Chapter 64

Earning money naturally made her very happy. With a big smile on her face, Ye Qingshui returned to the military compound.

Although she made quite a lot today, she also spent a lot. In the end, it was like money going in from her left pocket and out from the right—no real difference.

But at least she had bought the watch and the bicycle ticket, so Ye Qingshui had resolved one matter weighing on her mind. Normally, she would never have dared to imagine buying such big items so easily.

If she hadn’t come to the capital, before New Year’s if she went to the county to sell these tickets, she probably would’ve only made about fifty yuan.

Looking at the clean whitewashed walls of the military compound, Ye Qingshui thought: Next year, I won’t need to come here again.

A golden nest or a silver nest is not as good as your own dog’s nest. No wonder before bringing her to the capital, Xie Tingyu had told her again and again about the situation at home.

For him to have grown up smoothly in this family despite so many unhappy things happening in his childhood, and still be upright, open, and not resentful of fate—truly, it hadn’t been easy for Xie Tingyu.

By comparison, the Ye family had much more warmth and humanity. Thinking of this, Ye Qingshui couldn’t help but recall her own family.

The new house back home had just been built, and was still being aired out. By the time she returned to the countryside after New Year’s, she could probably move in.

The cured meat she had prepared at home before the year’s end should also be ready by now. Cooking a pot of it would fill the whole house with a fragrance far beyond the half-prepared cured meat she ate at the Xie family’s; her mother and grandmother must be enjoying it very much. After New Year’s, when she brought milk powder back to the countryside, her young aunt would surely be delighted. In her previous life, her younger uncle had been a bachelor for over thirty years and only had a child when he was already old. But this time, he was blessed with a baby while still young—this made Ye Qingshui sincerely happy.

Thinking of all this, the corners of her lips curved up without her realizing.

When she returned to the Xie household and saw Xie Dongmei and her mother, the smile on her face didn’t diminish at all.

Xu Maofang asked, “Where did your sister-in-law just go? She looks quite happy.”

Xie Dongmei said, “Brother took her to buy a watch. How could she not be happy? A Longines women’s watch, at least two hundred yuan each.”

Xu Maofang was puzzled. “But your brother was just taking a nap in his room. How could he have gone with her to buy a watch?”

At this, Xie Dongmei grew unhappy. “Not only did brother go with sister-in-law to buy a watch, he even scolded me. When he saw me at the store, he completely ignored me!”

“Oh, and just now I also ran into Aunt Hua.”

Xie Dongmei didn’t find anything wrong with this, but Xu Maofang grew even more suspicious.

That afternoon, Xie Tingyu really had been at home sleeping—she herself had brought fruit to his room. How could he possibly have sprouted wings and gone out shopping with Ye Qingshui?

Just then came the sound of knock knock knock at the door, interrupting Xu Maofang’s doubts.

Xie Dongmei went to open the door. The visitor was Sun Lingyu, and as her gaze shifted, she saw that Sun Lingyu had brought another woman along. The woman gave her a bright smile.

“Dongmei, this is He Fang,” Sun Lingyu introduced.

When Ye Qingshui returned to the Xie household, Xie Tingyu was already awake and was washing clothes.

In the dead of winter, water turned to ice upon contact; the water from the tap was bone-chillingly cold, and soaking one’s hands in it made them stiff without realizing.

Seeing him dutifully washing his own clothes, Ye Qingshui hurriedly said:

“Leave it, let me do it.”

Today she had been busy selling tickets and shopping at the black market, and only returned near evening. She had forgotten about such trivial matters for the moment.

The thin northern sunlight in the afternoon shone on his handsome profile. In the small bathroom, a man bent over, shoulders hunched, wearing such a serious expression as if handling the most important task in the world. Seeing this, Ye Qingshui felt complicated emotions stir in her heart.

But she didn’t stop him. Watching this young master, who in the past had never touched even spring water with his fingers, now washing her clothes, Ye Qingshui couldn’t help but feel like a serf turning over to sing songs of liberation.

Her younger uncle’s tireless “teachings” to Xie Tingyu had truly been successful.

Still… Ye Qingshui insisted aloud, “Really, you don’t need to wash them.”

Xie Tingyu said while washing, “It’s nothing, just a small task. I’ve already finished.”

With swift movements, he wrung the clothes dry and hung them on the radiator. Droplets of water fell on his hands as he looked out the window.

In the courtyard, he saw a familiar black skirt being hung out to dry.

Ever since that time he went to the county town for the commendation meeting and saw Ye Qingshui wear it once, he had never seen her wear it again.

When Ye Qingshui had worn that black skirt with a white blouse, she had looked as soft and graceful as the autumn clouds hanging in the sky—so beautiful it took his breath away. He had bought the fabric and had her make clothes out of it just so he could see her wear them more often, but instead she had put it away.

This was truly frustrating.

Withdrawing his gaze, a faint smile had already appeared on his face.

Time flowed like water, and New Year’s Eve was drawing near.

According to custom, Grandma Xie would usually hand the expenses for New Year goods to Xu Maofang. But she couldn’t resist her eagerness to spend more time with her granddaughter-in-law and get closer to her, so she gave the money and coupons directly to Ye Qingshui.

Thus, Ye Qingshui went with Grandma Xie to purchase New Year’s goods, starting with grain at the supply and marketing cooperative.

After standing in line for a long time, Ye Qingshui frowned and said: “Grandma, you’re elderly. Standing too long may make you catch a chill. You sit inside, I’ll go handle this.”

She settled the old lady in a state-run restaurant and ordered her a bowl of wontons.

Someone like Grandma Xie, a cultured woman from a well-off family background, probably had never done much heavy labor. A gust of wind might topple her, unlike Ye Qingshui’s own grandmother, whose body was sturdy and strong.

In truth, Grandma Xie didn’t even need to personally buy New Year’s goods. In previous years, she had given the task to her daughters-in-law, and Xu Maofang, being a pampered lady, would in turn pass it off to the household servant.

This time, handing the job to Ye Qingshui was partly to test her and partly to spend more time with her.

But she hadn’t expected this country daughter-in-law to be so capable. Barely after sitting down, she saw Ye Qingshui already returning with goods—carrying rice and flour in her left hand, a basket of fish and New Year supplies in her right, sugarcane and couplets on her back. The old lady had bought plenty of things: melon seeds, candy, biscuits for snacking during New Year, pastries and meats and eggs for visiting relatives—all prepared thoroughly.

Although the Xie family was small in number, every year they celebrated with some close friends and soldiers who couldn’t return home for the holiday. Counting them all, there were never fewer than a dozen or twenty people. Eating five fish in one meal wasn’t unusual, and they could easily go through more than ten catties of noodles in a sitting.

The New Year goods that Ye Qingshui bought were quite a lot.

Grandma Xie was left staring, dumbfounded.

“Shui girl, aren’t you tired?”

Catching her breath, Ye Qingshui wiped her sweat and smiled brightly. “Not tired. These things are as light as feathers. How could they be tiring? Back in the countryside, the green manure I carried every day was way heavier than this.”

Grandma Xie thought to herself that her grandson had really found an honest and down-to-earth girl. She opened her mouth and said, “Give Grandma the flour, you take a rest.”

Following her words, Ye Qingshui handed a small bag of flour to Grandma Xie.

After walking for a while, the old lady was panting heavily. “No good, no good. Shui girl, slow down, aren’t you tired carrying so much? You really are capable.”

She regretted a little—she should’ve just brought her grandson out, instead of being greedy for this bit of time alone with her granddaughter-in-law.

Ye Qingshui stopped, put everything the old lady was carrying into her own basket.

She found it a bit funny and exasperating—she didn’t think this little bit of work was anything troublesome. Spending money to buy things, how could that be tiring?

Even little Zhou Ke would use weekends to smash stones and earn money. A six- or seven-year-old child could carry a basket of stones weighing fifty to sixty jin.

Smiling, Ye Qingshui said, “What’s this compared to? Brother Yu is even more impressive. Back in the countryside he could bear hardships too. During the dam-building period, he could carry two hundred jin of stone up the mountain without even panting.”

Grandma Xie said, “How can that be the same? He’s a man. Girls should be cherished and raised with care.”

She wiped the sweat from Ye Qingshui’s face with her warm hand. “Your nature is too honest and straightforward, easy for Tingyu to bully. Don’t be fooled by how proper he looks now. When Grandma raised him as a child, the more he liked something, the more he tormented it.”

He’s just too lacking in security, thought Grandma Xie.

Ye Qingshui nodded at this. Not only did he torment what he liked, he tormented what he disliked too. In her previous life, she had been tormented by him miserably.

Grandma Xie hadn’t expected her grandson, after one trip to the countryside, to get married so quickly. By rough calculation, it hadn’t even been a full year. Seeing how he used to look down on everyone, she had thought this brat would bring home a perfect wife, not such an ordinary one.

Compared to the girls he had been introduced to before, the difference was more than just a little.

But love, ah—sometimes it was just this unreasonable.

Watching this girl sweat silently without complaint, Grandma Xie’s heart settled down. This one’s an honest child.

“Tingyu has been good-looking since he was young, clever and likable, and the adults all loved him. But back then when Juejue was lost—you’ve heard him talk about that, haven’t you? After that, he became a poor little boy unloved by father or mother. His parents quarreled every day, and in the confusion he even got lost a few times. In the end, he always found his way back home by himself.”

With a face full of pride, Grandma Xie looked at Ye Qingshui. “He… was raised by his grandma. Tingyu is sensible. The first thing he did after marrying was bring you home. If you can’t get along with them, then in the future come live at Grandma’s house.”

“Starting next year, come live with Grandma.”

This long speech left Ye Qingshui a little dazed. She knew Xie Tingyu was pitiful, but hearing it from his elder like this, she couldn’t connect these things with the man himself.

He looked so much like a child raised in love, never worried about food or clothing, with a bright future. Whereas little Ye Qingshui had worried where her next meal would come from, her father died early… But compared to him, who had it worse, she really couldn’t say.

After speaking, Grandma Xie looked at her with eager, expectant eyes, which left Ye Qingshui feeling pressured.

Ye Qingshui: “…”

“I’ll listen to him.”

Chatting as they walked, Ye Qingshui and Grandma Xie returned to the Xie household.

Ye Qingshui, still burdened with bags of goods, saw in the living room that Xie Dongmei and her mother were holding a little “tea party.” Besides them, there were also a few young men and women.

When they saw Ye Qingshui carrying, hugging, and hauling all those New Year’s goods, their lips curled in faint sneers. Such a rough and unrestrained manner didn’t match the image of a “young lady” they had in mind.

Xu Maofang smiled. “Speak of the devil—this is my daughter-in-law, Ye Qingshui, from the commune in Hongqi County, Y City.”

“You all go help her.”

The flour, rice, fruits, vegetables, meat, fish, nuts, dried goods, sweets… were all quickly taken and put away properly.

After drinking a sip of water, smoothing the messy hair at her temples, and wiping sweat with her handkerchief, Ye Qingshui finally had time to look at the people.

She saw two old acquaintances: He Fang and Sun Lingyu.

Sun Lingyu sat there with a stiff face, her displeasure and awkwardness plain to see. Beside her, He Fang clutched her sleeve, gazing at her eagerly.

The other young men and women were strangers—some looked at her with contempt, some with disdain, and one beautiful girl stared coldly at her, eyes like daggers.

So, before she had even returned home, a little drama had already been staged here. Ye Qingshui thought silently and rubbed her nose.

A boy couldn’t hold back and asked: “Comrade Ye, I heard Tingyu married you because he saved you from drowning in the river?”

Ye Qingshui’s eyes swept knowingly over He Fang and Sun Lingyu before she calmly confirmed: “Yes, that’s right.”

As soon as she spoke, the young men and women were in an uproar.

Such an absurd reason?

Just then, Grandma Xie slowly entered the room.

Xie Dongmei said to her, “Grandma, did you hear that? Sister-in-law said brother only married her because he saved her.”

Grandma Xie set down a bag of sunflower seeds, adjusted her glasses, and asked in puzzlement: “Is that so?”

No wonder such an educated man would marry a vulgar, illiterate woman from the countryside.

What a ridiculous thing!

Some people felt vaguely uncomfortable in their hearts.

Grandma Xie took out a silk handkerchief to wipe her glasses, fogged by her breath, and said unhurriedly: “So what? What are you trying to say?”

Xie Dongmei was startled by her cold tone. So what…?

Why her brother had suddenly married was now obvious.

She said, “This way, brother is really aggrieved…”

The old woman’s eyes grew cold. She looked at her silent granddaughter-in-law for a long while.

Just when everyone thought she would reprimand her, Grandma Xie said: “You are not Tingyu—how do you know if he feels aggrieved? You’ve only heard a couple of words and already jump to malicious conclusions. That’s really too much…”

If nothing else, Grandma Xie knew her grandson cared about this wife.

The old lady sighed. “Maofang, when you suggested that Dongmei take the Xie surname, I didn’t agree, but I didn’t oppose it either. You said a family should be neat and lively, and having her take the Xie surname would encourage her to strive upwards and inherit the Xie family’s fine traditions.”

Her voice hardened. “After New Year’s, transfer her household registration. Have her father take her back. And you, too, calm your heart and live your life well with Dajun.”

Xie Dongmei had never expected her grandmother would defend Ye Qingshui like this—especially when her beloved grandson’s marriage had been “ruined” by such a woman!

Furious, she said: “Grandma, if it weren’t for that accident, how could she ever enter the Xie family? She has no education, no experience. What right does she have to enter our doors?”

Ye Qingshui simply listened quietly from the side, meeting their complicated looks—surprise, understanding, disdain, envy, jealousy.

She thought that what Xie Dongmei said wasn’t wrong. Still, in her heart she sighed—what a pity for the clothes she had stayed up several nights sewing…

Now Xie Dongmei was wearing them.

Grandma Xie shook her head. “No education, no experience means she can’t enter the Xie family? I’ve never said such things. Dongmei, if you judge your sister-in-law only by this, it shows that you yourself lack experience.”

Xie Dongmei’s eyes turned red, tears about to fall. Only then did the young men and women beside her rush to comfort her.

Some felt she was truly pitiful. Clearly it wasn’t her fault. Wasn’t the one at fault… Ye Qingshui?

They shifted their resentment and stared at Ye Qingshui.

At this point, Sun Lingyu, who had been watching the show quietly for a long time, couldn’t help but laugh.

She said coldly: “I say—you don’t even know Ye Qingshui. Why do you keep shouting that she has no culture, no knowledge?”

“Put away those condescending looks, wake up! She’s far more capable than any of you.”

With that, she pulled a thin newspaper from her bag.

There, in the photo, was plainly Ye Qingshui—dressed simply, shaking hands with a leader. Next to it, in large bold characters:

“Knowledge is Power: Youth from G Province, Ye Qingshui, Successfully Develops Electro-Pulse Natural Electric Field Water-Finding Device…”

The photo was blurry, but wasn’t it the very same quiet young woman sitting before them now?

Support Sansukini on Ko-fi

Thanks for visiting. If you like this story, then I’m shamelessly asking you to visit NovelUpdates and give a 5⭐ review. (人❛ᴗ❛)♪тнайк　чоц♪(❛ᴗ❛*人)

You can also check out my other translations Here