Chapter 13

Contrary to Su Ya's expectations, based on her memories from her past life, the Zhu family did not erupt into chaos on the wedding night as she had anticipated.
Sang Ran calmly used her fists to deter those who wanted to tease the newlyweds and was met with her mother-in-law's smiling face. Only a fool would turn such a situation into a stalemate.
Before the wedding, she had been a bit worried, Zhang Cuixia had been overly kind to her. Later, she asked Zhu Chang’an about it.
It turned out that compared to the other two daughters-in-law, Zhang Cuixia clearly favored Zhu Chang’an more and, by extension, treated Sang Ran exceptionally well.
Take the bride price, for example, the other two sisters-in-law hadn't received nearly as much, let alone the additional monetary gifts that rivaled the total bride price of many other families.
Zhu Chang’an, being an optimist, easily sensed her concern and reassured her: "Don't worry, my two sisters-in-law are very easygoing."
Sang Ran was skeptical. In the original storyline, after Zhu Chang’an got into trouble, his parents insisted on bailing him out, which angered the two sisters-in-law so much that they caused a long uproar, eventually leading to the family falling apart.
Given such a scenario, and seeing how the mother-in-law doted on her youngest son's family, Sang Ran found it hard to believe they were "very easygoing."
However, after the wedding, once the guests had left and only the family remained for the evening meal, Sang Ran changed her perspective.
The eldest sister-in-law was very gentle and seemed like the type who would be easy to bully, but she handled things steadily and generously. Carrying a bowl of food over, she saw Sang Ran about to help and said, "Fifth sister-in-law, go sit down. You just got married, you should enjoy a few days of rest."
"Thank you, eldest sister-in-law." Seeing that she wasn’t just being polite, Sang Ran changed direction and happened to run into the Zhu family’s second sister-in-law. She had the beautiful face of a mature, elegant woman, but her personality was the complete opposite, which made Sang Ran take a second look.
The second sister-in-law was shy and timid. Noticing Sang Ran’s gaze, she blushed slightly, pursed her lips into a smile, and lowered her head. Her voice was soft and delicate, clearly the type who needed to be gently coaxed and might cry for a long time if even slightly provoked. "Fifth sister-in-law, why are you looking at me like that?"
There was no malice in Sang Ran’s eyes, and the second sister-in-law didn’t feel offended, just a little embarrassed.
The Zhu parents had five children in total. Zhu Chang'an was the youngest. The first and second children were boys, while the third and fourth were girls, so Zhu Chang'an ranked fifth.
Sang Ran also felt a bit awkward, she’d been caught staring, but she tried to stay composed and said matter-of-factly, "Second sister-in-law, you’re just so pretty."
The second sister-in-law’s face flushed completely red. She scurried over to her husband and tugged on his sleeve. The second Zhu brother immediately leaned down to listen to her.
Then he glanced over at Sang Ran, his eyes filled with amusement.
A very easygoing family.
Sang Ran nodded to herself.
The Zhu family’s genes weren’t bad. Zhang Cuixia, though her features were a bit bold, wasn’t unattractive. The three sons were even better-looking, each more handsome than the last, especially the youngest, Zhu Chang'an. With a little styling, he could definitely become a top-tier idol, the kind with a face you wouldn’t forget.
The Eldest Brother Zhu was steady and gentle, standing with the eldest sister-in-law, a perfect match of talent and beauty. The second Zhu brother had a more rugged, masculine look, tall and well-built, and he complemented the petite, shy second sister-in-law perfectly.
Sang Ran didn’t consider herself particularly obsessed with looks, but upon seeing these four, she immediately overturned her earlier assumptions about their personalities based on the plot.
If these two women had fallen out with the Zhu family, it must have been over something serious. Their own small families must have been on the verge of collapse, leaving them no choice but to let the larger family break apart.
Zhu Chang'an’s father was also a mild-mannered middle-aged man, tall and thin, who didn’t talk much but kept smiling. Together with Zhang Cuixia, they took care of the five children in the family, two boys and three girls, born to the eldest and second brothers.
Zhang Cuixia was the spokesperson for the Zhu family. As the saying goes, one mountain can’t shelter two tigers, and Zhang Cuixia was the tigress of the Zhu household, the one in charge, with the whole family obediently following her lead.
With the children included, over ten people sat around the large table. Zhang Cuixia was especially satisfied. Though tired from the day, her voice was still full of energy: "Today, our family has one more member. From now on"
These were all formal pleasantries. Sang Ran listened with a smile, her peripheral vision catching how both sisters-in-law were very well-behaved, even showing a hint of fear toward Zhang Cuixia, sitting with their backs unusually straight.
Their husbands were the same.
Only the one beside her was like a boneless creature, slumped over the table, fiddling with his chopsticks and whispering to her, "My mom is so long-winded. She can talk forever, but I’m starving"
Although the voice was soft, everyone was at the same dining table, so Zhang Cuixia naturally heard it. She shot her son a resentful glare but reluctantly held back her words. "Alright, alright, I know you’ve had a long day. Let’s not say any more, hurry up and eat."
"Mom, you’re the best!"Zhu Chang’an immediately grinned, his words sweet and flattering.
Zhang Cuixia, who had been scowling just moments before, couldn’t help but crack a smile.
Sang Ran twitched her lips. Glancing at the eldest and second sons’ families, who showed no signs of surprise, she realized this was the norm. Indeed, the youngest son and eldest grandson were always the most treasured.
As she lowered her gaze, several pieces of meat appeared in her bowl. Zhu Chang’an whispered beside her ear, "Eat quickly, no need to be polite. My eldest and second brothers get to eat meat often."
She smiled lightly. "Mm."
Zhu Chang’an’s eldest and second brothers were both factory workers, a secure iron rice bowl in this era. Their wives also worked in the factories. As dual-income households, they had been allocated housing by the factory and seldom returned to the village. They usually ate at the factory canteen, where the food was quite good.
After Zhu Chang’an finished speaking, his eldest sister-in-law chimed in, "That’s right, eat more. Our family isn’t short on meat, no need to feel shy."

Life in the Zhu household turned out to be unexpectedly comfortable for Sang Ran.
Because she had saved Zhu Chang’an the day before their wedding, something everyone had witnessed, even though Zhang Cuixia hadn’t immediately expressed her gratitude, Sang Ran felt her appreciation on their wedding day.
The Zhu family wasn’t small, but it wasn’t overly large either. Many items, like the thermos flask, had been used by Zhu Chang’an for a long time and were quite old.
Yet when Sang Ran arrived, she discovered everything was brand new.
Everything she could possibly need was new. There were even a few feet of fabric ration coupons by the bedside. After dinner, as everyone returned to their rooms, Zhang Cuixia came to speak with Sang Ran. Her words, both explicit and implied, reassured Sang Ran to feel at ease and treat the place as her own home.
She then handed over several dozen yuan.
Sang Ran initially refused, but Zhang Cuixia insisted, "This is money Chang’an earned himself. I was afraid he’d spend it all on gambling, so I held some back for him."
Sang Ran was astonished.
Zhu Chang’an, as if discovering a new continent, grumbled resentfully, "No wonder the money I earned disappeared so quickly! So you’ve been withholding this much from me, Mom!!!"
Sang Ran couldn’t help but chuckle. "Pfft, "
Zhang Cuixia shot him a cool glance and retorted sharply, "If I hadn’t done this, you’d still be penniless even after getting married. Wouldn’t your wife become a laughingstock then?"
Zhu Chang’an had worked before but was fired due to behavioral issues.
He pouted and fell silent, his eyes fixed greedily on the stack of money. His fingers itched, it had been so long since he’d last gambled.
To fuel his gambling habit, he had exhausted his entire secret stash and even extorted money from his eldest and second brothers, as well as his two sisters. Now, he didn’t even have enough to gamble, and to make matters worse, he was almost out of cigarette money.
Nevertheless, he was aware that after marriage, money should be given to his wife. If it were anyone else, he would certainly refuse, but since Sang Ran treated him so well, he naturally wouldn't argue.
Once Zhang Cuixia had left, Zhu Chang’an immediately approached with an eager look, his expression innocent as he said, "Wife, can you give me two yuan? Just two!"
Sang Ran didn't agree right away. Instead, she counted the money in her hand, fifty yuan, and raised an eyebrow with a smile. "You didn't leave this much behind, did you?"
Zhu Chang’an chuckled knowingly. "Mom added quite a bit herself. Don't worry, I'm sure both my elder sisters-in-law got some too."
After saying this, he cautiously reached out, took Sang Ran's small hand, and gave it a gentle squeeze, coaxing, "Wife, just two yuan, okay?"
Sang Ran tilted her head and saw his slightly pouted lips, his phoenix eyes brimming with anticipation. His fair, handsome oval face, high nose bridge, and freshly trimmed short hair that fully revealed his features made him even more attractive. At that moment, he was so close that she could almost feel his breath.
Feeling a bit flustered, Sang Ran leaned back slightly, pressing her forehead against his, her cheeks warming as she quickly said, "Step back a little."
Zhu Chang’an's eyes sparkled. Instead of retreating, he moved closer, grinning as he playfully pushed her onto the bed. His sword-like eyebrows arched, and he curled one corner of his lips, his voice suddenly dropping to a deeper tone. "No! Wife, will you agree or not?!"
"Fine!" The moment she fell back, seeing the sudden shift in Zhu Chang’an's expression, now tinged with a hint of aggression, Sang Ran's heartbeat raced. Pressing her hands against his chest, she quickly uttered that one word.
Watching as Zhu Chang’an's mischievous grin instantly transformed into a simple, satisfied smile, she snapped back to reality, a trace of amusement flickering in her eyes as she suppressed a laugh and said, "But there's a condition. Help me with one thing. If you succeed, I'll give it to you."
"What is it?"Zhu Chang’an looked at her expectantly, one hand subtly sliding toward her slender waist.
He had only meant to act cute, but he realized just how soft his wife was, holding her felt incredibly comfortable. No wonder his elder brothers had married so early.
Sang Ran said, "Exchange something for me."
Zhu Chang’an: "Huh?"
But there was no need to say more. The timing was just right. The red candles in the room were still burning, crackling softly.Zhu Chang’an casually agreed, tightened his arms, and pulled his wife into a full embrace.
Sang Ran's heart fluttered. She hesitated for a moment but mustered the courage to wrap her arms around Zhu Chang’an.
They were married.

What Sang Ran had asked Zhu Chang’an to exchange was naturally the gold necklace. As for the jade thumb ring, she planned to handle it herself.
The only item she kept was the gold locket.
This was something her grandfather had intended for her future child, so Sang Ran couldn't bear to sell it.
As for the rest, she felt no attachment, at this stage, money was clearly more important.
Coincidentally, she had waited for Zhu Chang’an under the banyan tree a few times before, and the elderly men playing chess there had chatted with her on several occasions, developing a fondness for her. One of them, in particular, had extensive knowledge of jade, so she decided to ask him about the value of the jade thumb ring.
Thus, on the second day of their marriage, the young couple used the excuse of buying gifts for the bride's family visit and rode their bicycles to town.
Zhu Chang’an went to exchange the gold necklace, while Sang Ran sought out the old man to inquire about the jade thumb ring's worth.
The old man was also a jade enthusiast, but even in the 1980s, people remained cautious, and since there was no jade mining in their area, high-quality jade was rarely seen.
When the old man suddenly laid eyes on the jade thumb ring in Sang Ran's hand, he immediately took a liking to it. After telling her its value and hearing that she wanted to sell it, he directly offered to take it off her hands.
When Zhu Chang’an reunited with Sang Ran and heard how much she had sold it for, the two of them covered their mouths and giggled in unison.
Zhu Chang’an felt a thrill, stroking the bulging pouch hidden under his clothes. He was practically floating: "Wife, you're so rich!"
He had never seen so much money in his life!
The gold necklace had sold for two hundred, which he thought was already a huge amount. On his way back, he had been so afraid of being robbed that he walked nervously, constantly looking over his shoulder. But then, when he heard that Sang Ran's jade thumb ring had sold for over a thousand, his eyes nearly popped out of his head.
Sang Ran smiled, her eyes curving like crescent moons, and patted his shoulder: "You're rich too now!"
"Right!" Zhu Chang’an nodded vigorously, swinging Sang Ran's small hand back and forth. Full of anticipation, he whispered, "Wife, can my two yuan become five yuan?"
Sang Ran stopped moving her hand and turned to look at him without saying a word.
Zhu Chang’an suddenly couldn't swing her hand anymore. No matter how hard he tried, the once soft and pliable hand now felt as solid as a brick, unmoving.
He remembered his wife's formidable strength, and his heart trembled. Shrinking his neck, he quickly changed his tune: "I was just talking nonsense. Two yuan is two yuan, I won’t ask for more."
"Really?" Sang Ran looked at him skeptically.
"Of course, it's true!" Zhu Chang’an hurriedly changed the subject: "Tomorrow we’re going back to your parents' house, wife. Shouldn’t you buy some things to bring along?"
Sang Ran smiled again, pinching his smooth, tender cheek gently: "So well-behaved. Since you’re being so good, I’ll use the money I was going to spend on gifts for my family to buy you treats instead. How does that sound?"
Zhu Chang’an perked up, nodding like a chick pecking at rice: "Yes, yes, yes!!! Wife, you’re the best!"
He glanced at her fair, delicate face right in front of him and, taking advantage of the fact that no one was around, quickly leaned in to give her a peck. Then, clearing his throat, he said: "Let’s go buy some snacks!"