Title: How to Thrive in the Sixties
Translator: Fuyu
Chapter 76 - Maturity (2)
In the provincial capital's machinery factory's worker housing, Wu Guozhi was combing his hair.
His mother was nearby and mending clothes. Occasionally, she would scratch her scalp with the needle. From time to time, she would raise her head to look at her son.
"Guozhi, what are you doing? It's better to go with the girl from the Su family. She's so honest. That's such a good trait. I also heard that her article was published in the newspaper last month. Marrying her will add prestige to our family. Her family is a heavy burden… But, her younger brother is already married. There shouldn't be much she has to do as an older sister.
Wu Guozhi sneered. "She's too stupid."
Stupid people were dislable. She actually thought letting him pay for food would make him look good to others. She had tossed his face to the trash with her move. The next time he went to work, someone had mentioned that he almost didn't have money to pay when he took out a female comrade to dinner.
Mrs. Wu glared. "It's better that she's stupid. A wife like her will be easy to handle. Society is different now. Women have changed and have new ideas. Any skilled woman can oppress her mother-in-law. Like that girl your younger brother is dating. I don't like her. She won't be easy to handle after he marries her back.
Wu Guozhi naturally understood this logic. Otherwise, he wouldn't look for a woman like Su Yu. But, Su Yu was such an idiot, and there she had no femininity. Her face was scrawny, and her family was poor. He was unwilling to live with her for the rest of his life.
He was on the older side for a bachelor, but it wasn't impossible to marry a better woman. For example, Sun Min, an apprentice in the machinery factory, was pretty good. She was young. Once she became a regular worker, she would get employee benefits.
But, marrying her was a bit tricky. It wasn't easy to chase after a young woman.
Not getting a response from her son, Mrs. Wu frowned. "What are you thinking? You're already at this age. Do you plan on having me serve you for the rest of my life? Marry a wife soon so that she'll handle the housework. I want to live a leisurely life."
She wanted Su Yu to be her daughter-in-law. After serving her younger siblings for so many years, she had to be someone good at serving others. Wasn't the purpose of the oldest daughter-in-law to serve her in-law's young and the old?
Wu Guozhi had lost his father when he was young and had been raised by his mother. He didn't want to make her angry, so he quickly guaranteed, "Mom, I promise I'll find a good daughter-in-law for you. She'll be good in every aspect and give you face."
Mrs. Wu said, "I don't have any hopes. It's enough that your younger brother marries well. I just want you to marry someone that knows how to serve people."
"... Fine, if I don't find someone else by the end of the year, I'll marry Su Yu. Don't worry. She's very submissive to me. It's not like she's going to run off and marry someone else. Besides, no one else wants her."
Wu Guozhi could't help feeling proud. His quality wasn't bad. Otherwise, how could a woman be so wholeheartedly devoted to him?
After appeasing his mother, Wu Guozhi hurriedly went to his appointment. He had to quickly win over Sun Min. As for Su Yu, he would visit her after National Day and get her to treat him to a meal and a movie to compensate for last time.
—
National Day was only one day off. Su Yu didn't go out to shop. There was nothing to see in the stores in this era. It was better to stay at home to read. After skimming through the textbook, she answered a few questions that Teacher Xu gave her. Although she felt she had a good grasp on the subject, it was better to be safe until she took the exam.
She had to study well. Even though she was confident of her success, she had to do her best to ensure she got the best possible grade. Only the person with the highest grade would stand out and have the best future opportunities.
She didn't have her options. Her starting point in this life was too low. To have a better future, she had to ensure every step she took was stable.