Chapter 229. Happiness
She chatted with her few sisters-in-law and nibbled on melon seeds. There were only one or two days a year that was like this. What's more, it was the end of the year. Everyone was jolly and merry. After all, the family was allocated the food and the money. All of which were held by themselves. How can they not be happy?
Speaking of it, old Zhou family was really much more liberal than other families.
Even Second Sister-in-law can find a sense of superiority when she goes out to compare herself with other wives.
Lin Qing He only returned after sitting for approximately two hours.
She poured a ceramic cup of sesame soup tea and said to Zhou Qing Bai: "When did you come back?"
"Not too long ago." Zhou Qing Bai answered.
The couple headed out together. Lin Qing He went to find the sisters-in-law to eat melon seeds. Later, a few married women around their age came. They all chatted and talk about family affairs. While Zhou Qing Bai visited at the leader’s house. There were many people. He just came back.
As for Da Wa, Er Wa, and San Wa, none of them had come back yet.
"Drink some too." Lin Qing He poured him a cup too.
Zhou Qing Bai drank it.
"Tomorrow my brother and my sister-in-law will come over." Lin Qing He told him.
She heard from Da Wa. This time Father Lin was ill, she didn’t send a penny over. If she didn’t know, then forget it. However, eldest son personally encountered it. So she cut out a piece of meat for the sake of going through the motion.
But she let the Third Brother Lin give it in his own name and not in her name.
Lin Qing He really didn't want to be involved in a father-daughter drama with Father Lin.
She also heard a few words from Third Sister-in-law Lin. Father Lin's illness was indeed more severe compared with Father Zhou's last year. Mother Lin only noticed when he almost burned his brain silly in the middle of the night. After that, it was chicken flying and dogs jumping.
Lin Qing He wasn't interested in this matter, so just a display of thought was enough.
"En." Zhou Qing Bai acknowledged. Tomorrow he will be at home waiting for his brother-in-law to come.
"One year after another. It really passes fast." Lin Qing He reminisced.
Zhou Qing Bai's gaze was gentle. He took her hand, and said, "Forever pretty."
Lin Qing He's eyes lit up. Alas, her family Qing Bai knew how to speak words of romance?
With a smile in his eyes, Zhou Qing Bai looked at his wife. Lin Qing He got into a huddle with Zhou Qing Bai. The couple went back to the room to be naughty.
Da Wa, Er Wa, and San Wa only got around nine o'clock.
"Lock the door and go to sleep." From the room, their father's voice sounded.
Obviously, the husband and wife had already called it a day.
Da Wa, Er Wa, and San Wa answered in unison. Then they numbly locked the door and went back to the room.
"It's still so early." Inside the room, Lin Qing He wasn't asleep. She gave Zhou Qing Bai a light hammer.
Zhou Qing Bai's voice was a little husky: "It is early."
This hinted at something meaningful. It came to Lin Qing He, her aunt came a few days ago. He didn't touch her when she left yesterday. However, today...
Lin Qing He coughed dryly and said, "It's New Year. We aren't young anymore. Just relax."
It was impossible to relax around. They busied away from around nine o'clock to around 12 o'clock. Although there was a break during the period, Lin Qing He was still so tired that she couldn't move her fingers.
"If you are like this, see if your back hurt to death tomorrow." Lin Qing He uttered weakly.
"It won't." Zhou Qing Bai was satisfied and went to sleep with his wife in his arms.
If the living conditions was terrible, then he won't have the strength. However, she had taken care of him very well. Everything was managed so meticulously. It was only three times. His body can withstand it.
Although Zhou Qing Bai hadn't mentioned it before, he vaguely knew that if Da Wa's true mother was here, them father and son would have it hard.
In fact, when he first came back, he was worried. Endlessly worried. However, he never thought that his wife had already changed her soul then.
Zhou Qing Bai didn't think there was any wrong. One could call him a scumbag. But honestly, he and the boys really didn't have much affection with the boys' true mother.
The number of times he came back over the years can be counted.
But toward his current wife, he clearly understood that she was the one he loves. He can hardly imagine what this family would be like without her.
And the children. What kind of paper they will grow into?
Zhou Qing Bai thought about these things as he hugged his wife into a peaceful sleep. Even in his dream, the corners of his mouth were smiling.
Lin Qing He didn't know that her man had so many thoughts. Although he didn't say it, he had a lot of it.
While she didn't think so much. She slept very comfortably in his arms. This man was like a big heater. The kang was cold in the middle of the night, but with him, it wasn't freezing at all.
Early the next morning, Lin Qing He got up to cook ribs and sesame congee.
Sesame nourishes the kidney. Her cattle had been plowing the land for so long last night, so she got to give it some good nourishment.
With a touch ginger, the sesame and pork ribs congee tasted extremely delicious.
The family had congee and then went with their own business.
Third Brother Lin and Third Sister-in-law Lin brought their three daughters and one son over for a visit. Currently, Third Sister-in-law Lin had one more in her belly.
Lin Qing He couldn't believe it. Really fertile.
She got an unreserved comment. She had never seen Third Sister-in-law Lin when she wasn't pregnant.
The couple and their children came over as guests. What's more, they brought over food.
People were like this at this time. After all, nobody had it easy. Lin Qing He didn't say anything. She just made sure the lunch was undoubtedly hearty and had them stay for a meal.
The nieces and the nephew were too shy to eat. Lin Qing He used the public chopsticks to give them some.
When going back, Lin Qing He gave a half-bag of milk candy to Third Sister-in-law Lin to take it back and share it.
"Just leave it for San Wa and the others. We don't need to eat this," dissuaded Third Sister-in-law Lin.
"You can eat them. It's just half a bag of candy. Take it." Lin Qing He responded.
Third Brother Lin's children all agreed that Third Aunt was really nice. They want to come as guests again in the future. Lin Qing He expressed that she welcomed them at any time.
Third Brother Lin scheduled a day with his brother-in-law. They will go to hunt pheasant again on the7 th.
The family happily went back.
Lin Qing He turned to Zhou Qing Bai: "My brother is like this. I don't know if this happiness or unhappiness for him."
"It's happiness." Zhou Qing Bai answered.
His wife said that future generations will have family planning. Meaning fewer and better births. Afraid she can't understand this society and its heart for plenty of children.
However, Zhou Qing Bai understood.
There was no concept of family planning at this time. What's more, the family got a house, as well as having sons and daughters.
What was left?
Just going to the field and earn work points to support the family. If they can support the family, then it will be considered happiness.
"Then it is." Lin Qing He said in her mind.
It's just, her brother looked more drained (in a skinny skeleton way) than Zhou Qing Bai, the (older) brother-in-law.
She chatted with her few sisters-in-law and nibbled on melon seeds. There were only one or two days a year that was like this. What's more, it was the end of the year. Everyone was jolly and merry. After all, the family was allocated the food and the money. All of which were held by themselves. How can they not be happy?
Speaking of it, old Zhou family was really much more liberal than other families.
Even Second Sister-in-law can find a sense of superiority when she goes out to compare herself with other wives.
Lin Qing He only returned after sitting for approximately two hours.
She poured a ceramic cup of sesame soup tea and said to Zhou Qing Bai: "When did you come back?"
"Not too long ago." Zhou Qing Bai answered.
The couple headed out together. Lin Qing He went to find the sisters-in-law to eat melon seeds. Later, a few married women around their age came. They all chatted and talk about family affairs. While Zhou Qing Bai visited at the leader’s house. There were many people. He just came back.
As for Da Wa, Er Wa, and San Wa, none of them had come back yet.
"Drink some too." Lin Qing He poured him a cup too.
Zhou Qing Bai drank it.
"Tomorrow my brother and my sister-in-law will come over." Lin Qing He told him.
She heard from Da Wa. This time Father Lin was ill, she didn’t send a penny over. If she didn’t know, then forget it. However, eldest son personally encountered it. So she cut out a piece of meat for the sake of going through the motion.
But she let the Third Brother Lin give it in his own name and not in her name.
Lin Qing He really didn't want to be involved in a father-daughter drama with Father Lin.
She also heard a few words from Third Sister-in-law Lin. Father Lin's illness was indeed more severe compared with Father Zhou's last year. Mother Lin only noticed when he almost burned his brain silly in the middle of the night. After that, it was chicken flying and dogs jumping.
Lin Qing He wasn't interested in this matter, so just a display of thought was enough.
"En." Zhou Qing Bai acknowledged. Tomorrow he will be at home waiting for his brother-in-law to come.
"One year after another. It really passes fast." Lin Qing He reminisced.
Zhou Qing Bai's gaze was gentle. He took her hand, and said, "Forever pretty."
Lin Qing He's eyes lit up. Alas, her family Qing Bai knew how to speak words of romance?
With a smile in his eyes, Zhou Qing Bai looked at his wife. Lin Qing He got into a huddle with Zhou Qing Bai. The couple went back to the room to be naughty.
Da Wa, Er Wa, and San Wa only got around nine o'clock.
"Lock the door and go to sleep." From the room, their father's voice sounded.
Obviously, the husband and wife had already called it a day.
Da Wa, Er Wa, and San Wa answered in unison. Then they numbly locked the door and went back to the room.
"It's still so early." Inside the room, Lin Qing He wasn't asleep. She gave Zhou Qing Bai a light hammer.
Zhou Qing Bai's voice was a little husky: "It is early."
This hinted at something meaningful. It came to Lin Qing He, her aunt came a few days ago. He didn't touch her when she left yesterday. However, today...
Lin Qing He coughed dryly and said, "It's New Year. We aren't young anymore. Just relax."
It was impossible to relax around. They busied away from around nine o'clock to around 12 o'clock. Although there was a break during the period, Lin Qing He was still so tired that she couldn't move her fingers.
"If you are like this, see if your back hurt to death tomorrow." Lin Qing He uttered weakly.
"It won't." Zhou Qing Bai was satisfied and went to sleep with his wife in his arms.
If the living conditions was terrible, then he won't have the strength. However, she had taken care of him very well. Everything was managed so meticulously. It was only three times. His body can withstand it.
Although Zhou Qing Bai hadn't mentioned it before, he vaguely knew that if Da Wa's true mother was here, them father and son would have it hard.
In fact, when he first came back, he was worried. Endlessly worried. However, he never thought that his wife had already changed her soul then.
Zhou Qing Bai didn't think there was any wrong. One could call him a scumbag. But honestly, he and the boys really didn't have much affection with the boys' true mother.
The number of times he came back over the years can be counted.
But toward his current wife, he clearly understood that she was the one he loves. He can hardly imagine what this family would be like without her.
And the children. What kind of paper they will grow into?
Zhou Qing Bai thought about these things as he hugged his wife into a peaceful sleep. Even in his dream, the corners of his mouth were smiling.
Lin Qing He didn't know that her man had so many thoughts. Although he didn't say it, he had a lot of it.
While she didn't think so much. She slept very comfortably in his arms. This man was like a big heater. The kang was cold in the middle of the night, but with him, it wasn't freezing at all.
Early the next morning, Lin Qing He got up to cook ribs and sesame congee.
Sesame nourishes the kidney. Her cattle had been plowing the land for so long last night, so she got to give it some good nourishment.
With a touch ginger, the sesame and pork ribs congee tasted extremely delicious.
The family had congee and then went with their own business.
Third Brother Lin and Third Sister-in-law Lin brought their three daughters and one son over for a visit. Currently, Third Sister-in-law Lin had one more in her belly.
Lin Qing He couldn't believe it. Really fertile.
She got an unreserved comment. She had never seen Third Sister-in-law Lin when she wasn't pregnant.
The couple and their children came over as guests. What's more, they brought over food.
People were like this at this time. After all, nobody had it easy. Lin Qing He didn't say anything. She just made sure the lunch was undoubtedly hearty and had them stay for a meal.
The nieces and the nephew were too shy to eat. Lin Qing He used the public chopsticks to give them some.
When going back, Lin Qing He gave a half-bag of milk candy to Third Sister-in-law Lin to take it back and share it.
"Just leave it for San Wa and the others. We don't need to eat this," dissuaded Third Sister-in-law Lin.
"You can eat them. It's just half a bag of candy. Take it." Lin Qing He responded.
Third Brother Lin's children all agreed that Third Aunt was really nice. They want to come as guests again in the future. Lin Qing He expressed that she welcomed them at any time.
Third Brother Lin scheduled a day with his brother-in-law. They will go to hunt pheasant again on the7 th.
The family happily went back.
Lin Qing He turned to Zhou Qing Bai: "My brother is like this. I don't know if this happiness or unhappiness for him."
"It's happiness." Zhou Qing Bai answered.
His wife said that future generations will have family planning. Meaning fewer and better births. Afraid she can't understand this society and its heart for plenty of children.
However, Zhou Qing Bai understood.
There was no concept of family planning at this time. What's more, the family got a house, as well as having sons and daughters.
What was left?
Just going to the field and earn work points to support the family. If they can support the family, then it will be considered happiness.
"Then it is." Lin Qing He said in her mind.
It's just, her brother looked more drained (in a skinny skeleton way) than Zhou Qing Bai, the (older) brother-in-law.
Hugged his daughter-in-law? Which son got married and why is she in their bed?
ReplyDeleteI don't know if the original words are similar or not, whenever I read any MTL version of Chinese books, sometimes the 'wife' word would be replaced by 'daughter-in-law'.
DeleteFixed Anon! Thanks and Merry Xmas!
DeleteSame case as @Han Sora.
DeleteIt might be the short version (or something like acronym?) for "daughter-in-law of the family". LQH is the fourth daughter-in-law of old Zhou family, specifically a daughter-in-law they take to be ZQB's match. So, ZQB's call her as his "daughter-in-law". The Chinese word for this "daughter-in-law" may be (slightly) different to the word for actual daughter-in-law. 😅
Thank you very much! Happy Holidays!
ReplyDeleteThank you for the chapter <3
ReplyDeleteThank you for the chapter!!!
ReplyDeleteZhou Qing Bai thought about these things as he hugged his daughter-in-law into a peaceful sleep.
--- The daughter-in-law part is really a bad typo on the authors side (￣∇￣") Should have been wife （￣へ￣）
My bad! Fixed now. Merry Xmas!
DeleteWow! Huge update! Thanks for all the chapters!
ReplyDeleteThank you for the chapter!
ReplyDeletea Christmas surprise ?!?! Thank you so much translator{•□•}ﾉ♡
ReplyDeleteThank you so much author nim... for updating so many chapter. Merry Christmas
ReplyDeleteThank you so much! MERRY CHRISTMAS!
ReplyDeleteShe poured a ceramic cup of sesame soup tea and said to Zhou Qingbai: -> Zhou Qing Bai
They will go to hunt pheasant again on the7th. -> add space before 7
Merry Xmas! Fixed now!
DeleteWaah! Thank you so much translatornim, Merry Christmas!
ReplyDeleteI don’t see how ZQB could be called a scum bag for having little to no emotional attachment to a woman who ignored his sons ran off with another man as soon as things got tough. It didn’t get to that point this time around but it looks like ZQB in the original novel wasn’t exactly surprised when she left.
ReplyDeleteWell, he might not think that his wife was crazy enough to elope with another man, but clearly he's not dense enough not to realise that his marriage had problems even then.
DeleteChristian marriage vows say for good or bad, sickness or in health…
DeleteHis ori-wife had antagonized his family, mostly neglected their children, ignoring his letters (his effort to make connection as husband and wife), made decision for family planning on her own without discussion, and overall being selfish. She's not a good wife nor a good mother. Still, she's his wife and mother of his sons. She took care of their sons (despite it's the bare minimum standard for that period farmers' sons, not that period soldier's sons... much less the modern standard's) and LQH took over her body even before he retired from military. She didn't even have the chance to consider of running off with another man, much less actually did it.
DeleteSo, if we talked about high moral standard, he still has the least basic responsibility as a husband to take care of and defend his wife's right. But, instead of doing that, he actually dote and pamper the woman who possessed her body and "steal" her identity. Ofc, it's all because LQH is a much better wife for him and a much better mother for his sons. On top of that, they love each other, she loves his sons, and his sons also love her as their mother. LQH is obviously the better choice for him and his sons and that's exactly why it could be seen as his selfishness (him being a scumbag husband for his ori-wife).
Christianity aside, as they weren’t Christians, ori!LQH actually married ZQB for the fact that he was a soldier and had the chance of being promoted into an official. She knows, he knows, his family knows, everyone knows. That’s why he was so worried when he came home to retire. She had the goals of being an official’s wife and he had the ambition of advancing his career. At that time, they were a match. A commenter back then said when they were criticing ZQB that he was cold to his original wife, left her right after marriage, and only came back home to impregnate her (the commenter used unsavory words that I would rather not repeat but this was basically the gist). However, from the very beginning, their marriage was based on his career and both parties were fine with the arrangements. He only had time to get married then had to go back to report. I’m sure ori!LQH agreed and she’d be the first to protest if he had stayed. He did not deliberately treat her coldly (or failed to perform as a loving husband), he just was in a loveless marriage and they treated each other the same. He did not go back just to impregnate her. He just went back on vacation, stayed in his house with his wife and of course, what do they do but get into bed, right? It was repeated many times that ori!wife’s body was particularly fertile and he was a healthy man himself - he didn’t even know what condoms were and that couples can control not to have children. Maybe for the few days he had to come home, they did it a few times and she immediately got pregnant. It’s just that he obviously did not have paternity leave to take advantage of so he could have been there when his sons were born. It was already very good that he sends all his salary to his wife instead of to his mom. Even when the wife neglected his sons, he also did not dare to be too confrontational, both him and his mother, since his wife had history of threatening them with her life and the children’s (in her womb at that time). She obviously did not want to leave when his prospects were still so good but her treatment of the kids could be worse.
DeleteThe comment was in those chapters about the ligation, saying ZQB had no right to comment on his wife’s choices over her body since he was not a stellar husband to her. I originally wanted to say something but got lazy and now that his relationship with his ori!wife is being brought up again, I got motivated to comment. He was not the reason for her decision. She did it for herself since she felt that three kids were enough and they were all sons, her position was secure and she wanted to maintain her figure.
Anyway, my point is, that in my opinion, he really was not such a scumbag and for the time that they were husband and wife, I don’t feel that he had greatly wronged her. His family might have something to say about her but they never really interfered since she was such a domineering character. The MIL herself can only find time to take care of the baby and the kids whenever ori!wufe went out since it was stated that she actually just left the baby anywhere in the house and MIL had to check herself whether he was on the heated kang so as to not freeze to death.
Thank you so much
ReplyDeletePoor peasants animal like mentality, makes me shudder.
ReplyDeleteHe's here! the one who always complains about sex and having children in the era where it's normal to have more children and call then animals for doing so!!
ReplyDeleteWow, third sister in law is on a roll! How many children does she have? 4 or 5?
ReplyDelete