Witty Wife, Better Life

There were only two dishes on the table, one with cured pork and Chinese cabbage, and the other with stewed potato slices.

Upon hearing what the elder lady said, Shen Yunfang's eyes swept over to the dish with cured pork and Chinese cabbage, though it seemed she didn't notice the few pieces of meat on the surface.

Shen Yunxiu, upon hearing this, hurriedly used her chopsticks to snatch up all the visible cured pork into her own bowl, then, as if to flaunt her victory, she cast a glance at Shen Yunfang.

"What's this behavior? You're a grown girl, don't you have any manners?" Shen Yeqing started to get angry again at his daughter's antics.

"Don't always flare up, your own health isn't the best, don't you know?" The elder lady stepped in again to play peacemaker, "Ah, you can't blame the child, it's us parents who lack the means, our child is of age and still can't have a good piece of meat, of course, she's going to be fond of meat when she sees it all of a sudden."

She dabbed at her face as if to underline her point, and then, forcing a smile, she said to Shen Yunfang: "Yunfang, don't stoop to your sister's level. Come, let me get you some meat, I'll just dig around, there's definitely some more underneath."

Shen Yunfang maintained a smile the whole time, thinking it was her own thick skin to blame, scrounging a meal at someone else's house, so it was only right for her to expect some unfair treatment. Besides, given her current situation with requests of others, she couldn't afford to fall out with anyone.

I don't ask for delicacies, just a full belly is enough.

Regarding the thin slice of cured pork the elder lady put in her bowl, Shen Yunfang gave a grateful look and then started to eat in earnest.

Having been traveling for two days, this was her first meal of dry rice, and the familiarity was heartwarming. Although it was coarse grain porridge, it had less water and was more satisfying and better-tasting than corn mush.

The conversation at the dinner table picked up again, continuing from where she had interrupted it.

"Xiu, the match your second aunt has introduced to you really isn't bad, just like Sister Yunfang's match, he's also in military service, and just a few more years to go, his salary will be no less than that of a worker. What's more, they said, if it really works out, they'll let you move with the army, you wouldn't need to stay home and look after the elderly, this condition is pretty good," Shen Yunfang's mother persuaded with a bitter heart. "I've also had someone inquire about him. The young man is a good child, filial and studious, with a decent character. Among these tens of miles around, he's top-notch."

The mother had worried herself sick over her precious daughter's marriage matters.

She knew her daughter had high standards and wanted to find someone from the city like her older cousin had. She also thought with her daughter's qualifications, snagging a city guy shouldn't be an issue; it was just the lack of finding the right one. Now, her second aunt had mentioned a prospect a few days ago, and even though the man's family wasn't from the city, their conditions were no worse than those of urban families. However, her daughter just wouldn't come around, stubbornly refusing, insisting on finding someone from the city.

Shen Yunfang kept her head down as she ate, but when she heard herself mentioned, she flashed a grinning smile and continued eating.

"Mom, can you just drop it? What's so good about a soldier? Only comes home once a year. You, you..." You're asking me to be a young widow, Shen Yunxiu thought but didn't have the nerve to say it out loud.

However, when she spoke, she was looking at Shen Yunfang, meaning it was intended for her to hear. So what if she has an unmarried fiancé in the military? Hmph, what's so impressive about that? She hasn't even married into the family yet and she's already eagerly taking her family's grain to her in-laws. Just wait until she truly marries in, they will consider her illiterate and won't they oppress her to no end?

Don't mention it, Shen Yunxiu, although a bit haughty, saw this very clearly.

Although this girl Shen Yunxiu was a country maiden, she was proud. In her heart, among the Shen Family's daughters, except for Sister Feng whom she couldn't compare with, there was none that could surpass her.

Originally, the reputation of this younger cousin from Uncle Three's family wasn't very good. From a young age, she was lazy and gluttonous, and she had a mother who was no good at managing household matters. She was sold off early to become someone else's child bride, which in every way was inferior to herself.

Unexpectedly, when Auntie Three passed away, the military fiance of the cousin came, and at that moment, the eyes of the village maidens and young wives all lit up. They all sighed in their hearts, wondering how a girl from the Shen Family, who looked like a little chick, could land such a sturdy and robust man.

Yes, that man was at least one meter eighty-five tall, dressed in olive green military uniform, not to mention how upright he looked. As for his appearance, one could only say it was fine, quite decent, but he was too serious, not cracking a smile from start to finish, which made him quite intimidating to look at.

At that time, Shen Yunxiu went along with everyone to see, and after returning home, she didn't leave her house for three days. Afterwards, when she looked at her cousin, she was even more displeased with her.

She just couldn't understand it. With her own excellent qualities, why couldn't she find a good match? With her cousin being what she was, how could she deserve such a good man?

Of course, to say that Shen Yunxiu took a fancy to Shen Yunfang's man was absolutely not the case. Later, Shen Yunxiu also subtly inquired with her father about the family background of Li Hongjun. He was from Taoshu Village, more than thirty miles away from Gaijiatun, with an elder brother, an elder sister, a younger brother, and a younger sister. She heard that the family wasn't badly off, but with Li Hongjun being in the middle – with an elder brother above and a younger brother below – she could guess with her toes that he mustn't be valued much at home. No matter how good the conditions were, he'd still have to toil in the soil and wouldn't have access to rationed grain. Moreover, it was said that Li Hongjun was no good originally, and the family couldn't control him until he was conscripted. Over the years, they said he had been promoted, became a platoon leader, but that was just a small official. Whether he could rise in ranks was still debatable. Even if he became a company or battalion commander or something, the conditions for family members accompanying the army were very tough. It was said they were in the mountains, and even just getting out once was difficult. So Shen Yunxiu couldn't look up to her cousin's husband at all.

However, when she was considering suitors, she would, intentionally or unintentionally, compare them with Yunfang's fiance. This time, the soldier that her second aunt introduced to her hadn't even begun to discuss other points, and she was already past him at the one point of height – the soldier was only a bit more than one meter seventy tall.

"Oh my, why can't you understand, child? If he's demobilized in the future, he'll surely be able to go to the county, won't you be considered to have married into the county then? Even if he doesn't demobilize, you could still follow the army," said Auntie Shen, not understanding why her daughter was being so stubborn.

This time, Shen Yunxiu simply kept quiet, resorting to silent resistance, as she didn't agree anyway.

"What's the matter, why aren't you speaking now?" Auntie Shen was at a loss with this girl.

"Mom, let's eat dinner first; afterward, you can have a good chat with Sister Yunfang," said Big Sister-in-law Shen, trying to mediate and giving their mother a meaningful look to indicate the presence of outsiders.

Only then did Auntie Shen realize it might not be good to discuss these matters in front of the niece, and she quickly put on a smile, saying, "Look at me, rambling on again. Yunfang, don't mind my words. Eat more; your body will recover faster if you eat well."

Shen Yunfang nodded in agreement. She was already on her second bowl, finally feeling a sense of fullness in her stomach, which was truly blissful.

But it appeared their discussion had come to a temporary halt for now – could it be her turn to ask about her matters?