Widow Remarries in Sixties

That night, Jiang Mingchuan returned to the room after making sure all three children were asleep.

Jin Xiuzhu was sitting on the bed, applying some balm, then letting down her hair and picking up a comb.

Jiang Mingchuan closed the door and then blew out the kerosene lamp on the table at the foot of the bed.

The only electric light in the house was in the living room, and they rarely used it to save on the high electricity costs.

Jiang Mingchuan climbed into bed. After a nap in the afternoon, he felt much more energetic. He watched Jin Xiuzhu comb her hair in the dim light coming from outside the window and asked, “Were you serious earlier, or was it just talk?”

“About what?”

“Adopting Yang Yingxiong?”

Jin Xiuzhu rolled her eyes at him, thinking he was a bit foolish. “He has his real father. No matter how much I like him, I won’t fight his real father for him. Yang Yao is just not clear-headed and lacks manliness, easily controlled by his mother. If I didn’t say it like this, he wouldn’t take Yingxiong seriously.”

She initially planned to send the child back directly, but seeing Yang Yao blindly believe everything his mother said, she changed her mind. She decided to wait until Yang Yao came to take the child back himself.

A child who is too well-behaved doesn’t get any rewards.

Jiang Mingchuan looked at her with some emotion. He wasn’t very good at handling family relationships. He had intended to advise Yang Yao from a neighbor’s perspective, but Jin Xiuzhu had given him a thorough scolding. 

He had to admit, Jin Xiuzhu had made significant progress recently. Her scolding was both elegant and satisfying, even making him feel good.

Compared to He Yan, he felt Yingxiong was more like his younger self.

People said it was his home and his parents, but he alone knew he didn’t fit in with anything in that household.

Whenever his younger brother was unhappy, he would tell him to get out, saying it wasn’t his home. His adoptive mother would tell him not to bully his brother, even though it was always his brother bullying him. His grandmother would make him lie down to be a horse for his brother to ride. When he refused, she would beat him with a stick, and he stubbornly stood there without moving.

His adoptive father would offer a few words of comfort when he returned. As a child, he was moved, but as he grew up, he seemed to understand something.

Many people said he had reached this point because of his adoptive father, but it was clear that he had earned it with his own efforts. So, he chose to stay away from the capital and that home.s

Jin Xiuzhu always said he was too soft-hearted, a people-pleaser. He was just afraid to refuse because he feared his refusal would anger others.

Just like when he was young, his brother would get angry if he didn’t help him and threaten to kick him out of the house.

After Jin Xiuzhu lay down, Jiang Mingchuan tightly hugged her from behind, thinking how great it would have been if he had someone like Jin Xiuzhu to support him when he was a child.

Jin Xiuzhu misunderstood, thinking he had other intentions. After a moment of silence, she gently patted his hand and softly said, “Let’s wait a few days until you’ve recovered a bit more.”

He was too thin now, and she worried that if she got pregnant, the baby would be weak.

Jiang Mingchuan: “…”

***

In the following days, Yang Yao came to see his child every evening, sometimes bringing fruits or candies. He also paid for the child’s infusion and meal expenses for those days.

Following Jin Xiuzhu’s advice, Yang Yingxiong initially ignored him. After two or three days, he occasionally glanced at him, and after a week, he started talking to him, but not much.

Seeing his child finally acknowledge him, Yang Yao felt a mixture of sadness and joy. He promised, “Dad will never let you be bullied again. It was all Dad’s fault before.”

No matter what, Yang Yingxiong still loved his father deep down. His eyes silently reddened.

Yang Yao told Jin Xiuzhu and Jiang Mingchuan, “In a few days, I’ll take leave to send my mother back to our hometown. I’ll ask my uncle and cousin to help take care of her, and I’ll send money back every month.”

Jin Xiuzhu didn’t care what decisions he made. She only cared about Yang Yingxiong. She took out a piece of paper and said, “The other day, Jiang Mingchuan and I officially recognized Yang Yingxiong as our godson. From now on, we are his godparents. If he gets bullied again, we’ll take him back. This is also his home. Have a look, and if you agree, sign it.”

It was a letter of commitment, stating that if Yang Yingxiong were ever mistreated again, he would be given to Jiang Mingchuan and Jin Xiuzhu to raise.

Yang Yao looked at the child and then signed his name.

Yang Hero saw it too, biting his lip. Instead of feeling sad, he felt very happy because he sensed his godparents valued him, feeling he had another support besides his father.

Jin Xiuzhu reminded him, “I hope you don’t tell Zhao Yun about this.”

Yang Yao didn’t ask further and nodded.

Yang Yingxiong left with his father.

Once they were gone, the house felt much quieter. He Yan worriedly asked Jin Xiuzhu, “Mom, will Yang Yingxiong’s dad treat him well?”

Jin Xiuzhu folded the paper. She wasn’t sure but said, “He should. After all, something only feels valuable when someone else wants it.”

He Yan didn’t understand and looked at his dad, but his dad was looking at his mom.

He then looked at his sister, who rolled her eyes at him again.

He Yan complained, “Mom, Sister rolled her eyes at me again.”

Jin Xiuzhu replied without thinking, “Then roll your eyes twice at her.”

He Yan: “…”

It was quickly approaching mid-January, and the whole family was planning to return to the capital on the 28th of the month. Everyone was busy packing up their things.

Qian Yufeng came over to ask Jin Xiuzhu if she wanted to stock up on New Year’s goods, mentioning that her family’s production team would be slaughtering a pig the next day and asking if Jin Xiuzhu wanted to buy some meat.

Wang Ling also came by, bringing a set of couplets given by a friend, saying, “Do you want some slightly flawed ones? There’s a batch in the warehouse we’re preparing to sell domestically. If you want, I can set some aside for you at a good price.”

Qian Yufeng, overhearing this, got excited. However, since she wasn’t familiar with Wang Ling and knew she was Captain Yan’s wife, she didn’t dare speak up, even though she might have with someone else. She was wondering when Jin Xiuzhu had gotten so close to Captain Yan’s wife.

Jin Xiuzhu noticed Qian Yufeng’s interest and asked, “Do you have a lot? If so, I’d like to get more.”

Recently, Jin Xiuzhu had received several payments from her writing, saving up quite a bit of money.

Wang Ling smiled broadly, “Yes, there’s plenty. Just let me know how much you want.”

Fang Min was also at Jin Xiuzhu’s house. She had arrived the earliest and was holding an embroidery frame, having recently been learning embroidery from Jin Xiuzhu.

Wang Ling saw the embroidery Jin Xiuzhu had completed and, surprised, picked it up to look at it. She asked, “Did you do this?”

Jin Xiuzhu nodded, assuming Wang Ling liked it, and generously said, “If you like it, I can make you a handkerchief next time.”

Qian Yufeng, already aware of Jin Xiuzhu’s embroidery skills, hadn’t thought much of it before. Seeing Wang Ling treat it like a treasure, she immediately said, “I want one too.”

Never one to miss out on a good deal, Jin Xiuzhu laughed, “Everyone can have one.”

Jin Xiuzhu saw Qian Yufeng and Wang Ling out, chatting for a bit at the door. Just then, they happened to see Zhao Yun coming up the stairs with her child.

The sight of them made Zhao Yun’s face change momentarily, but she quickly composed herself and smiled, greeting Wang Ling.

Wang Ling, unaware of Zhao Yun’s previous departure from home, saw her carrying a bag and asked, smiling, “Are you back from getting New Year’s supplies?”

Zhao Yun forced a smile, nodded, and said, “I have something to do, so I’ll go ahead.”

She then went upstairs with her daughter.

Qian Yufeng and Wang Ling also went downstairs. Once they were out of earshot, Qian Yufeng couldn’t hold back any longer and eagerly told Wang Ling about Zhao Yun running away from home. Being close to Jin Xiuzhu, she knew everything that happened in the building.

Wang Ling patted her mouth, “Oh dear, I really shouldn’t have said anything.”

Then she curiously asked, “Did Captain Yang send his mother away?”

“Yes, he sent her away a few days ago. Jin Xiuzhu said his mother started crying at the crack of dawn.”

Wang Ling nodded, “That’s good. Poor Yingxiong, though.”

Qian Yufeng said, “It’s much better now. He has his own room, and if he wants to eat something, he can cook it himself. If he doesn’t feel like cooking, he can go downstairs to eat.”

Wang Ling felt a pang of sympathy, “Jin Xiuzhu and her husband are good people.”

She felt she had judged them correctly.

Qian Yufeng wholeheartedly agreed. Her own mother-in-law had once told her to learn from Jin Xiuzhu and be more cautious, to watch what she said, and to speak kindly.

She had worried that Jin Xiuzhu might outsmart her, but now she saw that Jin Xiuzhu wasn’t scheming at all. She was simply good-hearted, helping others without any ulterior motives.

On January 28, 1970, Jiang Mingchuan and his family of four boarded the train to the capital.