Daily Life in the 70s-Chapter 36 - Talk

Perhaps subconsciously, she did not believe in marriage and was afraid of it.

Zhang Minghua held her uninjured hand in hers, and said softly, “Minmin, don’t blame your dad.

Under the aggressive pressure from Mr.

Huang, he might have acted impulsively, but this was a decision we considered deeply.

We have seen Shen’s character for ourselves; he truly is one in a hundred.”

“After you nearly drowned and returned from the brink, you seemed to have become sensible.

I don’t understand these high principles, but one who matures overnight must have suffered greatly.

You were able to clearly break away from that past attachment and tell your parents, we are so relieved and proud that our daughter knows her own mind.”

“I won’t hide it from you, even today, you saw those gossipers from inside and outside the village.

When you were younger, because of your health issues, you couldn’t do the tasks other girls could, so when finding a partner, it was often others who had the choice.

You are not getting any younger either, so it’s best to get engaged soon…”

But she was no longer the original Yang PeiMin.

She raised her head, thinking of what to say, but seeing the creases at the corners of her mother Zhang Minghua’s eyes, her skin as dark and dull as most village women, though she was not yet fifty—a stark contrast to her well-kept mother in her previous life who looked younger than forty—perhaps, in her gentle eyes, hints of her youthful beauty could still be seen.

Yet, the warmth and affection in her eyes were something she had never seen on her mother in her previous life.

Zhang Minghua’s love for Yang PeiMin was absolutely genuine, finding a good family for her daughter, who was pampered and disliked by many, was the best arrangement she could provide.

Yang PeiMin swallowed back the words she wanted to say.

She couldn’t bear to refute her mother openly.

Zhang Minghua, seeing that her daughter seemed to take her words to heart, smiled joyously and, rarely making a joke, said, “Let’s go outside; they have started the feast.

Let’s sate ourselves with meat today, but we need to be quick, or we might end up with just the broth.”

Zhang Pei Min walked behind her, feeling an undeniable sense of pride emanating from Zhang Minghua.

She couldn’t help but smile.

The banquet in the courtyard was still arranged with separate tables for men and women, as usual.

Throughout, there were jokes and sarcastic comments, but with her mother there, Yang PeiMin did not need to worry; Zhang Minghua shielded her from it all.

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She glanced unintentionally at the table where Yiguang was sitting.

Compared to this side’s verbal sparring among the women, that side was more lively.

Drinks were being offered as weapons, with many of the cousins and village boys who had secretly paid attention to Yang PeiMin coming forward to toast, and Yiguang, with a welcoming attitude, kept a smile and maintained his composure, seemingly holding his liquor quite well.

It seemed that Yiguang felt her gaze, so he turned his head and looked over.

Then he smiled and nodded at her.

Minmin turned her face away—why should she act as if nothing was wrong?

The wedding banquet appeared to be quite lavish, with meat and several types of dishes either stewed or fried placed in large bowls on the table.

There were nine dishes in total, and once people sat down, they quickly and precisely went for the meat, leaving only the vegetables soaked in meat juice after a few bites.

Zhang Minghua noticed Minmin’s sluggish response and anxiously picked several pieces of meat for her repeatedly, all of which were more fat than lean.

Even looking at them was a struggle for Minmin, let alone eating them.

At that time, everyone was short on oils and fats, and the fatty meat was more expensive than the lean.

As a mother, giving her daughter the best was an act of loving kindness.

She pushed the meat back into Zhang Minghua’s bowl, “Mom, eat it.

I’m full.”

She had hurriedly wolfed down a few bites of rice earlier and didn’t feel hungry—she hardly had any appetite at all.

“I’m going to drink some water.

You guys eat slowly.” After saying that, she got up and left her seat before Zhang Minghua could pull her back.

At this moment, the kitchen was empty as everyone had gone to eat.

Minmin had her elder brother help arrange for Yiguang to meet her in the kitchen.

When Yiguang came in, Minmin was daydreaming, sitting on a little stool in front of the stove.

She was hunched over with her elbows on her thighs, her soft, shiny black hair braided into two large pigtails that hung down in front of her arms.

She wore a red and black checkered scarf around her neck and, despite having wrapped herself in a cotton coat that made her look ball-shaped, her frail frame was still noticeable.

The girl’s silhouette appeared demure and serene, like a cat under the sunlight.

Yiguang picked up a stool and sat next to her.

Minmin was startled.

She snapped back to reality and glared at him.

Yiguang apologized, “You seemed so engrossed in your thoughts—I tried my best to be quiet, but I still startled you.”

He couldn’t help but ask, “What’s on your mind?

You seemed so deep in thought.”

Minmin straightened up, “I was thinking about how to make you give up the idea of marrying me.”

Yiguang adopted a listening posture.

She took a deep breath, turned to look at him, and said earnestly, “First, I can’t do household chores, let alone farm work, and I can’t even cook properly; second, I was a premature baby and have always been in poor health—I get sick easily with weather changes, which is not suitable for bearing a son; I heard you are an only child, and the future pressure will be great.

This concerns family stability and harmony, and I absolutely cannot accept any criticism or complaints in this regard—that’s the third point, my temper is bad; fourth, I can’t manage money, I have no concept of finances, and I tend to spend freely, especially on clothes and decorations.”

Yiguang smiled, finding her serious demeanor endearing—he really wanted to reach out and touch her head.

“If I wanted to marry a wife without faults, I might as well remain a bachelor forever.

Being a wife isn’t something one is born knowing how to be—it’s something that has to come with time.”