I’m a Cute Little Koi [14]

Just do it.

After a lunch one day, seeing her mother diligently cleaning the dishes, Yin Yue spontaneously walked over, took the dishes from her mother’s hands, and placed them in the sink. In a considerate tone, she said, “Mom, you’ve worked hard. Let me wash the dishes.”

The eldest daughter-in-law, who happened to be Yin Yue’s mother, widened her eyes in surprise at these words. Subconsciously glancing at the sky, she commented, “Today, the sun hasn’t risen in the west.”

Puzzled, she asked, “Why are you taking the initiative to do this? I’ve never seen you do it like this before.”

“Oh, I just feel sorry for you, Mom, doing so much work.” Although she was already married, Yin Yue continued to play the role of a little daughter, coquettishly saying, “And with so many relatives and friends during the Chinese New Year, there will naturally be a lot of dishes and utensils. I’m afraid you won’t be able to handle it alone, so I thought of helping you. As the saying goes, a daughter is the little cotton jacket in her parents’ hearts. Seeing how hard you both work normally, I naturally feel sorry for you.”

Although she spoke like this, the eldest daughter-in-law could see through the slightly fake and pleasing smile on her youngest daughter’s face. Knowing her daughter like a mother knows her child, she understood that when this girl was being overly attentive for no reason, she definitely had something to ask for. The mother wasn’t sure if it was about borrowing money or something else.

Seeing that this child couldn’t even come up with the red envelope money for Xiao Bao, she feared it was the former.

Little did she know, her daughter did indeed want money, but more importantly, she wanted to get involved in the family’s soy sauce factory. Moreover, the daughter was clever, knowing that breaking through from her own mother was the way to go. Like squeezing a soft persimmon, when seeking help, you had to find someone with soft ears.

Upon hearing the explanation, the eldest daughter-in-law crossed her arms, then unabashedly brought up old grievances, saying, “Who was it that left without a word six months ago? People in the village were saying you two acted like thieves! Now, after messing up outside and accumulating a bunch of debts, you want to come back, right?”

The eldest daughter-in-law had a good memory, and the events from six months ago were still fresh in her mind. Her married-off daughter, after coaxing and deceiving her bit by bit, managed to get over a hundred yuan. In the end, without saying a word, she just ran away. This was definitely not something a mother could easily forget.

For her own daughter to act like this, wasn’t it a heartbreak? Not to mention, the daughter couldn’t repay the money, and now that the family’s business was doing well, she suddenly wanted to come back. She wasn’t a fool; she could see through these small matters clearly.

“Oh, Mom, back then, I was young and didn’t understand things well. I just made a confused mistake for a moment. Please forgive me this once. I promise I’ll be good from now on.” Feeling upset as her mother brought up these old issues, Yin Yue tried to evade the topic, saying, “At that time, I was afraid you’d pressure me, so I ran away. Later, after I went to the city and thought it over, I came back. If I hadn’t left home to experience a bit, how would I know the vastness of the world and appreciate how good home is? People take time to mature. Now that the family is starting a business, I’m still a part of the family. I want to contribute and lend a hand.”

In just half a year, circumstances had changed. Initially, the eldest couple begged her to work in the textile factory, but Yin Yue disdainfully refused. Now, the tables had turned, and she found herself pleading with her parents to secure a spot for her in the factory.

Her earlier words sounded pleasant, and the eldest daughter-in-law’s expression softened a bit. However, she still reprimanded, “You’re too late. Do you think you can just come back now? The factory is already full, even the position of gatekeeper has been taken. Where is there a spot for you?”

Moreover, these people were shrewd. After securing their positions in advance, they came with gifts and connections, claiming to be relatives or friends. The eldest couple couldn’t easily brush them off and had to promise, “If these people work diligently and don’t slack off, we’ll let them join the workforce.”

In other words, if these people work diligently and don’t slack off, the position will be theirs for a lifetime. In a situation where everyone is diligent and the positions are filled, the Yin family members who have accepted gifts cannot easily resign. So, Yin Yue would have no place to go.

In front of the massive operating machinery, she was like an extra screw, fitting in nowhere. However, if the factory had one more person who didn’t work but still received a salary, the atmosphere in the factory would inevitably change. No matter how she thought about it, the eldest daughter-in-law would not agree to her daughter’s request.

Seeing that she had pleaded with kind words and her mother remained stubborn, Yin Yue lost her temper. With a loud “bang,” she slammed the dishes she was washing into the sink.

With red eyes, she resorted to her trump card and shouted, “Mom! I am your daughter, the one you carried for ten months and gave birth to. I’ve only been away for half a year. Why is your heart so biased? Have you ever thought about my future? I’ve been out there for half a year, eating, drinking, and living outside. I’ve become ugly and dark, and I haven’t earned much money. Now, I want to come home to rest and spend time with you, but you tell me there’s no place for me in the family’s factory. Does that mean there’s no place for me in this home? Does it mean that once a daughter is married, she’s no longer welcome in her mother’s house? Am I no longer your daughter?”

With each word that cut deep, tears streamed down Yin Yue’s face like an uncontrollable faucet. Her emotional outpouring made the eldest daughter-in-law feel a lump in her throat, as if a fishbone were stuck, causing discomfort. After much hesitation, feeling a softening in her heart, she compromised, “Don’t cry, my girl. I gave birth to you. How could I not care for you? Go back for now. Tonight, your father and I will discuss and come up with a solution.”

She needed to figure out how to return the gifts, apologize properly, and not offend anyone. After all, losing a promised job would surely leave someone unhappy. The gift-givers were all relatives and acquaintances, making it a dilemma to decide whose gift to return. No matter whose gift was returned, it would be a problem and potentially offend someone. It was indeed a difficult situation.

“Okay,” Yin Yue replied weakly, her voice tinged with a nasal tone. In a place where her concerned mother couldn’t see her troubled expression, she subtly lifted the corners of her mouth.

As she walked away, her seemingly carefree demeanor caught the attention of Grandma Luo.

Seeing her second granddaughter, who was irritatingly smug, with a high-spirited walk, and then glancing at the troubled expression on the eldest daughter-in-law’s face, Grandma Luo immediately furrowed her brows and sternly asked the eldest daughter-in-law, “Why is that troublemaker, Yin Yue, not staying properly in her in-laws’ house? What are you and your daughter planning?”

She had said it several times already. Since Yin Yue, her granddaughter, insisted on marrying into the Qin family and caused such embarrassment for the Yin family, from now on, they had no relationship with the Yin family. Yet, this granddaughter acted as if nothing had happened. The moment Grandma Luo was away, she continued to feign ignorance. Returning to her parents’ house seemed as casual as having a meal or tea, which was quite irritating.

Unable to deceive her mother-in-law, the eldest daughter-in-law reluctantly conveyed Yin Yue’s request. Before she could finish her sentence, Grandma Luo waved her hand, sneering, “No need to talk to the eldest son. I won’t allow Yin Yue to work in the soy sauce factory.”

“Mom, Yue’er has a tough life too,” the eldest daughter-in-law defended her daughter. “She has to survive in her in-laws’ house. I thought of finding her a job as a supervisor, overseeing discipline. It would be a good arrangement.”

Grandma Luo was not as soft-hearted as her daughter-in-law and immediately rolled her eyes, “No need to plead. There’s no need to discuss this matter. There’s nothing to discuss.” In this household, she was in charge, and what she said went.

However, the words needed to be made clear. Grandma Luo, without holding back, said, “Can’t you see this girl clearly? Her personality is too aggressive, impatient, and short-tempered. Relying on Yujiao, she usually avoids responsibilities. She hasn’t read many books, and she’s completely ignorant. Someone like her, if given a managerial role, will surely cause trouble. Nowadays, managing a factory requires individuals who can handle responsibilities, adhere to discipline, and have a good education. Do you think Yin Yue is capable of that? She can’t even manage a small food stall properly. Wanting to manage a factory? Does she have the capability for that?”

Even as a supervisor, there’s no guarantee she won’t end up turning a blind eye to theft while supposedly watching over it. If someone bribes her, she might ignore laziness. In the long run, how could this work?

When the mother-in-law used the example of the small food stall, the eldest daughter-in-law hesitated. Because from small things, it was evident that her daughter wasn’t cut out for such responsibilities. She failed at managing a snack stall, failed at making various dishes, and persisted despite her failures. In the end, even the barbecue business went into losses. Although she had many ideas, her head wasn’t grounded. Consequently, all the capital was squandered by her extravagant spending.

Indeed, a person like Yin Yue wasn’t suitable for managing a factory. If she were to lead the entire workforce astray, the person who introduced her into the role would be held accountable. Others might criticize the lady of the house for her soft-heartedness and view it as a biased perspective on women.

Considering the potential consequences, the eldest daughter-in-law’s intention to support her daughter completely waned.

On the other hand, Yin Yue was still unaware that her plans had fallen through. She was discussing matters with Qin Mao because she believed that with the family starting a factory, even if it might struggle or face closure in the future, making money in the coming years was a certainty. As long as there was a profit to be made, Yin Yue wouldn’t give up.

She planned to accumulate money in the early stages using the family’s factory, then continue doing business in the city. If the food industry didn’t work out, she would use the money to invest in a clothing factory, real estate, or accumulate properties in advance. She didn’t believe that after trying everything, she would still fail. Yes, she hadn’t given up on her dream of getting rich.

So, she urged Qin Mao to join her in persuading her mother, suggesting that the two of them could work in the factory together. With a united effort as a couple, they could naturally earn more money. As for whether Qin Mao could get in, Yin Yue had confidence; after all, exceptions could be made for everything. If her mother had agreed to let her in, adding Qin Mao would surely not be a problem.

However, Qin Mao, with a thin-skinned nature, immediately refused upon hearing her words, “Your family doesn’t like me. They weren’t supportive of us being together from the beginning. Why would I keep going to your family and making things awkward?” Wasn’t this intentionally seeking trouble? He had a good understanding of himself.

“Why are you so useless? If you’re not proactive and don’t take the initiative, how can you have a future? If you don’t wake up, am I supposed to waste my youth waiting for you?” Yin Yue, frustrated, scolded Qin Mao with the words “useless” and “no future.” Since the first time she used these terms on him and he didn’t retort or argue back, these words became a regular part of her vocabulary, and the more she scolded, the more smoothly they rolled off her tongue.

But for some reason, when it came to relationships, the more she scolded him as useless, the more he seemed to become exactly that. After the failure of the barbecue and crayfish ventures, Qin Mao, originally a slender young man, not only became dark, chubby, and greasy due to his constant presence around the barbecue grill and tasting the barbecue, but his personality also became more introverted. He spent entire days in silence.

Trying every possible means to transform Qin Mao, Yin Yue ended up feeling lonely.

Looking at Qin Mao’s dark and oily skin, Yin Yue felt a bit disgusted. She felt like a piece of soap, putting in effort to wash away the aspects of Qin Mao that she didn’t like, such as being honest and simple, not talkative, and not proactive. However, the more she tried, the more reserved Qin Mao became.

Feeling bored, after scolding him with a “Are you deaf?” Yin Yue, in a dominant manner, pulled the blanket over, turned over, and went to sleep.

Little did she know that Qin Mao, lying back-to-back with her, felt very conflicted. He thought his wife’s desire for control was too strong, and he had almost become a directionless and weak man. While Yin Yue complained about his lack of initiative and direction, whenever he tried to discuss something, she often rudely interrupted him, saying, “Listen to me, you won’t go wrong!”

This left him feeling almost helpless, gradually learning to be silent. However, silence sparked his contemplation, and he began to ponder whether this marriage, initially opposed by everyone, should have started at all. Yin Yue was nothing like the charming and lovely girl she was before marriage; she seemed more like a determined and controlling figure.

Under Yin Yue’s domineering behavior, he always felt uncomfortable. In his view, they were a perfect example of what people meant by incompatible personalities. The demands Yin Yue placed on him to “wake up” and “succeed” were something he couldn’t fulfill. He couldn’t understand why there were such high expectations from the beginning, expectations that made him feel breathless.

Exhausted, Qin Mao wondered if he couldn’t provide what Yin Yue wanted, perhaps she should give up on him and find someone else. Otherwise, forcing themselves to continue like this, constantly wearing each other down, would be incredibly draining. Since their marriage wasn’t officially registered due to age constraints, and considering Yin Yue was still young, she could easily find a better match.

He didn’t want to abandon Yin Yue, but he genuinely believed that she might never get what she wanted if she continued with him, and consequently, she might never find happiness.

Separation might be the last resort, and enduring these days was a viable option until absolutely necessary. However, he thought about having a child with Yin Yue; he believed that having a child might make Yin Yue more gentle and understanding. After all, becoming a mother should soften her character, right?

But that night, the couple found themselves in a deadlock again on this topic.

Yin Yue said, “A child? Why would we want a child now? I’m still young; having a child so early is exhausting. Let’s wait until I’m at least twenty-seven or twenty-eight.” After all, in the modern era, many women waited until their thirties to have children. She didn’t want to become an old woman prematurely due to child-rearing.

Twenty-seven or twenty-eight? Doesn’t that mean he would be in his thirties? Qin Mao’s face stiffened. Although the country had started promoting family planning, the traditional idea of “early marriage, early childbirth, and early establishment of a family and career” was still deeply ingrained. In the conservative rural areas, this notion was even more prevalent. Qin Mao couldn’t accept becoming a father in his thirties, feeling that there was a problem in their communication.

“Even if you don’t want to raise it, I can take care of it,” Qin Mao tried to comfort her. He was genuinely scared, afraid of becoming a father in his thirties. Deep down, he was a traditional man. If he returned home without a child and a warm wife waiting for him, what would be the point of life?

It seemed hopeless!

“But I don’t want to give birth either. It’s so painful! Being pregnant takes ten months, and I can’t move for who knows how long. Being like a useless person lying in bed without self-care for so long, you might as well kill me!” Yin Yue continued to mutter. In essence, her message was clear: giving birth is painful, and she didn’t want to go through it.

This was another thunderbolt for Qin Mao. He angrily said, “How can you be like this?”

Yin Yue was even angrier than him and retorted, “What do you mean by ‘like this’? It’s not like you have to give birth. You won’t feel the pain, so of course, it’s easy for you to talk! And, did you marry me just for the sake of having children and carrying on the family line? Are you treating me only as a provider of a womb? Why are you like those worldly men, so selfish and narrow-minded?”

Under this string of arguments, Qin Mao was dumbfounded. He quickly explained, “I didn’t mean that at all. I never thought that way. I just feel that a family without children is not complete or healthy.”

But Yin Yue didn’t listen at all, continuing her unreasonable complaints, “Alright, tell me this then. If I were to give birth – hypothetically speaking – do you want a boy or a girl?”

“A boy,” Qin Mao replied without hesitation. A hint of embarrassment and anticipation appeared on his face, and he honestly added, “Preferably smart and lively like Xiao Bao.”

Yin Minglu was indeed the most well-known and handsome boy in the surrounding villages, becoming a benchmark for men in the entire village to aspire to when it came to having sons. Just as the village beauty was a standard for men looking for wives, everyone thought that if they could have a son, it would be great if he could grow up as handsome as Yin Minglu. A grown-up like him would have no trouble finding a wife in the entire region, and there might even be many lovely young girls eager to be chosen.

Since Qin Mao first saw Xiao Bao catching fish by the river, with his three-foot height, cute face resembling Zhang Yuxue, and the habit of soaking his feet by the river while enjoying a popsicle, he fell in love. He found the child incredibly adorable.

With a child like that, what more could a husband ask for?

Of course, if they were to have a daughter, and she turned out as delicate and charming as Xiao Bao, he wouldn’t mind at all. He would love and cherish her just as much.

Qin Mao spoke sincerely, but he didn’t notice the fiery flames burning in his wife’s eyes.

As soon as she heard the irritating name, Yin Yue’s eyes turned cold, and she suppressed her anger, saying, “To put it plainly, you’re also a vulgar man who inherently favors sons over daughters! What’s so good about wanting someone like Xiao Bao?”

Qin Mao: “…” But even if I like girls, you won’t give birth.

What’s wrong with someone like Xiao Bao? He looks good, is obedient and sensible. Besides, he’s currently acting in TV shows and shooting commercials at such a young age, being a child star surrounded by a halo. Apart from the fact that he grew up without a father, there’s really nothing to fault him for.

He initially thought that mentioning the name of his wife’s cousin from her maternal family would make her happy, and perhaps ease some of her resistance to the idea of having a child. However, it turned out to have the opposite effect. His wife seemed even more resistant, displaying clear signs of disgust on her face. She even criticized and spoke ill of his ideal candidate, Xiao Bao.

It wasn’t clear why there was such overwhelming aversion towards the cousin from her maternal family, who was supposed to be a good kid. Was Xiao Bao, touted as a good child by others, too mischievous and had offended Yin Yue, his cousin? Or was Yin Yue, as sharp as a needle, simply disliking Xiao Bao, her cousin?

Qin Mao fell silent, pulled the blanket over himself indifferently, feeling that his last sliver of hope had shattered. He and his wife were fundamentally unable to communicate.

Perhaps, separation was the best option.

Seeing Qin Mao’s reaction, Yin Yue’s delicate eyebrows furrowed again. She asked, “Why are you not talking again?” When she didn’t get a response from Qin Mao, she added another mark against Xiao Bao in her mind, reasoning that the troublesome kid was disrupting their marital relationship. Just wait; she would definitely give this child who hindered their marriage a gift one of these days!

Yin Minglu was still unaware that he had become the subject of conversation between Yin Yuer and her husband. Even if he found out, he wouldn’t have taken it to heart.

He was lying on the bed, small hands pinching the corner of the blanket, getting ready to sleep. 

It was just that, when someone mentioned him, he suddenly let out a small sneeze, attracting the attention of those around him. The young boy half sat up from under the quilt, pressed the back of his hand against the little guy’s forehead, and whispered, “Caught a cold?”

The little one shook his head, and the back of his hand felt normal, so the young man breathed a sigh of relief. He pulled the child closer, simultaneously sharing most of the blanket, covering the child tightly. Almost only the nose was left outside for breathing, and then he laid back down, satisfied.

Sleeping until midnight, the young man was suddenly awakened by the weight on his stomach. In the dark, he opened his eyes, revealing a pair of deep, star-like eyes.

Lowering his eyes, he found a chubby little hand pressing on his chest. The soft, white face was leaning against his body, so tender that it almost didn’t feel threatening.

The child was lying on top of him, and for some reason, the lower half of the child was dangling in the air, even though there was a bed underneath. The child had managed to sleep on top of him, making it difficult for him to breathe. Yet, the child slept soundly, occasionally licking his lips and making contented sounds.

The young man remained silent and somewhat uncomfortable.

However, he couldn’t bear to push the child away, so he extended his arm to half-embrace him. As a result, the next day, they were awakened by the sound of firecrackers outside the window. When the little one woke up and rubbed his eyes, he looked at the situation with a bit of confusion. After pondering for a moment, he said, “Big Brother Fu, isn’t it uncomfortable to sleep like this?”

There was a suppressed vein popping on the young man’s forehead. He pinched the innocent and tender face, teasing with a half-numb arm, “Not bad.”

Yan Minglu: ?

Then why does your expression look so painful?

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