Chapter 75
At first, it was Ye Qingzhi who suspected that Zhang Xianjuan was having an affair with her younger brother-in-law. Then she mentioned it to He Qiming, and He Qiming called Lin Xiaohu.
This kind of private matter was generally not easy to inquire about. But when Lin Xiaohu sent someone to ask around, everyone in the neighborhood knew that the relationship between the uncle and sister-in-law was not ordinary.
After a deeper investigation, they found that the two had once claimed to be husband and wife to outsiders, and someone had even seen them hugging.
After finding out, Lin Xiaohu immediately called He Qiming. But it just so happened that the Ye family was in trouble at that time, and he had forgotten to tell Ye Qingzhi.
“I told you so. How could a sister-in-law be so concerned about her younger brother-in-law’s affairs? But they are so blatant. Didn’t her current husband find out?” Ye Qingzhi asked with a face full of confusion.
Zhang Xianjuan’s husband was able to elope with her, so he must be a quick-witted person. Would such a person not see that his wife was having an affair with his brother?
“Do you think Zhang Xianjuan’s current husband is a good person? I heard he has many mistresses in the countryside,” He Qiming said. When he had gone to pick up He Jingyan, he had investigated Zhang Xianjuan’s remarried husband. He had more than just Zhang Xianjuan as a woman outside.
Ye Qingzhi’s mouth dropped open in shock. The older generation was indeed conservative in their thinking but open in their actions.
This family was especially so. The older brother had mistresses everywhere, the sister-in-law was involved with the younger brother-in-law, and then the younger brother-in-law was having an affair with a married woman. They were truly a nest of snakes and rats.
She remembered that He Qiming had said that Zhang Xianjuan’s current husband was not at home much. In other words, Zhang Xianjuan and her younger brother-in-law spent more time together, and their relationship was naturally even better.
This explained why Zhang Xianjuan was shamelessly asking for help everywhere, wanting to save her not-so-ordinary younger brother-in-law.
“Should I reply?” Ye Qingzhi asked, poking the letter.
“No,” He Qiming said, shaking his head. He could not get involved with a person like Zhang Xianjuan. Otherwise, she would be like a dog-skin plaster, and he would not be able to get rid of her after she stuck to him.
As usual, he put the letter away and did not respond. Never mind that her younger brother-in-law was in trouble. Even if she herself was in trouble, he would not care.
Two days later, the children started school. After sending them off, Ye Qingzhi was about to go to Li Jinfeng’s house to visit when she was stopped by Cao Liyan.
“Ye Qingzhi,” Cao Liyan said, looking at the increasingly beautiful Ye Qingzhi, a hint of disdain in her eyes.
She had never been able to understand why He Qiming would not want a young, unmarried girl like her, who had graduated from a technical secondary school, but would instead want a widow like Ye Qingzhi, who had not studied and had two children.
Now she understood. It was because Ye Qingzhi was beautiful. Hah, men were indeed all lechers. He Qiming was no exception.
“Is something the matter?” Ye Qingzhi asked, seeing that Cao Liyan had called out to her but was not speaking.
“I’m getting married,” Cao Liyan said, pursing her lips.
“I know. He’s a young and promising doctor. Congratulations!” Ye Qingzhi was even more confused. So? She had specially called out to her to show off?
“Thank you. The wedding is on the ninth of next month. Can you and Regiment Commander He come?” Cao Liyan asked with a smile.
Ye Qingzhi had not expected Cao Liyan to stop her to invite her to her wedding. But with their relationship, wouldn’t it be awkward for her to go to her wedding?
“I won’t go. My dad just passed away. On the ninth of September, it won’t even have been a hundred days for me,” Ye Qingzhi said, her mind turning, and she immediately found an excuse.
Of course, Cao Liyan knew that Ye Qingzhi’s father had died in an accident, but she really hadn’t thought of that.
She was hesitant. One moment she felt that this was feudal superstition and that she didn’t have to worry about it. The next, she felt that a happy event like a wedding only happened once in a lifetime, and there could be no accidents.
Seeing her first in a dilemma, and then full of annoyance, Ye Qingzhi guessed that she wanted to refuse her, but was afraid that if she used such a reason, she would be labeled as having feudal superstitions.
“I’ll be going now. Happy wedding,” Ye Qingzhi said, deliberately waiting for a while. After she had had enough of her embarrassment, she took her leave.
After turning around, Ye Qingzhi couldn’t help but smile. This Cao Liyan was really interesting. She would ask Qiming and Xiaorou to inquire later if her partner’s family background was very powerful.
Unfortunately, when Ye Qingzhi arrived at Li Jinfeng’s house, she had already gone out with her child. She didn’t know whose house she had gone to.
“Qingzhi,” Old Mrs. Li said, pulling Ye Qingzhi. “Has your dad’s matter been resolved? Has the culprit been caught?”
“There were nearly a hundred people fighting that day. It was a chaotic mess, and everyone had a hoe or a carrying pole in their hands. They were all fighting with red eyes, and no one knew who was hitting whom, so it’s very difficult to investigate,” Ye Qingzhi said with a soft sigh. She looked at the few packages packed in the living room and looked at Old Mrs. Li in surprise. “Ma’am, are you going back?”
Li Jinfeng had just finished her confinement, and Old Mrs. Li was already going back?
“Yes. I’ve been out for almost two months. I don’t know how things are at home, especially my old man. He can’t do anything. I have to go back and cook for him,” Old Mrs. Li said. She had wanted to go back a long time ago. She couldn’t stand it here for another day.
“You and Uncle have a very good relationship,” Ye Qingzhi said with a smile.
Old Mrs. Li smiled and waved her hand. “What relationship? Good or bad, we’ve lived a lifetime together. I’m going back soon. That child Jinfeng, although she’s a few years older than you, she’s not as mature and steady in her speech and actions as you are. Like the matter at the cotton factory last time, what was she trying to prove? Qingzhi, you have a good relationship. You should persuade Jinfeng more later and tell her not to be so impulsive in the future. Even if it’s not for herself, she has to think for her five children.”
“I know. I will persuade her. Ma’am, I have something to do at home. I’ll be going now,” Ye Qingzhi said, quickly finding an excuse to leave.
If she didn’t leave, Old Mrs. Li could talk to her all day.
Not long after she got home, Li Jinfeng and Yang Xiaorou came over together. Ye Qingzhi took the child. “It’s so windy today. Why are you carrying the child and wandering around? Aren’t you afraid the child will catch a cold?”
“It’s fine. I’ve wrapped him up tightly. He definitely won’t feel any wind,” Li Jinfeng said, pulling a chair and sitting down with a plop. “Oh my, you don’t know. That long confinement really bored me to death.”
So she was now visiting in retaliation?
“Why are you looking at me like that?” Li Jinfeng asked, touching her face and looking at Ye Qingzhi in confusion.
“Nothing. I just think your complexion is not very good. What, is the child bothering you at night?” Ye Qingzhi asked, looking at the sweetly sleeping child in her arms and gently tapping her small nose.
“It’s alright. Compared to the fourth one, this child is quite well-behaved,” Li Jinfeng said, touching the child’s small face. She looked up and saw Ye Qingzhi’s fair and tender skin, and was very envious. “Your complexion is good, fair and rosy. It seems Old Hu has helped you condition your body well.”
She touched her own face and thought of the recipe Ye Qingzhi had given her. She would use it in a few days. The body was the land. If it was not made fertile, the seeds planted would not grow well even if they sprouted.
Yang Xiaorou sat down next to Ye Qingzhi and said in a low voice, “Did you run into Cao Liyan?”
“Why do you ask that?” Ye Qingzhi asked, looking at Yang Xiaorou. “Did you see her?”
“Did she really look for you? No, she came to find me. She said she’s getting married on the ninth of next month and asked me to go to her wedding. I refused,” Yang Xiaorou said with a pout.
“How did you refuse?” Ye Qingzhi asked curiously.
“I just refused directly. You must have refused too, right? Then tell me, how did you refuse?” Yang Xiaorou asked in return.
“I said I was still in my hundred-day mourning period,” Ye Qingzhi said with a shrug.
Yang Xiaorou frowned. “And then Cao Liyan really didn’t let you go?”
“No, she didn’t say anything. She couldn’t really say anything about this kind of thing,” Ye Qingzhi said, seeing the child rubbing against her chest, its mouth open like a little swallow waiting to be fed. She knew the child was hungry and stuffed it into Li Jinfeng’s arms. “Do you know her partner’s background?”
Li Jinfeng casually lifted her clothes and breastfed the child in front of them. She didn’t care, but Ye Qingzhi was too embarrassed to look.
Seeing this, Li Jinfeng couldn’t help but tease her. “No way, we often bathe together in the bathhouse. What haven’t we seen? And you’re still blushing? Qingzhi, it’s not like you haven’t breastfed a child before. Why are you still so shy?”
There were not so many rules in the countryside. They would breastfeed wherever they were sitting. Even if there were men present, they would not be concerned.
Ye Qingzhi quickly searched the original host’s memories. The original host was relatively shy and would always hide at home to breastfeed.
“You know Qingzhi is thin-skinned. By the way, are you going to Cao Liyan’s wedding?” Yang Xiaorou asked, changing the subject.
“I should go. I’m on good terms with her sister-in-law. I have to go just for her sister-in-law’s sake,” Li Jinfeng said with some embarrassment.
“It’s fine. We’re all different. Besides, Jin Xiuli is a really nice person. Actually, Cao Liya is also not bad. It’s just this Cao Liyan. I don’t know what’s wrong with her. She’s always at odds with Qingzhi,” Yang Xiaorou said, thinking of Ye Qingzhi’s question and recalling. “I really don’t know Dr. Chu’s background. I’ll ask someone later.”
It was normal not to know. There were so many people in China, and they were not necessarily from the same system.
“What, are you worried that Dr. Chu has a powerful background and will help Cao Liyan target you? Qingzhi, don’t underestimate your man. And I’m not a pushover either. How can I watch you be bullied?” Yang Xiaorou took this matter to heart.
Ye Qingzhi peeled an orange and handed it to her. “Then thank you, Sister Xiaorou.”
Yang Xiaorou shot her a glare, took a bite of the orange, and frowned from the sourness. “No, you can eat something this sour. You’re not pregnant, are you?”
Li Jinfeng immediately looked at Ye Qingzhi’s belly. “Qingzhi, you’re not really pregnant, are you?”
Ye Qingzhi shook her head with certainty. “Impossible. I’m still taking the medicine Old Hu prescribed. This medicine has a contraceptive effect.”
Hearing this, the two of them felt that she was not pregnant. After all, Old Hu’s medical skills were widely recognized.
“I say, your complexion is so good, and you look so healthy. Why aren’t you having a child yet?” Li Jinfeng asked. She knew that Ye Qingzhi and He Qiming were a loving couple, but how long could this love last? No one knew. It was still better to have a biological child.
“There’s no hurry. You shouldn’t be in a hurry to have one either. You must take good care of your body before you have another child. Nothing is more important than your own body,” Ye Qingzhi said with a serious expression.