Chapter 21: Becoming Others’ Laughing Stock for No Reason

Seeing the conversation circling back to her again.

Not wanting to draw attention from the neighbors, Shen Yi’an could only point to her third-floor window. “Mom, let’s talk at home.”

“There are too many people downstairs. It’s not convenient to speak here.”

Noticing her daughter’s evasive gaze, Deng Yaxin immediately understood these were matters not meant for outsiders’ ears.

Though she hadn’t yet grasped the full context, her instinctive reaction was to smile at Li Beichen.

“It’s rare for you to visit Auntie’s home, yet we’ve made you carry so many things. I’m truly embarrassed.”

“Let me take a couple items for you – that’ll lighten your load.”

As she spoke, she reached out to take some packages.

Seeing this, Li Beichen swiftly sidestepped. “No need, Auntie. I can manage.”

Knowing this was his future mother-in-law, his tone grew even more respectful. “You and An’an should go ahead first. She wasn’t feeling well since getting off the train.”

“Fourth Brother and I will catch up shortly.”

Nearby, Shen Junkai’s brows furrowed almost imperceptibly.

So he’s using his future brother-in-law as a shield to curry favor with his mother-in-law-to-be, is he?

Fine, just don’t regret this later!

Deng Yaxin remained unaware of this exchange, her thoughts completely derailed by how Li Beichen had addressed her.

Calling her “Auntie” was correct.

But his tone… why did it sound so much like he was saying “Mom”?

The thought startled her.

When she collected herself, she began to discern something different in the air.

So this is what Fourth Brother meant!

Understanding dawned, but as the Women’s Director of the Woolen Mill, she maintained perfect composure.

For now, she said nothing, merely nodding at Li Beichen with a smile.

“Alright then, An’an and I will go ahead.”

“Take your time with those packages – no need to rush!”

Having received his response, she took Shen Yi’an’s hand and left.

At the building entrance, they encountered the earlier chatting group. Deng Yaxin greeted them with her usual smile.

“Keep chatting, I’m heading home now.”

“My college student has returned – I need to prepare dinner.”

Learning that the Shen family’s college student was back, the aunties exclaimed in surprise.

“Oh, your college student’s really back! You should hurry home then – we’ll chat another time!”

“Don’t rush off! Let us speak with the college student too! Maybe we’ll catch some scholarly luck and get a college student in our own families!”

“Wishful thinking! Do you think college students are like cabbages on the street, there for the picking?”

“If you’re jealous of my son, just say so! No need for all this sour talk! Look at your own family first and see if…”

Within mere sentences, the harmonious chatter dissolved into marketplace chaos, with arguments threatening to erupt.

Witnessing this, Deng Yaxin stepped in to mediate.

She had no choice.

If the Steel Mill’s Women’s Director learned these arguments stemmed from her family matters, their future interactions would be fraught with tension.

She had no intention of becoming others’ laughing stock for no reason.

Once the quarreling parties were separated, Deng Yaxin seized the moment to lead her daughter away.

Only when they reached the second-floor staircase did she wave her hand in amusement.

“These people in the Family Compound never know when to stop.”

“Every conversation turns into arguments, yet no matter how fierce they fight, they’ll act like nothing happened when they meet the next day.”

“Over the years, I’ve toughened up enough that I wouldn’t even be afraid if they started rolling on the ground throwing a tantrum.”

Hearing this, Shen Yi’an couldn’t help but burst into laughter. “That’s only because you’re amazing, Mom!”

“You barely said a few words earlier, and the ones making the most fuss immediately quieted down.”

“Hey now, don’t flatter your old mother.” At these words, several crow’s feet appeared at the corners of Deng Yaxin’s eyes as she smiled.

“It’s not that I’m amazing—it’s that those people never really intended to make a scene in the first place.”

“They all know perfectly well that if they make too much of a fuss, they won’t be able to stay in our newly built apartment building.”

Compared to the corridor-style apartments of the 1970s, 1981 saw the economy take another step forward, and many heavy industrial cities began embracing modern apartment buildings to keep up with the times.

The Steel Mill Residential Compound was a prime example.

Six-story apartment buildings, each with two separate entrances.

No elevators—four apartments per floor.

Two apartments faced the staircase directly, with one on each side, perfectly achieving independence for every household.

Unlike the 1970s, when most factory family compounds were filled with corridor-style apartments.

The rooms weren’t soundproof, so privacy was practically nonexistent—even the smallest matters could become known to all the neighbors.

If it weren’t for the trendiness of living in apartment buildings and the fact that housing was allocated collectively for free, more people might still prefer standalone houses.

The emergence of apartment buildings perfectly solved this problem.

Not only were the apartments more soundproof, but the living area also expanded from the 10 to 20 square meters of corridor-style apartments to over 30 square meters now.

Families with fewer members were allocated smaller units, typically with a usable area of around 35 to 50 square meters.

For medium-sized units, the area could expand to 50 to 70 square meters.

The Shen family was a full-worker household, and the head of the family, Shen Guozhong, was the workshop director at the Steel Mill.

No matter how you assessed it, they were allocated the largest apartment available.

With an interior area of 90 square meters and less than 10 square meters of shared space, the nearly 100 square meters of usable space was more than sufficient.

As mother and daughter chatted, they reached the third floor. The first thing they saw was the front door slightly ajar and fingers that hadn’t yet been withdrawn from the doorframe.

Seeing this, Shen Yi’an leaned against her mother’s shoulder and laughed. “Mom, what should I do? It seems like Dad isn’t happy to have me back.”

“Maybe I should just stay at a guesthouse instead—though I’m not sure if I can check in without an introduction letter.”

The moment she finished speaking, the slightly ajar door was suddenly pushed open with force.

“Who?”

“Who isn’t happy to have my daughter back?”

“Is it that brat Shen Junkai?”

“Sweetheart, just wait—Dad will go give him a beating to vent your anger.”

His exaggerated expressions and movements, along with eyes widened like copper bells, made Shen Yi’an burst into laughter. “Dad, why are you still like this?”

“You’re blaming Fourth Brother again—aren’t you afraid he’ll turn against you when he finds out?”

Hearing this, Shen Guozhong chuckled and patted her head.

“Your fourth brother doesn’t have the guts.”

“Don’t be fooled just because he’s a small leader now—in front of your dad, he’s nothing.”

As he spoke, he stepped aside to make space. “Come on, let’s go home first.”

“Your mom stewed an old hen soup in the pot, saying she wants to nourish you.”

“Your dad has been eyeing the chicken head and tail for ages.”

Before Shen Yi’an could respond, Deng Yaxin gave his arm a light, exasperated slap.

“I’ll take care of our daughter. You go downstairs and pick up your son.”

“By the way, your daughter’s friends, two young men, brought quite a few things upstairs.”

“Go give them a hand. Don’t embarrass your daughter.”

Sensing the underlying meaning in those words, Shen Guozhong’s cheerful expression vanished instantly, and his brows unconsciously furrowed tightly.

His daughter’s friends?

And young men?

Well, well, the wolves have come to the door!

With this realization, Shen Guozhong shot a deep glance at his daughter, who had lowered her head at some point, and with a stern face, he strode downstairs.

As he walked, his voice drifted up the stairwell.

“I want to see what could possibly be so heavy that it makes two grown men dawdle on the stairs.”

“If they’re too weak, they’re not my type…”

Hearing the trailing remark, Deng Yaxin instinctively responded.

“Who said they need your approval?”

“Don’t flatter yourself!”

After saying this, she patted Shen Yi’an’s back. “Come on, let’s go inside first, just the two of us.”

“They can handle the moving. Go wash your face and change your clothes. I’ll check on the chicken soup in the kitchen.”

“With an extra person for dinner, I’ll have to ask your dad to make another trip to the market later.”

“Since we have guests, we can’t just serve them a bowl of chicken noodle soup and call it a day.”