Lin Xiaohui exited the family building, glanced back, then turned and hurried toward the bus stop. She rode the bus all the way to the lumber mill.
Lu Chengming was working in the workshop. Since being discharged from the hospital, he had returned to work, feeling guilty and afraid that people would notice something. He had been diligently at work for the past two days.
"Chengming, there's a woman at the factory entrance looking for you," a colleague's voice came from the doorway.
"Hey, coming," Lu Chengming replied. He handed over the work in his hands to a colleague beside him and turned to go out.
"Xiaohui, why did you come all the way here?" Lu Chengming's brows furrowed almost imperceptibly when he saw Lin Xiaohui.
Ever since the doctor at the hospital told him he could no longer have children, Zhao Hong had expressed her willingness to continue living with him. Lu Chengming felt a pang of guilt.
Lin Xiaohui was very happy to see him come out. She quickly pulled him aside, then pouted and asked somewhat dissatisfiedly, "Chengming, when are you going to marry me? My sister has been watching me very closely lately. Why don't I just move into your place?"
"Move into my place?" Lu Chengming was taken aback by her boldness. He paused and said, "I haven't even told my family about us yet. If you suddenly say you want to move into my place, it won't be good for your reputation."
"Chengming, don't you love me anymore? Didn't you tell me in your letters that your wife was old and ugly, and a shrew, and that you were going to divorce her long ago? Are you going back on your word?"
Lin Xiaohui was not stupid. She had given herself to Lu Chengming. If he turned his back on her now, she would be finished.
"Your factory is right next door. If you don't give me an explanation today, I'll go to your boss for one. You didn't mention you were married when you were fooling me."
"My dear aunt, please keep your voice down." Lu Chengming, anxious, quickly reached out to cover her mouth. "I haven't said anything. Besides, doesn't divorce also take time?"
Lin Xiaohui gave him a sidelong glance and then touched her stomach, "I can wait, but he can't."
Seeing this, Lu Chengming's eyes widened instantly, and his speech became a little stuttered with excitement, "Xiaohui, you, you're pregnant?"
Lin Xiaohui nodded shyly, "My period is several days late, and I've been feeling nauseous every morning lately. Otherwise, I wouldn't have been so anxious to sneak out of the house."
When Lu Chengming heard Lin Xiaohui's words, he felt as if the dark clouds hanging over his head had dissipated.
"Xiaohui, don't worry. Give me a few days. Once I've sorted everything out, I'll go to your sister's house to propose."
Lin Xiaohui was surprised that having a child in her womb had made her a darling. It was so effective. She immediately pursed her lips and smiled.
"My sister and my brother-in-law didn't agree to our relationship in the first place, so the betrothal gifts won't be small. Three turns and one sound, a large wardrobe, and so on. I don't want anything from what was left behind before."
"Okay, I'll do whatever you say," Lu Chengming agreed readily. Heaven had not treated him poorly. He, Lu Chengming, finally had a child.
After carefully escorting Lin Xiaohui to the bus, Lu Chengming returned to the factory, took leave, and then rode his bicycle home.
...
On Friday, Chen Lishu and Zhang Xue brought back the finished cotton padded jackets. Back in the dormitory, Zhang Xue took out the padded pants and tried them on. They fit perfectly.
"The weather has been okay for the past couple of days. I'll wait until it gets colder in a few days before wearing them," Zhang Xue said, then took off the padded pants again.
"Lishu, have you decided what program to perform?" Yang Lili asked, putting down the book she was holding and looking up.
Chen Lishu shook her head, "Not yet. Sister Da, what are you planning to perform?"
"I don't have any special skills. I heard Jiang Yuwei and Sun Ling are preparing instrumental performances, and Li He and a few others seem to be performing a dance."
"Why don't the three of us sing a song together? My arms and legs are very stiff, so I can't imagine dancing," Zhang Xue said, folding the padded pants.
Chen Lishu smiled, "I think this suggestion is good."
Yang Lili also thought it was a good suggestion, "Which song should we choose?"
Recalling a very classic English song from before, Chen Lishu said, "I know a song called 'Take..."
Chen Lishu wrote the lyrics in a notebook and taught the other two to sing it a few times. In an afternoon, Zhang Xue and Yang Lili learned most of it.
On Saturday afternoon, Chen Lishu picked up the finished cotton padded jacket and took a bus to Chen Liyuan's school.
"Sister Da."
Chen Liyuan ran a few quick steps towards her, her gaze falling on the large bag in her hand, "What's inside?"
"It's getting cold. Sister made you a new padded jacket. How is it? Is it cold at school?"
Chen Liyuan pulled up her scarf and smiled, "I learned from my classmates. We fill a tin can with hot water, wrap it in a towel, and hold it in our arms. It stays warm for a whole class."
Chen Lishu smiled, "That's a good idea."
Soon, the bus arrived, and the sisters squeezed onto it with effort.
After arriving home, Chen Lishu opened the door and found "Da Wang" lying on the mat near the radiator, snoring with his paws tucked in. Hearing the door open, he lazily lifted his head. Upon seeing Chen Lishu, he tilted his head and closed his eyes again.
"Try on the clothes to see if they fit. I made them a bit larger according to your previous measurements. If they don't fit, I'll alter them for you. I'll go to the service center later to buy some meat, and we'll make dumplings for dinner."
Chen Lishu said this, put down her shoulder bag, watched Chen Liyuan try on the cotton padded jacket, which fit perfectly. She told her to go back to her room to change, then took the money and the net bag to the service center.
"Hey, have you heard? Battalion Commander Wu's sister-in-law, Teacher Lin who teaches at the kindergarten, is getting married. Good heavens, I heard the betrothal gifts include not only three turns and one sound, but also a fourteen-inch television set."
"Really? A television set isn't cheap. I saw them for sale at the department store; they cost over four hundred yuan. Is her in-laws' family from the city?"
Wang Yufen said slowly, "Their Teacher Lin is pretty. We live across the hall. She's not as conservative as us. I heard it's something like a love match."
When everyone heard her say that, their eyes immediately held a different kind of light.