How I Tamed My Wolfish Husband Back in 80s-Chapter 31 - Can’t Hold On_1

31: Chapter 31: Can’t Hold On_1

31 -31: Can’t Hold On_1

Peng Chunhua said, “You are too delicate, afraid of both hardship and fatigue.

Relying solely on Jin to do all the work, can your family’s life really go on like this?

What will you feed your children with once you have them?”

Li Qiao held her forehead, one moment persuading her to have more children to create favorable conditions, the next moment advising her not to work in the city.

There, she had given up.

And now she was back to persuading her to work again.

It was as if she had no brains.

Her lips curled up slightly, displaying a touch of sardonic curve as she said, “You really worry too much about my family’s affairs.”

Peng Chunhua was momentarily dumbfounded: “I’m just being kind-hearted, why can’t you appreciate it?

Forget it, pretend I didn’t say anything.”

“Ah?

What did you say that I didn’t appreciate?” Li Qiao’s expression was innocent and confused.

It made Peng Chunhua seem like the one with ulterior motives, irritating her until her temples throbbed.

At that moment, Qin Jin said, “Qiaoqiao, the wind is strong outside; you should go back.

Just bringing me lunch at noon is enough.”

“Okay.” Li Qiao stood up and left without looking back.

The neighboring aunties and young wives all praised Qin Jin for being caring to his wife, unlike their own men—blockheads who treated them like cattle to be ordered around.

Peng Chunhua scoffed, thinking that all men are nice when newly married but as time goes on, they lose interest, start shouting commands, and resort to beating and scolding.

Li Qiao’s days of suffering were still to come.

…..

When Li Qiao got home, she called out to Old Mrs.

Qin, who was sitting in the courtyard knitting a sweater, “Grandma.”

Old Mrs.

Qin cracked open her eyes a bit: “Qiaoqiao, weren’t you digging ditches?”

“I can’t handle that kind of work, Grandma.

I’m sorry.” Li Qiao suddenly felt very aggrieved, with tears swirling in her eyes.

Ever since she mysteriously gained this new identity, she’s been either scolded by men or living in constant poverty.

Her feet and hands had barely ever been warm in the freezing cold, but she had persevered through it all.

The only thing she truly couldn’t endure was ditch digging.

Old Mrs.

Qin smiled: “I thought it was something serious.

You don’t have anything to apologize for.

Back in your parents’ home, you didn’t need to do such work, but here we made you start.

If anyone should apologize, it should be me.

Go rest in your room.”

Touched, Li Qiao uttered an “Oh” and went into the house silently.

She found a needle to prick the blisters in her palm, poured some alcohol over them to disinfect, and the pain made her tear up.

She swore to herself that she would get into the best university and change her fate.

At noon, Old Mrs.

Qin prepared the food, and Li Qiao helped out.

She deliberately took out the fish she had pickled earlier in the year, carefully removed the bones after braising it in soy sauce, and placed it in the lunch box.

Old Mrs.

Qin glanced over, noting how neatly the cabbage pieces were stacked, with the fish lying next to them.

In the old days, when the Qin family was wealthy, just the servants alone numbered over ten, and the dishes prepared by the cook would be arranged in this manner.

The granddaughter-in-law, a country girl, was surprisingly discerning in this regard.

Not to mention, the child had a truly good temperament.

She bent over with a straight back as if she were a young lady from a noble family.

Li Jinhua, who grew up in the same household, was nothing like her.

After arranging the dishes, Li Qiao covered them, and as she raised her eyes, she met Old Mrs.

Qin’s gaze.

She smiled and said, “Grandma, what are you looking at?”

“How did you grow up to be so beautiful,” Old Mrs.

Qin said, her eyes softening.

Li Qiao felt a little shy: “I’m going to take lunch to Jin.”

“Eh, be quick and come back.

I’ll wait for you and we’ll eat together.”

“Okay.” Li Qiao took the lunch and ran off.

She found Qin Jin and handed him the lunch box: “There’s fish inside, I’ve carefully picked out the bones.”

Qin Jin opened the lid of the lunch box, and those around him saw it, each praising its good looks and abundance.

Feng Hu felt envious: “I left home for half a month just before the New Year, and upon returning, not only do I get white flour every day, but even a simple midday meal includes meat.

You, my boy, are quietly making a fortune and you’re not even sharing with us.”

Starving, Qin Jin wolfed down his food, his mouth full of steamed buns as he mumbled unclearly, “I’ve been saving those steamed buns from before the New Year, not willing to eat them.

The fish was caught from the reservoir, where do I have the fortune to make?

I’m still drowning in debt from the wedding.”

Peng Chunhua saw an opportunity: “The household is in such a state and yet you don’t let your wife work.”

Qin Jin retorted: “Marrying a wife is not a business deal needing a turnover.

Are we going to become beggars just because she doesn’t earn a few work points?”

Li Qiao nodded repeatedly, Qin Jin’s image in her heart growing taller once again.

Suddenly, she caught sight of four or five creatures, wiggling like snakes at his feet, which made her scream and jump in shock.

“Haha, scaredy-cat, afraid of eels,” Qin Jin laughed so hard he spat out his food.

Li Qiao: “…You caught them, huh.”

“If it wasn’t me who caught it, then who could it be?

Take it back and stew it for soup tonight.”

Li Qiao dared not eat it, “I heard that eels have parasites and eating them can make them burrow into your brain.”

“People in the village often catch and eat them, and I haven’t heard about anyone getting their brain bored into,” Qin Jin said.

“If you don’t drink it, I will.”

Li Qiao: “…..”

…..

Li Qiao waited for Qin Jin to finish eating, then carried the empty lunch box and headed home.

“Third sister.”

Li Qiao paused slightly, then continued walking.

Li Jinhua hurried to catch up: “Third sister, are you still mad at me?

I was bewitched before; I promise I won’t do anything to let you down again.

Can you forgive me?” Dad said to tell Li Qiao in person that mom had fallen and was hurt, but it had been two days and Li Qiao still hadn’t come home.

She couldn’t sit still any longer and had come specifically to check on the situation.

Li Qiao sneered, “Are you admitting you fancy your brother-in-law, or admitting that you set a trap for me?

And here I was, always grateful for all you did.

Do you think if I divorced, Qin Jin would fall for you?”

Li Jinhua clenched the hem of her dress, thinking why wouldn’t he?

She was pretty and had graduated from high school.

The marriage prospects spoken for her were always young men with stable jobs in town.

What did Qin Jin have?

A poor family and a bad reputation.

She was more than a match for him.

She pursed her lips, repenting, “I was wrong, third sister.

Mom is hurt and really missing you, she keeps talking about you.”

Li Qiao’s expression softened a little, you don’t look at the monk’s face but at the Buddha’s; Dong Lamei had raised her, after all, she owed her that much face.

“I’m digging a canal with the team today; I probably won’t be finished until tomorrow afternoon.

The day after, your brother-in-law and I will come back together.”

Li Jinhua said excitedly, “I will definitely prepare good food and drinks in advance, to apologize.”

Li Qiao eyed Li Jinhua, wrapping her scarf around her so that only her eyes were visible; the mirth in them was about to spill over.

She only agreed to come home to visit her stepmother; she hadn’t said she forgave her.

Yet Li Jinhua was as delighted as if she had won the lottery.

It was abnormal.

Could this be another trap set for her?

She needed to be careful.

…

After parting with Li Jinhua, Li Qiao went straight home and ate lunch, then sat down at her desk for self-study.

It wasn’t until the evening that she came out of her room.

Old Mrs.

Qin had made a pot of noodles with the eel.

Li Qiao tasted it and the rich, savory flavor spread from the tip of her tongue.

The fish was tender and even the dough pieces in the soup were delicately flavored.

She gave a thumbs up, “Delicious.”

“If it’s delicious, eat more,” Old Mrs.

Qin said with a laugh.

Waiting for Qin Jin to finish work, the three of them sat together for dinner.

As Qin Jin was having his second bowl, Old Mrs.

Qin picked out the eel from his bowl and put it into Li Qiao’s: “Men shouldn’t eat too much of this fish; it’s bad for the health.”

Qin Jin protested angrily, “You might as well just say you want Qiaoqiao to eat it.”

Li Qiao covered her mouth and laughed.

When it was time to sleep, Qin Jin, feeling hot, took off his undergarment and lay half-exposed, asking as he lay on his side, “Aren’t you hot?”

Li Qiao burrowed into the blanket, leaving only her head exposed: “I feel very cold.” She reached out to touch his skin; it wasn’t hot.

Suddenly she remembered what Old Mrs.

Qin had said at dinner.

Could it be because he ate the eel that he was like this?

She then heard Qin Jin say, “Back in the hayloft, you told me to wait a few days.

It’s been seven or eight days now; today should be convenient, right?”

Li Qiao: “……” So it was, that fish really was a tonic.

She was quite comfortable, but she was cold and afraid of getting pregnant.

She was worried that a straightforward refusal would annoy him.

After hesitating, she decided to go along with him and shyly muttered a yes.

He immediately embraced her eagerly, but just then there was a knock at the door, “Is Loser Qin there?

The team is having a meeting.”

Qin Jin cursed angrily, “Damn it!

Why not during the day!”