The Delicate Darling with Her Rough Man

Chapter 68: Chapter 68: Gu Zhiqing is Amazing

”That Gu Zhiqing is really something else. She can even make brown sugar.”

Uncle Chen sighed with emotion. He’d lost count of how many times he’d said it.

A thresher.

A way to shell peanuts.

She could even make something as scarce as brown sugar. You can’t find that stuff on the market, no matter the price!

Normally, if you wanted a little sugar, you had to find someone to trade for sugar ration tickets.

Farmers didn’t have ration tickets. If they wanted anything, they had to trade for it with people who had things to offer.

And brown sugar was already a scarce item, so you couldn’t trade for it even if you wanted to.

The only time was maybe when a wife or daughter was in her postpartum confinement month. You’d have to go to a family you were on good terms with and ask, and they might be able to trade you a ration ticket for a jin of brown sugar.

Uncle Chen and Chen Jianshe’s father were biological brothers. They had simply split their households because there wasn’t enough living space.

But the Chen Family lived in harmony, and Uncle Chen was always very good to his nephew, Chen Jianshe.

He was happy about the brown sugar, of course, but what made him happiest was that his nephew always thought of their family whenever he came across something good.

This incident further impressed upon him how capable Gu Jiaojiao was, and he couldn’t help but comment.

”Gu Zhiqing is a capable person, and Leng Yuan is no slouch either. If those two build a life together, they’ll definitely do well for themselves.”

Hearing Uncle Chen’s words, Aunt Chen was unimpressed.

She took a sip of the sweet brown sugar water, pursed her lips, her face full of disdain.

”What ’capability’? Everyone knows Leng Yuan’s family is poor. Haven’t you seen how his own grandmother and uncle won’t even talk to him?”

”The only relative he’s still in contact with is his aunt. But when she wanted to bring him into the city, he refused. If you ask me, I have no idea what goes on in his head.”

”Besides, that Gu Zhiqing is going to return to the city eventually. Why would she ever settle down in the countryside with Leng Yuan?”

When Chen Sandan heard his mother say this, he immediately protested. ”Mom, if you say one more bad thing about Mr. Leng, I won’t let you drink this sweet water.”

Aunt Chen’s eyes widened. ”What’s it to you? What’s wrong with me saying a few things about him?”

Chen Sandan puffed out his chest. ”Mr. Leng gave us this brown sugar. It’s wrong for you to drink what he gave us while badmouthing him.”

Hearing this, Aunt Chen was so angry she looked ready to hit him.

’That damn kid! I’m his mother, and he’s siding with an outsider over me!’

Of course, Uncle Chen wasn’t going to let his son get hit, especially since the boy wasn’t wrong.

Not only did he stop her, but he also added a teasing remark of his own.

”See? Even the kids can’t stand to listen to you. If you talk like that again, you can forget about drinking any more brown sugar water.”

Aunt Chen might have been in charge of the small matters at home, but when Uncle Chen spoke, no one dared to argue.

That was also why the boys in the family felt brave enough to speak their minds.

Seeing the entire family, young and old, against her, Aunt Chen finally shut up.

After all, the brown sugar water was so good. There was no way she’d give it up.

’Still, in her heart, she didn’t believe for a second that Gu Jiaojiao would actually settle down with Leng Yuan.’

’Just you wait!’

’The moment she gets a chance to go back to the city, Gu Jiaojiao will definitely kick Leng Yuan to the curb and leave on her own.’

’And when that happens, she’d introduce her own niece to Leng Yuan.’

’After all, Leng Yuan had a monthly income of twenty-five yuan.’

’Mulling it over, Aunt Chen decided the plan was perfectly feasible.’

Meanwhile, when Chen Jianshe’s parents returned and saw the brown sugar, the first thing they asked was where it came from.

So Chen Jianshe explained the whole story.

Rather than looking pleased, Chen Jianshe’s parents’ faces were grim.

Mrs. Chen marched right up, twisted Chen Jianshe’s ear, and started to scold him.

”You rascal! You and Leng Yuan are close, but didn’t you just bring home a rabbit and a chicken yesterday? And today you take his brown sugar too!”

”Take it back to him this instant.”

She was furious.

”Leng Yuan has looked after you since you were kids! He always gave you the best things to eat. He asks you for a little help, and you have the nerve to accept gifts from him?”

Chen Jianshe was tough, but he also knew how to read the room. He immediately admitted his mistake. ”Mom! My dearest mother! You’re going to twist my ear off! I’ll never be able to find a wife if it falls off!”

His words made Mrs. Chen laugh despite her anger. ”You? Get a wife? In your dreams!”

Despite her words, she loosened her grip on his ear.

This gave Chen Jianshe a chance to explain.

”Mom, you know my relationship with Brother Leng. We’re closer than actual brothers. If he only had one jin of brown sugar, I’d never have taken it. But he has plenty more at his house, which is the only reason I accepted.”

”Besides, I just saw how hard you two have been working and wanted you to have some sweet water.”

Chen Jianshe mumbled the last part quietly, but Mrs. Chen still heard him.

Seeing her son like this, Mrs. Chen’s anger vanished. She let go of Chen Jianshe’s ear, but her tone remained firm.

”Fine, we’ll accept it this time. But don’t you dare take anything else in the future.”

Chen Jianshe quickly nodded in agreement.