Starting a new chapter in life

"This boy has always been a bit mischievous since he was little, and he's also very sweet-talking and knows how to coax people. I used to worry that he might become a womanizer in the future. We can't have a bad man in our family. But thankfully, he's grown up and become much more mature. He never flirts with girls outside the family. At most, he'll just play around with the family members. You'll get used to it. Putting everything else aside, he's the most caring man in our family." Grandma smiled lovingly.

Jing Yan gave a forced, awkward smile. "I understand, Grandma."

The next day was New Year's Eve. Early in the morning, everyone in the family started to get busy, including Grandma. Grandma was busy cutting red paper and wrapping red envelopes. She wrote the recipient's name in the corner of each red envelope. Her small regular script was very beautiful. Jingyan helped her fold the red envelopes and couldn't help but feel envious when she looked at Grandma's penmanship.

Grandma glanced up casually and saw the look in her eyes, and couldn't help but smile: "What, do you like my handwriting?"

Jing Yan nodded repeatedly, saying enviously, "I only have a junior high school education, and I didn't practice my handwriting carefully when I was in school, so my handwriting is quite ugly."

"It's never too late to learn if you want to. You just need to know and value your own needs. Do you want to learn?" Grandma looked at her very seriously.

Jingyan nodded emphatically: "Grandma, I want to learn."

“Okay, then starting tomorrow, I’ll practice calligraphy and you can follow along. I’ll guide you. You need to know that when people can’t meet in person, the first impression they have of you is your handwriting. It’s said that handwriting reflects a person’s character. Good handwriting can give others a good impression. First impressions are very important for strangers, even more so than the impression your appearance gives.” Grandma explained patiently and kindly.

Jingyan learned her lesson. After helping her grandmother fold the red envelopes, she also cut a piece of red paper, folded one, and carried it with her. Her grandmother watched her actions and asked with a smile, "Is this for a little gift?"

Jing Yan nodded: "We only have this one junior in our family now, and as the elder, I should give him a red envelope."

Grandma put down her pen, which she had just finished writing with, and asked, seemingly casually, "Don't you and Xiaojun have any plans to have children?"

“Before, I was in the Great Northern Wilderness. My parents passed away. Although I have older siblings, they all have their own families. If I got pregnant there, there would be no one to help me if something happened at home. Now that we’re back, I think we can let nature take its course. After we finish taking care of things at home, I don’t have any job opportunities right now, so it’s appropriate to have a child first. But I’m afraid I won’t be able to take care of the child. After all, a child really needs someone to look after him for even a short time.”

Jingyan wanted one child—no, she always wanted two. In her previous life, she only had one daughter because the one-child policy had already been implemented. At that time, she was a factory worker, and if she violated the regulations, she would lose her professional title. So, this had always been a regret in her heart.

If the progress of this life is similar to that of the previous life, news of the one-child policy should have spread by 1980. If I get pregnant this year, the child could be born in 1979. If everything goes smoothly, I can have another child in 1980 and avoid the one-child policy period. Should I give it a shot? It's a rare second chance, so I shouldn't have any regrets in this regard.

Grandma was overjoyed to hear that she wanted a child: "If you get pregnant, Grandma won't stay in the nursing home anymore when you're further along; I'll come back to stay with you. I can't do much else, but I can wash the dishes and keep an eye on you. When you give birth and are in postpartum confinement, your mother-in-law will take some time off to come and take care of you. She's the head nurse; she's the most professional in this area."

"Once you're out of your postpartum period, your mother-in-law can help out with the baby. In a couple of years, she'll be of retirement age. If you don't want to take care of the baby then and want to do your own things, just leave the baby with her and you can focus on your own tasks."

Jingyan's eyes lit up. It would be best if her mother-in-law could lend a hand. After the baby was born, the reform and opening-up policy should be perfected. At that time, she could either set up a barbecue stall or rent a shop to open a barbecue restaurant and sell braised meat on the side. She needed to find something to do and earn some money.

Zhijun's future is definitely secure. Her lack of education is a major weakness, and she can't rely on her husband to support the family alone. Even if her in-laws don't object, will Zhijun's attitude change over time? The most unpredictable thing is always human nature, and she doesn't want to gamble on that.

Moreover, there was the prevailing trend: a wave of divorces swept through the post-1990s generation. Wang Yang's parents were caught in that divorce frenzy during that period. She didn't understand it back then, but having been given a second chance at life, she now has some understanding.

If one spouse moves too fast while the other stagnates, the marriage will inevitably develop cracks. I can forget about studying and going to university; I don't have the brains for it. However, I can still try to do business and make money. Even if the marriage runs into problems in the future, at least I'll have the money in my pocket to support my future life.

Thinking about all this, Jingyan said somewhat embarrassedly, "Grandma, having children is our own business. It's unfair to expect Mom to take care of the children. She's worked hard all her life, but it's a bit much to expect her to have her retirement life taken up."

"What's so excessive? Mom is willing to help you take care of the child." Cui Hongru's voice rang out from behind her, her joy evident in her tone.

Jingyan turned around and saw Cui Hongru and her sister-in-law Zhou Jie standing behind her, while He Zhijun stood at the kitchen doorway smiling at her. Her face immediately turned red: "Um, I didn't know you were all here, hehehe." This scene made Jingyan want to dig a hole and crawl into a hole. She hadn't even discussed having a child with Zhijun yet, and to say this to her grandmother at this time was really embarrassing.

Seeing her embarrassment, He Zhijun walked into the living room, stood beside her, and smiled, "Originally, I didn't plan to have a child at this time. We discussed not having children while we were in the Great Northern Wilderness, so I wouldn't worry about you being alone at home. On our way back, I was also thinking that since we weren't living with our parents here, it would be inconvenient if you were pregnant."

Originally, I planned to have Mom retire in two years, which would be the perfect time for you to get pregnant. That way, I could have Mom come and take care of you so I could focus on my studies. But now that you feel the conditions are right, we can really let nature take its course. Grandma's willingness to come back and keep you company is a pleasant surprise, Jingyan. I'm truly happy. However, if you can't manage to take care of the baby after it's born, then Mom can take early retirement. I won't stand on ceremony with my own mother."

Jingyan grabbed his hand and shook her head: "I don't agree with Mom retiring early. In my hometown, many women still have to work in the fields even when they're almost due. I'm already very comfortable just staying at home, not to mention I have Grandma with me."

My mom came to help me cook and wash diapers when I was in postpartum confinement. If that wasn't enough, we could find someone capable to help out for a couple of months, and everything would be fine after my confinement period.

While I'm cooking and washing diapers, Grandma helps look after the baby. When you come back on the weekend, you can lend a hand. Let's be clear from the start: while childbirth is primarily a woman's responsibility, it's not just my job. You need to be involved when you have time. You need to learn how to wash diapers and take care of the baby; you can't rely solely on me and the family.”

He Zhijun nodded in agreement: "Don't worry, now that I'm a father, I will definitely take on the responsibilities of a father. As long as I have a holiday, I won't go anywhere. I'll come home and help take care of the child. I'm a good cook and I can make nutritious meals for you. When the child is older, I'll teach her to walk and teach him to read. Just thinking about it makes me feel hopeful for the future."

Cui Hongru was also happy. The two children had just returned, and she had wanted to urge them to have more children, but she felt it was too hasty, so she hadn't brought it up. She never expected that Jingyan would have the same idea. When she needs help in the future, she, as her mother-in-law, will definitely help her. This child is sensible and knows that her work is important. She didn't try to get her to retire early, which made her even more satisfied. Unlike her troublesome son, who was still trying to get her to retire early. Humph, it's only because he's married that she's willing to beat him with a feather duster.

"Jingyan, don't worry, Mom will take leave to take care of you during your postpartum period." Cui Hongru was happy to reassure her.

Jingyan smiled and said, "Mom, if you're too busy at the hospital to take time off, you could look for a hardworking and clean auntie to help out for a month or two. Even though you're more professional, those aunties would only need about ten yuan a month. It would be a waste to give up your monthly salary. If you like children, when you retire, I might have to ask you for a hand if you just want to relax."

Cui Hongru liked hearing this. She was probably too influenced by her mother-in-law and didn't like living with her daughter-in-law. It was fine for a short time, but over time, there would inevitably be friction, which could easily affect their relationship. It was better to get along like this, not too close and not too distant. Although their relationship wasn't strong, it was harmonious.

"That's still a long way off. We'll see how things go later." Cui Hongru smiled and turned to pull Zhou Jie, saying, "Xiao Jie, come on, we still have two dishes to make. You can help Mom."

Zhou Jie smiled and agreed, following Cui Hongru's lead back to the kitchen. Jing Yan looked at He Zhijun and asked softly, "Did Mom help your brother's children back then?"

He Zhijun shook his head: "I wasn't home when Xiaoli was born, so I don't know if our mother helped. The situation was quite tense at that time. Grandpa and Grandma were in a nursing home and couldn't come out. Grandpa passed away in the same year. At that time, my sister-in-law was neglected by her family. But later I heard that her mother came to take care of her during her postpartum period. Because of this, Mom gave my sister-in-law's mother a gold bracelet. I don't know the specifics."

Jingyan nodded, and her grandmother, who was stuffing money into a red envelope, suddenly spoke up: "Back then, the situation was tense, and there were still frequent criticism sessions. Your grandfather and I didn't dare to leave the sanatorium. At that time, only the sanatorium could protect people like us with sensitive identities."

The old man was different from me. I didn't care much about the state of affairs. After all, I was the descendant of capitalists. How much could I be expected to have a heart for the country and the people? But he was an old revolutionary. He was worried about the situation at that time. It's not so much that he passed away because of his poor health, but because his beliefs were shaken and his mental world collapsed. This led to excessive worry, and his body couldn't take it. His passing was a relief for him. Who told him to be so stubborn and live such a torturous life?

That year, your parents lived in constant fear, afraid of being affected. Your sister-in-law was also somewhat overlooked when she gave birth to Xiaoli. Fortunately, her family background was good, and her mother came to take care of her, making it safer for her to go out to buy groceries and other necessities.

Rather than saying they came to take care of your sister-in-law, it's more accurate to say they came to put everyone's minds at ease. When Xiaoli turns one month old, your mother-in-law will take out a full-weight gold bracelet from her jewelry box as a thank-you gift. Our whole family is grateful to her for this.

That's when your sister-in-law was also very worried, which led to a difficult childbirth, and she hasn't been able to conceive since. However, your mother-in-law said that one child is enough, so that when your brother and sister-in-law get old, they'll have someone to look after. Your mother-in-law is a very understanding person; she's open-minded and can let go of things easily. She's a good person.

Your sister-in-law is very sensible and manages the household very well. Your brother, on the other hand, is a complete slacker when he gets home from work, acting like a big shot. I've talked to him about this several times, but your sister-in-law always defends him. Since the young couple has this tacit understanding, I, this old woman, simply stop interfering to avoid being disliked.

Compared to your sister-in-law, I prefer Jingyan's idea. Men are also members of the family. It's unreasonable for only women to worry about the family while men only care about making money and do nothing else. In the long run, men's sense of belonging to the family will fade, which is detrimental to the relationship between husband and wife.

Jingyan smiled helplessly: "Grandma, I'm not as insightful as you say. I'm just purely lazy. I don't want to do any work if I can avoid it. Zhijun knows this. I'm not afraid you'll laugh at me. Back when we were in the Great Northern Wilderness, he would come home about once every two weeks. Every time he came back, he would do housework. Those were the happiest and most blissful times for me. I could laze around at home for two days."

"Hahaha," Grandma laughed until tears almost came out. "No wonder you two have such a good relationship. It's true that loving and spoiling each other can really deepen a couple's bond."

The couple chatted with the grandmother. Jingyan took out an empty red envelope from her pocket and waved it at He Zhijun: "We should also give Xiaoli a red envelope. I've made the red envelope, you can put the money in it." After saying that, she handed the red envelope over.

He Zhijun took out a ten-yuan note from his pocket and handed it to her: "You fill it up, you give it to her. This is the first time you, as her aunt, are giving a red envelope to a younger generation. I won't argue with you."

Jingyan didn't stand on ceremony with him. She had changed her clothes when she got up today, and she didn't have any money in her pockets. Well, she didn't have any money in her pockets even though she hadn't changed her clothes. Her money was always kept in her small wallet, which was still on the small table in the room. She was too lazy to get it, so she took the money, folded it a couple of times, stuffed it into the red envelope, and put it back in her pocket.