Chapter 40: Eldest Brother-in-law

Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations

They happened to see Bai Ruchuan running toward them when the two of them reached the door of their house.

“Big Sis, are you back? Dad and Mom were worried sick. Let’s go in quickly!” Bai Ruchuan had been pacing back and forth at the entrance of the courtyard since Bai Xue went to the Educated Youth Section. He waited and looked around, worried that she would get pushed around. He wanted to look for her, but she had said that he was not allowed to go, so he did not dare to.

“Why are you waiting outside on such a cold day? Are you cold?” Bai Xue looked at her younger brother’s flushed face and asked.

“Big Sis, I’m not cold. It’s good that you’re back!” Bai Ruchuan squeezed past Zhang Yuan and said as he held onto Bai Xue’s arm.

When Comrade Zhang Yuan was suddenly pushed aside, he staggered and almost slipped. After stabilizing himself, he looked at Bai Xue with an aggrieved expression, as if his food had been snatched away by Bai Ruchuan.

“Why didn’t you greet him when you saw him? Didn’t I teach you any manners?” Bai Xue was speechless when she saw Zhang Yuan’s expression, but she still nudged Bai Ruchuan and said.

“Nice to meet you, Comrade Zhang Yuan!” Bai Ruchuan called out reluctantly. However, he was no longer enthusiastically addressing Zhang Yuan as Big Brother Zhang like he used to.

“Chuan!” Bai Xue’s face darkened.

“Alright, alright! Shall we go in? It’s cold outside!” Zhang Yuan mediated.

He did not want Xue to fall out with her younger siblings because of him. That would be a huge sin.

As soon as he finished speaking, Bai Ruchuan dragged his eldest sister into the courtyard. His expression did not change and he did not even look at Zhang Yuan.

He was blaming Zhang Yuan for affecting his eldest sister’s reputation and making his parents worried.

Zhang Yuan rubbed his nose and could only follow behind. The three of them entered the house together.

“Dad, Mom, I’m back!” Bai Xue shouted as soon as she entered the house.

“Xue… Xue is back!” Wang Cuihua could not care less about her confinement. She quickly got off the bed and ran out without even putting on her shoes.

Bai Daliang also got off the ground worriedly and was looking at the door.

Bai Rushan and Bai Ruyun stood on the ground with serious expressions.

They were afraid that the Disciplinary Department would come and take her away when she returned.

“Mom, why are you barefooted? Hurry up and get on the brick platform bed! I’m already back. Can’t you wait for me to take a few steps into the room?”n Bai Xue pushed Wang Cuihua onto the brick platform bed.

However, Wang Cuihua immediately saw Zhang Yuan, who had followed her back.

“Yuan, did her grandma make things difficult for you?”

Wang Cuihua did not react the same way as Bai Ruchuan. She was worried that Old Madam Bai would make things difficult for Zhang Yuan, so she said apologetically.

“No, she didn’t!” When Zhang Yuan replied, Bai Xue had already pulled her mother back to the house and pushed her onto the bed.

“Let’s talk in the house! Why are you all standing there?” Bai Xue pushed Wang Cuihua onto the bed and looked at the people standing on the ground. Building a house had to be put on the agenda. This house was too small. If someone came, there would be no place to sit.

“Xue, why did you bring Yuan along? If the people from the Disciplinary Department come later, it will be even more difficult to explain!” Bai Daliang was persuaded by his daughter to get on the bed, but his mouth was not idle.

“Dad, Mom, don’t worry! The people from Disciplinary Department will not come!” Bai Xue smiled mysteriously. “Why do you think?”

“Big Sis! Hurry up and tell us. Dad and Mom are worried sick about you!” Bai Ruxia was impatient and could not wait to speak.

“That’s right, Big Sis! I was almost scared to death!” Bai Ruyun also muttered softly.

“Alright, alright, alright. I’ll tell you.” Bai Xue waved her hand to silence her two sisters.

“Xue, let me do the talking!” Zhang Yuan walked forward and grabbed Bai Xue’s hand.

This action made everyone widen their eyes in disbelief.

“Let go of my big sister! If you want to talk, just talk. Why are you holding my big sister’s hand?” Bai Ruchuan was the first to shout out what everyone wanted to say.

Bai Xue blushed and looked at Bai Ruchuan, “Chuan, don’t be rude to your eldest brother-in-law!”

“What? Eldest… Eldest Brother-in-Law?” Bai Ruxia shouted.

Bai Ruchuan, who had been shocked by his elder sister, was stunned and did not know how to react.

The other two widened their eyes and opened their mouths wide as they stared at Zhang Yuan.

The two people on the brick platform bed looked at each other, not knowing how to ask.

“Uncle, Auntie!” Zhang Yuan’s words made everyone snap out of their daze.

“Xue, what’s going on?” For the first time, Wang Cuihua spoke to Bai Xue seriously.

“Auntie, let me explain!” Zhang Yuan knelt down as he spoke.

This action also gave Bai Xue a shock. She subconsciously wanted to pull him up, but Zhang Yuan stopped her with a look. She simply kept looking at him.

“Uncle, Auntie, I like Xue. I want to propose marriage to you. Can you marry Xue to me?”

“Yuan… This is not the only solution to this matter. Let’s get the captain to speak up for us. The people from the Disciplinary Department…” Bai Daliang said in a daze.

“Uncle, I didn’t want to marry Xue because of this. I fell in love with Xue the moment I saw her. Uncle and Auntie, don’t worry. If you’re willing to let Xue marry me, I promise she will not cry in my lifetime!” Zhang Yuan vowed.

His words shocked the couple. They were matchmade before they got married. They did not know much about free love. Bai Daliang was moved by her words that he wouldn’t let her cry in this life.

“Yuan, you’re an educated youth. If you marry Xue, what are your plans for the future?” Wang Cuihua was meticulous. Educated youth could marry villagers, but they sometimes dumped their spouses when they had the chance to return to the city.

“Auntie, don’t worry. If I have to go back one day, I will definitely bring Xue along! If you are afraid of missing Xue, I can take the whole family with me!” Zhang Yuan answered Wang Cuihua.

“It’s only temporary for Xue to go with you without a city household register!” Bai Daliang knew this. If Xue wanted to go to the capital with him, she had to have a city household register.

“Uncle, don’t worry. I can take care of that!” Zhang Yuan patted his chest and promised.

Bai Daliang and Wang Cuihua looked at each other for a while and saw satisfaction in each other’s eyes. Wang Cuihua looked up at Bai Xue.

“Xue, what do you think? Do you like Yuan? Are you going to leave your hometown and follow him to a faraway place in the future?” Wang Cuihua suddenly became very artistic with her words.

“Dad, Mom, I like him. I at least like his face for now. I don’t know what will happen to him in the future, but if I get married to Zhang Yuan and I really have to leave this place, I will bring you guys along too!” Bai Xue said.

When Zhang Yuan heard her say that she at least liked his face, his heart ached as if he had been bitten by a bug. However, his gaze quickly became firm.

He was confident that he could make Xue fall in love with him. From then on, she would not be able to leave him!

“Sister, so, Brother Zhang is our brother-in-law?” Bai Ruxia asked.

Bai Xue nodded, “If Dad and Mom agree to let me get engaged to him, he will be your brother-in-law!” As Bai Xue spoke, she looked at her parents.

“If you like him, then we have no objections! Yuan is a good kid and I’ve always known this! Since the two of you like each other, you can get engaged!” Bai Daliang and Wang Cuihua exchanged glances.

“Thank you, Uncle and Auntie, for fulfilling my wish! I will definitely not let down your trust in me!” Zhang Yuan kowtowed deeply and said.

“Hurry up and get up! The ground is cold!” Wang Cuihua smiled as she looked at Zhang Yuan. It was really as the saying goes, the more a mother-in-law looked at her son-in-law, the more she liked him.