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Back to the Eighties: A Beloved Marriage
Zhao Lei didn't speak, so it was Zhao Jin's turn to continue.
Of course, Zhao Jin didn't have much to say either. She just glanced at Qi Juanjuan, who was clearly feeling uneasy, and directed her main attack at Zhao Lei: "Don't bully Yuehong in the future. Otherwise, just wait and see how I deal with you!"
Zhao Lei gritted his teeth and instinctively wanted to retort, "Let's see who gets dealt with." However, as soon as he opened his mouth, he saw their homeroom teacher walking in through the front door.
In an instant, Zhao Lei turned his head and fell silent.
He decided not to argue with Zhao Jin for now; he would settle the score with her when they returned to the village!
Zhao Lei was surprisingly obedient, and Zhao Jin didn't say much more. Seeing that the teacher had entered the classroom, she turned to Qi Yuehong and gave her a few careful reminders before taking out ten yuan and handing it to Qi Yuehong.
"Sister-in-law, I don't want it..." Qi Yuehong refused. She was well aware of her family's situation. Although things had improved recently, she still didn't want to add any unnecessary burden on her family.
"Take it. It's not just for you. There's also Rui!" Zhao Jin thought for a moment and then simply took back the ten yuan and exchanged it for a five-yuan bill. "Forget it, I'll go check on Rui's classroom later. I don't want him to be bullied at school like you were without anyone at home knowing."
Zhao Jin's words were indeed meant for Zhao Lei to hear, as well as the other classmates in the classroom. Yuehong was quiet by nature; even if she was bullied, she might not tell her family. So, she could only warn the other students in the classroom not to bully anyone.
Zhao Lei snorted coldly, completely disregarding Zhao Jin's threat, and returned to his seat.
School wasn't his territory or his home ground. He endured Zhao Jin for now. Once outside of school, he would see who was stronger!
Without Zhao Lei leading the charge, Qi Juanjuan truly felt she couldn't do anything at all.
Jealous and resentful, she cast a glance at Zhao Jin before obediently returning to her own seat.
In the past, whenever she wanted to bully Qi Yuehong, she could do so anytime and anywhere. After all, Qi Yuehong was quiet; no matter what others did, she never argued back or got flustered.
But it seems that starting today, everything has changed. Qi Yuehong now has someone to protect her, and that person is Zhao Lei's cousin. No matter how she thinks about it, it makes Qi Juanjuan feel suffocated and uncomfortable.
Zhao Jin, however, paid no attention to Qi Juanjuan's feelings. After giving some instructions to Qi Yuehong, she casually walked toward the podium.
Since she was already there, it was undoubtedly necessary to greet the teacher. Additionally, she wanted to ask about Qi Yuehong's performance at school or if there was anything they had overlooked.
Parents of outstanding students always receive preferential treatment in front of school teachers. At this moment, Zhao Jin was one of them.
Qi Yuehong's homeroom teacher was very talkative. Knowing that Zhao Jin was Qi Yuehong's parent, the teacher was very enthusiastic and praised Qi Yuehong throughout their conversation. Zhao Jin nodded repeatedly, expressing her gratitude for the teacher's care and attention towards Qi Yuehong.
Seeing Zhao Jin and the homeroom teacher chatting so warmly, both wearing pleasant smiles, all the classmates couldn't help but look at Qi Yuehong.
Qi Yuehong sat there calmly. Rarely did she not lower her head to do homework; instead, she seriously watched Zhao Jin as she chatted with their homeroom teacher.
As for the gazes from her classmates, Qi Yuehong completely ignored them and did not pay any attention. She simply straightened her back and sat more upright than ever.
At this moment, all the classmates in the class, including Zhao Lei and Qi Juanjuan, couldn't help but look at Qi Yuehong with new eyes.
In the past, they only thought that aside from her good academic performance, there was nothing else about Qi Yuehong to boast about. But now, they were changing their opinions about her in their hearts.
After leaving Qi Yuehong's classroom, Zhao Jin did not linger and headed straight to Qi Rui's classroom.
Since it was class time, Zhao Jin initially planned to wait in the hallway. Unexpectedly, Qi Rui's class happened to have self-study during this period. As soon as Zhao Jin approached, she ran into Qi Rui's homeroom teacher.
Zhao Jin did not know Qi Yuehong's homeroom teacher. However, she recognized Qi Rui's homeroom teacher because he had once taught her. Therefore, upon seeing each other, Zhao Jin immediately took the initiative to greet him.
Qi Rui's homeroom teacher also remembered Zhao Jin. Upon hearing that Zhao Jin had come to see her child, he couldn't help but exclaim how quickly time flies before turning around to call Qi Rui out of the classroom.
When Qi Rui saw Zhao Jin, he was more shocked than delighted.
He didn't expect Zhao Jin to come to school to find him. His first reaction was to wonder if something had happened at home.
Once Zhao Jin handed him all the food she brought and stuffed five dollars into his hand, Qi Rui finally realized that Zhao Jin had really just come to see him.
This feeling was particularly new for Qi Rui. In the past, when he saw other students' parents visiting them at school, he would occasionally take a few extra glances. However, the hope of such a visit had always been buried deep in his heart, never expressed.
At this moment, Zhao Jin's arrival filled the deepest void in Qi Rui's heart.
It was as if a long-standing regret was finally no longer missing; Qi Rui couldn't help but straighten his back, and his eyes sparkled with light.
Some things, even if they happen just once, can make a person feel genuinely satisfied. At this moment, Zhao Jin's appearance held significant meaning for Qi Rui.
Qi Rui did not refuse anything that Zhao Jin brought, whether it was food or money. He listened carefully to Zhao Jin's reminders and watched her leave before turning back to the classroom.
Although it was self-study time, without a teacher present, it inevitably became a bit lively. Moreover, since Qi Rui had just been visited by family, many classmates glanced over at him.
A few boys who were relatively familiar with Qi Rui rushed over to ask him for food.
Qi Rui's personality wasn't particularly lively; he rarely took the initiative to interact with classmates. However, being among a group of boys meant that as long as he wasn't too upset, there would definitely be boys willing to play with him.
For instance, at this moment, several boys ran over to Qi Rui's side, eagerly staring at the cloth bag in his hands and urging him to open it quickly.
When Qi Rui held the cloth bag close to him, he could tell that Zhao Jin had sent him some dishes. He felt several jars inside; although he wasn't sure what exactly Zhao Jin had sent, he could ascertain that there was quite a lot.
Before leaving, Zhao Jin had told him that some food had also been sent from Qi Yuehong's side. All of this was for him alone. He could either eat it himself or share it with his classmates. After he finished eating, she would bring more for him and Qi Yuehong next time she came to the county.
Hearing Zhao Jin's tone was unusually sparse and ordinary, Qi Rui didn't think much of it. He treated it as nothing special and directly opened the cloth bag in front of everyone.
Then, several loud cries erupted in the classroom.
"Ah, ah, Qi Rui, share some with your brothers. Just a spoonful will do."
"Meat, oh meat, Qi Rui, come on, give us a piece!"
"Is there canned food too? Qi Rui, hurry up and see how we can share. We’re all going to feast together today."
Qi Rui never imagined that one day he would become the "big spender" in his classmates' eyes. In the past, he had always watched other students eat meat from a distance, but now everyone was staring at what was in his bowl?
Qi Rui was definitely not stingy. However, it was currently class time, and... the homeroom teacher had just left but was now returning.
"The teacher is coming." Without changing his expression, Qi Rui reminded a few boys and began to tie up the cloth bag again.
The teacher's authority surpassed everything. Although everyone’s mouths were already watering, they all obediently returned to their seats, leaving behind reluctant glances that continuously turned toward Qi Rui.
Feeling helpless under everyone's gaze, Qi Rui had no choice but to nod and give them a "we'll eat after class" response, which finally calmed down those eager "wolves" whose eyes were nearly popping out.
Because he knew Zhao Jin and had some understanding of her family background, Qi Rui's homeroom teacher felt quite pleased at this moment.
He had previously taught Qi Yuehong for a whole year and knew that the Qi siblings lived a tough life. Now that there was Zhao Jin as a sister-in-law, the Qi family's situation must have improved.
Thinking this way, the homeroom teacher no longer held back and even jokingly said from the podium: "Stop staring at Qi Rui's delicious food; even if you keep staring at me, I won't allow you to eat during class."
Laughter immediately erupted in the classroom. Seeing that the students were in good spirits, the homeroom teacher continued: "But I want to remind you all in advance that there are quite a few students in our class; how could there be enough to share? Moreover, that food is a gesture from Qi Rui's family; do you really have the heart to snatch it? So take a look at what delicious food you have left and see if you can trade with Qi Rui."
The homeroom teacher was clearly doing this for Qi Rui's benefit, also to deter some students who wanted to take advantage of the situation. Such words were certainly not something Qi Rui could bring up himself. Coming from the homeroom teacher, they instantly became much more convincing.
Zhao Jin was unaware of the sweet "burden" her overly enthusiastic behavior had placed on Qi Rui. At that moment, after leaving County Junior High School, she hurried back to the Supply and Marketing Cooperative.
Sun Chun'er and Qian Minmin had already bought their things and waited for Zhao Jin for quite a while. When Zhao Jin finally arrived, they weren't angry; instead, they leisurely asked if Zhao Jin wanted to buy anything to take home.
When it came to shopping, Zhao Jin indeed wanted to buy something. However, it wasn't just for the Qi family; she also wanted to show her filial piety towards her own parents.
Having just settled accounts with Lan Sister, Zhao Jin had a bit of money in hand. It wasn't much, but it was enough for her to express her gratitude.
She pulled Sun Chun'er and Qian Minmin to the counter and bought some white sugar, along with two bags of fine flour. After thinking for a moment, she also decided to buy two jars of honey. Initially, Sun Chun'er and Qian Minmin didn't realize that Zhao Jin was buying these for her own family; they thought she was buying them for the Qi family, which is why they didn't stop her. It wasn't until Tao Tao drove them back to Willow Leaf Village that Zhao Jin sent the items over to her family that Sun Chun'er and Qian Minmin finally understood Zhao Jin's intentions.
"Oh dear, Jin, don't take those home; hurry and bring them back to your in-law family," Qian Minmin was the first to stop Zhao Jin, quickly pushing both the items and herself out the door.
What a joke! Did they not know what kind of situation the Qi family was in? If they accepted these things that Jin bought, she and Sister-in-law would definitely face criticism from their in-laws later.
Moreover, she and Sister-in-law couldn't let this slide either! How could they allow Jin to suffer such a loss?
While Qian Minmin thought Zhao Jin was at a disadvantage, Zhao Jin did not see it that way.
After insisting on bringing the items into the Zhao family home, Zhao Jin finally grabbed Qian Minmin's hand and said firmly, "Second Sister-in-law, this is all I can buy for our parents right now; you can't think that what I'm giving is too little or worthless."
"Come on! Is Second Sister-in-law that kind of person? You know what kind of person Second Sister-in-law is! She knows you are a very filial daughter who cares deeply for our parents. But we really can't accept these things today. You and Second Sister-in-law are so close; you wouldn't want Second Sister-in-law to get scolded either, right? Hurry up and take them back." If it weren't for considering that Zhao Jin was delicate and couldn't handle too much force from her, Qian Minmin would have definitely pushed Zhao Jin out without hesitation; there was no way she would allow Zhao Jin to find an opportunity to bring those items into the yard.
Unfortunately, who could she blame but herself for facing Zhao Jin right now? This left Qian Minmin feeling quite troubled; she couldn't accept the items but also couldn't really use force against Zhao Jin.
Fortunately, besides Qian Minmin, there is also Sun Chun'er to help.
Taking advantage of Qian Minmin blocking Zhao Jin, Sun Chun'er went inside to call Xu Mei out.
Xu Mei would never stop her daughter from showing filial piety. Just like how Zhao Daxi would bring things to the Maternal Family every time, Xu Mei never stopped him and always happily accepted the gifts. However, Zhao Jin's situation was different.
The Qi Family's circumstances had just started to improve a bit, but it was still very tough. Xu Mei didn't want Zhao Jin to quickly start giving back to the Maternal Family; that would be inappropriate and shouldn't happen.
"Jin, what are you doing? Does the house lack this little thing from you? Hurry up and take it back to your In-law family." With Xu Mei's instruction, Qian Minmin finally breathed a sigh of relief. Sun Chun'er directly began moving things out of the yard. "Mom, what are you doing with my Sister-in-law and Second Sister-in-law? Even though I've married out, I'm still our Zhao Family's daughter, right? If you refuse to accept my filial offerings like this, do you look down on the things I bought?" Zhao Jin knew that Xu Mei and the others were genuinely thinking of her by not accepting these items. But Zhao Jin also had her own insistence.
Every time it was the Maternal Family that contributed while she herself received nothing in return. This one-sided generosity made Zhao Jin feel guilty.
So now that she had some ability, she wanted to show at least a little filial piety towards the Maternal Family. Whether the items were expensive or not was secondary; what mattered was her intention to express gratitude for the kindness shown to her by the Maternal Family.
Little did she expect that as soon as she brought the items into the Zhao Family's gate, things would go awry.
Seeing that she clearly couldn't win against Xu Mei and the others with just words, Zhao Jin decided to throw caution to the wind and started acting spoiled and unreasonable.
Xu Mei and the others understood Zhao Jin's nature well. However, hearing her words at that moment made them both amused and exasperated as they shook their heads in compromise. "Alright, alright. You're right about everything; we’ll accept your things then?" Xu Mei said while playfully tapping Zhao Jin's forehead and preparing to pull her inside to sit for a while. "You love throwing tantrums; you always think we look down on you. Just look at our family; you're the most capable one here—who would dare look down on you?"
"Hehe. I just got a bit anxious and spoke without thinking! Mom, you're my real mom, and Sister-in-law and Second Sister-in-law are also my real sisters-in-law; you all can't be mad at me! I have no ill intentions." Zhao Jin quickly apologized but didn’t follow Xu Mei into the house; instead, she pointed outside. "Mom, I had Qi Zheng's friend help me bring back a truckload of fabric for making clothes; the truck is waiting outside, so I won't come in."
"What? You have a friend waiting outside? You really are something. How can you be so inconsiderate? Letting someone wait outside is just rude! You should at least invite them in for a drink!" Upon hearing that someone was waiting outside, Xu Mei almost grabbed Zhao Jin by the ear and scolded her sternly.
Where can you find someone like Zhao Jin to host friends? Guests are guests, and it is not the Zhao Family's way to let them pass without entering. Someone like Zhao Jin should be reprimanded for such behavior.
Indeed, the people from the Farm Family are exceptionally simple and warm-hearted when it comes to hosting guests. Xu Mei is no exception. "Mom, don't worry, don't worry. I'm just thinking of waiting for the fabric to be brought back to the Qi Family so that they can host him. He can have lunch at the Qi Family too!" Zhao Jin definitely did not mean to neglect Tao Tao. It's just that they weren't particularly familiar with Tao Tao; even if Tao Tao came in after getting out of the car, it would still be awkward sitting there in silence, with hardly any conversation exchanged. It would just be formalities, nothing more.
Of course, there was another reason: there was a truckload of fabric outside that needed someone to keep an eye on!
It's not that Zhao Jin didn't trust the villagers' character; after all, it was something bought with money. Zhao Jin felt that being a bit more cautious and careful was not a bad thing.
"Even so, you should at least go out to say thank you and greet them," Xu Mei understood Zhao Jin's reasoning. However, she placed great importance on etiquette.
Whether it was friends of the Zhao brothers or friends of Qi Zheng, Xu Mei treated them all equally as esteemed guests. Unable to change Xu Mei's mind given her insistence, Zhao Jin did not stop her and allowed Xu Mei to go out.
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