I Bacame the Mother of His Child-Chapter 81 - 80: Male Chauvinism

Xu Xiuxiu was quite satisfied with the two-bedroom apartment the military had allocated to her. Not only was it well-lit, but it was also on the perfect floor—situated on the third floor—and included a kitchen and bathroom. With utilities and rent provided free of charge, she could move right in without any hassle.

Although the conditions and facilities were nice, Xu Xiuxiu still dragged Song Yuanhuan to the mall for a big shopping spree. They bought new sofas and kitchen and bathroom supplies. Now that Xu Xiuxiu wasn’t short on money, she even took the plunge and purchased a large color TV for the living room, which set her back over a thousand dollars. Xu Xiuxiu agonized over the expense for quite a while, but seeing Song Chengguang’s delighted face as he watched cartoons, she knew it was money well spent.

On moving day, several friends who were close to Song Yuanhuan took the initiative to help, including Zheng Guohui and Fu Guanglei. Zhao Jian Country also brought Zhao Nan to offer congratulations and helped with the move.

Being a bachelor, Song Yuanhuan had few possessions in his dormitory. When Xu Xiuxiu occasionally stayed over, they acquired a few small items, but most of their belongings had already been placed in their residency in the city. There wasn’t much to pack, and with Xu Xiuxiu’s recent purchases, the furniture was all set. The guys made quick work of moving everything in.

At noon, Xu Xiuxiu cooked lunch for the helpers. Song Yuanhuan entertained the guests in the living room. The group was very familiar with each other, and hearty laughter from their jovial jokes could be intermittently heard in the kitchen.

Because of the television set, the kids, Zhao Nan, and Song Chengguang, behaved exceptionally well, spellbound by the animated adaptation of the classic "Journey to the West" titled The Havoc in Heaven. The excitement was palpable—Song Chengguang was dazzled as he watched, his small mouth chattering on about Monkey Brother, thus for the second time stepping out of his life filled with repetitive words. fɾeewebnoveℓ.co๓

Xiuxiu had a special fondness for the kitchen and didn’t mind the trouble of cooking for guests at home a bit. Although she was the only one busy in the kitchen, she was still quite happy about it. As noon approached, two unexpected guests arrived—it was the couple, Xu He Ping. When Xiuxiu first saw Yan Molin entering the kitchen offering to help, she was stunned. Clearly, she hadn’t expected Song Yuanhuan to have also invited Xu He Ping and his wife.

"What, you don’t need my help? Well, then I can lazily loaf in the living room waiting for your sumptuous meal," Yan Molin teased as she glanced at Xiuxiu, placing down a basket of eggs and rolling up her sleeves to help.

"It’s fine, you shouldn’t have to lift a finger as a guest. Please, go rest in the living room! I’m almost done here, just a few more dishes to go," Xiuxiu politely replied, deftly washing vegetables and checking on the braised pork that was simmering under a covered pot.

"An extra set of hands always makes things quicker. Let me handle this fish," said Yan Molin, reaching for the fish that Xiuxiu had just gutted. "Are you planning on steaming it or braising it?" Yan Molin was quite skilled in the kitchen and had her own way of dealing with fish.

"Steamed," replied Xiuxiu as she saw Yan Molin already getting down to business. Without further ado, Xiuxiu turned to prepare a few large yellow eels that the military procurement officer said were bought from a nearby village, planning to make eel vermicelli soup. Naturally, this eel vermicelli soup also had a more pleasant name, Dragon Flying Nine Heavens. Xiuxiu nearly died laughing when she learned to cook this dish in her previous life—it was just too amusing.

Two women were bustling about in the kitchen, while in the living room, several familiar men teased each other, especially when the aroma began to waft through the air. Both Zheng Guohui and Fu Guanglei, who were bachelors, started to look at Song Yuanhuan with a mix of envy and jealousy. Even Zhao Jian Country, who was married but living a bachelor life, couldn’t help but feel a tinge of envy.

Life as a single man is tough indeed! Without a woman to care and ask after you, life feels so empty. If only they could be as lucky as this youngster Song Yuanhuan, enjoying the double bounty of family and career success!

"Yuanhuan? I hear your brother’s family has another sister, right?" Fu Guanglei, who had been single for over thirty years, had parents at home who were beside themselves with worry. Their phone calls were incessantly urging him, and after being prodded too many times, he began to come around to the idea. Perhaps marrying a wife as virtuous as Yuanhuan’s wouldn’t be too bad for sharing life’s journey.

Even if she wasn’t as virtuous as his sister-in-law, a girl raised by the same family couldn’t be too far off, right? Who knows, he might even become brothers-in-law with Yuanhuan, right? Although that would mean Yuanhuan would get the upper hand verbally and have to call him brother-in-law, if it meant getting a wife out of it, Fu Guanglei was willing to bite the bullet.

Xiuxiu’s sister? The image of that sassy little aunt who argued with his wife at the dinner table during the Mid-Autumn Festival at his father-in-law’s house suddenly popped into Song Yuanhuan’s mind. Was that girl a suitable candidate for marriage? As soon as this thought crossed his mind, Song Yuanhuan instinctively shook his head.

Seeing Song Yuanhuan’s expression, Fu Guanglei quickly dropped the thought.

They were both very familiar comrades-in-arms, and on any regular day, they could guess each other’s thoughts just by a glance or a gesture. Now that he had asked and gotten such an expression from Yuanhuan, it was without a doubt that the sister from his brother’s family was not a good option. Otherwise, Yuanhuan wouldn’t have made that face.

"I’m telling you, Leizi, have you finally decided to find someone to warm your bed? How about it, shall I introduce you to a good match?" Zheng Guohui peeled a peanut and popped it in his mouth, squinting his slitted eyes suggestively at Fu Guanglei.

"Forget it! If there was such a good match, why wouldn’t you settle yourself first? Aren’t you in the same boat as me, also hopelessly single? Do you really think you’re still a young boy?" Fu Guanglei didn’t buy a word, since both were confirmed bachelors; neither could mock the other.

"Psh, that’s because I don’t want to marry," boasted Zheng Guohui, cockily raising his eyebrows.

Fu Guanglei rolled his eyes at Zheng Guohui several times, turned his head, and struck up a conversation with Zhao Jian Country, completely ignoring Zheng Guohui’s bragging.

While the men joked and laughed outside, the kitchen was bustling. Xu Xiuxiu brandished her spatula, producing dish after fresh dish. Yan Moli considered herself a veteran in cooking skills, which were not bad. But in front of Xu Xiuxiu’s cooking, she realized her own skills were truly mediocre, especially after tasting a few of Xiuxiu’s dishes. She deeply felt that Song Yuanhuan was incredibly fortunate to have married Xu Xiuxiu.

Xu Xiuxiu prepared a lavish feast, which everyone enjoyed heartily. But Xu Xiuxiu was the quintessential child who loved to cook but loathed washing up. When a group of men left a table full of pots and pans and walked away satiated, Xu Xiuxiu felt devastated.

Although Yan Moli had politely offered to stay and help clean up when she left, she was, after all, a guest. Xu Xiuxiu couldn’t possibly let her help and had to grit her teeth to send her away. When she turned back to face the living room, which looked as if it had been plundered by marauders, Xu Xiuxiu felt dizzy and lightheaded.

Fortunately, Song Yuanhuan, despite his somewhat chauvinistic tendencies, proved to be quite the metrosexual in these situations. He rolled up his sleeves and grandly took care of Xu Xiuxiu’s troubles.