The 1970s: Married First, Fell in Love Later-Chapter 114 - 113: The Year ’75

In the blink of an eye, it was the spring of ’75.

Ruanruan was already three years old, and Xue Yue was pregnant again, just over three months along.

That morning, Xue Yue went to visit Yang Xiaoxia.

Just after the New Year, Uncle He’s family had formally split the household for the two brothers, Zhen Dong and Zhen Guo.

Yang Xiaoxia and her husband had built a two-room house not far from Xue Yue’s home and had just moved in a few days ago.

"It’s not as spacious as your place, is it?"

Yang Xiaoxia, also sporting a large belly, teased her.

Xue Yue looked around. "It’s not as big as mine, but it’s enough for your family of three."

Yang Xiaoxia patted her belly. "Look, this one will be out soon. Then we’ll be a family of four."

Xue Yue smiled and nodded. "That’s true. By the way, where’s your An’an?"

Two years ago, Yang Xiaoxia had given birth to a son named He An.

"Zhen Dong took him to work."

Xue Yue’s eyes widened. "Your An’an is so little. Is it okay to take him to the fields?"

Yang Xiaoxia said helplessly, "Look at me. It’s not convenient for me to watch him with this big belly. You have no idea, my An’an never sits still for a moment. He’s just too much of a handful at home, so Zhen Dong took him to the fields. It’s fine. Let him play there. As long as he doesn’t get lost, it’s okay."

As she spoke, she glanced at Xue Yue’s stomach. "What about you? You’re three months along now, how come you’re not showing?"

Xue Yue stroked her belly. "It’s still early. Besides, when I was pregnant with Ruanruan, I didn’t start showing until I was over four months along."

Yang Xiaoxia pursed her lips. "I’m so jealous of you. Look at you, you don’t look like a village woman at all. You haven’t worked in the fields for years, have you? Your skin is so delicate, it looks like you could squeeze water out of it. Not like me. Since I got pregnant with my second, I’ve gotten spots on my face. It makes me so mad I haven’t looked in a mirror in ages."

Xue Yue chuckled lightly. "Everyone’s body is different. There’s nothing to be done about it."

Yang Xiaoxia sighed. "But seriously, you’ve really changed a lot since you got married. Ai, when it comes down to it, it’s because your He Lang is capable and lets you live so comfortably. Not like me. No matter how hard my Zhen Dong works in the fields all year, it’s barely enough for our family to get by. Sometimes my parents even have to help us out."

"It’s like that for everyone. Zhen Dong is already working very hard."

"Yeah, but with the second one on the way, the burden is even heavier. It’s not like your He Lang. He has a government job and a high salary."

Hearing this, Xue Yue didn’t know what else to say. He Lang had gotten another raise this year, bringing his monthly salary up to forty yuan, and he received plenty of ration tickets too.

For the past few years, Xue Yue had been busy raising her child, and besides, He Lang wouldn’t let her work in the fields anymore. His exact words were: "I can support you and our daughter, why do you have to go suffer like that? If you can’t sit still, just work on your stories. If you submit them a few more times, you’ll earn a decent amount. We can just use the money to buy grain then."

At first, Xue Yue felt it wasn’t right for her not to work in the fields, worrying it would make the villagers gossip.

"People will talk no matter what. Let them say what they want, as long as we don’t have to hear it. That’s how people are these days. If you’re poor, they look down on you. If you’re rich, they get jealous. So it’s better to just focus on your own comfort."

Xue Yue agreed with He Lang. ’Who would choose to toil if they could rest?’

But Xue Yue didn’t say any of this to Yang Xiaoxia. Every family has its own life to live; there was no way to compare, nor any need to.

Yang Xiaoxia had indeed changed a lot over the years. She was more mature than before, but that was normal. When a person’s station in life changes, their personality naturally changes with it.

After returning from Yang Xiaoxia’s, Xue Yue was just about to start making lunch when she heard Ruanruan come home, with He Daqiang’s son Tie Dan trailing behind her.

Tie Dan was several years older than Ruanruan. Ruanruan loved playing with him, and Tie Dan was good about looking after her, so Xue Yue wasn’t worried.

"Mom, look at the little cricket Brother Tie Dan caught for me! It’s so cool."

Ruanruan held up a canned fruit jar for Xue Yue to see. Inside was a tiny cricket.

Xue Yue glanced at it and smiled. "That’s great. Are you two hungry?"

Ruanruan nodded. "Mom, I want to eat some canned fruit."

"Okay, I’ll go get some for you."

Tie Dan waved his hands. "Auntie, I don’t want any. I should go home. Just let Ruanruan have it."

"It’s okay, Tie Dan. You can eat with Ruanruan. We have more at home."

Ruanruan tugged at the corner of Tie Dan’s shirt. "Brother Tie Dan, let’s eat together! I ate potato pancakes at your house last time. Canned fruit is delicious, it’s so sweet."

As she spoke, Ruanruan licked her lips, and Tie Dan couldn’t help but swallow.

Xue Yue smiled. "I’ll go get it. You two go wash your hands first."

"Okay, Mom."

Xue Yue opened a can of peaches, poured the contents into two bowls, placed a spoon in each, and brought them out.

Tie Dan took his bowl carefully. "Thank you, Auntie."

"You’re welcome. Go on, eat."

Ruanruan looked at Xue Yue. "Mom, aren’t you having any?"

Xue Yue patted Ruanruan’s head. "Mom’s not hungry. You two eat up."

Xue Yue glanced at the two children before going inside to cook lunch.

During lunch, Ruanruan said to Xue Yue, "Mom, I ran into Brother Xiao Chen when I was playing this morning."

Little Chen was the eldest son of He Ze from the second branch of the family. He was already fifteen this year.

"Oh? What about it?"

"He was crying, I saw it. But Brother Xiao Chen said he wasn’t. Mom, why would Brother Xiao Chen lie to me?" Ruanruan tilted her head, looking at Xue Yue.

Xue Yue frowned slightly. "It’s nothing. Since Brother Xiao Chen said he wasn’t crying, maybe he just got some sand in his eye."

Ruanruan stuck out her tongue. "No way. Brother Xiao Chen looked really sad."

Xue Yue didn’t know what to say to a child. But she had heard the rumors. People said He Ze and Gao Cuiyun fought constantly. The gossip had spread all over the village, saying Gao Cuiyun suspected He Ze was having an affair but had no proof.

Xue Yue didn’t have a good impression of the couple from the second branch and didn’t want to meddle in other people’s business. She just felt sorry for their three children.

The last time she saw them, Little Chen was carrying his youngest sibling on his back while he and Xiao Yang went to work in the fields. All three brothers were tanned dark from the sun. Xiao Yang was thirteen now. The two older boys looked like they had grown up a lot.

She’d heard that He Ze had also become a permanent worker last year, no longer just a temp. At the time, Gao Cuiyun had even gone around the village bragging about it.

「At the old He Family residence, late at night, the second branch’s household erupted in another argument.」

"He Ze, you were supposed to get paid today. Where’s the money?"

He Ze sat on the kang, eating his meal without a word.

Seeing him act like this, Gao Cuiyun grew even angrier. 𝘧𝓇ℯ𝑒𝓌𝑒𝑏𝓃𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭.𝒸ℴ𝓂

"Say something! Where’s the money? You make dozens of yuan a month, which hussy did you spend it on? Don’t think that just because I haven’t seen you two together that I’m an idiot! That lipstick stain on your white shirt collar, who put it there? Don’t you dare tell me you got it on you while working at the factory! Who are you trying to fool?"

He Ze completely ignored her and continued to eat. Beside them, the three children watched in silence.

Little Chen’s eyes were dark as he stared at He Ze.

Seeing He Ze’s indifference, Gao Cuiyun stormed over, snatched his bowl, and smashed it on the ground.