Chapter 29 p1
The guests tonight were not only Regiment Commander Xu and Bai Xue, but also Shen Qingyuan and Yang Xiaorou. They all came in with things in their hands and smiles on their faces.
No, except for Bai Xue. Her smile was so stiff, it was better not to smile at all.
“Sister-in-law, did we disturb you by coming so late?” Regiment Commander Xu asked, putting down his things with a familiar tone.
He looked as if they were old friends who had known each other for years.
“Not at all. Have you eaten?” Ye Qingzhi asked as she poured them tea. “This is wild tea from the mountains back home. I don’t know if it’s good, but it smells quite fragrant. You should try it.”
“Is this green tea? It does smell very fragrant,” Shen Qingyuan said, sniffing it first, then taking a small sip. “Good tea.”
Ye Qingzhi smiled lightly. She had asked He Qiming, and both of their family backgrounds were not simple. What good tea hadn’t they drunk? To say this now was purely to give her face.
“If you like it, you can take some with you later. I picked a lot, and I roasted it myself. It’s just that my skills are average,” Ye Qingzhi said, serving them the good tea and sitting down next to He Qiming.
First, He Qiming chatted with Regiment Commander Xu and Shen Qingyuan about work matters. Of course, they were all ordinary small matters. As they chatted, they started talking about the fight between their children.
“It’s mainly my fault for not teaching my child well. Before, I just thought he was a bit mischievous. I thought it was fine for a boy to be a bit mischievous. I didn’t expect to spoil him into being so rude,” Shen Qingyuan said with shame.
Beside him, Yang Xiaorou said nothing. She was afraid that Ye Qingzhi would find fault with her again.
“Haohao is still a child. What does he know? In the final analysis, it’s our adults’ problem,” Regiment Commander Xu said, looking at Bai Xue. “Here, I have to criticize Comrade Bai Xue by name. You are mainly responsible for this matter. How can you talk nonsense in front of a child?”
Bai Xue bit her lip. To have her admit in front of a country wife that she had gossiped behind people’s backs like a long-tongued woman was no different from being stabbed with a knife.
But this matter had already been made known to everyone. Everyone knew that Shen Jiahao had called He Jingyan a wild child because of her.
Everyone seemed to have forgotten that the words “wild child” were added by Shen Jiahao and his friends. As it spread, it became what she, Bai Xue, had said.
Now everyone knew that He Jingyan was the orphan of a martyr. For Bai Xue, as a regiment commander’s wife, to say behind his back that the orphan of a martyr was a wild child had a very bad influence.
So no matter what, she had to admit this mistake, and she could not cause trouble for Ye Qingzhi and her son in the future. Otherwise, she would be seen as petty and retaliating.
“Sister Qingzhi, what Old Xu said is right. This is mainly my fault. I shouldn’t have gossiped behind people’s backs. I’m sorry. I’ll never talk nonsense again,” Bai Xue said, lowering her head, her voice choked with emotion.
Before this, He Qiming had already told her that these were troubled times and that their unit could not be in chaos, so the matter would end here.
Ye Qingzhi had no intention of holding on to it. In any case, her child had not suffered a loss, and Shen Jiahao had also received the punishment he deserved.
“I was indeed quite angry at the time. After all, who wouldn’t be angry if their child was called a wild child? So I spoke a bit harshly. Regiment Commander Xu, Chief of Staff Shen, and the two sisters-in-law, please don’t mind,” Ye Qingzhi said, which meant that the matter was over.
“We understand, we understand,” Yang Xiaorou said, looking around. “Where are the children? Are they already asleep?”
Ye Qingzhi knew she was trying to get Bai Xue out of a tight spot. She glanced at the silent Bai Xue and said with a smile, “They’re in the room doing their homework.”
Worried that Yangyang would be mischievous, she had the three older brothers take him into the room.
“Your few children are so sensible. Not like my little rascal. It’s like killing him to make him do his homework,” Yang Xiaorou said with envy.
“Yes, my few children are all very sensible. They don’t cause any trouble at all,” Ye Qingzhi said, praising them with great pride.
Ye Qingzhi’s immodest manner made Regiment Commander Xu and the others a little stunned.
Normally, a praised parent would modestly say “no, no, your child is the sensible one” and other polite words. Not only did He Qiming’s wife accept it all, but she also praised them along with her. It was quite interesting.
“Has Sister-in-law studied before?” Yang Xiaorou asked with a smile.
She had found it strange last time. A country widow who hadn’t studied, yet she could speak in sets and even use various idioms. After a close contact today, Yang Xiaorou felt that Ye Qingzhi was very organized in her speech and actions. In any case, she didn’t seem like someone who hadn’t been to school.
“I’ve only been to literacy classes. Fortunately, my memory is alright, and I’ve learned all the words,” Ye Qingzhi said with a smile.
“You’ve learned all the words just by going to literacy classes? Then your memory is very good. It’s a pity you didn’t go to school,” Yang Xiaorou said, her eyes full of regret.
If Ye Qingzhi was not lying, then her talent was very high. It was a pity that it had been delayed.
“It’s nothing to be sorry about. I can read, so I can study on my own,” Ye Qingzhi said. Although she said that, she also felt sorry for the original host. If she had gone to school, her life would have been different.
Ye Qingzhi did not want to discuss too much about herself, so she changed the subject. “How long is the school usually closed for?”
“It’s hard to say. It could be three to five days, or it could be a dozen or so days. Every time this happens, my little rascal is the happiest,” Yang Xiaorou said. As if she had thought of something, she asked with an expectant look, “Sister-in-law, I’m a high school graduate. When the school is closed, I teach my child myself. Your few children can also come to my house to do their homework together.”
Haohao couldn’t sit still by himself. After writing two words, he would want to go out and play. If she could have Ye Qingzhi’s few children study with him, with a sense of competition, Haohao might also be able to study seriously.
“Let’s talk about that later. It’s too cold recently. I’ve been keeping them at home and not letting them go out,” Ye Qingzhi said, her lips curving slightly.
Yang Xiaorou had not expected Ye Qingzhi to refuse. Usually, other military wives would say all sorts of nice things to get her to tutor them. Could it be because she was uncultured?
She observed Ye Qingzhi carefully and found that she had no admiration for a high school graduate. Thinking of the pride in her voice when she said she could read, her good impression of her immediately lessened a few points.
Does she think she’s a cultured person just because she can read? Then her vision is too short-sighted.
“I forgot that Sister-in-law can read and can teach them herself,” Yang Xiaorou said, her smile not reaching her eyes.
It was only the first grade now. There would be the second grade, the third grade, and it would get harder every year. She hoped that Ye Qingzhi could still say this in the future.
After some more small talk, the few of them got up to leave. Ye Qingzhi and He Qiming picked up the things they had brought and tried to give them back.
“It’s enough that we’ve cleared things up. It’s not a big deal. It would be too formal to take these things. Hurry up and take them back. We can’t accept them,” Ye Qingzhi said, trying to stuff them into Yang Xiaorou’s hands, but she was surprisingly strong.
“They’re not valuable. They’re for the children to eat. If you don’t accept them, you’re treating us as outsiders,” Yang Xiaorou said. Of course, she couldn’t take them.
Bai Xue disliked this the most. She said flatly, “Since you’ve accepted the apology, then accept them. Don’t push them back and forth. It’s ugly.”
“Xiaoxue,” Regiment Commander Xu said, his face darkening.
Bai Xue’s face was also not good. “It’s true. It was my fault for gossiping behind people’s backs. But Ye Qingzhi, can you guarantee that you didn’t deliberately snatch the front passenger seat that day when you went to the town, and that you didn’t gang up on me with Zhao Lan and the others?”
Regiment Commander Xu and the others did not know about this. Hearing Bai Xue’s words, they all looked at Ye Qingzhi.
“I really didn’t deliberately snatch the front passenger seat. As for ganging up on you, that’s even more nonsense. I hardly spoke a few words to you that day. How did I gang up on you?” Ye Qingzhi was really speechless.
Bai Xue pursed her lips. “Zhao Lan deliberately brought up the topic of children, and you kept agreeing with her. Wasn’t that ganging up on me?”
This time, Ye Qingzhi was even more speechless, and she even laughed out of anger. “Comrade Bai Xue, before that day, I didn’t even know you. What Sister Lan said was very normal. My children were just about to go to school. What’s wrong with me asking a few more questions? On the way back, I probably knew something about you. Did you hear me say anything else?”
Bai Xue thought back carefully. It was true. On the way there, Ye Qingzhi had only asked about the school or talked about the children’s amusing stories with Zhao Lan and Li Jinfeng. On the way back, Ye Qingzhi had indeed not spoken and had even interrupted twice to try to change the subject.
“You…” Bai Xue was not a person who could not distinguish right from wrong. She apologized frankly, “I misunderstood you. I’m sorry.”
This time, Ye Qingzhi was really a little surprised. She had not expected her to apologize so frankly.
“It’s fine. It’s good that the misunderstanding is cleared up,” Ye Qingzhi nodded.