It was almost noon when Ming Mei and her husband returned home for their post-wedding visit, as they had been delayed by the morning's festivities.
Ming Mei's father, Ming Xiangdong, was a long-haul truck driver for a freight company. Their family lived in the company's residential compound, which consisted mainly of apartment buildings, unlike the courtyard houses where the machinery factory workers lived.
Zhuang Zhixi parked the car beneath Ming Mei's family building after driving his wife into the compound.
Lan Ling, Ming Mei's mother, had been watching from the window since early morning. After anxiously waiting to see her daughter, she finally spotted the young couple. Despite the cold, she pushed open the window and called out, "Nan-nan."
Being from the South, Ming Mei's mother used "Nan-nan" as an endearing term for daughters, as was customary in her hometown.
Ming Mei looked up and responded with a sweet "Yes!" while happily waving her hand.
As soon as she responded, several windows in the building had people peering down. In those days, with limited entertainment options, any family event became prime gossip material. Ming Mei's post-wedding visit was certainly noteworthy gossip.
The neighbors were particularly interested in the return gifts the newlyweds had brought.
The quantity and quality of these gifts were significant indicators of how well the new bride was treated in her husband's family - it was quite meaningful. When they saw the fish, they couldn't help but notice how large they were.
While the neighbors were busy observing, the young couple had already parked and headed upstairs. Lan Ling opened the door to welcome them, saying, "What took you so long? We've been waiting. Come in quickly, it must be cold outside." She ushered them inside.
The Ming family lived on the second floor. Upon entering, they found the whole family present. Ming Mei's little nephew Jun Jun ran to her side, hugging her leg while saying in his childish voice, "Auntie, where did you go? Why didn't you come home? I missed you."
Ming Mei burst into laughter and picked up her three-year-old nephew. She swayed him gently and said, "Auntie got married, so now I have to live somewhere else. But look, I brought you candy!"
Jun Jun's eyes sparkled with joy as he clapped his hands, "Candy, candy!"
He was even a year younger than Little Yanzi.
Ming Mei held the little one while taking a handful of candy from her bag and giving it to him. The little fellow immediately broke into a smile, showing his tiny white teeth, even drooling with happiness.
Ming Mei smiled sweetly and said, "Dad, I'm home!"
Ming Xiangdong, not yet fifty, was tall and sturdy with broad shoulders. A scar on one corner of his forehead gave him a somewhat fierce appearance. Ming Mei didn't resemble her father much; she took after her mother Lan Ling, as did both Ming siblings.
Despite his intimidating appearance, Ming Mei's father beamed at the sight of his daughter, gesturing, "Come here, darling. I bought your favorite snacks."
He acted as if he hadn't even noticed his son-in-law.
Zhuang Zhixi, however, was naturally sociable and greeted everyone.
Ming Mei's father merely grunted in response, but her older brother Ming Cheng smiled and said, "Brother-in-law, please have a seat."
Ming Cheng and Zhuang Zhixi were already acquainted - Ming Cheng and Zhuang Zhixi's brother, Zhuang Zhiyuan, had been classmates from elementary through high school and were now colleagues. When Zhuang Zhixi was young, he often followed his brother around and played with these older boys. Being young and sweet-talking, always respectfully addressing them as "big brother," he had left a good impression on Ming Cheng.
If he hadn't liked him, he wouldn't have introduced him to his sister.
He smiled and asked, "Are you treating my sister well?"
Zhuang Zhixi hurried to prove his loyalty: "Of course! She's my wife - who else would I treat well if not her? I'm so lucky to have such a wonderful wife, I wake up smiling. I couldn't bear to treat her badly. Brother Ming Cheng, it hurts me that you would doubt me."
Ming Mei's father snorted.
Zhuang Zhixi: "Dad, I'm telling the truth... Oh, Mom, let me help you with that!"
Lan Ling was preparing to clean a fish for cooking, and Zhuang Zhixi quickly got up to help. Lan Ling said, "We don't need you, the two of us can manage."
By "the two of us," she meant herself and her daughter-in-law Tao Qing, not her daughter. Tao Qing smiled at Zhuang Zhixi.
Zhuang Zhixi persisted: "Mom, just let me show what I can do. I might not be the best cook, but I can help out. Let sister-in-law go chat with Ming Mei in the living room, and I'll help you here and keep you company."
Zhuang Zhixi was quite skilled at flattery. Though he might slack off at home, this was his first official visit to his in-laws' house, so he was on his best behavior.
At the very least, Lan Ling thought this son-in-law was quite nice. She smiled and nodded, saying, "You're a grown man, what are you doing in the kitchen?"
Zhuang Zhixi replied, "What's wrong with that? Men are people too, and housework isn't gender-specific. Here, let me help."
The kitchen was small, and three people would have made it crowded. Lan Ling turned to her daughter-in-law: "Tao Qing, you can go out."
Tao Qing glanced at Zhuang Zhixi once more before saying, "Alright."
This brother-in-law seemed decent enough.
With just the two of them in the kitchen, although Ming Mei and Zhuang Zhixi had brought four items as return gifts, Lan Ling was particularly pleased with the fish - four equally sized fish, each over thirty centimeters long, looking quite impressive.
The thoughtfulness of the gifts indicated how much they valued her daughter, which made Lan Ling satisfied.
She said, "My daughter has been spoiled by everyone since she was little. She's a bit naive and carefree. Now that you're married, you'll need to be patient with her. She's actually a simple child, without much cunning, and sometimes her good intentions might lead to mistakes. If she does anything wrong, tell me, and I'll back you up."
Although Lan Ling had several times considered calling off the marriage before it happened, now that they were married, she wouldn't say anything unpleasant or annoying. Her words were considerate and comforting.
Zhuang Zhixi responded, "Ming Mei is wonderful, I can't love her enough. I would never think she has any flaws."
Zhuang Zhixi was being straightforward, which pleased Lan Ling. She nodded slightly, feeling that this son-in-law had many good qualities, especially his sweet talk - something the men in her family couldn't manage.
She smiled and said, "As parents, we're at ease when we see you living well together. You don't need to worry much about us, whether it's Ming Cheng and his wife or you two. If you're doing well, we're happy. Don't mind his father's stern face - he actually likes you very much, he's just tough on the outside but soft on the inside."
Zhuang Zhixi quickly replied, "I know. Actually, my father-in-law is a bit like my mother - tough on the outside but soft-hearted. She scolds us fiercely, but it's because she cares about us. But don't worry, Mother, even though my mom can be harsh, she would never scold Ming Mei - I'm the only one who gets scolded."
Lan Ling nodded slightly and smiled, "That's how parents are. No matter who's right or wrong, we can't scold other people's children. With our own, we're more casual." Though she seemed to be making casual conversation, Zhuang Zhixi understood his mother-in-law's meaning.
He wasn't surprised - he had known before marrying Ming Mei that the Ming family raised their daughter differently from most families, treating her like a treasure.
Who would let their treasure be bullied by others?
Thinking of this, Zhuang Zhixi quickly added, "Mom, our family has separated finances."
Lan Ling's eye twitched as she suppressed her joy, asking, "Separated? When did this happen?"
Zhuang Zhixi explained, "We had a family meeting on our first day of marriage. Well, it's not exactly separation. We're still sharing the house and eating together, but we only pay for food expenses now. My parents won't manage our other expenses. We handle our own money, and since I'm not good with finances, my wife manages our money."
Lan Ling couldn't help but smile, saying, "That's fine. These matters are for you two to handle. If your parents don't interfere, we certainly won't either. We won't cause any trouble."
She hadn't expected her in-laws to keep their word so well - they had promised to address this issue, and they actually did. Initially, Lan Ling had been somewhat uncertain, as verbal agreements often don't amount to much. It wouldn't have been surprising if they had wanted to favor their eldest son more.
But unexpectedly, her mother-in-law had kept her promise.
Her mood brightened even more as she hummed a little tune while putting the fish in the pot, saying, "This fish is really good."
If it weren't for the bride's traditional visit home, she definitely wouldn't have felt comfortable accepting so many fish, but since it was her daughter's homecoming gift, she didn't say a word about it. She put the lid on the pot and said, "Alright, you can go out now. The remaining things here just need a quick stir before serving. Go sit outside, and today at lunch, keep the old man company for a drink."
Zhuang Zhixi replied, "Okay~"
The lunch prepared by Ming's family for their daughter's homecoming visit was quite lavish, with fish and meat dishes that looked very impressive, even better than the wedding feast at their own house. The whole family sat down at the table, and Ming Mei's father brought out a bottle of Maotai.
Zhuang Zhixi remarked, "This liquor seems expensive."
Ming Mei's father retorted, "Just drink it, why so many words?"
As a father, he wasn't particularly fond of the 'pig' who had taken away his precious daughter. But to say he disliked him wouldn't be true either. He filled his son-in-law's glass, then his son's – after all, people always said Ming Mei's family was well-off.
This was absolutely true. Previously, when Ming Mei was still in school, her father drove long-haul trucks, and her mother was a bus ticket collector – they were both employed. Later, Ming Mei's brother Ming Cheng also went to work at the railway station. Even Ming Mei's sister-in-law, though a temporary worker, sold tickets at the railway station. You could say the whole family had respectable jobs with decent incomes.
Even after Lan Ling passed her job to her daughter, their family's living conditions remained quite good.
After all, Ming Mei's father drove long-distance trucks, and in those days, being a driver was a very respectable job, especially for those who could do long-distance deliveries like him. Their good financial situation stemmed from this.
"Come, let's drink! Son-in-law, let me tell you something – our daughter has never suffered any grievances at home. If your family makes her suffer, I'll beat you up..."
"My precious daughter, whom I raised so well, married at just twenty-something. Isn't that frustrating? How did she end up choosing you, you little rascal? Must be your looks – she definitely fell for your handsome face. She's always liked pretty things since she was little. When she was small and saw her grandmother's gold bracelet, while others didn't care for it, she couldn't take her eyes off it, clutching it tightly..."
"I see you're quite the smooth talker, but you better behave yourself. If I ever find out you're flirting around outside, I'll finish you! Let me tell you, I have many brothers-in-arms, and dealing with you would be as easy as handling a chick..."
"I could take on a hundred of your kind..."
Ming Mei's father hiccupped from the alcohol. He'd only had half a glass but was already drunk, completely dropping his initial cold demeanor and turning into a chattering mess, full of melancholy...
Zhuang Zhixi sat up straight, appearing to take the lecture seriously. While Ming Mei's father continued his rambling, Lan Ling glanced at her husband, then at her son-in-law, and smiled meaningfully... She said, "Alright, just eat your food. Why are you trying to scare our son-in-law? I think he's quite good."
"Hmph, the old saying is right – a mother-in-law always finds her son-in-law more and more pleasing. I think you've lost your stance." Ming Mei's father took another sip, his eyes growing hazier. "Anyway, anyway, if you bully my daughter, I'll come to your door with an axe to teach you a lesson..."
Zhuang Zhixi replied, "Alright, alright, please feel free to correct me wherever I'm lacking."
Ming Mei's father glared, "You're planning to misbehave?"
Zhuang Zhixi quickly changed his tune: "I promise to be good! Don't worry! You can absolutely trust me! I won't give you any reason to teach me a lesson!"
Ming Mei's father continued glaring: "I'm your father-in-law, and I can't even teach you?"
Zhuang Zhixi: "Of course you can! How could you not? I'll listen to whatever you say."
Ming Mei's father: "...That's more like it."
Lan Ling: "Enough already, just eat your food. Stop scaring our son-in-law."
Ming Mei's father: "Hmph!"
Ming Cheng and his wife pretended to be invisible.
Zhuang Zhixi wiped nonexistent sweat from his forehead and quietly let out a sigh of relief.
Ming Mei looked around at everyone, her eyes curving into crescents as she smiled... Seeing her expression, Zhuang Zhixi nudged her foot and mouthed: "Laughing at your husband's predicament!"
Ming Mei laughed even harder.
Zhuang Zhixi: "???"
Ming Mei's father looked up: "...Why are you kicking me?"
Ming Mei finally couldn't hold it in anymore: "Pff, hahahahaha~"
Zhuang Zhixi froze for a moment, then joined in the laughter...
Meanwhile, Zhao Guihua was musing at home: "Wonder how that little rascal Zhuang Zhixi is doing over there today." After pondering, she added, "Though that little rascal has thick skin, he should be able to handle his in-laws..."
Zzzzt.
Suddenly, there was a sound from outside. Zhao Guihua raised an eyebrow, quickly pulled open the window, looked down, and saw three "big rats" beneath the window...
