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墨書 Inktalez
Back to the Eighties: A Cherished Marriage
The groom's Bride Price has been successfully delivered, and the wedding day is not far off.
Now, Zhao Jin already has four hundred yuan in her dowry, making her quite the "wealthy" bride.
Zhao Daxi giving money to Zhao Jin is something Xu Mei knows about, but she did not stop it: "Your sister gave this to you, so just accept it. We are all family; there’s no need to be so clear-cut about it. If you really feel uneasy about it, just help your sister out more when she needs it in the future."
"Okay." This reasoning made sense to Zhao Jin, and she nodded in agreement, promising, "I will pay my sister back double in the future."
"You should focus on how to live well after marrying into the Qi Family. As for everything else, you can think about it slowly when conditions improve," Xu Mei said while packing Zhao Jin's dowry, comforting her as she worked.
Zhao Jin did not say much more and busied herself with her clothes.
Many things cannot be settled just by words. The determination she has may seem premature to her family at this moment, but she knows in her heart that she will eventually have the confidence and resources to ease their worries.
On the day of Zhao Jin's wedding, the sun shone brightly; it was a beautiful day.
Compared to the Bride Price sent by the Qi Family, Zhao Jin's dowry was also quite impressive and enviable.
In addition to eight brand new bright red quilts, there were matching red quilt covers, pillowcases, and other bedding items. Then there were basins and water bottles—an entire set of household necessities—all brand new from the Supply and Marketing Cooperative in the county.
Moreover, after receiving rice and oil from the Qi Family earlier, the Zhao Family prepared double the amount of rice, sesame oil, and lard for Zhao Jin this time. They also provided eight roosters and hens, along with ten ducklings and a calf—how generous!
Of course, the greatest affection from the Zhao Family towards Zhao Jin was that sewing machine that no one expected.
If the chickens, ducks, and calf were all raised by the Zhao Family anyway, giving them to the Qi Family wouldn’t be considered extraordinary. Fellow villagers would merely think that the Zhao Family truly cherished Zhao Jin for providing such a lavish dowry.
However, upon seeing the sewing machine, no one dared to gossip behind her back, loudly claiming that Zhao Jin was forced into marrying into the Qi Family and had to replace Zhao Ying'er in this marriage.
Getting married is the biggest event in a woman's life; how could she bear being pointed at and talked about? Willow Leaf Village isn't very big, and unless something unexpected happens, Zhao Jin is going to live here for the rest of her life. Does that mean she will have to endure the idle chatter of outsiders every day?
As of yesterday, Zhao Jin and Qi Zheng's life together hadn't officially begun, yet it had already become a topic of gossip among the fellow villagers. Not only Zhao Jin herself but also the Qi Family would feel particularly uneasy about it; it greatly affects the harmony of their future family life.
The Zhao Family often hears the gossip while moving around the village. Some who are less sensitive directly ask Zhao Jin why she is marrying Qi Zheng. Is it because Grandfather Zhao's family is forcing her, or is it due to pressure from Zhao Guofu and Chen Cui?
For other matters, the Zhao Family doesn't mind being discussed by the fellow villagers. Their conflicts with Grandfather Zhao's family are not secrets. Their arguments and disagreements have long taken flight and become common knowledge.
However, Zhao Jin's marriage cannot withstand everyone's reckless speculation and gossip. The more people involved, the more rumors spread; even if said without malice, it can easily lead to misunderstandings and trouble.
This sewing machine alone is enough to showcase the Zhao Family's satisfaction with this marriage and completely silence all gossip from the surroundings.
Looking around, which family's daughter is forced into marriage while also bringing a sewing machine as a dowry? Which family is unhappy with this marriage yet rushes to send so many gifts to the groom's family?
It can only be said that Zhao Guoqiang's family must be quite satisfied with their daughter's marriage to the Qi Family!
The Qi Family had long anticipated that given how much Zhao Family dotes on Zhao Jin, her dowry would certainly not be lacking. But when they finally saw Zhao Jin's bride price with their own eyes, they couldn't help but gasp in surprise.
Compared to the Zhao Family, their own situation was not particularly good. Now that she was marrying over, they feared she would have to suffer alongside them in the future.
Despite feeling uncomfortable, the Qi Family still welcomed Zhao Jin's arrival earnestly and accepted her with joy.
In this Qi Family, the courtyard was filled with banquet tables, and everyone wore a long-awaited smile of comfort. All sorts of signs indicated that a brand new chapter in their lives was about to begin.
Although the Qi Family was poor, they had quite a few relatives. Regardless of any previous unpleasantness, on such a joyous occasion today, everyone came together without anyone missing.
On the joyous occasion of the wedding, no matter who came to visit, the Qijia Family welcomed everyone warmly, bustling around in a flurry of activity.
Even Qi Rui and Qi Yuehong were busy serving drinks, offering sunflower seeds and wedding candies, hardly taking a moment to sip water themselves.
Today, they were marrying Sister-in-law, and both siblings wore bright smiles, their spirits high.
After Zhao Jin was escorted into the bridal chamber, she changed into a new outfit and came out to help Qi Zheng entertain relatives and friends. With the atmosphere lively, they naturally ended up drinking several cups of wine.
If it weren't for Qi Zheng's concern for his bride, who kept helping her avoid drinking too much, Qi Ze was always close behind them, ready to step in at any moment to prevent Zhao Jin from getting drunk at the banquet.
Qi Zheng cared for Zhao Jin deeply, while Zhou Ju quickly entered her role as an "ideal mother-in-law," continuously bringing bowls of food for Zhao Jin to help her fill her stomach first.
Drinking on an empty stomach is harmful, and aside from Zhao Jin, neither Qi Zheng nor Qi Ze received such treatment.
However, when the two brothers saw their mother’s favoritism towards Zhao Jin, neither raised any objections; instead, they felt it was entirely justified.
The new bride was precious! There was no doubt that Zhao Jin would hold a very high status in their family going forward.
Zhao Jin noticed the care and kindness from the Qijia Family and remembered it in her heart. While eating herself, she also made sure to feed Qi Zheng. As for Qi Ze, she directly handed him a bowl of food without forgetting about this younger brother-in-law.
Relationships between people are inherently reciprocal. The Qijia Family treated Zhao Jin well, and she reciprocated with genuine affection. Conversely, her actions seemed unintentional and insignificant but were still etched in the hearts of the Qijia Family.
Grandma Qi and Zhou Ju had an exceptionally good impression of this new daughter-in-law, wishing they could treat her as their own daughter.
Qi Zheng felt a warm current in his heart; the only figure reflected in his eyes was Zhao Jin.
How fortunate he was to fall in love with such a beautiful and kind girl! And how lucky he was to truly bring her home as his bride!
Qi Zheng has always had a deep affection for Zhao Jin, with only thoughts of her occupying his heart. At this moment, Qi Zheng silently vowed that no matter how many years pass, he would never allow Zhao Jin to feel sad or hurt. He is willing to present the entire world to Zhao Jin, hoping to forever preserve the happiness and radiant smile on her face.
Such determination exists in Qi Zheng, and how could Zhao Jin lack it?
She truly wants to live a good life with Qi Zheng. Her thoughts are the same; she longs for them to hold hands, support each other, grow old together, and never be separated.
After a long day of busyness, although everyone is tired, their hearts are filled with joy.
“Qi Zheng, it’s getting late. Quickly fetch some water for your room so that Jin can wash up and get some rest.” After sending off all the guests and tidying up, Zhou Ju first thought of letting Zhao Jin have a good rest.
“Okay.” Without hesitation, Qi Zheng turned to get water.
“Mom, there’s no need for Qi Zheng to do it. I can do it myself.” Although Zhao Jin has been pampered in the Zhao Family, she is now the daughter-in-law of the Qi Family. As a daughter-in-law, it is not appropriate to be spoiled.
“It’s fine, Jin. Sit and rest while Qi Zheng goes. He’s a man with strength; it won’t be a hassle. You’re delicate from your maternal family; don’t tire yourself out.” Zhou Ju genuinely likes Zhao Jin as her daughter-in-law and has no intention of asserting authority over her.
On the contrary, she hopes to get along well with Zhao Jin and sincerely wants to treat her well.
“Well then, I’ll go find my way around. Since I just got married, I’m still a bit confused about directions.” Zhao Jin certainly wouldn’t actually sit down to rest. It’s not that she doesn’t trust Zhou Ju’s kindness; she simply doesn’t want to take advantage of her favor and risk wearing out their mutual goodwill.
Like now, Zhou Ju’s gentleness towards her is something Zhao Jin cherishes but won’t squander. She will do what she needs to do and will not be lazy.
“Hey…” Zhou Ju wanted to call out to Zhao Jin. Unexpectedly, Zhao Jin moved quickly and stepped out to catch up with Qi Zheng.
Thinking that since Zhao Jin is newly married, she might still feel a bit shy, Zhou Ju didn’t stop her and let her go.
After all, as they spend more time together, Zhao Jin will naturally come to know that the entire Qi Family is very happy that she married in, and this mother-in-law truly doesn’t want her to work too hard.
Of course, it cannot be denied that Zhao Jin's thoughtfulness has further deepened Zhou Ju's good impression of her, firmly establishing Zhao Jin's expected status as the "best daughter-in-law."
Qi Zheng was fetching water when he turned around and saw Zhao Jin running over like a rabbit.
Glancing at Zhou Ju's position, Qi Zheng was somewhat surprised, thinking that Zhou Ju had said something to Zhao Jin. He asked nonchalantly, "Why did you come over?"
"Mom asked me to sit and take a break. I felt embarrassed to do that, so I came over to see if you needed any help and to familiarize myself with the place," Zhao Jin said, leaning closer to Qi Zheng and speaking softly without any pretense.
It seemed there was no misunderstanding or unpleasantness. Qi Zheng couldn't help but smile and explained for Zhou Ju, "Mom really likes you and feels sorry that you've been working hard all day, which is why she asked you to take a break."
"Well, I still feel embarrassed! This is my first time marrying into your family; I should perform well and try to make a good impression on everyone, right?" Zhao Jin shook her head, determined to show her best side.
When they went to the Zhao Family to discuss the bride price, Qi Zheng had already been informed of those requirements by Zhao Jin. He had no doubt about her sincerity and believed in her completely.
At this moment, Qi Zheng clearly understood that Zhao Jin genuinely regarded him as one of her own and was being open-hearted with him. He decided not to persuade her further and stood by Zhao Jin's side: "Then you can just watch me fetch water and take a look around at where everything is placed in the house."
"Are you sure you don't need my help?" Zhao Jin hoped to lend a hand, but unfortunately, even Qi Zheng couldn't bear to let her work hard.
"No need; just watch," Qi Zheng shook his head, quite insistent on this point.
Alright then, seeing how adamant Qi Zheng was, Zhao Jin had no choice but to obediently stand aside.
"Mom, why isn't Sister-in-law resting inside?" Qi Yuehong had just returned from feeding the pigs behind the house and inadvertently saw Zhao Jin standing in the kitchen with Qi Zheng, momentarily taken aback.
"Your sister-in-law is too diligent; she insists on fetching water herself!" When it came to Zhao Jin, Zhou Ju was clearly pleased, her words filled with praise and affection.
"Is that so?" Qi Yuehong smiled, feeling much happier as well.
Indeed, although this is her first marriage, the smile on the new Sister-in-law's face is genuine, not forced or perfunctory. As a result, Qi Yuehong believes that Zhao Jin truly wants to marry her older brother and will live well with him.
"Yuehong, your Sister-in-law is a nice person. You are the only maternal relative in our family, so in the future, make sure to get closer to your Sister-in-law whenever you have the chance, so she doesn't feel lonely being here with us," said Zhou Ju, the mother-in-law, showing concern for Zhao Jin's feelings. This can be considered a blessing for Zhao Jin.
"Okay, I will." If the new Sister-in-law continues to be as good as today, Qi Yuehong would naturally take the initiative to get close to Zhao Jin without needing Zhou Ju's reminders.
Qi Zheng is always decisive in his actions, and at this moment, he quickly prepared warm water and even specifically asked for Zhao Jin's opinion before carrying a large bucket of water to his room.
In preparation for Zhao Jin's arrival, Qi Zheng's room was tidied up again. Besides replacing the bed and furniture, all the supplies were also changed to brand new ones.
Today, Zhao Jin brought a considerable dowry that filled many areas of the room.
Fortunately, the Qi family's house has been their ancestral home since Great-Grandfather Qi was still around. Regardless of anything else, it is spacious and roomy. Although it is currently filled with many items, it cannot be denied that there is still plenty of space in Qi Zheng's room.
Before Zhao Jin moved in, Qi Zheng had already considered her washing needs. After visiting Zhao Jin's room at the Zhao Family's house, he immediately had an idea. Without consulting anyone, he directly used curtains to create a private space for Zhao Jin in his own room.
Zhou Ju saw this change afterward and couldn't help but laugh with Grandma Qi for quite a while.
Their family wasn't without daughters; Zhou Ju had considered this change as well. However, before she could voice it, Qi Zheng took the initiative himself, which was indeed unlike his usual style.
It seems that getting married makes a difference. Even Qi Zheng has become more thoughtful and caring, no longer exuding that cold demeanor he used to have.
When Zhao Jin first saw this detail in Qi Zheng's room, she was taken aback for a moment before smiling.
It is unclear who started this trend, but Willow Leaf Village has gradually adopted the practice where families with daughters often create a separate space in their daughter's room. However, correspondingly, sons' rooms never have such arrangements.
When Zhao Jin married Wu Feng in her previous life, she did not receive such consideration regarding this detail. On her first night at the Wu Family's house, she felt quite embarrassed even taking a shower. When she later mentioned this to Wu Feng, his response was simply three words: "Not necessary."
When Wu Feng's Parents heard about this, they felt that Zhao Jin was troublesome and always looking for trouble. They even specifically called Wu Feng to join them, and the three of them scolded Zhao Jin harshly, leaving her speechless and unable to respond.
As for Zhao Jin now, she no longer needed to worry about this issue at all. It was simply because Qi Zheng had arranged everything for her.
Without comparison, there would be no harm; however, for Zhao Jin, the more she compared, the more it highlighted how good Qi Zheng was and how happy she currently was.
Watching Qi Zheng pour the water, Zhao Jin was about to speak when Qi Zheng quickly grabbed the empty bucket and left the room with long strides.
This left Zhao Jin alone in the room, and after a while, she couldn't help but chuckle softly.
She wasn't even shy yet, but Qi Zheng was already better at avoiding suspicion than she was.
Once outside, Qi Zheng returned the empty bucket to its place and did not go into the main room but instead stood at the door of his own room.
To the Qijia Family, this scene undoubtedly looked like Qi Zheng was guarding the door for Zhao Jin.
Grandma Qi and Zhou Ju found it amusing but didn't tease them. If it were Qi Ze or Qi Rui, they would have dared to joke around. However, since it was Qi Zheng, even the elders became particularly serious.
There was no helping it; after all, Qi Zheng was the one who always wore a stern face! Consequently, Grandma Qi and Zhou Ju occasionally found themselves intimidated by him and gradually began to regard him with greater respect.
In contrast, Qi Ze didn't hold back as much. Although he didn't run up to Qi Zheng to laugh, he hid aside and chuckled for quite a while.
Qi Rui initially didn't notice anything unusual; seeing Qi Ze laughing to himself made him quite puzzled and he asked what was going on.
After Qi Ze explained his reasoning while gasping for breath, the upright and straightforward Qi Rui rolled his eyes at him: "Second Brother, you are really boring."
Just then, Qi Yuehong happened to be standing nearby as well, looking at Qi Ze with an expression that almost conveyed the word "rascal."
Alright, all of my younger siblings are too well-behaved and upright; why is it that only he is so lewd? With an innocent shrug, Qi Ze muttered to himself and couldn't help but glance over at Qi Zheng's position.
Then, unable to hold back any longer, Qi Ze covered his stomach and retreated to his room, laughing.
This was truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for a joke, and Qi Ze couldn't resist; he was determined to laugh it out.
However, Qi Ze clearly did not anticipate that this might just be the beginning. Perhaps in the future, his wish and dream of making fun of Qi Zheng could be realized anytime and anywhere.
After finishing her grooming, Zhao Jin intended to pour herself some water. However, as soon as she opened the door, she saw Qi Zheng standing outside.
Was Qi Zheng guarding the door for her? Just as sweet thoughts began to form in her mind, Zhao Jin hurriedly looked around the courtyard to see if there were others present.
Although she was very pleased to see Qi Zheng always prioritizing her, this was still the Qi Family; it wasn't just the two of them living here. Regardless of how the Qi Family would perceive this scene, as Qi Zheng's wife, she couldn't let him lose face outside.
With this thought in mind, Zhao Jin certainly wouldn't allow Qi Zheng to continue standing outside: "Why aren't you coming in? It's dark now, and you've been tired all day; hurry up and come in to rest."
"It's fine." Not entering immediately, Qi Zheng casually took the basin that Zhao Jin had brought out and went to pour water with a calm expression.
Looking at her empty hands, Zhao Jin truly felt that Qi Zheng had spoiled her to the point where she didn't have to do anything.
Qi Zheng indeed felt that Zhao Jin didn't need to do anything. With him around, he would handle these matters. As for Zhao Jin, she just needed to stand by and watch.
After pouring out the dirty water and replacing it with clean water, it was now Qi Zheng's turn to take a shower.
Usually, when only Qi Zheng lived alone, he didn't have to be modest about anything. However, with Zhao Jin now present, he paused at the door with the water in hand and seriously considered whether he should borrow Qi Ze's room for a shower.
Zhao Jin originally planned to wait for Qi Zheng to enter before following him inside, which is why she had been waiting at the door. Suddenly seeing Qi Zheng stop and glance towards the next room made Zhao Jin immediately guess what he was thinking.
No matter what, she was already married to Qi Zheng, and today was still the first day. How could she let Qi Zheng go to another room to take a shower? She wasn't a wicked daughter-in-law who would quarrel with her husband as soon as she stepped through the door...
"Why aren't you coming in?" Zhao Jin pretended not to notice Qi Zheng's hesitation and feigned confusion. "Do you want me to stay out of the way? Then I'll wait outside..."
"No need." Qi Zheng absolutely could not let Zhao Jin wait outside. He immediately shook his head and carried the water into the room.
Zhao Jin, following behind Qi Zheng, immediately broke into a smile. Without saying much, she stepped over the threshold, turned around, closed the door, and locked it.
Inside, Zhao Jingang's clothes had not yet been tidied up. However, she wasn't in a hurry.
She originally planned to wait until Qi Zheng finished his shower before tidying everything up together.
Qi Zheng's gaze, however, was somewhat evasive. He deliberately avoided Zhao Jin's clothes, pulled the curtain shut, and quickly started washing up.
Hearing the sound of the curtain being drawn, Zhao Jin almost laughed out loud.
She didn't believe that Qi Zheng had a habit of hiding behind curtains to take showers before; he was clearly avoiding her! Just thinking about it made Zhao Jin find it amusing.
However, Zhao Jin prided herself on being straightforward and would never intentionally try to see Qi Zheng make a fool of himself. After all, nothing could be seen through the curtain, so Zhao Jin began to move around and organize the dowry she had brought today.
There were quite a few bedding items; she planned to ask if anyone from the Qi family needed them. At the very least, Qi Yuehong would surely like these beautiful patterns she brought. Although they were indeed a bit red, they were festive, so she figured the girl wouldn't mind.
There were also several basins and water bottles. She wouldn't need that many for herself and should ask Grandma Qi and her mother-in-law if they needed any. If there were any old ones at home, it was about time for an upgrade.
Oh right, she also brought a sewing machine. If all went well, she was considering whether to use the sewing machine to earn some household expenses.
To be honest, her sewing skills were average; she hadn't had a chance to use a sewing machine in her previous life. If Grandma Qi and her mother-in-law could use it, that would be fine too. They were all family, and Zhao Jin wasn't upset at all.
Hearing Zhao Jin pacing back and forth in the room through the curtain, Qi Zheng felt his heart gradually settle, and the color in his eyes softened.
Just the thought that half of his room would be given to Jin in the future made him feel uneasy. But more than that, there was joy in fulfilling his wish.
It was as if just hearing the commotion caused by Zhao Jin was enough to satisfy him. Having Jin by his side was his greatest dream and expectation.
Qi Zheng undoubtedly took a quicker shower than Zhao Jin. After putting on his clothes and disposing of the dirty water, when Qi Zheng re-entered the room, Zhao Jin had already taken a basin and gathered all the clothes they had changed out of.
"I'll do it," Qi Zheng instinctively reached out to take over, but Zhao Jin shook her head in refusal.
"It's just a simple task; I've already finished it. Just leave it for me to wash tomorrow morning." It wasn't heavy work; Zhao Jin usually did laundry at home herself, so she wasn't that delicate. Although she usually only needed to wash her own clothes, now she had to add Qi Zheng's to the mix.
"I..." Qi Zheng intended for him to do the washing. However, he was interrupted by Zhao Jin before he could finish.
"Qi Zheng, are you trying to prevent me from establishing myself in the Qi Family? Just married and already having my husband help with laundry—our grandmother and Mother would be upset." Zhao Jin was not exaggerating.
If she truly let Qi Zheng wash her clothes, she could guarantee that even if the Qijia Family didn't show it openly, they would definitely have opinions about her as a new bride.
Qi Zheng instinctively didn't want Zhao Jin to do any work, not wanting to trouble her. After hearing what Zhao Jin said, he immediately fell silent and stopped insisting.
"It's just laundry; it's not heavy work. I'm quite capable too, you know?" Facing Qi Zheng's silence, Zhao Jin smiled and stepped forward to gently embrace him. "But still, thank you for your protection. Since I stepped into the Qi Family, I am grateful for everything."
"You don't need to thank me." Instinctively returning the embrace, Qi Zheng's voice was low and firm. "The one who should be thanked is me; thank you for agreeing to marry me."
In an instant, Zhao Jin's eyes turned red. The gentle hold she had on Qi Zheng tightened into a firm embrace.
Only she knew how much she had longed to marry Qi Zheng. But did Qi Zheng truly share the same feelings as her?
Nothing brings more joy than mutual affection. Upon learning that Qi Zheng's feelings for her remained unchanged from their past life, Zhao Jin couldn't help but feel grateful to fate and even more so to Qi Zheng.
They were two people who liked each other, and now that they understood each other's feelings, what followed was only natural, without any surprises.
As night deepened, the moon outside blushed as well.
The next morning, Qi Zheng woke up earlier than Zhao Jin. He quietly got out of bed without waking Zhao Jin, picked up the dirty clothes left in the corner, and walked out of the room.
The Qi Family courtyard was quiet; everyone was still asleep. Qi Zheng quickly brushed his teeth and washed his face, then lit the stove in the kitchen and started cooking porridge. He then went to the well to wash the clothes he shared with Zhao Jin.
Originally, he had considered letting Zhao Jin wash the clothes as she wished. However, seeing how exhausted she was last night, Qi Zheng suddenly felt reluctant to do so.
He wanted to take care of his own wife. Although he knew it wasn't quite appropriate for him to wash the clothes, Qi Zheng still intentionally got up early to take care of it himself.
After Qi Zheng, the first person to wake up was Grandma Qi.
When Grandma Qi came out, Qi Zheng had already hung their clothes on the drying line.
Though she was older, Grandma Qi's eyes were still sharp. With just one glance, she noticed the few pieces of clothing hanging in the yard.
She pursed her lips but wasn't angry; instead, she shooed Qi Zheng out of the kitchen and began preparing breakfast herself.
Qi Zheng stood at the kitchen door but didn't leave immediately. After a while, he lowered his voice and said to Grandma Qi, "Grandma, my wife might sleep in a bit this morning. Please don't be mad at her; she didn't mean it. It's all my fault from last night."
"Alright, alright. Grandma isn't old and confused; I'm not a wicked old woman. Your wife—I'll take care of her too," Grandma Qi said sincerely.
It's true that girls from other families are expected to work after marrying into their in-law families. But the Qi Family didn't have such strict expectations. Since Zhao Jin was willing to marry into the Qi Family during such difficult times and brought so much dowry with her, Grandma Qi was very fond of this granddaughter-in-law.
The Zhao Family has already hung their face high for the Qi Family. Would the Qi Family really want to be ungrateful and pull their own face down? Grandma Qi is not that kind of person; she genuinely cares for Zhao Jin.
With Grandma Qi's clear response, Qi Zheng couldn't help but feel relieved.
Qi Zheng trusts and respects Grandma Qi very much. His grandmother is straightforward and doesn't play games. Since she wasn't angry, she wouldn't vent her frustrations on Jin.
"Grandma, I'm going to build a shed for the calf I brought over for Jin yesterday." The Qi Family used to raise cattle years ago, but later, when their circumstances worsened, they sold the cows and even dismantled the shed.
Now that they have a calf, it’s only natural that they need to build the shed again.
"Alright, go ahead!" Grandma Qi waved her hand with a smile at the calf tied to the big tree in front of their house.
She had specifically taken time to check on that calf yesterday. Although it was still young, it was quite sturdy. The Zhao Family has nothing on them.
Qi Zheng nodded, said nothing more, and went out to get busy.
Afterward, Zhou Ju also got up.
As soon as she entered the kitchen, she received a reminder from Grandma Qi, which made Zhou Ju laugh: "They must be feeling shy! They could have left their clothes for me to wash."
"They're definitely shy. Our Qi Zheng wouldn’t do that; Jin just married in and would let you, her mother-in-law, help wash her clothes? She's not a foolish girl; who would dare?" Both Grandma Qi and Zhou Ju understood well what it was like to transition from daughter-in-law to mother-in-law. They both deeply empathized with the mindset of someone just starting as a daughter-in-law.
However, Qi Zheng taking the initiative to wash clothes was indeed unexpected for both Grandma Qi and Zhou Ju.
Their family isn't particularly wealthy, but there have always been women around, so it wouldn't fall to Qi Zheng to do the washing.
The fact that Qi Zheng quietly got up early today to help Zhao Jin wash clothes shows how much he values her as his wife and firmly establishes his position in front of Grandma Qi and Zhou Ju.
Oh, it wasn't the first time to take a stand. Previously, in order to marry Zhao Jin, Qi Zheng had worked hard to prepare for the bride price and had already informed Grandma Qi and Zhou Ju. Their family valued Zhao Jin very much.
Since their child liked her, Grandma Qi and Zhou Ju, who were already quite satisfied with Zhao Jin, nodded knowingly and immediately grasped how to treat her appropriately.
By the time Zhao Jin woke up and got out of bed, it was already bright outside.
Realizing that she might have overslept, Zhao Jin couldn't help but blush. She hurriedly got dressed and rushed outside.
Qi Zheng had finished building the cow shed and had also made new cages for the chickens and ducks that would accompany Zhao Jin as her dowry. When he looked up, he saw Zhao Jin with a flushed face rushing into the courtyard.
It was obvious that Zhao Jin was anxious because she had woken up late. Qi Zheng stood up to greet her.
"Qi Zheng, have you made breakfast? Has Grandma and Mom... already gotten up?" With a hint of wanting to cry, Zhao Jin felt both ashamed and embarrassed.
Before her marriage, her mother had repeatedly reminded her not to sleep in this morning and to get up early to prepare breakfast for the Qijia Family. Yet, she still messed it up.
"It's okay, I'll fetch some water for you to wash up." Raising his hand to ruffle Zhao Jin's hair, Qi Zheng took her other hand and walked towards the well.
"I can't face anyone." With her left hand held by Qi Zheng, Zhao Jin covered her face with her right hand, feeling that she had really let herself down.
Zhao Jin's actions were too cute, causing Qi Zheng to smile. He didn't argue with her but simply led Zhao Jin to stand by the well and fetched a basin of water for her to wash her face.
The basin was brought over by Zhao Jin as part of her dowry. Since she had used it last night to wash her face and later placed her change of clothes in it, Qi Zheng conveniently took it out this morning. It was handy for Zhao Jin now.
"Sister-in-law, good morning." Qi Yuehong had woken up half an hour earlier than Zhao Jin and had already started washing the family's clothes after getting ready. Upon seeing Zhao Jin, she greeted her warmly.
With someone greeting her, Zhao Jin naturally couldn't continue covering her face and quickly lowered her hand. Just as she did so, she saw Qi Yuehong washing clothes.
In an instant, Zhao Jin felt that she was not even comparable to a young girl. Ignoring everything else, she said, “Yuehong, leave it to me. I’ll wash it later.”
“No need. I have some free time right now, so I can wash everyone’s clothes,” Qi Yuehong replied. She was a very quiet girl with a gentle disposition. Hearing Zhao Jin's words, she shook her head lightly and added, “Sister-in-law, you should wash up first; breakfast will be ready soon.”
Before marrying into the Qi Family, Zhao Jin had not interacted much with Qi Yuehong. She had only heard that Qi Yuehong was a very well-behaved girl, and now that she spoke, she was indeed as gentle as the rumors suggested.
After just a few exchanges, Zhao Jin had a very favorable impression of Qi Yuehong.
Noticing that Qi Yuehong was mixing her own clothes with the family’s laundry, Zhao Jin immediately squatted down and gently said to Qi Yuehong, “Yuehong, I brought quite a few basins yesterday. I’ll give you two to use as washbasins. One for home and one to take to school.”
Zhao Jin’s tone was very gentle, filled with kindness. Qi Yuehong couldn’t help but blush, saying, “No need, I have…”
“Just accept it from your Sister-in-law,” Qi Zheng interrupted Qi Yuehong’s refusal and made the decision for her. “I’ll have your Sister-in-law take them directly to your room later.”
Since it was Qi Zheng who spoke, Qi Yuehong hesitated for a moment but still obediently thanked Zhao Jin and accepted her first act of kindness.
“You’re welcome. We are family; it’s only right,” Zhao Jin said with a smile as her mood lightened considerably after seeing that Qi Yuehong no longer refused. “And there’s also a thermos. You can take one to school too, right? I’ll get you one of those as well.”
Having already accepted the basin, receiving another thermos was clearly not difficult for her to accept. Qi Yuehong glanced at Qi Zheng, then bit her lip and softly replied, “Okay.”
This time, Qi Yuehong didn’t deliberately thank her again. Although their interaction had been brief, she had already accepted Zhao Jin as her Sister-in-law in her heart.
Because they were family, there was no need for formality. Because they were family, the kindness shown to each other felt even warmer and… more natural.
The conversation between Zhao Jin and Qi Yuehong was not whispered; nearby, both Grandma Qi and Zhou Ju heard them clearly from a few steps away.
Both elders already had a very good impression of Zhao Jin, and upon witnessing the interaction between her and Qi Yuehong, their fondness for her increased dramatically in an instant, reaching an indescribable height.
Zhao Jin stood up and saw Grandma Qi and Zhou Ju. Immediately, he felt embarrassed and blushed, lowering his head to apologize to them, "Grandma, Mom, I'm sorry, I woke up late."
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