Wang Dong was born seven years after his parents married. The elder Mrs. Wang doted on him endlessly, treating him as if he were made of glass. As the matriarch who controlled the family's finances, her word was law in the Wang household, and Wang Dong's upbringing was consequently a sheltered and carefree one.
If there was one thing that troubled the elder Mrs. Wang, it was her only grandson's marriage. It had progressed from wanting a beautiful, gentle, sensible, and filial daughter-in-law, to simply a gentle, sensible daughter-in-law. In the last couple of years, she had even begun to wonder if her grandson disliked girls.
Fortunately, a few months ago, her grandson announced he was dating. The girl was a few years younger, studied some obscure subject, and worked in an office building. What she studied was beyond her comprehension; all she cared about was when her grandson would get married and give her a great-grandchild.
However, her grandson revealed that the girl wanted to get to know him better before deciding. Hmph! Her grandson, at such a young age, had already opened a food factory. Wasn't that working for others in the city? And she still needed time to decide?
The elder Mrs. Wang was displeased then, but now that the girl was pregnant, there was no longer any room for her to be picky. Yet, the girl's mother seemed to suggest that if negotiations failed, they would abort the child? That wouldn't do! The Wang family had been single-child for generations. If this child were lost, what would happen to their lineage?
The elder Mrs. Wang became anxious. "Daughter-in-law, since these two children are going to have a baby, why don't we get their marriage certificate first? Otherwise, how will the child have prenatal check-ups, get registered, and so on?"
Yang Shu smiled and didn't commit. "There's no rush. Marriage depends on the children's wishes. We're just discussing how to proceed if they want to marry, and how to proceed if they don't."
Seeing that the other matriarch was unyielding, the elder Mrs. Wang reluctantly showed her sincerity. "According to our local custom, the man buys a house, the woman furnishes it, and then we use the wedding gifts to buy a car. What do you think, madam?"
Before the elder Mrs. Wang could finish, Liu Fang interjected, "In our city, the man gives a betrothal gift, and the woman brings a dowry. The wedding gifts are for the young couple. Our Minmin already has a house and a car. If you find it difficult, she can live in our house."
Liu Chen almost burst out laughing at her mother's words. Her mother's statement was brilliant. They had a house and car, so if the other side didn't offer a betrothal gift, they could become live-in son-in-law. They wouldn't mind.
The elder Mrs. Wang had not expected the other family to be so firm, especially with a pregnancy involved. After a moment's hesitation, she formulated a new plan. "Look, the child needs to rest now, so let's not bother her with this. It's the Lunar New Year. Such a big decision can't be settled in half a day. Let's have tea after the holidays and discuss it properly."
As soon as the elder Mrs. Wang spoke, Liu Fang became anxious. Wasn't this a tactic to stall and wait until Minmin's pregnancy progressed to a stage where an abortion would be difficult? However, seeing her mother and elder sister remain unfazed, as if they hadn't understood the other party's intentions, and her brother Chen Chen, who she considered a child who likely hadn't grasped the undercurrent of the conversation, Liu Fang remained calm.
Liu Chen understood. She even understood why Liu Fang was so composed. Her mother was capable of letting her younger aunt have the baby and raising it herself. In Liu Fang's view, it was better for her child to be happy than to settle for a seemingly happy relationship that was hollow. What was raising a child? As long as one was capable, one could live well with anyone.
The elder Mrs. Wang thought her plan was clever and everyone else was foolish. Little did she know, the sound of her calculations was audible even to the nurses at the station. Two nurses, working the New Year's Eve shift, whispered to each other:
"Ah, another case of an unwed pregnancy where the man's family is trying to control the situation."
"I don't think she's being controlled. Didn't you hear what the woman's family said in the ward just now? Regarding the baby, if the mother wants it, they'll help raise it. If she doesn't, they won't try to persuade her."
"Wow? That family spoils their daughter too much!"
"Isn't it? If I were pregnant out of wedlock, my mother would probably beat me to death. She'd probably force me into marriage."
...
With no progress made after hours of negotiation, and dinnertime fast approaching, the elder Mrs. Wang proposed that her in-laws join them for their family's New Year's Eve dinner at their ancestral home. This perfunctory invitation was naturally rejected by Liu Chen's maternal grandmother.
Lying in bed, Hu Min overheard the tone of the conversation and suspected that the negotiations had failed. Remembering Luo Meihong's words calling her a "money-losing good-for-nothing," Hu Min's eyelashes drooped, and she withdrew her hand from Wang Dong's.
Wang Dong reached out to grasp her hand again, only to see Minmin reaching for Liu Chen, who had somehow appeared beside her. "Wang Dong, you should go back for your reunion dinner. I'll be fine with Chen Chen and the others here."
Hu Min spoke each word deliberately, a faint smile on her face. Yet, Wang Dong felt that if he left now, he might never hold Minmin's hand again. A wave of immense panic washed over him. "I'm not leaving! I'm staying right here. We, along with our baby, will celebrate the reunion together."
Hearing this, the smile on the elder Mrs. Wang's face faltered. She walked to her grandson's side and tugged at his down jacket. "Dong Dong, let's go home. You won't be able to rest here with your future daughter-in-law. Don't cause trouble, alright!"
Wang Dong remained seated on the stool, unmoving, his gaze fixed stubbornly on Hu Min. Seeing that her persuasion was futile, the elder Mrs. Wang turned her attention to Hu Min in the hospital bed. "Daughter-in-law, please persuade Dong Dong. It's the New Year. It's bad luck for a businessman to spend it in the hospital!"
Liu Chen, who had been silent until now, couldn't help herself. "Uncle Wang Dong, you should go. If you stay here and your grandmother gets sick from bad luck, that would be terrible. Besides, you haven't even gotten a marriage certificate with my aunt yet, so Grandma doesn't need to be so familiar and call her grandson's wife. My aunt is still unmarried."
Some things, said by adults, might sound too harsh. But coming from a high schooler expressing her youthful indignation, it was just right. Wang Dong was taken aback to hear Liu Chen speak so directly to him. "If I leave, Minmin will be lonely here."
Sensing his aunt's hand tighten in hers, Liu Chen smiled. "How can she be alone? Uncle Wang Dong, the Minmin you're talking about is our family. If you're not here, we are."