B5SB -Chapter 327 Playing Dumb While Knowing the Truth

Next Door at the Zhao Family’s Home

During dinner, Auntie Zhang spoke enviously about Gu Yihan.

“Commander Lu’s family bought a freezer.”

“Mom, don’t even think about it. That kind of thing needs a quota. Without connections, you can’t get one,” Zhao Junjie said while slurping his noodles.

Auntie Zhang added, “They even have a washing machine.”

Luo Bi said, “No wonder Xiaohan’s hands are so smooth and delicate. You can’t see any signs of hard work.”

She wasn’t envious of the freezer. She was envious of the washing machine.

Washing bedsheets, quilt covers, and wool coats in winter almost cost her half her life every time.

“What? They have a washing machine?”

Zhao Xu didn’t hear anything else—only something related to doing less housework.

His loud voice startled Auntie Zhang. She turned and glared at him.

“What are you yelling for?”

“Look at how Commander Lu’s wife lives, then look at your own wife.”

As she spoke, she stretched out her calloused hands in front of him.

“Look at these hands. They’re full of calluses.”

Zhao Xu was speechless. At nearly fifty, she was still comparing herself to a young, tender woman. Wasn’t that embarrassing?

He waved impatiently.

“What are you comparing for? Commander Lu’s wife is young, pretty, and educated. And you? You barely know any characters and still want to compare yourself to her? Why are you getting more and more pretentious as you get older?”

When Auntie Zhang heard him call her “pretentious,” her eyes instantly turned red.

She wasn’t comparing herself to Gu Yihan.

She just felt wronged, feeling that she had never enjoyed a single good day after marrying Zhao Xu.

She had scrimped on food and clothes, worked hard to raise a son and a daughter, watched them grow up, get married, and have children.

Zhao Hu saw her crying, put down his chopsticks, jumped off the bench, and walked over.

With his chubby little hands, he carefully patted her back.

In a tender, serious voice, he said, “Grandma, when I grow up, I’ll buy you a freezer and a washing machine. Whatever you want, I’ll buy it for you.”

Luo Bi watched him and nodded in satisfaction.

At least Auntie Zhang hadn’t loved him in vain.

Seeing her cry over such a small matter, Zhao Xu softened.

Thinking about how hard her life had been, he said gently, “I’ll try to get a special supply ticket. We’ll buy a washing machine too.”

Luo Bi’s eyes lit up, but then she remembered that her in-laws probably didn’t have much savings.

After thinking for a moment, she said, “Dad, Junjie and I will pay. You just need to get the ticket.”

“Alright!” Zhao Xu agreed happily.

In the Bedroom, Zhao Junjie sat on the bed, watching Luo Bi apply face cream, and sighed.

“Wife, don’t you think Mom has changed?”

Luo Bi glanced at him and snorted.

“You think she’s become selfish, right?”

Hearing her sarcastic tone, Zhao Junjie couldn’t tell what she really meant.

He nodded awkwardly.

“Dad is so busy every day, but Mom still makes him wash his own clothes.”

Luo Bi suddenly stood up and walked over to him, looking at him mockingly.

“You’re her son, yet you don’t think about her at all.”

Zhao Junjie was stunned.

“How am I not thinking about her?”

Suppressing her anger, Luo Bi reminded herself that she had chosen this man herself and shouldn’t get mad.

Then she explained patiently, “Mom married into the Zhao family at eighteen. Not long after, Dad went to the army. He was gone for over ten years, with almost no news. She had to be both father and mother, earn money, and support you and your sister through school.”

Zhao Junjie didn’t understand her point and looked at her blankly.

“Weren’t people back home all like that? They didn’t complain either. Besides, Dad later brought Mom to live with him in the army compound. She didn’t have to farm anymore. That’s better than those still depending on the weather.”

Luo Bi couldn’t take it anymore and smacked his foolish head.

“If everyone around her were the same, fine. But in the family compound, every household is different. She sees how well Commander Lu treats his wife. Of course she feels envious! You and Dad don’t understand her feelings and even think she’s being pretentious, like everything she did was only natural!”

Zhao Junjie covered his head unhappily.

“Hey, talk properly. Why are you hitting me?”

Luo Bi felt choked with anger. Everything she said had gone in one ear and out the other.

Seeing her expression darken, Zhao Junjie quickly lowered his voice.

“I’m not stupid. I know Mom worked hard. It’s just that she changed too suddenly.”

Luo Bi narrowed her eyes.

“What? She has to keep serving you men forever?”

Seeing her tone turn dangerous, Zhao Junjie hurriedly explained, “Before marriage, Mom was famous for being hardworking. After marriage, she never stood up for herself. Now she wants to work less, so of course Dad thinks she’s being pretentious.”

Luo Bi froze for a moment.

So both Zhao Xu and Zhao Junjie were clearly aware, yet pretended not to understand.

Thinking of this, she sneered.

“Just because someone is capable, they deserve to be worked to death?”

With that, she stormed out angrily.

On the Other Side, After coaxing Haohao to sleep, Lu Huailin returned to the bedroom and saw his wife reading a handwritten sketchbook seriously.

He smiled.

“Wife, do you want to go to my parents’ place for New Year’s dinner this year?”

Gu Yihan put down the notebook and looked at him.

“What if I don’t want to go?”

Lu Huailin walked over and put an arm around her shoulders.

“Then we’ll celebrate at home.”

She glared at him.

“Then why did you ask? Last time I went with you to see your mom, how did she treat me? She said I had ulterior motives, that I was pretending to be close just for your dad’s pension!”

Seeing her angry, Lu Huailin hugged her tightly.

“Wife, calm down. Don’t get mad.”

“If you ruin your health, your man will feel bad.”

She snorted and turned away.

He gently patted her back and explained patiently,

“Dad asked me to ask you. He said if we’re going back, he’ll start preparing New Year supplies now. If we’re not, he won’t prepare anything.”

Hearing it was Father Lu’s idea, her mood softened.

Seeing her expression improve, Lu Huailin started getting mischievous and blew softly at her ear.

When she shrugged and shrank back, he burst out laughing.

Then he added, “You know supplies are tight during New Year. If we want something special, we have to find ways to trade with the production team.”

Annoyed by his teasing, Gu Yihan suddenly pushed him over while he wasn’t paying attention.

She jumped off the bed barefoot and ran toward Haohao’s room.

Lu Huailin rushed over, scooped her up, and slung her over his shoulder.

As he walked, he patted her butt and scolded, “Look at you, acting up. Don’t you know you’re on your period? And you’re still running around barefoot.”

“You started it first!”

He got back on the bed, pulled the quilt over them, hugged her tightly, and patted her back rhythmically.

“Wife, sleep.”

She glared at him, then gradually closed her eyes and fell asleep.