodi had a different perspective.

Aunt Zhou’s worst days were before Wang Zhaodi arrived. By the time Wang Zhaodi came into the picture, Aunt Zhou had already gone through some changes. After her time away, she returned as a more refined version of herself. So, in Wang Zhaodi’s eyes, Aunt Zhou wasn’t a bad person.

Da Qiang scratched his nose and said, "Sorry, I didn’t mean to badmouth her."

Wang Zhaodi replied, "You don’t need to apologize. Just don’t say things like that in the future. I don’t know what she was like before, but I think she’s a good person. She treats me better than my own mother does. I mean, to her, I’m practically a stranger. Sure, I help out with some chores, but that’s nothing compared to what she does for me. She always makes sure I have enough to eat. Back home, I often went hungry."

Da Qiang asked curiously, "Where’s your hometown?"

Wang Zhaodi named a place.

Da Qiang blinked. "Never heard of it."

Wang ​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‍Zhaodi explained, "It’s a poor mountain village. Most people there never leave. We’re used to living in the mountains and don’t know much about the outside world. My parents have several daughters, and they’re still trying for a son."

Da Qiang was stunned.

In their time, not having a son was a source of shame. Da Qiang, like most men, understood the desire for a son. But… if they already had so many daughters they couldn’t support, maybe it was just fate.

He didn’t know what to say and finally muttered, "Your parents are something else."

Wang Zhaodi pursed her lips and said, "My parents said they’d rather die than not have a son."

Da Qiang was speechless.

That was… extreme.

He asked, "Do you want to go back?"

Wang Zhaodi answered honestly, "No, but…"

She scratched her head and added, "I’ll probably have to go back eventually. I can’t keep living in someone else’s house forever."

So, she needed to save up some money. Having a little nest egg would give her some confidence.

Wang Zhaodi took a deep breath and declared, "I’m going to catch a big fish!"

She wanted to catch a big fish to prove herself. If everyone liked her, maybe they wouldn’t send her away.

She didn’t know how to stay, but she was determined to do her best.

That was all she could do.

Da Qiang looked at Wang Zhaodi’s determined expression and suddenly thought the scrawny girl looked kind of pretty. He remembered seeing her when she first arrived, thin and frail like a little mouse, with hair as dry as straw.

It wasn’t that he had paid much attention to her back then, but she stood out so much compared to everyone else in the neighborhood.

Even the poorest families didn’t look as rough as she did.

But now, she seemed different.

Her once dry, yellow hair had turned into thick, dark braids. She wasn’t pale, but she had filled out a bit and looked much healthier. Most importantly, she wasn’t as timid as before. She carried herself with confidence.

"What’s wrong? Is there something on my face?" Wang Zhaodi asked curiously.

Da Qiang quickly looked away. "No."

He felt his heart beat a little faster.

Wang Zhaodi gave him a puzzled look but soon turned back to fishing. She was focused—she needed to catch a big fish.

"Hey, you’re here again?" A gruff voice interrupted their quiet fishing.

An old man approached, making demands without any courtesy. "You two, go fish somewhere else. This is my spot."

Wang Zhaodi was shocked.

So this was the man Da Qiang had mentioned.

She mustered her courage and said, "This isn’t your spot. It’s for everyone. We got here first, so you can’t just take it from us."

"Exactly," Da Qiang chimed in. "You can’t do that."

The old man glared at them. "You little punk, you’re no good. And you brought your wife to argue with me? Think I’m scared just because there are two of you?"

At this, both Da Qiang and Wang Zhaodi blushed.

They were instantly embarrassed.

Da Qiang stammered, "W-we’re not… we’re not like that…"

Wang Zhaodi, though red-faced, firmly said, "We’re just neighbors. But that’s not the point. The point is, we’re not giving up our spot."

"Ha! You little brat, you think you’re something, huh? You think you’re better than me…"

"There’s such a thing as first come, first served."

"Pah! I’m old, so you should give way to me! What, is this some secret meeting spot for you two? You don’t look like decent people…" The old man wasn’t kind either. He shoved Wang Zhaodi, causing her to stumble toward the water.

Da Qiang quickly grabbed her and pulled her back, but they both fell to the ground. Da Qiang was furious. He stood up, grabbed the old man, and growled, "You old geezer, I’ve been too nice to you, haven’t I? Get lost!"

He shoved the old man with a threatening tone, "You think I won’t hit you?"

"Y-you wouldn’t dare!"

Da Qiang raised his voice, "Watch me! You’ve gone too far, bullying a young girl like this. You’re just an old bully! It’s fine if you mess with me, but don’t you dare lay a hand on her! What kind of life have you lived, huh?"

Seeing Da Qiang’s anger, the old man panicked.

Men like him were all the same—they’d take advantage of politeness and push their luck if you were too nice. But when faced with real resistance, they backed down quickly.

But if you act a bit tougher, they tend to behave and not dare to cause trouble.

Da Qiang, who worked in the loading and unloading team, was naturally tall and strong.

However, he wasn’t a bad-tempered person. On the contrary, he was quite easygoing. Because of this, the old man took advantage of his kindness and became increasingly brazen. But when Da Qiang truly got angry, the old man didn’t dare to provoke him anymore.

Grabbing his fishing rod and bucket, the old man scurried away, hurling threats as he ran: “You adulterous couple, just wait! I’ll find someone to arrest you! Pah!”

Watching the man leave, Da Qiang cursed, “That old bastard.”

He stepped forward to help me up and asked, “Are you okay?”

Wang Zhaodi shook her head, “I’m fine.”

She looked worried and asked, “Do you think he’ll really go and find someone?”

Da Qiang scoffed, “He’s just bluffing. He wouldn’t dare. Besides, he knows his accusations don’t hold water. Does fishing together automatically mean we’re having an affair? Who does he think he is? Does he really think anyone would believe him? What does it have to do with him if we’re fishing? I think I’ve been too nice to him before, which only fueled his arrogance. That old turtle.”

Wang Zhaodi pursed her lips and looked at Da Qiang, who suddenly felt a bit embarrassed and said, “It’s not good to curse at an old man, huh…”

Wang Zhaodi immediately shook her head, “I don’t think so. I don’t think you’re wrong. Good and bad people aren’t determined by age. That old man is being disrespectful at his age, so it’s his fault. You’re not wrong to curse at him.”

Da Qiang scratched his head and chuckled.

Wang Zhaodi also laughed, “Let’s go fishing!”

“Alright!”

“We’re sure to catch something!”

“Yeah!”

………………

Zhuang Zhixi rode his bike home from work at a brisk pace. Nowadays, he felt like he was on fire, eager to get home and see his wife and child.

His little one, though tiny, would smile at him!

A sweet, adorable smile!

As a proud father, Zhuang Zhixi felt his heart warm at the thought.

His child was simply the best.

Zhuang Zhixi turned into the alley, almost home, when suddenly someone darted out and grabbed him. Zhuang Zhixi exclaimed, “What the heck!”

He asked, “What’s going on?”

Looking at the person who grabbed him, he realized it was Qiang Dandan.

He said, “Hey, what are you doing?”

Qiang Dandan scratched his head.

He seemed a bit embarrassed but determined as he said, “Xiao Zhuang, come with me. I need to talk to you about something.”

Zhuang Zhixi looked at him, puzzled. They didn’t really interact much. Although they were acquaintances, they weren’t close. Being suddenly pulled aside left Zhuang Zhixi confused. He asked, “What do you need from me?”

Qiang Dandan dragged Zhuang Zhixi behind the restroom, looked around to make sure no one was nearby, and then hesitated, rubbing his hands nervously.

Zhuang Zhixi: “…”

He sighed and said, “If you have something to say, say it. Otherwise, I need to get going. I’m busy.”

Qiang Dandan quickly replied, “I do have something to ask you.”

He took a deep breath and blurted out, “Well… I want your mom to introduce me to someone.”

Zhuang Zhixi: “???”

He raised an eyebrow, “My mom?”

Qiang Dandan nodded, “Yeah, I was hoping you could talk to her first…”

Zhuang Zhixi: “Why don’t you talk to her yourself?”

Qiang Dandan looked at Zhuang Zhixi in shock and said, “I’m too scared!”

Zhuang Zhixi twitched his lips, thinking, *You’re really owning up to being a coward, huh?*

He asked, “Who do you have your eye on?”

After a pause, he added, “Someone connected to my mom?”

Then, after another pause, he guessed, “Is it Wang Zhaodi?”

Qiang Dandan stared at Zhuang Zhixi, dumbfounded, “Are you even human? I haven’t said anything, and you’ve already figured it all out? This… this…”

Why else would he need Zhuang Zhixi’s mom?

Zhuang Zhixi chuckled, “So you really like Wang Zhaodi, huh?”

Qiang Dandan nodded, sounding a bit shy, “I… I’ve taken a liking to her, but I don’t know if she feels the same way. I’m quite a bit older than her. Can you… can you ask your mom for me?”

Zhuang Zhixi: “Sure, I’ll talk to her when I get home tonight.”

With that, he pushed his bike and left.

Qiang Dandan was stunned again.

Wait, aren’t you supposed to tease me a bit first? Even among men, this kind of topic usually leads to some banter, but Zhuang Zhixi was completely unfazed. And he seemed to know everything already… Qiang Dandan scratched his head, muttering, “He’s really in a hurry to get home, huh?”

But he trusted Zhuang Zhixi to keep his word.

After all, they’d known each other for a long time in this neighborhood.

He crouched down, rubbing his hands together, feeling both nervous and excited.

He wondered if Wang Zhaodi would be interested.

Zhuang Zhixi hurried home. As soon as he entered, he called out, “Honey, I’m back!”

Ming Mei had just finished her postpartum confinement the day before and was now freshly showered and fragrant. He leaned in and planted a kiss on her cheek, asking, “Did you miss me?”

Ming Mei poked him, “Not really.”

Zhuang Zhixi: “Liar.”

He chuckled and kissed the corner of her mouth, “You definitely missed me.”

He then leaned down to kiss the cheeks of their two little ones. The sleeping babies frowned slightly, their tiny faces turning away, but they didn’t wake up.

Zhuang Zhixi: “Why are they still sleeping?”

Ming Mei teased, “Babies sleep a lot, you know. They need to eat and sleep well to grow properly.”

Zhuang Zhixi nodded, “Makes sense.”

He leaned closer to Ming Mei, saying, “Honey, you smell so good.”

Ming Mei: “Do I?”

Zhuang Zhixi sniffed and nodded, “Yeah, really fragrant.”

Ming Mei smiled softly, “I used a new shampoo today.”

It wasn’t easy to get.

Her father had bought it for her when he was delivering goods in Shanghai.

Zhuang Zhixi: “My wife smells amazing.”

He leaned in closer, getting a bit handsy.

Ming Mei, however, wasn’t about to let things get out of hand during the day. With so many people coming and going, someone might see them. She pinched Zhuang Zhixi’s waist, and he yelped, “Ow!”

Ming Mei: “Behave.”

Zhuang Zhixi pouted, looking at her innocently, “It’s been so long… Don’t you feel bad for me?”

This act of his…

Ming Mei couldn’t help but laugh. Still, she whispered, “Stop it.”

Zhuang Zhixi: “I’m hurt. My wife doesn’t care about me anymore. Ever since the babies came, all your attention is on them. I’m jealous…”

Ming Mei, seeing him play the part, pushed him lightly, “Oh, come on.”

She teased, “You’re just as obsessed with the babies. You rush over to see them as soon as you get home. Who knows if you’re here for me or them?”

Zhuang Zhixi: “Both, but mostly for you…”

He leaned on Ming Mei’s shoulder and whispered, “We won’t do anything now. But tonight…”

Ming Mei’s cheeks turned slightly pink as Zhuang Zhixi leaned closer, murmuring something in her ear.

Ming Mei bit her lip and said, “Alright…”

Zhuang Zhixi immediately smiled, “My wife is the best.”

Ming Mei’s face was now flushed, and her heart raced. It had been a long time since they’d been intimate. During her pregnancy, it was out of the question, and after giving birth, she needed time to recover.

Counting the days, it had been almost half a year.

Though they’d been affectionate, they’d been extra careful. Now, they could finally relax.

Ming Mei: “But I don’t want to get pregnant again too soon.”

Though she was willing, she wanted to make things clear.

Zhuang Zhixi understood his wife’s concerns. For some reason, it seemed easy to get pregnant again soon after giving birth. Many people ended up with children close in age because of this. They didn’t know the specifics, but they were aware of the possibility.

Zhuang Zhixi gave her a reassuring look, “Don’t worry, I’ve got it covered.”

Ming Mei looked at him skeptically, but Zhuang Zhixi leaned in and kissed her soft lips, saying, “Really, trust me.”

Ming Mei nodded gently.

Zhuang Zhixi smiled, then said, “Alright, enough cuddling. I need to talk to Mom about something.”

Ming Mei looked at him curiously, and Zhuang Zhixi grinned, “It’s about matchmaking.”

Ming Mei’s eyes widened, “Huh?”

She leaned over and asked, "Matchmaking? For whom?"

Her eyes sparkled with curiosity.

Zhuang Zhixi replied, "Wang Zhaodi, I'm heading over."

Ming Mei chimed in, "I want to go too."

Zhuang Zhixi pointed at the still-sleeping baby, and Ming Mei sighed, "It's such a shame I can't join in on the fun."

She pouted and added, "But you have to tell me all about it later."

Zhuang Zhixi nodded, "Sure."

Although everyone got off work at the same time, Zhuang Zhixi always seemed to sprint home, arriving much earlier than the others. At this moment, the rest of the family hadn’t returned yet. Zhao Guihua was busy cooking dinner. Actually, dinner was usually prepared by Wang Zhaodi.

It was almost ready to serve, but Wang Zhaodi had already gone back to the Zhou household to help with their chores.

All Zhao Guihua had to do was dish out the food.

While ten yuan a month wasn’t a small sum, it wasn’t a long-term expense—just a few months’ worth, so it was manageable.

Under normal circumstances, Zhao Guihua could handle the cooking herself. But as a reincarnated soul, she suddenly found herself with a lot more on her plate, and it was a bit overwhelming. When she had first reincarnated the previous year, she had faced similar challenges, but fortunately, Liang Meifen had been around to help.

So, Zhao Guihua had quickly adapted.

Now, she was just relying on Wang Zhaodi to help her through this second transition.

She noticed her son approaching and asked, "What’s up?"

As a mother, she could instantly tell he had something to say.

Zhuang Zhixi said, "On my way back, I ran into Qiang Dandan. He asked for your help in finding him a match."

Zhao Guihua was taken aback, "Me?"

She wasn’t exactly in the matchmaking business. The neighborhood’s go-to matchmaker was Aunt Wang.

Zhuang Zhixi explained, "He’s interested in Wang Zhaodi, so that’s why he came to you."

Zhao Guihua suddenly understood.

Indeed, in this courtyard, she had the most contact with Wang Zhaodi. If someone wanted to make an introduction, she was the obvious choice. Of course, Aunt Zhou was even closer to Wang Zhaodi, but since Aunt Zhou was her godmother, that wouldn’t work.

If Wang Zhaodi lived with her biological parents, asking Aunt Zhou would have been fine. But since her parents weren’t around and Aunt Zhou was her only elder, it wasn’t appropriate.

In these times, it wasn’t customary to approach someone’s elder directly for matchmaking—it was a matter of etiquette.

Zhao Guihua asked, "Qiang Dandan is interested in Wang Zhaodi?"

Zhuang Zhixi nodded, "Who knows when they started interacting, but I could tell he’s smitten. Oh, Mom, you should’ve seen his grin. It was unbearable."

Zhao Guihua shot him a look, "You weren’t any better when you were dating. Don’t throw stones when you live in a glass house."

Zhuang Zhixi chuckled, "So, are you going to ask Wang Zhaodi about it?"

Zhao Guihua replied, "Of course."

Having spent so much time together, Zhao Guihua had grown quite fond of Wang Zhaodi. The girl was simple-hearted, kind, and hardworking. Someone like her deserved a good match. Unfortunately, given the times and her circumstances, her options were limited.

Wang Zhaodi’s family background was poor, and the gap between urban and rural areas was vast. Most people wouldn’t consider someone like her.

In fact, the neighbors had been trying to find a suitable match for Wang Zhaodi for a while, but nothing had worked out because of this.

Zhao Guihua, being the impatient type, said, "I’ll go talk to Wang Zhaodi right now."

As she reached the door, she turned back, "Keep an eye on the pot. Don’t let it burn."

Zhuang Zhixi nodded, "Got it."

Zhao Guihua hurried over to the Zhou household and found Wang Zhaodi cooking. She asked, "Where’s Aunt Zhou?"

"She went to the restroom."

Zhao Guihua nodded, "Perfect timing. I need to talk to you about something. Think it over."

Wang Zhaodi looked up, "Hmm?"

Zhao Guihua said, "You know Qiang Dandan from the next courtyard, right?"

Wang Zhaodi nodded, "Yes, I know him."

Zhao Guihua continued, "Well, Qiang Dandan—his full name is Ye Qiang—has taken a liking to you. He asked me to help introduce the two of you."

"What!"

Wang Zhaodi’s fire poker clattered to the ground as she stared at Zhao Guihua in shock.

Zhao Guihua went on, "Let me tell you a bit about him, and then you can discuss it with the Zhou family. I think, as someone who knows him well, Ye Qiang is a decent choice. He’s 28, so about eight years older than you. He lives with his mother, who stays with his older brother. He has an older brother and sister, both living in the city, but they have their own families to take care of, so they don’t interact much. He lives alone in a room in the next courtyard. He works in the loading and unloading team at the machinery factory. It’s manual labor, but it’s a stable job. His salary is around 32 or 33 yuan, depending on his rank. The loading and unloading team gets double the usual grain and meat rations since they do heavy work and need the energy. They also get an extra bun at the canteen every day, free of charge. That’s why he looks so strong. But he does have a drawback—he’s been married before. A few years ago, he got married, but it turned out his wife had been sick before the wedding. Her family had tricked him into marrying her to offload her care. They even took his betrothal gifts. On their wedding night, the truth came out, and my eldest and third sons, along with some other guys from the alley, went to confront her family. But in the end, he couldn’t bring himself to kick her out. She passed away less than a year into their marriage. It’s been almost four years now. Since the whole thing was a scam, he’s had no contact with her family. He doesn’t have any children."

Zhao Guihua finished in one breath and said, "That’s the gist of his situation. Think it over."

"Think what over?" Aunt Zhou had returned.

Zhao Guihua explained, "I’m introducing a potential match. I told her to think about it."

Aunt Zhou immediately got excited, "Who? What’s he like? Do you know him? Do I know him? Did he take a liking to Wang Zhaodi, or are you just trying to play matchmaker? Tell me…"

"Hold on, hold on," Zhao Guihua interrupted, rubbing her temples, "It’s Ye Qiang. He’s interested in Wang Zhaodi."

Aunt Zhou’s eyes lit up, and she slapped her thigh, "That’s a good match! Sure, he’s not much to look at, and his family can’t offer much support, but he’s not a bad choice."

Aunt Zhou genuinely cared for Wang Zhaodi.

She said, "Ye Qiang’s mother doesn’t live with him. He’s strong but not the type to hit anyone. He’s got a stable job. Wang Zhaodi, I think he’s a good fit…"

Wang Zhaodi’s face turned redder and redder as she listened, starting from the moment she heard it was Ye Qiang from the next courtyard.

How… how could he be interested in her?

She wasn’t anything special.

Wang Zhaodi nervously fiddled with her fingers.

Zhao Guihua could tell what was going on and asked, "You’ve had some interactions, haven’t you?"

If not, she wouldn’t be reacting like this.

And Ye Qiang wouldn’t have been so forward about it.

Zhao Guihua stared at Wang Zhaodi, who admitted, "We’ve run into each other a few times while fishing, but we haven’t really interacted."

Zhao Guihua asked, "So, what do you think?"

Aunt Zhou chimed in, "Yes, what do you think? Wang Zhaodi, you need to think carefully. Ye Qiang’s conditions are pretty good. Even though you can stay with us, the neighborhood and your hometown won’t let you stay here forever. But if you get married, it’s a different story."

Wang Zhaodi knew her family was from a remote mountain village. Even if Ye Qiang wasn’t the best option, her parents would marry her off to anyone—be it a village ruffian or an old widower—as long as they could pay the betrothal gifts.

They didn’t care about her happiness; they only cared about the money.

She bit her lip and said, "I’m willing!"

She looked up, her voice firmer, "I’m willing. But… my family’s situation… Aunt Zhao, you need to make that clear to him. I don’t want to deceive him."

Zhao Guihua nodded, "I understand. Don’t worry too much about your family. Ye Qiang’s appearance alone is quite intimidating. We’ll discuss that later. For now, it’s about whether you’re willing."

Wang Zhaodi whispered, "I’m willing."

Zhao Guihua smiled, "Alright, I’ll take care of it."

Aunt Zhou added, "I’ll be involved in this too."

She patted Wang Zhaodi’s shoulder, "Since you’ve accepted me as your godmother, I’ll look out for you."

Wang Zhaodi nodded gratefully, "Thank you."

Her eyes reddened, and she rubbed them, saying, "It's so good to have met you all."

Aunt Zhou replied, "What nonsense are you talking?"n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

She continued, "When it comes to things like this, your parents can't be relied on. I have to help you. Why should they decide everything? They won't care about how you live your life!"

Zhao Guihua glanced at Aunt Zhou again, feeling that she truly seemed noble when she acted like a decent person.

However, Aunt Zhou had been genuinely kind to Wang Zhaodi.

She said, "Alright then, I'll talk to Daqiang about it."

Aunt Zhou grabbed Zhao Guihua and said, "You have to tell Daqiang that even though Wang Zhaodi's family isn't great, they're far away, and we'll help them too."

Zhao Guihua rolled her eyes, "Of course, I understand that."

She added, "You just wait and see. But as for you, you've never been a decent person in your life, yet you're so good to Wang Zhaodi."

Aunt Zhou retorted, "Hey, what do you mean by that? Don't talk bad about me. I'm a good person!"

Zhao Guihua chuckled coldly, "Hmph."

Despite the sarcasm, she still said, "Don't worry."

Aunt Zhou nodded.

She watched Zhao Guihua's retreating figure and then turned to Wang Zhaodi, saying, "I'm not telling you to stop being filial, but from what you've described, I already know what kind of people your parents are. If you can get together with Daqiang, go back and get the marriage certificate, but don't involve your parents. And sometimes, you have to be ruthless. Otherwise, you'll suffer later."

Wang Zhaodi, who understood her family better than Aunt Zhou, nodded, "I know."

Aunt Zhou looked at Wang Zhaodi and then at the flames in the stove, lost in thought. Slowly, she said, "Do you know why I'm so good to you?"

Wang Zhaodi replied, "You're just a good person by nature."

Aunt Zhou laughed bitterly and shook her head, "No, I'm not. Everyone knows how harsh I, Zhou Li Shi, can be. I'm good to you because your situation reminds me of my own."

Wang Zhaodi widened her eyes in surprise.

Aunt Zhou stared into the flames, not looking at Wang Zhaodi, and said, "When I was young, my family also had six or seven children, all girls. My parents were desperate for a son. Life was much harder back then than it is now. But they never gave up. Finally, they had a son, and he was treated like a treasure. I was the youngest daughter. All my older sisters were sold off to terrible places. They're all gone... Can you imagine? Not a single one survived to see liberation."

Aunt Zhou continued, staring into the fire, "I wanted to live, so I worked hard to prove myself. Eventually, I married into a small landlord's family as a concubine. But less than a month after I married, the landlord died, and I was driven out. I thought I could rely on my family, my parents, and my brother. So, I went back. But who would have thought they would sell me off again? This time, I ran away. I married Old Zhou on my own. My family came to cause trouble, but we drove them away. After that, we cut ties completely. My maiden name is Li, Zhou Li Shi. I started calling myself Aunt Zhou after learning from Aunt Su, but I'm not like her. She did it for reputation and to avoid trouble. For me, it doesn't matter. Whether I'm Zhou Li Shi or Aunt Zhou, it's all the same. The Li family was never good to me. The Zhou family gave me a second chance at life. So, when people call me Aunt Zhou, I don't care. It's not that I'm old-fashioned; I just don't want to be associated with the Li family. So, when you know someone isn't good, don't let family ties soften your heart. They won't show you any mercy!"

Wang Zhaodi grasped Aunt Zhou's hand.

Aunt Zhou said, "From what you've told me about your family, I've been through it all myself. Having a brother made things even worse for me. If your parents want to keep trying for a son, let them. If your sisters want to sacrifice themselves, that's their choice. But you have to be the 'ungrateful' one, understand? If you're not tough, no one else can help you."

Wang Zhaodi nodded firmly, "I understand."