After having a good meal and a few drinks, it was already past nine in the evening when my father-in-law, my brother-in-law, and their families left.
Fortunately, my mother-in-law and sisters-in-law are also very down-to-earth people. Before leaving, they cleaned up all the pots and pans, which saved Yang milan a lot of trouble.
After coaxing maggie to sleep, Yang milan and Li mercy were the only ones left in the room.
Under the dim kerosene lamp, the two of them snuggled together tightly. The atmosphere was a little awkward, but mostly sweet.
"You…"
"You…"
The two of them spoke at the same time, then stopped at the same time.
They smiled at each other, and Yang milan said with a smile: "You speak first!"
"Are you really going to marry me?" Li mercy asked with all her courage.
"Well, we have to get the certificate. Once we get it, we will be a real legal couple. Otherwise, we'll be living together illegally!" Yang milan replied.
"You're just talking nonsense. Nowadays, many people live together without a marriage certificate. Does that mean they're breaking the law?"
"If you look at it legally, yes, they are breaking the law! We're law-abiding citizens, and we must be licensed to work!" Yang milan answered.
Li mercy frowned and said, "But have you thought about this? Once you get the certificate, you'll have no chance to return to the city!"
"Actually, I've been thinking about this for days. If I could take you and maggie with me back to the city, I'd return without hesitation. But reality is, I can only choose between going back to the city alone or staying here with my wife and child. You can't have your cake and eat it too!
So I've asked myself countless times—which is more important: returning to the city, or you and maggie ? And in the end, my answer is always you and maggie.You're more important."
Li mercy looked at him, her eyes trembling. "But…"
"It's nothing to worry about. If going back to the city means abandoning my wife and daughter, I'd rather stay with you forever!" Yang milan said firmly.
"You're being too hard on yourself!"
Yang milan smiled. "Do you want me to return to the city, or stay here and get the certificate with you?"
"Get the certificate!" Li mercy said without hesitation.
After speaking, her face turned red. She hurriedly added, "Actually, sometimes when I see you suffer, I want to let you go. But every time I think about you leaving me and maggie and marrying another woman in the city, my heart feels like it's being cut with a knife!"
"Forgive me for being a selfish woman. I really can't live without you…"
As she spoke, Li mercy eyes filled with tears, which soon flowed down her cheeks.
Yang milan gently wiped her tears and said softly, "Don't cry, you're not selfish. You just love me too much, and love our family too much!"
Then Yang milan added: "Girl, thank you!"
"Uh… why are you thanking me?" Li mercy asked curiously.
"Thank you for giving me a home, and such a smart and lovely daughter. Thank you for giving so much to this family!"
Yang milan then sighed: "Five years ago, when I arrived at the Babaoliang Brigade, I was full of despair. As a so-called scholar, I was useless here. I couldn't lift a hand, couldn't tell crops from weeds. Life's hardships, loneliness, and uncertainty about the future crushed me. I even thought of suicide.
But then you appeared! You didn't despise me. You chose to marry me! For five years, you've done the laundry, cooked, raised children, and supported the family, while I contributed so little. You saved me."
Li mercy quickly said, "No, my idea is that you shouldn't work either!"
But Yang milan insisted, "No, a family must earn work points, or else there'll be no food. If we earn money in the future, we can buy food from the supply cooperative. But for now, if no one in our family works, the villagers will gossip. Your father is the village party secretary—people will think he's abusing power for us. We mustn't give them that chance."
Yang milan paused, then added, "If you insist on me working, I'll get an easy job. The scorer position will open soon, and since you're a high school student, you can definitely do it!"
They laughed, cried, and talked about the future.
That night, after maggie woke up and disturbed them, the little family of three ended up together again. Li mer y soothed her daughter back to sleep with a lullaby, while Yang milan whispered plans about their future work and life.