Chapter 114: Husband and Wife’s Private Discussion

Outside the west wing, Zhang Guoqing glanced at the white fungus soaking on the stove—it had already softened. He pulled the small lever on the coal stove, letting it burn steadily. This time, since he was inside the house, he wasn’t worried about it boiling over. The secondhand books he’d bought were stacked in the outer living room cabinet, organized together with the books he’d bought before. But he was a bit uneasy about leaving so many books out in the open where people came and went—it was too conspicuous.

He looked at the pile of eggs in the small sitting room, then at the red sugar and red dates in the cabinet. The outer living room was packed with things, including some cured meat and dried chicken his mother-in-law had bought and left for them—there were all sorts of smells. Anyone coming in would be startled.

They’d barely touched the rice and flour his mother-in-law had brought, which were still piled up in the cellar, so he didn’t plan to move any of these supplies down there for now. He preferred to keep them in their own room, so they could cook whatever they wanted whenever they liked, and avoid any complaints from his sisters-in-law.

Back in the inner room, Zhou Jiao was listening to music and chatting with their son. When she saw Zhang Guoqing come in, she immediately waved him over.

“What’s up? Something on your mind?” Zhang Guoqing walked over, took off his coat, and lounged on the kang.

Zhou Jiao shook her head with a smile and snuggled up next to him.

But Zhang Guoqing did have something to discuss. “Jiaojiao, there’s too much stuff in the living room. Now that Mom’s gone, people from the village are bound to come visit. With so many people coming and going, it’s too eye-catching. There are at least 500 eggs alone. When you have time, put the eggs, red dates, brown sugar, cured meat, and all that into your space. Once our son starts eating solid food at eight months, we won’t have to worry about having too many eggs. Just leave about 30 eggs in a small bamboo basket at home. Whenever I get a chance to buy more, you can store them away. As for this room, except for the clothes our son is currently wearing, put all his other things in your space too. That way, no one who doesn’t know the rules will mess with them. In short, anything we’re not using right now, just store it away. After a while, even if others don’t say anything, what if our sisters-in-law lose their children—won’t they want some of this stuff? For now, let’s slowly stock up in your space. We’ll use what we can buy outside. Starting tomorrow, ration coupons will be strictly enforced. In the city, you’ll need a coupon even for a single green onion.”

Zhou Jiao immediately stood up. “Let’s put everything away now, while everyone’s asleep and no one’s around. It’ll be easier to cover up.”

The two exchanged a glance and decided to act quickly. Zhang Guoqing checked on their son, tucking his little hands under the blanket, then he and Zhou Jiao went to the living room, locked the front door, and got to work. He packed things up, and she stored them away, even the books they’d bought—those could be sorted later when they had time.

Once the outer room was taken care of, Zhang Guoqing had her check if they’d missed anything, then put the small bamboo basket with 30 eggs in the farthest corner. He placed two pheasants and some cured meat on top. In the cabinet, he left two jin each of brown sugar and red dates, and some white fungus, for easy access.

“Honey, this space is really handy. I don’t even have to move things around. But what if Mom and the others ask about it tomorrow? What should I say?” Zhou Jiao asked.

“Just say I tidied up. The stuff in the living room was starting to smell. If there’s anything else you can’t answer, just play dumb and say you don’t know,” Zhang Guoqing replied with a smile.

They checked the outer room one more time—everything was ready for the next few days, and they could make soup anytime.

Back in the inner room, which Lin Lishan had already organized, it was much easier to tidy up. Zhou Jiao took out the two boxes she already had in her space. One was empty, so she organized it and put in the jewelry from Grandpa Zhang, Grandma Zhang, and Zhang Guoqing’s father. Then she added the small wooden box her grandmother had given her father, her mother’s bankbook, the property deed, and the box her grandmother had given to Ping’an—all at the bottom of the big box. Next, she added some valuable jewelry and 1,000 yuan in cash.

“Brother, this box is for valuables only. Remember that, so we don’t mix things up later. Leave half the box empty for when we go back to Beijing—I’ll fill it up with my dowry. My mom said she’s prepared some valuable jewelry and gold for me. Who knows when I’ll be able to fill this box?” Zhou Jiao sighed.

Zhang Guoqing covered his mouth, his eyes twitching as he tried to hold back his laughter, his shoulders shaking. After a while, he finally said with a grin, “You already have so much, and you still want to fill it up? You can’t even wear it all at once. What’s the point? Wouldn’t a piece of meat be more practical?”

Zhou Jiao shot him a glare, annoyed at his lack of romance. “I’m in a bad mood—can’t I just look at it to cheer myself up? Can’t I secretly wear it at home just for myself?”

Zhang Guoqing couldn’t help but laugh at her reaction and comforted her, “Don’t worry, I’ll help you fill up the rest of the box. When we’re old and things are better, you can wear a different set every day, and I’ll take you out for a stroll. How about that? Just imagine—what a stylish old lady you’ll be!”

“Haha…” Zhou Jiao burst out laughing. “A different set every day? You’ll be so old you won’t be able to chase after a thief if someone tries to rob us. You’re just asking for trouble! Afraid people won’t know we’re rich, huh? When we’re old, let’s travel all over the country. I’ve never really seen the world. When I was in school, I had no money and just wanted to make more. After we got married, I just wanted to let go of my burdens and live a good life with you. When I finally stopped worrying about money, it just became a number. Every day, I just thought about our son being born, and after he was born, I wanted us to go out as a family. But I never thought we’d end up so far from home. Life is like a dream, and dreams are like life.”

As she spoke, Zhou Jiao’s mood grew more somber, her voice softer. Zhang Guoqing hugged her, stroking her hair, and whispered in her ear, “Whether life is like a dream or a dream is like life, as long as you’re by my side, as long as I can hold your hand—whether we look back or look ahead—having you makes it all worthwhile.”

Zhou Jiao smiled at him. “May we be of one heart, and grow old together, never to part.”

She always remembered the proposal letter she’d received. When she opened it, there was only that one line written on the red paper—her name at the top, his name signed at the bottom. Just like that, their two lives were joined.

Zhang Guoqing chuckled. “Back then, I racked my brains and still didn’t know how to propose to you. My friends suggested all sorts of things—roses, getting down on one knee in public, hiding a ring in your food at a restaurant—but I knew you wouldn’t like any of that. It just didn’t suit you.

You wouldn’t want me to treat our feelings so superficially, or make a spectacle of it. You have to understand, for a science guy like me, it’s hard to be romantic. Then one day, I remembered the old custom of the three letters and six rituals—all written on red paper for the bride. So I thought I’d write a poem on red paper. I stayed up all night, but nothing felt more fitting than ‘May we be of one heart, and grow old together, never to part.’ So I wrote that and gave it to you. I was so nervous—I still remember how I felt. I hoped you’d understand me, but I was also afraid you’d think I wasn’t sincere.

When you smiled and nodded, I knew I really understood you, and you understood me. My heart ached, and I fought back tears, afraid I’d cry out loud. Finally, in this world, I had someone who truly understood me. I was no longer just an orphan, Zhang Guoqing—I had a wife to share my heart with, a future with a lovely child, and finally, a home of my own. I didn’t have to envy anyone else who could proudly say they were going home.”"