Five years of marriage, always separated [1970s]

Even if Geng Zhiye didn't send Chen Xiaohui to the shore to stay in a guesthouse, he wouldn't have given her a good face. Ye Fan didn't want Dabao and Erbao to see that situation and worry about it, so he urged them to go out and play again.

Dabao asked his mother if she wanted him to press the water. Ye Fan shook his head and said he would pick vegetables first. Dabao didn't like picking vegetables, so he took his sister out. Erbao shook off his brother's hand and said, "Mom, my belly is flat." He patted his belly while speaking.

Ye Fan asked: "Are you hungry? Are you thirsty?"

Dabao and Erbao nodded together.

The candies and cakes at home were all gone. Ye Fan thought that she was not busy and could make food for Dabao and Erbao in time, so she did not go to the supply and marketing cooperative to restock. Ye Fan pulled one of them in each hand and said, "Follow mom to the kitchen."

Malted milk was in the cupboard. Ye Fan first made half a bowl of malted milk for the two children, then took a steamed bun made of mixed flour. The bun was from lunch, so it was cold but not hard. Ye Fan carefully cut it into four slices, took two eggs, heated the slices of steamed bread in a hot pan, fried two eggs, and passed them to Dabao and Erbao between the slices of steamed bread: "Eat it."

Dabao happily exclaimed "Wow!" and held up the steamed bread slice and said, "Mom, it looks like bread with luncheon meat."

Ye Fan: "Using bread is the Western way of eating."

Dabao nodded: "I know, my mother said that steamed buns are our bread, but they are called differently. My friend said that they are like tomatoes and tomatoes."

This was the first time Ye Fan did this, and he was worried that he and Erbao wouldn’t like it: “Let’s eat outside. Eating while walking can easily cause choking.”

The first and second babies immediately took a big bite and then went out with their mother.

Seeing this, Ye Fan was sure that they were really hungry and couldn't wait any longer, so she pretended not to notice that they were disobeying.

In the morning, the fishermen from Shanxi Brigade wanted to give Ye Fan a few kilograms of seafood. Ye Fan had already bought two fish, planning to steam one in the morning and roast one in the evening, and said that she had vegetables at home. The fishermen said that they would just smash them and feed the chickens, ducks and geese. The people in their family wanted to eat rice and meat, but the seafood boiled in water became more and more greedy. The elderly and children did not like it and had eaten enough.

Having said that, Ye Fan had no choice but to accept it.

Just after the fishermen left, Zhuang Qiuyue came to press water, and Ye Fan asked her if she wanted any. Zhuang Qiuyue said no, she had nothing to do at home, and if she wanted to eat, she could go to the beach to pick up crabs, and she couldn't finish them all. Then she asked Ye Fan how he planned to eat them.

Ye Fan suggested that after blanching, add garlic sauce. Geng Zhiye had taught her a versatile garlic sauce.

Zhuang Qiuyue asked her to cook noodles, the noodles were fragrant and the soup was delicious.

Ye Fan’s cooking skills in her previous life were average. Once, she ate something so much that she felt sick in her stomach. Another time, she vomited and had diarrhea because the food was not cooked well. As a result, she only required the food to be cooked and edible.

In order to have enough food, Ye Fan listened to others' advice. This habit followed her into this life, so she decided to cook seafood noodles in the evening.

But Chen Xiaohui only ate noodles for her first meal after arriving on the island, and Ye Fan felt bad about it - Chen Xiaohui was her mother's daughter, so she couldn't be harsh to her just because of that.

Seeing that Dabao and Erbao didn't go out either, Ye Fan squatted by the vegetable patch and watched her pick onions: "What do you two want to eat?" he asked, glancing at the vegetable patch.

Many vegetables in autumn are old. Dabao looked at the old eggplant and shook his head - no appetite. When he saw the old pumpkin, his mother made pumpkin rice porridge in the morning. Dabao pointed at the winter melon and said, "Mom, do we have any lard residue at home? I want to eat lard residue fried with winter melon."

Ye Fan shook his head: "I haven't made lard this month. But tomorrow, the first, I can buy two pounds of pork, use the lean meat to make shredded pork noodles, and use the fat meat to make oil."

Dabao: "Then let's cook whatever mom wants to eat today."

Erbao's mouth was stuffed with egg buns, and he couldn't speak, so he just nodded vigorously.

Ye Fan didn't know what to do, and couldn't help worrying. Suddenly, he thought of a dish: "Waiting for mom here?"

The eldest and second child got up and followed their mother.

Ye Fan went to the Liao family next door to ask Zhuang Qiuyue if she had bought lotus roots.

Earlier, Chen Xiaohui and Ye Fan were talking at the door. Zhuang Qiuyue saw them and gave her two lotus roots: "Are there any guests at home?"

Ye Fan felt that he couldn't hide it anymore, so he smiled bitterly and said, "Chen Xiaohui is here."

Zhuang Qiuyue nodded subconsciously, wondering why the name sounded so familiar. When she remembered, she looked at Ye Fan in disbelief: "Her?"

Ye Fan nodded.

Zhuang Qiuyue's face was indescribable: "You - I -"

"Don't worry. It's okay." Ye Fan was amused by her expression, "Do you have any other dishes? I'll buy them and return them to you tomorrow."

Zhuang Qiuyue handed her two white radishes with a complicated look on her face: "I just dug them. Can you eat yours too?"

If Ye Fan plants late, it may be okay, but there won’t be enough water: “It will take a few days.”

Zhuang Qiuyue felt that stir-frying was tasteless, so she gave Ye Fan a handful of red peppers that she had dried herself. Seeing that Ye Fan couldn't take all the peppers, she found a small basket for her: "You——" She wanted to say something but didn't stop, and asked: "Your parents are not feeling well and asked you to go back?"

Ye Fan: "She is a simple person, she doesn't like to think too much, she is impetuous and comes when she wants. Sister-in-law, I'm going back to cook first."

Zhuang Qiuyue nodded habitually, and when she saw her off to the door, she realized that "relatively simple" doesn't mean that she is not very smart. Zhuang Qiuyue wanted to speak, but Ye Fan spoke first and asked her to stay, and asked Dabao and Erbao: "Do you want to play at uncle's house, or go home with mom?"

Dabao: "I'm playing with my older brother."

Ye Fan wanted to laugh when he heard the word "elder brother": "Le Le is Miao Miao's elder brother, not your elder brother."

Zhuang Qiuyue missed the best opportunity to ask again, so she smiled and said, "It's okay. Big brother is so kind. What did you two eat?"

Ye Fan left immediately.

When Ye Fan arrived outside the Liao family compound, he heard Dabao say, "Sugar-free bread with eggs."

Zhuang Qiuyue was very confused: "Why does it look so much like steamed bread slices?"

Dabao: "That's right. Our own bread."

Erbao passed her steamed bread slice to her brother. Dabao was busy talking. He took it and found that his sister had left some. "Don't want to eat it anymore?"

Erbao nodded: "I'm full."

Dabao asked rudely, "How could you eat all the eggs when you were full?"

Erbao: "Brother, mom said we can't waste money."

Dabao stuffed it into her mouth: "Don't spit it out! If you don't listen, I won't cook meat tomorrow. Mommy listens to me, not you."

Erbao swallowed the last two bites of steamed bun pitifully.

Zhuang Qiuyue wanted to praise Erbao for being sensible, and also wanted to persuade Dabao not to be so strict with his sister, but in the end, she just wanted to smile: "Is your dad coming back today?" She still couldn't help worrying that Ye Fan and Chen Xiaohui would fight.

Dabao shook his head, inadvertently saw a familiar figure, took a few steps towards the door, and saw that his father had already walked to the door of his house.

Zhuang Qiuyue followed Dabao's line of sight through the window and saw Geng Zhiye, and she immediately felt relieved, and took the two children to Liao Miaomiao's bedroom. Liao Miaomiao and her younger sister were writing furiously, and did not even look up when they heard footsteps. The result of such busyness was that Dabao and Erbao had to wait for three minutes before the sisters finished writing.

When Liao Dadi heard his sisters running out, he shouted, "Wait for me, I still have one math problem to solve!"

Geng Zhiye hadn't noticed that there was one more person in the house. He went to the kitchen and saw Ye Fan washing a lot of green onions and ginger. There were small seafoods on the chopping board, radishes next to the seafood basin, and Ye Fan was peeling lotus roots. "Can you finish all these dishes?"

Ye Fan: "I want to tell you something. Promise me, don't be anxious."

Geng Zhiye paused for a moment and said, "I knew that you couldn't prepare so many dishes if there was nothing wrong. How long has your mother been gone? Can't you wait——"

"What are you talking about?" Ye Fan frowned, "Who said I want to go back to the capital?"

Geng Zhiye was stunned for a moment and asked, "Then you—" He looked at the vegetables on the ground, then at the noodles on the chopping board, "Then what are you doing?"

Ye Fan lowered his voice: "Keep your voice down. Chen Xiaohui is here."

Geng Zhiye didn't react for a moment. When he came to his senses, he stood up suddenly. Ye Fan hurriedly grabbed his hand and whispered, "Sit down. The person is taking a shower in the guest room. He should be out soon."

Geng Zhiye wanted to say something but didn't know what to say. After struggling for a long time, he asked, "Why is she here?"

Ye Fan: "Who knows. Maybe they think Shencheng is closer to here."

Geng Zhiye: "Do Chen Kuanren and Zhao Ruping also know?"

Ye Fan: "If they don't agree, she can't come. Who will go to the street office to help her get a visit permit?"

Without proof, you can't get on the train. Geng Zhiye thought of this, and then remembered that Chen Kuanren and Zhao Ruping hated Ye Fan: "Do they think Chen Xiaohui is here to cause trouble for you?"

Ye Fan smiled: "What if you are the leader?"

"Stop flattering me. When are you leaving?"

Ye Fan was speechless but wanted to laugh: "The people just arrived. Keep your voice down. It's time to come out."

After he finished speaking, Chen Xiaohui came out and looked towards the kitchen. When she confirmed that the man who spoke was Geng Zhiye, she frowned slightly and then walked out with a cold face.

Geng Zhiye was facing the kitchen door. Seeing Chen Xiaohui's expression, he couldn't help but ask, "What kind of person is she? Have I ever offended her? This is my home!"

Chen Xiaohui was stubborn, and Ye Fan couldn't persuade her no matter how hard she tried. The only way to change Chen Xiaohui's opinion of Geng Zhiye was to let time prove it. In order to prevent Geng Zhiye from kicking her out immediately, Ye Fan couldn't tell the truth and say, "Maybe it's because you were too rude to Chen Kuanren and Zhao Ruping."

Geng Zhiye opened his mouth and said, "Does she have any brains? If it were me, I would definitely send the couple to the police station."

Ye Fan: "She has the guts to do this and doesn't even need the couple to accompany her to the capital. If she knows my home address, write a letter to Comrade Tao Chunlan and attach a photo, and Comrade Tao Chunlan will pick her up in person. Besides, there are many different kinds of people. You can't expect everyone to be like you."

He understood the reason, but he couldn't help but feel upset. Geng Zhiye couldn't help but say, "Fortunately you are not her."

Ye Fan gave him the lotus root: "Put it in the basin and wash it. People don't like you either."

Geng Zhiye sneered and asked, "How do you eat it?"

Ye Fan: "Vinegar-fried lotus root slices, stir-fried shredded radish, and boiled seafood noodles. I can't cook as well as you do, so why don't you cook?"

Geng Zhiye flatly refused: "No!"

Ye Fan: "...Can we not be childish? If you don't eat it, I won't eat it either? Dabao and Erbao won't eat it either?" Geng Zhiye took out the lotus root and put it on a plate. He subconsciously walked out with the seafood basin, and came back to the kitchen door: "She will wash her clothes after taking a bath. How many days do you plan to stay?"

Ye Fan remembered Geng Zhiye saying that the Chen family lived in a tube-shaped building, which was not as good as the environment in the slum. At least in the slum, they could hang clothes in the yard, and there was an alley outside. If they felt the house was too cramped, they could stay in the alley until dark and then go home to sleep.

Ye Fan: "You can't wash it at Chen's house. You should stop talking. She can't leave for too long. She might leave tomorrow."

Geng Zhiye and Chen Xiaohui didn't get along well, but he didn't want Ye Fan to be in a dilemma, so he simply ignored her. After dinner, Geng Zhiye took Dabao and Erbao out. Ye Fan cleaned up the dishes, Chen Xiaohui swept the floor and wiped the table, and then sent the rag to the kitchen.

When she saw Ye Fan washing the pots and dishes in the kitchen, Chen Xiaohui frowned slightly: "You cook and you wash the dishes? What is Geng Zhiye doing?"

Ye Fan: "He cooked this morning."

Chen Xiaohui was angry: "What's there to cook for breakfast? Just wash a handful of rice, throw it in the pot and put it on the stove. Who does the laundry?"

Ye Fan: "He washes it when he's at home."

Chen Xiaohui immediately felt angry: "How many days can he stay at home? You should let him wash the pots and dishes, do the laundry and cook. Otherwise, when you are old and 70, you will still have to cook and wash dishes, and take care of his excrement and urine."

Ye Fan really wanted to urge Chen Xiaohui to go to Geng Zhiye and tell him that if Geng Zhiye didn't send her to shore overnight, Ye Fan could change her surname to Chen!

"He has a high salary and works harder."

Chen Xiaohui: "Is your salary not enough for your own use? Ye Fan, you are so good at scolding me, but when it comes to yourself, why are you so stubborn?"

Ye Fan was speechless: "When did I say I left you behind? I admit that I sometimes have a bad tone, because I am annoyed with Chen Kuanren and Zhao Ruping. I get impatient when I think of anything to do with them. But when did I not kindly remind you?"

Chen Xiaohui thought about it carefully, Ye Fan had never scolded her for no reason. She was almost deceived, but Ye Fan did not scold her, but hurried back to the room to supplement the information, and then personally accompanied her to expose the two people.

"I, I was wrong. I meant that you were so smart in dealing with my father, Chen Kuanren and Zhao Ruping. How come Geng Zhiye gave you so much magic potion?"

Ye Fan turned around to face her and said seriously, "I'm not afraid of divorce."

"But isn't it hard now?"

Ye Fan said helplessly: "I feel sorry for Dabao and Erbao."

Chen Xiaohui opened her mouth. Dabao and Erbao looked like Ye Fan. If she were Ye Fan, she might not be able to help but endure it for the sake of the children. "You and Geng Zhiye quarreled over housework, which is not good for their growth. You - it's a pity that Erbao is only three years old. In a few years, when they are older, you should stop doing this. If Geng Zhiye is rude to you, divorce him."

Ye Fanxin said, you are not afraid that Geng Zhiye will hear you and shoot you. "My things are nothing. Let me talk about you first. You didn't send a telegram or write a letter, and you didn't come here without saying anything. Aren't you afraid that mom will worry?"

Chen Xiaohui: "I will go to work next Monday, so I still have a few days. The day after tomorrow I will take the express train from Ningbo City to my home and I can rest for half a day."

Ye Fan turned around to wash the rag, thinking that she had to stay for two nights and one day, Geng Zhiye was going crazy. She said, "You came to see me specially?"

Chen Xiaohui had never taken the initiative to visit Ye Fan in her previous life, so she couldn't admit that she felt uncomfortable. "There's something you've always hoped I'd break up with that place. You were afraid I wouldn't listen if you told me directly, so you said you'd help me go to the supply and marketing cooperatives and clothing factories to ask if they wanted seafood and duck and goose feathers when I got to Shanghai?"

Ye Fan: "The first half is correct, and the second half is just a coincidence. I also want to ask you, does the Chen family have any leverage over you?"

Chen Xiaohui shook her head: "Barefoot is not afraid of wearing shoes. Chen Kuanren is reckless and can do anything when pushed into a corner." She added in her heart that it would be good if the revolution was over. Nowadays, even a small matter can sink the Ye family into a quagmire.

Chen Kuanren was irritable and could kill people. But he was far away in Shanghai. Ye Fan suspected that Chen Kuanren had beaten Chen Xiaohui. Chen Xiaohui was afraid in her heart, "Are you afraid that he will go to the supply and marketing cooperative and make a scene?"

Chen Xiaohui was afraid that he would make trouble in the past two years. After two years of delaying the college entrance examination, she resigned and went to college. Chen Kuanren had no choice but to give money to the Chen family: "I didn't give them a penny when I went back this time."

Ye Fan: "They believe you so easily?"

Chen Xiaohui patted her chest and said with a smile: "I put the money close to me just in case. There are only a few dollars in the bag."

Ye Fanxin said, you are so proud of being the daughter of the Chen family. "There is a pot of water on the stove. Do you want to wash your hair?"

Chen Xiaohui used to work in the countryside, so she didn’t dare to grow her hair long. She hasn’t had her hair cut for more than a year, and it’s almost waist-length: “I’ll wash it tomorrow.”

"Then you take a rest. I'll ask Dabao and Erbao to come back and take a bath."

Chen Xiaohui didn't sleep well at Chen's house these days.

The Ye family's house was spacious. She had two rooms, a bedroom inside, a desk outside, and a single sofa. The room was clean, without a single odor, and usually there were no children or adults making noise. Chen Xiaohui's room was filled with all kinds of clothes, shoes, food, and other things. There were all kinds of smells in the room. From morning to night, the neighbors upstairs and downstairs were noisy.

There seemed to be mice in the room, rustling around as if they were looking for food. Chen Xiaohui was afraid that she would not be able to fall asleep again after getting up and beating the mice, so she simply covered her head. But she forgot that Shanghai was warmer than the capital, and she woke up from the heat not long after falling asleep.

Chen Xiaohui didn't dare to tell the truth to Ye Fan, because Ye Fan would definitely take the opportunity to mock her, for example, the Chen family is like that, and you still wanted to go back to Shencheng with Chen Kuanren and Zhao Ruping.

Chen Xiaohui said that she was tired from the car ride and wanted to go to sleep first, and told Ye Fan not to bother her.

Ye Fanxin thought, if you were not born by my mother, and you were rushing to be my friend, I would not even bother to look at you. It's not that I think Chen Xiaohui's appearance or work is not as good as hers. Ye Fanfan was annoyed by Chen Xiaohui's personality, and she didn't get along with him.

Ye Fan went outside and called Geng Zhiye to go back to the room to take a shower. Geng Zhiye shook his head: "You and Erbao take a shower first. I'll take a shower last. After you take a shower, go to bed directly. By the way, I have something to do tomorrow night."

Ye Fan held his hand and said, "What a coincidence. You have something to do as soon as Chen Xiaohui arrives."

Geng Zhiye: "One day?"

Ye Fan: "I'll go back the day after tomorrow. Are you satisfied?"

Geng Zhiye was satisfied: "Is she here for no business?"

Ye Fan sighed: "She doesn't want to stay at Chen's house. She might tell mom that she will be back the day after tomorrow. She's afraid that mom will ask why she suddenly came back. So she might as well come to our place to spend two days."

Geng Zhiye was shocked: "She - even if my mother-in-law is full, she will just listen to it if she is scolded for such a small matter. She is not an outsider. Brain - forget it, I don't want to talk about her. She is also free. Isn't it tiring to transfer buses and take boats back and forth? Wait a minute, I suddenly thought of something, she didn't tell anyone that she was the biological daughter of the Ye family, right? Let everyone think that you are still occupying the magpie's nest?"

Ye Fan laughed: "You are really good at thinking. Do you think she has the brains to do that?"

Geng Zhiye shook his head: "She didn't, Zhao Ruping did. Although when you were cooking I said Chen Kuanren thought she came to make trouble for you, but it still felt a bit childish. If you add this point, it's worth coming."

Ye Fan: "Okay, man, be generous."

Geng Zhiye couldn't stand the fact that Ye Fan was involved. He yelled at the child: "Geng Dabao, where have you been?"

Geng Dabao's friends were startled, and when they came to their senses, they complained: "Geng Dabao, what is your dad doing?"

"My dad is full." Dabao sighed helplessly: "Erbao, let's go home."

Erbao shook his head: "Don't go home."

Dabao went over to pull her and said, "We were disobedient last time, and mom remembers it. If you don't obey again, you will be beaten with three soles of your shoes, plus interest. Do you want to be beaten?"

Erbao pouted and handed his hand to his brother.

Dabao whispered, "Erbao, don't be angry. Dad is in a bad mood. He didn't say anything during the meal. Let's not argue with him."

Erbao: "Why is Daddy angry?"

Dabao was not sure either: "Maybe it's the same as mom. Mom said she feels uncomfortable for a few days every month. Maybe dad's comrades-in-arms made him angry."

Erbao: "I'm angry too."

Dabao thought, I want to be angry. I can't play after playing for a while. Suddenly I remembered that I hadn't done my homework yet, so Dabao didn't dare to get angry: "Erbao, brother forgot to do his homework. Daddy didn't forbid us to play. You can play here."

Erbao doesn't like to play with her brother, but her brother must be where she can see him: "I forgot to do my homework, too."

Three-year-olds don't have homework. But she thought, Ye Fan could also make up homework. Ye Fan held Erbao's hand and wrote English words. Ye Fan didn't plan to teach Erbao pinyin and arithmetic. He was also worried that she would learn to be distracted in class, which would make it difficult to concentrate over time.

Chen Xiaohui hadn't slept yet. When she heard Geng Zhiye say that she wanted to take a bath, Ye Fan couldn't help but sigh as she watched the child doing her homework. She couldn't help but think of her previous life. At that time, Ye Fan must have also been unable to help but sigh when he saw her.

Fortunately, she was smart and did not choose to stay in the city in this life. If she did not get married in her twenties in the city, neighbors, relatives and friends would urge her every day, and she would definitely not be able to bear it. Then, just like in her previous life, family life would smooth out all the edges and corners, and exhaust all her energy.

As she was thinking, Chen Xiaohui fell asleep.

Ye Fan coaxed her second baby to sleep and gently knocked on the guest room door. When no one answered, she turned off the lights and went back to her room.

Geng Zhiye took her into his arms.

Ye Fan was startled, slapped him and growled, "Let go!"

"No." Geng Zhiye bit her neck.

Ye Fan quickly pushed his head away: "You are born in the year of the dog? What do you want to do? I have to send Dabao and Erbao to school tomorrow. What will it look like if people see them?" Ye Fan didn't say another sentence. Chen Xiaohui's mind was not thinking forward or backward, so who knows what kind of associations he would come up with.

Geng Zhiye: “It was gone overnight.”

"I don't believe you!" Ye Fan pried his hands apart and lay down, "We've run out of stuff. Just be quiet."

Geng Zhiye opened the drawer: "Restocked."

Ye Fan opened his eyes wide. When did he go to the supply and marketing cooperative?

Geng Zhiye laughed out loud when he saw this. Ye Fan was afraid of waking up Dabao and Erbao, and even more afraid of waking up Chen Xiaohui, so she hurriedly covered his mouth. Geng Zhiye held her hand and whispered in her ear: "The women's director of the Shanxi Brigade gave it to me."

Ye Fan twisted his waist with his other hand and scolded him with his face, "shameless!"

Geng Zhiye raised his hand and hugged the person to himself: "Don't scold me. I didn't ask for it on my own initiative. I went to the army this morning, and the director of women's affairs handed out these things door to door. The old man said she was doing evil. The director of women's affairs explained that she couldn't afford to raise too many children, and abortion was harmful to the body. When she saw me, she said that it was just right for our family to have a son and a daughter. She asked me if I wanted it. I couldn't say no."

"What a coincidence." Ye Fan didn't believe it. "It's not that you saw him holding that thing and took the initiative to walk over, so he asked you if you wanted it?"

Geng Zhiye told the truth: "I heard them quarreling and was worried that they would fight. When I got there, I realized it was because of these little things. Ye Fanfan, you are so calculating and you are reluctant to waste a penny. If you said you don't need it-"

Ye Fan stretched out his hand to take it away: "Not today, and not tomorrow night. Don't make trouble for me!"

(End of this chapter)