Shen Chi felt that since they had truly started living as husband and wife, today had the best atmosphere.
Thus, his emotions involuntarily relaxed and those cares that had been difficult to express found a channel for release.
He spoke in a gentle voice, "I have arranged everything at home, sold some clothes. Before I return, there should be enough money for expenses. Don't worry about the folks back home, they wouldn't dare to come and cause trouble. Also, I know you like fish, it's hard to buy in the county, and we can't keep too many. I have already told Yuan Lin, he will occasionally bring over the fish he catches after I leave. And this."
Shen Chi stuffed thirty yuan into Lin Xiaoguai's hands, "If there is anything you want to eat or buy, and you feel embarrassed to ask grandma and grandpa, use this money. This is all I have now, I'll give you more when I come back on family leave."
"Thank you."
Lin Xiaoguai's voice was very soft, had Shen Chi not been so close, he might have missed it. His eyes brightened, his gaze full of affection as he looked towards Lin Xiaoguai.
However, Lin Xiaoguai kept her head down, not noticing, as she focused on the somewhat worn six five-yuan bills in her hand, her heart filled with mixed feelings.
"And," Shen Chi remembered something he had almost forgotten, "don't worry about Capital University. Our troops and the Capital Garrison are having a joint exercise this month. I will make a trip there and help you apply for a year's leave of absence. After you give birth, you can go to school."
Lin Xiaoguai was stunned upon hearing this, she looked up at the man in front of her, suddenly feeling a twinge in her nose.
Perhaps, when Shen Chi forcibly married her, he also intended for her to go to university?
Seemingly understanding the confusion in her eyes, Shen Chi reached out and touched her head, "I married you because I want you to have everything you wish for."
What Shen Chi said was true, but it also wasn't without his own scheming, only he was calculating Lin Xiaoguai's feelings for him.
Lin Xiaoguai never imagined that Shen Chi would have such cunning at that moment, quickly lowering her head to prevent him from seeing the moisture in her eyes.
"Let's apply for three years off," Lin Xiaoguai spoke after calming her emotions. "After the child is born, they will need breastfeeding, I can't just leave the baby and go study immediately."
"Alright, I'll listen to you," Shen Chi was pleased. Wanwan being willing to compromise for their child like this meant she might not resist being his child's mother as she had before.
Lin Xiaoguai knew that applying for a leave wasn't easy at this time, not because the policy didn't allow it, but because people of this era had an unimaginable thirst for knowledge. With universities being free of tuition and even offering a stipend, someone taking a break like her would naturally face disdain and difficulties from the school staff. She had, in fact, already missed the registration period.
Yet, she trusted Shen Chi, who was never one to make empty promises. If he said he could manage it, then he definitely could.
Until Shen Chi left, Lin Xiaoguai wasn't able to understand where his confidence that the people from the old house wouldn't come to cause trouble came from. After all, she very well knew that Wang Zhaodi, except when faced with Shen Chi, feared neither heaven nor earth. With Shen Chi returning to the military, according to her petty nature, it was highly likely there would be trouble.
However, she didn't pay it much mind; she wasn't truly sixteen and naturally wouldn't be clueless when facing a shrew like Wang Zhaodi as she had been before.
But soon after Shen Chi left, their family returned from the station and was having a meal when suddenly there was a knock on the door.
"Uncle and Auntie, hurry open the door, there's trouble!" The voice calling outside was loud.
"Doesn't that sound like Uncle Quanfu?" Shen Xiu hesitated.
"Isn't it exactly him?" Luo Yufang put down her chopsticks and stood up, hurrying to open the door.
Before a minute passed, a middle-aged man followed her inside.
"Uncle, you better go back and see, there's a commotion at Mincheng's house." Shen Xiu's father was named Shen Mincheng.
Lin Xiaoguai noticed, though Uncle Quanfu said this, his expression wasn't anxious in the slightest, instead there seemed to be... a hint of schadenfreude?
"What happened?" Shen Zhangming furrowed his brows.
Uncle Quanfu glanced at Lin Xiaoguai, "Chi's wife's family has come over, now the two sides are fighting."
"My family?" Lin Xiaoguai was stunned.
How could that be? She knew her four brothers well, having committed that act they must feel guilty; they would also be anxious and likely regretful, but they were timid and cared about face, they definitely wouldn't dare to come.
As for her four sisters-in-law, she scoffed to herself; they were clever, definitely not of the kind to seek trouble at this time.