Mentioning Zhang Guilan, her spirits lifted, “If you like the taste, eat more. This was made by my sister-in-law, and we often eat it at home.”
“Made by sister-in-law?” Qin Juan looked towards Lin Chuxia.
Zhang Guilan’s voice was quite loud, and Zhang Wenbin also looked over.
“Our sister-in-law also has such skills. No wonder Qin Yang, you lucky guy, I was wondering which deli made this tasty food, not realizing it was made at home.”
Seeing Lin Chuxia sipping champagne, Zhang Wenbin raised his glass, “Here, I’ll drink one with sister-in-law. Brother-in-law has already downed his, feel free.”
Beside them, Qin Yang frowned slightly, and Lin Chuxia also paused for a moment.
For Zhang Wenbin, who was meeting Lin Chuxia for the first time as a brother-in-law, this gesture was somewhat inappropriate.
Yet, holding his glass, he seemed unaware of the impropriety, and it would be rude for Lin Chuxia to not give him face.
After a moment, she still raised her glass, “Meeting brother-in-law for the first time, and it’s the start of the New Year, let’s drink together.”
With this stepping stone, everyone picked up their glasses and took a sip.
Zhang Wenbin actually drained his glass in one go, showed the empty glass to Lin Chuxia, and slightly raised an eyebrow with a smug expression.
Lin Chuxia acted as if she did not see it.
Zhang Guilan was already picking up a soda to refill for Qin Juan, while Lin Chuxia also picked up the champagne bottle, topping up for Zhang Guilan and then herself.
Then, Zhang Wenbin spoke again, “I see sister-in-law can hold her liquor, why not have a shot of white liquor…”
“Wenbin,” Qin Juan interrupted him, “You’re drunk, stop talking nonsense. How can she drink hard liquor?”
“Who’s drunk? I can judge better than you, she…”
“Brother-in-law, Chuxia doesn’t drink,” Qin Yang sternly interrupted him.
Zhang Wenbin glanced at Qin Yang, then chuckled, “I was just joking with sister-in-law, didn’t mean to scare you guys.”
Lin Chuxia finally understood her initial feeling when she first saw Zhang Wenbin; although he was dressed decently, something about him was not quite appealing.
Now she understood; despite Zhang Wenbin’s outward refined appearance, he actually seemed somewhat sleazy.
Fortunately, the episode passed quickly, and the meal went smoothly.
Under the attentive care of Mrs. Qin, Qin Juan and Little Ningning ate quite a lot.
After dinner, everyone chatted for a while, and Zhang Wenbin suggested going home.
They had come by public bus; the bus from the city to Ancheng County only ran twice a day, and they would miss it if they were late.
Mrs. Qin still wanted to keep Qin Juan and Ningning at home for a few days.
Ningning, now familiar with the Qin Family, looked at Qin Juan eagerly when grandma suggested they stay for a few more days.
Qin Juan pursed her lips and before saying anything, Zhang Wenbin quickly said, “They won’t bother you here, mother-in-law. Besides, I wouldn’t feel at ease if they went back by themselves.”
“Staying at one’s own house is hardly bothering anyone,” Qin Han disagreed, “Let them stay. When they’ve had enough, I’ll take them back.”
“No need to trouble my big brother,” Zhang Wenbin said, turning to look at Qin Juan, “Right, wife? With spring coming, they should be starting to plant vegetable seedlings, right? They’re all busy people; we shouldn’t interrupt their lives.”
Qin Han wanted to say more, but Qin Juan spoke, “Mom, big brother, I won’t stay. There are many relatives at home for the Spring Festival; it’s better if we go back. I’ll visit you after a while.”
With that said, it was hard for Mrs. Qin to insist, “Then come after a while, and bring Ningning with you.”
“I will, Mom.”
“I’ll take them to the bus station.”
They had a handcart at home, and Qin Han went to push the cart.
It was only after the group walked far away that Mrs. Qin let out a slow sigh.
“Your eldest sister rarely stays at her mother’s house after getting married; now that they have moved to the city, we hardly see them twice a year.”
Zhang Guilan comforted, “Mom, Juanzi is enjoying her life with her husband in the city. Look around our village, who has her luck? She married a city man and even moved to the city for work. I’ve heard the city is much bigger than our county town.”
“What good does being big do, when they are so far from family? If she is mistreated, we wouldn’t even know.”
“We’ll write to them more often from now on. Besides, the marriage was solicited by Old Mrs. Zhang, they wouldn’t dare to mistreat Juanzi… Qin Han and his brothers wouldn’t let Zhang Wenbin off the hook…”
Zhang Guilan supported Mrs. Qin as they walked back, continuing to comfort her.
Just as Lin Chuxia was about to head back, she spotted a familiar figure in the distance.
Lin Jiadong saw his second sister and began pushing his bicycle toward her.
“Second Sister, Brother-in-law!”
“Why did you come here?”
“Mom asked me to check why you hadn’t visited home. Turns out, you had guests over.”
He had arrived just as the Qin Family was seeing Qin Juan and her family out.
“Mom really, what’s the rush; making me come here in such cold weather.”
Most importantly, to visit during the New Year empty-handed, even if it was his second sister’s home, Lin Jiadong felt embarrassed.
Having delivered the message, Lin Jiadong turned and left, “I’ll head back first then, think about coming home tomorrow, mom is waiting for you.”
Lin Chuxia didn’t say a word; the other person had already bent down and cycled a few hundred meters away.
Qin Yang placed his hand on her shoulder, “I’ll come with you tomorrow.”
He had also noticed, his wife was not keen on visiting her maternal home.
Considering the so-called relatives at Lin’s house, if not for the sake of his wife’s reputation…
In this era, reputation is crucial for someone, especially for the actions of a wife.
Merchants value credibility, and a person indifferent even to family ties is hard to gain trust from partners.
If you can’t even maintain close familial ties, how can others trust you?
As for whose fault it is, others would hardly delve into it; at most, they’d say, managing family relations poorly just shows one’s limited capabilities.
He understood his wife’s situation but also didn’t want her to be mistreated.
Lin Chuxia could feel Qin Yang’s stance and nodded her head.
………….
The next day, Qin Yang and Lin Chuxia went back to Daqing Mountain Village.
As soon as they entered the house, Mr. Lin and Mother Lin came out to greet them.
Especially Mother Lin, who showed an enthusiasm Lin Chuxia hadn’t seen in her two lifetimes; she thought she had entered the wrong house.
“Why only today? Your elder sister came yesterday. We just wanted you sisters to spend a good day together. Knowing you would come today, she didn’t leave and has been waiting for you in the room.”
Mother Lin held Lin Chuxia’s hand, the warm touch made her uncomfortable, causing her to instinctively pull away.
Mother Lin glanced at her hand with a flash of displeasure in her eyes, which even if fleeting, did not escape Lin Chuxia’s notice.
Her heart sneered, indeed, this was her real mother.
Knowing that Lin Jiayi was here, these actions of her mother were not surprising.
“Really, don’t you understand the courtesy of visiting your maternal home during Spring Festival? Your brother-in-law is also here; you didn’t think to bring him along, and waited for your brother to come looking for you, that’s very thoughtless and even made your brother-in-law witness this embarrassment.”
Mr. Lin also spoke, his tone significantly less pretentious than Mother Lin’s.