Chapter 017

The midday sun was warm.

He Shuo came out of his house and went straight to Lao Zhou’s house.

When he tapped the door twice, he heard Wu Dafeng’s voice: “The door is open, come in yourself.”

He Shuo pushed open the door and walked in, and Lao Zhou greeted him.

Before Lao Zhou could say anything, He Shuo said to Lao Zhou first, “I’ve come to apologize for last night’s incident.”

Old Zhou coughed, “It’s just a little thing, where do you need to come to the house to apologize.”

Before He Shuo could say anything, Wu Dafeng came out from the kitchen.

With an apron tied around her waist, she opened her mouth and said, “Of course I need to apologize!”

Old Zhou blankly glanced at her, and without looking at him, she continued, “Seriously, you need to take care of that daughter-in-law of yours.”

He Shuo gently inhaled and held his breath, looked at Wu Dafeng and said, “Sister-in-law, last night, Li Shuang, she really didn’t mean it, she has no grudge against you, Lao Zhou and I are still brothers, how could she intentionally do this kind of hurtful thing? You just calm down, she just went to the hospital today to check, is pregnant.”

“Pregnant?” Wu Dafeng suddenly froze.

Old Zhou gave her a blank look, “You’ve given birth to a child, now you know that she didn’t do it on purpose!”

Wu Dafeng grunted, “What’s wrong with being pregnant? We country folk are not so delicate when we get pregnant!”

This bastard!

Lao Zhou frowned and glared at Wu Dafeng, his face instantly darkened.

Wu Dafeng saw it this time and didn’t dare to say anything, turning around and going back to the kitchen to continue washing dishes and scrubbing pots.

The words had been made clear, so He Shuo didn’t stay any longer.

He said hello to Lao Zhou and went home.

Old Zhou sent He Shuo to the door and came back.

When he came in, he went straight to the kitchen and told Wu Dafeng, “You heard me, she’s pregnant and can’t help it, so don’t bring this up again, I won’t give you a good face if you do!”

Wu Dafeng grunted again, “If you’re pregnant, why didn’t you say so? Why didn’t you say so just now? Let his man say it, what’s the point!”

Lao Zhou furrowed his brows again and looked at Wu Dafeng, “When was it just now?”

Wu Dafeng said, “Just now outside, I had a fight with her!”

Old Zhou was really angry and said loudly, “You even had a fight with someone else?!”

Wu Dafeng straightened up, “I couldn’t get angry in my heart, of course I had to quarrel!”

Old Zhou was so angry that he clenched his teeth and pointed at her, “Wu Dafeng, you give me a clear record, if you have nothing to do in the future, go out and make trouble for me, I can’t spare you! How many times have I said, this is not the countryside! You can’t mess around!”

Wu Dafeng was in a temper, “You’re talking about me, is Li Shuang right?”

Old Zhou glared, “What’s wrong with Li Shuang? She’s pregnant, she’s not feeling well, but she still came to our house for dinner, doesn’t that tell you everything? Look at what you’ve done! You’re a brainless thing! You’re a troublemaker! I asked you to bring your child here to live, not to cause trouble! If you’re going to offend all of my comrades, get the hell back to your hometown!”

Hearing this, Wu Dafeng couldn’t afford to lose her temper.

Old Zhou saw that she didn’t speak anymore, and with a heavy grunt flung his sleeves out of the kitchen.

***

At this time, Zhen Zhen and Shi Huai Ming had already finished eating and were ready to study.

Serving Huai Ming saw that Zhen Zhen looked like she had something on her mind, so she asked, “What’s the matter?”

Zhen Zhen didn’t want to say anything, but when he asked, she said, “Sister-in-law Li Shuang and sister-in-law Da Feng had a fight.”

Servant Huai Ming did not find it surprising that the two would quarrel.

If it wasn’t for Old Zhou’s pressure last night, Wu Dafeng might have gone and called Li Shuang out to have a fight right then and there.

Wu Dafeng heart that breath did not swallow, this fight sooner or later are going to quarrel.

I didn’t ask about the details of the fight, but I asked, “What happened to Li Shuang?”

Zhen Zhen shook her head, “She didn’t say, it looks as if she’s still not well, she threw up again just now.”

They couldn’t get anything out of this blind discussion.

Servant Huai Ming didn’t say any more, only saying, “Let them solve it themselves.” It’s not good for outsiders to get involved.

Seeing that Servant Huai Ming said this, Zhen Zhen didn’t worry about it anymore.

She focused on her studies and stopped thinking about other things.

Shi Huai Ming continued to teach Zhen Zhen new content.

When it was time to go to class, he got up and ran into He Shuo on his way out.

The two of them walked side by side and asked He Shuo, “Have you solved it?”

He Shuo picked up, “Anyway, it’s clear, my family Li Shuang is pregnant, it’s up to her whether she understands or not.”

Servant Huai Ming was just about to speak again when he suddenly heard Old Zhou’s voice from behind him.

Both of them turned back together, only to see Old Zhou followed up with a quick step.

When Old Zhou came up to him, He Shuo asked him, “Has your wife’s anger subsided now?”

Old Zhou put on his authority, “How dare she not? I won’t let her die!”

He explained, “She’s just too idle here, her bones ache from idleness, so she wants to find something to do.”

Servant Huai Ming said, “Why don’t you find her something to do.”

Old Zhou looked at Shi Huai Ming, “She’s only good at washing clothes and cooking and taking care of the kids, what can I find for her to do?”

He Shuo helped him think, “Why don’t you learn from Huai Ming and teach your wife to read?”

Old Zhou let out a laugh, “I’ve only been literate for a while, how long can I teach her? I don’t have the time to teach her. I’m exhausted from training every day, and I have to go home and teach her to read and write? Her brain is as dead as an elm, she can’t learn even if she’s taught, she can do needlework and housework, that’s already a great thing.”

He Shuo: “Look at what you’re saying, Huai Ming doesn’t attend classes or train? How can people teach?”

Old Zhou grunted again, “I don’t have Huai Ming’s pursuit, I want a wife, I can cook and wash clothes and give birth to a child on the line, literate or not, it’s all the same, I want a wife that’s not just for this?”

He Shuo and Shi Huai Ming smiled at each other and didn’t say anything further.

Seeing that it’s time for class, the three of them are busy accelerating their steps together.

***

Zhen Zhen had her own things to do, her own study tasks to complete, so naturally, she didn’t have the extra heart and time to worry too much about Li Shuang and Wu Dafeng.

Having already been warned by Squire Huai Ming once, it was natural that the same mistake could not be made again.

So she didn’t go out in the afternoon, and honestly stayed at home to read and study.

The other people in the hospital went to work and went to school, so Wu Dafeng was really bored at home by herself.

In particular, she and Li Shuang quarrel did not enjoy, did not scold comfortably, and at noon by the old Zhou black-faced training a pass, the heart suffocated unbearable, can not help but want to find someone to talk about it, so to Zhen Zhen this side of the shake a few times.

Zhen Zhen also knew that she was suffocating, so she went to the door and talked to her for a few minutes.

From the mouth of Wu Dafeng learned that Li Shuang is pregnant, Zhen Zhen heart relieved, think this is clear, naturally, also advised Wu Dafeng understanding, we are all women.

However, Wu Dafeng in the heart of the gas did not dissipate, just want to continue to say something difficult to vent their anger.

Zhen Zhen didn’t have so much time to listen to her, and persuaded a few more words, said: “Sister-in-law, I really want to study.”

Wu Dafeng did not want to let her in, “What does it matter if you study or not? Can you still go to school and take exams? Can you still get into a university? If you can’t, it’s useless to study.”

Zhen Zhen told her, “If I study more and read more books, I will be able to understand my third brother better, know what’s going on in his head, and have more to say to him.”

Wu Dafeng was still indifferent, “Do you have to talk to him so much? Wouldn’t it be better if you came to talk to me? You’re thinking too much, there’s no such thing as a life, a man earns money, a woman takes care of the family, eats, sleeps and raises a child, that’s all there is to it. I have nothing to say to Lao Zhou, not the same life?”

Zhen Zhen said, “Third brother he is different.”

Wu Dafeng laughed, “Men are all the same, get a wife, have children and live, that’s all.”

Now with Wu Dafeng is considered familiar, no longer as polite as when we met, Zhen Zhen also do not with her more roundabout, directly said: “sister-in-law, the last time you came to find me half a day to take care of leeks, I was the third brother said, he said that if there is a next time, will be punished me, you do not harm me.”

Hearing this, Wu Dafeng shifted her fire to Servant Huai Ming: “Your man is more or less faulty! You’re his wife, not his daughter. How can you control your wife like this? You’re also a good talker. If he tells you to do something, you do it. If you can’t, then argue with him, harden your temper and argue with him a few times, so that he knows how powerful you are, so that he won’t dare to control you like this in the future.”

Zhen Zhen thought in her heart, arguing so much that he doesn’t care about her anymore, then she and he are afraid that they won’t be able to be a real couple in this life.

Even if she couldn’t become his favorite in his mind, she couldn’t make him hate her.

And she had also discovered now that learning new things did have a sense of accomplishment.

So she still rushed at Wu Dafeng and said, “Sister-in-law, I really have to go in and read.”

Seeing that Zhen Zhen really didn’t come out to nag her, Wu Dafeng had no choice but to go back home by herself anyway.

No one and her to talk, her heart and suffocated panic, on their own in that muttering, a moment to say that Li Shuang petulant pretentious, a moment to say that the service Huai Ming the same pretentious, and finally came to the conclusion – the cultured people are fucking pretentious!

***

Wu Dafeng left, and Zhen Zhen sank down to study.

Pinyin she has almost finished learning, when she finishes learning pinyin, she will start learning Chinese characters next.

This feeling of a little progress was actually still wonderful.

Having mastered all the new content, Zhen Zhen relaxed her nerves and went to cook.

Standing in the kitchen for a while, she thought about what to eat tonight, and finally decided to cook a carp and tofu soup, heat up a few steamed buns in a steamer drawer, and stir fry a plate of scrambled eggs with loofah.

I decided to start doing it.

Carp two sides fried yellow pour boiling hot water, cook a pot of milky white carp soup.

The soup is even more delicious when tofu is put in it.

Zhen Zhen waited for Shihuaiming to come back for dinner.

When she didn’t wait, she saw He Shuo and Lao Zhou coming back through the window.

A little while later, He Ziran came back with a small yellow cloth school bag.

Zhen Zhen went to the kitchen to prepare a bowl of carp and tofu soup, and went out to knock on He Shuo’s door.

After the door opens she looks at He Shuo and says, “Head He, I heard that sister-in-law Li Shuang is pregnant, seeing as she’s throwing up so much, I’ve made some fish soup at home myself, so you give it to her and see if it will make her feel better.”

Having been warmed up, He Shuo hurriedly said, “Thank you, Little Cotton.”

Zhen Zhen smiled, “It’s fine, it’s not specifically for sister-in-law Li Shuang, we’re eating fish soup tonight too.”

He Shuo also looks at her and smiles, “That’s just as much of a thank you.”

Zhen Zhen accepted and asked He Shuo again, “Why isn’t third brother back?”

He Shuo said to Zhen Zhen with an oh, “The principal is looking for him for something, so he might be a little late.”

Knowing that, Zhen Zhen nodded at him.

After delivering the fish soup, Zhen Zhen returned home and continued to wait for Shi Huai Ming.

But after waiting for a short while, her heart itched again, thinking that she should take advantage of the time she had now and go out for a stroll on her bike.

Although she had practiced in the morning, that little time was not enough.

After thinking about it for a while and making a decision, Zhen Zhen went out and pushed on her bike and ran outside.

She originally just wanted to casually ride around and go back, but when she passed by the sub-food store, she thought that she would like to not go in and buy something again, so she parked her bike in front of the sub-food store.

***

In the food store, Li Shuang and Wen were cleaning up and getting ready to leave work.

The two of them were doing their work together and chatting, Li Shuang spat to Shizhen about Wu Dafeng, saying Wu Dafeng: “She’s unbelievable, I’ve never seen such a person, she really doesn’t have any sense at all.”

Shizuku follows up with, “Then stay away from her from now on.”

Li Shuang: “I’ll definitely stay away from her, my brain is buzzing now when I think of her face and her voice. If it wasn’t for He Shuo and Lao Zhou’s relationship, this kind of person, I wouldn’t even give her a second glance when I walk down the street.”

Wen said, “Compared to her, that little cotton is much cuter.”

Thinking of the morning Zhen Zhen and Wu Da Feng stood together to say bad things about her, Li Shuang grunted, “Whoever compares with Wu Da Feng is cute, Wu Da Feng that kind of person, she actually still like to hang out with Wu Da Feng so much.”

Wen: “The two people together from the countryside, surely ah.”

Li Shuang: “Even a good person would be bad with Wu Da Feng.”

Shizuku: “Then give her a hand.”

Li Shuang: “I have nothing to do.”

Shizuku: “Isn’t she your friend?”

Li Shuang grunted again, “What kind of friend? A neighbor at best.”

Shizuku straightened up and looked at her, “You help her with this and that, teach her all sorts of things, and you’re still not a friend? I don’t see you being so kind to others, but you’re so kind to her, and you even asked me to lend her the old noodles.”

Li Shuang: “I did it for the sake of Mr. Huai Ming, if not for him, I wouldn’t even care about her.”

Wen was about to speak again when she glanced over and saw a man standing at the front door.

She suddenly froze and didn’t say anything, then quickly hinted to Li Shuang with her eyes.

Li Shuang received her hint and turned his head back in confusion.

When she turned her head and saw Zhen Zhen standing on the gate, she instantly stiffened her expression and tied her tongue.

The small ……

The words froze on the tip of her tongue half did not spit out, her expression stiffly looked at Zhen Zhen lowered her eyebrows and turned to leave.

Li Shuang stood in place stiff for a long time.

Ah Wen pondered for a moment her expression, carefully voiced out, “It seems …… all heard ……”

Li Shuang back to God, a moment to find their own breath, put on a nonchalant look and said, “Hear it, hear it, what’s the big deal …… in the future also well water is good ……”

Ah Wen cleared her throat and did not speak again.

After cleaning up, Li Shuang and Ah Wen went home from work together.

The two waved and parted outside the school gates, and Li Shuang turned around and headed for the school.

With no one next to her to talk to anymore, the world became relatively quiet, so she couldn’t help but feel stuffy inside.

Taking a deep breath, Li Shuang quickened her steps.

He Shuo and He Ziran were already at home waiting for her to come back for dinner.

She hung up the bag on her shoulder, went to the kitchen to wash her hands, and came out to the dining table to sit down for dinner.

He Shuo asked her, “How are you feeling today?”

Li Shuang returned simply, “Still the same, more reactive than when I was pregnant with He Ziran.”

He Shuo could tell that she wasn’t very excited, and only thought that it was because of the difficulty of being pregnant, as well as the fact that she was pissed off by Wu Dafeng in the morning. He reached out and served a small bowl of carp and tofu soup to Li Shuang, calling out to her, “Try this.”

Li Shuang reached out next and pinched the spoon to drink a spoonful.

She immediately nodded her head after drinking it, looking to He Shuo and saying, “This fish soup is very good today, it’s very fresh and not too greasy.”

Ever since her pregnancy reaction last night, she didn’t have much of an appetite and was tired of everything she ate.

He Shuo told her, “Little Cotton stewed this at home and gave it to you to drink knowing you’re pregnant.”

Hearing this, Li Shuang’s expression stagnated, and her movements with the bowl froze.

He Shuo caught her reaction but didn’t read it, so he asked again, “What’s wrong?”

Li Shuang hastily shook her head and casually perfunctorily said, “This soup is quite good.”

He Shuo followed and said, “Little Cotton’s craftsmanship is quite good, her character is good, and she treats people well.”

Li Shuang’s throat was like choking on cotton, and he didn’t say anything else.

***

Next door, Zhen Zhen and Shi Huai Ming sat together to eat, has been low-eyed and silent.

The company’s main goal is to provide the best possible service to its customers, and it has been doing so for a long time.

Zhen Zhen didn’t want Shi Huai Ming to think that she liked to cause trouble, so she shook her head, “Nothing’s wrong.”

Shi Huai Ming gave her a look, “It’s all on your face, so you’re saying there’s nothing wrong?”

Zhen Zhen still shook her head, “Nothing.”

Seeing that Zhen Zhen didn’t say anything, Shi Huai Ming didn’t pursue the question.

After dinner, he still repeated the same thing – he taught Zhen Zhen new content, after teaching Zhen Zhen, let Zhen Zhen copy and memorize, while he sat next to him quietly reading.

After opening his book and reading two lines, there were two knocks on the door.

Serving Huai Ming closed the book and put it on the writing table, got up and went out to open the door.

When he opened the door, he saw Li Shuang.

Li Shuang brought a large bowl to Shi Huai Ming and said with a smile, “Thank you for the fish soup.”

Servant Huai Ming reached out and took the large bowl and said, “No need to be so polite.”

Li Shuang’s eyes glanced toward the house and hesitated for a moment, saying, “Little Cotton she ……”

“She is studying.” Serving Huai Ming asked her, “Do you find her something?”

“Nothing.” Li Shuang smiled back.

Feeling awkward, she added, “The fish soup she makes is very good.”

After saying this, without waiting for Servant Huai Ming to speak, she added, “Then I won’t bother you guys, you guys are busy.”

Servant Huai Ming watched her turn and walk away, closing the door to the kitchen.

Putting the large bowl in the kitchen, he went back to his room and sat down, saying nothing as he continued to pick up his book and read.

Zhen Zhen, of course, heard Li Shuang’s voice.

She didn’t let herself wander off for too long either, and after Servant Huai Ming opened the book, she put all her attention into studying.

Study time was over, and after washing up, she returned to her room to lie down.

Zhen Zhen hugged the fragrant cloth tiger and blinked for a long time in the darkness.

Blinking until she was very sleepy, she took a deep breath, rolled over to a different position, closed her eyes and went to sleep.

Next door.

Li Shuang tossed and turned in bed.

He Shuo thought he wasn’t feeling well, so he asked her, “Is it hard?”

Li Shuang hmmmed, “It’s a bit hard.”

He Shuo touched her stomach that hadn’t changed much, “Why are you reacting so much to this pregnancy?”

Li Shuang’s mind was not on this topic, and she replied perfunctorily, “I don’t know.”

Who can say what the reaction to pregnancy is, everyone is different, and every pregnancy is different.

Not wanting to say too much, Li Shuang added, “You have a busy day tomorrow, hurry up and go to bed.”

He Shuo let out a hmm and went to bed with her.

While the two closed their eyes and slept together, it was still He Shuo who fell asleep first.

Li Shuang listened to He Shuo’s breathing close to her ears, and her mind repeatedly thought about this evening at the sub store, seeing Zhen Zhen’s expression when she stood in the doorway and looked at her, and that turn of hers, and that bowl of fresh fish soup.

When she was annoyed by the thought, she blamed the emotion on her pregnancy reaction.

If it wasn’t a pregnancy reaction, she shouldn’t be so annoyed by this little thing.

It was a good thing that she fell asleep even after a while of annoyance.

When she got up in the early hours of the next morning and threw up in the restroom, her mood didn’t get any better with the new day.

She went to work with this not-so-good mood, and went to work with a stern face and not a lot of nonsense.

Wen could see that she was not right, and took the time to go next to her to ask her in a low voice: “What’s wrong with you?”

Li Shuang spoke calmly again, “Nothing, pre-pregnancy body a little uncomfortable, normal.”

Wen looked at her, “It’s just because you’re pregnant, isn’t it?”

Li Shuang lowered her head, “Of course, what else could it be?”

Shizuku hesitated for a moment and then asked, “It can’t be because of that ……,” her voice trailed off, “Little Cotton, right?”

Li Shuang raised her head to look at her and laughed lightly, “What are you thinking?”

Hearing her say this, Wen changed the tone and said: “also, you also did not take her as a friend, should not mind that she heard your words, anyway, there is no effect. It’s just that we’re neighbors, so it’s a little bit awkward to see each other. You saw her expression and eyes yesterday, I tell you, she is really take you as a friend, to you seriously. She’s actually a pretty good person, and she greets me warmly every time she comes to the store to buy something. I saw her eyes yesterday, at that time I was dying of weakness, I ……”

“Are you finished?” Li Shuang didn’t want to talk about it and interrupted Shizuku with a voice.

She picked up the abacus all upset, and added: “You do not bother me here, hurry to busy your go.”

Ah Wen shrugged her shoulders, didn’t say much more to Li Shuang and went to look at her own counter.

In the store not to say nonsense busy half a day, off duty time to, Li Shuang carry on the bag to go home to eat.

Into the door, the road met people who know, all smiled and greeted each other.

This way all the way home slowly.

Almost home, look over, only to see Zhen Zhen sitting alone on the small bench in front of her house sunbathing. She was reading a book with her head down and her mouth moving all the time, while she was stroking Dabai’s doggy head with her hand.

Dabai was lying right next to her feet, wagging his tail for her to touch the dog’s head.

Seeing this image, Li Shuang stopped her steps and stood for a while.

She did a good half day of mental construction, took several deep breaths, then adjusted the expression on her face and took a step forward. She wanted to pretend that nothing had happened, and reached the front to smile and say hello to Jen.

But before she could say anything when she got to about the same distance, Jen looked up and saw her first.

Zhen Zhen saw her without the slightest stunned, eyes on her body also did not stop for a moment, at the same time also did not give her the opportunity to open the mouth to greet, directly closed the books to carry a small bench, turned around and went home.

Li Shuang froze, the smile froze on his face.

A few seconds later, the smile on her face collapsed a little.

Swallowing her saliva, she swallowed down the words of greeting that had reached the edge of her mouth.