My sister-in-law from Qingdao

"Brother, stop! Let's leave it at that. Let's not talk about this anymore, okay?"

My cousin, who had drunk about two ounces of baijiu (Chinese liquor), seemed a bit drunk. His eyes lit up whenever he talked about women.

I felt like if I didn't stop him, he might encourage me to go see Lin Moli tonight.

"I am your brother, I will never harm you. You must remember that in this society, it is very difficult for you to get ahead with just your passion and ability."

What I'm telling you is a shortcut; you must seize the opportunity if it arises, it's very important.

Seeing my dismissive look, my cousin shook his head helplessly.

"Brother, I understand. Don't worry, I will definitely win Lin Moli over within six months."

That was obviously a joke; I just wanted my cousin to know that I listen to him.

"That's right, bro. If Lin Moli wasn't interested in you, she wouldn't offer you cigarettes."

"Brother's right. Let's not talk about that anymore. Let's get serious. How's your relationship with your wife?"

My cousin, who had just picked up his wine glass, trembled slightly upon hearing my words, and some of the wine spilled from the glass.

"What do you mean? What did you find out?"

"No, I didn't find anything. I just felt that I stayed at your house for two days, and you and your sister-in-law argued three times. If the husband and wife have a good relationship, they wouldn't argue so often."

My cousin didn't say anything, but twirled the glass with his fingers, his eyes fixed on the wine inside.

I raised my glass and clinked it against his, saying, "Brother, I don't mean anything by it. We grew up together. Later, I went to school while you came to Qingdao. When we were kids, we competed in academics, and I was better than you."

As I've grown up, I've fallen far behind you. You've married a beautiful wife, drive luxury cars, and live in a mansion. You should be content, instead of constantly arguing with your sister-in-law.

A harmonious family brings prosperity; how can a couple have a good life if their relationship is strained?

I tried my best to persuade them to stop arguing.

My cousin took out a cigarette, lit it, took a deep drag, and exhaled.

"I pursued your sister-in-law with all my heart, and my sincerity moved her. But after we got married, I realized that we were not from the same world."

"What did you do before you got married? After you get married, you should learn to cherish what you have. I'm not trying to criticize you, but you should spend less time with those frivolous friends who spend money like water, drink every day, go to bathhouses every day, and look for women every day."

This will hurt my sister-in-law's feelings.

My cousin nodded solemnly, took a deep drag of his cigarette, and said with his head down, "You're right. In many ways, I have indeed wronged your sister-in-law."

Seeing my cousin behave this way, I felt quite gratified, after all, he was able to listen to what I had to say.

But he added, "I indulge in debauchery outside entirely to protect my business. Do you think your sister-in-law is clean outside? I suspect she's having an affair."

My cousin's words left me speechless.

I only spent two days communicating with my cousin-in-law, Su Xiaoya. At first, I thought she was rather hypocritical, but later she showed me a lot of concern, and my opinion of her changed.

But my cousin's words made me feel uneasy.

Such a beautiful and gentle woman—if she had another man outside the marriage, their relationship would be completely ruined.

My cousin goes to bathhouses every day. If my sister-in-law has another man outside, their family will fall apart sooner or later.

Then I suddenly remembered something else: why doesn't my cousin's wife let me be with my cousin? If I work with my cousin, I will inevitably live in their house. Wouldn't that interfere with her dating other men?

Thinking about all this, my mind felt particularly chaotic. The image of my cousin-in-law, Su Xiaoya, appeared in my mind. Was she that kind of person?

I grabbed a bottle of mineral water and gulped down a few mouthfuls, trying to appear as sober as possible, before saying, "Brother, you should have a baby."

My cousin's lips curled into a smile, but a bitter expression appeared on his face.

"Actually, I also want a child, but for some reason, we've tried many times, and your sister-in-law just can't get pregnant."

"I've had too many social engagements and drunk too much these past two years, and I'm starting to feel the strain."

Seeing his dejected look, I felt really sorry for him, so I suggested, "I have a suggestion for you. From now on, quit smoking and limit your drinking, exercise every day, and most importantly, starting today, stop going to bathhouses and getting involved with those shady women. Not only is it a waste of money, but they will also erode your feelings for your sister-in-law."

My cousin smiled sheepishly and took another sip of his wine.

"Brother, don't laugh at me, but now I go to bathhouses mainly to entertain clients. I don't really have much interaction with those women. I guess I'm aging prematurely."

"How old are you? You're only two months older than me. How come you look so old? First, you need to be confident in yourself, then exercise, drink less alcohol and smoke less, and you'll get better slowly."

My cousin stubbed out his cigarette in the ashtray.

"Okay, I'll listen to you, bro."

Seeing that my cousin listened to me, I was very happy. I pictured my cousin and his wife leading a cute little baby on the golden sand of the beach.

We drank a lot of alcohol, and my cousin decided not to go back and instead stay with me in my dorm.

Just as he put his arm around my shoulder and walked towards our dorm, he suddenly asked, "Brother, what do you think your sister-in-law will do if I die or go to jail?"

I raised my hand and slapped him on the shoulder, saying, "Stop talking nonsense. You're just a little weak right now. Just correct your lifestyle habits a bit, and in less than six months, you'll be as strong as an ox."

My cousin laughed and said, "I'll listen to you. From today onwards, I'll take good care of your sister-in-law's feelings, and I'll smoke and drink less."

"Since you're considering your sister-in-law's feelings, then don't stay here anymore. Find a designated driver to go back. It's a bit far from your home, but you're not short of money."

Go back and spend some time with your sister-in-law, have a good talk with her. A marriage needs warmth and companionship.

My cousin turned to me and asked, "You rascal, didn't you say you were naive and innocent? How come you sound so knowledgeable?"

"My knowledge is all from books. I've read too many books, so I'm just putting on airs and talking theory without any real understanding."

Just then, my sister-in-law called.

To my surprise, she didn't call her cousin, but instead called my cell phone.