The 1970s: Married First, Fell in Love Later-Chapter 40 - 39: Argument

The two of them discussed it and decided on a pork rib stew for lunch. They’d cut the ribs into small pieces and stew them with plenty of potatoes, cabbage, glass noodles, and tofu.

Steamed cornbread buns on the side would be plenty.

Worried there wouldn’t be enough food, Xue Yue also prepared a cold salad with glass noodles and wood ear mushrooms.

Mrs. He took a bite and nodded repeatedly in approval.

When noon arrived, Mrs. He went to call everyone for lunch. Xue Yue had already set out water for washing hands and for drinking.

The group caught the delicious scent the moment they stepped into the courtyard.

"Sister-in-law, what’s for lunch? It smells amazing!" Shitou said with a grin.

"You’re back! Go on, wash up and let’s eat!"

Once Xue Yue saw them washing their hands, she lifted the lid off the pot and started serving the stew.

He Lang came over to take a look and gave Xue Yue a playful pat on the head.

Xue Yue shot him a look from the corner of her eye, but there was a hint of a smile in them.

Mrs. He had already set up the table and stools in the courtyard.

Seeing that everyone was eating, Xue Yue served a bowl for Mrs. He and urged her to eat as well.

Just as Mrs. He was about to take the bowl, she saw Gao Cuiyun emerge with her two children.

Gao Cuiyun was stroking her stomach. Even though she wasn’t showing at all, her gesture made it obvious to anyone that she was pregnant.

"Mother, honestly. You didn’t even call us for lunch."

Mrs. He glanced at the people eating in the courtyard and gritted her teeth. ’I forgot today.’ Her second daughter-in-law had been eating all her meals with them lately.

Gao Cuiyun had already walked over, and she peered into the pot.

"Third Sister-in-law, it’s not easy for me while I’m pregnant. Could you serve me a bowl? Make sure to add plenty of pork ribs; the baby’s craving them."

Xue Yue, surprisingly, didn’t get angry. She just picked up a bowl and prepared to serve Gao Cuiyun.

Mrs. He quickly took the bowl. "You go ahead and eat, dear. I’ll get it." As she spoke, she handed her own bowl to Xue Yue.

Xue Yue took the bowl and agreed.

After lunch, the men didn’t rest but went straight back to work.

Xue Yue and Mrs. He cleared the table and washed the dishes.

The afternoon dragged on, and at one point, Xue Yue brought water out to the men.

When Xue Yue returned, she began preparing for dinner. She planned to make a pot of coarse corn porridge and some scallion pancakes.

Before she could even start, Gao Cuiyun came over. "Sister-in-law, make something spicy tonight. I’ve really been craving a bite of something spicy lately."

"I’m not making anything spicy tonight. Maybe tomorrow."

Gao Cuiyun tsked. "Third Sister-in-law, why are you so rigid? Can’t you just make a little something spicy for me on the side?"

Xue Yue laughed in exasperation. ’She really thinks I’m a pushover. Now she’s getting picky, too.’

"Second Sister-in-law, I have some chili peppers right here. Would you like some? I can get you a couple to chew on."

Gao Cuiyun choked. "Third Sister-in-law, listen to yourself. That’s not how you eat chili peppers. I’m pregnant, aren’t I? If the baby in my belly wants it, there’s nothing I can do."

"What does your pregnancy have to do with me? Is it my baby?"

Xue Yue was floored by the woman’s shamelessness. ’You’re pregnant, so what? Does that mean the whole world has to cater to you? You really think everyone is your mother, ready to spoil you rotten?’

Gao Cuiyun stared at Xue Yue, her eyes wide with disbelief, as if she never imagined Xue Yue would dare speak to her that way.

"How dare you talk to me like that? I’m your Second Sister-in-law, for crying out loud! So stingy over a little food. Just as I’d expect from someone from a backwater family—born but not raised."

SLAP.

Gao Cuiyun clutched her face, her body trembling as she pointed a disbelieving finger at Xue Yue. "You... you dare hit me."

Forgetting she was pregnant, she lunged at Xue Yue, only to be grabbed and held back by Mrs. He, who had rushed out from the house.

"Let go of me! You bitch, you actually dared to hit me! I’m going to teach you a lesson today!" Even with Mrs. He holding her back, Gao Cuiyun kept trying to lunge at Xue Yue.

Xue Yue stood her ground, her expression unchanging, and watched Gao Cuiyun with a cold, indifferent gaze.

While restraining Gao Cuiyun, Mrs. He said, "Cuiyun, stop this! Making such a scene, do you not care about the baby in your belly?"

At the mention of the baby, Gao Cuiyun plopped right down on the ground and started wailing, "I’m carrying a child for the He family! And you dare to hit me over a little food! You all just think that because my husband isn’t home, you can bully me and my children, don’t you? I’m going to town to find He Ze! I’ll let him see how his sister-in-law dares to slap her elder sister-in-law! I’ll let the whole village see how I’m being bullied even while I’m pregnant! This is unbearable! I can’t live like this anymore!"

Mrs. He sighed and turned to Xue Yue with a look of resignation. "Dear, your sister-in-law is pregnant, after all. Couldn’t you have just tolerated it a little longer?"

"She deserved it," Xue Yue said coldly.

"Mother, did you hear that? This is completely outrageous! If you people won’t handle this, I’ll go back to my parents’ house and have my brothers sort it out!"

"Enough. Get up. The ground is cold. Is that good for the baby?" Mrs. He said, her expression stern.

Gao Cuiyun cried, "I’m being bullied like this, and you want me to worry about the baby? We might as well just die!"

Mrs. He was at her wit’s end. She could only turn to Xue Yue. "Dear, no matter what, hitting her was wrong. Could you just say something to smooth things over? Please, for my sake?"

Xue Yue looked at her mother-in-law, meeting her pleading gaze.

Gao Cuiyun’s crying eyes darted about slyly. "Ow, my stomach! It hurts so much! I think I’m going to lose the baby! You have to pay me! Ten yuan, and not a penny less!"

Xue Yue had been about to say something conciliatory for her mother-in-law’s sake, but this woman’s greed was insatiable. ’She’s already trying to extort money.’

Xue Yue scoffed. "I’m not giving you any money. You insulted my upbringing, so you deserved to be hit. If you want to keep making a scene, be my guest. We can even take this to the Public Security Bureau if you’d like."

With that, Xue Yue turned and went back into the house.

’Give her an inch and she’ll take a mile,’ Xue Yue thought. ’If I hadn’t been trying to save face for He Lang, Mr. He, and Mrs. He, wanting to avoid an ugly falling out, none of this would have happened today.’

’She really took me for a pushover.’

As Xue Yue disappeared into the house, Mrs. He looked down at Gao Cuiyun, who was still sitting on the ground looking somewhat dazed. There was no trace of the stomach pain she’d just been complaining about. A wave of anger washed over Mrs. He.

"Are you going to get up or not? Or do you really not care about that baby in your belly?"

Gao Cuiyun finally snapped out of it and started crying again as she slowly got to her feet. "Mother, Xue Yue hit me! Aren’t you going to do anything? Are you just going to let it slide?"

Mrs. He sighed. "How are we supposed to handle it? Why did she hit you? Did you or did you not insult her upbringing? Honestly, that mouth of yours."

"So what if I did? Wasn’t I telling the truth? And she dared to hit me over one little sentence! Even my own parents have never hit me like that! WAHHH..." The more Gao Cuiyun thought about it, the more upset she became, and her stomach actually did start to hurt.

"Mother, my stomach hurts."

Mrs. He shot her a look. "Alright, Xue Yue isn’t here. Who are you putting on an act for?"

Gao Cuiyun clutched her stomach, her face contorting in pain. "Mother. It really hurts."

Only then did Mrs. He realize Gao Cuiyun might genuinely be in pain, and she quickly called for Guo Jinfeng.

"Jinfeng! Jinfeng!"

Guo Jinfeng had actually been peeking through the doorway, watching the whole commotion. When she heard Mrs. He call, she hurried out.

"Quick, go get your father and your eldest brother! Tell them Cuiyun’s not feeling well and to hurry back so they can take her to the hospital!"

Guo Jinfeng nodded and immediately ran off.