What would people sacrifice for an urban household registration?
A family could scheme against each other, and a young woman would marry a middle-aged man, just like how some Chinese women in the 1990s were willing to marry elderly foreigners for a green card!
In the 1980s, the paths to changing one’s social status were extremely narrow. Not everyone could keenly perceive society’s changes. For some people, transforming from a rural resident to an urban dweller was their life’s goal. To achieve this, some chose to work hard, while others resorted to unsightly scheming.
The matter of Xia Dajun buying a house wasn’t even confirmed yet. Whether the Golden Sands Pool property came with three Pengcheng household registration slots was merely a rumor spreading among Pengcheng citizens. Despite all these uncertainties intertwining, the Xia family had already decided the house must be purchased.
How would the three household registrations be allocated?
Everyone had their ideas.
Xiaoyu thought about herself, Xia Dajun, and their unborn child – a family of three moving into the new house, leaving the rest of the Xia family behind. She could live a peaceful life with the honest Xia Dajun.
Old Mrs. Xia thought about herself, Xia Dajun, and Xia Hongbing. In her mind, Xiaoyu, who hadn’t even obtained a marriage certificate, was just a loose woman and not part of the Xia family – she definitely couldn’t get a registration.
However, Xia Hongbing thought differently. His older brother Xia Dajun was completely under the spell of his young wife Xiaoyu, so it would be unrealistic to deny her the Pengcheng registration. Of the three slots, one would go to his brother, one to Xiaoyu, and the remaining one should be his.
Each family member had their selfish thoughts.
Old Mrs. Xia and Xia Hongbing both believed they had the upper hand, not realizing that Xiaoyu had already planned her decisive move before the house purchase and registration transfer were even discussed.
Pregnancy was her trump card. Thanks to the ancient principle that a mother’s status comes from her child, Xiaoyu’s words, considering the life growing in her womb, carried more weight than Old Mrs. Xia’s and Xia Hongbing’s combined.
When Xia Dajun wanted to take Xiaoyu back to their hometown to get their marriage certificate, Xiaoyu had different ideas:
“Dajun, let’s not tell the family yet. They say it’s better to keep pregnancy news secret for the first three months. Why don’t we wait until after we get our marriage certificate in Yunan to share this good news?”
Once they had their marriage certificate, she would be Xia Dajun’s legal wife, and the Xia family’s opposition wouldn’t matter.
Xia Dajun wasn’t well-educated, so when Xiaoyu mentioned this custom, he didn’t question it at all.
“But we need to go back to Yunan…”
Xiaoyu smiled sweetly and suggested, “We can say we’re visiting my parents. We’ve been together for so long, it’s time for my parents to meet their future son-in-law. My father is turning fifty soon – isn’t that a perfect reason?”
Fifty was considered the age of knowing one’s destiny, worthy of a birthday celebration.
Xia Dajun felt slightly uncomfortable.
Xiaoyu’s father was only fifty, not much older than himself.
How could he dare to mistreat Xiaoyu?
They needed to return home for their marriage certificate, Xiaoyu was already pregnant, he was quite a few years older than her, and he was previously divorced with a daughter. Besides his high salary, all other conditions were inferior – he wasn’t even sure if the Fan family would agree to let Xiaoyu marry him!
Considering all this, Xia Dajun was in no position to oppose Xiaoyu’s suggestions.
They agreed on their story, keeping Xiaoyu’s pregnancy secret and only mentioning the trip home.
Old Mrs. Xia was very displeased: “It’ll take several days to travel there and back. Can you just skip work like that?”
Xia Dajun was confident about this part: “Mom, Hong Kong companies have annual leave. I’ll just use this year’s vacation days.”
Getting their marriage certificate was important business – the company would surely approve his leave.
Old Mrs. Xia glared sideways at Xiaoyu, who moved closer to Xia Dajun.
Xia Dajun shielded her, “You just said you weren’t feeling well. Go rest quickly – what if you get too tired?”
Could exhaustion affect not just the adult but also the child in the womb?
Just thinking about having a son made Xia Dajun want to treat Xiaoyu like a precious treasure. His behavior made each family member contemplate their thoughts.
A woman’s status in her husband’s family depends entirely on how strongly her husband protects her.
Xia Dajun was currently the most successful member of the Xia family. From Old Mrs. Xia to Xia Hongbing, including the younger generation – who didn’t rely on his earnings?
Since he placed Xiaoyu on such a high pedestal, others could only resort to small tricks despite their objections.
Old Mrs. Xia used to bully Liu Fen, but now she had grown shrewd, not daring to speak harshly in front of Xia Dajun. Even in private, she couldn’t outmaneuver Xiaoyu, having lost all her authority as a mother-in-law.
The bowls and chopsticks were still on the table when everyone watched Xiaoyu return to her room.
Old Mrs. Xia’s chest heaved: “Dajun, you’re protecting her too much. Which daughter-in-law doesn’t do housework? If she doesn’t do it, are you expecting me, her mother-in-law, to clean up?”
Xia Dajun didn’t argue with his mother – he was never one for many words.
Xia Hongbing kicked Wang Jingui, “Hurry up and clear the table. Look at all that fat on you – moving around after eating is good. You want Mom to ask you to work?”
Old Mrs. Xia glared at her youngest son. She had been talking about that vixen Xiaoyu – why was Hongbing trying to smooth things over?
Wang Jingui was also suspicious – her husband was truly bewitched today.
Wang Jingui slowly stood up to clear the dishes. Xia Hongxia was exhausted like a dead dog from working at the construction site. Boss Ke’s site didn’t provide dinner, so she truly had no rest time all day. After such exhausting work at the site, she didn’t want to move a finger at home.
Xia Hongxia knew her father hadn’t lost his mind – he wanted the extra Pengcheng household registration slot since Second Uncle was buying a house, so naturally, he needed to please Second Uncle.
Xia Hongxia also wanted a Pengcheng registration, but she didn’t dare compete with her father.
She wasn’t valued at home, and last year’s kidnapping experience brought her no sympathy, only contempt from Old Mrs. Xia and others.
Even her mother repeatedly questioned whether she had lost her virginity… Now, her grandmother was most protective of her father. If her father got the Pengcheng registration, she might have a chance to register along with him.
Xia Dajun paid no attention to the family’s schemes – his focus was entirely on Xiaoyu’s belly!
The next day, Xia Dajun immediately requested leave from work, eager to take Xiaoyu back to their hometown.
“Half a month’s leave?”
After Xia Dajun left, the manager looked at the leave request, wondering whether to mention this to Ah Hua.
The manager wasn’t sure about the young master’s attitude toward his former bodyguard.
While the manager couldn’t figure out the young master’s stance, he knew Xia Dajun had no sense of propriety – incompetent at everything, earning a high salary, and now requesting half a month’s leave? How presumptuous!
…
What was Du Zhaohui’s attitude?
If not for the thorn that was Xia Xiaolan occasionally pricking him, Du Zhaohui would have completely forgotten about Xia Dajun.
Even life-saving gratitude grows distant with time. Given Du Zhaohui’s status, many people would rush to save him – Xia Dajun was just in the right place at the right time. The young master’s mind was occupied with making money, pleasing Du Chengrong, and dealing with those fighting for inheritance. How could he spare thought for a mere bodyguard?
Besides, his current bodyguard Ah Hua served him well enough – he had no plans to replace him.
Du Zhaohui sat with his legs crossed, a cigarette in his mouth, and spat viciously:
“That bastard Tang Yuanyue, wanting to monopolize the Golden Sands Pool land, meeting with Xia Xiaolan behind my back. Since I can’t have the land, Tang Yuanyue won’t get it either!”