Chapter 71 - 44: The Scorned Wife of the 1950s

Chapter 71: Chapter 44: The Scorned Wife of the 1950s

By then, Chu Shenyu and a few young men had already unloaded two insulated chests from a vehicle. As soon as they opened the lids, a wave of cool air wafted out.

Without needing to be called over, a group of sharp-eyed children swarmed them.

The ice cream being handed out at her in-laws’ place was, of course, no ordinary popsicle. It was made from milk, eggs, sugar, chocolate, nuts, and other ingredients. The process was complex, so the resulting flavor and texture were naturally exceptional.

There was plenty of ice cream in many varieties, enough for everyone to have one. The crispiness of chocolate mixed with peanuts and almonds and the delicate flavor of fresh milk blossomed on the tongue. There were even sweet and tart raisins to cut through the richness. The layers of different experiences were truly a cut above the rest.

Some were scoops of ice cream, some were large milk bars, and others were fruit-flavored...

Even those who prided themselves on having seen the world were a little stunned by the sheer variety of treats. They ate their ice cream awkwardly, forcing themselves to utter a reluctant word of praise.

The children’s joy was more straightforward. They sat in a row under the eaves, one taking a taste of another’s treat, the other taking a bite of theirs, their eyes crinkling with delight until they almost disappeared.

Chu Shenyu and the others then unloaded some cigarettes and liquor, all of which were special-supply items that were very difficult to obtain. "They’re a gift from my wife’s apprentice’s family," he explained.

This was another critical hit to the onlookers. ’Alright then,’ they thought. ’It seems the Chu family’s daughter-in-law’s apprentices aren’t from ordinary stock either. Anyone who can procure gifts like these must have incredible connections, more than enough to make up for Zhu Yun’s humble origins.’

’She’s beautiful, has connections, a good job, and is incredibly skilled... She really doesn’t have a single flaw...’

"Sister-in-law, our Brother Yu has the best grades in the whole compound. He’s incredibly smart. What do you two usually talk about?" a young woman in a red shirt and white pants, her hair in two short pigtails, asked with a soft laugh.

Next to her stood three or four other young women of about the same age. They kept glancing over at the young men, their cheeks flushed.

’On the one hand, they can’t take their eyes off the handsome young men, but on the other, they want to see their rival get taken down a notch.’ Zhu Yun almost felt conflicted on their behalf.

Zhu Yun chuckled and touched her smooth cheek. "Of course, we spend our time praising each other’s good looks and hoping the next generation inherits the best of our features."

The naive young things, not yet jaded by the world, were all stunned. One by one, their faces flushed crimson.

The one who had asked the question stomped her foot. "Sister-in-law, I know you’re from the countryside, but how can you say such things in front of us single girls? What nonsense!"

The surrounding female guests all turned to look, their gazes filled with meaning.

Zhu Yun raised an eyebrow. "And what exactly did I say, Comrade? Weren’t you the one who asked what a newlywed couple like us talks about?"

"I merely mentioned the most trivial part. Is there a problem with that?"

"Or would you rather I tell you about something else? What topic did you have in mind?"

The young woman froze. The question had been turned back on her. ’What kind of unmarried girl asks about things like that?’

"I... I meant that Brother Yu is so learned, and you, Sister-in-law, are from the countryside. I’m not sure how the quality of education there compares to our Capital City. Won’t there be a... a gap between you two?" She was quick on her feet, her brow furrowing with feigned concern.

The other young women, as if they’d regained their footing, covered their mouths and snickered. "So many girls used to have a crush on Brother Yu. Back in school, there was even this really pretty classmate who cornered him to give him a love letter. Guess what Brother Yu said, Sister-in-law?"

They didn’t even wait for Zhu Yun to respond before another one burst out laughing, "I know! Brother Yu gave her a mechanics problem and said she had five minutes to solve it just to be qualified to be his friend."

"The version I heard is that Brother Yu just started speaking a string of English to her. When he saw her confused look, he just shrugged and said, ’See? It’s not that I want to reject you, it’s that you have no idea what I’m saying. We can’t date if we can’t even communicate, can we?’"

"Oh, right! And there was that senior whose English was excellent and had some of the best grades in school. She cornered Brother Yu, and you know what happened? He said she wasn’t pretty enough..."

"So, Sister-in-law," one of them concluded, "can you speak fluent English? Do you understand advanced mechanics?"

Zhu Yun just smiled. "I’m his wife. All I need is to be pretty enough, cook delicious meals, and be able to raise our children well in the future. He spends all day in the lab with cold machinery. You don’t really expect him to come home and want me to speak to him in a foreign language using technical jargon, do you?"

Her voice rose as she called out, "Chu Shenyu! What are your standards for a wife?"

Chu Shenyu had been standing nearby, afraid she’d be at a disadvantage. If he didn’t already know his wife’s fighting prowess was inhuman, he would have stepped in long ago to give those girls a few problems of his own to solve.

He just smiled, revealing a gentle, handsome side of him that none of the others had ever seen. With the morning sun at his back, he was the very picture of the old saying: a man on the path as fine as jade, a gentleman without peer in this world.