Chapter 416: Family Life (Part 1)

After Little Chou Chou was born in Lingxi, Sister Li took care of him. Hou Weidong would find time to visit whenever he could. Since his visits were brief, he focused entirely on bonding with the child, finding joy in everything Little Chou Chou did. However, the dynamic shifted significantly after the birth of their daughter, Little Qianjin.

Zhang Yuanzheng, having been rehired by the state-owned factory, experienced a second spring in his life. He arrived at work punctually every day, though he rarely left on time. While the factory shift ended at six, he would linger in Workshop Five until seven, sometimes even eating dinner there with his apprentices. The pungent mix of oil and sweat in the air, combined with the roar of the machines, gave him a sense of stability. It made him feel grounded, his back straightening with the pride of a man in his element.

Consequently, the primary responsibility for caring for Little Qianjin fell upon Chen Qingrong. She viewed herself as the grandmother of the little one and dedicated herself fully to the child’s care. However, she did not take over all the household chores.

This increased the burden on Hou Weidong. Coming home from work each day, he would see Chen Qingrong busy in the house and feel too embarrassed to idle around. He helped with washing dishes, sweeping the floor, and laundering Little Qianjin’s diapers. Days passed quickly amidst this flurry of activity.

On June 11, inspectors from the Provincial Department of Finance arrived to conduct a review. Although the Department and Shazhou City were of equal administrative rank, the presence of the "God of Wealth" commanded respect. Zhou Changquan and Liu Bing took the matter seriously, jointly hosting a banquet at the small guesthouse for Jiang Yulou, the Deputy Director of the Finance Department.

Jiang Yulou’s name was similar to that of Zhu Yan’s wife, Jiang Yuxin, which often led people to mistakenly assume they were siblings. In reality, they were unrelated; they had only become sworn brother and sister through connections within the Zhu family.

Hou Weidong and Deputy Director Jiang Yulou were old acquaintances. Their relationship had deepened through direct dealings regarding coal supplies for the thermal power plant. Later, Hou Weidong had asked Jiang Dali to purchase a set of jade Go pieces in Yunnan, which became Jiang Yulou’s prized possession.

Through these interactions, their bond strengthened, independent of the Zhu family’s influence. With Zhou Changquan and Liu Bing present, Hou Weidong naturally avoided stealing the spotlight. After greeting Jiang Yulou, he retreated into the Shazhou contingent, making no show of any special relationship with the Deputy Director.

After the banquet, Hou Weidong saw Zhou Changquan home and then met up with Gao Jian from the Southern New District. Hearing that they were entertaining high-ranking officials from the Provincial Finance Department, Gao Jian was naturally interested and immediately arranged for hot springs and a late-night snack.

Hou Weidong and Gao Jian returned to the city guesthouse, inviting Jiang Yulou and his party to soak in the hot springs first, followed by a visit to the Shazhou night market. At a street-side stall, they ordered local favorites like spicy crayfish and盘龙 eel. Jiang Yulou shed his official demeanor, and the group played drinking games, enjoying a lively evening.

Just then, Hou Weiguo arrived with colleagues from the Economic Crime Investigation Detachment. They combined two tables and gathered together, not dispersing until midnight, satisfied and content.

As they parted ways, Hou Weidong escorted Jiang Yulou to his dormitory. Jiang Yulou, half-joking and half-serious, said, "Weidong, you need to take charge of a region soon. While I am still in office, I will certainly support you with fiscal funds." Zhou Changquan had promised to help Hou Weidong become a county magistrate, so his diligent hosting of Jiang Yulou was a long-term investment. He laughed, "If I do become a county magistrate in the future, I will definitely trouble you, Brother Jiang." Jiang Yulou replied generously, "No problem at all. It’s all state money anyway. Whether it goes to Zhang San or Wang Wu, it’s the same."

Hou Weidong climbed the stairs with a slight buzz from the alcohol. Upon entering the house, he found it in disarray. Unwashed bowls and chopsticks remained on the dining table. Chen Qingrong and Zhang Yuanzheng sat in the living room, the television playing random programs.

Hou Weidong greeted them. Chen Qingrong looked up, glanced at him, and asked, "Why are you back so late? Drunk again?" Hou Weidong burped and replied, "The Provincial Finance Department is inspecting Shazhou. I was accompanying guests. I’m not drunk."

Chen Qingrong’s tone was mild. "You should come home earlier when you have nothing pressing. Your father is sixty years old and works in the factory during the day. With so much to do at home, you need to help out."

Hou Weidong was taken aback. His social engagements had indeed been frequent lately, but as Zhou Changquan’s dedicated secretary, he often had little control over his schedule. He thought to himself, I’ve suggested hiring a nanny many times, but you refused. With so much on my plate, where would I find the energy for housework? Outwardly, he said, "There were guests today. I’ll try to come home earlier when I’m free."

Seeing the mess, he rolled up his sleeves. "Mom, we really need to hire a nanny. You can focus on taking care of the baby, and let the nanny handle these chores. Otherwise, you’re working too hard."

Seeing Hou Weidong preparing to clean, Chen Qingrong sighed and joined in. "You should talk to Xiaojia too. Postpartum illnesses are the hardest to cure. Tell her not to rush into washing her face or brushing her teeth. This child, even after becoming a mother, hasn’t changed her temper."

She added, "It’s late. Don’t bother cleaning now. Go rest."

In the bedroom, Xiaojia was feeding the baby. She gestured with her chin toward the door and said, "I had a fight with Mom today."

Hou Weidong said, "I guessed as much. The house is a mess and hasn’t been cleaned. Was it a big fight?" Xiaojia said helplessly, "Our views are different. We’re bound to have a major argument sooner or later."

Hou Weidong advised, "Mom is helping us with the child and is exhausted every day. Why argue with her? Can’t we talk things through calmly?" Xiaojia opened her mouth, looking aggrieved. "I haven’t brushed my teeth in nearly a month. Even I can smell it."

Hou Weidong knew that the conflict between Xiaojia and Chen Qingrong over these matters had been ongoing for a long time.

One side believed that washing hair and bathing during the confinement period would expose the body to wind and cold, leading to future headaches and body aches. The other side believed that washing and bathing were beneficial for the postpartum mother’s health.

One side argued against brushing teeth or combing hair, fearing it would cause premature tooth loosening and scalp pain later. The other side believed that brushing and combing promoted blood circulation.

One side insisted on avoiding vegetables, fruits, and cold foods, claiming they would damage the spleen, stomach, and teeth. The other side argued that vegetables and fruits were rich in vitamins and dietary fiber, which promoted intestinal peristalsis and aided postpartum bowel movements.

One side believed the mother should stay in bed to recover quickly and well. The other side argued that lying in bed all day would reduce appetite, slow the recovery of reproductive organs, and potentially lead to endometritis or embolism.

One side feared going out or even being indoors with drafts, insisting on covering up tightly to prevent stroke. The other side believed the room needed ventilation to keep the air fresh.

Chen Qingrong’s methods were based on her own experiences, while Xiaojia’s knowledge came from books. Their disputes began on the fifth day of confinement, and neither would yield. Although Chen Qingrong had lost her temper several times, Xiaojia continued to do as she pleased.

Hou Weidong was surprised to find that the mother and daughter’s temperaments were cut from the same cloth. Once they believed they were right, they would stubbornly hold to their views.

He felt it inappropriate to persuade Chen Qingrong, but he had advised Xiaojia several times. Xiaojia insisted, "My mom is clearly wrong. Why should I follow her advice? This is about being responsible for my own body, and thus for the whole family."

Xiaojia refused to compromise with Chen Qingrong on this issue. Hou Weidong remained ambiguous in his stance. The young couple conspired to hide their actions from Chen Qingrong, continuing to follow the methods in the books. Living under the same roof, it was impossible to keep these things secret from Chen Qingrong, who was not good at keeping her thoughts to herself. At best, she would nag; at worst, she would fly into a rage.

Hou Weidong chose to remain an outsider, neither praising nor criticizing.

Entering the room, Hou Weidong asked, "Did you argue with Mom again today?" Xiaojia replied, "We argued for an hour. I was too scared to go out."

Little Qianjin had finished feeding and was sleeping quietly again. In Hou Weidong’s eyes, the baby seemed so small, sleeping in the wooden crib, her nose twitching softly. He watched her for a while before sitting beside Xiaojia.

"After dinner, I wiped the baby’s face. Mom saw it and scolded me, saying the baby’s skin is too tender and I might damage it. Actually, I was worried about her developing milia."

Hou Weidong asked, "Did the baby develop milia?"

"No. I was just being preventive."

Hou Weidong wrapped an arm around Xiaojia’s soft arm. "Mom’s views were formed over decades. They may not be entirely correct, but they aren’t completely wrong either. She is your mother after all. You should compromise a bit. Don’t let the house be a battlefield every day."

In the other room, Zhang Yuanzheng was in bed, on the verge of sleep. Chen Qingrong was still knitting a sweater for the baby. Seeing that Zhang Yuanzheng had fallen asleep, she pushed him firmly to wake him up. "You only know how to sleep. Don’t you have anything to say?"

Zhang Yuanzheng was tired from work at the factory. He forced his eyes open and asked, "Is there something you haven’t said enough?" Chen Qingrong asked, "What do you think of our son-in-law?" Zhang Yuanzheng replied, "He’s not bad."

Chen Qingrong said, "His family is from a county with no connections in the city. For Hou Weidong to transfer from Yiyang to Shazhou and become a secretary, he must be truly capable."

She paused her knitting. "But he is too capable. People like that are prone to attracting trouble. Women nowadays are shameless; they act as mistresses with a straight face."

Zhang Yuanzheng closed his eyes again, trying to sleep, but Chen Qingrong pinched him hard twice. He opened his eyes, annoyed.

"Tell me, with Hou Weidong having money and position, will he keep a woman on the side? For this past month, I’ve recorded the time he comes home every day. This afternoon, I counted. From May until today, forty-seven days in total, Hou Weidong came home after ten o’clock on nineteen of those days. He also went on business trips and study sessions to Lingxi for four days."

From the last few months of pregnancy through the breastfeeding period, couples often go months without intimacy. Chen Qingrong was inexplicably worried that Hou Weidong would take advantage of this time to find a woman outside.

"You women, what乱七八糟 things are running through your heads? It’s best not to think about things that have no basis." Hearing this, Zhang Yuanzheng’s sleepiness vanished.

"I asked Hou Weidong to do housework because I wanted him to spend more time at home. It wasn’t strictly about the chores. My苦心 (good intentions) are not understood by Xiaojia at all. Truly, girls turn their hearts outward." Chen Qingrong sounded discouraged.

Zhang Yuanzheng advised, "You’re being too suspicious about this. Xiaojia is grown up; we can’t control her affairs. Children and grandchildren have their own blessings."

Chen Qingrong thought for a moment. "The old man made a sensible point earlier. Second Cousin has offered many times to come and help Xiaojia with the baby, but I refused. Now it seems Hou Weidong can’t really help. Let’s just have Second Cousin come. She has experience with children, and everyone will be more relaxed."

Zhang Yuanzheng said, "Does Xiaojia know about this? She’s stubborn as a mule, just like you. We need her agreement, or there will be another fight."

Chen Qingrong said, "If I can’t make decisions, am I still the head of the household? Besides, hiring a nanny is something Hou Weidong has suggested many times."

That night, the baby wouldn’t sleep, so Xiaojia had to stay up with her. The little one finally slept obediently at 5:00 AM, but Xiaojia didn’t fall asleep until 6:00 AM. After feeding the baby at 8:00 AM, Xiaojia went to sleep and woke up at 10:00 AM.

Second Cousin walked in carrying a bowl of eggs, saying enthusiastically, "Xiaojia, starting today, Auntie is here to help you with the baby."

Xiaojia was confused. She took the bowl and asked, "Second Cousin, when did you arrive?" Second Cousin was a cheerful and efficient middle-aged woman. She smiled and said, "Your mom called me this morning. I put down my bowl and took a bus over immediately. I’ll adjust for the morning, and go back tomorrow to get my clothes."

Xiaojia took a bite of the egg and found it too sweet, feeling a bit cloyed.