Five years of marriage, always separated [1970s]

Geng Zhiqin rolled her eyes at her mother's back.

Yu Wentao stopped and turned around suddenly, causing Geng Zhiqin to tremble with fear. Yu Wentao looked disgusted: "Why did I give birth to a useless person like you? You are not like your eldest brother, nor your third brother. Your second brother is better than you!"

"Then you put me back into your stomach and rebuild me?"

Yu Wentao choked: "...I don't want to waste time talking to you. Get up and knead the dough!"

Father Geng finally spoke: "I just steamed the buns yesterday."

Geng Zhiqin said: "Haven't you heard it yet? Aunt Yu is happy, so she made steamed dough and rolled shredded pork."

Yu Wentao snorted and went to the kitchen, ignoring her daughter's "Auntie Yu".

When Geng Zhiqin was little, she first learned to call herself "auntie" instead of "mother" because the three brothers Geng Zhiye called her that every day. When she grew up and became sensible, she changed it back by chance. Yu Wentao no longer cared about this title, but often used it to bully her.

"Hurry up!" Yu Wentao shouted again at the kitchen door.

Ye Fan: "Xiao Qin has to go to work in the afternoon. If you don't want to eat steamed buns, use the rice cooker to steam rice. How many sheets do you need to roll for so many people at home?"

In addition to the five adults, the Geng family also has four children. They are the children of Geng Zhiye's second brother. The daughter is ten years old and the son is eight years old. They both have big appetites. After school, they throw their schoolbags and take their younger brothers and sisters out to play.

Yu Wentao also felt sorry for her daughter: "I'll listen to you."

Geng Zhiqin took the rice cooker to the kitchen.

When Geng's father heard that his son had just got off the train, he told him to go back to the house and rest.

Ye Fan pulled up the person who didn't want to move: "Don't hold on. Put your rice in the pot to warm it up when it's ready. I'll go to the kitchen to check."

Yu Wentao came out from the kitchen: "You should take a rest too. The two dishes will be ready soon."

"Grandma, are you ready to cook?"

A childish voice suddenly sounded, and Ye Fan looked outside. A three-head-tall little guy appeared at the door. The little guy stopped, rubbed his eyes, and said, "Is that Accountant Ye? What brings you here?"

Ye Fanqi laughed: "Who did you learn this weird thing from?"

"You're still talking about me? You left me to grandma for so long, and even grandma and stepmother are not as cruel as you!"

Yu Wentao came out of the kitchen again: "Just talk about your mother, why did you bring me along? Do you want to eat meat?"

"Grandma, I didn't say anything about you." The little one threw himself into Ye Fan's arms, "Oh my god——"

Ye Fan picked him up and said, "Are you afraid that I won't want you?"

Dabao shook his head: "Mom will never abandon me!"

"Where's my sister?"

Dabao turned to the door and said, "Sister, your legs are too short to stay behind. Sister, come quickly!"

Two children, one tall and one short, came in carrying a younger child by the arms. They stopped when they saw Ye Fan and asked, "Aunt?"

"Mom?" The little child struggled to get down.

The two children hurriedly let go.

Ye Fan put his eldest son down, squatted down to pick up his youngest daughter, and moved to the door of the wing room: "Do you know who this is?"

Only then did the four children realize that Ye Fan was not the only one in the yard.

Geng Zhiye's niece Geng Huihui exclaimed: "Uncle?"

Erbao nodded: "Uncle!"

Dabao hit his sister on the leg: "Stupid Erbao! It's Daddy!"

Geng Zhiye was very surprised: "Do you still remember me? Dad, give me a hug?"

Last year, around the same time, Geng Zhiye came back and cried whenever he touched his eldest son. Yu Wentao said there was an evil spirit around him. Just because Geng Zhiye couldn't see it didn't mean the child couldn't see it. Geng Zhiye didn't believe it, but he didn't dare touch him easily.

Dabao subconsciously looked at Ye Fan, as if asking if it was okay.

Ye Fan nodded, and the child slowly walked forward.

Geng Zhiye picked up his son before he could get close to him: "I can't eat you. Where did you get the courage to squeeze Accountant Ye?"

Geng Huihui: "Tell Geng Dabao to eat it."

Geng Dabao was so angry that he kicked his cousin, but his legs were too short and he was only ten feet away from her.

Geng Zhiye held Geng Dabao with one hand and waved to his niece and nephew, "Come here."

Ye Fan followed her in with her daughter in her arms. Geng Zhiye opened his bag and took out the snacks first: "Share it among yourselves." He then took out some seafood and handed it to Ye Fan. Ye Fan sent it to the kitchen: "Half for my parents and half for our family."

Yu Wentao took it and put it in the cupboard: "You shouldn't give it to your parents." Then she remembered something, "You still call them mom and dad?"

Geng Zhiqin rolled his eyes at the roof and said, "I've raised my sister-in-law for 25 years. Even though we're not related by blood, we still have family affection. Don't talk too much to Aunt Tao next time you see her!"

"I need you to remind me?" Yu Wentao looked down on her daughter, "Mind your own business! Don't call me mom if you don't get a permanent job."

Ye Fan: "Don't blame Xiao Qin. The environment in the supply and marketing cooperative is complicated. I didn't help her transfer because I was afraid that she would have a hard time transferring if there was a better opportunity in the future."

Yu Wentao likes to show off the food and things Ye Fan bought for her. Ye Fan never made things difficult for her, but she was afraid of Ye Fan, just like she was afraid of Brother Geng Zhiye. She was not afraid of Geng Zhiye.

He started yelling as soon as he saw Ye Fan, relying on the fact that he was right and the fact that he had the old man's support.

Ye Fan spoke again, and she didn't dare to hold on to it. Out of concern for her daughter, she couldn't help but ask, "How good is a good job?"

Ye Fanxin said that if Geng Zhiqin could get into university, even if it was a teachers' college, he could become a high school teacher near his home: "It's similar to my sister-in-law's job."

Li Mingyue has a high salary, good benefits, busy work but a simple environment, unlike Geng Zhiqin who would be criticized for not loving his job when he was sick while selling vegetables. Yu Wentao didn't believe that such a good thing could happen, "Xiaoqin is already 20 years old this year." The implication was that he couldn't wait for a few years.

Ye Fan: "Chen Xiaohui is still 25 years old. Why are you in such a hurry? How could Geng Zhiye's sister not be wanted by anyone?"

The three brothers of the Geng family are all promising. In Yu Wentao's opinion, the second brother is the least promising and is only a second-level fitter. The father-in-law of the eldest and second brothers were suppressed and couldn't raise their heads, which made it difficult for them to get promoted. But the Geng family still has Geng Zhiye to support them. If Geng Zhiqin is willing, she can marry someone of the same social status in a few minutes. Yu Wentao couldn't refute it, so she muttered in a low voice: "It's easy to say, how can there be so many people with good families and good jobs waiting for Xiaoqin."

Geng Zhiqin: "You know this and you're still being picky?"

"Who am I doing this for?" Yu Wentao couldn't help but jump up and down.

When Ye Fan saw the mother and daughter quarreling, she immediately went to the opposite room. Geng Zhiye was lying on the bed, and when he saw her come in, he asked, "What are you quarreling about again?"

Ye Fan: "Xiao Qin is working well, and she doesn't have to worry about food and drink, what else is there to argue about?"

"You can find a partner at the age of 20." Geng Zhiye said.

The four children were sharing delicious food beside the bed. Hearing this, Geng Huihui sighed, "Uncle, you don't understand. It's not that my aunt doesn't want to find one, it's that grandma has high standards. My aunt said it's almost good enough. Grandma said her daughter and son-in-law are almost good enough. My mother said don't pay attention to her, and if no one introduces someone to my aunt in two years, she will be quiet."

Ye Fan: "I told her that if there is a good job, I will transfer Xiao Qin there. It should be quiet for a while."

Geng Zhiye frowned: "How dare you agree to everything? What about after a period of time?"

Ye Fan: "Just say that the island is short of logistics personnel."

Geng Huihui was so happy that she couldn't help but clapping her hands on the bed. As expected, she was her aunt and knew how to cure her breasts.

Geng Zhiye wanted to sympathize with his stepmother: "She would rather Xiaoqin not have a job than let her go to the island."

"She herself is reluctant to part with it, you can't blame me for coaxing her." Seeing Erbao unpacking the thousand-layer cake, with all the snacks on his hands, body and bed, Ye Fan immediately took all the snacks to the main room: "Share them here slowly. Erbao, have meat for lunch."

Geng Erbao gave away half of the snacks that were brought to him: "Brother, eat it. I won't eat it!"

Ye Fan rolled his eyes and went to her and Geng Zhiye's bedroom: "Your daughter has become a spirit."

"Like you!" Geng Zhiye pulled the quilt and lay down, "Sleep for a while?"

Ye Fan was not sleepy. Seeing that he was waiting with the quilt propped up, he lay with him for a while, and got up when he smelled the meat.

After dinner, Geng Zhiye was still sleeping. Ye Fan washed Geng Zhiye's handbag, and then sewed two cloth bags with her mother-in-law to store clothes for her and her two children.

After sewing the sturdy coarse cloth, Ye Fan took out the food that was warm in the stove and called Geng Zhiye to get up.

Geng Zhiye had rested, eaten and drunk his fill, and felt refreshed. He had nothing to do at home, and it was not suitable to visit friends these days, so he simply took his daughter and son to his nephew and niece's school to pick them up after school.

Yu Wentao thought that Geng Zhiye's second brother was a second-level fitter, but he was not. The eldest brother of the Geng family was very opinionated, so how could he ask his younger brother to work in the factory? At that time, Geng's father had not retired yet, so if the Geng brothers could not get into college, they could join the army, and if their physical fitness was not good enough, they could switch to civilian jobs.

Geng Zhiye was not sure what his second brother did specifically, but he knew that the second-level fitter was not as busy as his second brother, who could not even take care of his children in the capital.

Geng Huihui was extremely surprised to see Geng Zhiye. She jumped up and down to show off to her classmates: "My uncle, the group leader!"

The air in the south of the Yangtze River is humid and rainy, so Geng Zhiye often trains and looks younger than those who stay in the north all year round. Geng Huihui's classmates saw that his eldest son was very young and thought he was at most 30 years old.

When the young student heard from his elders that being a deputy regiment commander at the age of 30 was very impressive, he immediately looked at her with admiration: "Uncle, you are so amazing."

Geng Huihui was very angry: "My uncle! Stop yelling! Uncle, let's go."

Little classmate: "Are you not waiting for your brother?"

"Sister, wait for me." Geng Zhiye's nephew came out from the student's nest, "Uncle? Are you here to pick me up?"

Geng Zhiye: "I'll pick you two up."

The boy felt that his uncle was in a very good mood, so he thought it was an opportunity. He rolled his eyes and asked, "Dabao, are you hungry? I'll take you to buy something delicious."

"What's delicious?" Dabao asked curiously.

The boy pointed to a storefront not far away and said, "There are a lot of them. Let's go and take a look first. Erbao, do you want to go?"

Geng Erbao wanted to get down. The boy held her down and said, "If there are too many people around, ask your uncle to hold you."

Geng Zhiye couldn't help but laugh. The boy thought his uncle agreed, so he took Dabao and went ahead.

Geng Huihui covered her face and groaned, then looked up and said, "Uncle, I'll take Erbao with me."

"His target is me." Geng Zhiye followed with his daughter in his arms.

The two little guys saw him go in, picked out a bunch of delicious and fun things, and stuffed their little schoolbags full. Geng Zhiye took out five yuan and gave it to his son. Dabao took it subconsciously and then reacted: "Dad gave me money? I said, why are you so nice!" He stared with big watery eyes and asked: "Have you spent all your money?"

Geng Huihui: "I put it away."

The young man pointed pitifully: "Sister Geng only gives me five cents a day. What can I do with five cents? A string of candied haws costs ten cents!"

Geng Huihui slapped him on the head, and Geng Zhiye jumped with a slap. But her brother just dodged a little to avoid another slap, and gave the money in Dabao's hand to the salesperson.

Children's snacks are cheap, and you can still get more than three yuan out of five yuan. Geng Zhiye asked his niece to choose stationery.

Erbao kicked her calves and said she wanted one too.

Geng Zhiye put his daughter on the ground, and Dabao pulled his sister to choose pencils and exercise books: "Dad, when do I go to kindergarten?"

"The kindergarten at my grandma's house? I won't go there. I'll go to the south with my parents in a few days to get familiar with the local culture. Then I'll go to kindergarten in the fall."

Geng Huihui and her brother were used to separation, so they didn't feel sad to hear this. Instead, Geng Huihui asked her uncle when he would leave, just like chatting casually.

"Another week." Geng Zhiye saw that his niece was very cautious, "No need to save money for me."

Geng Huihui really wanted an embroidered pencil case: "Can I buy a pencil case?"

"You can also buy school bags." Geng Zhiye asked the salesperson to get two army green shoulder bags.

Dabao and Erbao stood on tiptoe and leaned on the counter, saying in unison: "Dad, I want a schoolbag."

Geng Zhiye took the bag handed to him by the salesperson and put it on his children: "Do you want more?"

The backpack dragged on the floor, making walking difficult, and the siblings shook their heads.

Geng Zhiye glanced at the two children helplessly, then handed the schoolbags to his niece and nephew: "There's nothing you two don't want. Go back and ask --" Ye Fan was not good at sewing, "Ask grandma to sew two for you."

The two children, who were feeling disappointed, became happy again and ran home as soon as they left the store. Geng Zhiye's nephew stuffed the bag into his sister's hands and chased after the two children: "Slow down, you two! Don't cry if you fall!"

Geng Huihui looked around and saw no one she knew, so she didn't have to worry about being overheard: "Uncle, the Ye family's grandparents are not my parents, are you sad?"

Geng Zhiye: "You know?"

"My aunt said that during lunch. She said that it won't be long before everyone knows about it, and we are not allowed to get involved." Geng Huihui was worried, "Uncle, she took away my aunt's job as soon as she came. Will she take you away too?"

Geng Zhiye wanted to be angry but also wanted to laugh: "Did you hear that from grandma? She didn't take your aunt's job. Your aunt had already told the director that she had to go to the army with me. Not to mention that your aunt and I met through a blind date, even if it was an arranged marriage, I would never divorce and marry her. If I did that, it would just be because I was fickle, and it has nothing to do with who is the biological child of the Ye family. Huihui, remember, if a person doesn't want to do something, no one can do anything about it. He himself doesn't want to do it or his will is not firm, and he dare not admit that he is cowardly and materialistic, so he will use others as an excuse."

(End of this chapter)