Northeast: My Absurd Woman

Chapter 32 The Widow's Newlywed Wedding

Yang Wuni noticed that Zhang Shuhua's expression was getting increasingly grim.

So I thought I'd change the subject and chat with Li Yue'e.

"Wu Ni, do you think Sui Yumi can come and join in the fun?"

Li Yue'e did not answer, but instead asked Yang Wuni a question.

"I don't know my sister-in-law well, but she left in a huff during the Lunar New Year."

She doesn't approve of my father marrying Widow Xing, and I'd say she has little chance of coming.

"It's better if she doesn't come. I find her annoying, just like Qian Deng'er."

Yang Wuni guessed that Li Yue'e was going along with Yang Wuni's ideas.

"Neither of you knows Sui Yumi's character. I bet she'll be here soon."

"You two should watch your voice. If someone overhears, they'll think we're gossiping about someone behind their back."

Zhang Shuhua peeked out the door, then quickly turned back and said, "They're here, they're here."

Yang Wuni and Li Yue'e both knew what Zhang Shuhua meant by "coming."

"Second sister-in-law, could you help me see what we can do with the bedsheets my father took off?"

Yang Wuni quickly found a topic to talk about to avoid being misunderstood by Sui Yumi.

"If you ask me, you should buy a few pounds of cotton and make a big quilt."

With each new baby born, small blankets take up too much space and are a waste of materials.

After finishing her work, Yang Wuni pulled Li Yue'e to her small storage room to look at old quilt covers.

"What? Second sister-in-law left as soon as she saw me?" Sui Yumi said to Li Yue'e's retreating figure as soon as she entered the courtyard.

"Suiyu, let me see Wuni's room. Are you coming too?"

Li Yue'e was much older than Sui Yumi, so he no longer cared about the tone of his voice when speaking to her.

"I'm not going to look, I'm afraid it will hit my head." Sui Yumi carried her son Guibao into the house.

"Wu Ni, your sister-in-law is not a good person to beat up."

"You should associate with her less in the future. You'll only suffer losses and gain nothing from it."

Li Yue'e and Yang Wuni entered the house, crouched down and lowered their heads, and took two steps to sit down on the kang (a heated brick bed).

"Wu Ni, hurry up and save some money to build two proper houses to live in."

This small house is fine for the two of you, but it will be too cramped once you have a child.

Li Yue'e looked around at the cramped space where the two of them couldn't even turn around and sighed.

"Second sister-in-law, that's easier said than done. Let's talk about it again in a few years!"

Yang Wuni also sighed and soaked the bed sheets and mattress pads she had taken off in the laundry tub.

"Whoosh...whoosh..."

As the two were talking, they heard the sound of Zhang Kaiju grabbing the donkey cart at the gate of the courtyard.

"Second sister-in-law, my father has brought his wife back. Let's go out and greet him quickly."

Yang Wuni shook the water off her hands and pulled Li Yue'e outside.

In her haste, Li Yue'e looked up too early and bumped her head on the door frame, letting out a hiss in pain.

Yang Wuni immediately went over and helped her rub the red marks on her head.

"Wu Ni, this house is uninhabitable. Tomorrow, I'll have your second brother help you find a place to build a house."

Li Yue'e kicked the door frame and only looked up after stepping out of the room.

Zhang Kaiju led the donkey cart into the courtyard, his smile undisguised.

Widow Xing was dressed in red clothes, red pants, and red shoes, with a red veil covering her head.

Anyone who didn't know better would think it was someone's wedding.

Zhang Changyao quickly ran a few steps, took the reins from Zhang Kai's hand, and brought the donkey cart to a stop.

Zhang Kaiju turned around and, without any hesitation, picked up Widow Xing and carried her into the house.

"Shuhua, spread the quilt on the kang (heated brick bed). Your sister-in-law says she wants to bring good fortune."

Zhang Kaiju stood on the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed) with Widow Xing in his arms, waiting.

"Right away, almost done..."

Zhang Shuhua smiled, pursing her lips. She laughed at how shameless this widow Xing was.

He's so old, yet he's still trying to do what young people do when they're getting married.

After the quilt was laid out, Zhang Kaiju placed Widow Xing on it.

His old face turned red from holding it in, and he didn't dare to say he was tired as he watched Widow Xing laugh.

Zhang Kaiju lifted Widow Xing's red veil, and Widow Xing blushed with embarrassment.

When Zhang Shuhua first saw Widow Xing in person, she was immediately captivated by her appearance.

She no longer blames Zheng Jingren for being so fond of this woman; even as a woman herself, she feels she can't get enough of looking at her.

Although he is in his fifties, there is not a single wrinkle on his face.

Her cheeks were fair and tender, and her big eyes curved into crescent moons as she smiled.

"Fifth Brother, you've struck gold! Whose beauty have you managed to bring back?"

Zhang Shuhua praised Widow Xing with honeyed words.

"Are you Zhang Shuhua?"

When Widow Xing heard Zhang Shuhua call Zhang Kaiju "Fifth Brother," she guessed her identity.

"Fifth Sister-in-law, from now on you will call me Shuhua. We will be sisters-in-law from now on."

Zhang Shuhua did not answer, but instead subtly confirmed her identity.

This is Changguang's wife following Yumi, and in her arms is our Zhang family's precious little darling, Guibao.

This is my second daughter-in-law, Yue'e, and my two granddaughters, Xiao Dui'er and Xiao Shuang'er.

This is your youngest son, Changyao, and your daughter-in-law, Wuni.

Zhang Shuhua pulled each person over and introduced them to Widow Xing.

"Changyao is such a handsome boy, no wonder Zheng Meizhi is so determined to marry him."

Widow Xing looked Zhang Changyao up and down, her eyes full of affection.

"Fifth Brother, if there's nothing else, let's eat. I'll have Yue'e go and call Guan Shu and Guan Lin."

Zhang Shuhua didn't know what to do next, so she just sat in line to eat.

"Shuhua, Guan Shu and Guan Lin are calling. Changyao, go and call Ma Pengsheng and Zheng Meizhi."

You also need to call your aunt's parents, who are her maternal relatives.

Then you go and call Guan Shu and Guan Lin; they're family, so there's no rush.

Zhang Kaiju glanced at Widow Xing, who nodded, indicating her agreement to his arrangement.

Zhang Changyao hadn't expected to be called Zheng Meizhi again, and couldn't help but glance at Yang Wuni.

"Young man, what are you looking at? Hurry up and go!"

Zhang Kaiju understood Zhang Changyao's meaning, so he angrily went over and shoved him.

"Zhang Changyao, go and call Brother Guan Shu and Brother Guan Lin. I'll go and call the Ma Pengsheng family."

Yang Wuni pushed Zhang Changyao and the other person out of the courtyard.

"Hmph! With a stepmother comes a stepfather. He gave me a hard time as soon as I walked in the door." Zhang Changyao muttered as he walked ahead.

"Zhang Changyao, are you planning to make me sleep in the open air?"

Yang Wuni caught up with Zhang Changyao and reminded him to be careful about his words and actions.

"Wu Ni, look at my father's eyes, they're practically glued to that widow's face."

"At your age, you still don't know how to behave yourself."

Zhang Changyao, with his hands in his pockets, kicked a small pebble off the road.

"Zhang Changyao, I think you're a well-fed man who doesn't know the hunger of a starving man."

You just got married and you only eat until you're five or six full at night. Do you think you can eat like your dad?

He hasn't had any meat in eight hundred years, how could he not act like this?

"We're all men, and you can't even understand this? Are you pretending to be stupid?" Yang Wuni pinched Zhang Changyao's ear.

"Wu Ni, don't call Zheng Meizhi later, I find her slutty face disgusting."