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Chapter 184: Chapter 184: No One Should Despise Anyone Else.
Lin Fengying, teased to the point of embarrassment, excused herself saying she still had work at home and hurried off.
Zhang Lijuan was a good girl; Lin Fengying had watched her grow up and liked her very much. But she knew what kind of person Chen Jinlan was. She would never agree to the prospective union of the two young ones. Therefore, Lin Fengying did not take everyone’s joking seriously.
What concerned her was that Tong Yao hadn’t broached the subject of her going to the city. Although she didn’t want to go there herself, as Chen Jinlan had said, not wanting to go was different from not being asked to go.
At this moment, Lin Fengying felt a heavy burden in her chest. The once bustling home was now deserted, with no one to talk to. She felt so empty that she lost her appetite. If her husband were still around, life would be better. No matter the hardships she had faced in recent years, at least she would have had some company in her old age.
Alas!
Why dwell on the past when the man in question had been gone for over a decade?
Lin Fengying pulled out a needle and thread from the house and sat under the eaves to shoe mend. During their downtime, everyone would either knit sweaters or mend shoes to pass the time, Lin Fengying was no exception.
What was different, though, was that while others gathered in groups, chatting whilst doing their handiwork, she could only work alone at home.
The primary reason was that after hearing about her eldest son’s store, the villagers always talked to her in a strange and misplaced manner. Over time, Lin Fengying didn’t want to go out and join them anymore.
"Auntie, you’re home?" Zhang Lijuan, seeing Lin Fengying at home, walked in directly and asked, "Auntie, have you seen my mom?"
"Your mom is relaxing at the entrance of the Village Chief’s house," replied Lin Fengying, laughing. Since her youngest son left for the city, Zhang Lijuan frequently came over for little chats, which made her feel less bored.
Zhang Lijuan, acting as though she were at home, pulled over a small stool and sat beside Lin Fengying, "Auntie, I’ve been learning how to knit sweaters lately. The sweater you knitted for Brother Boyi looks really nice. Can you teach me?"
It was at that moment that Lin Fengying noticed the ball of yarn and knitting needles in Zhang Lijuan’s hands. Seeing the deep blue color of the yarn, she laughed and asked, "Are you knitting this for your father? You should find out how many stitches your mom normally uses when she knits for your dad."
"The sweater isn’t for my dad." Zhang Lijuan’s face turned slightly red, "Auntie, you just need to use the number of stitches you use for Brother Boyi."
Based on Boyi’s measurements?
Lin Fengying took a longer look at Zhang Lijuan. Noticing Zhang’s crimson face, she instantly understood what was happening. Having been a young girl herself, she knew exactly what this kind of bashful expression meant.
But... Lijuan hadn’t mentioned anything about seeing someone recently!
Was this something she pursued herself?
Even though people advocate for freedom of marriage, few in the countryside actually make their own match. Almost all marriages are arranged after introductions. If both parties are compatible, they get engaged and then married. If a girl pursued a relationship on her own, people would gossip about it over meals.
Lin Fengying wasn’t the kind of person to do that. If Zhang Lijuan didn’t bring it up, she wouldn’t ask.
"To match Boyi’s size, you’ll need over a hundred stitches." says Lin Fengying, taking the ball of yarn from Zhang Lijuan and helping her to start the stitches. The wool yarn felt soft in her hand - she couldn’t help but comment, "This wool is so smooth and nice, must be expensive, right?"
Zhang Lijuan laughs, "It was quite expensive. I bought over a kilogram of wool and it cost more than three yuan. And I still don’t think it’s enough."
"That wouldn’t be enough. Men have large frames. They need more wool." She couldn’t believe Zhang Lijuan was willing to spend so much on her man. In general, it was the men who gave gifts to the women.
Zhang Lijuan giggled shyly. Noticing that Lin Fengying didn’t ask any questions, and finding this contrary to her preconceived notion, she deliberately mentioned in a low voice, "I don’t even know if Brother Boyi likes this color."
"What?" Lin Fengying was taken aback, wondering if she had heard correctly, "Li, Lijuan, who is this sweater for?"
"Oh no!"
Zhang Lijuan pretend as if she had let something slip, hastily covering her mouth. Finally, she stammered, "Auntie, I, I initially agreed with Brother Boyi to keep this a secret from both our families."
Even though Lin Fengying was forthright, she understood clearly at this point, "Lijuan, are you and Boyi... together?"
This was significant news, and her son hadn’t even informed her about it! Lin Fengying was experiencing a mix of emotions and didn’t quite know how to describe her feelings at that moment.
"Auntie, you won’t object to me being together with Brother Boyi, will you?" Zhang Lijuan lowered her voice, biting her lip, "Actually, it wasn’t our intention to hide it from you. We just confirmed our relationship when Brother Boyi went to the city. We were afraid that you and my mother wouldn’t agree, so we decided to keep it a secret for the time being."
No matter how it was put, her little son being in a relationship was something to be happy about. Additionally, Zhang Lijuan was a well-known entity, whom Lin Fengying liked very much. After overcoming her initial shock, she was overjoyed, "Lijuan, you are like a daughter to me, as I’ve watched you grow up. How could I object to you two being together? But your mother...."
Mentioning Chen Jinlan, Lin Fengying sighed without finishing her sentence.
Everyone knew Chen Jinlan favored the wealthy. If she found out about the kids’ relationship, wouldn’t she blow off the roof of their house?
The normally docile Lin Fengying was now worried.
"Auntie, don’t worry. My mom said I can marry whoever I want. She won’t interfere, as long as I don’t blame her if things don’t work out." Zhang Lijuan hesitated, then smiled shyly, "I tested the waters a bit with my mother, and she said it would be nice if I married close to home, so we could look after each other."
Upon hearing this, Lin Fengying could not contain her joy. She had worried about her youngest son not finding a mate, but not only had he found someone, but he had also found a girl she really liked. Lin Fengying, overwhelmed with emotion, put down the ball of yarn, grabbed Zhang Lijuan’s hand and said,
"Lijuan, our families are neighbors. You know what kind of person I am and what my temperament is like. Although we are a bit poor now, we will definitely treat you well in the future. Boyi have a job in the city now. Once things look up at home, we will renovate the house. We will never hold you back."
"Auntie, as long as you don’t object to us being together, it’s perfectly fine."
"I’m overjoyed to hear about it; why would I object to it?"
"Aunt, you’re so nice."
Although Zhang Lijuan had predicted that Lin Fengying wouldn’t object to her being with Boyi, she was still very happy to see Lin Fengying’s satisfaction. Her mother was right. Marrying Boyi may have its unknowns, but she was certain she would be able to hold sway at home.
Boyi was now as obedient as a tamed water buffalo. Whatever Zhang Lijuan said, Boyi wouldn’t argue, and if he had money, he’d give it to her to spend. Surely their future together would be a good one, at least she wouldn’t be bullied.
As for Si Chen... now that he was married to a woman like Tong Yao, he would definitely not have eyes for her anymore. Being with Boyi was more reliable. They were both uneducated, one as much as the other. So, no one could complain about the other.
