Chapter 13

On the way back, Chu Ci asked curiously: “What did you say to Yingying when you two were alone?”
“Why? Don’t trust me? Think I bullied her?” Lin Tian teased.
Chu Ci was gradually getting used to her playful personality and replied calmly: “Of course not. I admire you.”
Lin Tian scoffed and said frankly: “Your cousin is just a child with a temper. It was just reverse psychology. She still doesn’t like me, but she won’t make things difficult anymore.”
“Sorry you had to put up with her,” Chu Ci said sincerely.
Lin Tian waved it off: “It’s nothing. Don’t treat me like a delicate flower, I’m not that fragile.”
Chu Ci wanted to say he never thought of her that way but swallowed the words.
Afterward, Chu Ci helped Lin Tian call relatives in Yun Province.
Lin Tian’s sweet words won over Chu’s grandmother and second aunt. They kept reminding Chu Ci to take care of Lin Tian and mentioned sending local specialties, asking him to remember to accept them.
As for Chu’s grandfather and second uncle, the two men said little.
With everyone contacted, Lin Tian felt a weight lift. Her greatest wish now was to safely deliver the twins.
Chu Ci’s end-of-term exams were approaching, and he was increasingly busy. Sometimes he couldn’t manage household matters, but they finally found a suitable nanny.
The nanny’s surname was Miao, given name Aihua. She had worked in a factory cafeteria and took the job to return to the city for her daughter. Aunt Miao was skilled in cooking, which impressed Chu Mingshan.
On her first day, Aunt Miao cooked her specialty, mushroom chicken soup. Lin Tian was amazed after tasting it. She immediately decided that after giving birth, Aunt Miao would become her employee. Using her only as a nanny would be a waste.
She didn’t mention this idea to anyone yet, planning to discuss it once she officially started her business.
Aunt Miao lived in the courtyard but had Sundays off, courtesy of Lin Tian. With a nanny, Chu Ci’s burden eased considerably. Now he only needed to do laundry for himself and Lin Tian.
When Lin Tian was nearly five months pregnant, she met Chu Ci’s mother for the first time, her nominal mother-in-law.
In fact, Lin Tian had asked Chu Ci why he hadn’t taken her to meet his mother.
Chu Ci had replied coolly: “My mother has her own life. We don’t need to disturb her.”
Lin Tian recalled the stories she’d read and wondered about their relationship. Chu Ci, in his amnesiac state, might have had a poor relationship with his mother before age seventeen.
She speculated that it might be related to his grandmother’s incident and his mother’s hasty remarriage. Chu Ci had initially resisted going to his mother’s new household and only agreed after persuasion from his grandfather.
But soon after, he volunteered for rural service.
This didn’t concern Lin Tian much. Not meeting her nominal mother-in-law made her feel relieved.
Yet, a few days later, the mother-in-law came on her own.
When Ye Meilin arrived, Aunt Miao answered the door. Lin Tian was taking a nap.
Aunt Miao didn’t recognize her, but Ye Meilin looked so much like Chu Ci that Aunt Miao cautiously asked: “Hello, comrade. Who are you looking for?”
“I’m Chu Ci’s mother, here to see my daughter-in-law,” she said, holding fruits and a can of milk powder Aunt Miao had never seen.
Aunt Miao let her in, poured her a glass of water, and politely said: “Hello, Mrs. Chu. I’m the housekeeper. Chu Ci is at class. Comrade Lin is pregnant with twins and is still sleeping. I’ll wake her up now.”
Ye Meilin nodded, expressionless.
Aunt Miao, worried for Lin Tian, hurried to knock on her bedroom door.
Lin Tian was in a deep sleep, so Aunt Miao had no choice but to enter the room.
She approached the bed and gently shook Lin Tian’s shoulder, softly saying, “Comrade Lin, your mother-in-law is here. Please wake up.”
“Let me sleep a bit longer,” Lin Tian mumbled, not really hearing her, and rolled over to continue sleeping.
Aunt Miao frowned, gently shaking her shoulder again and repeating her words.
This time Lin Tian heard clearly. Sitting up, she thought she must be dreaming, and groggily said, “Aunt Miao, what are you saying? Don’t joke around, Chu Ci didn’t even tell his mother.”
“It’s true. I’m not lying. She’s sitting in the living room right now. She looks about seventy to eighty percent like Comrade Chu; anyone would know they’re mother and son at first glance,” Aunt Miao said earnestly.
Lin Tian finally sobered up and quickly gathered her loose hair. Though surprised, she calmly said, “Alright, I understand. You go talk with her for a bit. Give me a few minutes, and I’ll come out immediately.”
Aunt Miao nodded and went to greet the mother-in-law.
Lin Tian got up and washed her face, then studied herself in the mirror. She had gained a little weight; her formerly oval face had filled out, giving her a blessed appearance. Her eyebrows were thick, her eyes naturally carried a smile, her nose was high, and her lips were full and soft. All her features were delicate and pretty, her pregnancy hadn’t diminished her beauty at all.
Judging by appearance alone, she was more than a match for Chu Ci. The only concern was her rural background, though she didn’t care whether Chu Ci’s mother would consider it a drawback.
Soon, Lin Tian went to the living room. Ye Meilin finally met her rumored daughter-in-law. She was momentarily surprised but quickly regained composure.
“So you’re the wife Chu Ci married while down in the countryside. Just as I heard, you’re quite beautiful,” Ye Meilin said, her tone layered with meaning.
Lin Tian was nearly numb. Almost everyone assumed Chu Ci married her for her looks. Few considered whether Chu Ci was even that type of man. Yet they had never explained themselves, and misunderstandings remained.
Lin Tian smiled: “Pleased to meet you. Sorry to keep you waiting. More voluntarily… um, excuse me, I apologize for just now. Are you here to see Chu Ci? Unfortunately, he’s at class. You’ll have to wait until he returns.”
She ignored any implications from her mother-in-law, apologizing only for her own earlier behavior.
Ye Meilin raised her eyelids slightly and said flatly, “I’m here to see you.”
“Is there something you need?” Lin Tian maintained her smile.
“Why can’t I come if I want? Chu Ci married without telling me, I only heard from others,” Ye Meilin said, restraining her anger. She surveyed Lin Tian from head to toe, finally focusing on her belly: “I heard you’re pregnant?”
“Please don’t be angry. Everything at home is handled by Chu Ci. He never told me about you, and it’s my fault for not asking more. Yes, I’m pregnant. You’ll be a grandmother,” Lin Tian said softly, shifting all responsibility onto Chu Ci, thinking it best to avoid getting involved in their mother-son issues.
Perhaps the idea of becoming a grandmother brightened her mood, as Ye Meilin even showed a faint smile, unlike her previously expressionless face.
She inquired briefly about Lin Tian’s health, the months of pregnancy, and whether she had prepared for the baby.
“I brought milk powder for you. Drink more, it’s good for the baby. If you need anything else later, call me,” Ye Meilin said kindly.
Lin Tian accepted graciously, she wasn’t proud enough to refuse free gifts.
After chatting a few more minutes, Chu Ci returned.
Seeing his mother, he was surprised: “Mom, what are you doing here?”
Ye Meilin immediately adopted a stern tone: “What do you mean? I can’t come? Chu Ci, you got married without telling me, took your wife to visit your aunt’s family, and didn’t even stop by your own mother? You’re having a child and didn’t tell me, are you trying to cut me out entirely?”
Chu Ci’s usual smile vanished. He turned to Lin Tian: “Lin Tian, go with Aunt Miao to buy some groceries. I need to talk to my mother alone.”
The mother-son relationship was worse than she imagined. Lin Tian didn’t object; she and Aunt Miao went out with the shopping basket.
Once they left, Chu Ci faced his mother: “I told you when you remarried, I would never forgive you. You didn’t care for me back then, and now you want to interfere in my marriage? Mom, I don’t need that. Besides, it’s not that I didn’t tell you; I simply hadn’t had the chance. You were far away in Shanghai.”
He spoke plainly, but his words pierced Ye Meilin like needles.
“Do you really hate me that much? I’m your mother,” she said sadly.
“Yes, you’re my mother. But you were unfaithful in your marriage. You didn’t love me or the family you once had. Now you have a new family and life, I wish you well and won’t disturb you. Mom, do you regret it? Too bad, it’s too late. Even if I lost my memory, it only covers after I was seventeen. See, fate doesn’t give us a chance to repair our relationship. Don’t come by unless necessary. Stay here tonight; tomorrow I’ll take you to the train station.”
Chu Ci left no room for compromise. Their rift would never be healed.
Ye Meilin’s face turned pale, her chest tight. She should have realized how stubborn and sharp-minded her son was. She had wronged him and his father and should have known she’d lose him.
Still, she had always been unwilling to let go, she remarried intending to bring him along, and now she came again.
But Chu Ci never gave her that chance.
Finally, she accepted reality. With moist eyes, she said: “I understand your meaning. I won’t anymore.”
After a moment, she asked: “Chu Ci, have you truly chosen her?”
Thinking of Lin Tian and the baby, Chu Ci’s expression softened: “She’s wonderful. You don’t understand her. Just like before, you never wanted to understand my father. I won’t repeat your mistakes. Lin Tian and I will be a happy couple. Our child will grow up joyful and healthy.”
“Alright, I understand. I wish you happiness with your new family, my son,” Ye Meilin said, finally letting go.
The mother and son fell into silence again, perhaps the best way they could coexist.