Help others? It's better to help yourself - Chapter 59
Due to her pregnancy, Gu Panpan’s mind was preoccupied, and she wasn’t as sharp as usual.
She didn’t notice the changes in Shen Yue, but Shen Yue’s mother could tell that her eldest son was unhappy.
As a serving soldier, his ability to observe shouldn’t be underestimated. Unless he subconsciously excludes you from suspicion and doesn’t harbor any guard against you, his insights are keen. Moreover, this is someone who lives with you every day, sharing your life.
Gu Panpan had hoped to use the “love and sincerity” she had crafted as a weapon to win over Shen Yue, to infiltrate his life and heart. But the problem with pretending is that it can only last so long; any small slip-up would give her away.
So, when Shen Yue realized he had been deceived, he not only mocked himself but also felt anger towards Gu Panpan. The humiliation of being treated like a fool while enjoying the illusion made him feel even more disturbed.
After burning all the letters between them, the “evidence” disappeared, and he finally regained his composure.
Shen Yue decisively severed the ties with his past (even if it was a secret only he knew), closed his heart once again, and quickly changed the way he interacted with Gu Panpan.
It could be said that over the past thirty years, Shen Yue had never made the same mistake twice in his professional field. Yet, with Gu Panpan, he had stumbled twice. His pride and self-esteem wouldn’t allow him to make such a mistake again.
By the time Gu Panpan could eat and drink and her health had recovered, another month had passed. There was no longer any sign of unease in Shen Yue.
Shen Yue’s mother, however, felt alarmed. She could sense that the emotional ties binding her son had weakened again. For people who work in dangerous professions, these emotional ties, love, and warmth are even more important.
She would occasionally nag at her younger son, Shen He, or make some offhand complaints or remarks. But when it came to her eldest son, she was always more careful with her words. Even casual, thoughtless comments could leave a mark on her son’s heart.
As a mother, she just wanted to protect him, even though her son was now taller and stronger than she was!
By the time Gu Panpan realized the issue, no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t improve the relationship between them. The emotional distance between them remained unchanged.
Later, she carefully reflected on everything, going over it again and again, only then realizing that it was her persona that had collapsed and caused the mistake. She had fallen into the same impatient trap she had when she first reincarnated.
This flaw had always been present in her past life. Even after being reborn, she had repeatedly warned herself to be careful, but still, with the slightest lapse, she ended up causing trouble.
Gu Panpan weakly slumped down. Afterward, she thought to herself that if love wasn’t the right path, she could still rely on motherly affection and warmth.
Thinking of this, Gu Panpan was filled with renewed determination.
…
After sending the kids to be taken care of by Shen He for the summer, Xu Jing’an felt particularly relaxed.
As usual, she chatted with her colleagues while waiting for the end of the workday.
“Marrying a daughter-in-law like that is a blessing earned over eight lifetimes,” Wu Sufen said indignantly, agreeing with the sentiment.
“Who are you talking about?” Xu Jing’an felt a bit out of the loop, having just stepped away to wash her hands.
“Who else could it be? A Qing’s wife!” Wu Sufen said angrily, “Her mother-in-law just bullies her. If I were A Qing’s wife, I’d have kicked her mother-in-law and little brother-in-law’s family out a long time ago.”
Xu Jing’an immediately knew who she was talking about. “A Qing’s wife” referred to a female worker from the second workshop—Liu Qing.
Her husband had passed away early, but she was warm-hearted, hardworking, and diligent, always doing her job well. Everyone around her spoke highly of her. She was well-liked and had a wide circle of friends.
Ever since the revolutionary opera ‘Shajiabang’ became popular, many people in the factory began calling Liu Qing “A Qing’s wife,” a nickname from the opera. Over time, the nickname stuck.
“A Qing’s wife” was a good person, but her mother-in-law never seemed to approve of her. In fact, the more people praised “A Qing’s wife,” the more her mother-in-law seemed to keep a close eye on her.
In her mother-in-law’s eyes, no matter how capable “A Qing’s wife” was, she was never a good daughter-in-law in her opinion.
1. She didn’t give birth to a son: After ten years of marriage, she only had one daughter.
2. She caused her son Chen Dong’s death: In the eleventh year, during the winter, Chen Dong accidentally fell into an ice hole and drowned. This happened because Liu Qing had suggested having fish for the New Year, and her son had gone to catch fish for her.
Chen’s mother directed all her resentment at her daughter-in-law. The grudge lasted for years. Since last year, it had gotten worse, with her bringing along her youngest son’s family, who had already separated, to continue making life difficult for “A Qing’s wife.”
Many people advised her, saying, “Go to the union, go to the Women’s Federation, the factory will support you.”
But somehow, the usually smart “A Qing’s wife” had become confused in this matter and refused to listen to anyone. All anyone could do was feel sorry for her.
“Now life is so tough, and she’s still buying donkey meat for Chen’s mother. It’s hard enough to get meat twice a month, but she even went out of her way to inquire about donkey meat, just to nourish Chen’s mother. She nearly searched the whole city.”
“Now that’s truly filial!”
“Exactly!”
Everyone was talking about it, but after hearing this, Xu Jing’an felt something was off. She thought about it carefully for a long time but couldn’t figure out what it was.
Then, she decided to drop the matter, as it wasn’t related to her.
In August, the weather was unbearably hot. To take care of the workers, the factory specially approved the daily delivery of mung bean soup to the production workers. Today, it was Xu Jing’an and the kitchen staff’s turn to visit the second workshop and offer their support.
As soon as the workers heard that mung bean soup had arrived, they all shouted, “Everyone, take a break! It just came up from the well and is still cool, drink it while it’s fresh!”
The ten barrels of mung bean soup were finished in no time.
“Who hasn’t had any mung bean soup yet? Is anyone still waiting?” Xu Jing’an kept asking while wiping her sweat.
In such hot weather, she didn’t want anyone to be left out, as that could turn a good thing into a bad one. Xu Jing’an was always careful, so she took the list and checked with everyone.
“Xu, you’re just too diligent when it comes to your work,” the workshop director said with a smile every time he saw Xu Jing’an, noting that no one else was ever so meticulous.
Xu Jing’an smiled back and said, “Well, ever since I had the baby, my mind hasn’t been as sharp. I tend to forget things, so I just have to think of ways to make up for it.”
“Here comes A Qing’s wife! Come on, let’s hear it!” A group of people started teasing. The director laughed and scolded, “You bunch of little rascals!”
“A Qing’s wife” was not shy at all and stood up cheerfully, saying, “Alright, I’ll go first.”
“Liu, your speech is too biased!”
“Who says women are worse than men?”
“Men fight at the border.”
“Women weave at home.”
Everyone gathered around during the break, enjoying the lively atmosphere. Xu Jing’an looked at “A Qing’s wife,” who was bold and outgoing, and suddenly felt a shock as she realized something.
A Qing’s wife was from southern Henan!
Although she had been living in the city for many years, she occasionally spoke with a hint of a southern Henan accent.
Every region has its own customs.
In Baoding, Hebei, people enjoy donkey meat sandwiches, and in Yongnian, H City, there are donkey meat sausages and donkey meat pancakes. So, people in the city didn’t mind eating donkey meat.
There’s even a popular saying, “Dragon meat in the sky, donkey meat on the ground,” highlighting the high reputation of donkey meat.
The reason donkey meat holds such high regard is twofold:
1. It tastes more delicious. The meat is tender, with a perfect balance of fat and lean.
2. It has high nutritional value. It is said to have good health benefits for conditions like arteriosclerosis, coronary heart disease, and high blood pressure. It can delay aging, improve skin, and also has the effects of tonifying the qi, nourishing the blood, and strengthening the body.
Moreover, in today’s world, eating meat is such a rarity!