Switched Marriage: The Coddled Little Wife-Chapter 337: Respect from a Distance

After getting home, Qin Yang hadn’t returned yet, so Lin Chuxia went straight into the kitchen to prepare lunch.

The noodles had to be hand-pulled, they say soft dough for dumplings and tough dough for the soup, but Lin Chuxia particularly liked eating noodles made with soft dough.

But this required cooking skills.

After kneading the dough, she began preparing the fried sauce.

Pork belly cut into small dices, soybean paste and cooking wine mixed to the right thickness, and spring onions chopped into fine pieces.

Just as everything was ready, Qin Yang returned from outside.

Probably hearing the noise in the kitchen, he first took a peek inside.

Lin Chuxia was heating oil, and without turning her head, she said, "We’re having fried sauce noodles for lunch."

A warm presence pressed up against her back, a ticklish kiss landed on her cheek, and it seemed like there was a man’s murmur by her ear, "Wife, you’ve worked hard."

Lin Chuxia couldn’t help but turn her head, only to see the man sticking close behind her, one hand wrapped around her waist, and the other still holding a file bag, his attractive peach-blossom eyes full of tenderness.

Lin Chuxia: "..."

She really hadn’t expected to be struck by such stunning beauty every day.

The fragrant diced meat sauce, the thinly shredded cucumber, the blanched soybean sprouts, paired with the chewy noodles, truly never got tired of eating it.

After lunch, Qin Yang rested for a bit before heading to the office, and Lin Chuxia started tidying up the study.

The thing Qin Yang brought back from the Northwest were his books, the most numerous of all.

Several large boxes, not yet placed on the bookshelf.

While she was busy, there was a noise from outside. Lin Chuxia thought it was Jiang Hong coming over to visit again, but when she went out, she saw Sister-in-law Feng and her daughter Feng Jingjing.

She knew that a few of Qin Yang’s colleagues from the Northwest had been transferred over, but she hadn’t expected other acquaintances besides Li Wei and his spouse.

However, Lin Chuxia really wanted to keep Sister-in-law Feng at arm’s length.

Sister-in-law Feng didn’t feel the same way, greeting Lin Chuxia with her usual warmth.

"I heard yesterday that Mr. Qin’s family had arrived, and true enough, who would’ve thought we would have such a fate. It’s such good luck for our Da Jun to be transferred with Mr. Qin, even us mother and daughter get to bask in the reflected glory."

Here we go again.

Lin Chuxia couldn’t be bothered to respond to her talk, and cut straight to the point, "Sister-in-law, is there something you need?"

"Not really, just heard you’ve arrived, brought the kid to have a look. Tsk-tsk, it’s been several months since we last met in the Northwest, now tell me, how can you always look so fresh? Nothing like us who toil in the soil, born to endure hardship, even with good days, can’t achieve the fair skin of city folks."

Hehe, she had no way to respond to this.

Sister-in-law Feng dragged Feng Jingjing around, taking in the sights, "Why didn’t Mr. Qin get you a flat to live in? Doesn’t he know the unit still has flats? If you ask me, living in a flat is more prestigious, standing on it you can see far into the distance."

Sister-in-law Feng didn’t wait for Lin Chuxia to reply and, pointing to the residential building in the distance, continued, "Our Da Jun is really lucky this time to move into an apartment right after he arrived. We all live over there now, on the third floor, unit five. Mrs. Qin, come over for a visit when you have time. I say, you should let Mr. Qin talk to his superiors about getting you a different apartment. With all that new furniture and the color TV your family has, you deserve to live in an apartment."

Lin Chuxia: "..."

She knew that her actions yesterday were not low-key, but they hadn’t spread throughout the entire complex, had they?

"Sister-in-law, you see, I just moved in and there’s still so much to tidy up. I can’t host you now, but we can chat another time."

Lin Chuxia didn’t want to listen to her, and knowing Sister-in-law Feng, who would feign ignorance if you beat around the bush, she gave her a direct dismissal.

Sister-in-law Feng was stunned for a moment and chuckled, "Look at me, I came at such a bad time. Do you need any help? Don’t be shy with me. After all, our Da Jun and your Mr. Qin are from the same place, we’re practically old friends. Out here, we have to look out for one another, right?"

"It’s all manageable chores; I’ll take care of it myself."

With that, Sister-in-law Feng knew she couldn’t say much more. She told Lin Chuxia to make sure to visit her place when she could and then walked out with Feng Jingjing.

As soon as they stepped out the door, Sister-in-law Feng’s face soured, and she pinched her daughter.

"Useless thing, do you see? Wherever we go, people like us are looked down upon."

"Why did I give birth to such a useless thing like you? You don’t have a trace of sense. Didn’t you say you wanted to watch TV? The Qin family has a color TV. Why did you become mute the moment you got there? If you said you wanted to watch their color TV, would she have refused to let you inside?"

Feng Jingjing, holding her arm, spoke in aggrieved tones, "Mom, it was you who said you’d take me to watch TV."

"You keep saying that," Sister-in-law Feng pinched her again, "Why would I bother if it weren’t to give you a glimpse of the world? Do you really think you’re better than others just because you moved into an apartment, expecting to be invited in to watch it? Didn’t you notice? She still looks down on you. If you don’t lower your tail and be humble, sooner or later you’ll face the consequences."

Feng Jingjing hugged her arm, tears swirling in her eyes, but she dared not let them fall.

Seeing no one around, Sister-in-law Feng suddenly sighed, "How great it would have been if you were a son. If you were a son, your father would have been able to hold his head high. With his great job and capabilities, if he had a son, someone would carry on his legacy. How did it turn out that I birthed someone as useless as you..."

"Is this Da Jun’s wife?"

Suddenly a voice startled Sister-in-law Feng. Seeing Sis Jiang in the distance, Sister-in-law Feng immediately donned a smile.

"Yes, it’s me. Are you heading out, sister?"

"I’m off to buy some groceries. Where are you and your daughter off to for a stroll?"

"We’re just walking around. We’ve just moved here, and I wanted the child to get to know the place."

"That’s a good idea. Your daughter’s not that young anymore, right? Why haven’t you sorted her school transfer yet? Other things can wait, but you really should hurry up with your child’s education. It’s something you can’t delay."

"Tch, sister, you make it sound so easy. She’s just a girl, what’s there to delay? The fact that she can live here with everyone is a blessing earned over eight lifetimes. She’s not even worthy of sitting in a classroom with others, no need for such fantasies."

Sis Jiang frowned slightly but still kindly advised, "Da Jun’s wife, that’s not the right attitude. Valuing boys over girls is an old way of thinking. The country now promotes family planning, treating boys and girls equally. Haven’t you seen the slogans? Both boys and girls are treasures."

"Yes, yes, yes," Sister-in-law Feng agreed with a smile, until Sis Jiang walked away. Then, her smile faded.

Looking down at Feng Jingjing beside her, her disdain unmasked, "What treasure for both boys and girls—easy for her to say without feeling the pinch. Can a financial loss like you compare to a son? Pah..."

She looked up once more at the residential building, "If you were a son, with your father’s capabilities, you and I wouldn’t need to grovel or face others’ disparagement. It’s all because of you, this curse, that your father and I can’t hold our heads high. I’m warning you, when we get back, behave yourself. Tell your father what he needs to know, and keep quiet about what he doesn’t need to know. Or else, I’ll tear your mouth apart and send you back to our hometown."

Feng Jingjing flinched and said with her head down, "Mom, I’ll obey. I won’t tell Dad anything. Please don’t send me back to the hometown."