A Couple's Rebirth to 1977 Before Marriage

Li Xiu, still on the train, had no idea that his wife had made a new friend. Not only had she already snapped up her future daughter-in-law, but she had also secured an invisible yet sturdy safety net for them in the Capital City. On top of that, she had left a deep impression on her future in-laws before they had even met.

When Zhang Hongying returned home, only her mother was there; everyone else had gone to work. Although it was Sunday, due to their professions, Father Zhang, her two older brothers, and her sisters-in-law rarely got two days off in a row. Since Wang Song had finally come back on leave and Zhou Lian was visiting yesterday, Father Zhang had everyone rearrange their schedules for a rare day off together.

Seeing her daughter return, Mrs. Zhang teased, "I was starting to think you weren’t coming home today!"

"Mom, I need to talk to you about something."

Seeing the serious expression on her youngest daughter’s face, Mrs. Zhang’s heart skipped a beat. The smile vanished from her face as she asked calmly, "Go on. Mom’s listening."

Zhang Hongying carefully recounted what Zhou Lian had said the day before, relaying it to her mother without leaving out a single word. Although Hongying was smart, she could only grasp the surface-level meaning of certain things. She sensed a deeper layer to Zhou Lian’s words but couldn’t quite figure it out. That was why she had left right after breakfast to come home; she was sure her mother could help her make sense of her confusion.

After listening to her daughter, Mrs. Zhang was silent for a long moment. Finally, she asked, "Yingzi, you all came back together yesterday. When did Wang Song meet Xiao Zhou? What did they say to each other? Tell me in detail."

Zhang Hongying recounted her meeting with Zhou Lian from the previous day in detail, but the more she spoke, the more she felt something was wrong. How had the two of them squared off the moment they met, while she, standing right there, hadn’t sensed anything amiss? It seemed she was still too naive. She hadn’t noticed the obvious tension at all!

Seeing her daughter smack her own forehead, Mrs. Zhang felt a weight lift from her heart and smiled. ’It’s not a big deal,’ she thought. ’With a close and honest friend like Xiao Zhou looking out for her, Yingzi won’t be taken for a fool.’

"Mom, do you think I’m stupid?" Zhang Hongying asked dejectedly.

"You’re not stupid. Didn’t Xiao Zhou say it? You’re just pure."

"That’s right. Zhou Lian told me not to change for anyone or anything, and that no person or thing is more important than I am," Zhang Hongying said with a soft chuckle.

"Mom, please tell me what Zhou Lian meant," Zhang Hongying whined, pouting at her mother. "I mean, if she doesn’t think Wang Song is a good match, why did she say he’s a great guy and worthy of admiration? But if she does think he’s a good match, why does it seem like she’s against me being with him? What does she really want to say?!"

Gently pulling her daughter into her arms, Mrs. Zhang said softly, "Silly girl. Xiao Zhou is just being respectful of you. You’re good friends, but that’s what you are—friends. She won’t force her opinions on you. You have to be responsible for your own life. A good friend can stay by your side and offer advice, but they can’t make your decisions for you. True friends respect each other and keep each other in check. You’re very lucky to have a friend like her."

Sighing, Mrs. Zhang continued, "This marriage between you and Wang Song... I didn’t think it through completely. I was only thinking about how we watched him grow up and how his character is impeccable. His father and your father are old comrades and friends. But I overlooked his mother’s moral character, as well as his profession."

"Mom, what’s wrong with Aunt Wang? She’s always been very nice to me!" Zhang Hongying asked, confused. ’When I was little and lived in the compound, I used to play at the Wang family’s house all the time. Aunt Wang was so gentle and always treated me well!’

"Yes, she’s nice to you," Mrs. Zhang said softly, looking at her sweet, naive daughter. "But do you remember how she treated that girl from the Wang Family?"

"Mom, are you talking about Meili?" Seeing her mother nod, Zhang Hongying’s heart sank. She continued gloomily, "She was nice to her at first, too. Then, after her father got into trouble, things turned sour."

"Exactly. She turned on the girl right after her father’s incident. With that kind of character, how can you be sure she’ll always treat you well? And putting her aside for a moment, let’s talk about Wang Song. Once you’re married, you’ll spend more time apart than together. He’s their only son, so you’ll definitely have to live with your mother-in-law. Even if you follow him to his post... I just feel so unsettled about it! Xiao Zhou was right—if you go with the army, what will you do for a living?"

Mrs. Zhang gave a wry smile. "Your father and I haven’t been as thoughtful as Xiao Zhou. She’s very clever; it’s no wonder her husband treasures her so much. Yingzi, tell me, how much do you like Wang Song? Do you feel like you can’t marry anyone but him?"

Understanding the implication in her mother’s words, Zhang Hongying thought for a moment. "I do like him a lot," she said. "But Zhou Lian told me that no person or thing is more important than myself, and that I should never change for anyone, because no one is worth that sacrifice. I think breaking up with him would be sad and painful, but I have a family that loves me and a friend who protects me. I wouldn’t be sad for too long."

Mrs. Zhang smiled, relieved. Her daughter could be stubborn, and she had been truly afraid that she would insist on going down this path no matter what. She never imagined a friend’s advice could be so impactful. "Yingzi, don’t overthink it. I’ll have a good talk with your father about this. We’ll figure something out."

"Mom, I’m going to talk to Wang Song about this," Hongying said. "Zhou Lian told me that a man with a true sense of responsibility won’t let his woman suffer, not even at the hands of his own mother. He’ll shield her from all criticism, including from his own family. Mom, I was up half the night thinking about this. If Wang Song really cares about me, he should be like Li Xiu. It’s his duty to be filial to the mother who bore and raised him, and I should be respectful as well. But I shouldn’t have to tolerate being mistreated by her, because she didn’t give me life, and she didn’t raise me."

"Is that what you really think?"

"Well, it wasn’t entirely my own idea. Zhou Lian said it," Zhang Hongying admitted, a bit embarrassed. "And Mom, you know? I really admire what Li Xiu said."

"What did he say?"

"He told his mother—Zhou Lian’s mother-in-law—’My wife is someone I moved heaven and earth to marry. She is my treasured darling. What right do you have to make her suffer? You gave birth to me and raised me, so I will be filial to you, but that has nothing to do with my wife. She has never eaten a bite of your food or worn a thread of your cloth. You have no right to demand anything of her!’ Mom, he’s not wrong, is he? Zhou Lian said *that* is what it means for a man to be responsible," Zhang Hongying said, her voice filled with excitement. ’Now that’s what a real man sounds like!’

"No wonder Xiao Zhou remains so devoted to him, even after getting into university," Mrs. Zhang said with a smile. "A man who can say things like that is no ordinary, sheltered farm boy. When he gets back from his business trip, you should invite their family of three over. I’d really like to meet him." This young couple was fascinating. It went beyond simply having good character. From the sound of it, they both came from ordinary farming families, which made Mrs. Zhang all the more curious as to how they had produced such an exceptional person.