"I'm married."
Mu Jing had gotten married, even earlier than her younger brother. However, the reason she hadn't transferred back wasn't because of the marriage, but because she was about to be evaluated for a lecturer position. If transferring would also allow her to become a lecturer, she wouldn't mind the long-distance arrangement, but that possibility was extremely slim.
On her wedding day, Mu Jing learned that her husband had married her because she resembled his deceased ex-girlfriend. Upon hearing this, Mu Jing calmly accepted it. She needed to find a husband from a good background—whether he loved her or not wasn't very important, and she didn't particularly care. Since her first love broke up with her, she felt that emotions were just that—it didn't matter who she married; it would all be the same. But when her brother wrote to say he had married the girl who took care of him, Mu Jing was still happy for him. At least some people still married for pure affection.
Mu Jing's father-in-law had once been an apprentice in her grandfather's factory and held no favorable opinion of her family. He was a warrior and detested pretentious scholars. However, he greatly admired Mu Jing's brother who had saved someone and proactively suggested taking in Fang Muyang, who was still hospitalized, to live with them. Since they were married, they were all family now, and when family members were in trouble, naturally they should help. Her father-in-law's home was a standalone two-story house with plenty of rooms for Fang Muyang to stay.
Upon receiving Fang Muyang's letter, Mu Jing knew her brother had already recovered and there was no need for him to live with her. After learning of Fang Muyang's recovery, her father-in-law even asked Mu Jing to relay that their whole family welcomed him to come, and he could stay long-term if he wished. At the time, Mu Jing didn't convey her father-in-law's message to Fang Muyang, nor did she tell her parents about her marriage. When it came to marriage, she was far less inclined to share than her brother and didn't consider it particularly good news worth sharing. Her married life was uneventful—neither happy nor unhappy, with nothing worth divorcing over.
When her father-in-law learned she was going to reunite with her family, although he disapproved of her family, he still had her mother-in-law prepare some items for her, including local specialties, fabrics, cigarettes, and alcohol. He also asked Mu Jing to pass along a message to her parents and brother, welcoming them to come visit him—especially her brother. As for the old man himself, of course, he wouldn't lower himself to go over.
Although Fei Ni was surprised, she didn't show it much. Getting married during such a time without telling her own family, Fei Ni guessed Mu Jing must have had her reasons. She didn't press for details, only saying that the whole family missed her and looked forward to her return anytime. Mu Jing understood Fei Ni's meaning—no matter what, she still had a home to return to. When she was young, she had always wanted a younger sister, but instead, she got a younger brother. If Fang Muyang had allowed Mu Jing to dress him up as a girl back then, their sibling bond might have been stronger, but he never accepted it. Fang Muyang was still good-looking now, but as a child, he was pretty—beautiful in a way that blurred gender lines. He wasn't born annoying; he became so irritating later purely because he was too rowdy.
Mu Jing said to Fei Ni, "Muyang is so lucky to have met you. You gave him a hand when he was at his most difficult." Not everyone is that fortunate. At critical moments, just that one helping hand makes all the difference—without it, one might fall and never get up again. What family couldn't do, Fei Ni did.Upon hearing this, Fei Ni felt nothing but shame. She recalled the half-truths she had told Mu Jing when Fang Muyang was hospitalized, back when she had said, "Taking care of Fang Muyang is my honor."
Faced with such praise, Fei Ni chose to remain silent. After all, she couldn't possibly tell Mu Jing that her primary motivation for caring for Fang Muyang had largely been to secure a university admission.
When Mu Jing reunited with her parents, the three of them stood in wordless silence. Among those so intimately connected, polite formalities felt unnatural, yet after all these years apart—despite their correspondence—nothing compared to the impact of standing face-to-face. When they had left their son, he was still in elementary school, changing day by day. Though such transformations were generally positive and brought comfort despite occasional disappointments, their daughter's changes felt subtler, mostly in her demeanor. She had shed her pride and lost some of the youthful exuberance. Every time Old Fang saw his children, he was overwhelmed with guilt.
Fei Ni broke the silence by inviting Mu Jing to see the room specially prepared for her. On the desk sat a porcelain vase filled with plump white chrysanthemums, bought by Fang Muyang, who had purchased so many that some also adorned their new home. Gifts from Fei Ni and Fang Muyang were arranged on the table, wrapped in brightly colored paper chosen by Fei Ni and tied with an elegant bow by Fang Muyang. Fei Ni had also written a card using the pen and ink given to her by Old Fang.
At the sight of the gifts, Mu Jing turned away, fighting back tears. Throughout the past year, no matter what hardships she faced, she had never shed a tear. But seeing the room her parents and brother had prepared for her stirred an urge to cry.
After touring her parents' new home, Mu Jing couldn't help asking Fei Ni, "Which room do you live in?" Her father's letters had mentioned sharing the place with Fang Muyang.
"We've rented a small courtyard."
Mu Jing had a vague sense that her brother and sister-in-law's move was connected to her. If she had revealed her marriage earlier, perhaps her brother wouldn't have moved out.
When Old Fang learned that his daughter had been married for over a year, he couldn't conceal his shock and bewilderment. But soon, with his wife's support, he regained his composure.
"Why didn't Xiao Qu come with you?"
"His surgery schedule has been completely full lately." Mu Jing's husband, Doctor Qu, was a talented and busy young man.
Old Fang was generally satisfied with his son-in-law's profession.
Mu Jing didn't mention the historical connection between her grandfather and her father-in-law, but based on the basic details Old Fang gathered about his in-laws, he sensed they wouldn't see eye to eye and didn't press further.
Mu Jing presented gifts prepared by her father-in-law—not only for Old Fang and his wife but also for Fang Muyang and Fei Ni.
Old Fang hadn't expected his in-laws to be so considerate, even remembering his wayward son.
What he didn't know was that the gifts were mainly intended for Fang Muyang; his were merely incidental. Mu Jing had only recently discovered that her in-laws, despite their dissatisfaction with her parents, had accepted her into their family because of her brother who had been hospitalized after saving someone. Because of him, they believed Mu Jing and her parents were different.
Old Fang asked Mu Jing, "When will our in-laws come to meet us?" He personally felt the groom's family should take the initiative.
Mu Jing didn't tell her father that, if a meeting were to happen, her in-laws also expected her family to make the first move."Everyone's busy, let's not meet for now." If both sets of parents met, they'd probably just end up looking down on each other.
Mu Jing specifically gifted Fei Ni and Fang Muyang a camera as a belated wedding present.
Old Fang had extracted detailed information about his son-in-law from his daughter and estimated that he seemed reliable, but still couldn't be completely at ease. He thought he should make a trip to thoroughly assess the situation. His wife, rebellious son, and daughter-in-law all had jobs—only he was unemployed at home. Yet going alone seemed too casual. After careful consideration, he decided the rebellious son should take time off to accompany him.
Just as he was thinking about Fang Muyang, Fang Muyang arrived with his sister-in-law and nephew.
Despite years apart, Fang Muyang's sister-in-law recognized him instantly in the crowd—not just by his face, but by his demeanor. Everyone else was in a hurry to pick up their relatives, but Fang Muyang was observing the crowd as if he weren't there to meet anyone, but to sketch at the train station. Years ago, when she'd seen Fang Muyang shortly after his elementary school graduation, she'd wondered how this child could act so unaffected when his parents were in trouble.
Even now, the sister-in-law remained unaware of Fang Muyang's hospitalization after saving someone. The news of his coma had been sent to a fake address left by his elder brother, and no one else in the family had told her. She didn't know under what circumstances Fang Muyang and Fei Ni had gotten together, nor what Fei Ni looked like, but the moment she saw Fei Ni, she knew this was her sister-in-law. Even if they weren't at home, she would have recognized her anywhere. Fei Ni hurried to open the door, and in that brief exchange of glances with Fang Muyang, everything was communicated without words. Her eyes still held a smile meant only for Fang Muyang, but noticing others present, she immediately distributed that smile evenly among everyone.
Fei Ni greeted the sister-in-law and young nephew with a smile.
The little nephew called Fei Ni "sister," but his mother promptly corrected him—he should call her "aunt."
Yet the nephew refused to change, continuing to call Fang Muyang "uncle" while addressing Fei Ni as "sister."
Fei Ni took out a prepared red envelope for the nephew.
Before the envelope reached the boy's hands, Fang Muyang snatched it away. "There's no custom of giving red envelopes between peers." Of course, siblings were considered peers.
Fei Ni reached for the envelope in Fang Muyang's hand, and in front of family, Fang Muyang easily let her take it.
Fei Ni laughed at Fang Muyang, saying, "Stop causing trouble."
She bent down to explain to the nephew that she and Fang Muyang were married—if he called Fang Muyang "uncle," he should call her "aunt."
The entire family had prepared gifts, and exchanging them took quite some time.
Dinner was eaten at home, prepared by Auntie Yang. After the meal, Teacher Mu brought out three newspaper-wrapped packages, giving one to each of her two daughters-in-law and her daughter. Each contained money. Teacher Mu and Old Fang handled their back pay separately. Teacher Mu's salary was higher than any of her children's, and she felt her income was quite sufficient—if she didn't share it with Old Fang. Because of her and Old Fang's past issues, their children had suffered consequences. Now that back wages had been issued, she naturally wanted to compensate them.Author's Note: Thank you to the little angels who voted for me with their big tickets or supported me with nutrient solutions between 2021-10-15 18:16:41 and 2021-10-16 23:07:24!
Special thanks for the shallow water bomb from: Winter Rose - 1;
Thanks for the landmine from: sabrinaplus, Rainbow Joy, Mi Dada, East Don't Understand - 1 each;
Thanks for the nutrient solution irrigation from: Galaxy in My Arms, alili - 30 bottles; Forever Nine - 15 bottles; East Don't Understand, Wa Kaka, 21680113, Gong Tong Xin Yi, Wu, lol, lyne, Ning~ - 10 bottles each; Protect Eyes - 9 bottles; Dang Ge's Little Fan Girl, Sweet Pineapple - 6 bottles each; What Did You Say, speezza - 5 bottles each; Passing Traveler - 4 bottles; superru, polar, Love, Thank You - 3 bottles each; lighter, Third Rib - 2 bottles each; ottsan, Xue Li, Hey, 35899087, real, Two Cats One Dog - 1 bottle each;
Many thanks for everyone's support, I will continue to work hard!
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