Chapter 235: Seventies Treasure Appraisal System (9)

Bai Xiuyuan walked out of the house carrying a basin full of dirty laundry, and upon hearing the conversation in the washroom, she looked back at her husband, who was not driving today and was still sleeping in, and was suddenly overcome with emotion.

"Ximing! Ximing!"

She carried the laundry basin back into the bedroom and woke her husband up:

"I'm suddenly a bit tired; you go wash the clothes."

He Ximing was sleeping soundly and, being suddenly woken up, inevitably had a bit of morning grumpiness; he said with a sour face:

"What are you doing! I've been tired for a whole week, and it's rare that I have a day off, yet you're ordering me to do chores?"

"Doesn't Qin Zheng next door wash his clothes in the washroom after coming back from long-distance hauls? You come home every day, which day don't you get enough sleep? What's wrong with washing some clothes? It's not like I ask you to do chores every day."

Bai Xiuyuan felt so wronged that her eyes turned red.

Since she married into this family, which of the big or small matters in the house hasn't she been the one worrying about?

She handles all the housework, and not only does she never ask him to do chores, she also takes care of him perfectly—

Washing his hair on sunny days, washing his feet at night, serving him rice when he eats, handing him a cup when he drinks water...

It could be said that from his hair strands to his toes, her efforts are everywhere! It was rare for her to ask him to wash clothes once, and he actually had this attitude.

He Ximing felt his wife was being inexplicable; wasn't everything fine last night? Did she rebel after waking up from a sleep? Or was it that he didn't satisfy her last night?

He scratched his hair: "Alright, alright, if you're really tired, leave the clothes for now, you come to bed too, I'll accompany you to sleep a while longer."

"..."

But Bai Xiuyuan didn't know what was wrong with her; today she insisted on him washing the clothes once:

"Since you're awake, go wash the clothes first."

"Are you sick? Washing clothes is you women's business, why do you have to make me go?"

"Who says it's women's business? Isn't Qin Zheng next door a man?"

"What's wrong with you today? Opening your mouth with Qin Zheng and closing it with Qin Zheng; since he's so good, go find him then! Why did you marry me!"

"You!"

Bai Xiuyuan was so angry her face turned bright red.

"He Ximing, you are unreasonable!"

"The one being unreasonable is you! I was sleeping in perfectly fine, what are you making a scene for!"

"Is this me making a scene? It's clearly you being inconsiderate of me!"

"Right, right, right, I'm not considerate enough, then go find someone considerate to marry!"

"He Ximing!!!"

Bai Xiuyuan was so angry she threw the laundry basin.

The red double-happiness peony-pattern enamel basin bought when they got married hit the ground with a crisp "clatter," chipping off several pieces of glaze and revealing the pitch-black iron underneath.

The couple erupted into the first argument in their history.

The commotion was so great that the neighbors were incredibly surprised:

"Is it the young He couple arguing? And arguing so fiercely, what happened?"

"I don't know, aren't they a very loving couple? They've never even had a red face, what's wrong today?"

Bai Xiuyuan didn't know what was wrong with herself either; suddenly, she had a kind of emotion she wanted to vent.

It was as if she had lost something important in the dark, making her become more irritable and anxious than before.

Fortunately, she calmed down quickly, picked up the enamel basin from the ground with red-rimmed eyes, and then sat by the table silently shedding tears without saying a word.

He Ximing had no sleepiness left at this point; he raked his hair and got out of bed.

"Wife..."

"Ugh—"

Bai Xiuyuan smelled the lingering scent of alcohol on him and suddenly felt a wave of nausea; she reached out to cover her mouth and dry-heaved several times.

"What's wrong, wife?" He Ximing was startled, "Are you really sick?"

He had thought that her saying she was uncomfortable earlier was just her acting out.

"Let's go, let's go, I'll take you to the hospital to get checked."

But the bicycle at home had been rented out by his wife to a factory worker in exchange for eggs, so He Ximing had no choice but to carry her on his back all the way to the factory clinic.

"What? My wife is pregnant? I'm going to be a dad?"

After hearing the doctor's diagnosis, He Ximing rubbed his hands together, so happy he didn't know where to put them.

His first time with his wife had happened before marriage: after they got engaged, while they were dating in the small woods at City Heart Park, they couldn't hold back and tasted the sweetness.

Which meant they hit the mark on the first shot!

He was truly capable!

Bai Xiuyuan's expression also softened; she placed both hands on her belly, her eyes lowered: So it was pregnancy? No wonder the bad mood came just like that.

Now she could rest easy!

She was pregnant with the He family's golden grandson; she could be considered to have gained a firm footing in her in-laws' home.

Although she had married into the He family and become a He family wife, before she was pregnant, she always felt she was a cut below others. Every time she went to her in-laws', she had to be humble and submissive, swallowing her pride. Only at this very moment, with the He family's flesh and blood in her belly, could she finally hold her head high.

From now on, she was a true city wife!

Xie Yang did not know yet that Bai Xiuyuan was pregnant, but even if she did, she wouldn't have any thoughts about it.

In the original world, Bai Xiuyuan gave birth to five kids, so this was nothing.

She took Qin Zheng to the Supply and Marketing Cooperative first, then to the grain and oil station, busy for half a day, spending a pile of money and ration coupons to buy back a pile of supplies that were not easy to buy in the countryside.

The next day, she got up early and caught the minibus, which only ran in the morning and evening, to return to her maiden home.

Among the sixteen Communes under Yongcheng, Hongqi Commune was the poorest due to its geographical location, and the Tongling Brigade where her maiden home was located was the poorest in Hongqi Commune.

The minibus only goes as far as the Commune bus station; there is no bus service yet from the Commune to the production brigade, and the road is rugged and uneven, but if one were to truly rely on their own two legs, it would take at least half a day.

Qin Zheng knows the Commune driver Wang Hongbing, as they graduated from the same Driving school class back in the day; every time he comes, he brings him some rare goods he picked up while out on a run, and incidentally borrows his bicycle.

"Brother Zheng, feel free to take the bicycle and ride it; use it for as long as you need." Wang Hongbing accepted a pack of filter cigarettes that couldn't be bought locally, and before Qin Zheng could even open his mouth, he handed over the bicycle key.

Qin Zheng didn't stand on ceremony with him either; he took the key and said, "I might be making a trip to Shanghai City in a while. If there's anything you need me to bring back, make a list and give it to me when I come to return the bicycle."

"That would be great!" Wang Hongbing's eyes lit up. "My mother is worried about my sister's dowry. The groom's side sent 188 yuan as a betrothal gift, and logically, our family should prepare a few decent dowry items, but as you know, the Supply and Marketing Cooperative here doesn't even have a high-footed spittoon, and for a Thermos, you have to queue even if you have a coupon. Brother Zheng, if you really go to Shanghai City, please bring me back a Thermos."

Qin Zheng nodded in agreement, chatted with Wang Hongbing for a few moments, then said goodbye and walked out of the Commune, steadying the bicycle for his wife to sit on.

"This friend of yours is quite genuine."

Xie Yang sat on the back seat, wrapping one arm around the man's waist, while her other hand held a small bamboo vegetable basket containing two jin of fresh pork belly she had rushed to grab early that morning; the rest of their things were packed in a bundle and placed in the bike basket.

Qin Zheng looked back at her, and seeing she was seated firmly, he pushed off with his long legs and started riding.

"The goods I'm hauling to Shanghai City in a few days are quite important, so the factory will likely send me. Is there anything you want to buy?"

Xie Yang thought for a moment; the house didn't seem to be lacking anything.

However, Shanghai City is a good place, and the variety of supplies is much more complete than in Yongcheng, so she told him to just look for things they don't have here and buy whatever, no matter what it is.

A smile played on the corners of Qin Zheng's mouth: "There are still several days before I leave, so think about it slowly and tell me when you've decided."

Xie Yang also raised the corners of her mouth: "Okay."