Ming Mei counted her money, while Zhuang Zhixi watched on the side, amused. Ming Mei pushed him away and immediately went to open her little treasure box. Zhuang Zhixi found her penny-pinching ways amusing and sat down on a chair, propping his chin with his hand as he watched Ming Mei carefully count the money and place it in the box, then lock it layer by layer.
Zhuang Zhixi teased, "Make sure you count carefully, or you might forget again."
This was a joke about how Ming Mei had been so scatterbrained the first time she counted her money.
Ming Mei retorted, "I was going to tell you about my savings, but seeing you like this, I don't feel like it anymore."
Zhuang Zhixi burst out laughing and quickly said, "My dear wife, it's my fault, I was wrong. Please tell me, okay?" He was quite adaptable, even when tipsy, and knew when to be humble.
"Wife..."
This term of endearment was said in a sweet, sticky way that made Ming Mei laugh. She leaned in proudly and said, "I'm very good at saving money."
Zhuang Zhixi: "Oh?"
Ming Mei: "I originally had five hundred yuan, and this time I sold something for three hundred. But wait, didn't you say you also bought a kitchen knife? Yet you still gave me three hundred."
She blinked, feeling something was off with the math.
Zhuang Zhixi laughed: "Three hundred is a nice round number, I thought it would be better to save it as a whole. I used my private money to buy the knife, and the knife coupon was from the hospital."
He counted on his fingers, "Wife, you see, I get five yuan of pocket money a month, and I haven't wasted a single cent, have I?"
Ming Mei: "Mm-hmm, no you haven't."
Zhuang Zhixi smiled and said, "Then give me a kiss."
Ming Mei's eyes widened, how did the topic suddenly shift to this? But looking at Zhuang Zhixi's expression, she didn't hesitate, leaned forward, and kissed him on the cheek. Zhuang Zhixi immediately pulled her in and gave her a proper lesson in what a real kiss was.
Ming Mei: "Mmmph."
After a long, deep exchange, Zhuang Zhixi let go of Ming Mei. Now, her face was as red as an apple. Ming Mei pouted, "What are you doing? Are we still going to do the accounts?"
Zhuang Zhixi pulled her over and made her sit on his lap, saying, "Go ahead, tell me."
Ming Mei: "How am I supposed to do that?"
Zhuang Zhixi said confidently, "Isn't it better to sit on a softer chair?"
Ming Mei: "..."
How unreasonable.
As she got closer to Zhuang Zhixi, she could see his long eyelashes, bright eyes, and fair complexion. How could a man be so delicate-looking? Ming Mei stared at him without blinking.
Zhuang Zhixi smiled and said, "Am I that handsome? You're staring like you're in a trance."
Ming Mei: "You're just talking nonsense."
Her face turned even redder as she pouted, "I wasn't."
Despite her words, she continued to look at Zhuang Zhixi. Zhuang Zhixi said, "Why don't we take a romantic bath at home?"
Ming Mei jumped up, saying, "Nonsense! Stop talking nonsense. Let's do the accounts."
Seeing her like a startled rabbit, Zhuang Zhixi burst into laughter. After he calmed down, he said, "Alright, go ahead."
Ming Mei: "Where were we?"
She scratched her head and started pulling at her hair. Zhuang Zhixi said, "I think Xiao Yanzi learned that from you, whenever she's confused, she pulls her hair."
Ming Mei: "..."
She only learned the bad habits from her? Besides, Xiao Yanzi isn't her child, and they don't interact much, so how could she have learned it from her?
Ming Mei: "I didn't, don't slander me."
Zhuang Zhixi just smiled.
Ming Mei: "Let's do the accounts."
She started over: "I originally had four hundred yuan, plus the wedding dowry and the money my mom gave me, plus my scattered savings, it all added up to five hundred and forty. Then we received three months of salary, I get thirty yuan a month, and I also got subsidies for helping others. You have to pay for living expenses and keep five yuan as pocket money, so you give me thirteen yuan and fifty cents each month. Plus the three hundred yuan this time, I now have..." Ming Mei took a deep breath, "Nine hundred and ninety!"
After finishing, Ming Mei swallowed hard, incredulous: "Are we really this rich? I thought we'd need to save up more to reach a thousand, but we're only a little bit short now? Ah! It's so close!"
Zhuang Zhixi also wondered, "Didn't we spend anything since we got married?"
Ming Mei thought for a moment and shook her head, "No, we didn't!"
She was puzzled too, saying, "I used to like buying clothes and snacks a lot, but why haven't I spent any money recently?"
Ming Mei was quite confused, and Zhuang Zhixi was a bit puzzled too, but soon, the couple looked at each other and said, "It's because there have been too many things happening recently."
Ming Mei nodded silently.
Indeed, that was the case.
There was a small incident every three days and a big one every five days in the courtyard. They were so engrossed in the gossip that their first priority after work was to rush home, afraid they'd miss the next big drama if they were late.
There was no time to go shopping.
And the conflicts were often on the vile side. For example, they had an ongoing feud with the public toilet at the end of the alley, which was... quite disgusting and killed their appetite.
So they ate fewer snacks.
The food at the Zhuang household was quite good, and they weren't stingy. Ming Mei's appetite wasn't big, so she always got full. With the lively and often disgusting events in the courtyard, Ming Mei hardly ate any snacks anymore, and the money just piled up.
Ming Mei: "Wow, I didn't expect this effect."
Zhuang Zhixi laughed: "They've also made a significant contribution to our savings."
Ming Mei: "..."
Zhuang Zhixi looked at Ming Mei's silly expression and said, "Keep the money for yourself, you don't need to report it to me. It's all your money. I haven't contributed much to it, it's all from your hard work."
In truth, it was indeed the case. Zhuang Zhixi only gave thirteen yuan and fifty cents each month, and he had only done so for three months.
That is, out of nearly a thousand yuan, Zhuang Zhixi only contributed forty or so, the rest was all earned by Ming Mei, even the money from selling snakes was from Ming Mei's efforts. As a man, Zhuang Zhixi wasn't the type to claim credit for something he hadn't done.
He leaned his head on his wife's shoulder and said, "Am I really just a kept man you're raising?"
Ming Mei was both amused and exasperated, pouting, "Nonsense, we're a family. If you didn't pay for living expenses, how could I save all my salary? Besides, our meals aren't bad at all. My family had decent conditions, one of the better-off families in the compound, and our living standards are about the same now."
That is, while they ate well and were generous, sometimes the supplies just weren't enough.
Now, Ming Mei felt it was quite good.
Zhuang Zhixi thought his wife was really open-minded. He laughed and said, "My wife is the best."
Ming Mei huffed and poked him, "Since I'm so good, you better treat me well and don't you dare be fickle. I'm telling you, I'm very strict. If you make me unhappy, I'll beat you up."
Zhuang Zhixi: "Beat me up? How?"
Ming Mei: "I'll beat you into a pig's head, and I have a lot of helpers, too."
Zhuang Zhixi: "You wouldn't dare. Look at this face, would you really hit it?"
Ming Mei proudly raised her chin: "Why wouldn't I? I'm good-looking too, a lot of people like me."
Zhuang Zhixi's eyes flickered as he smiled and asked, "Then, my dear Ming Mei, tell me, who likes you?"
Ming Mei put her hands on her hips: "A lot of people, what, are you jealous?"
Zhuang Zhixi laughed, pulling her into his arms, "Yes, I'm jealous. But it doesn't matter who likes you, my lovely Ming Mei is already married to me."
Ming Mei giggled again, saying in a sweet, low voice, "I was just bragging."
Zhuang Zhixi: "..."
His wife was really an honest person.
Ming Mei: "Bragging is allowed. My mom even said that back in the day, the line of men who pursued her stretched from Jinling to Guangzhou."
Zhuang Zhixi: "..."
Her mother-in-law might not be bragging after all.
Although Ming Mei is much prettier, she's straightforward and probably not someone her mother-in-law could easily manipulate.
But Zhuang Zhixi really likes girls like Ming Mei. She's innocent and simple, yet has a carefree attitude typical of girls from the big city, and she's not pretentious.
Ming Mei grew up in a well-off family, at least never worrying about food and clothing, and was doted on by her family. So her personality is very simple and lively, sometimes a bit loud, but very cute.
Zhuang Zhixi pinched Ming Mei's cheek and said, "My wife is so beautiful."
Ming Mei laughed and said, "You only care about looks."
Zhuang Zhixi: "Aren't you the same?"
They both burst out laughing, finding the truth in that statement.
They were both, after all, superficial.
Ming Mei pouted, "Alright, let's pack up and go take a bath later."
Zhuang Zhixi: "Okay."
As they packed, Ming Mei suddenly asked, "Have you ever been on a blind date before?"
It seemed she was digging deep into his past.
Zhuang Zhixi: "No, you were my first."
Ming Mei hummed and then asked, "Well, did you have someone you liked when you were in school? Did anyone like you?"
Zhuang Zhixi's lips curled up, "Why, didn't you ask before we got married? Now you want to know?"
But despite his teasing tone, he honestly replied, "If I had someone I liked, I wouldn't have gone on a blind date. I wouldn't have led a woman on like that. As for someone liking me, there probably was, but who cares? I didn't like them, so it doesn't matter to me. But now that I've been so honest, you should tell me too, right?"
Ming Mei: "..."
She said crisply, "I started learning martial arts with my uncle when I was young. So I was pretty tough and good at fighting. In our neighborhood, everyone called me Sister Ming."
Although she looked delicate and pretty, everyone who grew up with her knew what she was like.
So, she never had any romantic prospects growing up.
After all, kids don't care about looks; they just know getting beat up hurts! As they grew older, that fear was deeply ingrained. They were all like siblings, so why talk about love?
Zhuang Zhixi covered his face upon hearing Ming Mei's story. Ming Mei immediately reacted, "Zhuang Zhixi, what are you laughing at?"
Zhuang Zhixi: "I'm not."
His shoulders were shaking.
Ming Mei stomped on his foot.
"Ouch," Zhuang Zhixi said, "Wife, wife, I'm sorry! I just found it funny."
Ming Mei: "Stop laughing!"
Perhaps opening a floodgate of memories, Ming Mei said, "But I almost got engaged once."
Zhuang Zhixi: "What?"
He looked at Ming Mei in surprise. Ming Mei waved it off, "It was just our elders playing matchmaker. The son of my dad's deputy at the freight station, a snot-nosed kid who always followed me around, always getting bullied, and I defended him a few times. His dad thought I'd be perfect for his son and even suggested an engagement. My dad brushed it off saying we were too young. Later, when we were about fifteen or sixteen, his dad brought it up again. Of course, my family didn't agree. Why would I agree? I didn't like the snot-nosed kid. And he didn't want it either; he was scared of me and getting beaten up. So he secretly signed up for the army and ran away overnight."
Zhuang Zhixi: "Pfft!"
Ming Mei: "Because of that, his family always felt a bit awkward, since the snot-nosed kid ran away. Last National Day, my dad went to their house for a drink and came back saying I should find someone I like soon, because the snot-nosed kid might get discharged. If he does, those old folks might bring up the engagement again. If they do, outright rejecting it would be awkward. Anyway, I was at the age to find a partner, so they started looking. My brother mentioned you, and I don't know what spell you cast on him, but he described you as an excellent young man, the best of the best. So my parents agreed to the blind date, and we hit it off right away."
This was also why Ming Mei was eager to get married. If she had to go on a date with the snot-nosed kid, she wouldn't be happy. Of course, she could refuse, but that would ruin the relationship between the families.
Since the snot-nosed kid's family had only one son and treated him like a treasure, if she rejected him, the relationship would be over. Even if it did end, she couldn't sacrifice her happiness. But since she was going to find a partner anyway, it was better to do it sooner.
This way, she avoided offending anyone.
Zhuang Zhixi rubbed his wife's head and said, "My wife is indeed popular."
Ming Mei gave him a sidelong glance, "Isn't she? The snot-nosed kid was scared off, so I must be popular."
Zhuang Zhixi: "No, I mean, my wife is the kind of daughter-in-law elders would like."
She's straightforward and doesn't play games, but she's not confrontational either. Instead, she's soft and easygoing, which naturally makes her appealing to elders. Didn't you see how my mom, who's usually so fierce, treats Ming Mei well?
Who would dare to speak harshly to such a cute girl?
Zhuang Zhixi: "I should thank your uncle. If he hadn't taught you martial arts when you were young, there probably wouldn't be room for me. The line of suitors for you would stretch from Xinghua to Tianjin."
Ming Mei giggled and pouted, "You're so sweet-talking."
Zhuang Zhixi: "I've already got the best, so of course I'm sweet-talking."
He chuckled softly, his voice filled with joy, "I like you."
Ming Mei's cheeks turned red as she said, "I like you too."
Zhuang Zhixi pressed his forehead against hers and said, "Then... shall we be like mandarin ducks..."
"Get lost!" Ming Mei immediately stood up, "I'm going to ask Mom when we're going out to bathe. You, stop talking nonsense."
She dashed out, clearly annoyed by his lack of seriousness.
The two of them had been dawdling inside for a while, and when they came out, everyone had already finished eating. Chef Li was happily tipsy, humming a tune as he headed to the backyard. Ming Mei peeked out and asked, "Mom, when are we going to bathe?"
Zhao Guihua: "Let's go now, or we'll be late."
"Okay."
Liang Meifen sighed wistfully; she was on her period and couldn't go!
What a pity, another loss.
But no one seemed to care about her mood. Zhao Guihua said, "Hutou, follow your dad; Xiao Yanzi, follow your grandma."
"Okay."
Kids didn't need tickets for the bathhouse and usually went with their parents.
Both Hutou and Xiao Yanzi were very excited. At their age, there wasn't much to do for fun, just games like "Eagle Catches Chickens," jumping squares, playing shuttlecock, or roughhousing for boys.
But going to the bathhouse was like "going to play in the water," so the kids were thrilled.
Hutou mumbled softly, "I want to follow Grandma."
Zhuang Zhixi: "I want to follow my wife too, but is that possible?"
This earned him a glare from Zhao Guihua and Ming Mei. He really was speaking nonsense.
Zhao Guihua carried her basin and said, "Let's go."
Then she instructed Liang Meifen, "Stay home and don't go out. We had a good meal today, and if everyone leaves, there might be some hungry cats sneaking in."
Liang Meifen immediately became serious, "Don't worry, Mom. I'll keep an eye on everything. No one will get a single bit."
Zhao Guihua nodded, "Good, you understand."
The group set off together. Passing by the toilet, Zhuang Zhixi sighed, "Ah, I do miss Brother Zhou Qun and Brother Bai Fendou. Without them, it feels like there's less fun. No one swims in the toilet anymore."
"Eww!" Xiao Yanzi covered her nose.
Others laughed, and the whole family headed to the bathhouse. Zhao Guihua took out the bath tickets and bought more, generously saying, "I'll treat you all."
Zhuang Zhixi grinned, "Mom, I knew you were the most generous."
Zhao Guihua: "Get out of here."
They got their keys and went their separate ways to the men's and women's baths. At this time, there were few people, and the pools were very clean. Ming Mei went in and directly got into the water, putting a wet towel over her face. Zhao Guihua also brought Xiao Yanzi in, who happily spun around, saying, "Play with water, play with water."
Zhao Guihua: "Don't slip, come to grandma."
She carried the child into the water, and Xiao Yanzi leaned against the edge of the pool, panting heavily, "It's so hot."
Zhao Guihua: "Can't handle it?"
"Can!" Xiao Yanzi didn't want to leave, so she splashed around in the water. Ming Mei took the towel off her face and looked around. Besides the three of them, there was only one other person in the bathhouse, who was also finishing up and wrapped in a towel, heading out.
Zhao Guihua laughed, "It's like we've got the place to ourselves."
Ming Mei: "It's better with fewer people, more peaceful. When it's crowded, it's chaotic. Before I got married, every year before the New Year, the bathhouse would be packed with people. Sometimes, fights would break out over a water faucet."
Although it was empty most of the time, it was different a few days before the New Year. It would be packed every day, and fights were common over water faucets.
Ming Mei sighed, "But it's strange, it seems less crowded here. When I came before the New Year, it wasn't as crowded as it was at my place. But that doesn't make sense, since the machinery factory's dormitory is here. There should be more people. I really don't understand."
Zhao Guihua: "Don't understand?"
Ming Mei nodded.
Zhao Guihua: "It's because of the living environment. Your place has apartment buildings with water fees charged per household. But here, many live in siheyuan (courtyard houses), with water faucets outside. And we pay water fees per person, so whether you use a lot or a little, the price is the same. People naturally prefer to wash at home. If you don't wash at home, others will, and you'll feel like you're losing out. Plus, in siheyuan, disposing of water is very convenient. Some even dare to wash outside in winter. But you can't do that in apartments, right?"
Zhao Guihua was more knowledgeable than Ming Mei. If it were the 1980s or 1990s, with modern apartment buildings equipped with showers, apartments would be more convenient. But now, the spaces are small and difficult to maneuver, so washing at home is very inconvenient.
That's why the bathhouse in their area makes more money.
Because people find it inconvenient to wash at home, they are used to going to the bathhouse. Once the habit is formed, it's hard to change. But here, people are used to washing at home. It's just the local custom.
Ming Mei suddenly understood, "No wonder, I thought it wasn't that crowded here."
At this moment, she felt a bit regretful, "So if we don't wash at home, aren't we losing out?"
Zhao Guihua gave her a look, "What's the big deal about that?"
Ming Mei chuckled, "Right, I guess it's not a big deal."
She smiled sweetly, "Mom, after you're done soaking, let me scrub your back."
Zhao Guihua: "Sure."
They could help each other scrub, but it was a pity that there were no masseurs for women, only for men. But then again, even if there were, they might not be needed.
Housewives at the time were quite frugal and wouldn't spend on such things.
Since they had already paid, they might as well enjoy a thorough wash. Ming Mei and the others came out, and the staff was already preparing to close, giving them a big glare for coming at the last minute.
At that time, expecting warm customer service was out of the question.
Zhuang Zhixi came out with wet hair, seeing his wife and immediately smiling. Ming Mei's head was wrapped in a towel, looking like the character Afanti from picture books.
But it wasn't just her; his mother and niece were the same.
Hutou loudly teased his sister, and Xiao Yanzi said in a childish voice, "Brother, you don't understand. This way, the wind won't get into our bodies through our hair."
She said seriously, "Grandma said this is better."
"Alright, let's go home quickly."
Zhuang Zhixi looked at Ming Mei, moving closer to her. The long bath had left her skin fair with a pinkish hue, making her look like a super sweet peach. Zhuang Zhixi couldn't resist holding Ming Mei's hand and asked, "Feeling cold?"
Ming Mei shook her head, "Not cold."
Although the weather wasn't particularly warm yet, it was past winter, and the climate was good. Some people had even started wearing single layers. The evening was a bit chilly, but after the long bath, they felt warm inside and out, not feeling much cold.
The couple held hands, unconcerned about others.
Their affectionate behavior was a bit cringe-worthy.
Zhuang Zhiyuan thought, you're just newlyweds. Over time, love fades, and holding your wife's hand feels like holding your own. He muttered in his heart but still held his two children's hands, who were jumping around.
Zhuang Zhixi suddenly asked, "Ming Mei, do you like boys or girls?"
Ming Mei: "I like whatever I give birth to."
Zhuang Zhixi smiled, "That's true."
Ming Mei glanced at Zhuang Zhixi, who asked, "What's wrong?"
Ming Mei thought for a moment and said, "I want to have children in a couple of years."
She didn't want to have them too early; she was still young. Having children early would mean constant care, and Ming Mei felt a bit worried just thinking about it. Her straightforwardness made Zhuang Zhixi pause, but he agreed, "Then let's wait. Little brats are noisy and cry all the time; it's annoying."
He pointed at Hutou and Xiao Yanzi in front and said, "These two used to cry all the time when they were little. People in our courtyard even said they were easy to take care of. It was exhausting."
Hutou and Xiao Yanzi turned back, silently looking at their uncle. How could he say such hurtful things?
Zhuang Zhixi: "What are you looking at? I'm just telling the truth. They eat, sleep, poop, and cry. I felt the pain just watching."
Although he didn't take care of the kids, the sight alone was headache-inducing.
Ming Mei: "Oh."
She too had seen how much effort it took to care for a baby and felt that having a child was a big deal. The couple exchanged knowing looks and said, "No rush, no rush."
As the eldest brother, Zhuang Zhiyuan felt he could offer some advice, "It's good to have children early; it's one less thing to worry about in life."
But no one listened.
Zhuang Zhixi: "My brother is always on business trips, away from home for half a month at a time. Of course, he doesn't feel anything because he doesn't take care of the kids."
Ming Mei glanced at Zhuang Zhiyuan and nodded.
Zhuang Zhixi: "Back then, my brother and sister-in-law both worked, and Hutou and Xiao Yanzi were mostly raised by my mom. They didn't really take care of them. Even if they needed to do something, it was my sister-in-law who did it. He doesn't know how hard it is to take care of kids."
Ming Mei nodded again.
Zhuang Zhixi: "And..."
Zhuang Zhiyuan: "Shut up!"
The older brother was embarrassed.
Zhuang Zhixi: "See, the truth is always hard to hear."
Zhao Guihua: "Zhiyuan, shut up. Let the young couple decide for themselves. Just take care of your own family."
Zhuang Zhiyuan: "Oh."
With his mother's words, he had no choice but to keep quiet.
Zhuang Zhixi smirked, earning another glare from his brother. Today, Zhuang Zhixi had received quite a few glares.
However, today, despite being tired, the harvest was really good.
The food was also great.
When the group returned home, they found Liang Meifen sitting at the door. The lights in the front yard were all off, indicating that everyone was probably asleep. Zhao Guihua said, "We've been busy all day today, so let's all go to bed early."
Everyone went back to their rooms to rest. As soon as Zhuang Zhixi entered the room, he hugged his wife, Ming Mei: "Mmm..."
Her mouth was blocked.
These young people, they just have endless energy. The two quickly fell onto the bed. Zhuang Zhixi reached out and fumbled on the wall until he found the light cord. With a quick pull, the lights went out!
Monday, a new day has arrived!
Ming Mei was late again.
It wasn't that she was lazy, but there was someone who kept clinging to her every night, not letting her rest until the wee hours. How could she have the energy to get up? Ming Mei lay on the bed like a boneless creature, slowly putting on her clothes and said, "Zhuang Zhixi, you can't do this anymore."
Zhuang Zhixi hadn't been up for long either, just a minute earlier than Ming Mei.
He was putting on his shoes and said, "What did I do?"
Ming Mei widened her eyes: "What else could it be? You see, it's never-ending, and it's affecting work."
Zhuang Zhixi blinked innocently: "We just got married, we need to communicate more and explore the mysteries of life, don't you think?"
Ming Mei blushed: "What's there to agree with? Go away."
She felt this person was really too much.
Zhuang Zhixi leaned over and kissed her cheek, saying, "Alright, come on, let me help you get dressed. If you're too tired, I'll ride my bike and take you to work."
Ming Mei pouted: "Then won't you be late too?"
Zhuang Zhixi: "Once or twice won't matter. I think everyone will understand my desire to explore life with my wife after just getting married."
This earned him two little punches from Ming Mei.
Zhuang Zhixi: "Why are you hitting me? They're all older than me, they understand more. Come on, get up."
He pulled his wife up, and the two of them finally left the house.
Unexpectedly, today, Zhuang Zhiyuan and his wife were also late. It seems the turtle soup from yesterday had some other effects? Everyone being late made it seem less of a big deal.
However, Zhuang Zhixi didn't know that his brother was simply late, quite different from him.
Early in the morning, the water basin in the courtyard was the busiest, everyone scrambling for it.
But recently, it's been better since there are fewer people in the hospital. The front yard has been much quieter, even the morning routines don't need to be rushed anymore. Zhuang Zhixi sighed, "I really hope they stay in the hospital a few more days."
That said, it's obviously impossible.
Hospital stays aren't free, and it's about time they checked out.
Zhuang Zhixi smiled: "I bet I'll see some excitement today."
"Huh?" Everyone eating breakfast looked up at Zhuang Zhixi. Zhuang Zhixi: "It's Monday, and we usually go to the hospital for supplies in the morning. They're probably checking out today too. Maybe I'll run into them, or I can just go check out the action."
That's possible too.
Zhao Guihua warned her son: "Stay away from the action, don't get caught in the crossfire. Those people fight without regard, and Aunt Su and Aunt Zhou are always looking for someone to blame. Don't let them trick you."
Zhuang Zhixi widened his eyes and then smiled meaningfully: "Mom, you underestimate your son too much. If I can be tricked by them, I might as well not live."
Zhao Guihua pouted, but then thought about it, this kid has never been tricked before, he's the one who usually makes others miserable. Zhao Guihua relaxed and said, "I'm going to see Aunt Wang today and push Uncle Lan to find a partner, we can't be later than Bai Fendou."
Ming Mei burst out laughing: "Mom, you're comparing to Bai Fendou?"
Zhao Guihua: "Of course."
She thinks Uncle Lan finding a partner is easier than Bai Fendou.
Ming Mei giggled, and Zhuang Zhixi looked at her bright smile and said, "Alright, stop laughing, finish eating and let's go. I'll take you to work."
Ming Mei: "Okay."
She was exhausted last night, her legs were weak, and having someone take her to work was the best.
However, as soon as she said that, everyone looked at them. Ming Mei remained calm and said, "I was too tired yesterday."
Zhao Guihua raised an eyebrow but didn't comment. The young couple quickly left the house and ran into Old Man Lan. Despite his age, he also rode a bicycle. He pushed his bike out and said, "Oh, Grandpa, you bought a bike."
Old Man Lan: "It's Ming Mei's mom's."
Ming Mei looked and indeed recognized it as her mother's.
Old Man Lan: "The factory director said he'd give me a bike coupon next month, so I'm making do for now."
As a special talent, he enjoys good benefits.
The group left together, and Old Man Lan fished out a White Rabbit candy from his pocket and said, "Here."
Ming Mei smiled brightly: "Thank you, Grandpa."
Zhuang Zhixi was sad: "Why didn't I get one?"
Old Man Lan snorted and quickly rode off on his bike, zooming away. His speed was unlike that of an old man; even Bai Fendou, who was most proud of his new bike, didn't ride that fast.
This old man was truly a speed demon.
Zhuang Zhixi shouted, "Grandpa, slow down, don't fall!"
Old Man Lan didn't respond, zooming away.
Zhuang Zhixi: "This old man really has personality."
Ming Mei chuckled and said, "Neither my uncle nor my mom could control him, and you, as a grandson-in-law, don't even think about it. My mom told me that Grandpa has already calmed down a lot. When my grandmother was still alive, they were a dynamic duo. After my grandmother passed away, Grandpa became much quieter, even though he remarried, it didn't seem to be a good match."
Zhuang Zhixi: "So, your grandfather's current state is already a restrained version?"
Ming Mei nodded: "Yes."
Zhuang Zhixi: "I see."
The result of Zhuang Zhixi taking Ming Mei to work was that he was late. Fortunately, the clinic was lenient, and no one said much, just teasing him a bit. Zhuang Zhixi: "You see, as compensation, I was going to share some gossip. Since you're all teasing me, I won't share it."
"Hey, what gossip? Tell us, why not?"
"Yeah, don't hold back, spill it."
"Is it about your neighborhood? Is it about the widow, or Bai Fendou, Zhou Qun?"
Everyone immediately got curious. Zhuang Zhixi smiled: "You know Wang Xiangxiu took over Bai's father and son's wages during payday, right? Guess what, she didn't give it to them, and last night Old Man Bai was howling for his money in the courtyard..."
Zhuang Zhixi vividly described the scene.
Such things, if he didn't share, would still spread, as their place was a family compound. He estimated that by noon, the whole factory would know, so Zhuang Zhixi wasn't holding back.
By sharing this gossip, everyone stopped teasing him about his lateness.
Hmm, trading the widow's gossip for his peace was a good deal.
"I knew the widow wasn't easy, why doesn't she just marry Bai Fendou? She's already taken his money, what is she dragging for?"
"Exactly."
"I think she just doesn't like Bai Fendou, she's only after his money."
"Ah, Bai Fendou is more than enough for her, a widow with three kids and a mother-in-law. Even if she finds a man, it's just for support, yet she looks down on Bai Fendou? Even if he's not perfect, he's still a young man."
Everyone started discussing. Zhuang Zhixi tidied up and said, "I'm off to the hospital."
"Go ahead, take the list and check the supplies."
"Okay."
They continued discussing the match, waving Zhuang Zhixi off like swatting a fly.
Zhuang Zhixi: "..."
Indeed, give them a topic, and they can chat for a whole day.
Zhuang Zhixi arrived at the hospital; as soon as he got there, he saw many people heading upstairs. Zhuang Zhixi's keen radar immediately kicked in. If there wasn't something going on, he would never believe it.
And, more often than not, it was someone he knew.
After all, such a scandal happening in a hospital was quite rare.
Zhuang Zhixi hurried upstairs and saw everyone gathered in front of a ward. Oh ho, it was just as he expected.
Zhuang Zhixi quickly moved closer. Being tall had its advantages; with just a slight tiptoe, his line of sight immediately surpassed the crowd and landed inside the room. He could see everything clearly.
Sure enough, it was Aunt Zhou and Aunt Su, a duel between the two "aunties". This morning, everyone in this ward was supposed to be discharged, as one couldn't stay in the hospital forever, usually checking out after three days.
But it was at this moment that Jiang Lu suddenly mentioned the incident of their home being burgled.
Aunt Zhou knew about the burglary, as Zhou Qun had been hospitalized because of it, and it had delayed picking her up. Aunt Zhou was well aware of the situation. However, since the burglar had been caught on the spot, she had assumed the stolen items were recovered. It wasn't until hearing Jiang Lu's words that she realized the items were gone, likely taken by Jinlai during the chaos of everyone rushing to the hospital that night.
This infuriated Aunt Zhou, a mix of old and new grievances. Her son was injured because of this family's burglary, and she wasn't picked up on time because of this incident. How could she not hate it?
She directly charged to Aunt Su's bed and slapped her twice.
Aunt Su was in the process of packing her things. She had been bitten by a dog, but not severely. She should have been discharged yesterday, but since it was Sunday, she delayed until today. Never had she expected Aunt Zhou to explode.
She attacked like a mad dog, rushing up to hit.
Aunt Su was no match for Aunt Zhou. Her usual tactics were not direct confrontations; she always played the weak and helpless card, adept at rallying the crowd to defend her. When it came to actual fighting, she couldn't stand up to Aunt Zhou. In the past, in the courtyard, the Bai family, father and son, would always step up for her. Even if they didn't, others would condemn Aunt Zhou, as she was so weak and helpless.
But this time, there were no people from the courtyard, only Bai Fendou.
Fortunately, Bai Fendou was reliable. To him, Aunt Su was like his mother-in-law. Seeing his mother-in-law being bullied, he certainly couldn't stand by! At her crying, Bai Fendou couldn't bear it, and so began the Nth round of a big brawl in the ward. Zhou Qun and Jiang Lu couldn't just watch their mother get hurt, and the scene became chaotic again...
Zhuang Zhixi arrived just in time to see this spectacle, with many doctors and patients gathered at the door, too afraid to step forward.
Zhuang Zhixi: "See, what did I say? I was right, I was definitely right!"
