Northeast: My Absurd Woman

Zhang Changyao looked Yang Wuni up and down, then sighed.

"Unless what? Zhang Changyao, just tell me already, stop keeping me in suspense!"

Yang Wuni felt a pain in her chest from Zhang Kaiju's anger and wanted to know how she could stop being so upset.

"Unless you give birth to this one in your belly and get pregnant with one of my children."

It has to be a boy; a girl probably won't work.

Only in this way will my father stop treating Guibao and Suiyu like precious treasures.

Zhang Changyao spoke bluntly, without considering Yang Wuni's feelings.

"Zhang Changyao, which means I can't give birth to a boy."

So you're just going to have to put up with your dad and sister-in-law's temper all the time, right?

You're afraid to sleep with me even if there's the slightest disturbance, how am I supposed to get pregnant with your child?

Can't you have some backbone? We built our own house and moved out.

Does not having a son mean I have to keep eating eye candy forever?

Yang Wuni cried, cried very sadly, looking at Zhang Changyao with disappointment on her face.

"Wu Ni, I won't let you suffer like this forever."

But you have to be patient now, because I don't have that ability yet.

Dad is a straightforward person; if you cross his nerves, he won't let you off easily.

Be more careful in the future, and don't provoke him unless necessary.

Once I've saved enough money, we'll build our own house and move out.

Starting tomorrow, I'll give half of my earnings to Dad and half to you.

Just hide it well, don't end up like the money your brother gave you, which he took out as soon as Dad asked for it.

Zhang Changyao went up and wiped away Yang Wuni's tears.

He held her in his arms and gently comforted her, trying not to make her or himself sad.

"Zhang Changyao, I don't think your father and we are on the same page."

My aunt also said that your sister-in-law is not a good person, and we should be more careful in the future.

As the old man gets older, he doesn't care whether our lives will be good or bad in the future; he only cares about his own happiness.

It's not too late to be filial to him when we have money and live a good life.

He doesn't even realize how good we are to him now; he probably thinks we're afraid of him.

Yang Wuni nestled in Zhang Changyao's arms and tried to comfort him.

Yang Wuni, who had endured hardship, was not afraid of suffering; what she feared most was not having a home.

Eighteen years of displacement had taught her to be patient and tolerant when living under someone else's roof.

My sister-in-law is a widow raising several children, and life is quite difficult for her.

She didn't care about the basic needs of her younger brothers-in-law, so she didn't blame her sister-in-law.

It's not a recent thing that my father has been neglecting his duties and becoming a good-for-nothing.

She's not as good as her father-in-law, Zhang Kaiju; she's gotten used to not being able to rely on him.

Making a good life became her only obsession.

Zhang Changyao goes out every day to write letters and couplets. There are only a few days left before the New Year, and if he misses them, he will have to find other work.

Zhang Kaiju and Yang Wuni split the money they brought back in half.

Zhang Kaiju wasn't stupid; he knew the truth but pretended not to.

I'll just turn a blind eye and let it go; I'm too lazy to argue with my son and daughter-in-law.

It's an age-old saying that when a son gets married, he'll be separated from his parents.

Now, holding the money he earned from Zhang Changyao's grain depot, he had a new idea.

He has money, land, and a house, all he lacks is a woman.

Fifty years old isn't that old; it's time to start thinking about myself.

Zheng Jingren, that old fellow, is entangled with two women and is so busy he's practically running around like a headless chicken.

For the sake of his girlfriend, he couldn't let him continue spouting nonsense.

Thinking about this, an idea popped into Zhang Kaiju's mind.

That is to snatch Widow Xing from Zheng Jingren's hands.

Once Zheng Jingren no longer has Widow Xing by his side, he will wholeheartedly and sincerely treat Zhang Shuhua well.

Without further ado, Zhang Kaiju took action, using connections to get close to Widow Xing.

Through an acquaintance, Widow Xing learned that Zhang Kaiju and Ma Pengsheng lived only across the street from each other.

He also knew that Zhang Kaiju was much more upright than Zheng Jingren.

I also know that Zhang Kaiju has some pocket money now.

With these factors combined, he agreed to the marriage without hesitation.

After receiving a reliable reply, Zhang Kaiju began to investigate the problems in his own family.

"My youngest son, Wu Ni, I want to discuss something with you."

After the meal, Zhang Kaiju called Zhang Changyao and Yang Wuni over and asked them to sit on the kang (a heated brick bed).

"Dad, I really don't have any money. Whatever you buy for the New Year tomorrow, we'll eat."

Yang Wuni was afraid that Zhang Kaiju would covet the money in her pocket again.

Just say no now, so you won't have no choice but to say no if he asks.

"Wu Ni, this time your father isn't talking to you two about money."

My father has devoted half his life to this family and now he wants to live his own life.

It's not that your father is heartless, but you and Changyao need to understand how hard your father has worked.

Tomorrow, after the New Year, I will marry Widow Xing.

Both of us, young and old, are newly married, and the four of us can't sleep on the same kang (heated brick bed).

I started tidying up the storage room for you two from the first day of the Lunar New Year.

We'll build a kang (heated brick bed) in the storeroom, construct a stove, and make a small dining table for you out of wood.

This year, our two families will share the firewood, and the grain will be divided in two.

Your two plots of land for food are yours to keep, and I'll cultivate mine myself.

I've used all my money to get married, so don't even think about it.

From now on, you and your older brother's family will have to give me fifty yuan a year for my retirement.

This is the price now. We'll give you more when your circumstances improve in a few years.

If you find the storage room uncomfortable, you can move out.

If you can wait until Dad dies, you and your older brother can each have half of this house.

My father was a fair man; he didn't favor anyone or take sides.

As if making his final arrangements, Zhang Kaiju told Zhang Changyao and Yang Wuni everything he could think of.

Zhang Changyao and Yang Wuni remained silent; their father's words were law.

If you dare to contradict me, you might not even be allowed to live in the barn.

Zhang Kaiju also believed that this was the last time he would spend the New Year with the young couple.

So he didn't hesitate to buy a pound of pork and two pounds of flour.

She went to Zhang Shuhua's house and asked for five more sauerkrauts, which she then gave to Yang Wuni.

Zhang Changyao and Yang Wuni smiled secretly, not daring to let Zhang Kaiju know.

The two of them nudged each other, their hearts filled with joy.

If I said these things myself, outsiders would laugh at me, but if Dad says them, no one will say that I'm being ignorant.

It didn't matter to Zhang Changyao and Yang Wuni who Zhang Kaiju married.

Yang Wuni chopped with the cutting board with a loud "clang, clang," full of energy.

In just half a day, I turned five sauerkrauts into sauerkraut filling.

Mince a pound of meat, fry it until it becomes juicy, then mince the juicy meat again and put it into the sauerkraut filling.

A whole basin of sauerkraut and oily dumpling filling, enough for the whole family to eat until the fifth day of the Lunar New Year.

On New Year's Eve, Zhang Changguang and his family of three were also invited to celebrate the New Year together.

Compared to the smiling faces of Zhang Kaiju, Zhang Changyao, and Yang Wuni, Zhang Changguang and his wife were clearly not happy.

"Father, you must have something to say by calling us all here, right?"