Chapter 184 Congratulations

After a brief discussion with Tian Shangguo, Hao Nan came over to the Yan family's kitchen.

"Comrade Zhong, you are completely safe here at the Yan family residence. We will be heading back now," he said, declining to stay for a meal. "Additionally, wishing you and Comrade Yan a very happy marriage."

Tian Shangguo nodded in agreement and added, "Wishing you and Comrade Yan a happy marriage."

"Thank you," Zhong Xiuxiu replied with a soft smile, her face radiant with joy.

The two men departed, and Zhong Xiuxiu did not make any effort to persuade them to stay. They were not members of the Yan family, and it was only natural for them to feel a bit out of place here. She remembered feeling equally out of place when she first arrived at the Yan family home; after all, no place truly compares to one's own home.

She had often heard the older generation say that a married daughter is like poured-out water—once a woman marries, returning to her natal home makes her a guest, and her husband's family is never truly her own home.

This did not imply that the husband's household failed to function as a home, but rather that the bride's heart remained adrift with no true place of rest.

Having left the home where she had lived for over twenty years, she was suddenly dropped into an unfamiliar household. If the husband's family failed to value her, and if her husband lacked tenderness and care, leaving her soul with no sanctuary, then that house was nothing more than a temporary hotel.

Watching the two men leave, Zhong Xiuxiu shook her head with a light chuckle. Her situation was different; she possessed a home of her own, so how could she possibly be a guest?

She had a fallback option.

"What are you thinking about?" Yan Rushan appeared beside her at some point, handing her a cup of warm water and asking gently.

Zhong Xiuxiu glanced up at him, her lips curving into a gentle smile. "I was just remembering how the older generation used to say that a married daughter is like splashed water, and returning to her maiden home makes her a guest. If she gets along well with her husband's family, then it's a home; if she doesn't, then it's just a temporary lodging."

"Why would they say that?" Yan Rushan asked, looking puzzled. "Children are children. Why would a daughter ever be considered a guest upon returning?"

Zhong Xiuxiu took the cup, took a small sip, and replied, "Is it really that simple? In a household with both sons and daughters, or multiple children, can a married daughter returning home ever truly feel like she did when she was an unmarried maiden? There will always be subtle differences. It is precisely these tiny distinctions that cause the most unease. If the mother-in-law in the husband's family is difficult to get along with, or if their personalities clash, the husband is inevitably caught in the middle, trapped in a dilemma. And what about the bride who married into the family?"

"What would they think? They feel like outsiders, completely out of step with the husband's family. That is the reality of it!"

Yan Rushan gazed intently at the person before him. "You are worried."

"I am not worried, just suddenly feeling a bit reflective." Her smile remained, though Yan Rushan could perceive the subtle shift in her expression. "You are not alone; we will not end up in that kind of situation. If you do not wish to live in the Yan family home, I can live with you at the Zhong residence—our own little home belonging just to the two of us."

Moving out of the main compound to live elsewhere was simply out of the question. First of all, the higher-ups would never grant approval; secondly, the old patriarch would never permit them to move out of the compound.

Zhong Xiuxiu nodded, smiling with her lips pressed together, a trace of delight shimmering in the depths of her eyes. She spoke with resolute clarity, "I know. I have a home—an unbreakable home—so I am not worried."

A married daughter with a fallback option and one without had completely different mental states.

A married daughter with a fallback relied on her own foundation and did not depend entirely on her husband's family for survival. A married daughter without such backing lived in constant anxiety, enduring profound psychological torment. If she could find a way to let go, it might be fine, but if she became trapped in her own stubborn thoughts, she could spend half her life in misery.

"Sit down and warm yourself up. I'll go fetch some hot water for you to soak your hands and feet," he said, gently massaging her hand in a silent gesture of reassurance. Yan Rushan went to the bathroom and brought back two new basins—one made of wood and the other of enamel. He filled them with hot water from the thermos. "Come and test if the temperature is right. The basins are brand new; no one else has used them."

"Did your family hoard basins?" Xiuxiu asked, looking surprised.

Yan Rushan explained, "No, Mother specially prepared them for you. Anticipating that we would be getting married and that they might not be able to attend, she prepared everything you might need, including the betrothal gifts. I'll have them delivered tomorrow."

Zhong Xiuxiu's gaze lingered on his face. "Uncle and Auntie prepared the betrothal gifts this early?"

"Mm, Father and Mother are very fond of you."

I can feel it, thank you!

Mother Yan's affection was evident on her face—warm, thoughtful, and originating from a genuine desire to treat the other person well.

Zhong Xiuxiu did not reply immediately. She took off her shoes to soak her feet and placed her hands in the enamel basin. The water was slightly hot, though well within her tolerance. Remaining silent, her heart was immersed in the meticulous, thoughtful, yet unpretentious attitude of Yan Rushan's parents.

"Xiuxiu, are you angry?" Yan Rushan asked, his gaze fixed on her.

"Why would you ask that?"

Yan Rushan said, "Father and Mother couldn't come back because of their work, and they couldn't witness our wedding. Please forgive them. When we hold our formal wedding banquet, they will definitely return."

"Do you take me for an unreasonable child?" She shot him a sidelong glance.

A sweet, tingling sensation washed over Yan Rushan. He actually rather liked her displaying this tiny touch of wilfulness. Driven by a strong instinct for self-preservation, he hurriedly shook his head.

"No, you are certainly not unreasonable. However, before they left, Father and Mother spoke with me privately and asked me to convey their apologies. Registering our marriage while they were absent is something they feel quite guilty about." For parents, missing the joyous milestone of their son and daughter-in-law was naturally a matter of regret.

"I have received Uncle and Auntie's well wishes." Seeing his nervous and anxious expression, Zhong Xiuxiu said, "Is there really anything to mind about this? In the military, one must follow the orders of the Party and strictly adhere to discipline—what is wrong with that? I understand that they have difficulties. Besides, we aren't holding the formal wedding banquet yet anyway."

When holding a wedding banquet, there were plenty of instances where parents could not be present—such as military personnel who truly could not get leave. She did not feel there was anything improper about it; it was simply a matter of conflicting schedules rather than intentional neglect.

Yan Rushan finally breathed a sigh of relief. "I've wronged you. Once we graduate, we'll hold a grand wedding. We'll invite all our classmates, teachers, colleagues, and friends, and make it lively and celebratory."

"Alright."

At Zhong Xiuxiu's single nod, a smile returned to Yan Rushan's handsome face. He stood up and said, "Keep soaking your feet; I'm going to the kitchen to cook. I'll call you when it's ready so you can help me carry the dishes."

"Deal." Having secured her prompt agreement, Yan Rushan's smile grew even broader as he turned and headed toward the kitchen.

Time ticked by, and the sounds of cooking drifted from the kitchen. As the water gradually cooled, Zhong Xiuxiu withdrew her hands, lifted her feet to let the water dry naturally, and put her socks and shoes back on. She carried the enamel and wooden basins into the bathroom, emptied the water, placed them aside, washed her hands, and walked straight toward the kitchen.

Pushing open the kitchen door, the first thing that came into view was Yan Rushan holding a spatula with an apron tied around his waist. Yan Ruhai was standing nearby helping out, handing over plates, dishes, and seasonings.

"Sister-in-law?! What brings you out here?"

"I came to see how well your brother is doing with the cooking." Stepping into the kitchen, she walked up beside Yan Rushan and peered into the wok. Inside, braised pork was simmering. "The color looks great—it's caramelized to a deep red. The meat looks tender, and it should have a wonderful texture when eaten."

Yan Rushan lowered his gaze with a smile, and just as he was about to speak, Yan Ruhai chimed in.

"Of course! Thanks to Sister-in-law, I get to enjoy a treat today as well."

"Doesn't he cook for you guys at home?" Zhong Xiuxiu asked, tilting her head up to look at Yan Rushan with a light arch of her eyebrows.

"He cooks, all right! He treats me and Grandfather like his food-tasting guinea pigs. Sometimes I seriously doubt I have a real older brother," Yan Ruhai complained with exaggerated exasperation. "Whenever he learns how to make a new dish, as long as we express satisfaction and say it tastes good, he never makes it a second time! He just keeps coming up with new ways to torture me and Grandfather."

"Shut your mouth. Eating isn't enough to plug it? Be grateful you even have food to eat," Yan Rushan scolded, looking rather embarrassed.