Drama Couple in the 80s

Chapter 29

Before Song Shixia could chase him away,

Jiang Ya had spent the day cooking and entertaining guests. Observing her weariness, He Cheng kindly suggested she retire early.

Shortly after the loudspeaker broadcast ended, around eight o'clock, He Cheng emerged from the west room and politely bid farewell to Song Shixia.

Once he left, Jiang Ya washed up and prepared for bed. Carrying her thermos cup, she casually squatted by the drainage ditch in the yard to brush her teeth while pondering their marriage plans.

He Cheng was eager to get married, and so was she. Habits can be formidable although her life with the Jiangs was comfortable, certain customs carried over from decades ahead made her feel out of place, often causing discomfort.

For instance, brushing her teeth - now she meticulously brushed twice daily, and even after consuming strong smelling foods like onions at noon, she would brush again. This habit frequently drew criticism from Song Shixia, especially when he saw her leisurely squatting down first thing in the morning to brush her teeth. It irritated him, feeling that it wasted valuable time.

Song Shixia's viewpoint was clear: "Brushing your teeth all day long! How dirty can they be? Even after eating at home, you still need to brush? Why don't you scrub your stomach and intestines while you're at it!"

Their understanding and habits differed greatly. In those past times, villagers constantly struggled for basic sustenance, leaving no room for luxuries like toothbrushes and toothpaste.

Thus, Jiang Ya couldn't change her cheap mother's ways. When she tried to buy Song Shixia a toothbrush, Song Shixia retorted, "Which old woman in the village brushes their teeth? Don't you fear being mocked as extravagant?"

Jiang Ya simply couldn't comprehend how brushing teeth could be seen as extravagance.

Living with parents meant enduring constant scolding, regardless of what one did. Every action faced scrutiny, making it seem as if nothing was ever right. The mere thought of sleeping late instead of working was considered utterly unacceptable.

"Haist" Lost in these thoughts, Jiang Ya suddenly felt nauseous while brushing her teeth, possibly due to pushing the brush too far back. She wasn't quite accustomed to the taste of this Golden Rooster tooth powder. Hastily, she paused to catch her breath.

Spitting out the foam, Jiang Ya rinsed her mouth before continuing to brush, contemplating that next time, it might be worth spending extra money on toothpaste.

After rinsing her mouth, Jiang Ya slowly stood up and turned around, only to abruptly find Song Shixia standing behind her.

It was too dark to discern expressions clearly, but Jiang Ya instinctively sensed that her mother's face held a displeased look.

"Mother, what are you doing here?" Jiang Ya asked, startled. "You scared me."

Carrying her teacup back inside, she noticed Song Shixia following close behind. Once they entered the room, Song Shixia scrutinized her repeatedly with furrowed brows before whispering sternly, "Dead girl, tell me truthfully, what just happened out there?"

"What do you mean?"

Song Shixia glared at her and paused before saying, "Don't play dumb with me. I saw you retching earlier."

"Oh, it's nothing. Just from brushing my teeth."

Under Song Shixia's intense gaze, a thought struck Jiang Ya. Calmly, she asked, "Mother... is there something you want to say?"

Without responding, Song Shixia stared at her for a moment before leaving.

Jiang Ya pondered while soaking her feet, forming a rough idea of what might be on her mother's mind. She couldn't help but shake her head with a wry smile.