Chapter 18: I Was Born to My Mother

Tang Xin had every confidence in her future mother-in-law’s cooking. Just thinking about marrying into the Li family and being able to eat delicious food every day filled her with overwhelming joy. Radish balls, cabbage dumplings, corn cakes—even if they were all vegetarian, she was sure her mother-in-law could prepare them in a hundred different ways. Moreover, once her farm was upgraded, she’d be able to grow even better crops.

For the sake of a blissful future, let’s go!

The steamed buns were warm and soft to the touch, instantly whetting her appetite and offering salvation to a stomach that had been tormented by the kitchen at the commune. She had no idea what the filling was—perhaps there was no meat or egg, all vegetarian—but to Tang Xin, they tasted absolutely delicious.

As someone who cared about her image as a lady, she nevertheless sat on the back seat of the bicycle and, with no regard for decorum, devoured two buns in quick succession. They were even tastier than the pancakes she’d had before. Oh no, at this rate, wouldn’t she end up gaining weight?

Happily, Tang Xin hugged Li Sheng around the waist for a moment. “Li Sheng, you’re so good to me.”

Of course, she released him immediately, not wanting to embarrass him. Still, she couldn’t help feeling a secret thrill about his strong, masculine figure. In her previous life, she’d had the heart for romance but not the courage… After all, at eighteen and still a student, she’d been just a child, never having even dated before being forced into this story as a cannon-fodder supporting character.

But this Li Sheng—he was not only exactly her type, but also had an amazing physique. Heh, Tang Xin would never admit that her smile at this moment was anything but innocent!

The two of them made it smoothly to the commune’s post office. Currently, it was the only place with a telephone, where one could pay to make a call. Since phone calls were expensive and it wasn’t easy to reach people, few came to use it. In the entire Five-Star Commune, aside from the office of the commune head, this was the only telephone.

When Li Sheng and Tang Xin arrived, someone was already making a call, so they had to wait in line. The voice was so familiar that Tang Xin realized it was none other than “Brother Lu,” whom Meng Jia had been searching for everywhere.

So it turned out that Lu Liqin had come by yesterday afternoon, but since he’d come on a whim and in a hurry, he hadn’t brought his identification and thus couldn’t make a call. Ah, everything was so complicated at this time—even making a phone call at the commune required a household registration booklet and an introduction letter from the brigade.

The educated youth didn’t have quite so many obstacles, but they still needed their educated youth identification. So, Lu Liqin hadn’t managed to make his call yesterday, and that’s why he’d taken leave again today to come back.

Only after untangling this mess did Tang Xin realize her mistake, and she panicked. She hadn’t known about these requirements, so naturally she hadn’t brought her ID. Fortunately, Li Sheng was reliable—he’d come prepared and handed her his work permit.

When Lu Liqin finished his call—well, actually, finished tattling—he came out to see Li Sheng and Tang Xin standing side by side at the door. His eyes immediately reddened. “Why did you come?”

Though there were two people standing there, in his heart and eyes, he only saw one.

Tang Xin shot him an impatient glance. “Are you done? If you’re finished, step aside. I need to make a call.”

Lu Liqin instantly understood. “No need to bother. I already called Uncle Tang. He was furious and said he doesn’t approve of your marriage.”

“It’s me getting married, not him. What does it matter whether he agrees or not?”

Lu Liqin thought, This girl! She’s grown wings and won’t even listen to her own father?

Li Sheng, on the other hand, felt something odd in those words.

Finally rid of the obstacle, Tang Xin struggled to get through on the phone and tried to speak directly with her mother. In her eyes, marriage was something to discuss with her mother; as for her father, whose heart was already leaning toward that “white lotus,” she could let him be. Next time Meng Jia wanted to marry, he could play the head of the household.

She hadn’t expected that when the call finally connected, a gentle, frail female voice answered, “Tang Xin, you finally called home?”

Tang Xin frowned deeply. “Why are you in my house?”

Even if Meng’s mother was a widow who’d once saved her father’s life, it wasn’t appropriate for her and Meng Jia to stay at the Tang home. Her father had arranged for them to live in another two-bedroom apartment in the same neighborhood.

Tang Xin’s two older brothers had jobs elsewhere and didn’t live with their parents, but that “white lotus” often used the excuse of helping out to visit the Tang home. Every time she went, she’d chat and laugh with Tang’s father, reluctant to leave for her own place.

In Tang Xin’s memory, her mother would always be quietly upset, never daring to show it, only weeping in secret. Tang Xin understood that the original Tang’s mother was the traditional, gentle type who always put her husband and children first. That was why, in the end, her husband and sons were won over by the “white lotus,” her daughter died, and she herself came to a sad end.

Tang Xin thought it shouldn’t have to be that way. Her mother might be timid and indecisive, but she was a good woman—at least, to the original Tang Xin, she was the best mother in the world.

Now that she was here, Tang Xin felt it was her responsibility to give her mother a helping hand. She didn’t have the power yet, but she wasn’t afraid; when she grew stronger herself, she would help others.

After all that trouble coming to the commune, she hadn’t even managed to speak with her mother, and Tang Xin looked visibly deflated. She felt increasingly unsettled inside.

She had crossed time and space, only to arrive in an era where food and clothing were scarce and nothing was convenient—what was the point?

At this moment, Tang Xin deeply missed the cellphone her parents had given her when she started high school.

Lu Liqin saw her expression and immediately understood, his tone schadenfreude: “Oh, your mother’s not home?”

Tang Xin shot him a sideways look. How had the original Tang Xin ever fallen for such a dog of a man?

Lu Liqin had called her father at his office, so of course he’d reached him right away. But Tang Xin had no desire to contact that old man.

Li Sheng had deliberately walked away to avoid overhearing Tang Xin’s conversation with her family, but when he saw her facing off with Lu Liqin, he came back to ask what was wrong.

Tang Xin immediately let Lu Liqin see the difference in her attitude. She flashed a sweet smile at Li Sheng. “My mom’s not home. I’ll try again tomorrow at noon.”

Furious, Lu Liqin said coldly, “Your father doesn’t agree. It’s no use talking to your mother.”

Tang Xin was even more annoyed. “I was born to my mother, not him. Isn’t his only daughter Meng Jia anyway?”