I was married off to a disabled hero in lieu of marriage; my in-laws doted on me and I aspired to gr

Zhao Jintao returned home covered in sweat, and Fenglin had prepared a hot towel for him to wash up.

"I can take care of myself. I'm a grown man, why do you need to serve me? But you, now that you're pregnant, don't overwork yourself."

Zhao Jintao felt a mix of emotions. Fenglin was almost five months pregnant, her belly was showing, and she worked in the fields every day. The family raised two pigs and thirty rabbits. She was working so hard.

"I'm willing to serve you," Zheng Fenglin said with a sweet smile.

"You can't do that. If you don't have to do it, then don't. Let my parents do it. They can't just watch the land go to waste." Zhao Jintao was heartbroken.

"I haven't been slacking off at all. My little sister goes to cut grass to feed the rabbits every day after school, and the two pigs are being fed by their father. I just go to the fields to help out when I'm busy. Don't worry, the baby is doing very well." Zheng Fenglin happily stroked her belly.

"Did he move?"

"It moves occasionally, kicks a little. My mother says it won't move much until it's six months old."

"That's amazing!"

The couple sweetly stroked their bellies when Jin Tao's mother called out, "Dinner's ready! Don't stand outside the door making a fool of yourself."

"Mother, how is that shameful? Is it not shameful for someone like you to curse heaven and earth, curse your father, and curse Fenglin?"

Zhao Jintao retorted, "With that mouth of hers, Fenglin must have suffered a lot of grievances."

"You've finally come home, don't make a fuss," Zheng Fenglin said in a low voice.

"Okay, let's go inside and eat."

A bowl of scrambled eggs, a bowl of cabbage, and a bowl of sauerkraut soup.

If Zhao Jintao hadn't come back, eggs would be a rare treat.

Jin Tao's mother glared at Zhao Jin Tao and said, "You ungrateful wretch! You only care about your wife. I, your mother, carried you for ten months before giving birth to you. I was in pain for three days and three nights. If I had known you had no conscience, I shouldn't have given birth to you."

"Mother, you gave birth to me, you can scold me, but you didn't give birth to Fenglin, so you're not allowed to scold Fenglin."

"When did I ever scold her? We treat her like royalty, afraid that something might happen to her. I told her not to raise so many pigs and rabbits, look how busy the whole family is."

"She raises rabbits, isn't it all for the sake of this family?"

"I understand what you're thinking. Now that you have money, hurry up and build a house and move away."

Jin Tao's mother was filled with resentment and couldn't stand Zheng Fenglin no matter what.

Zhao Jintao placed a piece of egg on Zheng Fenglin's plate: "Don't work so hard anymore. Sell the rabbits and pigs. I got a job as an assistant at a university research institute. I earn fifteen yuan a month, plus my stipend, so I'll send you twenty yuan a month. Buy whatever you want to eat."

"Twenty? Jin Tao, really?" Feng Lin asked in surprise.

"My son is so promising, he excels wherever he goes," Jin Tao's mother couldn't help but boast.

"I'm not outstanding. Uncle Zhou helped me. Feng Lin is Qiao Mei's good friend. People are only doing this because of Feng Lin."

"Hey, you're not kidding me, are you?"

"Who's lying to you? Uncle Zhou is still at Uncle Yang's house. Why don't you go and ask him? Why would Uncle Zhou give face to my Zhao family? It's all because of Feng Lin."

"I know, all the good days in my family are thanks to Fenglin, you unfilial son." Jin Tao's mother's dissatisfaction was much less loud.

Zhao Jintao smiled, and Feng Lin smiled too. Zhao Jintao gave almost all of the eggs in the bowl to Feng Lin.

Poor Fenglin, she's pregnant, and an egg is the best supplement for her.

After finishing their meal, Zhao Jintao didn't rush to the fields; instead, he pulled Fenglin into the bedroom.

"Fenglin, I'm going back to school with Uncle Zhou in his car later. Here's a hundred yuan, a subsidy from Uncle Zhou. You absolutely mustn't tell your mother. Use it to buy yourself some good food. Your mother will easily find fault with eating at home. Let your mother-in-law buy it, and you can eat at your parents' house."

Zhao Jintao took out ten bills and carefully explained.

"Jin Tao, you're so kind."

"I'm sorry I can't be by your side. My mother has that kind of personality. I'll send you money from now on, but don't take it out. Keep some money in reserve for when you have a baby."

"Yes, I know."

"Fenglin, you've suffered. After I graduate, you'll come with me as a technical instructor, and I won't let you work in the fields."

"You love and care for me, so even if I'm tired, I don't feel bitter."

Fenglin nestled happily in Jintao's arms. Time, please slow down, give lovers more time to express their longing.

Zhou Zhonghai was a family man, so how could he not know the pain of the young couple's longing for each other?

Gu Quan came to inform Zhao Jintao that he should stay at home for the night, as Minister Zhou and Secretary Fu wanted to look around and would come to pick him up the next morning.

Fenglin was so happy that tears streamed down her face. Jintao's mother pouted and muttered, "Would you die if you left my son? Look at you, so ashamed. Jintao, go work in the fields. There's still a patch of corn weeds that hasn't been cleared."

Zhao Jintao went to the fields, and Fenglin wanted to go with him, but Zhao Jintao refused, telling her to stay home and take a nap.

Zhou Zhonghai didn't go to the countryside; he went directly to the county committee guesthouse, drank too much, and just wanted to sleep.

Fu Sanjun was with Zhou Zhonghai at the guesthouse when his office secretary came over and said urgently, "Secretary, Mayor Wu called."

Fu Sanjun was startled, sobering up instantly: "What did you say?"

"Find Minister Zhou."

Fu Sanjun composed himself, his small eyes darting around: "It must be about He Youcai. Wu Zhengkai has quite a few informants; he even knew that Minister Zhou was coming to Tonggang County unexpectedly."

"What should we do?" the secretary asked cautiously.

Mayor Wu is directly in charge of Tonggang County, so we can't afford to offend him. Besides agriculture, Tonggang County also has industry, construction, education, and healthcare, all of which are closely related to the municipal government. If we offend Mayor Wu, Tonggang County will be doomed.

"Wait a moment, I'll go check if Minister Zhou has woken up yet."

Minister Zhou's snoring drifted into the living room; he was fast asleep.

Entering the room quietly, Fu Sanjun called softly, "Minister Zhou, Minister Zhou, wake up..."

Zhou Zhonghai immediately sat up: "What? Is there enemy activity?"

This is a consequence of the battlefield.

"No, Minister Zhou, we're not on the battlefield."

Fu Sanjun felt a pang of sadness; soldiers who survived the hail of bullets were all tough guys.

"Oh, is something wrong?" Zhou Zhonghai asked listlessly.

"Mayor Wu, Wu Zhengkai has come to Tonggang County looking for you."

"What does he want from me?"

"Could this be related to Secretary He?"

"Hmph, does he expect Wei Youcai to plead for him?"

"That?"

"Now that we've moved to the guesthouse, it's time to meet him."

"Yes, yes."

Fu Sanjun walked out of the bedroom, whispered a few words to his secretary, and the secretary left.

Zhou Zhonghai got up, washed his face, and said, "Fu Sanjun, just tell me what you think of my in-laws' wine? Isn't it very strong?"

"Yes, the Yang family's wine is quite good."

"Hehe, it's not that I'm afraid they'll kill another chicken, I'd rather stay at my in-laws' house, it's more personal than hosting anyone else."

"Of course, I'm sorry to have troubled Minister Zhou."

Everything in your family is good; you're extremely protective of your own.

Take that strong liquor for example, it wasn't brewed by your in-laws, it was bought from the supply and marketing cooperative.

All the good stuff belongs to your in-laws.

Before they could exchange more than a few words, the living room phone rang. Zhou Zhonghai picked it up casually, while Fu Sanjun listened intently. When masters clash, it's often the little radish who dies.