"Yiguang, look at your wife, has anyone ever spoken like that?" Shen Yidong was nearly jumping with anger as he pointed at Yang PeiMin, his face full of harshness.
Shen Yiguang slammed his chopsticks down on the table, "Sister, if you don’t like it, you can go and make some noodles later. My wife has been busy preparing meals for the whole family, and still can’t please anyone? So what if something’s a bit burnt? Has living a good life for two years made you so delicate that you can’t stomach it?"
Shen Yidong, criticized in front of everyone by her brother, couldn’t bear it; her face turned red with rage, and she snapped at Chen Guizhi, "Mom and Dad, aren’t you going to do something? Look at this brother of mine, marrying a wife and forgetting his sisters. What did I say wrong? Which wife acts like her? It’s already quite good that she can sit at the table to eat, isn’t it? Getting too big for her boots?"
Shen Erniu also darkened his countenance, the normally even-tempered man seldom got angry, but when he did, it was quite intimidating, "Alright, that’s enough from you."
Feeling aggrieved, Shen Yidong put down her bowl and chopsticks and walked out.
Chen Guizhi called after her, but still anxiously said to Shen Yiyue, "Go check on your sister, bring her a bowl of rice. She’s pregnant; how can she go without eating?"
Shen Yiyue nodded, filled the bowl that Shen Yidong had used, and took it out to her.
Yang PeiMin stood up, "Mom, Dad, I’m sorry, I’m feeling a bit unwell, I’m going back to my room." She didn’t care about the expressions on everyone’s faces and turned to leave.
The dinner table fell silent; you could hear a pin drop. Shen Erniu’s face grew even more sullen, and even Shen Yixiang didn’t dare to open her mouth to badmouth Yang PeiMin.
Still, Chen Guizhi couldn’t stand the atmosphere and called her son, "You should go and see your wife, find out where she doesn’t feel well..." She didn’t finish her sentence before her husband gave her a stern look.
Shen Yiguang nodded and got up, "I’ll go take a look."
After leaving the house, Yang PeiMin took several deep breaths of the crisp air, feeling some of the pent-up frustration dissipate before returning to her room.
Close on her heels, Shen Yiguang followed into the room and asked, "Where do you feel unwell?"
Yang PeiMin took off her shoes and lay on the bed, pulling the quilt over herself, "I want to sleep early; I’m a bit tired."
Shen Yiguang climbed onto the bed and reached out to check her forehead, "Are you angry?"
Yang PeiMin turned away, avoiding his hand, "No, it was my fault, I shouldn’t have burnt the dishes, and I was just thinking about returning to my maiden home tomorrow, wanting to get an early rest."
"Your lies aren’t very convincing!" Shen Yiguang shook his head, "The dish wasn’t that bad, I know Sister was deliberately picking faults, I’ll have brother-in-law take her back later... And you, walking out suddenly claiming you felt unwell, has worried mom and dad. Mom’s more anxious than I am; she was in such a hurry to send me to see what’s wrong. You tell me, how have you won over our mom so much, she treats you even better than she treats me..."
Hearing this, Yang PeiMin pursed her lips, "Then go out and tell them I’m fine..."
"No need, the fact that I’m not going out means there’s nothing serious."
"Should we make some Milk Essence?"
"Shen Yiguang, you’re so annoying!"
Shen Yiguang really was a bit annoyed; his wife, who could turn on him at any moment, had left him hanging just when he started to enjoy his meal.
The day after tomorrow was the day for returning to her maiden home.
Yang PeiMin’s biological clock was very precise these days; she woke up early and got everything ready.
She even had a sense of eagerness.
After greeting the elders in the east room, she returned to Xiahe Village.
The Yang Family knew she was coming back today and had everything prepared.
When they received her message, Zhang Minghua even ran out to the gate to greet her.
Yang PeiMin looked at her mother whom she seemed not to have seen for a long time and ran over to hug her, "Mom, I’ve missed you so much!"
Zhang Minghua wiped the corner of her eye and smiled, "What are you saying? Your son-in-law is watching."
Shen Yiguang walked over and saw his wife hugging her mother-in-law as if she had come to life again, and he couldn’t help feeling a bit helpless.
They entered the house.
After a few words, Zhang Minghua hurriedly pulled her into the room to ask about her situation, whether the Shen family elders treated her well? Did the younger sisters-in-law from the Shen family give her a hard time? Most importantly, how was Shen Yiguang treating her? Was she getting used to life at the Shen family?
Yang PeiMin summarized briefly.
Zhang Minghua cursed the irresponsible sisters-in-law a couple of times, then proceeded to offer her strategies, "Even if your in-laws like you, they won’t favor you over their own daughters. At least on the surface, you have to get along with those two irresponsible ones. As for the unfairness and the nitpicking, we need to find an opportunity to subtly expose it to everyone. Once they know, they will naturally lean towards you when such issues arise again..."
They talked about this matter for about half an hour.
Finally, the conversation turned to her relationship with Shen Yiguang, "Have you been doing as I told you, putting a pillow under your waist when you do it, it makes it easier to conceive..."
"This method came from your grandmother’s side, it’s easier to conceive a boy with it. Don’t you see that both your mom and aunt have had several boys?"
"Afterwards, you also have to make sure he doesn’t pull out so quickly..."
Yang PeiMin groaned in distress.
"Mom, Dad’s calling me to go out."
"What’s there to be embarrassed about?"
"Mom, let’s go outside."
"You, don’t take this lightly. How many people wish they could have a son but can’t manage to? We have to cherish this opportunity..."
In the main room, Shen Yiguang was talking with Yang Dahai, Yang Peijun, and a few other men. He occasionally glanced towards the room Yang PeiMin had entered, and when the two women emerged, he was surprised to find that his wife, who had been so lively just before, now seemed deflated...
Seizing the chance while they were washing their hands for dinner, Shen Yiguang snuck up to Yang PeiMin, "What were you guys talking about?"
Yang PeiMin glared at him, "Things between women, men aren’t supposed to hear."
After the meal, Yang PeiMin spoke with Yang Dahai for a while.
Yang Dahai was quite supportive of her idea to take the college entrance exam again. However, he was somewhat concerned about her in-laws, "Minmin, your registration has been transferred there, it’s not with our family anymore. You’ll have to get the recommendation letter from Daji Village... Has Yiguang agreed to let you take the college entrance exam?"
Yang PeiMin nodded, "He has." But there was no need to mention their negotiations.
In the end, Yang Dahai also told her, "Minmin, it’s good that you have the ambition, and Dad is happy for you. But don’t neglect your family over this, especially Yiguang. He’s the one who will stand by your side for the rest of your life. There are priorities to consider, and since he’s often in the military, we need to maintain that affection well."
"Dad, I understand." Yang PeiMin suddenly felt a little ashamed.
"Alright, let’s go back. Your son-in-law is waiting for you."
Before sunset, they were set to head back.
Yang PeiMin actually wanted to stay for the night herself, but Zhang Minghua disagreed, saying it was not customary.
Yang PeiMin reluctantly followed Shen Yiguang back to the Shen family.