Chapter 49 - 37: The Scorned Wife of the 1950s (37)

Chapter 49: Chapter 37: The Scorned Wife of the 1950s (37)

With that family gone, only the Wu and Guo families remained.

Wu Quanquan’s eyes kept drifting over to Zhu Yun, even brazenly pausing on her chest.

Chu Shenyu took a long stride forward and glared back coldly. "Comrade, if my memory serves me right, you only just started this year and haven’t even finished your probation, have you? And you’re qualified for a spot in the family apartment building?"

The allocation of the factory’s subsidized housing was, in reality, rife with backroom deals. Whoever had the connections could snag the best units. People rarely brought these things out into the open, unless they were ready to be run out of the factory.

The expressions on the faces of the Wu and Guo families changed in unison.

The Guo Family had always been well aware of their daughter’s ambitions. Just a few days before the May Day holiday, they’d heard her talking about becoming the wife of the factory’s most capable, best-paid engineer. And yet, she had turned around and resentfully married an intern who hadn’t even finished his probation.

It would have been one thing if they could have kept it to themselves, but Mrs. Guo was a prideful woman. With the slightest bit of good news in the family, she’d make sure the entire school faculty knew about it by the end of a single meal.

So, just when everyone thought she was the mother-in-law of a top engineer, reality slapped her hard across the face. The disparity was enough to make one die of shame and indignation!

Aunt Li, who was with the family, gave an awkward laugh. "Wu Quanquan doesn’t have the qualifications, that’s true, but I do. I’m just helping the young couple cut the line for now. Once he’s eligible for his own place, he’ll just give me a unit back."

Chu Shenyu nodded. "Since you’re admitting to cutting the line, Aunt Li, can you wait your turn like everyone else? There are plenty of veteran employees waiting for an apartment so they can bring their families here to reunite."

The Wu and Guo families didn’t dare say a word in response. They had the keys, and they had no intention of giving them up. Without a moment’s hesitation, they grabbed their belongings and scurried upstairs, as if they were afraid the apartment would be given to someone else if they delayed.

Any lustful thoughts in Wu Quanquan’s mind vanished completely. He lowered his head and hunched his shoulders, terrified the topic of the apartment would be brought up again.

Downstairs was finally no longer so crowded. The onlookers began to disperse.

Mrs. Chu took Zhu Yun’s arm, looking her over. "How do you take care of your skin? It’s only been a month or so since I last saw you, and it looks like you’ve shed a whole new layer of skin."

Zhu Yun smiled and quietly shared her little skincare secrets.

Mrs. Chu nodded along as she listened, then pulled a pen and paper right out of her shoulder bag. Like an elementary school student, she started diligently scribbling notes.

Zhu Yun generously shared a few more remedies for fading spots and reducing wrinkles. The mother-in-law and daughter-in-law got along wonderfully.

Chu Shenyu was already staying at the apartment; he mopped the floors and wiped down the furniture daily.

The three of them then started taking the larger items out of the cardboard boxes and finding suitable places for them. They also made a list of all the small household items they would need, as well as decorations for their new home, writing everything down for Mrs. Chu and Mr. Chu to buy over the next day or two.

Mrs. Chu knew about Zhu Yun’s past from her own sources and from what her son had told her. Sitting on the sofa, she took Zhu Yun’s hand sympathetically and said, "You poor child, you’ve suffered so much. But from now on, you’re marrying into the Chu family, and that makes you one of us. If Shen Yu ever bullies you, you tell me."

"I’ll have his father beat him with the butt of a broom and make him kneel on a washboard!"

"Our family is pretty straightforward—we say what’s on our minds. So don’t you go bottling up your feelings, either. Whether it’s between you and your husband or between us, if there’s a conflict, we lay it all out on the table. We solve what we can as quickly as possible, and for what we can’t, we actively look for a solution together."

"We’ll all be understanding and patient with each other. Don’t let a small problem snowball until it gets bigger and bigger, to the point where it can’t be fixed. Okay?"

Zhu Yun smiled and nodded. "Don’t worry, Auntie. I may not be highly educated, but I see things clearly. You only get one life, and there’s no going back. The only way to live without regrets is to keep climbing up."

"I will build a good life with Comrade Chu Shenyu!"

Mrs. Chu said with satisfaction, "I knew it the moment I saw you. You’re down-to-earth, not one to reach for the impossible. From now on, I’m entrusting Shen Yu to your care. That boy is very smart, but he’s just too withdrawn and has no idea how to act around girls."

"I was starting to think I’d never get to hold a grandchild."

Both Zhu Yun and Chu Shenyu couldn’t help but blush.

Mrs. Chu just smiled and continued, "You can be shy all you want, but I have to say it: you should have children sooner rather than later. Zhu Yun, you’re young, so your body will recover quickly. Raising one child is good, but I wouldn’t mind two or three, either."

"I’ve already discussed it with your father. As soon as you get pregnant, Zhu Yun, I’ll take an early retirement and help you raise the child until they’re three."