"Meixiu! Come and look at this freshly bought fish! Why don't you buy one to serve your wife?"
"Meixiu! I guarantee that your wife will like this pork! It's a good quality coming from the US!"
"Meixiu! You can rest assured that your dish will be awesome if you buy my chickens!"
Step inside the market, as soon as Meixiu get off her bicycle, multiple friend vendors of hers started to get her attention to earn money. As life progress, their expenses continue to rise to the point their income in selling continues to go down.
Meixiu smiles at her friends who look at her with hopeful eyes, waiting to serve Meixiu their products.
"I am not going to cook for tonight. We are invited to Grandpa's birthday later" Meixiu inform them which sadden the vendors.
"What are you doing here then, young lady?" Fan Ya asked as hatred started to rise from her chest.
This Meixiu, does she think she's my friend? I only befriended her because she's always here and might as well just take her money by offering my products.
Meixiu gave her a warm smile before raising her left hand to show her a paper bag.
"My wife, Xiaohui, ordered me to come here and buy Grandpa a gift. She didn't clearly say what gift so I just bought Grandpa a perfume" Meixiu explain.
"I'm sure Zheng Hai will like it knowing it's his youngest granddaughter who will give it," Xu Lin said which widen Meixui's smile.
"I don't think so, Zheng Hai is always unsatisfied ever since Xiaohui and Meixiu got married. He'll probably just throw the perfume away."
"What are you saying? It's bad to say it in front of Meixiu!"
"Isn't it the truth? Meixiu knows how the Master of Zheng didn't like her" Fan Ya voiced out as Meixui nodded her head and look at Xu Lin.
"Auntie Xu, I'll get going now. Xiaohui is probably looking for me" Meixiu quickly bows her head and walks away from the two Aunties.
"Fan Ya, you know that kid is a bit sensitive," Xu Lin said but the other only shrugged her shoulder and look away.
Meixiu finally came into their home with the gift in hand. She parked her bicycle on the side of the home before walking to the entrance and opening it.
"Did you know that we'll eat at Father's house later tonight? So where's food for our lunch!?" Meixiu looks at her mother-in-law.
"Ma, we didn't finish the food early morning. I'll reheat it and serve it for us" Meixiu said.
"You want me to what you reheat!? I want something new! I'm so sick of reheating and eating the same food! Didn't yesterday we just finish the fried rice that you serve for the breakfast? If we won't be able to finish that food again, we might eat it tomorrow!"
"Ma, Meixiu, go on and reheat it" Zheng Xiaohui, who just finished showering, walk out of their bedroom. Meixiu quickly obeys her wife, going to the kitchen to reheat the food.
"Xiaohui, you agree with that?"
"Ma, you do know that we don't have money to buy the foods you wanted right? I still haven't earned it yet" Xiaohui said.
"Then you should let your wife, Meixui, work. Isn't she the man in you two's relationship?"
"There's no man in our relationship."
"Whatever, tell your Grandmother to eat together with you two ok? I'll go to the restaurant nearby and let them list it down to your name" Zheng Xiaowen, Xiaohui's mother said and quickly walk out of their house.
Xiaohui sighs before shaking her head. She couldn't believe that that is her mother. Her father raises her not to waste any food or money but looking at her mother, her father must always not with her.
She look at the kitchen and caught her wife looking at her. This made Meixiu look away and was greeted by Xiaohui's Grandmother.
"Meixiu, where have you been? I was looking for you to help me with doing the laundry" Peng Huiling, the mother of Xiaohui's father said.
Meixiu smiles before guiding the old woman to the living room and sitting her down.
"Grandma Peng, I can do it myself. Do not worry about it" Meixiu told the old lady who smiled and pat Meixiu's head.
"You are a good wife to Xiaohui, always take care of her ok? Her mother doesn't do the work so I count on you" Xiaohui approaches the two.
"Grandma, I can take care of myself. Didn't Pa tell me to take care of Meixiu? That's what I am going to do."
"You believe your father so much. He meant the opposite. I'm sure Meixiu gets the answer" Meixiu smiles and grab her wife's hand before presenting it in front of the old lady.
"Of course, I know it, Grandma Peng. I'll take good care of Xiaohui, you can rest assured" Xiaohui look at their hands and her grandmother.
"I know I can always trust you."
"Of course, Grandma! If you didn't know, I am the man in our relationship!"
"Meixiu."
"What? Didn't your father tell you? I thought you know it already" Meixiu teases her wife and she gets glared at.
"Papa never told me anything so don't be delusional!"
-
"Wow, Xiaohui! I'm so lucky to have a beautiful wife like you!" Xiaohui looks at Meixiu, who is sitting on their bed with a blue suit on.
"Stop with the bluff! I know you're only doing that to sleep here in the bedroom" Xiaohui said as she put down the brush that she is using.
"Why would I claim this bed? I know that you and Grandma share this so I am fine outside" Meixiu said as she eyed her wife.
"By the way, I bought you this necklace earlier."
Xiaohui look at Meixiu and saw that the girl presented her with a necklace. It's simple and not an attention grabber which Xiaohui likes. It has a pendant of a heart with a big letter X in the middle.
"How much is that? You know that I don't want to waste any money since Mother has been earning debts."
"It's only a couple of Yuan," Meixiu said as Xiaohui nodded and raises her hair.
"Since we've been married for almost a decade, I decided to give you this gift. My first gift for you" Meixiu explains, locking the necklace in place.
"You know, you don't have to."
"I want to, I feel like a bad wife to you" Meixiu spun Xiaohui around so she is facing her.
"You look even greater!"
"I told you to stop already," Xiaohui said as she eyed Meixiu who just smile at her like a fool.
"Come on and let's go! I'll ride my bicycle so you and Grandma Peng won't be squeezed inside the car" Meixiu grab Xiaohui's hand and pulled her up.
"We are matching today huh? Blue and white" Meixiu raises both her eyebrows which she received a shove from Xiaohui.
"You both look so good" Meixiu smiles upon hearing Grandma Peng's voice in front of their bedroom.
"I should be the one sleeping outside, not Meixiu so you two can be closer than ever!"
"Grandma Peng, I am young and can handle the small sofa in the living room. Your back will only hurt as soon as you wake up" Xiaohui looked at Meixiu.
"Then that's what you always feel?"
"What I mean is, that's what I always heard from the people around the market. You don't want that to happen right?"
"Meixiu, you know you can always sleep on the floor inside the bedroom," Xiaohui said which shocks Meixiu.
"You two, I can arrange the small storage area and just sleep there," Grandma Peng said which Meixiu smiled at.
"I think I'll just choose that one. Grandma Peng, it's so small for you" Meixiu told her.
"It's not, I can even put a small table and chair there besides the bed. It's big enough for an old person like me."