The Life of a Son-in-Law in a Courtyard House

Xu Damao didn't know if Yang Dalin's words were directed at him, but he always felt that Yang Dalin could see through his thoughts.

Xu Damao asked, "Dalinzi, what do you mean by that? Aren't we supposed to be talking about equality for all these days?"

Yang Dalin said, "It's true that everyone is equal, but I know a lot of people at the freight station and have heard a lot of stories. I'll tell you a few, and you can analyze them yourselves."

The first story is about a People's Liberation Army officer who married a rich girl from a bourgeois family.

This young lady is a kind person, but she has never done any work since she was a child.

She is particular about her clothes and accommodations, but she doesn't know how to take care of her children. She likes to indulge in romantic pursuits and occasionally goes out to dance with other people.

Fortunately, the officer's family was well-off, so they asked his younger sister from the countryside to come and take care of the child and cook for the family. However, due to differences in lifestyle, the younger sister and the older sister-in-law argued every day.

After the argument, the sister-in-law felt wronged and would cry to her officer husband.

One day is fine, two days is fine, but if you keep saying this every day, the officer can't just send away the sister who's looking after the child. There's really no other way, so the officer has to stay in the barracks every day and can only go home occasionally.

This is the first point. Think about it: if the officer's family is not well-off and can't afford to hire his sister to take care of the child, then the officer's parents from the countryside will take care of the child, or it might just be the officer and his wife, who comes from a wealthy family, taking care of the child. Do you think there would be even more conflicts then?

"A wife like that is beautiful, but their living environment and spending habits are different. Which of you would marry a rich girl like that? After bringing her home, you'd have to cook and do laundry for her. And after a long day at work, you'd still have to take care of the kids. Could you handle that?"

Yang Dalin, referencing the plot of "Parents' Love," made up a story and told it to them.

Just to scare Xu Damao, so he won't cause any more trouble.

Lou Zi is a naive and innocent girl. She should go to Hong Kong Island instead and avoid this den of wolves.

It wasn't just Xu Damao who caused trouble; Sha Zhu did too. And given their status and behavior, they would have been targeted even without a divorce.

When Sha Zhu stabbed him, the two became sworn enemies.

It's best to stop it at the root, otherwise there will be more trouble in the yard.

Upon hearing this, Sha Zhu quickly said, "Da Linzi is right. The food, clothing and daily necessities of wealthy families are indeed different from those of ordinary families like ours."

When I was a child, I often went with my dad to cook for wealthy families. I saw this all the time. They were young ladies who had several maids taking care of them.

We can't afford to support a rich girl like that, and we're not going to get involved.

I was thinking of finding a girl from an ordinary family, someone pretty and virtuous.

We have similar living environments and habits, so we can afford to raise them.

Being able to feel warmth and comfort, and having some education would be even better.

Xu Damao was a little unwilling to accept this, and asked Yang Dalin, "Dalinzi, this doesn't mean all people are like that, right? Are there other stories?"

Yang Dalin has read so many online novels, making up a story shouldn't be difficult for him.

So, another story was told to Xu Damao: "Yes, there's another one. There's a driver at our station who's good-looking and has a decent income. He was introduced to a rich girl who had fallen on hard times and got married."

However, as everyone knows, we drivers often have to go out and about.

I'm hardly ever home.

At first, his down-on-his-luck daughter was quite nice, taking good care of my colleague. But for some reason, the two of them couldn't have children. Later, as time went on, she started to think that my colleague was vulgar, uncultured, and unhygienic. Eventually, she couldn't stand the loneliness and had an affair.

She ran away with someone.

The more Xu Damao listened to this story, the more it seemed to be tailor-made for him.

The conditions are alright, but I'm not home much. My wife couldn't stand the loneliness and had an affair.

However, Xu Damao felt that he was fine and would definitely be able to have a child as soon as possible, even though the two of them didn't have any children.

He was confident that he wouldn't be like his colleague, Da Linzi.

So, still unwilling to give up, Xu Damao asked, "This doesn't represent the whole picture, does it?"

Yang Dalin chuckled and said, "Brother Da Mao, you're sometimes too naive. First of all, you need to know the true meaning of the phrase 'marrying someone of equal social standing'."

If a rich girl doesn't care about social status and insists on marrying you.

Do you think it's because you're handsome, like Pan An?

Is it because you are cultured, have literary talent, and are a top scholar that you can attract people?

Or is it because your family is well-off and has a high income, making you a worthy candidate for a marriage alliance?

Xu Damao was stumped by the question. It seemed that he was alright in these three areas compared to ordinary people, but compared to those big bosses or those with power and influence, he was nothing.

He's been to some leaders' homes to show movies before; he and his father had been to some leaders' homes when he was an apprentice, and he'd seen it all.

Xu Damao was confused and asked Yang Dalin again, "Besides these few things, is there anything else? What if it's because he's witty, or because he attracts other people's girls?"

Yang Dalin was ready to completely resolve Xu Damao's thoughts: "Brother Damao, it's important for a person to know their own limitations. Your humorous way of speaking or your personal charm may attract someone temporarily."

But don't other well-off families have children like that? Why do they insist on finding someone from an ordinary family?

If they don't care about your looks, talent, or circumstances, what else could they possibly want from you?

The only difference is their background.

If someone from your family background marries you due to special circumstances, do you think your relationship can last?

What if the winds change one day, or what if marrying someone like that ruins your future?

Or will your child also be affected by this background when they are born?

Think about it carefully. There's no such thing as a free lunch. Are those parents crazy? Why would they insist on marrying their precious daughter off to you without considering social status?

Sometimes, you need to look at things from a longer-term perspective, Brother Mao. Don't think you're the only smart one in the world; everyone else isn't stupid.

Xu Damao became a bit withdrawn and didn't drink much of the rest of the wine.

He sat there blankly, his eyes unfocused, lost in thought.

Sha Zhu and Jia Dongxu also realized that many of the things Yang Dalin said today seemed to be things he had said to Xu Damao.

Seeing that Xu Damao was in this state, the drinking party was about to end soon.

After listening to Yang Dalin's words, Jia Dongxu gained some insight.

He shouldn't have only looked at Qin Huairu's appearance and married her from the countryside.

It can't be said that Qin Huairu wasn't diligent, but she was still too petty.

She lacks the magnanimity of a city dweller and is too fond of taking advantage of others. I wonder if this will set a bad example for her son.

It is said that marrying a virtuous wife can bring prosperity to three generations, while marrying a wicked wife can ruin three generations.

It's not that girls from the countryside are all bad, it's just that Qin Huairu, I don't know how she learned it, always likes to scheme against people, which may be related to her parents.

Jia Dongxu was suffering inside, but he couldn't tell Sha Zhu and Yang Dalin.

Yang Dalin suggested that we stop drinking here for today.

The drinking party ended.