Yang Wenyan was only a little over a year older than Qin Yuanzheng.
Qin Yuanzheng was thirty this year, and he had previously been relentlessly pressured to get married.
Although Yang Wenyan was married, he still didn't have any children. Seeing that he was already thirty-one, and even Qin Yuanzheng, who had infertility issues, had become a father, Yang Wenyan's family grew even more anxious.
Hearing the word adoption, Qin Yuanzheng instinctively felt a wave of disgust.
After all, he had also been pressured by his relatives back in his hometown to adopt a child from the extended family.
With a dark expression, he said, Cousin, you need to think this through. If you don't want to do it, you should make it clear to Auntie as soon as possible. Handle it cleanly once and for all, and don't let it drag on endlessly.
Yang Wenyan gloomily took out a Daqianmen cigarette, lit it with a match, and stood in the corridor smoking with a deep frown.
Qin Yuanzheng kept a straight face: We're in a hospital. Put the cigarette out.
Yang Wenyan was speechless.
He silently stubbed out the cigarette.
Qin Yuanzheng used to smoke occasionally, but after getting together with Qiao Lanshu, he quit completely.
Now, he also found the smell of smoke choking. Afraid of bothering his wife and child inside, he reached back and shut the ward door.
Seeing the door close, the women in the room exchanged glances.
Deng Xiaozhen placed the baby in the cradle, sat down on a nearby chair, and wiped her tears with her sleeve.
Qiao Lanshu said sympathetically, Cousin-in-law, don't be too sad. When it comes to adopting a relative's child, if you don't like the idea, you must refuse. This isn't something you can compromise on.
Auntie Shi brought out some fried dough twists and sunflower seeds to treat Deng Xiaozhen and Wang Haitang, chiming in,
Comrade Deng, please don't think I'm being too nosy, but I feel you should wait until you're forty to even consider adopting. You're still young and can still have kids of your own, so don't rush it. Those people who want you to adopt their kids are just eyeing your family's money and the fact that your husband is a factory manager, aren't they? Stand your ground and don't compromise.
Wang Haitang sat silently beside Deng Xiaozhen without saying a word, thinking to herself how terrifying the older generation could be. They had to meddle in everything their children did, which was incredibly annoying.
Deng Xiaozhen sighed and whispered, That's what I think too. But without a child of my own, I always feel inferior.
Deng Xiaozhen naturally had a fiery temper and feared nothing. Since getting married, she had gotten into plenty of arguments with her in-laws.
Even when Wang Haitang's family came over, she was capable of scolding them away.
However, lacking a child made her feel guilty deep down, so she couldn't muster up her usual tough attitude.
When Yang Wenyan's mother came knocking, Deng Xiaozhen had gotten into a huge fight with her. After Yang Wenyan returned home, he made an excuse about needing to go to the supply and marketing cooperative to buy meat and vegetables for dinner, quickly taking Deng Xiaozhen away to hide.
Even now, those relatives were still lingering at Yang Wenyan's house.
Deng Xiaozhen cried silently for a while before saying fiercely, If Yang Wenyan dares to adopt, I'll divorce him!
Everyone was speechless.
Qiao Lanshu remained silent, though she secretly approved of this decision.
Auntie Shi, being older, didn't quite agree. Xiao Deng, don't be impulsive. If you get a divorce, you might not find such a good man again.
Auntie Shi's family was of average means. She knew that these days, jobs were hard to find and money was hard to earn.
So she urged Deng Xiaozhen not to act rashly and avoid a hasty divorce.
Out in the corridor, Yang Wenyan knocked and opened the door. Seeing Deng Xiaozhen inside, he said to her,
Xiaozhen, we've been out for a long time. How about this: I'll go back and talk to my mom first. Once they leave, I'll come pick you up. They'll have to go to a guesthouse when it gets dark anyway, so they definitely won't bother us tonight.
After all, it was his own mother; Yang Wenyan couldn't just ignore her. Having hidden outside for so long, he still had to go back and check.
Red-eyed, Deng Xiaozhen asked him, How many days is their letter of introduction good for?
Yang Wenyan replied, I don't know, I haven't asked yet. I'm guessing just one day. The village wouldn't issue an introduction letter for too long.
Deng Xiaozhen sneered, Then until they leave, I'll go stay at Weijun's place. Come find me only after they're gone.
Yang Wenyan thought about it and could only nod. Alright, I'll go back and take a look first.
At a time like this, Yang Wenyan didn't want Deng Xiaozhen to go back either, as it would just lead to more arguing. The main issue was that Deng Xiaozhen felt insecure about not having a son, so she couldn't win an argument against those relatives anyway.
Sigh.
Sighing inwardly, Yang Wenyan said goodbye to Qin Yuanzheng, turned around, and left the hospital. He went to the cooperative to buy some meat and vegetables, then headed home.
After Yang Wenyan left, Deng Xiaozhen also departed with her brother, Deng Weijun, and Wang Haitang.
Auntie Shi sighed endlessly in the ward, bringing up gossip about the neighbors.
Every family had its own cross to bear—if not about money, it was about children, inheritances, or conflicts between mothers-in-law and daughters-in-law.
Those without kids argued, those with only daughters and no sons argued, those with daughters-in-law argued, and those without daughters-in-law argued too.
After lamenting for a while, Auntie Shi added, My youngest son is eighteen this year. He still doesn't have a job and isn't married. Sigh, as a mother, I'm worried sick too.
Qin Yuanzheng had already looked into Auntie Shi's family background.
Her husband was a construction worker. Her eldest son was about twenty; after finishing middle school, he went to the countryside as an educated youth.
Her second son was eighteen. He didn't have to go to the countryside, but he hadn't found a job either. He was quite lazy, refusing to do hard labor at the construction site, and instead stayed home asking his parents for money every day.
She also had a daughter who was still in middle school. According to Auntie Shi, even after graduation, it was uncertain whether she'd be able to find a job.
These days, jobs in the city were getting harder and harder to come by.
Many people retired early, preferring to give up their pensions just to pass their jobs on to their children.
The children were still young and needed something to do, otherwise they wouldn't be able to find a wife.
Auntie Shi sighed and said, It's frustrating not having kids, and it's frustrating having them. Sigh, life really isn't easy.
Thinking of the expression on Deng Xiaozhen's face when she left, Qiao Lanshu also sighed silently, not knowing what to say.
Qin Yuanzheng walked into the room and immediately went to check on the baby.
Seeing Auntie Shi holding a bottle to feed the baby, he quickly walked over and said softly, Let me do it.
As a new father, he was currently overflowing with paternal love. Holding the baby in one hand and the bottle in the other, he gently placed the nipple in the baby's mouth, sitting by the bed and watching his child drink.
Auntie Shi also warmed up a cup of goat's milk for Qiao Lanshu.
Seeing this, Qin Yuanzheng smiled and said, You mother and son drinking milk together—it's quite a harmonious picture.
Qiao Lanshu looked at him with a smile. Do you want some?
Saying this, she offered him the cup.
Qin Yuanzheng looked at the goat's milk in her hand, and then cast a meaningful glance at Qiao Lanshu's chest.
Qiao Lanshu's face instantly turned red. She gave him a reproachful glare and scolded, The baby is right here, be serious.
Qin Yuanzheng was speechless.
Feeling a bit wronged, he said, I didn't even say anything.
Qiao Lanshu muttered under her breath, Even if you don't say it, I know exactly what you're thinking.
Qiao Lanshu spoke, then lowered her voice, "What will happen to Cousin and his wife? They won't really get a divorce, will they?"
Qiao Lanshu felt that if Yang Wenyan couldn't handle his own mother, given Deng Xiaozhen's fiery temper, a divorce was highly likely.
Qin Yuanzheng, holding the baby, said without even lifting his head, "Cousin just isn't decisive enough. The dumbest but easiest way would be for him to just hide out somewhere. In a few days, when his aunt's and the others' introduction letters expire, they'll naturally have to leave. Otherwise, he needs to be more forceful—take his mother back home, have his father and brothers keep a close eye on her, and stop her from coming to the city in the future. That would work too."
Qin Yuanzheng's personality was very dominant. His family only ever dared to casually mention the idea of adoption to him; they would never dare actually bring a child to his doorstep.
If they ever dared to do such a thing, Qin Yuanzheng would march them straight to the police station and report them for child trafficking. Let's see if they'd ever dare to come back after that.
Qiao Lanshu looked at Qin Yuanzheng and smiled. "Cousin is actually quite smart; he's just a bit blindly devoted to his parents."
...
Meanwhile, Yang Wenyan bought some fresh vegetables from the supply and marketing cooperative, along with some cookies and melon seeds, and brought them home.
When he arrived home, his mother and aunt were sitting and talking. Mother Yang opened the door and saw him. She immediately looked behind him. Not seeing Deng Xiaozhen, her face instantly fell. "Why are you back alone? Where is Deng Xiaozhen? Didn't she come back with you?"
Carrying the groceries inside, Yang Wenyan said, "Xiaozhen had some things to take care of at the factory. She went to work overtime."
Mother Yang sneered. "Is she working overtime? Or is she hiding from us? Tell me, did she throw another fit with you?"
Yang Wenyan replied dismissively, "Nothing of the sort, Mom. Xiaozhen has a good temperament; she wouldn't throw a fit with me."
His aunt, still holding melon seeds in her hand, said while cracking them, "I say, Wenyan, you are a factory manager now. Why are you keeping that shrew around? If you had just listened to us, gotten a divorce, and married another wife, we wouldn't have had to make this trip today."
With that, his aunt turned her head and called out to her son and daughter-in-law, "Eldest, Eldest's wife, come here quickly. Bring the baby over and let your brother have a look."
Yang Wenyan glanced at his older cousin and his cousin's wife, feeling a surge of irritation.
He said, "I'll go start cooking. You haven't eaten yet, you must be hungry."
Hearing this, his aunt knew immediately that Yang Wenyan was unwilling.
She hurriedly took the baby from her daughter-in-law's arms, walked up to Yang Wenyan, and said,
"Oh my, there's no rush to cook. Look at this child, isn't he adorable? How about having him as your son? We are close relatives. I am your own aunt, and this is my own grandson. Adopting my own grandson to be your son is not like taking in some stranger from the outside. What else could you possibly be dissatisfied with?"
Mother Yang immediately chimed in, "Exactly! If you aren't willing to adopt, then divorce that woman surnamed Deng!"
Before coming over today, they had already discussed it thoroughly: they would either make Yang Wenyan get a divorce and remarry, or have him adopt his aunt's grandson as his own son.
Either way, they were determined to force Yang Wenyan to compromise.
Hearing Mother Yang say this, his aunt was actually a bit displeased; she much preferred the idea of Yang Wenyan adopting her grandson.
Originally, before coming, she had been a bit reluctant. After all, it was a grandson, not a granddaughter. Even though they already had two grandsons at home, who would ever complain about having too many grandsons?
However, after arriving here and seeing their spacious and clean courtyard, the small house equipped with heating, all sorts of beautiful tableware, sofas, tables and chairs, as well as a bicycle, a radio, and a sewing machine...
His aunt's mind started working.
Where in the countryside could one find such fine things?
Back in their village, her children couldn't even afford to eat cookies.
Look at this place—the table was laden with cookies, melon seeds, candies, and other delicious treats.
She had just taken a peek into the kitchen and found that they actually stocked both cornmeal and refined white flour!
Such a standard of living was something they wouldn't even dare to dream of back in the village!
His aunt quickly urged, "Wenyan, since you and your wife still have feelings for each other, then don't get a divorce. Listen to your aunt, adopt this child. He is a child related to you by blood; what is there to dislike?"
She paused for a moment, then added, "Look, the child's facial features even look a bit like yours."
Yang Wenyan lowered his head and looked at the baby. The child was only a few months old, chubby and robust, looking very cute.
Yang Wenyan liked children too, so he couldn't help but take a few extra glances.
His aunt immediately tried to shove the baby into his arms. "Hold the baby. Come on, give him a hug."
Yang Wenyan didn't take the child. His hands were still full of groceries, and he walked straight toward the kitchen. "Aunt, let's talk about this later. Xiaozhen and I are still young, we will definitely have our own children. If we adopt now, what happens if we have our own child later? Wouldn't that be a mess?"
His aunt looked at Mother Yang and said, "Sister, this son of yours is stubborn enough. They've been married for seven or eight years and haven't had a child. I don't think they'll ever have one. These young people don't understand, but as a mother, you can't be ignorant of this."
Mother Yang began to feel anxious as well. She walked into the kitchen, glared at Yang Wenyan, and said angrily, "Eldest! I've said it, you either get a divorce or you adopt! Otherwise, now that I'm here, I'm not leaving!"
Yang Wenyan: "..."
While washing the vegetables, Yang Wenyan said, "Mom, what's the rush? It's not like you don't have grandchildren to hold. Haven't Second Brother and Third Brother both had kids?"
Mother Yang's eyes grew red with anger. "You said it yourself, your younger brothers and sisters have all had children. As the eldest, you still don't have a son or a daughter. Tell me, are you doing right by me?"
Yang Wenyan was even more speechless. "Mom, me not having children is my own business. As long as I am filial to you and provide for you and Dad in your old age, that's enough. You should worry less about other things."
He continued, "I'm only 31, and Xiaozhen is just 27. We are still young. Maybe she'll get pregnant this year. Why are you so anxious? Besides, even if we really did need to adopt, we should wait until we're in our forties to consider it, right? When the time comes, you won't even need to say a word; I'll take Xiaozhen to find a child to adopt myself, and I guarantee you'll be satisfied."
It would have been better if he hadn't spoken. As soon as he did, Mother Yang became furious. "She's already 27, and you have the nerve to say she's young? When your mother was 27, you were already 10 years old, did you know that?"
Yang Wenyan: "..."
Outside the kitchen, his aunt, holding the baby, stood in the living room. She looked at her daughter-in-law and lowered her voice, "What's the matter, are you still giving me attitude? Look at the sofa here, look at the cookies and candies. Do we have these things in our village? I brought my grandson here to enjoy a good life, so don't you dare make a scene, do you hear me?"
The daughter-in-law sat on the sofa, looking at the child held in her mother-in-law's arms, daring to feel angry but not daring to speak.
They kept making a scene at Yang Wenyan's house right into the evening. Yang Wenyan steadfastly refused to give in, but his mother and aunt were not about to compromise easily either.
Seeing that it was getting late, his mother and aunt simply decided to stay the night at his place.
Yang Wenyan's cousin and his wife ended up sleeping in the living room.
They refused to even stay at a local guesthouse, completely unwilling to part with their money.
In the middle of the night, the baby cried incessantly. The noise kept Yang Wenyan awake the entire night. Annoyed and restless, he lay there wondering what he was going to do tomorrow.
He had to figure out a way to send these people packing as soon as possible.
