Chapter 67 - 23: Accomplishing a "Good Thing

Chapter 67: Chapter 23: Accomplishing a "Good Thing

In the gossiping crowd, a matron in a gray patched tunic said in surprise, "Your mother was actually willing to take you to the state-run restaurant and a movie? How much must that have cost!!!"

The talkative Er Zai shouted, "My father said a man has to be able to support his wife and kids, and he can provide for us!"

Hearing this, a series of question marks popped into Lin Zhao’s mind.

’Did Father ever say that?!’

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Da Zai’s stern little face as he nodded seriously. ’Did I miss something?’ she wondered.

Hearing Er Zai’s reply, the gossiping women were left speechless.

They shot Lin Zhao complicated looks.

’He was clearly one of the good men from our brigade, so how did some outsider from another village snatch him up first?!!’

The matrons all regretted not having matched their own daughters with the Gu Family’s third son sooner.

Lin Zhao was anxious to see the twins, so she paid no mind to her two endlessly bragging children and headed straight for the old family home.

She hadn’t gone halfway when she ran into Su Yuxian.

Su Yuxian’s steps were light, the corners of her mouth were turned up, her cheeks were flushed, and her eyes were brighter than ever. She radiated excitement.

Lin Zhao had never seen her like this. ’Is she... about to get together with the male lead?’

Su Yuxian looked up and noticed Lin Zhao as well.

She walked over with a smile, her voice calm. "Lin Zhao."

"Are you heading home?" Lin Zhao asked, making polite small talk with a courteous smile.

"Yes," Su Yuxian said.

As if she had just remembered something, she gave a shy smile and said, "I’m getting married soon."

Lin Zhao: "???"

’Why is the female lead telling me she’s getting married?’

’We’re not that close, are we?’

"Oh, congratulations." Lin Zhao wanted nothing to do with Su Yuxian or the Lu Family she was marrying into, wishing only to keep her distance.

"Will you come on the day?"

’Of course I’m not going.’

’I’m just cannon fodder. Who would willingly walk right into the line of fire?’

"...I will." ’As if.’

Su Yuxian smiled. "That’s good."

She wanted Lin Zhao to witness the beginning of her happiness.

Just then, Mother Gu walked over.

Having not seen Da Zai and Er Zai all day, she had been too worried to focus on her work.

"Lin Zhao, you’re back! Where are Da Zai and Er Zai?"

"They went to play with the other children." Lin Zhao nodded to Su Yuxian, walked toward her mother-in-law, and asked, "The Third and Fourth Child haven’t been acting up, have they?"

"Not at all," Mother Gu said with a smile.

Tie Dan was taught a harsh lesson yesterday, so he’d certainly learned his. Not only did he not cause any trouble today, he even helped take care of the two little ones.

Mother Gu and Lin Zhao walked toward the old family home.

Seeing the faint smile on her daughter-in-law’s face and that she seemed to be in a good mood, Mother Gu hesitated for a moment before asking, "...Did that girl from the Su Family want something from you?"

"Nothing important. Just that she’s getting married and wanted to invite me," Lin Zhao said without hiding anything.

"Are you going?" Mother Gu asked.

Lin Zhao sensed that her mother-in-law didn’t really want her to go, so she asked, "You don’t want me to go, Mother?"

"It’s not that." Afraid that a harsh tone would backfire, Mother Gu softened her voice. "I just feel that girl from the Su Family is devious."

’Someone like Liao Hongjuan could never raise a good-natured daughter. I don’t believe it for a second.’

Lin Zhao smiled slightly. "I wasn’t planning on going. I’m very busy."

Mother Gu: "..." ’What could you possibly be busy with? That explanation wasn’t strictly necessary.’

"Hm," she responded with a strange expression.

Lin Zhao didn’t explain.

She planned to wait until the job was confirmed before saying anything, just to avoid any potential problems.

’Don’t blame me for being cautious. In this day and age, far too many people have become enemies over jobs. You have to be on your guard.’

"Mother, who is Su Yuxian marrying? I haven’t heard about her going to any matchmaking meetings," Lin Zhao asked, feigning ignorance.

’From the book, I know that the man Su Yuxian is marrying is a future military big shot. He has excellent prospects and is handsome; his only drawback is that he comes with some baggage.’

’Of course, I don’t know any of this in real life.’

Mother Gu said, "The young soldier from the Lu Family. The one whose first wife died in childbirth."

"How did they meet?" This wasn’t written in the book, so Lin Zhao genuinely didn’t know.

"It’s not a very respectable story." Seeing her daughter-in-law’s curiosity, Mother Gu said, "I heard that the girl from the Su Family pursued him. She started writing letters to the Lu boy and has been in contact with him for years..."

Understanding dawned on Lin Zhao.

She went to the old family home to pick up the twins and take them back to her own house.

When they got home, she bathed the little brother and sister and changed their clothes.

After Da Zai and Er Zai were done showing off around the village, they made a beeline for the old family home to share what they had seen and heard in the county town with Tie Chui and the others.

"What? Third Auntie took you to the state-run restaurant for shredded pork noodles, and you got two other dishes on top of that?!" Tie Dan exclaimed, so envious that tears of drool streamed from the corners of his mouth.

"That’s the state-run restaurant!! I don’t even know what it looks like inside!!"