Chapter 31 - 31 31 What on Earth Is Going On

Words : 1381 Updated : Sep 10th, 2025

31: Chapter 31 What on Earth Is Going On 31: Chapter 31 What on Earth Is Going On Uncle Chuxia’s house. Lin Baojiang, Zheng Sanqiao, Liu Meiqing, and Lin Chudong were sitting in a circle on the kang, where a tiny kerosene lamp flickered like a bean-sized flame, casting everyone’s faces in intermittent light and shadow with a hint of gloom. Perhaps unable to bear the oppressive atmosphere, Lin Chudong got off the kang to find scissors and trimmed the charred wick of the lamp. The flame leapt fiercely, finally brightening the room a bit. “Ah...” Zheng Sanqiao let out a long sigh, glancing at Lin Baojiang who was silently sucking on his tobacco pipe, “Have you decided yet?” Lin Baojiang’s furrowed brow slightly relaxed, “Although the old Secretary has retired, his prestige remains in place. He’s so supportive of Luo Gangshun. I think we should hold off a bit.” “Ah!” The tone of Zheng Sanqiao’s sigh grew heavier, “Chuxia went to her grandmother’s house today and came back with so many nice things. Shuanshuan cried his eyes out, but she acted as though she didn’t hear him. Yet when she left, she packed half a bag of dumplings for the Luo family. We are after all one family, living in the rooms next to each other. She’s acting like this even before she’s married. Once she really climbs the high branches and gets married, will she still see us in her eyes?” “This issue...” Lin Baojiang took a puff from his tobacco pipe, “cannot be entirely blamed on Chuxia. I know how you and Meiqing have been squeezing Baohe and Yulan...” Zheng Sanqiao interrupted him, “You know Meiqing and I were squeezing them, so why didn’t you stop it? Don’t start playing the good guy now, it’s useless. No matter how much you pretend, she won’t be as close to you as to me.” Liu Meiqing, who had been silent all this time, lifted her head, “Dad, my sister and I have been close since we were little.” Lin Baojiang let out a deep sigh, “Chuxia is my niece.” “Dad, I’m thinking about our family. If Chuxia isn’t close to us, whoever she marries won’t help us. My sister, on the other hand, I can guarantee will.” Zheng Sanqiao immediately agreed, “You’ve seen Meifeng, haven’t you? In terms of looks, she’s no less than Chuxia and she is really close to us too. Dad, since Chuxia and Hongqi’s marriage has already been arranged, we’re not hurting Chuxia by doing this.” “Let me think about it some more.” Lin Baojiang was still hesitant. “Stop thinking, if you keep thinking, it will all be too late.” Zheng Sanqiao pushing Lin Baojiang off the kang, “Go now to your parents and talk to them, hurry, they’ll be going to sleep soon.” “Bang!” Hearing the sound of the door latch opening, Zheng Sanqiao quickly changed from pushing to pulling, “Wait until they come inside before you go out.” Lin Chudong, who hadn’t said a word from the start, got up to leave. Liu Meiqing grabbed him, “Nothing’s been decided yet, don’t go to meet them.” “I’m going to the bathroom!” Lin Chudong said gruffly. Liu Meiqing pursed her lips and let go. “Have Second Uncle and Second Auntie returned?” Seeing Lin Chudong come to greet them, the family of three was somewhat surprised; these past few days, whenever they entered, Liu Meiqing was always the first to greet them. What changed today? “Is Chudong going out?” Zhao Yulan asked cheerfully. “No, I’m heading to the bathroom,” Lin Chudong replied, continuing to walk outside. “Are your dad and your mom in this room or the other one?” Lin Baohe asked. “Baohe, I’m over here.” Lin Baojiang’s voice came from inside the house. “Big brother, sister-in-law...” Lin Baohe didn’t want things to become too stiff with his older brother’s family. On the way back, he and Chuxia and Zhao Yulan had discussed being upfront about tonight’s events with his brother’s family. Thus, seeing their father entering their uncle’s threshold, Chuxia quickly pulled Zhao Yulan back to their own home. She really didn’t want to face that family whether they were fawning or scornful. “Regimental Commander Zhou and Instructor Zhou truly are straightforward people.” Once inside, Zhao Yulan could not help but bring it up again. “Mother, you’ve said that at least ten times already,” Chuxia said, laughing as she shook her head. After seeing Zhou Mikang and Zhou Hanliang off, everyone went back to eating for a while before clearing the table, only to find twenty kilos of food coupons under the bowl Zhou Hanliang had used. As a result, throughout the evening, Zhao Yulan and Fat Auntie kept bringing it up again and again. “That many times?” Zhao Yulan laughed. “I didn’t even realize.” “Mom, there’s something I need to tell you, and you mustn’t hit me.” Hesitating for a moment, Chuxia decided to hand over the food coupons she had; otherwise, she wouldn’t be able to spend them. Zhao Yulan sat up straight: “Go on.” Chuxia went to the door and peeked through the crack before pulling the food coupons out of her pocket. Seeing Zhao Yulan’s mouth open wider and wider, Chuxia quickly stepped forward to cover it: “Mom, don’t shout, I didn’t steal or rob these, I got them fair and square.” Zhao Yulan nodded and lowered Chuxia’s hand, but her expression grew serious: “What exactly is going on?” “Mom, about the female soldier recruitment, when Xiaoqiong and I were inside, Instructor Zhou spoke to us about it and even said to nourish my body well before giving us these food coupons. Xiaoqiong got some too.” Chuxia couldn’t quite tell the whole truth and took a roundabout way. “Why would he do that?” Zhao Yulan looked suspicious. “Even if the Zhou family owed a favor to the old Secretary, it’s not necessary to repay it to you. Is there anything else you’re hiding from me?” “Mom, they also knew about when I met them in Grandma’s village. I led them on the road, and on the way back, we met again and they gave me a lift. They saw the things I was carrying from Grandma’s house, guessed that our family was poor, and chatted with me a bit. But, it was just me alone then, so it wasn’t appropriate for them to suddenly give me the food coupons, right?” After pondering for a while, Zhao Yulan nodded: “That makes sense.” But then her eyes began to tear up, “It’s all your father’s and my fault...” Here it comes again! Chuxia quickly interrupted her: “Mom, let’s not talk about that. Haven’t we agreed not to bring it up anymore? Mom, there’s a market tomorrow, why don’t we go there?” Zhao Yulan readily agreed: “Alright, we’ve finished all the work in the fields, and we can take a couple of days off. Let’s go to the market with your father and buy some treats for you.” “Thump, thump...” Soft knocking sounds came through, and Chuxia paused: “When did my dad start being so formal?” Saying this, she opened the door and saw Lin Chudong standing there, looking nervous, flashing her a quick smile as he swiftly slipped inside. “Chudong?” Seeing it was Lin Chudong, Zhao Yulan also became extremely puzzled. What was he doing here at this hour? “Auntie, Chuxia...” Lin Chudong’s face turned beet red, and after a few grunts, he couldn’t get a full sentence out. As Zhao Yulan’s gaze fell upon the half bag of dumplings that Fat Auntie had insisted on sending back with him, she realized: “Chudong, is it because Shuanshuan is hungry?” “No, no...” Lin Chudong scratched his head, “I heard Chuxia was to marry Hongqi, and I hadn’t congratulated Uncle, Auntie, and Chuxia yet.” “Chudong, what’s really the matter?” Zhao Yulan didn’t believe it. Lin Baohe was right next door; if it was just for congratulations, Lin Chudong wouldn’t have needed to come over specially.

Chapter 31 - 31 31 What on Earth Is Going On

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