Jiang Li kept her response short and sweet.
The system was momentarily stunned, then snapped back to reality, delighted to the point of spinning in circles.
"Host, why are you being so silly?"
After the family meeting concluded, Cai Xiuwen shot a glare at Captain Jiang before heading to her precious daughter's room.
Out of respect for her elders, Jiang Li quickly sat up.
Cai Xiuwen sat on the edge of the bed, her eyes filled with love as she looked at her fair and beautiful daughter, who resembled a fairy. She reprimanded her, but her concern was evident, "Why won't you listen to me? I only want what's best for you. You know your body is fragile, and going so far away to become a stepmother to three children... Don't you understand how challenging being a stepmother can be?
Just look at the families in our village with stepmothers. How have their lives turned out? If a stepmother treats her stepchildren well, people assume it's an act, or as the former wealthy families would say, it's 'treating them like dolls' or 'praising them to death'. If she doesn't treat them well, she's called an evil stepmother. No matter what she does, it's wrong. If the stepmother truly isn't a good person, then she deserves the criticism. But if she genuinely cares for the children, she'll end up wronged and mistreated."
"Mother, I'm not afraid of rumors. I know that time will prove my intentions, and I'm no fool. I won't let others slander me without cause."
Jiang Li replied with a cute and innocent expression, "If I bottle everything up, I'll fall sick even if I wasn't ill to begin with. Taking care of myself is my way of ensuring your peace of mind at home. So, Mom, please trust your clever and adorable Li Bao. I won't let myself suffer."
"Just remember, we don't start fights, but we're not afraid of them either. If you encounter any problems or face any injustices, be sure to contact the brigade Headquarters for help."
Cai Xiuwen gently stroked her daughter's braided hair that hung down her back, her eyes moistening. After a moment's thought, she added, , "It would be nice if we had some relatives in Beicheng. That way, if you ever run into any problems, you can seek their help."
Jiang Li reassured her, "I promise to take good care of myself."
Cai Xiuwen shook her head lightly and said, "Silly girl, what mother wouldn't worry about her child when they're away from home... I didn't mean to argue with your father. It's just that... I'm frustrated with him. Although he wants what's best for you, he didn't discuss it with the family before making that promise to Director Wu. He agreed to your marriage with a widower and then went behind our backs to get the marriage certificate. He's rushing into this without giving us a chance to talk it through!"
"Dad did ask for my opinion, and I agreed. It's not his fault. Besides, Dad is part of an organization and has his own principles. He thinks that marrying me to Comrade Luo is for the greater good. It won't harm me, and I can support Comrade Luo in his contributions to the country behind the scenes, which is akin to me contributing as well. Dad has a strong sense of political awareness, and as family, if he's right, we shouldn't hold him back."
Jiang Li offered comfort to her mother.
"What do you mean by holding him back? I think your father is just being careless about your marriage. If I don't twist his ear tonight before bed, I'll be damned!"
Jiang Li smiled, "Mother, my health condition is no secret within our family. When the Zhou family called off our engagement because of my difficulty in conceiving, I wasn't upset; I was relieved. If I had married into their family and couldn't get pregnant for years, they would have blamed me, and the villagers would have gossiped. Now that I'm about to marry Comrade Luo and move to Beicheng, Mother, I truly see it as a blessing.
Comrade Luo has a high salary and receives various ration coupons. My life will undoubtedly be comfortable. Plus, Comrade Luo already has three children, so he won't mind if I don't have any. As for me, I don't want children. On the one hand, my health may not permit it, and on the other, I'm afraid of the pain. I worry that something unexpected might happen during childbirth, and I might not survive..."
(End of Chapter)