If flowers bloom, youth will naturally follow.

"Don't talk nonsense! How can you talk about your parents like that? I'm going to light the stove. You take a break, and we'll go to your parents' house later." Ma Dongmei playfully slapped him, then lifted the quilt, her pregnant belly sticking out, and got off the kang (heated brick bed) to light the stove.

"I'll take care of it, you rest," Xia Donghai carefully laid her back down, then carried the stove and ran out happily.

Hearing the sound of him chopping wood to start a fire outside, Ma Dongmei sat up abruptly, a smile on her lips as she looked at the money and clothes. They were all real money and nice clothes—money and clothes she had never seen before in her life.

When Ma Dongmei recalled the hardships and grievances of the past year, she couldn't help but shed tears silently, then sob uncontrollably, and finally cover her face and cry loudly.

Xia Donghai wisely refrained from coming in to offer comfort.

Ma Dongmei calmed herself down, got up and washed her face and hair. She opened the clothes Xia Donghai had bought and looked at them. They were quite thoughtful, with everything from the inside out. But... could pregnant women wear these clothes?

That makes sense, though. You're only going to wear these clothes for a few months during pregnancy, so it's not worth buying such nice clothes.

She sat down in front of the mirror she hadn't looked in for a long time, looking at the rosy cheeks on her face. Yes, her face was chapped and looked terrible. She took out the cosmetics Xia Donghai had bought and started using them.

Xia Donghai carried the lit stove into the house, making it much warmer. Seeing Ma Dongmei applying oil in front of the mirror, he felt a surge of excitement and leaned over to hug her, saying, "Wife, show me your makeup."

"Get lost, that's for good people!"

"There's no one else here, we can wipe it later..."

Fuck you!

"I..."

Just then, voices came from outside: "Is that Da Hai? Da Hai is back?"

"Damn it," Xia Donghai complained as he went out to greet them. Soon, his hearty laughter and the sounds of the two exchanging pleasantries could be heard from outside.

More and more voices came from outside, and Xia Donghai's loud laughter could be heard from time to time. The voices of those who hadn't moved around for a long time could also be heard.

Brother-in-law...

My own brother...

His poor brothers...

Looking at her much fairer face in the mirror, Ma Dongmei felt a sense of happiness and a peace and comfort she had never felt before. This was what it felt like to be married.

After Xia Donghai saw off his fellow villagers and friends, Ma Dongmei, wearing his newly bought high heels and down jacket, followed him to her in-laws' house and then back to her parents' home.

Her parents' home wasn't far away, and the road was difficult to travel, but Xia Donghai insisted on driving her there. Ma Dongmei rolled her eyes at him, thinking he was being smug, but she didn't refuse. Although she still respected both sets of parents, she was very proud. She had her own husband, and it was none of their business.

Xia Donghai wanted to throw 500 yuan at his father-in-law and mother-in-law, but Ma Dongmei scolded him and confiscated all 10,000 yuan, giving him only 200 yuan and 100 yuan to the elderly family members.

This made Xia Donghai very unhappy.

Even so, facing their handsome son-in-law who drove a sedan chair, Ma Dongmei's family still treated the couple as honored guests. Everyone said, "Dongmei has good taste. Can you find such a good young man from Donghai in the surrounding area?"

Xia Donghai felt like he was floating on air. What cigarettes or alcohol could compare to the pleasure of making those who once looked down on him look up to him?

That very night, Xia Donghai threw a big banquet to invite his poor brothers to pay back the money. Ma Dongmei didn't stop him; anyone who has experienced the coldness and warmth of human relationships knows who to be close to.

Xia Donghai spent over a thousand yuan in one day after returning home, which broke Ma Dongmei's heart. She stuffed the remaining eight thousand yuan into her ribs and secretly vowed not to spend any more money no matter what Xia Donghai said.