As Yun Su listened to Ji Xiangtian paint this picture of the future, she felt that this person was truly reliable. He had already made these plans before she had even agreed to be with him. A man like this was indeed rare.
“So if I had said no, all your plans would have fallen apart?”
At that, Ji Xiangtian revealed an enigmatic smile. “It doesn’t matter where I go to treat patients and save lives. The point is, I like you. I want to be with you. If you didn’t like me back, I’d just quietly stay and work on the island…”
By the end, his tone carried a hint of grievance.
This surprised and delighted Yun Su.
This man was reliable when it came to the future and to work. But when it came to matters of the heart, he was just as much a novice as she was.
Hehe!
Thinking this, Yun Su felt very amused. She had a feeling that being with this man would bring no shortage of joyful moments.
“Why are you suddenly so happy again?”
Yun Su chuckled. “Come on, let’s go clamming. If we wait any longer, all the good stuff will be picked clean.”
With that, without waiting for Ji Xiangtian to reply, Yun Su jumped up and ran toward the beach, letting out a silvery peal of laughter as she went.
Ji Xiangtian smiled and shook his head, then stood up from the ground. His eyes followed Yun Su’s figure, her carefree laughter ringing in his ears. He instinctively placed a hand over his heart, which was pounding away.
He thought to himself that this “condition” of his—his racing heart—probably wasn’t going away anytime soon.
——
“Yun Su, who is this young man?”
“Yun Su, isn’t this the fellow you pulled out of the sea?”
“Oh my, Yun Su, which family does this handsome young man belong to?”
As Yun Su and Ji Xiangtian walked home from the beach with a full basket of seafood, villagers they encountered along the way all started asking about him.
Some had witnessed the drowning incident that day and recognized Ji Xiangtian. But because of the heavy rainstorm that day, most people in the village didn’t know him.
So when they saw Yun Su walking with a tall, handsome, city-looking young man, the villagers naturally grew curious.
After all, Yun Su’s older cousin, Yun Feng, had just been rumored to be dating a military regiment commander just a few days ago. And now Yun Su, the younger cousin, had brought home a young man who clearly looked like he was from the city. It was quite eye-catching!
In response to all the questions and teasing, Yun Su didn’t answer. She simply put on a bashful expression and quickened her pace toward home.
As for Ji Xiangtian, he followed Yun Su’s lead and also put on an embarrassed look.
Once they reached a secluded spot, Yun Su said directly, “Let’s go home and talk to my parents about us being together. Only after we have their approval should we let the villagers know.”
Ji Xiangtian: “Of course, of course. Your parents’ approval is very important.”
This was Ji Xiangtian’s—plain and unadorned—view of love. He felt that since he liked Yun Su, he needed the recognition and blessings of her parents and siblings.
——
“After you marry Xiao Gu, you need to find a way to get control of his salary and allowances. I hear that soldiers not only get a monthly salary, but their allowances are even higher than their pay. That future mother-in-law of yours is a widow. Widows are all difficult—they want their sons tied to their apron strings forever…”
Liu Zhaodi sat in the yard with her daughters, opening sea clams and scooping out the meat. The most prized part of the sea clam meat was the tiny piece that attaches the clam to its shell. Once cut out and dried, it became expensive dried scallop (conpoy).
Though her hands were busy working, Liu Zhaodi’s mouth never stopped. She was constantly advising her daughter Yun Feng on what methods to use after marriage to get control of the family’s finances.
Yun Feng responded absentmindedly now and then. But in her heart, she looked down on her mother’s tactics. According to her own plan, things were far more ambitious than simply controlling the household finances.
As she was lost in thought, she looked up and saw Yun Su leading a man home.
The man was very handsome, tall, and sturdy. And very familiar. Yun Feng thought for a moment and quickly remembered who he was.
Wasn’t he the man Yun Su had fished out of the sea that day?
She had asked Gu Zhengrong about this man’s background and heard he was a doctor. His parents both worked at the military hospital. With such good prospects, and now Yun Su bringing him home, wasn’t she just trying to seduce him?
Yun Feng still remembered that not long ago, her cousin Yun Huaimin had been showing this man around. Now Yun Su was getting close to him. How unsightly.
Hmph, she was probably envious that she had found a good match. Now she was going after this doctor.
But Yun Feng wasn’t optimistic about this.
After all, Yun Su wasn’t as capable as her. A woman who only knew how to eat and laze about could never marry a good man.
Liu Zhaodi, unaware of her eldest daughter’s thoughts, saw Yun Su bringing a young man home. She immediately jumped up and instructed her daughters: “You girls, work faster. These clams need to be fully cleaned today. That girl Yun Su brought a man home. As her second aunt-in-law, I need to go have a look.”
With that, without waiting for her daughters to reply, Liu Zhaodi rushed over to Yun Su’s house.
…
The main room of Yun Su’s house was especially lively at this moment.
With his injured arm keeping him from going out, Yun Su’s father was in the main room supervising his youngest son’s homework. The eldest son sat on a small stool, sorting through a pile of dried seaweed. Yun Su’s mother was helping out on the side.
When Yun Su brought a man home, her mother immediately stood up to speak. But as soon as he drew closer, she recognized him as Doctor Ji. Her expression turned pleasantly surprised.
“Oh my, it’s Doctor Ji! You’re on leave, aren’t you? You’ve come at a perfect time! Stay for dinner. Auntie will make you some authentic seafood dishes. I guarantee you’ll want more after tasting them.”
At that moment, Ji Xiangtian suddenly realized he had forgotten to bring a gift for this visit.
This… not bringing a gift when visiting his significant other’s home for the first time was terribly rude.
Yun Su saw the awkward look on Ji Xiangtian’s face and, quite miraculously, guessed what he was thinking. She cheerfully patted his arm and turned to say, “Mom, he’s just a guest. Don’t get so excited. You might scare him off.”
“Haha, Doctor Ji is a good man. He won’t hold it against us ordinary folk…”
Yun Huaimin, still sitting on the small stool, looked up at the interaction between Ji Xiangtian and his sister and felt that something was off. He frowned, thinking that later he would have to tell his sister not to go around patting other men’s arms. It wasn’t proper.
It was at this moment that Liu Zhaodi burst in.
——
Without any pretense, she grabbed a bunch of longan fruit from the table in the main room and started eating.
“Second Sister-in-law, what are you doing here in the middle of the afternoon?”
Seeing Liu Zhaodi’s behavior, Yun Su’s mother immediately dropped her smile. She signaled for her eldest son to attend to their distinguished guest, then walked over to Liu Zhaodi and asked bluntly.
“Oh my, don’t be so stingy. With all these longan, what’s wrong with me taking just one bunch?”
Yun’s mother rolled her eyes. These longan had been brought over by her eldest brother from her natal family, delivered by bicycle. Their side of the island was close to the sea, so fruit trees were scarce and didn’t grow well. But the center of the island was much better—there was no shortage of longan, lychee, mango, peach, star fruit, and plum.
Her eldest brother had been sending a basket or two every now and then. Following her usual practice, she shared some with every relative. Since her parents-in-law still lived in the second branch’s house across the way, she naturally wouldn’t leave them out.
But Liu Zhaodi was the type who could never get enough of taking advantage. Every time something was sent over, she would come to their house to eat. She wouldn’t ask to take any away, but she’d just stay and eat her fill before leaving.
Someone thin-skinned might feel too embarrassed to chase away such a shameless person. But Yun Su’s mother was not the type to put up with that. She simply put away the fruit and spoke very bluntly, clearly trying to shoo her out.
Seeing this, Liu Zhaodi didn’t dare linger. She gave an ingratiating smile. “Younger Sister-in-law, I just couldn’t resist a little snack! By the way, who is that young man? He looks like he’s from the city.”
“He’s my son Min’s friend, here as a guest. What’s it to you?” Yun’s mother rolled her eyes unceremoniously. She physically pushed her toward the door as she spoke. “We have guests. I don’t have time to entertain you.”
Watching her mother’s actions, Yun Su was thoroughly amused. She loved how direct her mother was. If she had been transported into one of those families where the mother just suffered in silence, Yun Su felt she would have lost her mind.
——
After finally shooing Liu Zhaodi away, Yun Su’s mother hurried back excitedly, about to ask why Doctor Ji had come to their house.
But the main room had already become quite animated. Doctor Ji was sitting facing her husband, drinking tea. Her husband would ask a question, and Doctor Ji would answer. The atmosphere was a bit strange.
Seeing Yun’s mother return from seeing out the guest, Ji Xiangtian immediately stood up from his chair, relieved that Auntie was finally back.
“What’s going on? Something’s happened? Why does everyone look so serious?”
Yun’s mother sensed that something big was about to happen.
Yun Huaimin’s expression wasn’t good. “Mom, Ji Xiangtian came here today because he has something to say.”
Watching her older brother’s expression, Yun Su felt even more amused. Just now, while her mother was pushing Liu Zhaodi out, only the few of them remained inside. Her brother had immediately asked Ji Xiangtian why he had come.
And Ji Xiangtian was especially direct. He said outright that he and Yun Su were together and that he wanted to come and inform her parents.
At just that one sentence, her brother looked ready to explode.
But her father, Comrade Yun Chengjiang, was very calm. Though surprised for a moment by Ji Xiangtian’s words, he quickly regained his composure.
——
Next, Yun’s father naturally called Ji Xiangtian over and began asking about his background.
Yun’s mother walked in right at that moment, catching Ji Xiangtian in the middle of introducing his family.
“Wait, so you really are together!”
Yun Huaimin, thinking from his mother’s tone that she disapproved, immediately chimed in, “Exactly, exactly! This guy’s the one my sister fished out of the sea. And this is how he repays her?”
As he said this, Yun Huaimin was very displeased.
In his heart, his sister was the family’s treasure. How could he let some wild man from outside steal her away?
Sitting there listening to her brother, Yun Su thought he was absolutely adorable. Just earlier, he’d called Ji Xiangtian a good brother. Now Ji Xiangtian had become a wild man from outside. Her brother was so cute.
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