The 1970s: Married First, Fell in Love Later-Chapter 172 - 171: The Dazzling World Outside
When Li Gaihua heard Xue Yue was back, she came over with Tie Dan.
She hadn’t seen Tie Dan in a year. He had grown much taller, but he was also much tanner.
"Brother Tie Dan! Come here, I have something for you."
Ruanruan pulled Tie Dan into the house. Shiyi followed behind, also shouting, "Brother Tie Dan," though it was hard to tell if he truly remembered him.
Li Gaihua watched the children with a smile and handed a large ceramic bowl to Xue Yue. "I know you all like my pickled cucumbers, so I brought some over."
Xue Yue took it. "Sister Gaihua, you have no idea. I’ve been craving these for so long. After we moved to Beijing City, I never made them again. Sometimes when I’m eating, I feel like something is missing."
Li Gaihua chuckled. "We have plenty at home. Come get more when you’re done. They’re nothing special."
Xue Yue smiled and nodded. "Come on, let’s talk inside."
Inside, she saw Ruanruan had given Tie Dan a set of colored pencils and a drawing book, and was showing him her pictures.
Xue Yue laughed to herself. ’So many "brothers," and she’s perfectly fair to them all. A set of colored pencils and a drawing book for everyone, so no one can be jealous of anyone else.’
"You’ve been gone a year. My Tie Dan hasn’t stopped talking about you all. Even I’ve felt like the place is empty."
Xue Yue sighed. "I often hear my Ruanruan talking about Brother Tie Dan, too. In fact, before we came back, she was already thinking about what gift to buy him."
Li Gaihua looked at the three children. "I haven’t seen them in a year. Ruanruan has become such a big girl, and Shiyi looks like he’s grown a lot too."
"Kids change from one day to the next."
In the few days since they had returned, the two children were almost never home. They were always running outside, mostly playing with their "brothers" at the old family home. They even ended up skipping meals here.
「Around the middle of the twelfth lunar month, the couple Yang Xiaoxia and He Zhendong returned with their children.」
He Zhendong had originally been at home taking care of the kids. However, because the two children missed their mother, he had taken them to the provincial capital after the autumn harvest and stayed there until now.
When Xue Yue heard they were back, she made a special trip to see them, but He Zhendong was out with the children.
Xue Yue circled Yang Xiaoxia. "Did you go off to school, or did you go to fatten up?"
Yang Xiaoxia had gained a lot of weight, and her face was round and plump.
Yang Xiaoxia touched her cheeks. "Am I really that fat?"
Xue Yue raised an eyebrow. "You can’t feel it yourself?"
Yang Xiaoxia sighed. "For the past few years, I was constantly running after those two little rascals of mine. I was so exhausted I didn’t even have a chance to catch my breath, let alone put on weight. This year, I went to school. The food there is good, and I don’t have to worry about a thing. So, naturally, I gained weight."
Xue Yue clicked her tongue. "TSK TSK. It seems a carefree mind has led to a plumper body. But you need to watch your figure! You’re still young. If you gain any more weight, don’t you think Zhen Dong might start to mind?"
Yang Xiaoxia pouted. "He’d dare complain about me? He should be glad I’m not complaining about him."
Xue Yue looked at her, surprised. "What do you mean?"
Yang Xiaoxia said smugly, "There are plenty of rich, handsome men at my school, you know. And I’m not that bad-looking, am I? He’s the one who should feel a sense of crisis."
Xue Yue joked, "I can’t say if they’re rich or not, but Zhen Dong isn’t bad-looking either, you know. Otherwise, why would you have fallen for him in the first place?"
Yang Xiaoxia sighed. "That was then. If it were now... well, who knows what would happen."
Xue Yue stared at Yang Xiaoxia, the smile gone from her face. "How can you think like that? Is Zhen Dong not good enough for you? Weren’t you the one who pursued him? Besides, he’s at home watching the kids just so you can focus on your studies. Yang Xiaoxia, you can’t have such dangerous thoughts."
Yang Xiaoxia scratched her head and grinned sheepishly. "I was just talking. I don’t have any improper ideas, really. Don’t get me wrong."
Seeing that she didn’t seem to be lying, Xue Yue breathed a sigh of relief.
Xue Yue spoke to Yang Xiaoxia earnestly. "Xiao Xia, we’re both married women with children. No matter what, we can’t take our partner’s sacrifices and efforts for granted. Your Zhen Dong supports you in everything you do. That alone is something many men wouldn’t do. The world outside can be dazzling, but that doesn’t mean it’s right for you. We have to cherish what we have now and not hurt the people closest to us with a few careless words."
Yang Xiaoxia’s expression suddenly became a little unnatural.
Xue Yue looked at her. "You didn’t say something like that to Zhen Dong, did you?"
Yang Xiaoxia cried out, "Aiyah! I just have a big mouth, I was just spouting nonsense. I saw Zhen Dong wasn’t happy, so I didn’t dare say any more."
Xue Yue angrily poked Yang Xiaoxia on the head. "Are you dense? Zhen Dong is holding down the fort so you can study in peace, and you’re comparing him to other men? What is that if not an attack on his pride? Yang Xiaoxia, I really misjudged you. To think I worked myself to the bone to set you two up... I don’t even want to talk to you anymore."
Yang Xiaoxia quickly grabbed Xue Yue’s arm, whining, "You know what kind of person I am, don’t you? I was just talking! I don’t have the guts. Besides, I never said He Zhendong was a bad guy. If he was, would I have married him and had two kids with him?"
Xue Yue shot her a sideways glance. Yang Xiaoxia patted her arm. "Really. Are we still best friends or not? How can you not trust me?"
Xue Yue snorted. "You’d better be serious. If you dare do anything out of line, don’t blame me for disowning you as a friend."
"Aiyah, I know, I know," Yang Xiaoxia promised.
When Xue Yue returned from Yang Xiaoxia’s place, her expression wasn’t good.
A little while later, He Lang came back from outside.
Xue Yue asked him, "Did you see Zhen Dong?"
He Lang took off his cotton-padded jacket. "I did. What’s wrong?"
Xue Yue hesitated for a moment before asking, "So... how did Zhen Dong seem?"
He Lang looked at her, confused. "He seemed fine. He was asking about my clothes-selling business, though. I think that kid might be getting some ideas of his own."
"So, did you tell him about it?"
He Lang shook his head. "Not yet. It’s not something you can explain in a sentence or two. What’s going on?"
Xue Yue sighed. "I was just thinking it would be best if Zhen Dong could also start some small business in the provincial capital. Anything to stop him and Xiao Xia from living apart like this. It’s not good for a couple’s relationship."
But He Lang was a perceptive man; he immediately understood the meaning behind her words.
"Did Xiao Xia complain to you?" 𝘧𝑟𝑒𝑒𝘸𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝓁.𝘤𝘰𝓂
Xue Yue shook her head. "Not exactly. I just think it’s better for a husband and wife to be together. When they’re too far apart and only see each other a few times a year, things might change."
He Lang stared at Xue Yue until she couldn’t continue. Finally, she had no choice but to tell him what Yang Xiaoxia had said to her.
Xue Yue tried to defend Yang Xiaoxia. "I think Xiao Xia was just talking carelessly. She’s always been a bit thoughtless and sometimes speaks without thinking."
"That doesn’t sound like just careless talk. It sounds like the idea has already taken root in her mind. No wonder Zhen Dong wants to start a business in the provincial capital. I’ll go talk to him tomorrow. If that doesn’t work, I’ll take him to Yangcheng next year to have a look."
He Lang’s expression turned cold, and Xue Yue felt a little guilty.
’He Lang and Zhen Dong are brothers, and they’ve been close since childhood. A marriage of his already fell through because of us back then. He finally got together with Xiao Xia, so things absolutely can’t go wrong now.’
「The next day, He Lang left to find He Zhendong without even eating breakfast.」
