TL: Etude
Throughout the afternoon, Xue Chunli seemed rather preoccupied with heavy thoughts.
As the sun began to set, and Lin Wanqiu and Chen Jianghai started to get busy with dinner, the mother-in-law was not in the mood to step into the kitchen. She sat alone at the door, knitting a sweater while waiting for the father and daughter to return.
When dinner was almost ready, the sound of a tricycle approached from a distance.
Xue Chunli immediately stood up and craned her neck to look.
It was indeed Lin Wanqing and her father returning, which finally set Xue Chunli's mind at ease.
"Mom, sister is back now; you can relax!" Lin Wanqiu said with a smile, taking her mother's hand.
Xue Chunli's expression returned to normal, but she couldn't help but scold her younger daughter, "Aren't you going to watch the food? What if it burns?"
Pointing towards the kitchen, Lin Wanqiu laughed, "Don't worry! Jianghai is keeping an eye on it."
Hearing her daughter's words, Xue Chunli looked at the kitchen in surprise, catching a glimpse of Chen Jianghai busily stir-frying dishes.
"Mom, I'm back."
Lin Wanqing, carrying quite a few things, greeted her mother with a smile at the door.
Seeing her elder daughter's smiling face, Xue Chunli quickly asked, "Did you get everything done?"
"Yep, all taken care of," Lin Wanqing nodded.
Lin Jianguo chimed in, "Actually, the eldest just made a phone call and then bought some things in town."
It was only then that Xue Chunli noticed that Lin Jianguo also had his hands full of items.
Lin Wanqiu hurriedly helped take some of the load, curiously asking, "Sis, what did you buy?"
"Just some clothes and some snacks," Lin Wanqing replied casually.
Xue Chunli couldn't help but complain, "Why buy all these? Isn't this a waste of money?"
Lin Wanqing explained, "Mom, I came back in a hurry this time, it wasn't convenient to bring things alone, and now it was the perfect opportunity to buy some stuff for you and dad."
"Sis, what about mine?" Lin Wanqiu couldn't help but ask.
Lin Wanqing gestured towards the inside with her mouth, "You're already grown up. If you want to buy something, go ask your husband!"
"Sis, I'm not talking to you anymore!" Lin Wanqiu, her face flushed, took the things and went inside.
Xue Chunli, watching the sisters' exchange, remained expressionless.
Lin Jianguo knew what Xue Chunli was thinking. He lifted the items in his hands and quickly went inside, not wanting to accidentally become Xue Chunli's scapegoat.
"Let's go inside and eat," Xue Chunli sighed.
Lin Wanqing followed up, "Mom, don't overthink it, Wanqiu and I are both doing well. The money I sent you before I came back was for you to improve our home life. Why are you reluctant to use it?"
"I was thinking of getting Wanqiu away from that Chen Jianghai!"
Xue Chunli was getting agitated, "But looking at your sister's behavior, I don't know what kind of spell that Chen Jianghai has cast on her."
Lin Wanqing whispered, "Mom, don't speak so loudly, Wanqiu will be heartbroken if she hears this."
"Why is Wanqiu so stubborn?" Xue Chunli spoke with a hint of frustration.
A look of helplessness flashed in Lin Wanqing's eyes, but she still patiently said, "Mom, you saw this afternoon, Wanqiu's husband isn't as useless as you've said."
"Who knows what that's all about?"
Xue Chunli disagreed, "I bet it's just a passing phase. He'll surely make Wanqiu suffer in the future, so it's best to cut it off early."
"Enough, Mom!"
Lin Wanqing's tone became more emphatic, "Wanqiu's life is already not easy, let's not talk about this anymore. Besides, Wanqiu has made up her mind about Chen Jianghai, you have to give him a chance!"
"A chance? What chance?"
Xue Chunli was visibly displeased, "They've been married for two or three years now. He doesn't go to his job, and so what if he has some skills!"
"I've already made a deal with Chen Jianghai. If he's still like this in a year, I'll make them divorce," Lin Wanqing reluctantly revealed the agreement she had with Chen Jianghai.
Now, as the elder sister, she was eager to see how her brother-in-law, Chen Jianghai, would fulfill those three conditions.
Because at that time, Chen Jianghai spoke with such confidence.
Even as a technician, it seemed not easy to meet these conditions within a year.
Xue Chunli's face tightened, "You also think he's not just putting on an act?"
"Mom, even if he could hire a matchmaker to put on a show, it's impossible that he hired the whole village to act for him, right?" Lin Wanqing said.
Hearing Lin Wanqing say this, Xue Chunli's face showed a mix of emotions, then she spoke somewhat helplessly, "Let's go, let's go inside and eat."
...
During dinner, Xue Chunli didn't bring up the matter of divorce again.
As for her attitude towards Chen Jianghai, it changed somewhat.
At least the initial unmistakable disgust was gone.
Midway through the meal, Boss Jin came over with a bottle of Wuliangye, saying it was for Chen Jianghai to try.
Chen Jianghai wasn't particularly fond of alcohol, but still accepted it with a smile, and handed the bottle to his father-in-law.
Lin Jianguo was naturally very pleased, his address for Chen had become 'good son-in-law'.
If this had happened before, Lin Jianguo would have surely incurred Xue Chunli's scolding.
But now, Xue Chunli acted as if she heard nothing, just silently eating her meal.
Lin Wanqiu, seeing this scene, felt extremely delighted.
She knew her mother was just strong-willed and unwilling to bow her head; in fact, she probably had already begun to accept Chen Jianghai in her heart.
After dinner, the family went out.
There were no seats left at the opera troupe's performance, Chen Jianghai was carrying a long bench with him.
The opera troupe had set up a stage near the village's ancestral hall, and on the way, many people could be seen heading in that direction.
Adults with children in tow, carrying benches, and the children holding snacks, mostly sunflower seeds, peanuts, and the like.
As a form of entertainment well-known in the rural areas, everyone was eager to attend, with entire families turning out, calling friends to join the lively scene.
Arriving at the ancestral hall, the play hadn't started yet, but the seats below were already full.
Finding a spot closer to the front, Chen Jianghai quickly put down the bench.
"Dad, Mom, sister, let's sit here!"
Xue Chunli didn't say anything, she just pulled Lin Jianguo down to sit.
Lin Wanqing nodded, smiling, "Thank you, brother-in-law."
After the afternoon's events, Lin Wanqing had come to recognize this brother-in-law was not simple; she had acknowledged him.
All of this, Lin Wanqiu observed carefully.
The once unremarkable Chen Jianghai, now able to win the family's approval, made her very happy.
In the darkness, the sound of children's laughter and chatter continued to spread.
The opera troupe's play was actually beyond the understanding of many children, who also could not really follow along.
In the eyes of the children, the arrival of the opera troupe meant they could go to bed late, have snacks, and play with their friends.
Chen Jianghai looked at the scene before him, filled with emotion.
With the progress of time, such scenes would probably never be seen again.
It was a pity he didn't have a camera; otherwise, he truly wanted to record all of this properly.