《Fortunate Eighties: The Bewitching Female Rival Who Tamed Her Husband with Skill》 Chapter 1 - 1 1 Traversing into a Book ?Chapter 1: Chapter 1: Traversing into a Book Chapter 1: Chapter 1: Traversing into a Book ¡°Ugh¡ªso noisy¡ª¡± Susu was woken up by the noisy sounds buzzing in her ears, she frowned and irritably opened her eyes. What she saw were people and a carriage, both worn and old-fashioned, even the aisle was crowded with people. Accompanied by various voices, there were occasional sounds of chickens crowing and dogs barking. Susu¡¯s brain crashed for a few seconds, and memories that did not belong to her flooded her mind. The original owner frowned, watching her man holding a child, said grumpily, ¡°In the middle of the day, why did you bring a child home? Hurry up and send him back, the food I¡¯ve prepared is not enough to eat.¡± Lu Xiaoting patted Xiao Yu on the head, then patiently explained to the woman, ¡°This is the child I mentioned to you yesterday, it¡¯s just about adding another pair of chopsticks. Our family raising one child is also...¡± ¡°No way! I said no, and I mean it! I don¡¯t want to raise someone else¡¯s child.¡± The woman¡¯s sharp voice rang out as she reached out to pull on the little boy. Suppressing his patience, Lu Xiaoting grabbed his crazy wife and once again quietly spoke kind words. ... ¡°From now on, Tianyu will be our child,¡± the man¡¯s cool voice sounded. ¡°No, I will never agree. If you dare to keep this child, I will divorce you.¡± The woman screamed in despair, frantically grabbing things to smash on the ground. In her mind, the tall man was calm and composed while the woman was hysterically shouting, smashing things, slamming the door, and leaving. The room was a complete mess, with a thin little figure huddled in the corner, his face covered in tears, shivering. The scene abruptly ended, and Susu realized in horror that she had transgressed into a book!!! She transmigrated into a book she had read before, becoming the hateful sister-in-law of the female lead who was the winner in life¡ªLu Xiao¡¯s early deceased ex-wife, Su Er Ya. Susu, devastated, ferociously punched her own chest, and along with the sharp pain from her chest, Susu couldn¡¯t care less about the dumbfounded Aunt Wang nearby and slowly shed tears. The original owner was sold to the Lu Family for one thousand yuan to fulfill the dying wish of her bedridden father-in-law as a wedding crasher. Who would have thought, just after she got married, the father-in-law who was nearly dead miraculously started to get better and eventually recovered. The original owner was famously troublesome in the Family Court, not liked by many. Later, because her husband adopted a sacrificed colleague¡¯s child which led to a divorce, she abused the adopted child, dissatisfied with her husband being busy all the time and got kidnapped by a human trafficker when she ran back to her parental home; she was sold to a bleak ravine and died falling down a mountain while trying to escape. Susu rolled her eyes to the heavens, thank you very much! No golden finger and yet stuck in such a miserable role, really... As the car traveled on the bumpy dirt road, Susu bounced up and down with it, smelling the mix of gasoline and various body and feet odors, her stomach churned. Susu closed her eyes tightly, clenched her teeth, and forcefully suppressed the nausea rising to her throat. Upon arriving in An County, Susu had just gotten off the bus when she was stopped by a middle-aged woman, who was none other than the original owner¡¯s mother-in-law, He Xiuhua. ¡°Erya, let mom take that, you must be tired from sitting all the way.¡± Susu wanted to ask her mother-in-law why she came, but just as she opened her mouth, her stomach churned, and she couldn¡¯t hold back and vomited. Mrs. Lu quickly patted her back, ¡°Oh dear...¡± After vomiting, Susu felt much better. Looking at the mess on the ground, she felt repulsed and a bit embarrassed. She covered it with soil with her foot, ¡°Mom, I¡¯m fine, just a bit of motion sickness.¡± ¡°That damn boy even mentioned it on the phone, I already scolded him. How can he make such a big decision without consulting his wife?¡± Mrs. Lu patted Susu sympathetically while helping to cover the vomit with soil, ¡°Let¡¯s go home, mom bought good groceries, we¡¯ll have a nice meal at noon, forget about that stinky boy.¡± Textile Factory Family Courtyard ¡°Huai Ze¡¯s mother, your son¡¯s wife is back?¡± Aunt Wang asked with a smile at the gate. ¡°Yes, to see the two of us old folks,¡± Mrs. Lu nodded smilingly. Susu, ¡°.¡± Once inside, Mrs. Lu told Susu to sit and relax while she rolled up her sleeves and headed for the kitchen. Susu, feeling awkward about sitting while her elder was serving, hurriedly followed, ¡°Mom, let me help you, it¡¯ll be quicker.¡± Mrs. Lu waved her off, insisting she go outside. Only when Susu mentioned that two people could work faster and Father Lu could eat as soon as he got home did Mrs. Lu agree. At the family meal, Father Lu listened to his wife explaining the reasons for his daughter-in-law¡¯s return, and frowned thinking his son had also made some mistakes. No matter what, spouses are a unit, such a big decision should not be made without consultation, even though the intentions were good. ¡°Father Lu suggested, ¡®The second son also did something wrong. Otherwise, let¡¯s bring that child back home and take care of him, it¡¯ll save those two from quarreling.''¡± Mrs. Lu nodded. With four kids who hardly ever came home, having a child around would make the house livelier. Susu was unaware that the old couple had already made up their minds. At the moment, she was lying on the bed, drowsy and confused. After waking up from her nap, the courtyard was quiet, and neither Father Lu nor Mrs. Lu were at home. Since she had arrived in the gold-rich eighties, why not take advantage of the favorable wind to make money? She definitely had to seize the opportunity. It was said that in this era, as long as one was shameless and willing to endure hardships, there was no way not to make money. What is shamelessness? Susu didn¡¯t care; making a lot of money and enjoying good food and drink was what mattered most. Susu pocketed two yuan, locked the courtyard gate, and prepared to stroll around the streets. ¡°Mom, Aunt Wang.¡± Susu handed the keys to Mrs. Lu, who was picking vegetables next to Aunt Wang, ¡°Mom, I¡¯m going around the streets for a bit, I¡¯ll be back soon. Do you need anything?¡± ¡°No need, there¡¯s nothing I need. Go ahead, buy whatever you want,¡± Mrs. Lu said as she turned slightly to pull money from her waistband. Susu, feeling embarrassed to accept, quickly waved her hand and dashed off. ¡°Erya, you...¡± Mrs. Lu looked up only to see her daughter-in-law had already run far away. ¡°Tsk, tsk, tsk, your second son¡¯s family really isn¡¯t bad. If it were my eldest son¡¯s family, they¡¯d probably empty out my pockets,¡± Aunt Wang said, her mouth almost drooping to her chin. Mrs. Lu wasn¡¯t modest at all, nodding cheerfully, ¡°Erya is a sincere child, my old man is also lucky to have that girl.¡± If Susu had heard this, she wouldn¡¯t have been able to resist throwing cold water on Mrs. Lu, it was just a coincidence. Fortune telling should just be listened to. ... It was still 1983, and there were some bold people setting up stalls or hawking in the streets and alleys. Susu took a loop around and then headed back, mainly because this era didn¡¯t have as many places for eating, drinking, and entertainment as later periods, so she finished strolling very quickly. ¡°Who is it?¡± she asked as she looked at the two figures, one big and one small, at the door. Seeing them, Susu paused for a few seconds and hurriedly stepped aside from the doorway. ¡°Mom, Lu... Xiaoting and Xiao... Xiao Yu are back.¡± After a long moment, Susu sneakily glanced at the tall figure being scolded by his in-laws, broad-shouldered and narrow-waisted with long legs, wheat-colored skin, a sharply defined jawline, and a stern face. The nearly six-foot-tall man stood there like a mountain, quietly taking his parents¡¯ scolding. Seeing the helpless, head-hung small and skinny child, Susu felt a pang of pity and moved forward to pat the little guy¡¯s head, squatting down to look him in the eyes. ¡°Xiao Yu, right?¡± The little one timidly nodded his head. ¡°Here, Auntie has some candy for you, don¡¯t be scared, huh.¡± Susu saw the little guy standing motionless, staring blankly at her, so she simply peeled the candy and stuffed it into the little boy¡¯s mouth. She noticed that from the initial fear and wariness, the little guy occasionally stole glances at her in puzzlement. Suddenly, Lu Xiaoting came over, touched the little guy¡¯s head, and quietly said, ¡°Xiao Yu, go inside and find grandpa and grandma for some tasty food.¡± Watching the little one step back toward the house, Susu, puzzled, looked up at the man. ¡°I¡¯m sorry!¡± Chapter 2 - 2 2 Lu Xiaotings Confusion ?Chapter 2: Chapter 2 Lu Xiaoting¡¯s Confusion Chapter 2: Chapter 2 Lu Xiaoting¡¯s Confusion The man¡¯s deep and magnetic voice exploded in her ears. ¡°Hm?¡± Susu was bombarded by the man¡¯s sexy, deep voice, her ears buzzing as she stared dumbfounded at the man. Seeing the man¡¯s brows slightly furrow, Susu quickly waved her hands, just about to explain that she didn¡¯t mean it on purpose, that she really didn¡¯t hear clearly. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I shouldn¡¯t have made decisions on my own without discussing with you.¡± With the man¡¯s dark and deep eyes staring at her, Susu¡¯s cheeks started burning involuntarily, and she coughed to divert his attention. ¡°Cough, it was me who overreacted. Xiao Yu is a pitiful child, he¡¯ll be a part of our family from now on, and I¡¯ll take good care of him.¡± Lu Xiaoting watched the woman who didn¡¯t look back, his dark pupils filled with confusion. How had Su Er Ya, who could turn the whole police station¡¯s Family Court upside down in half a month, become so understanding all of a sudden? Feeling the gaze from behind, Susu, feeling guilty, didn¡¯t dare to turn around, afraid that one look would give away that she was not Erya. ¡°Erya, go out and sit with your brother while you wait,¡± Mrs. Lu urged as she washed vegetables. Susu had come in precisely because she didn¡¯t want to have a staring match with the man and now, acting like a spoiled child towards her mother-in-law, she said. ¡°Mom, how can I just sit around and not do anything, waiting to be served? It¡¯s better for the two of us to do it together; we¡¯ll at least have some company to chat with.¡± Mrs. Lu¡¯s face beamed with joy, pampering her daughter-in-law with every ¡®okay¡¯ she responded with. Watching the busy mother-in-law and daughter-in-law laughing and chatting in the kitchen, Lu Xiaoting¡¯s brows twisted into a frown, unable to fathom how they had become so close in less than a day. In the past, she would either go straight back to her parents¡¯ house or come back with him and lie in the room waiting for a cooked meal. Although his mother had always warmly welcomed her daughter-in-law Su Er Ya since she joined the family, they had never been as close as now. ¡°Old Second, Dad, come taste the dishes. Today¡¯s food was all stir-fried by Er Ya. It smells really delicious.¡± Mrs. Lu brought the last plate of stir-fried garlic sprouts with pork to the table, taking some from each plate into the bowls, ¡°Xiao Yu, right? Grandma doesn¡¯t know what you like to eat. I¡¯ve prepared a bit of everything for you, so go ahead and start eating.¡± Xiao Yu turned to look at Lu Xiaoting and, seeing the man nod, he took the bowl with both hands and thanked her quietly, ¡°Thank you, Grandma.¡± Mrs. Lu tenderly stroked the little guy¡¯s head, her face full of pity. It was heartbreaking; he was so young and had already lost his parents. At the dinner table, Lu Xiaoting occasionally served food to the little kid, ¡°Xiao Yu, you¡¯ll stay and play at Grandma¡¯s house for a few days. Uncle will come back to pick up you and Auntie once I am less busy.¡± Yang Tianyu looked around, clutching the corner of his clothes tightly, and timidly nodded his head. That night, looking at the man¡¯s arms tense with muscle, Susu¡¯s cheeks couldn¡¯t help but flush hotly. ¡°Whoosh whoosh whoosh~¡± Susu tried to shake the mess out of her head, but the more she shook, the dizzier she became. Looking at the man coming towards the edge of the Kang, dressed in big shorts and a tank top, Susu¡¯s old face burned with embarrassment, squinting and sneaking peeks. Lu Xiaoting was awoken by the heat in the middle of the night and opened his eyes to see the woman¡¯s slender arms and legs draped over him. A bit amused, he thought, the Kang was big enough for both of them, and yet here she was. The next morning, Lu Xiaoting caught the earliest bus back to Provincial City. By the time Susu woke up, the little boy was helping to sweep the courtyard with a broom taller than himself. ¡°This child, ever since he got here, he¡¯s been eager to work. Your dad and I tell him not to, but he won¡¯t listen,¡± Mrs. Lu sighed. Susu looked at the little boy, sweating profusely, and felt a sourness in her heart. It was clear he felt insecure in his new environment, hustling to work out of fear of being abandoned. ¡°Mom, Dad, I have nothing to do at home anyway. I was thinking of making some marinated goods to sell and earn a little money,¡± Susu watched Father Lu and Mrs. Lu¡¯s expressions carefully. Mrs. Lu frowned, ¡°No need, Second Son earns a good salary. You can buy whatever you want, if it¡¯s not enough, Mom here also has money.¡± Father Lu also agreed: ¡°Your mother¡¯s right. If you really can¡¯t sit still, the factory is hiring temporary workers right now. I can arrange for you to work at the textile mill.¡± Susu disdained the small pay of a temporary worker and probed, ¡°Mom, Dad, do you find it shameful to be self-employed?¡± ¡°How could that be? It¡¯s not like we¡¯re stealing or robbing; we earn our meals and money through our own capabilities. There¡¯s nothing to look down upon.¡± ¡°Exactly, exactly. There¡¯s nothing shameful about earning your own money.¡± Mrs. Lu looked anxious, afraid her daughter-in-law might misunderstand, ¡°Mom¡¯s just worried you might overexert yourself, but if you want to do it, we can give it a try. If it doesn¡¯t work out, we can just rest at home.¡± Susu sighed in relief. Although she would have done it whether her in-laws agreed or not, having their support felt different. ¡°Xiao Yu, you¡¯ll go out shopping with Aunt soon, and we¡¯ll buy you a few new clothes...¡± Xiao Yu, being named, froze. His eyes were full of panic. ¡°Uh...¡± Seeing this, and guessing that the little guy was probably afraid of being left behind, Susu changed her tune, ¡°Never mind, you wouldn¡¯t be of help if you went, and I¡¯d have to look after you. I¡¯ll just go buy the groceries by myself. You stay and watch the house with grandma.¡± Seeing the little kid visibly breathe a sigh of relief, Susu felt a twinge of heartache. After breakfast, as Susu was about to leave with her money prepared, Mrs. Lu called out, ¡°Erya, you should take the bicycle, it¡¯ll be easier.¡± ¡°Mom, didn¡¯t dad take the bike to work?¡± ¡°The textile factory isn¡¯t far off, so your dad decided to walk over.¡± Mrs. Lu said this and stuffed three banknotes into her hand, cutting off any response, ¡°Take this, consider it your parents¡¯ support.¡± Susu couldn¡¯t help but laugh through her tears, but she felt warmth in her heart, ¡°Alright, I will work hard. I¡¯ll make sure my parents get to eat the best of foods, and make all the old men and women in the Family Court green with envy.¡± Mrs. Lu¡¯s grin was so wide she could barely close her mouth, wishing she could immediately go around the alley, showing off to every house. When Susu got back, the back seat and the basket of the bike were filled to the brim with vegetables and meats. Looking at Xiao Yu, who was silent but reaching out to help unload the groceries, Susu smiled and handed a small bag of vegetables to the little kid, ¡°Xiao Yu is so capable. Thank you for helping.¡± The little kid¡¯s face turned visibly red as he stumbled, ¡°No, no need.¡± ¡°Erya, tell me what to do, and I¡¯ll help,¡± Mrs. Lu said, assisting in taking the items off the bike. ¡°And me, I can help too.¡± Xiao Yu clutched the corners of his patched clothes, his eyes filled with hopeful fear. ¡°Oh, I got so caught up with buying groceries, I forgot to buy Xiao Yu some clothes.¡± Looking at the kid covered in patches, Susu remembered what she had forgotten. She patted the little one¡¯s head, ¡°Then we¡¯ll have to trouble our Xiao Yu. Once we¡¯re done, Aunt will reward you with money.¡± ¡°No, Aunt, I don¡¯t need it,¡± he said. ... Amidst the hustle and bustle of the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law pair, plus a little kid, the smell of braised meat wafted through the yard, making passersby salivate. ¡°It smells so good!¡± As the delicious scent lingered from the pot full of braised goods, the room was filled with the sound of rumbling stomachs and the trio¡¯s swallowing. Susu prepared a bit of everything, and the two adults plus one kid enjoyed the delicious feast. ¡°Mmm, delicious, Erya, the braised food you make is scrumptious, enough to make one¡¯s tongue melt,¡± Mrs. Lu exclaimed, giving a thumbs-up. Xiao Yu imitated her, thumbs-up, ¡°Delicious, Aunt will definitely sell out.¡± Susu pinched his cheek, now dirty like a little kitten¡¯s, ¡°Thank you, my Xiao Yu, Aunt borrows your good words.¡± Initially planning to set up the street stall on her own, Susu couldn¡¯t resist Mrs. Lu, who was worried about her, and also worried about leaving Xiao Yu alone at home. Eventually, the two adults with the little kid set out together to set up the stall at the entrance of the textile factory. ¡°Fresh off the stove, delicious and fragrant braised dishes, don¡¯t miss out, come and have a taste, everyone¡ª¡± ¡°Braised dishes, so fragrant¡ª¡± Seeing Aunt and grandma shouting, Xiao Yu clenched his small hands, gathered his courage, and shouted softly, ¡°Delicious, so very delicious¡ª¡± Chapter 3 - 3 3 Brined Foods ?Chapter 3: Chapter 3: Brined Foods Chapter 3: Chapter 3: Brined Foods Hearing the little one¡¯s voice, Susu lavished him with praise without holding back. ¡°Xiao Yu, you¡¯re awesome.¡± Mrs. Lu also smiled happily as she touched the little tyke¡¯s chubby cheeks. With his little face turning red with pride, Xiao Yu shouted even louder. ¡°Hey, if even the kids say it¡¯s tasty, let me have a taste. If I don¡¯t like it, I won¡¯t buy it,¡± said a short-haired woman passing by with a lunchbox. Susu quickly handed over the prepared meat and vegetarian samples to the woman. ¡°Try it, sis, and you¡¯ll know. If you don¡¯t like it, no pressure to buy.¡± The short-haired woman, originally just drawn over by the cute child, didn¡¯t expect it to be really delicious. She immediately asked, ¡°It¡¯s pretty good. How do you sell it?¡± ¡°Vegetarian dishes are sixty cents, meat dishes one twenty. If you use my bowls, just add an extra twenty cents, which you¡¯ll get back when you return the bowls. Sis, would you like some of each?¡± ¡°Sure, one catty each. I¡¯ll take it home for the family to try,¡± said the woman with ear-level short hair, a straightforward person who promptly paid. Susu quickly packed the dishes up and handed them over with a cheerful smile. ¡°You¡¯re my first customer today, so I¡¯ve thrown in an extra half-catty of vegetarian for free. Enjoy and come back soon, okay?¡± After sending the short-haired woman on her way, more and more people came by, attracted by the aroma, buying various amounts to take away. ¡°Grandma, I want to eat, I want to eat.¡± The old lady, hounded by her grandson and upon hearing the price, immediately frowned and complained, ¡°Why so expensive? A catty of pork is only seventy cents, you¡¯re making a killing! How can you do business like this?¡± Susu, unfazed and still smiling, replied, ¡°Auntie, our prices are clear and upfront. Besides, don¡¯t you also need to use seasoning when you cook meat at home? That costs money too.¡± ¡°Goodness me, how much can a bit of seasoning cost? Give me a discount, I want to buy some for my grandson to try.¡± ¡°You want half a catty of each, meat and vegetables, right?¡± As she spoke to more customers, Susu weighed the dishes and said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, old lady, I can¡¯t do that. If you feel it¡¯s not worth it, you might want to look elsewhere.¡± ¡°Grandma, I want it, I want to eat...¡± ¡°Give me half a catty of the meat dish, and make sure you weigh it properly.¡± The old lady, harried by her crying and fussing grandson, begrudgingly bought half a catty. Mrs. Lu accurately weighed it, raising the scale¡¯s arm high. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, auntie. Our scale arm is always raised high, so you surely won¡¯t be shortchanged.¡± Xiao Yu stared intently at the money box, his big eyes not blinking, terrified that the money would blow away or get stolen. Before long, the marinades sold out. Exhausted but happy, the family of three began to pack up for home. ¡°Xiao Yu?¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°Ah¡ª¡± Following the youngster¡¯s cry, Xiao Yu was scooped up onto the back seat of the bicycle by Susu. Xiao Yu, somewhat bewilderingly, called out, ¡°Aunt?¡± ¡°We worked hard today, Xiao Yu. Let¡¯s go home.¡± Feeling the little guy sneak peeks at her now and then, Susu couldn¡¯t resist teasing him. Seeing his cheeks turn redder and redder with each time he was caught, Susu laughed so hard she nearly cried. ¡°Aiyo, look how red we¡¯ve made Xiao Yu¡¯s little face.¡± Mrs. Lu, caught between laughter and sympathy, playfully slapped her daughter-in-law. ¡°You little rascal, why do you tease the kids too?¡± Seeing this, Xiao Yu promptly reached out to tug at grandma¡¯s hand. ¡°Grandma, Aunt didn¡¯t bully Xiao Yu.¡± ¡°Ha ha ha...¡± Seeing how eager the little one was, both the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law couldn¡¯t help but burst into laughter. ¡°Hey, what are the three of you mother-in-laws and daughter-in-laws doing that¡¯s so joyful?¡± Father Lu appeared behind the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, smiling and joking, ¡°I heard your laughter from a mile away.¡± Seeing her husband, Mrs. Lu¡¯s already excited mood became uncontrollable. She immediately told Father Lu in a suppressed, excited whisper. Upon hearing the news, Father Lu was also overjoyed and gave a thumbs up to the mother-in-law and daughters-in-law. ¡°You three are really amazing, it¡¯s just...¡± Mrs. Lu glared at her husband, ¡°Saved, saved, how could we forget you, old man. We¡¯ll have braised dishes for lunch.¡± Watching the bickering old couple, Susu laughed, her eyes curving into crescents, and pinched the confused little guy¡¯s cheeks. Xiao Yu: ¡°.¡± After the meal, the family of four stared at the table at the 19 yuan and 50 cents. ¡°Slap¡ª¡± Mrs. Lu smacked her hand on the table, her eyes ablaze, ¡°We earned so much money just in one morning? If we do more each day, won¡¯t we make a fortune?!!¡± Father Lu tugged at his wife¡¯s clothes, suggesting she listen to what their daughter-in-law had to say. Being stared at by her mother-in-law¡¯s blinking eyes, Susu struggled to hold back a laugh. ¡°Mom, for now, we¡¯ll stick to the plan: one pot in the morning and one in the afternoon, which can earn us about thirty or forty yuan a day. We only have two people right now; we can¡¯t handle any more. Once things are stable, we can hire someone else.¡± Mrs. Lu was about to speak when Father Lu interrupted her, ¡°Listen to what the young one says, no amount of money is worth neglecting your health.¡± Feeling a tug at her sleeve, Susu looked down in confusion to see the little one pointing at himself with a serious face, ¡°Auntie, Xiao Yu can help too.¡± Susu was amused by the little guy¡¯s earnestness, pinched his cheek, and nodded, ¡°Auntie, I misspoke, we¡¯ll have our Xiao Yu to help.¡± ¡°Mom, I can¡¯t expect you to work for nothing. I¡¯ll give you 40 yuan a month to cover your hard work, and we have to pay Xiao Yu a salary too¡ª10 yuan.¡± Upon hearing that her daughter-in-law wanted to pay her, Mrs. Lu became upset, ¡°What¡¯s this about taking money for helping family? I don¡¯t want it, you stop it right there.¡± ¡°Mom, if you don¡¯t take it, I won¡¯t let you help with the work. I¡¯ll hire someone else instead.¡± In the end, it was Father Lu who convinced Mrs. Lu to accept the money. When it was just the old couple left, Mrs. Lu couldn¡¯t help but complain to Father Lu. Father Lu shook his head, ¡°Our daughter-in-law won¡¯t feel at ease if you don¡¯t take the money. Just accept it for now; think of it as saving for the young couple. If they need it later, they can take it out.¡± Taking Xiao Yu back to the room, as soon as Susu placed the little guy on the bed, she heard his soft and mellow voice, ¡°Auntie, Xiao Yu doesn¡¯t want the money.¡± ¡°No way, Auntie can¡¯t let people work for free.¡± The little one furrowed his brows, thought for a while, and then said, ¡°Then Auntie, please keep the money for Xiao Yu. I¡¯m too young, I might lose it.¡± Susu was so moved by the little one that she affectionately pinched his nose and nodded in agreement. To make selling the braised goods easier, Father Lu specially bought a brand-new ladies¡¯ bicycle for Susu that afternoon and insisted on not accepting any money from his daughter-in-law. Susu kept all her in-laws¡¯ kindness in her heart. The very next morning, she bought a bunch of ingredients, and the three women started to get busy. After the first pot of braised food was ready, they headed straight to the textile factory to sell. There were quite a few repeat customers who had eaten the day before. ¡°Give me three pounds of the meat dishes and three pounds of the vegetarian today. Yesterday, some of my nephews came over for dinner; they¡¯re teenagers with big appetites and finished it all in just a few bites. Today I¡¯ll buy more,¡± said the lady with ear-length bobbed hair, laughing heartily. ¡°Hey, since you¡¯re buying so much, big sister, I¡¯ll give you some extra vegetarian and meat dishes.¡± In no time at all, the entire pot of braised food was sold out. As the three women were packing up to return home, they were suddenly stopped by the same old lady from yesterday, ¡°Wait, don¡¯t go.¡± Chapter 4 - 4 4 Enlightenment ?Chapter 4: Chapter 4 Enlightenment Chapter 4: Chapter 4 Enlightenment Susu frowned, not knowing what the old lady was up to, and asked in a low voice, ¡°Is there something you need, ma¡¯am?¡± ¡°Quick, give me half a pound of meat dishes and vegetarian dishes each, my little ancestor is making a racket at home,¡± the old lady urged with a worried face. Thinking she was there to cause trouble, Mrs. Lu breathed a sigh of relief and shook her head, ¡°We¡¯re all sold out. Come back tomorrow to buy some.¡± ¡°Oh dear, my little ancestor wants to eat, but if you¡¯re sold out, what are we to do? He¡¯ll cry so hard the house might just collapse.¡± Hearing that everything was sold out, the old lady immediately started wailing and grabbed Susu, ¡°Oh dear, young girl, do you have any left at your house? I need some, I can¡¯t go back home without it today, how can my little ancestor rest easy?¡± Susu, feeling somewhat uncomfortable from being grabbed, pried the old lady¡¯s hands off, ¡°Ma¡¯am, it¡¯s not that I don¡¯t want to help you, but we really don¡¯t have any left. Even if we went back to make some, they wouldn¡¯t be ready until the afternoon. We will set up our stall near the steel factory around 5 PM, you can buy from us there.¡± After saying that, the family ignored the old lady and pushed their bicycle home. Xiao Yu looked down, noticing the red marks on Aunt¡¯s wrist, and made a beeline for the house once they arrived. The mother-in-law and daughter-in-law were busy unloading items and didn¡¯t pay much attention to what the little guy was doing. ¡°Aunt, wipe this.¡± Following the suddenly appearing wet towel, Susu saw the serious-faced little kid and asked curiously, ¡°Xiao Yu, why are you giving Aunt a wet towel?¡± ¡°Aunt, wipe it, it¡¯s red.¡± Following Xiao Yu¡¯s pointing finger, Mrs. Lu finally saw her daughter-in-law¡¯s wrist was all red and angrily put her hands on her hips, ¡°What was that old lady thinking, to pinch someone like that, I¡ª¡± Touched by the little kid¡¯s concern, Susu tried to calm her furious mother-in-law, ¡°I guess my skin is just too tender, she actually didn¡¯t use much force. Don¡¯t be mad, mom, I would have said something if it hurt.¡± Mrs. Lu glared at her daughter-in-law, ¡°You¡¯re just too kind.¡± Susu thought to herself, you really don¡¯t understand your daughter-in-law at all. ¡°Mom, it¡¯s getting late; why hasn¡¯t dad come back yet?¡± ¡°Oh, I forgot to tell you, with both of us busy working to earn money, we¡¯ve only had leftovers from the morning. I told your dad to eat at the factory canteen so he wouldn¡¯t have to cook in the middle of the day.¡± Seeing her daughter-in-law about to speak, Mrs. Lu quickly added, ¡°Your dad used to eat at the factory canteen all the time, and besides, the textile factory canteen serves decent food.¡± Susu silently bowed to her father-in-law. Provincial City ¡°Old Lu, how¡¯s it going? I heard you sent Xiao Yu back?¡± Lu Xiaoting nodded, ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll go back and fetch them after I get through these busy days.¡± One colleague winked at Lu Xiaoting, ¡°Did you make up with your wife? She stopped giving you trouble?¡± Lu Xiaoting nodded in agreement. ¡°I heard your mother-in-law smashed your house. Your wife sure is something.¡± ¡°Yeah, your wife is famously fierce back at the Family Court, even...¡± ... In the kitchen, the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law were sweating profusely, struggling with the heat of staying in the kitchen during summer. Susu wiped her forehead with a towel around her neck, missing the air conditioning of the future dearly. After enduring the hottest part of the afternoon, the three of them pushed their bicycle towards the machinery plant a little after 4 PM, needing to get there before the plant workers left work. As soon as they got near the machinery plant gate, the impatiently waiting old lady rushed over. Susu only felt a gust of wind and then saw the old lady from the morning. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re finally here, I was afraid I wouldn¡¯t be able to buy anything, I¡¯ve been waiting here early. Quick, quick, quick, give me a pound of vegetarian dishes and half a pound of meat dishes.¡± Mrs. Lu, seemingly infected by the old lady¡¯s urgency, quickly weighed them out. Then she saw the old lady walk away swiftly with her food container, showing no signs of her claimed frailty. Mrs. Lu and Susu looked at each other in disbelief. Susu couldn¡¯t help but exclaim, ¡°This old lady¡¯s legs are really good!!!¡± As workers started coming out of the machinery factory, Susu quickly started hawking. ¡°Freshly made braised food right out of the oven, don¡¯t miss out. Have a look, free tastings, and it¡¯s okay not to buy if you don¡¯t like¡ª¡± ¡°Everyone come and have a look, the delicious braised food.¡± ¡°It tastes so good, so fragrant. Uncles and aunts, come over quickly¡ª¡± The crowd was drawn by the shouting of the three women, looking on curiously and commenting. ¡°How much does it cost?¡± ¡°Boss, can we really try for free?¡± ¡°Is it okay not to buy after tasting?¡± ... Susu immediately put on a standard smile and showed her teeth, ¡°Vegetarian dishes are 0.6, and meat dishes are 1.2 per pound. There are free samples here, everyone can try. We won¡¯t force anyone to buy, it¡¯s okay if you aren¡¯t satisfied.¡± ¡°But I¡¯m very confident about our braised food, assure that you¡¯ll want to eat again after trying.¡± The crowd was amused and laughed loudly, all saying the boss knew how to talk. ¡°Boss, is this your kid? This kid is really great, even helping you drum up business.¡± Hearing the adult¡¯s voice, Xiao Yu¡¯s head almost sank to his chest, his eyes stealthily glancing at Susu, who was busy packing. Susu, who was busy as ever, heard it and without lifting her head responded with a smile, ¡°Right, my son, isn¡¯t he adorable?!¡± ¡°Adorable, why wouldn¡¯t he be? Look how sensible that kid is.¡± ¡°Indeed, indeed, my boys are simply a mess, as naughty as can be.¡± Listening to the others praising her little one, Susu¡¯s smile grew wider, and she handed out a little extra vegetable dish to everyone. ¡°Ah, thank you, Boss...¡± When Xiao Yu heard the Aunt referring to him as her son, his head which had dipped to his chest slowly lifted up, occasionally stealing glances at the Aunt, his dark eyes barely hiding the sparkle. ¡°What are you looking at?¡± Susu, having noticed the little one stealing glances, pinched his smooth little cheeks. ¡°Aunt, pretty.¡± Susu, shocked, didn¡¯t expect the little one to be so sweet-mouthed, laughed heartily looking up to the sky, ¡°Hahaha, Xiao Yu what big truths you¡¯re spouting.¡± Xiao Yu¡¯s face turned red, and he looked extremely serious, ¡°Aunt, really! Xiao Yu isn¡¯t lying.¡± ¡°Hahaha, right, right, Xiao Yu really has a good eye.¡± Watching the big and the small laughing and playing together, Mrs. Lu was even more delighted. ... As soon as they got home, Susu collapsed into the rocking chair in the yard, swaying idly and feeling increasingly lazy, ¡°Mom, you take a break too, I¡¯ll take care of it later.¡± ¡°No need, Mom will manage it. It¡¯s not much anyway.¡± ¡°Okay, then you handle it, Mom. I¡¯ll cook dinner later.¡± Susu acted naturally around her mother-in-law, taking on the responsibility of cooking dinner. ¡°Aunt, drink water.¡± Seeing the little one with a sweaty head, holding a cup of water up to her, touched Susu deeply, ¡°Thank you Xiao Yu, you take a break too.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± As night fell, Mrs. Lu excitedly lay in bed tossing and turning, unable to sleep. Father Lu, hearing his partner tossing and turning, helplessly spoke, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Can¡¯t sleep?¡± Hearing his voice, Mrs. Lu quickly sat up, excitedly staring in his direction, ¡°Old man, do you think this means the Old Blind Man was right about the second daughter-in-law coming around?¡± Chapter 5 - 5 5 Where Did the Wild Species Come From ?Chapter 5: Chapter 5 Where Did the Wild Species Come From Chapter 5: Chapter 5 Where Did the Wild Species Come From Susu, who had been realized as clever, was currently holding Xiao Yu in her sleep, completely oblivious to the topic her in-laws were discussing, or she would have been curious about who the Old Blind Man was. The little guy¡¯s face was rosy and nestled in Susu¡¯s arms, even the corners of his mouth were curled up. Being careful not to wake the little monkey in her arms, Susu tiptoed from the bed and looked up only to meet the sleepy eyes of the little fellow. Xiao Yu rubbed his eyes and deftly climbed out of bed, ¡°Aunt, wait for me.¡± Susu helplessly led the little rascal out to wash up. Sitian Village ¡°What? You¡¯re saying my Erya is setting up a stall in the county?¡± Mrs. Su, Li Chunjuan, shouted and then waved her hands indicating it was impossible, ¡°My Erya is living the good life in Provincial City, how could she possibly come back to set up a stall? Jianguo¡¯s mother, you must have seen wrong.¡± ¡°How could I? Even if your Erya turned to ash, I¡¯d recognize her. Not to mention her mother-in-law was there with a little kid.¡± Jianguo¡¯s mother, cracking seeds, stared with wide eyes, ¡°And I watched for quite a while, the business was booming, they must have made about seven or eight yuan a day.¡± ¡°What? Seven or eight yuan?¡± Upon hearing this, Mrs. Su grabbed a hoe, took her man and child, and headed back home. The other women listened, their eyes widening, all exclaiming in wonder. ... In those days, everyone hoped to work in factories for an iron rice bowl, with exception to those families with dependents, for single men and women, one well-fed person meant the whole family wasn¡¯t hungry. Right then, a pot of marinated goods was enthusiastically purchased by the textile mill workers, selling out in no time. Plenty of latecomers complained that there were too few marinated goods, asking the owner to make more next time. Even on the way home, Mrs. Lu suggested making more each day, since they could handle the extra workload. Feeling good, Susu explained to her mother-in-law, ¡°Mom, this is called ¡®scarcity marketing.¡¯ ¡°What is scarcity marketing?¡± As both old and young stared in curious perplexity, Susu simply explained it to them. Mrs. Lu nodded, ¡°Oh¡ª, so it¡¯s about making others rush and scramble to buy our stuff? Is that the idea?¡± ¡°Yeah! Pretty much that.¡± Susu gave her mother-in-law a thumbs up, her face full of sincerity, which made Mrs. Lu a bit embarrassed. From a distance, the family of three saw three people squatting at their doorstep and, before reaching the door, heard Mrs. Su¡¯s loud voice. ¡°Oh my, Erya, mother-in-law, you guys are finally back.¡± Laughing with a face full of wrinkles, Mrs. Su eyed her bicycle from side to side, ¡°Oh dear, did you sell everything? Does that not mean you¡¯d make about thirty yuan a month?¡± Susu looked at her original mother, her face aching with the sheer sycophancy, ¡°How did you know about this?¡± ¡°Oh my, you ungrateful girl, coming back without visiting your own home. You don¡¯t know how Baocai has been missing his second sister every day. If it hadn¡¯t been for Jianguo¡¯s mother who just happened to see in town, you heartless wretch... Susu¡¯s head buzzed with the noise, her patience running low, and she headed straight into the house. Anticipating another freeloader visit by the in-laws, Mrs. Lu was not exactly fond of them but still greeted the mother and son with a smile. ¡°Second sister, why did you take so long to come back? I¡¯m almost starving to death.¡± Su Baogen pouted, and walked towards the kitchen, rummaging through cabinets looking for food. Susu immediately hardened her face, grabbed Bao Gen by the ear, and dragged him out, ¡°What¡¯s with this nonsense? Taking things without asking is stealing, watch out or I¡¯ll call the police on you.¡± ¡°Waa waa waa¡ªMom, second sister is bullying Bao¡ª¡± Watching the mother and son from the Su Family cry and roll on the ground, Susu couldn¡¯t help but laugh. Seeing this, Mrs. Lu quickly stepped in to speak kindly, then went back inside to get some money to buy food. Susu, ignoring the ceaselessly crying mother and son, started washing pots and pans by herself. Seeing no one paying attention to her, Mrs. Su cozily approached, ¡°Erya, is that your cousin¡¯s kid? I remember your cousin having two daughters...¡± Mrs. Su, who had talked until she was spitting, saw her second child ignoring her and felt like beating the girl, but she dared not reach out due to the fierce look in the girl¡¯s eyes. ¡°What¡¯s that thing?¡± ¡°This little thing, is she adopted by the second child¡¯s family? Not a relative of yours?¡± Mrs. Lu was startled by the aggressive mother-in-law, then she saw Mrs. Su pulling a face. ¡°Not to say anything, but someone else¡¯s brat can never truly be brought up as one¡¯s own. My son-in-law earns a good salary, but that doesn¡¯t mean money should be wasted like this.¡± ¡°Exactly, where do these little bastards come from? Don¡¯t stick around in my sister¡¯s house. Be careful or I will beat you.¡± Su Baogen said, even waved his fist fiercely. ¡°Slap¡ª¡± Susu slapped him across the face and said coldly, ¡°Calling someone a little bastard again and again, is this how you were raised? Apologize to Xiao Yu right now!¡± ¡°Ouch, I¡¯m dying, I¡¯m dying, you dead girl, how could you hit your brother for a stranger, your mother...¡± Mrs. Su was raising her dry, cracked hand while speaking, but she was intimidated by Susu¡¯s fierce look and hesitated to bring it down. Seeing his mother couldn¡¯t help him, Su Baogen, with tears and snot on his face, stammered softly, ¡°So-sorry.¡± ¡°Louder!¡± ¡°Sorry!¡± Looking at Su Baogen¡¯s tear-streaked face, Susu disdainfully turned away and quietly comforted the visibly frightened Xiao Yu. Su Baogen: ¡°.¡± Seeing her daughter-in-law not behaving as usual but instead intimidating that terrible mother and son, Mrs. Lu could hardly believe it. After a rare moment of silence, just as Susu was half asleep, the terrible original mother quietly snuck over again. ¡°Erya, Mom¡¯s doing this for your own good, you and your husband have that money, it would be better to give it to Mom...¡± Buzzing in her ears, Susu opened her eyes irritably, staring silently at Mrs. Su. Frightened by the black eyes staring at her, Mrs. Su shivered involuntarily. Mrs. Lu, who bought large meat buns specially for lunch, packed them up for the mother-in-law and sent her out the door, sighing in relief. ¡°Oh dear, my poor child, that dead girl is getting out of hand.¡± Mrs. Su, looking heartbroken, gazed at the slap mark on her son¡¯s face, jumped lightly and cursed softly at the door. Su Baogen grimaced and grabbed a large meat bun to gnaw on. ¡°Er...¡± As Mrs. Lu was in the midst of her tirade, the door suddenly opened. Susu stared at the stunned mother and son at the door, her brows furrowed enough to kill a mosquito. The Su mother and son, as if seeing a ghost, ran off in a puff of smoke. Susu: ¡°...¡± ¡°Bang bang bang¡ª¡± Thinking it was the terrible mother and brother of her original body again, Susu irritably dropped the ingredients in her hand, holding up a kitchen knife. ¡°Still here?¡± ¡°Se-second sister-in-law? What are you doing?¡± Susu stood holding the kitchen knife, looking at the doorway dazed, blinking her eyes: ¡°Hehe, why, why are you back?¡± It was the Lu siblings at the door. Lu Xiaoting frowned, looked around, took the kitchen knife from Susu¡¯s hand and whispered, ¡°What happened? What¡¯s the matter?¡± Chapter 6 - 6 6 Firm and Hard ?Chapter 6: Chapter 6 Firm and Hard Chapter 6: Chapter 6 Firm and Hard ¡°Ah?¡± Susu shook her head as if just realizing something, and quickly said, ¡°It¡¯s nothing, it¡¯s nothing, hurry inside.¡± ¡°Second Su, what are we making here, and why does it smell so good?¡± Lu Xiaomei had noticed the fragrance from afar and had not expected it to be wafting from her own home. Susu plopped back down onto the small stool and bowed her head to continue preparing the food. ¡°Mom and I have been setting up a stall selling braised goods recently, and since we sold out quickly today, we¡¯re braising some more eggs tonight. Mom said to take some over to Uncle Su and Aunt for them to try later.¡± ¡°What? Second Su, you and mom are running a stall?¡± Lu Xiaomei was so shocked her jaw nearly dropped. Without lifting her head, Susu nodded. ¡°Well, there¡¯s nothing much to do at home anyway.¡± Watching his wife who had been busy from the moment he stepped inside, Lu Xiaoting, despite his confusion, rolled up his sleeves, sat down, and started to help with the chores. ¡°Mom, Second Brother¡¯s back too, let me help you with that,¡± Lu Xiaomei quickly put down what she was holding and went to the kitchen. Mrs. Lu, sweating profusely from the heat in the kitchen, broke into a smile upon seeing this. ¡°Xiaomei¡¯s back. Mom can manage on her own. Go help your Second Su.¡± Lu Xiaomei pouted and sat down by the stove, ¡°Second Brother¡¯s outside already, what do I need to go there for?¡± Parents always hope for their children¡¯s happiness, and hearing that the young couple was working together, she immediately nodded in approval. Lu Xiaomei glanced at the door and then whispered in a low voice, ¡°Mom, why do I feel like Second Su has changed into a different person? Before, whenever I came back, she was either lying around in the house or visiting her mom¡¯s place. This time she¡¯s not only working hard but I heard you two are even setting up a stall outside...¡± Mrs. Lu gave her daughter a stern look. ¡°Your Second Su has come to her senses and become sensible.¡± Lu Xiaomei smirked, thinking to herself how true that was. Xiao Yu, who had just come out from the latrine, saw the tall man next to Susu and ran over excitedly. ¡°Uncle, you¡¯re back.¡± ¡°Mm, Uncle just finished the work at the station and has come back to pick you and Aunt up.¡± As he spoke, the man beckoned the little fellow over and with one motion, lifted and tossed him into the air. ¡°Hahaha¡ª¡± Feeling the thrill of being airborne, Xiao Yu couldn¡¯t help but laugh with joy. Lu Xiaomei was puzzled, thinking it might be some sibling or cousin visiting. She peeked out and saw an unfamiliar little boy. ¡°Mom, whose kid is that?¡± Mrs. Lu pulled her daughter aside and lowered her voice to briefly explain the situation. Lu Xiaomei thought to herself, no wonder Second Su had left the Provincial City and returned to the county. Mrs. Lu, estimating that the time was right, lifted the lid off the pot and began to fill a large bowl. The hot, steamy braised eggs and dishes came out of the pot, and the fragrance instantly surrounded the courtyard. Occasionally, the sound of the neighbors¡¯ children crying out of envy and getting scolded could be heard. Mrs. Lu scooped a large bowl each of the braised eggs and dishes for her eldest brother and sister¡¯s family and called out, ¡°Second son, later you take your wife to deliver these to your Uncle Su and Aunt¡¯s house.¡± ¡°Mm, got it.¡± Both houses were not too far apart, and the young couple set off after Mrs. Lu¡¯s reminders. As it turned out, this was also the first time Susu herself was meeting relatives from both sides. Initially clinging to her husband¡¯s clothes, Susu was suddenly jolted, nearly tumbling off the cart, and instantly gripped her husband¡¯s pants tightly in fright. Lu Xiaoting frowned, feeling slightly uncomfortable as the area around his crotch tightened, and coughed dryly. ¡°Wife, be gentle.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Susu looked utterly bewildered, blinking her big eyes, ¡°What do you mean by ¡®be gentle¡¯?¡± ¡°Cough, cough, you, you might want to hold onto my waist instead.¡± Seeing the man¡¯s ear tips gradually turning red, the belated realization made Susu immediately loosen her grip, and she carefully wrapped her arms around the man¡¯s waist. Oh my gosh, how embarrassing!!! When they arrived at Uncle Su¡¯s house, Susu got off the bicycle covering her butt, which had been bounced around so much it felt like it was falling apart. ¡°Uncle, Aunt, my mom sent me over to bring you some marinated eggs and pickles.¡± As the couple entered the house, they happened upon Uncle Su¡¯s family in the middle of a meal. Uncle Su greeted them with a broad smile, ¡°Xiao Ting, when did you and your wife get back?¡± Lu Xiaoting handed the items to Aunt, ¡°I just got back today, my wife has been back for two days now. We were selling marinated foods on the street with my mom, and she just made some more, so she asked me to bring some over for Uncle and Aunt to try.¡± Aunt urged the young couple to have some food, about to get off the kang bed to fetch bowls and chopsticks. ¡°Aunt, don¡¯t trouble yourself, we should quickly deliver some to Aunt¡¯s place. My mom is still waiting at home for us to have dinner,¡± the couple said and prepared to leave. ¡°Alright, alright, then I won¡¯t keep you two any longer,¡± Uncle said as he got off the kang, intending to see the young couple out. Lu Xiaoting waved his hand, ¡°Uncle, Aunt, you guys go ahead and eat, there¡¯s no need to see us out.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine, it¡¯s fine,¡± Uncle and his wife insisted on escorting the couple to the door. ¡°Mom, Dad, you all should try it too, the pickles that my aunt and uncle sent over are really delicious.¡± As soon as the old couple entered the house, they saw their grandkids had already started eating, and their daughters-in-law were each snagging pieces into their bowls, as if they were afraid they wouldn¡¯t get their share. Uncle Su shook his head without a word. Aunt frowned, ¡°What are you, reincarnated starving ghosts? Can¡¯t you wait for everyone before you start to worry about missing out on a bite? Not even a greeting when people arrive.¡± Eldest Sister-in-law Su noticed her in-laws¡¯ displeasure and quietly pouted, cursing her mother-in-law for making a fuss over nothing. But Second Su immediately made a joke of it, ¡°Mom, it¡¯s just that the pickles Auntie made smell too good, and the kids have been drooling over them. I thought I¡¯d let them have a little taste first.¡± ¡°Mom, Dad, you should try some too. Seriously, Auntie¡¯s cooking skills are undeniable.¡± ... Lu Xiaoting and Susu didn¡¯t know what had happened in Uncle Su¡¯s house after they left. After delivering goods to Aunt¡¯s place, they were now hurrying back home. Having learned from the experience on the way over, Susu didn¡¯t dare to take things lightly; after all, the streets in the county were still dirt roads, and encountering potholes was nothing out of the ordinary. To prevent herself from being bounced off, as soon as Susu sat on the bicycle, she tightly clung to the man¡¯s waist. Lu Xiao, who was focused on cycling, glanced down. He saw two slender and tenderly white hands around his waist, which were squirming restlessly. Susu, leaning against the man¡¯s strong back, let her hands that were wrapped around his waist move a little. Her slender fingers felt something firm. Wow~ could it be his abs? Thinking this, her hands became more daring, moving from cautious small strokes to letting her entire hand rest on the man¡¯s abdomen, rubbing and pinching back and forth. She could feel the man¡¯s abdomen was firm, with one hard area after another. A lecherous smile spread across Susu¡¯s face, and she couldn¡¯t help but laugh, ¡°Woah, these abs!!! Not eight packs? There must be at least six, right?¡± Lu Xiaoting had very good hearing. Hearing the woman¡¯s slightly lewd chuckle, the wheat-colored skin could no longer conceal the flush on the man¡¯s face, and even his ear tips were red-hot. Accidentally glancing at the man¡¯s blood-red ear tips, Susu¡¯s hands, which had been touching and pinching, trembled, and she suddenly realized something, her face instantly turning beet red. Chapter 7 - 7 7 Got Hit ?Chapter 7: Chapter 7 Got Hit Chapter 7: Chapter 7 Got Hit The bicycle had barely stopped, and Susu jumped straight off, charging into the house with her butt tingling from the bumpy ride. ¡°Grandma, Uncle and Aunt are back!¡± Xiao Yu, who had been eagerly waiting, saw the two and immediately yelled into the house, dashing into Susu¡¯s arms. ¡°You¡¯re back just in time for dinner,¡± Mrs. Lu¡¯s voice called from the kitchen. Looking at her daughter-in-law¡¯s flushed face, and then at her silent son, the old couple exchanged a knowing smile. Lu Xiaomei, puzzled, said, ¡°Second sister-in-law, why is your face so red? Is it very hot?¡± Upon hearing this, Xiao Yu, with a furrowed brow, said caringly, ¡°Aunt, are you very hot? Do you want Xiao Yu to get you a towel?¡± Feeling self-conscious under the gaze of the whole family, Susu¡¯s guilty complexion grew even hotter, ¡°No, no, it¡¯s just a bit warm coming in, I¡¯ll be fine in a moment.¡± Lu Xiaoting raised an eyebrow, serving his wife some dishes. He received an annoyed glare from her in return, which amused him slightly. The two were to share a room again, and Susu¡¯s mind was a whirlwind of wild thoughts. Fearing she might do something regrettable, she took the opportunity to go to bed while the man was helping the little one wash up, and despite tossing and turning, she fell asleep rather quickly. When Lu Xiaoting entered the room carrying Xiao Yu, he saw the woman sleeping in a sprawled pose on the kang bed. Xiao Yu covered his face, ¡°Aunt doesn¡¯t sleep very tidily.¡± Lu Xiaoting chuckled and nodded in agreement, looking at the little guy in his arms, ¡°Hmm, a little!¡± Susu, who had assumed she would suffer from insomnia, stretched comfortably and shuffled off the kang with her hair in disarray. In the courtyard, one big and one small were sweeping the floor with brooms. ¡°Aunt, you¡¯re up.¡± ¡°Awake? Later, take me to buy vegetables. It¡¯s a good chance to discuss home delivery with them. You and mom can save some trouble too.¡± Having just woken up and still feeling groggy, Susu blinked and nodded, ¡°Oh!¡± ¡°Sister-in-law, do you and Xiao Yu have any dirty clothes? I¡¯m going to do laundry; you can bring them out, and I¡¯ll wash them together,¡± Lu Xiaomei said, holding a few garments. Susu was too embarrassed to let her little aunt do her laundry, hastily waving her hands in refusal. Lu Xiaomei, feeling for her mother and sister-in-law who were busy earning money, simply pushed her second sister-in-law back inside. ¡°Second sister-in-law, hurry up. While I¡¯m on break I can help out with some chores, otherwise when I go back to school, even if you want my help, I won¡¯t be able to.¡± ¡°Susu, get your dirty clothes out for your little sister. You and Old Second get going to buy the vegetables already. We¡¯re all family here, no need to be polite.¡± Seeing her mother-in-law speak up, Susu didn¡¯t protest any further. The couple rode their bicycle straight to the market. After arranging a daily delivery time with the vegetable and meat vendors, they brought home today¡¯s goods. Susu had been planning to discuss home delivery arrangements after settling in, and with everything arranged today, her mood was naturally good. She prodded the man¡¯s waist, ¡°Lu Xiaoting, thank you.¡± The man¡¯s body tensed, and he coughed lowly, ¡°Ahem, wife, a man¡¯s waist shouldn¡¯t be poked casually; it could cause trouble.¡± The savvy Susu immediately got it, her face flushed red, and she quickly loosened her arm from around the man¡¯s waist. ... As soon as the two arrived home, the whole family started bustling about. The Lu Family had no rule against men entering the kitchen, and Lu Xiaoting had long been assigned tasks by his mother. There he was, sitting on a little stool like a small mountain, deftly cleaning the pig intestines. If this were in the Provincial City, it would probably cause a sensation throughout the Family Court. Mrs. Lu saw her daughter-in-law glance at her son from time to time and teased her, ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Missing your man?¡± ¡°Mom~¡± Susu cooed, playfully teasing her mother-in-law who was busy, ¡°Mom, why are you still bossing Lu Xiao and Lu Xiaoting around?¡± ¡°Our family isn¡¯t like those unreasonable homes that insist on the daughter-in-law doing all the work.¡± Mrs. Lu reminisced about her youth, ¡°When we first set up our own home, I had no one to help me with the kids. Sometimes, when I couldn¡¯t manage, your father was the one who cooked.¡± Susu raised an eyebrow, ¡°These days, men who cook for their wives are probably only found in our Lu Family. Mom, you and Dad have such a great relationship.¡± Mrs. Lu felt a bit embarrassed by her daughter-in-law¡¯s words and quickly waved her hands to change the subject, ¡°We¡¯re an old couple, it¡¯s laughable to talk about these things.¡± Lu Xiaoting packed the braised goods onto the bicycle and lifted Xiao Yu onto the crossbar, taking over the bike, ¡°Mom, just rest at home today. My wife and I going is enough.¡± Mrs. Lu couldn¡¯t relax, thinking that with her second son¡¯s demeanor, he might scare away customers, but she didn¡¯t want to dampen his enthusiasm. ¡°No need, no need. What would I do at home?¡± Lu Xiaomei was curious about what her sister-in-law and mother were selling and clamored to follow along. In the end, the whole family set out together, and by late morning, Lu Xiaoting and Lu Xiaomei came back early to cook. ¡°Second brother, just go sit over there and wait. Having Mom and your wife here is enough,¡± Mrs. Lu said as soon as they reached the entrance of the textile factory, trying to send him away. Lu Xiaoting waved his hand in refusal, insisting that his old mother and Xiao Yu rest. Mrs. Lu glared at her son unhappily, ¡°Just go, will you? With your presence, you¡¯re negatively affecting our business here.¡± Susu, holding back laughter, watched her dejected husband, not expecting her mother-in-law meant that. Lu Xiaoting glanced at his wife¡¯s face, flushed with suppressed giggles, and awkwardly touched his nose before quietly sitting down against the wall. The siblings watched the bustling hustle and bustle of the two adults and the child, all smiles on their faces. After a day out at the stall, Lu Xiaoting noticed his wife had changed quite drastically, her style of doing things was completely different from before. ¡°Wife, Mom, you two go rest. I¡¯ll clean up,¡± he said. Mrs. Lu, holding her daughter-in-law¡¯s arm, suggested, ¡°Susu, let¡¯s rest, let the second brother do it.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Susu happily nodded and plopped down onto the rocking chair to relax. The mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, all smiles, watched the siblings bustle in and out. ¡°Thump thump thump¡ª¡± Followed by a series of urgent knocking and a man¡¯s anxious voice, ¡°Second brother, second brother, come quickly, Xianyue has been beaten, her in-laws hit her... ¡± When Lu Xiaoting opened the door, Uncle Su¡¯s Su Chenghe was there, dripping with sweat from urgency. ¡°Wait for me, together.¡± Susu immediately sprang up from the rocking chair. ¡°Okay, second brother, second sister, let¡¯s talk on the way.¡± Mrs. Lu watched the three of them hurriedly leave on their bicycles, extremely worried. On the way, the couple learned that it was a family in the village who was close to Su Xianyue and couldn¡¯t stand by watching, so they had come to the Provincial City to report the incident. Uncle Su, Aunt, the two brothers from the Lu Family, along with Lu Xiaoting and Susu, six people rushed to Su Xiaomei Su Xianyue¡¯s husband¡¯s home as fast as they could. From a distance, they saw Su Xianyue hobbling along, holding a broken bowl, apparently having just finished feeding the chickens. ¡°Oh, my child!¡± Aunt rushed in and embraced her bruised and swollen daughter, crying bitterly. Su Xianyue seemed unable to believe it and it took a long while before she reacted, and then mother and daughter wept bitterly together. ¡°Damn it, what a cheap hussy, even lazing around while feeding the chickens, let¡¯s see if I don¡¯t beat you to death, you worthless hussy,¡± an old hag with a nasty look and upturned eyes raged out holding a sorghum broom. Chapter 8 - 8 8 No Man is Good ?Chapter 8: Chapter 8 No Man is Good Chapter 8: Chapter 8 No Man is Good ¡°You, what are you doing?¡± Old Mrs. Wang, after seeing who was coming, guiltily hid her hands behind her back. ¡°My poor girl, bullied by this old hag into this state? The whole family ganged up to beat my daughter like this,¡± Aunt Su¡¯s tears fell as she spoke out of heartache. Several men felt it inappropriate to argue with the old woman, so the Su brothers, their eyes red, shouted towards the house. ¡°Wang Yong, come out! You dare beat our Xiaomei? If you have the guts, come out yourself. Don¡¯t hide inside and let your old mother handle this.¡± Upon hearing this, Old Mrs. Wang, glaring through her droopy eyes, cursed like a chicken that doesn¡¯t lay eggs, ¡°Pah, once married into our Wang family, she belongs to our Wang family, and we¡¯ll do as we please.¡± Hearing this, Aunt, trembling with anger, said, ¡°You old hag, how dare you insult my daughter as a barren chicken, you, you¡ª¡± ¡°Pah! I¡¯ll say it, a hen that doesn¡¯t lay eggs is a hen that doesn¡¯t lay eggs...¡± The Su family members were infuriated by Old Mrs. Wang¡¯s sharp and nasty taunts, the Su brothers nearly wanted to punch this evil old hag. As a woman herself, Susu felt sympathy for her cousin and directly pointed at Old Mrs. Wang, scolding her. ¡°You evil old woman, you curse other women for not bearing children perhaps because you¡¯ve done too many morally corrupt things yourself, maybe it¡¯s your son who is sterile.¡± ¡°You, you,¡± Old Mrs. Wang was so angry she couldn¡¯t speak clearly, and, seeing she was being out-talked, she sat down on the ground with a thump, slapping her thigh and wailing about having an ungrateful daughter-in-law. Aunt Su held back her daughter, who wanted to help Old Mrs. Wang, and glared angrily at the old woman. Susu raised an eyebrow, ¡°That¡¯s it? You are too weak.¡± Villagers gathered around to watch the scene, unable to stand the sight, pointing fingers at the Wang family members. Everyone in the village knew what kind of person Old Mrs. Wang was. It wasn¡¯t the first time Wang Yong and his mother had ganged up to beat their daughter-in-law. It was only because there were people in the village who had a good relationship with Xian Yue and could no longer stand it, that they secretly went to the county to inform the Su family. The family took Xian Yue back home, stating that Wang Yong should come to take his wife back himself, or else they would divorce. Seeing her cousin worn thin, bruised, and battered, Susu was furious and cursed loudly. ¡°Men are no good. I have no use, so they take it out on their wives, just a poor wretch who¡¯s gotten too cocky!¡± Caught in the crossfire, Lu Xiaoting coughed awkwardly and timidly added, ¡°Not all men are like that.¡± ¡°Heh, men! None of you are good, it¡¯s just Xian Yue being too kind. If any man dared to lay a finger on me, I¡¯d sharpen my knife and chop off whatever hand touched me.¡± Lu Xiaoting involuntarily shivered, feeling like the more he said, the more mistakes he made. He pursed his lips tightly and said no more. Susu sneered, ¡°Not talking now? I thought you men liked to reason?¡± Lu Xiaoting, named directly, remained silent. On a rage, Susu glared at the man, jumped down from her bicycle, and pushed open the courtyard door. Hearing the noise, Mrs. Lu hurried out and asked, ¡°How did it go? Is Xian Yue¡¯s injury severe? How could that scoundrel from the Wang family still beat his wife?¡± The Lu family, young and old, rushed out, all extremely worried. ¡°That bastard Wang Yong, together with that damn old hag, beat Xian Yue until she was unrecognizable, made her limp and work, and kept calling her a barren chicken...¡± Upon hearing this, the Lu family were all furious and joined the daughter-in-law in cursing the Wang family mother and son. ¡°Mom, let¡¯s buy some things tomorrow and go see Xian Yue.¡± Susu said, rolling up her sleeves, ready to distract herself with something else, afraid she might die of anger. Mrs. Lu nodded, feeling sorry for her niece while being especially grateful to her daughter-in-law. ¡°Lu Xiaoting, why don¡¯t you and Xiao Yu go wash up? I¡¯ll make some food for you to take with you when you and Lu Xiaomei leave tomorrow.¡± Involved and scolded along the way, Lu Xiaoting nodded and quickly carried the little guy off to the bathroom. Upon hearing that her sister-in-law was making food for her and her brother, Lu Xiaomei immediately washed her hands to help with the cooking. ¡°Sister-in-law, what are you making? I¡¯ll help you with it.¡± Susu nodded and took out the extra food from the evening, ¡°I¡¯ll make some marinated dishes for you to take back and eat on the spot. I¡¯ll also make some spicy minced meat sauce and mushroom sauce. With these, you can enjoy several more meals even when mixed with the canteen food.¡± Upon hearing this, Lu Xiaomei¡¯s eyes curved into smiles as she playfully clung to her sister-in-law¡¯s arm, ¡°Sister-in-law, why are you so nice?¡± ¡°Go on, I¡¯ve always been this nice.¡± ¡°Hehe, but sister-in-law, I feel like you¡¯ve changed a lot since I came back from this vacation.¡± Lu Xiaomei, worried her sister-in-law might misunderstand, quickly added, ¡°It¡¯s not that you weren¡¯t nice before, you¡¯ve just gotten even better.¡± Susu smiled without speaking, her soul¡¯s core had changed, it was natural to see a change. ... After the father and son had washed up, Lu Xiaoting gave the little guy a bald haircut. In the kitchen, sweaty from cooking, Susu entered the room and immediately saw a little bald head, reaching out her ¡°devil¡¯s hand¡± to rub the little guy¡¯s bare head. ¡°Wow, Xiao Yu has become a little baldy.¡± Embarrassed, Xiao Yu hugged his head, attempting to hide, but Susu wasn¡¯t about to let him go easily, only walking away to wash up after satisfying her urge to pet him. Exhausted from the day¡¯s work, Susu finally lay down, collapsing on the kang without moving. ¡°Lu Xiaomei is hanging the stuff in the well, remember to take everything with you when you get up early tomorrow. If you can¡¯t finish the marinated food, share it with your brothers. The spicy meat and mushroom sauces will last a few more days.¡± Lu Xiaoting looked down, his eyes on the rosy-cheeked woman, ¡°Thank you, wife.¡± Feeling the warm breath by her ear, Susu suddenly opened her eyes. The handsome face of the man was inches away; his high nose bridge, deep black eyes, and long, thick eyelashes. Susu, impelled by some ghostly force, reached out her hand, felt the warmth between her fingers, her old face turning red as she stuttered, ¡°No, no need to thank.¡± Unable to bear the intensity of the man¡¯s fiery gaze, Susu turned over and muttered under her breath. ¡°Really, life¡¯s not fair, why does a man have such long, voluminous eyelashes?¡± Her mind wandered wildly, and it wasn¡¯t long before Susu fell asleep. The sleeping individual lost her usual reserve, sprawling openly in a ¡°big character¡± pose at the end of the kang, occupying half the space. Lu Xiaoting covered Xiao Yu¡¯s belly, then turned to see the blanket that had just been resting there now kicked to the end of the kang by the woman. Amused and exasperated, he pulled the blanket back over his wife. In no time, Lu Xiaoting found himself being hugged by his wife, her arms and legs draped over him, her fair face resting on his shoulder. The man reached back, pulling her into his embrace, his thin lips curling slightly as he drifted off to sleep. Susu was awakened in the middle of the night by the heat, and upon opening her eyes, found herself tightly hugging the man. She kicked out and rolled back to her side. The man grunted as he was kicked. Chapter 9 - 9 9 Divorce ?Chapter 9: Chapter 9 Divorce Chapter 9: Chapter 9 Divorce ¡°Thinking the man had been kicked awake by her, Lu Xiaoting simply turned over, and Susu finally breathed a sigh of relief. The next day, the siblings from the Lu Family got up early. Lu Xiaomei happily carried her things on her way to the county middle school. Lu Xiaoting, on the other hand, took the earliest bus back to his job in the Provincial City. The Lu household returned to its usual calm. After the family had breakfast, Father Lu rode his bicycle to work at the textile factory as usual, and the three women waited for the vegetables to arrive before starting to sort out the marinated dishes. Susu looked at Little Baldy bustling around the yard, laughing so hard her stomach hurt. Who knew how Lu Xiaoting managed to shave it, Little Baldy¡¯s head was so shiny it reflected light. Xiao Yu touched his own little head in confusion, ¡°Aunt?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing, let Auntie touch it.¡± Susu unabashedly rubbed Little Baldy¡¯s head, pleased with the sensation, and gave a solemn thumbs-up, ¡°Hmm, not bad at all. Xiao Yu, you can just wipe your head when you wash your face every day, no need to use extra water to wash your hair.¡± Xiao Yu, taking her seriously, nodded, indicating that he would do just that in the evening. Seeing the two of them, Mrs. Lu laughed until she had tears in her eyes. Textile Factory Perhaps seeing their own business doing so well, the three women upon arrival noticed two more street vendors had set up shop at the entrance. One sold stir-fried vegetable buns and the other sold dumplings. Mrs. Lu tugged at her daughter-in-law¡¯s sleeve and gestured with her lips towards the two vendors, ¡°Susu, look, they both sell food as well. Won¡¯t that affect our business?¡± Susu reassured her nervous mother-in-law and Xiao Yu, ¡°It will have some impact, but as long as our marinated goods taste good, it won¡¯t affect us too much.¡± ¡°So, should we make less tomorrow? If we can¡¯t sell it all, that would be a loss,¡± Mrs. Lu was still worried. ¡°Mom, you don¡¯t have to worry, don¡¯t you have faith in our marinades?¡± Susu said with a smile, patting her mother-in-law¡¯s arm, ¡°And this county is so big, are we really worried about not selling out?¡± ¡°Right, right, I¡¯ll listen to you.¡± As workers from the textile factory started coming out, the other two vendors began to shout out their wares, which did draw quite a few people over. However, there were still many people who came to buy marinades from them. Because those two vendors¡¯ food was cheaper than their marinades, the usually quick-selling marinades did sell at a slower pace today. ¡°Boss, give me one jin of vegetarian dishes and one jin of meat dishes,¡± a regular customer with a bob hair chuckled as she handed over her food container, joking, ¡°Looks like the boss has got some competition now.¡± ¡°Alright, big sister,¡± Susu swiftly packed the order, ¡°I have confidence in our marinades, we¡¯re not afraid.¡± The bob-haired sister laughed at the jest. Although the sale was slower than usual today, they still managed to sell out. The three women quickly packed up their things and headed home. They warmed up the leftover rice from the morning, washed all the pots and pans, and then rested in their rooms. Without the help of two family members, the three were a bit tired today. In the afternoon, while waiting for the marinades to cook in the pot, Susu cycled into town for a quick trip. She bought a jar of malted milk, a packet of brown sugar, and about ten eggs, planning to visit Cousin Su at Uncle Su¡¯s house after selling the marinades in the evening. Susu cycled back with her mother-in-law and Xiao Yu, and as soon as they entered the Family Court of the machinery factory, they heard noisy commotions. If it hadn¡¯t been for the rush to visit someone before heading home, the two women would have likely joined the bustling crowd to see what was happening. But as they came closer to Uncle Su¡¯s house, the noise grew louder, and Susu even felt it sounded familiar.¡± ¡°Everyone, come and judge for yourselves, what kind of natal family does this? Instead of wishing the young couple well, they¡¯re hell-bent on wrecking their marriage, insisting on getting their daughter to divorce.¡± Susu remembered, wasn¡¯t that Old Mrs. Wang? Her expression instantly turned cold, ¡°Mom, it must be the Wang mother and son causing trouble at Uncle Su¡¯s house.¡± ¡°What? That wretched old woman still has the face to cause a scene?¡± True enough, Uncle Su¡¯s house was surrounded by a throng of people, packed three layers inside and out; it was almost impossible for the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law to squeeze through. Susu pushed her bicycle and then heard Aunt Liu Fen¡¯s voice. ¡°You old hag are really insufferably annoying. Why did we take our daughter back? It¡¯s because your Wang family doesn¡¯t treat her like a human being, always beating and scolding her. Your whole family doesn¡¯t have a single good person.¡± ¡°Pah, you dead old woman, do you think the Old Su Family has no one to stand up for it? What kind of state did you leave my Little Aunt in? I really want to scratch your eyes out!¡± Sister-in-law He Hong¡¯s fiery voice could be heard. ¡°Not laying a single egg, hitting her is letting her off lightly.¡± Old Mrs. Su didn¡¯t hold back any longer, hocking up a glob of spit on the ground. Susu parked the bike, holding Xiao Yu, and sneered, ¡°What¡¯s this? Do you think you¡¯re the Grand Empress Dowager from the feudal era? Still want to beat and scold people? If I remember correctly, we took Xian Yue to the hospital for an examination, and there were no problems with her at all.¡± ¡°Old lady, here¡¯s a suggestion for you, take your son Wang Yong for a check-up. The sooner you find out, the sooner he can get treatment. Who knows, it might just fulfill your dream of holding a grandchild.¡± The onlookers heard this and started whispering among themselves. ¡°Exactly, the hospital already said there was nothing wrong. It could very well be her son who¡¯s infertile.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, after all this fuss, it turns out her own son is the problem.¡± ... ¡°What are you all blabbering on about? Watch it, or I¡¯ll tear your mouths apart.¡± Old Mrs. Wang was so angry she was hopping mad, cursing Susu with foul language. Seeing the old lady getting agitated, Susu couldn¡¯t help but smirk instead of being upset. Mrs. Lu heard the wretched old woman cursing her daughter-in-law and immediately got inflamed, putting her hands on her hips and starting to curse back. Xiao Yu was also so angry that his little face turned red. If he hadn¡¯t been held by Susu, he might¡¯ve charged right at her. ¡°Big bully, scolding Auntie, Xiao Yu is going to hit you.¡± Susu looked affectionately at the little guy and her mother-in-law¡¯s actions, teasingly watching Old Mrs. Wang who was nearly fainting from anger. ¡°Oh my, have the heavens abandoned us? The whole Old Su Family is bullying us, a poor mother and her son... I can¡¯t go on living like this...¡± Wang Yong saw his own mother driven to the ground, glared at Su Xianyue with bloodshot eyes, and protested bitterly, ¡°Your whole family bullying my mother like this, are you happy now?¡± Su Xianyue¡¯s face was streaked with tears, shaking her head in disappointment, ¡°How were you and your mother beating and scolding me all the time? Don¡¯t you remember at all?¡± Wang Yong frowned, looking disillusioned, ¡°Wasn¡¯t that just because you can¡¯t have kids? Mother wasn¡¯t happy because of that. If you could have had them, there wouldn¡¯t have been all these issues.¡± Susu put her hands on her hips, really wanting to crack open this man¡¯s head and see what color the shit inside was. Su Xianyue, looking at her family standing up for her, seemed to make her decision firmly, clenching her fists tight, one word at a time. ¡°Let¡¯s¡ªget¡ªdivorced.¡± Aunt Liu Fen hugged her own daughter with tears in her eyes, full of heartache. ¡°Divorce! Right away!¡± The previously feigning feebleness Old Mrs. Wang instantly sprang up from the ground, jumping up and down shouting, ¡°Divorce, my son let¡¯s get a divorce. Once you¡¯re divorced, I¡¯ll find you a better wife.¡± ... On the way home, Mrs. Lu kept sighing, heartbroken for her niece¡¯s ordeal. Susu comforted her mother-in-law, ¡°Mom, Xian Yue has finally escaped out of the frying pan, things are bound to get better from now on.¡± Mrs. Lu sighed, ¡°These days, divorced women have a tough time. Don¡¯t think just because your sister-in-law and brother¡¯s wife haven¡¯t said much now, but as time goes on, they are sure to despise Xian Yue.¡± Chapter 10 - 10 10 Stall Taken ?Chapter 10: Chapter 10 Stall Taken Chapter 10: Chapter 10 Stall Taken Regarding Susu¡¯s cousin¡¯s plight, Susu could only console her distraught mother-in-law. ¡°Mom, times have changed. Women can hold up half the sky, so once cousin gets over this hurdle, things will definitely get better. Anything is better than being beaten and scolded every day.¡± Mrs. Lu thought about it and cursed loudly, ¡°That damn Wang family, they bullied such a good child into this state. Xian Yue used to be such a good child, look at her now.¡± Father Lu, after hearing his wife¡¯s words, fell silent for a while and nodded in agreement that the divorce was a good decision. ¡°Ah, how will a woman who has divorced ever get by?¡± Mrs. Lu sighed. Father Lu patted his wife¡¯s arm, ¡°It¡¯s still better than not divorcing. If worst comes to worst, I¡¯ll keep an eye out for job openings at the factory, even if it¡¯s just temporary work for now.¡± As she watched her in-laws sigh and frown, Susu didn¡¯t dare to crush their hopes, knowing that state-owned enterprises were declining and layoffs would soon follow. But by that time, her father-in-law would have retired. Hugging the soft, warm bundle, she had a good night¡¯s sleep. Susu got up early in the morning and fed the chickens wandering in the yard before starting to prepare breakfast. After the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law finished breakfast and got busy, Mrs. Lu stopped sighing. Following the usual schedule, the three headed to the textile factory right before it closed. However, upon arriving at the textile factory gate, they noticed that their usual vending spot was occupied. Susu frowned and approached politely, ¡°Mam, we usually use this spot; could you perhaps move a bit?¡± The young woman appeared somewhat embarrassed and was about to speak when she was shoved behind by an old lady beside her. The old lady glared, yelling, ¡°What? Is this your house? If you say it¡¯s yours, is it yours?¡± ¡°What? You think you can bully an old woman because she¡¯s old? I¡¯m telling you no way. I¡¯ve marked this spot as ours today. What can you do about it? Whoever comes first gets it. Pfft¡ªdon¡¯t block the way, move aside.¡± The good-tempered Mrs. Lu retorted angrily, ¡°You still know it¡¯s first come, first served? We were here on day one. Don¡¯t be unreasonable, old lady.¡± ¡°Pfft¡ªI don¡¯t care when you came here; I¡¯m telling you not today, let¡¯s see what you can do to me.¡± Seeing that everyone was watching, Susu, holding back her upset mother-in-law, whispered, ¡°Mom, the factory workers are about to get off work; let¡¯s set up our stall first and sell the braised food before we argue.¡± Though angry, Mrs. Lu still suppressed her anger and moved to another spot with her daughter-in-law. ¡°Braised food for sale, delicious braised food~¡± The factory workers went toward the old lady who had taken their spot. ¡°Eh? Why is there someone else today?¡± The crowd was puzzled. The old lady pinched her still-stunned daughter-in-law, smiling and changing the subject, ¡°Come, what would you young man like?¡± ¡°Susu, I thought that old woman looked familiar; I remember now, she has bought braised food from our house a few times.¡± Mrs. Lu, hands on her hips and getting angrier by the minute, exclaimed, ¡°So she took our spot and is pretending to sell our braised food.¡± ¡°Mom, don¡¯t worry. That old lady can¡¯t copy our family recipe even if she sells the same braised food,¡± Susu comforted her angry mother-in-law and Xiao Yu. ¡°Su¡¯s braised food, come take a look, delicious Su¡¯s braised food, don¡¯t miss out while passing by.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a loss if you don¡¯t buy it, and deceit if you miss it!¡± Hearing the familiar cries, the workers¡¯ attention shifted, and they realized the previous vendor was over there and not the same as this one. ¡°I was wondering why people looked different, turns out they¡¯re not from the same family.¡± ¡°I¡¯d rather buy from Su¡¯s; their braised food is always so fragrant.¡± Seeing the situation, the old lady who had seized the stall called out anxiously, ¡°Don¡¯t go, our stuff here is cheaper and just as tasty!¡± Hearing that it was cheaper, some people decided to try some. The rest headed straight to Susu and her companions to buy braised food. The mother-in-law and daughter-in-law were busy packing and weighing for the customers, completely oblivious to the malicious stare from the old lady who had seized the stall earlier. Xiao Yu noticed and pulled a face at the old lady bullying his family. This infuriated the old lady, who stumbled and cursed. Because of the previous scene of stall-grabbing masquerading as stealing business, the prepared braised food didn¡¯t sell out as it used to, and some was left. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Mom, what¡¯s left is just enough for us to have for lunch.¡± Watching the mother-in-law and the old lady glare at each other fiercely, Susu secured the money and comforted her mother-in-law. Mrs. Lu, increasingly angry, decided to send her daughter-in-law home first with Xiao Yu on the bike, while she stormed off to the textile factory. ¡°Okay, Mom, come back early for lunch.¡± Susu, seeing her mother-in-law head to the textile factory, then rode home with Xiao Yu. Father Lu watched his wife, furious to the point of chest heaving, and his expression gradually turned serious, eyebrows furrowed. ¡°I understand. I¡¯ll speak to the factory this afternoon; we can¡¯t go on like this.¡± ¡°Okay, then I¡¯ll head back now, Susu and Xiao Yu are waiting at home.¡± After venting to her husband, Mrs. Lu left the textile factory contentedly. Textile Factory The leaders at the factory listened to Father Lu¡¯s words and fell into deep thought. ¡°Old Lu makes sense; we need to protect our workers¡¯ food safety. If we don¡¯t intervene early, there might be more fights in the future.¡± The factory manager nodded, looking at Father Lu, ¡°Old Lu, do you have any suggestions?¡± Father Lu nodded and handed over his planned proposal to the factory manager, ¡°Manager, here¡¯s what I think. First, our factory should manage the stalls outside, anyone who wants to set up a stall at the entrance should pay a stall fee. Second, we should assign the stall positions...¡± After discussing in the meeting, the leaders of the textile factory unanimously agreed with Father Lu¡¯s proposal and put him in charge of the matter. Afternoon When the vendors arrived, they found themselves surrounded by people from the textile factory. The crowd looked at the towering men, puzzled. Father Lu pointed to the notice posted at the gate and kindly explained to everyone. ¡°What does it mean? It means if we want to set up stalls here, we have to report to your factory and also pay money?¡± Upon hearing about the fee, many people started grumbling unhappily at Father Lu. Father Lu signaled for everyone to be quiet, then slowly said, ¡°First, this is for the protection of our factory workers. Second, it¡¯s only three yuan per month for a stall fee, and we will assign places to everyone to prevent disputes over stall locations. Third, our factory will have patrols, so everyone can feel secure conducting their business. Think it over, and if you¡¯re interested, come find me to apply.¡± With that, many people glanced at the old lady who had seized someone else¡¯s stall at noon and began discussing. The observed old lady, angry and helpless against the tall and stout textile factory workers, cursed under her breath. Chapter 11 - 11 11 Movie Theater ?Chapter 11: Chapter 11 Movie Theater Chapter 11: Chapter 11 Movie Theater ¡°Hahaha, his dad did a good job.¡± Hearing her spouse¡¯s words, Mrs. Lu laughed heartily, happily picked up a few more pieces of meat for her man, and settled him with a beaming smile, ¡°Eat more, dear.¡± Susu gave her father-in-law a thumbs up, a grin on her face, ¡°Dad truly is the Lu Family¡¯s stabilizer.¡± Xiao Yu followed suit, ¡°Grandpa is so amazing!¡± Father Lu¡¯s face turned red with all the praise from his wife and daughter-in-law, and, a bit embarrassed, he gestured with his hands modestly. Since the textile factory started to intervene in managing the stalls across the way, that stall-grabbing old lady would look at the mother and daughter-in-law with contempt every time she saw them. Days passed, yet their own business remained stable. Susu was keen on expanding the business. ¡°Aunt,¡± Susu was a bit surprised to see her aunt at the door and hurriedly invited her inside. ¡°Mom, Aunt¡¯s here.¡± Aunt Liu Fen helped Mrs. Lu with the work, the two women chatted as they labored. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with elder sister-in-law? She¡¯s been sighing ever since she walked in.¡± Aunt Liu Fen let out a long sigh, her face full of worry, ¡°It¡¯s nothing but family issues. Xian Yue just got back a few days ago, and her two sisters-in-law have been making snide remarks. They never stop complaining that Xian Yue got divorced and returned to the parental home to freeload.¡± ¡°That can¡¯t be right. When Old Mrs. Wang came to make a scene, weren¡¯t the eldest daughter-in-law and the second daughter-in-law quite nice? It¡¯s only been a few days.¡± Aunt Liu Fen grew angry at the mention of it, huffing, ¡°It¡¯s all because I noticed Xian Yue¡¯s clothes were all patches on top of patches, so I bought her a new outfit. And now, all day they imply things like ¡®a married daughter is like water spilled out of the house,¡¯ as if they¡¯re pointing fingers at me and the old man.¡± ¡°Xian Yue always hustles with chores around the house, and she even helps take care of her nephews. Besides, Father Lu¡¯s salary every month goes to support his two brothers, and I even take care of the kids at home. They¡¯re always coveting the little we have in our pockets.¡± Mrs. Lu frowned, thinking the two daughters-in-law were a bit too much. The elder brother earned more than 30 yuan every month, how much could the couple spend? Wasn¡¯t most of it given to support their two sons¡¯ families? ¡°Aunt, can you believe they complain about me spoiling my daughter by making her new clothes? And now, all day they accuse us of favoritism. It¡¯s my money, and I¡¯ll spend it on whoever I wish.¡± ¡°Sister-in-law, not to criticize you, but you and my brother should hold onto some money. While you¡¯re still not old, you should save. With money in hand, your daughters-in-law won¡¯t dare mistreat you or my brother out of respect for the money.¡± Mrs. Lu truly felt sorry for her elder brother, who supported the family every month only to be unappreciated in the end. Seeing the daughters-in-law busy around the house, Aunt Liu Fen felt envious, ¡°You¡¯re the lucky one, look how filial Susu is. When you and your daughter-in-law go out together, people who don¡¯t know any better might think you¡¯re mother and daughter.¡± Hearing someone praise her daughter-in-law, Mrs. Lu¡¯s smile reached from ear to ear. Aunt Liu Fen sat for a while, but left when the mother and daughter-in-law were about to set out for the stall. ¡°Susu, I¡¯ll take Xiao Yu to the textile factory to set up the stall. Will you be okay by yourself?¡± Mrs. Lu was a bit concerned. ¡°I¡¯ll be fine. Just go straight home after you finish selling.¡± The three parted ways at the crossroad, with Xiao Yu waving his little hand earnestly. Susu, carrying a basket on her back, headed straight for the movie theater near the county. There were many young people around the movie theater, along with dating couples and men and women out on blind dates. There were a few vendors selling peanuts, melon seeds, and drinks at the entrance. Susu picked a conspicuous spot where there weren¡¯t many people and started to call out. ¡°Fragrant marinated dishes and meats, come take a look and have a taste~¡± ¡°Having some marinated dishes while watching a movie, satisfies cravings and tastes delicious~¡± Many people were drawn by this voice and saw a pretty woman with delicate features. ¡°How much are these? Can I try some? Let me taste, and if it¡¯s good, I¡¯ll buy some.¡± ¡°Vegetarian dishes are 60 cents a pound, meat dishes are a dollar twenty a pound.¡± Susu deftly took out the tasting samples from her carrying basket and handed them out to the people who had come over. ¡°Everybody try some; if you like it, it¡¯s never too late to buy.¡± People back then were quite simple, and nobody was shameless enough to sample without buying. ¡°Mmm, not bad, not bad, tastes good. Give me half a pound of the meat and half a pound of the veggies.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take half a pound too...¡± ... Susu had already portioned out the vegetarian and meat dishes into half-pound packages at home, so now she was swiftly taking money with one hand and delivering goods with the other. The entire carrying basket of marinated goods sold out even quicker than expected. By the time Mrs. Lu cycled home with Xiao Yu, Susu had already prepared the meal and was waiting for them. ¡°Mom, Xiao Yu, you¡¯re back, just in time to wash your hands and eat.¡± Seeing this, Mrs. Lu looked happy, ¡°How did it go? Sold everything?¡± ¡°Yeah, it all sold out quickly.¡± Susu¡¯s face was filled with a smile, and as she served the rice, she said, ¡°It finished early, so I have already made dinner.¡± During the meal, Susu discussed hiring help with Mrs. Lu, and upon seeing her mother-in-law¡¯s surprised face, she quickly explained. ¡°Mom, now that we¡¯re selling separately, the daily demand for marinated goods has basically doubled; the two of us adults and one child just can¡¯t keep up.¡± ¡°Plus, I don¡¯t want you to be so worn out. Ever since we started selling marinated goods, we haven¡¯t even had time to make lunch, and Dad can only eat in the canteen.¡± Mrs. Lu quickly stated that she had no objections, ¡°Susu, do you have someone in mind already?¡± ¡°Not yet. That¡¯s why I¡¯m talking to you about it, Mom. I was thinking you know more people in the county, so you could see if there¡¯s someone reliable. For food work, we need someone clean and trustworthy,¡± Susu said. Mrs. Lu immediately thought of her niece Xian Yue and said straightforwardly, ¡°Susu, what do you think about the child Xian Yue? If she¡¯s suitable, I was thinking of having Xian Yue come over to help.¡± Susu frowned; to be honest, she wasn¡¯t very familiar with her cousin from her elder sister-in-law¡¯s side, having only met her a few times, and she didn¡¯t know her temperament or character. ¡°Mom, I don¡¯t know much about Xian Yue. What do you think of her?¡± Mrs. Lu promptly responded, ¡°The child Xian Yue is honest and well-behaved, and she¡¯s also diligent and clean. It¡¯s just that she¡¯s a bit timid. Her two sisters-in-law are always quarreling at home, and their words and actions show their contempt for Xian Yue. Couldn¡¯t we let Xian Yue come here to give it a try? If the child isn¡¯t up to it, you won¡¯t have to say a word; I¡¯ll step in and send her away.¡± Mrs. Lu felt a little embarrassed but, thinking of her poor niece, wanted to lend a helping hand and looked anxiously at her daughter-in-law. Susu thought about it and felt it was feasible, so she nodded in agreement. ¡°Ah, Mom, I¡¯ll go to Aunt¡¯s house this afternoon to talk about this,¡± Mrs. Lu said, nodding her head happily. ¡°Sure, she¡¯ll get 25 dollars a month, and she can eat with us. If she does well in the future, I¡¯ll definitely give her a raise,¡± Susu nodded and added, ¡°Mom, if possible, let Xian Yue stay with us. It¡¯s more convenient for work, and it saves her from having to put up with the judgmental looks from her sisters-in-law at home.¡± Chapter 12 - 12 12 Ugly Words First ?Chapter 12: Chapter 12 Ugly Words First Chapter 12: Chapter 12 Ugly Words First Susu wanted to get the unpleasant words out of the way first, to avoid any discomfort between relatives and save them the hassle. Mrs. Lu couldn¡¯t sit still any longer, she hopped on her bicycle and headed to Uncle Su¡¯s house. ¡°Big brother, elder sister-in-law.¡± Before she was seen, Mrs. Lu¡¯s delighted voice could be heard. Aunt Liu Fen was picking vegetables in the yard and immediately greeted with a beaming smile, ¡°Ah, our second Aunt has come. What¡¯s all this joy about?¡± ¡°Aunt Yue, bring some water for your Aunt,¡± Aunt Liu Fen called into the house. Mrs. Lu parked her bicycle against the wall, went straight to the point as soon as she entered. ¡°No need for water, Yue, you come out, your Aunt has something to discuss with you.¡± Seeing her niece, who had become so thin she was practically just skin and bones and looked like she could be blown over by the wind, Mrs. Lu felt terribly upset; before marriage Yue had been pretty and lively. ¡°You all know that Susu and I have recently been running a stall outside, and now Susu is planning to increase her volume to sell in the streets. The two of us are too busy to handle it, and we¡¯re thinking of hiring someone.¡± Mrs. Lu paused, looking at the pair who were intently gazing at her, and continued with a smile. ¡°So I was thinking of asking Yue if she was interested. Your second sister-in-law said the job pays 25 yuan a month, and definitely, the pay will increase if you do well.¡± ¡°Second Aunt, I am willing, I am so willing.¡± Yue, choking back her tears, nodded before Mrs. Lu could finish speaking. Seeing elder sister-in-law Liu Fen hesitant to speak, Mrs. Lu thought she might disapprove and quickly reassured her, ¡°Sister-in-law, don¡¯t worry, now there are many people doing small business in the streets, I...¡± ¡°Mom?¡± Yue anxiously looked at her mother. ¡°I¡¯m not worried about that,¡± her mother said, ¡°but isn¡¯t 25 yuan a month a bit too high? We can¡¯t have Susu at a loss.¡± Mrs. Lu had thought it was something else and immediately reassured her with a smile. ¡°Alright, sit down Aunt, I will get Yue ready now,¡± Aunt Liu Fen quickly went to help her daughter to pack her clothes. To pack was a bit of an overstatement; it was really just a couple of old outfits. Aunt Liu Fen repeatedly reminded her daughter to be diligent and proactive with her work once she left. The elder sister-in-law and second sister-in-law back at the Su¡¯s house, curious, asked their mother-in-law after they saw their little aunt leave with her own second aunt carrying a small bundle. On finding out she was going to the Lu Family to work and would earn 25 yuan a month, their eyes immediately turned red with envy. As for Mrs. Lu, she had no idea of the stir she¡¯d caused after leaving. Riding her bicycle, she and her niece quickly arrived home. Yue, her head bowed, followed behind Mrs. Lu. On seeing the people in the yard, she meekly greeted, ¡°Uncle, second sister-in-law.¡± Upon returning home, Father Lu had already heard the news from his daughter-in-law and nodded after putting down the newspaper, ¡°Ah, make yourself at home now that you¡¯re here.¡± The day had grown hotter, and they had all sweated a lot. Susu was washing the day¡¯s clothes. Seeing this, Yue hurriedly put down her bundle and offered to help. ¡°Second sister-in-law, let me.¡± Susu, startled, clutched at her clothes with a laugh, ¡°No need, no need. You can start helping with the marinated goods tomorrow.¡± Mrs. Lu also chimed in, ¡°Yue, tonight you will sleep with your sister-in-law and Xiao Yu in the same room. You are here to help with the marinated goods, not to wash clothes and do chores.¡± Watching Yue, who didn¡¯t dare to even take more food, Susu felt a sting in her heart and went out of her way to serve her. ¡°Sister-in-law, that¡¯s enough, that¡¯s enough, I...¡± ¡°We¡¯re all family here, don¡¯t be so formal. With the heat, the food won¡¯t keep, and it¡¯d be a waste not to finish it.¡± Xiao Yu, mimicking the adults, also served Yue some food, his baby voice urging, ¡°Aunt Yue, eat plenty, the food Auntie made is very yummy.¡± In the past, eating just an extra bite at her in-laws¡¯ would have resulted in a severe scolding from her mother-in-law, and after her divorce, when back at her mother¡¯s house, her sisters-in-law made disdainful remarks both openly and in hidden ways. Yue dared not eat a bite more. But now, looking at a bowl piled up like a small mountain, her eyes reddened, Yue bowed her head and gobbled down her rice, nodding and assuring in her nasal voice that she would definitely work hard. The moonlight gradually descended, and stars dotted the entire sky. Listening to the cicadas and insects outside the house, Susu turned to look at Su Xianyue tossing and turning. ¡°Can¡¯t sleep?¡± Su Xianyue¡¯s body stiffened, and she hastily whispered, ¡°Did I wake you, second sister-in-law? Sorry, sorry, I¡¯ll go to sleep right away.¡± Susu sighed, ¡°No, you don¡¯t need to be so nervous.¡± After a while, there came rustling noises and the muffled sobs of Su Xianyue. ¡°Sister-in-law, thank you.¡± Susu opened her eyes, turned to face her, and saw that the dark figure seemed to be facing her as well. ¡°No need to thank me, as long as you work hard, I won¡¯t let you down. Just put your mind at ease.¡± ... The next day, it was the rustling sound that woke Susu up; when she opened her eyes, only the little kid who was sleeping soundly remained on the brick bed. Susu yawned, came out slowly, and saw that smoke was already rising from the kitchen stove. ¡°Second sister-in-law, did I wake you?¡± Su Xianyue asked nervously as she stood up from the stove. Susu waved her hand, ¡°I usually wake up around this time anyway, but why didn¡¯t you lie down longer?¡± Su Xianyue smiled sheepishly, ¡°I wanted to get the rice ready early, so Uncle could eat and go to work, and the Aunt and second sister-in-law could have a hot meal when they get up.¡± Seeing the same cautiousness and diligence as when Xiao Yu first arrived, Susu knew it was useless to say more and simply chose not to waste her breath. Things would get better over time. After breakfast, Su Xianyue hurried to wash the pots and dishes. ¡°Sister-in-law, just tell me what to do, and I¡¯ll do it,¡± Su Xianyue asked eagerly as she finished washing the pots. Susu nodded and said, ¡°Xian Yue, as you know, we sell food, so we must be cautious about hygiene...¡± Having mentioned the precautions, three adults and the little kid started the busy day. Since there was a larger quantity today, Su Xianyue stayed home to prepare the ingredients needed for the afternoon. The mother-in-law and daughter-in-law duo set off to sell their braised goods as usual, each going their separate ways. With yesterday¡¯s experience, Susu sold a small portion of her goods as she made her way to the cinema. Eyeing the passersby, Susu cleared her throat and began to shout. ¡°Delicious braised meats and dishes...¡± ¡°How much are you selling these for, boss?¡± ¡°Vegetarian dishes are 60 cents per pound, meat dishes are one dollar and twenty cents per pound...¡± ¡°Oh dear, boss, your prices aren¡¯t exactly cheap.¡± Susu wasn¡¯t upset, she continued to promote her family¡¯s braised goods while collecting money and selling. Most of the people passing by bought a half or a whole pound each, and soon she could see the bottom of her large basket. After selling the last of the braised goods, Susu pocketed the money and headed home. Maybe it was a woman¡¯s sixth sense, but Susu felt an inexplicable unease, as if... she was being watched. Susu quickened her pace, her peripheral vision catching a shifty-looking man behind her. Oh no! She was being followed! Susu guessed she must have caught the attention of some local ruffians; not bothering with anything else, she chose her moment and bolted. Chapter 13 - 13 13 Being Targeted ?Chapter 13: Chapter 13 Being Targeted Chapter 13: Chapter 13 Being Targeted Susu dared not linger and ran breathlessly to the crowded area, looking back toward the direction she had come from. Staring at the hustle and bustle of people coming and going, Susu¡¯s eyes glued on them without blinking for a while, but she did not see any unusual movements or strange figures. ¡°Phew.¡± Susu let out a sigh of relief, and her tense nerves also relaxed, it seemed that she was just too nervous. Perhaps due to the high tension just now, Susu suddenly felt weak and listlessly made her way home. ¡°The sister-in-law is back, I¡¯ve already prepared the meal.¡± Xianyue peeked out from the kitchen and quickly brought over a bowl of cool boiled water when she saw her sister-in-law coming back. Not standing on ceremony, Susu took the bowl and gulped it down quickly in two or three large swigs. While the sisters-in-law chatted, Mrs. Lu returned, leading Xiao Yu and pushing a bike. Xianyue was also a diligent person. She had not only prepped the food ingredients for the day but also kept the house clean and tidy. Having a ready meal once home was simply delightful. With a big mouthful of the stew, Susu immediately felt her rumbling stomach come to life. ¡°Having Xianyue here is really great, there¡¯s a ready meal as soon as one comes back.¡± Mrs. Lu was also happy; her niece being at home had made things more efficient: ¡°Indeed, usually your sister-in-law and I are exhausted, and at noon we just make do with some leftovers from breakfast.¡± ¡°Right, Mom, now that Xianyue is home, let¡¯s have Dad come home for lunch too, so he can take a break at noon.¡± Susu suddenly thought of her father-in-law. Mrs. Lu nodded, planning to mention it to her husband that evening. Susu looked at Xianyue, whose forehead hair was damp from sweat, ¡°Xianyue, take some rest if you¡¯re tired at home, hear me?¡± Xianyue shook her head, looking a bit embarrassed, ¡°Sister-in-law, I am not tired at all, just washing and cleaning, it¡¯s much more relaxed than when I was at my in-law¡¯s.¡± ¡°Alright, as long as you¡¯re comfortable with it.¡± A few days passed in calm and uneventful fashion. Because of the events of the previous few days, Susu had still been somewhat vigilant, but after several quiet days, she gradually let her guard down. That day, as usual near the cinema, Susu thought it was about time to find a buyer for her merchandise as she looked at the other street vendors at the door. As for picking the right person, she had to observe and find someone reliable. Susu was entirely focused on this, paying no attention to the two shady characters eyeballing her from around the corner. ¡°Boss, it¡¯s this chick, I¡¯ve been squatting on her for several days. She makes a decent amount each day.¡± The short man with a face full of pockmarks narrowed his eyes. The tall and skinny one took a drag from the cigarette in his hand, his small eyes gleaming, ¡°You sure?¡± ¡°Sure, sure.¡± Without waiting for the pockmarked shorty to speak, the short and plump man eagerly jumped in, ¡°Me and Ma Zi got a clear view, that lady sells out her basket every single day.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± ... Halfway there, Susu felt as if something was inside her shoe, making it uncomfortable to walk. She immediately leaned against a wall and took off her cloth shoe to shake it out, but out of the corner of her eye, she noticed a familiar figure. Upon looking up, wasn¡¯t it the man who had followed her a few days ago? The man locked eyes with Susu and immediately pretended to look at the sky and the ground, acting all suspicious and guilty. As for how Susu recognized him, that was easy. A pockmarked face on a short stature, plus a short and chubby gourd shape¡ªit would be difficult not to recognize them. Sensing the two men clearly harbored ill intentions, Susu put on her shoe, grabbed her basket, and quickly quickened her pace. Her heart was in turmoil, thumping wildly. ¡°Hurry, hurry, I think that old lady noticed us.¡± Ma Zi slapped the back of the short, chubby man¡¯s head, cursing, ¡°It¡¯s all because of you insisting on following so closely, now we¡¯ve been spotted.¡± The short, chubby man rubbed the back of his head, grimacing in pain. ¡°Move it, will you?¡± With that, the two men quickened their pace, eyes fixated on the woman ahead. Seeing the two men closing in, Susu had no choice but to turn into a nearby alley, twisting and turning as she ran wildly. She could faintly hear the exasperated voices of the two men behind her. ¡°Damn it, move faster. We¡¯re losing her.¡± ¡°F*ck, hurry up and search. What are you waiting for?¡± Susu lowered the sound of her footsteps, constantly alert to movements around her. Just when she thought she had lost them, two people appeared at the mouth of the alley ahead. Susu immediately reversed direction, running the other way. Just before she was about to exit the alley, a tall, skinny man appeared in front. Breathless, Susu stared at the man. At that moment, the two men behind her had caught up. ¡°Run, keep running for me,¡± Ma Zi said with a limp, his voice sleazy. Susu stared hard at them, suppressing the fear in her heart, ¡°What do you want?¡± The tall, skinny man chuckled lightly, ¡°Nothing much, just... wanted to borrow some money from you.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, I¡¯ve been watching you for a few days, you¡¯ve made quite a bit,¡± Ma Zi said with a quiver in his leg, a malicious grin on his face. Being stared at by Ma Zi¡¯s beady eyes, Susu really wanted to curse back, but she held it in. ¡°If I give you the money, you won¡¯t bother me anymore?¡± Susu retorted. ¡°Well, that depends on how you behave. Us brothers sometimes are a bit short...¡± Susu cursed inwardly, knowing none of these scumbags were good, robbing people right in the middle of the street. Money can always be earned again, but life is irreplaceable. Pressing down her anger, Susu slowly pulled out her money pouch. Just as Susu was about to throw the pouch behind the short, chubby man and Ma Zi, a man¡¯s voice came from the alley. ¡°Robbery! Officers, come quick! There¡¯s a robbery here~¡± The three thugs were startled by the sudden shout and turned to flee in panic. When Ma Zi tried to escape while still aiming for her money pouch, Susu furiously kicked him right in the groin. ¡°Ah¡ª¡± Ma Zi screamed in pain and collapsed, clutching his crotch. Seeing her chance, Susu took off running, but as she dashed out of the alley, she was forcefully pulled into a courtyard. Susu¡¯s instinct told her it must be an accomplice of those men, and she immediately resisted with kicks and punches. ¡°Shh~ I¡¯m not a bad guy.¡± Susu glared; of course, a bad guy wouldn¡¯t admit to being one. ¡°Shh~ Be quiet, I was the one who shouted. Don¡¯t draw those thugs back here.¡± Only then did Susu calm down, carefully examining the young man in front of her, and whispered her thanks. ... ¡°Xiao Sun, thank you so much for today, or else... ¡± As Susu spoke, she saw a man in the courtyard rolling up his sleeves, revealing his strong arms as he worked. Chapter 14 - 14 14 Squatting at the Police Station ?Chapter 14: Chapter 14 Squatting at the Police Station Chapter 14: Chapter 14 Squatting at the Police Station ¡°You¡¯re back?¡± ¡°Yep.¡± The man walked over and looked Susu up and down. ¡°Did something happen?¡± Susu admired the fact that he truly was a public security officer and recounted how she just got surrounded and robbed by local thugs, still feeling terrified as she mentioned it again. ¡°Right, this is Xiao Sun. It was him who called the police and scared those thugs away.¡± Lu Xiaoting immediately turned to Xiao Sun, expressing his sincere thanks, ¡°Xiao Sun, is it? Thank you so much for today.¡± Seeing Xiao Sun slightly intimidated by the man¡¯s presence, Susu hurriedly explained, ¡°It¡¯s ok, Xiao Sun. This is my man, my husband, he works at the Police Station in Provincial City.¡± Upon hearing this, Xiao Sun breathed a sigh of relief and was eager to head home. ¡°All right, take care and go slowly on your way back.¡± Susu had intended to invite Xiao Sun over for a meal to express her gratitude, but she just didn¡¯t have the energy right now, so she decided to pay him a visit another day instead. Lu Xiaoting looked at his visibly shaken wife and spoke in a low voice, ¡°Can you hold up? If you¡¯re okay with it, I¡¯ll take you to the Police Station to report the incident, to prevent those people from committing another crime.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± After that, Lu Xiaoting went to fetch the bicycle and swiftly took Susu to the Police Station. Mrs. Lu hadn¡¯t heard the commotion outside and came out of the bathroom to see her two cousins worrying, which left her puzzled. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? I vaguely heard some noise outside when I was in the bathroom.¡± Lu Xiaomei frowned, ¡°Mom, my elder brother and sister-in-law have gone to the Police Station.¡± ¡°Why would they go to the Police Station?¡± Mrs. Lu wondered. ¡°I don¡¯t know. Right after my sister-in-law finished talking to my brother at the front door, my brother rode off on his bicycle with her.¡± Lu Xiaomei¡¯s face showed distress as she spoke. ¡°Don¡¯t worry over nothing. Your brother is a police officer; perhaps he¡¯s just taking your sister-in-law to meet some old friends.¡± Mrs. Lu said this, but her heart was also unsettled. Meanwhile, Lu Xiaoting pedaled the bike swiftly, and Susu felt her backside getting bounced around. Suddenly, a few kids dashed out in front of them, and Lu Xiaoting quickly swerved to avoid them. But Susu, seated at the back, wasn¡¯t so lucky. She accidentally bumped into the man¡¯s sturdy back and felt her nose ache and tingle as tears gushed out. Lu Xiaoting applied a sharp brake, dismounted gracefully, and turned to meet his little wife¡¯s tearful and resentful gaze, belatedly touching his nose with a twinge of guilt. ¡°Cough cough, darling, are you alright?¡± Susu glared at him. Do I look alright to you? ¡°Wow, look who¡¯s here!¡± A man in police uniform clapped Lu Xiaoting on the shoulder with a big smile, ¡°Old Lu, when did you get back?¡± Lu Xiaoting, usually so stern, also smiled, ¡°Just got home today. Brother Liu, this is my wife.¡± After some brief pleasantries, they got down to business. Listening to Susu¡¯s account, the young officer taking notes immediately responded. ¡°The three guys your sister-in-law mentioned, I know them. They¡¯re well-known local thugs, always loitering and causing trouble on the streets.¡± Lao Liu nodded, ¡°Old Lu, leave your sister-in-law¡¯s matter with me, I will make sure to catch those thugs as soon as possible. We can¡¯t have this kind of robbery happening again on our streets.¡± ¡°Alright, thank you, Brother Liu. Do come over to our place sometime.¡± Susu also expressed her thanks repeatedly, ¡°Thank you so much, Brother Liu.¡± Brother Liu chuckled, ¡°No trouble at all, we¡¯re here to serve the people. No need to be so polite, sister-in-law.¡± ... After bidding farewell to Lao Liu, they finally headed home. Susu hadn¡¯t realized that he was acquainted with any local officers. ¡°Curious about how I know Brother Liu?¡± Susu was shocked. Could it be that this person had eyes on the back of his head? Lu Xiaoting chuckled softly, ¡°You¡¯ve been staring at me since we came out. I¡¯d have to be blind not to notice.¡± Susu raised an eyebrow. Indeed, this man was very observant and detail-oriented. ¡°So how do you know Brother Liu?¡± ¡°Brother Liu and I were classmates, as close as brothers who shared the same pair of trousers.¡± Listening to the man¡¯s deep and magnetic voice, Susu nodded in sudden enlightenment. Just as her mind was wandering, she was suddenly jolted and screamed, immediately wrapping her arms tightly around the man¡¯s waist. Susu wasn¡¯t sure if it was her imagination, but she felt the ride was bumpier than on the way there. Curious, Susu craned her neck to look out but was jostled so much her head nearly banged against the man¡¯s back. Now she dared not move recklessly, hugging the man¡¯s lean waist sincerely and tightly. Lu Xiaoting looked down at the pale hands wrapped around his waist and his thin lips twitched into a barely noticeable smile; his usually cold eyes lit up with a bright light. Finally arriving home, Susu didn¡¯t linger for a second more and immediately jumped off the bicycle. Lu Xiaoting: ¡°...¡± ¡°Second brother, second sister-in-law, you¡¯re back at last.¡± Lu Xiaomei, who was washing clothes in the yard, called out happily. ¡°Uncle, Aunt.¡± Xiao Yu dropped the broom and rushed straight into Susu¡¯s arms. Susu staggered from the impact with the little guy and nearly lost her balance, falling backwards while holding onto him. Just when she thought she was going to land flat on her backside, she felt herself being scooped up by a pair of strong and firm arms. Opening her eyes, Susu saw herself being half-embraced by the man, his dark and deep eyes gazing at her, and her whole face flushed red instantly. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°You¡¯re welcome.¡± Xiao Yu, terrified that he almost knocked his aunt over, had his large eyes quickly fill with tears. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Aunt, it¡¯s all Xiao Yu¡¯s fault.¡± Seeing the little guy bow his head in guilt, Susu immediately hugged him and comforted softly, ¡°It¡¯s okay, Xiao Yu didn¡¯t do it on purpose. And look, your aunt is fine, right?¡± Mrs. Lu, who was busy in the kitchen, hurried out when she heard the noise, ¡°Your sister said you went to the police station, what happened?¡± Susu took Xiao Yu¡¯s small hand and briefly recounted the afternoon¡¯s events, startling both her in-laws and cousins. ¡°Mom and Dad, it¡¯s all right now, and the people at the police station know those thugs. They¡¯ll probably catch them soon.¡± Susu somewhat regretted mentioning the incident, seeing how it frightened everyone. ¡°Hmm, I suspect they¡¯ll have them arrested and the case closed by tomorrow without any mishap. It will also serve as a warning to others.¡± Lu Xiaoting finished, and the whole family finally relaxed. As the three troublemakers were having dinner at home, they saw the police suddenly appear and reflexively took off running. The next second, they were caught red-handed. ¡°Comrade officer, it¡¯s a misunderstanding, I didn¡¯t do anything, I really didn¡¯t.¡± ¡°Comrade officer, I won¡¯t dare again, please don¡¯t arrest me.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t do a damn thing, why are you arresting me?¡± ... The young police officer, hating evil as if it was his personal enemy, looked at the stubborn culprits and quickly kicked one of them. ¡°Daring to rob in broad daylight, you¡¯re asking for a stint in jail or reformation through labor.¡± The thugs looked at each other, abruptly remembering the afternoon¡¯s events, and regretted it so much their guts turned green. Had they just hit a steel plate??? Chapter 15 - 15 15 Stinky Man ?Chapter 15: Chapter 15 Stinky Man! Chapter 15: Chapter 15 Stinky Man! The next day, when Lu Xiaoting got home from selling marinated goods with Susu, he ran into Lao Liu waiting at his doorstep. ¡°Lao Lu, I came to tell you that we¡¯ve arrested those three thugs from yesterday.¡± Before Lu Xiaoting could say anything, Susu immediately gave Lao Liu a thumbs-up, ¡°You are truly the people¡¯s police, the efficiency is just so fast. Brother Liu, you guys are amazing. Having public security officers like you working for the people is really a blessing for us folks...¡± Lao Liu was beaming with joy at the praise, saying modestly, ¡°No, no,¡± while his happy mouth couldn¡¯t close properly. Watching his wife with the lively expressions, Lu Xiaoting struggled to suppress a smile and pulled Lao Liu into the house to join them for dinner. Lao Liu was naturally embarrassed but was still dragged into the house by Lu Xiaoting. Seeing the cousin bustling in the kitchen, Susu made a quick mention and went out to buy meat and vegetables herself. Lao Liu, watching the bustling figure, asked in confusion, ¡°I remember your little sister is still studying, how come? She¡¯s not studying anymore?¡± ¡°That¡¯s my cousin from my uncle¡¯s family. She¡¯s here to help with work,¡± Lu Xiaoting didn¡¯t elaborate. By the time Susu returned, her hands full with big and small packages, Lu Xiaoting, who was entertaining the guest in the house, quickly came out to help. ¡°Ah, sister-in-law, why did you buy so much? We could have just had a simple bite for lunch,¡± said Lao Liu somewhat embarrassedly. Susu shook off her hands and laughed, ¡°Brother Liu is here, how can we be so casual. Brother Liu, you sit with Lu Xiaoting for a while, I¡¯ll go get busy.¡± Kitchen Susu was the main cook, with her cousin Xian Yue helping beside her, the two women bustling in a well-organized manner. Before long, the other people of the Lu Family also returned one after another. Chasing the little ones who wanted to help and grandma Mrs. Lu out of the kitchen, the two sisters-in-law continued to be busy. As the smell of food wafted from the kitchen, Lao Liu expressed his envy to his brothers. ¡°Time for dinner¡ª¡± Everyone looked at the dishes on the dining table ¨C braised pork, stir-fried pork with green peppers, potato stewed chicken chunks, scrambled eggs with tomatoes, and cold mixed vegetables-all sending enticing aromas into their nostrils. Lao Liu¡¯s eyes nearly popped out with eagerness; after a bite, he immediately praised, ¡°Sister-in-law¡¯s cooking is so delicious, Auntie, Uncle, you are so fortunate to have such a filial and excellent cook for a daughter-in-law.¡± Mrs. Lu loved hearing her second daughter-in-law praised. She was smiling so broadly she could hardly close her mouth, continuously serving dishes to Liu Gong¡¯an. Lu Xiaomei didn¡¯t speak and just focused on eating, as her sister-in-law¡¯s cooking was too delicious. After selling the marinated goods in the afternoon, and with time to spare, Susu took Lu Xiaoting to a store. They bought a packet of brown sugar, a tin of powdered malt milk, and a packet of white sugar, planning to visit Xiao Sun¡¯s family. ¡°Knock, knock, knock¡ª¡± ¡°Ah, coming. Who is it?¡± The door was opened by an old lady, who squinted at the couple, seemingly trying to remember who they were. Susu smiled widely, raising her voice, ¡°Granny Sun, it¡¯s me. Remember, when those ruffians tried to rob me the other day, Xiao Sun brought me to your house to hide. Don¡¯t you remember me?¡± ¡°Oh my, young lady, it¡¯s you! Come in, come in,¡± Granny Sun quickly invited them into the house to sit. Susu stopped Granny Sun from pouring water for her and looked around the house, asking, ¡°Granny Sun, are you alone at home? Where are Xiao Sun and Grandpa Sun?¡± ¡°The two of them went down to the countryside to gather firewood; we¡¯re poor, and gathering firewood in the countryside saves us quite a bit,¡± she explained. Looking at the impoverished Sun Family home, Susu felt an unbearable sadness in her heart. During their conversation, there was a noise from outside. Granny Sun and her grandchild pushed a small flat cart into the courtyard, the single wheel carrying wood the thickness of a child¡¯s arm. Seeing the cart full of wood, one couldn¡¯t tell how long the two had toiled before returning. Xiao Sun looked at the two people outside his door and was momentarily stunned. ¡°Xiao Sun, I want to ask you to sell our family¡¯s braised dishes on the street. The base salary is 20 yuan a month, with a separate commission. You can think about it,¡± Susu got straight to the point. Xiao Sun was dumbfounded, pointing incredulously at himself, ¡°Me? Really?¡± ¡°Really! Once you have decided, you can come to my place to find me,¡± Susu nodded. Xiao Sun swallowed hard, instinctively pinched his own arm, and only when the pain traveled up his arm did he dare to believe it wasn¡¯t just a daydream. ¡°I¡¯m willing, I¡¯m willing.¡± Susu found Xiao Sun¡¯s actions both amusing and a bit sad, ¡°Okay, come to my place at 7 a.m. tomorrow. I¡¯ll take you for one day, and you can sell on your own once you get used to it.¡± ¡°Yes! Sister, I will definitely do a good job!¡± Xiao Sun wiped his face with his sleeve and assured her with a pat on his chest. ¡°Alright! See you tomorrow.¡± Having said that, Susu pulled Lu Xiaoting away. ¡°Oh! Little miss, you left your things behind,¡± Granny Sun hurried after her, carrying the items and calling out urgently. ¡°Granny Sun, I bought that specifically to thank Xiao Sun, and it also happened to be a little something for you and Grandpa Sun to nourish yourselves,¡± Susu called back without turning her head, speeding up her steps. Who would have thought, Xiao Sun chased after them with the items, insisting that the two take them back. In the end, it was only after Susu put on a stern face and talked at length that Xiao Sun reluctantly took the items back home. Lu Xiaoting watched his wife¡¯s changing expressions with amusement. His gaze followed down her arm and found her slender, fair hand tightly clutching his own large palm. Walking out on the street, Susu looked at the glances from the passing old men and women in confusion. But as they walked, the reaction from everyone was consistently the same. It was only after she finally followed their gazes that she noticed she was holding onto the man¡¯s hand. With a ¡°swoosh,¡± Susu immediately let go of the man¡¯s arm, her cheeks burning red. Watching her hurry ahead, her ears red enough to bleed, Lu Xiaoting chuckled softly, his eyes filled with mirth. Hearing the man¡¯s laughter, Susu turned back and glared fiercely at him. Hmph! Stinky man! Lu Xiaoting quickly caught up to his upset wife and patted her on the head, ¡°Wife, why are you walking so fast?¡± Susu glared and quickened her pace, trying to shake off the man. But she was effortlessly caught up to by the man within three steps, and after several attempts, Susu was left gasping for breath, while the man at her side hadn¡¯t even broken a sweat. ¡°Huff, huff, huff~~¡± Susu shot a glare at the detestable man and simply slowed down, not wanting to wind herself. Seeing this, Lu Xiaoting also slowed down, walking shoulder to shoulder with his wife. Susu tilted her head and saw the man¡¯s smiling eyes and was momentarily caught off guard. She had to admit the man had a really nice smile. The next second, remembering the man¡¯s earlier antics, Susu deliberately bumped into him. Her smugness didn¡¯t last three seconds before she twisted her ankle and fell onto the ground before she could react. Lu Xiaoting promptly helped her up, frowning, ¡°How is it? Is your foot injured?¡± Chapter 16 - 16 16 Pain ?Chapter 16: Chapter 16 Pain! Chapter 16: Chapter 16 Pain! ¡°Ow¡ª¡± Susu tried to take a step but a piercing pain shot through her ankle. Lu Xiaoting bent down to take a closer look, then simply picked her up, ¡°Fortunately, it¡¯s not a bone injury, I¡¯ll rub some medicinal oil on it for you when we get back.¡± Susu nodded, noticing the glances from the surrounding people, she suddenly felt a little embarrassed. She buried her face into the man¡¯s shoulder, out of sight, out of mind. Lu Xiaoting felt the warmth on his shoulder, a suspicious hint of red flushing his normally impassive face, and he quickened his pace. ¡°Auntie, what happened to you?¡± Xiao Yu, who had been eagerly waiting at the door on a small stool, dashed over, worry written all over his little face. Father Lu, Mrs. Lu, and her two cousins, who heard the commotion, also surrounded them with concern. Susu hurried to reassure the anxious group, ¡°It¡¯s okay, it¡¯s okay, I just twisted it a bit, it¡¯s nothing serious.¡± ¡°Ah, just be careful it¡¯s not a bone injury.¡± Mrs. Lu quickly wiped her hands on her apron, anxiously examining her daughter-in-law¡¯s ankle. ¡°It didn¡¯t hurt the bone, I¡¯ll rub some medicinal liquor on it later.¡± Lu Xiaoting set her down on the kang bed and, after a word of caution, went out to get the medicinal liquor. Susu looked around at her worried family, feeling both touched and amused, ¡°Dad, Mom, Xian Yue, my little sister, I¡¯m really fine.¡± Xiao Yu, climbing onto the kang, blew gently, ¡°Auntie, let Xiao Yu blow on it, it won¡¯t hurt anymore.¡± ¡°Thank you, Xiao Yu.¡± Seeing that it really wasn¡¯t a bone injury, everyone went back out to continue their tasks. Only the family of three remained inside. Lu Xiaoting poured the medicinal liquor on his hands, rubbed them together, and said in a deep voice, ¡°It might hurt a bit, just bear with it.¡± Susu¡¯s lips quivered, and she nodded vigorously, as if bracing for the inevitable, ¡°Bring it on!¡± Xiao Yu, tensely holding his aunt¡¯s hand, kept his eyes fixed without blinking. ¡°Ow¡ª¡± Susu felt a sharp pain in her ankle as it was rubbed, and she couldn¡¯t help but cry out. ¡°Bear with it, wife, I have to rub it hard for it to work, otherwise it¡¯ll be swollen tomorrow,¡± Lu Xiaoting said, increasing the pressure of his movements. ¡°Ah¡ª it hurts, it hurts, it hurts¡ª¡± Susu teared up from the pain, wanting to pull her foot away, but the man gripped it tightly, making it impossible to withdraw. ¡°Wife, just bear with it, it¡¯ll be over soon.¡± ¡°Huff, huff¡ª Xiao Yu keeps blowing, Auntie won¡¯t hurt.¡± ... Susu felt as if she had lost half her life, lying on the kang with a sniffle. Lu Xiaoting cleared his throat, ¡°Wife, move it around, see if it still hurts.¡± Susu glared at the man but obediently moved her ankle, and indeed, it didn¡¯t hurt anymore. ¡°Aunt Liu, Xian Yue¡ª¡± Aunt Liu Fen entered, carrying things in her hands. ¡°Mom, why are you here?¡± Xian Yue hurried forward to meet her, ¡°Second Aunt, my mom is here.¡± Mrs. Lu frowned, ¡°Sister-in-law, why did you just come without saying anything, bringing things with you, everything¡¯s already here at home.¡± Aunt Liu Fen, beamed, setting down the vegetables and a piece of pork on the table: ¡°Hey, I just came to see how Xian Yue was doing and picked up a few things on the way. It¡¯s not like she¡¯s not eating and drinking plenty at her aunt¡¯s place, so what¡¯s the big deal if I bring something over?¡± Mrs. Lu scowled, feigning anger, and admonished her elder sister-in-law not to do it again. Aunt Liu Fen, still smiling, waved her hand dismissively and then turned to inquire, ¡°I heard Susu¡¯s voice right at the door, what was going on?¡± ¡°She twisted her ankle, my second son is in the room applying the rub.¡± ... Susu covered her face with her hands, burying her head deep into the pillow, as she heard the conversation between her aunt and her mother-in-law from inside the room. Seeing his wife¡¯s behavior, Lu Xiao¡¯s brows were filled with a smile. He lifted Xiao Yu into his arms, ¡°Come on, Xiao Yu, let¡¯s go outside, and let your aunt get some good rest.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Xiao Yu nodded obediently, like a little adult, and did not forget to ensure that Susu would rest well. Susu, without lifting her head, waved with one hand from beneath the blanket. Aunt Liu Fen sat for a while before she decided to leave. Mrs. Lu insisted she stay for dinner before going, but she refused, insisting on leaving in a hurried frenzy. Before she left, she reminded her cousin Xian Yue to work hard at her second aunt¡¯s home and be more proactive. ***** ¡°Sister Su.¡± Susu brought Xiao Sun into the house and introduced him to her mother-in-law, ¡°Mom, this is Xiao Sun, the one I told you about.¡± ¡°Oh my, Xiao Sun, I must thank you for helping out my Susu that day.¡± Mrs. Lu quickly put down the vegetables she was holding, her face filled with excitement and happiness, ¡°To think that you¡¯re so young and yet so brave.¡± Xiao Sun, somewhat embarrassed by Mrs. Lu¡¯s enthusiasm, replied, ¡°Auntie, I¡¯m not that young anymore, I¡¯m already 16.¡± ¡°What? Only 16, and yet such a sensible child, taking on family responsibilities so early.¡± ¡°I had no choice, my parents passed away early, and my grandparents are old.¡± Xiao Sun dismissed it with a wave of his hand, indicating that he would certainly work hard. Susu listened with a bittersweet feeling. At such a young age, taking on the weight of a family, the hardships must be unimaginable to others. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, take it slow. As long as you work hard, I will not let you down. For every pound of vegetables, I¡¯ll add five cents, and for every pound of meat, fifteen cents.¡± Xiao Sun¡¯s eyes shone bright, and he nodded, ¡°Hmm, Sister Su, I will definitely work hard.¡± ¡°Good! Keep it up!¡± ... Susu set off with Xiao Sun, carrying their first batch of marinated goods. Also accompanying them, unable to sit still, was Lu Xiaoting. Susu looked at the man eagerly offering to carry the basket, her mood naturally light. However, fearing the man might scare off customers, upon reaching the cinema, Susu sent him to wait on the side of the road. Xiao Sun, not feeling shy at all, followed Sister Su¡¯s lead in calling out for customers, even taking the initiative to approach people to promote their wares. As Xiao Sun put it himself, ¡°What¡¯s there to be embarrassed about? If they don¡¯t buy, I just move on; if they do, all the better.¡± With the two of them calling out for sales, a whole basket of marinated goods quickly sold out. Susu gave Xiao Sun a thumbs up, full of praise, ¡°Well done!¡± Xiao Sun scratched his head shyly, feeling somewhat reluctant to stop, ¡°So, Sister Su, what do we do next? Are we heading back?¡± ¡°It¡¯s still early; we can go back, get more goods, and sell them again.¡± Susu glanced at her watch, then looked up at Xiao Sun, ¡°So, do you want to go sell by yourself for a while, or stick with me?¡± Xiao Sun hesitated, but then said, ¡°Sister Su, I want to try selling on my own.¡± ¡°Alright!¡± Susu nodded, ¡°Then head to the area near the bus station to sell. Later in the afternoon, you can come to my place for more goods.¡± Not even half a day had passed before all their goods were sold out. The newly recruited Xiao Sun was showing great potential, bringing a smile to Susu¡¯s face that she couldn¡¯t suppress. Lu Xiaoting looked at his wife brimming with joy, his face too, sporting a smile. He asked softly, ¡°Honey, does your foot still hurt? Do you need me to carry you?¡± The thought of the stares from passersby the day before made Susu shake her head immediately; she didn¡¯t want to be gawked at like a monkey again. ¡°Okay, but if you¡¯re uncomfortable, you must tell me,¡± Lu Xiaoting said, a touch disappointed. Xiao Sun watched the couple, silently falling a few steps behind, and proceeded as if invisible. ¡°Honey, be careful!¡± Chapter 17 - 17 17 Blast people ?Chapter 17: Chapter 17 Blast people Chapter 17: Chapter 17 Blast people Lu Xiaoting quickly pulled someone in front of him, steadying a young boy who almost knocked someone down with his other hand. ¡°Little buddy, be careful.¡± The six or seven-year-old boy looked up, his tears brimming due to the formidable presence of the man, and pouted, ¡°So-sorry.¡± ¡°That¡¯s okay, just watch out next time, slow down a bit, and don¡¯t hurt yourself or others.¡± Seeing the tearful young boy, Susu gently touched the little fellow and then quickly pulled the man away. She was mainly worried that the boy would be frightened into tears by the man. Lu Xiaoting frowned, ¡°Wife, I didn¡¯t scare the kid.¡± Susu couldn¡¯t help but laugh and cry, ¡°Yeah, kids are easily scared; it¡¯s not your fault.¡± Lu Xiaoting nodded seriously, muttering about how the kid was too timid and that his own son would need to be braver in the future. ¡°Cough cough cough.¡± Susu choked and coughed a few times, thinking this man sure was looking far ahead. ¡°Oh, you two are so sweet together.¡± ¡°Xiaoting stays right by his wife¡¯s side as soon as he comes home, following wherever she goes.¡± ¡°Such love between you two, why not hurry up and have kids? Both of you are good-looking, so the baby will surely be cute, too.¡± ... ¡°Granny, Auntie.¡± Unable to withstand the teasing from a group of old ladies, Susu jogged all the way home. ¡°Aunties, please don¡¯t tease my wife too much, look, she¡¯s embarrassed.¡± After saying this, Lu Xiaoting quickly left. He, a grown man, was even finding it hard to handle the chatty group. Time flew by, and two days passed in the blink of an eye. As Susu woke up, there was no sign of the man in the room. Accustomed to the man¡¯s company, facing the empty room, Susu struggled to adapt for a moment. Noticing her sighing daughter-in-law, Mrs. Lu teased, ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Susu? Missing your hubby?¡± Seeing her mother-in-law¡¯s mocking scrutiny and her cousin Xian Yue¡¯s beaming smile, Susu felt extremely shy, her cheeks burning: ¡°Mom~¡± ¡°Oh dear, Susu¡¯s embarrassed, alright alright, Mom will stop.¡± Though Mrs. Lu said this, the teasing didn¡¯t stop in her eyes, and she even winked at Xian Yue. ¡°Xian Yue, stop laughing. Look how shy your sister-in-law is. Don¡¯t upset her; careful she might ignore us both.¡± ¡°Mom~ Xian Yue~ I¡¯m not talking to you anymore.¡± Annoyed and embarrassed, Susu stomped her foot and led a confused Xiao Yu into the kitchen. ¡°Ha ha ha...¡± Listening to the laughter of her aunt and cousin outside, Xiao Yu scratched his head, his little eyebrows furrowing into a caterpillar shape. Provincial City ¡°Old Lu is back? What¡¯s with all these big and small packages? What delicious food did your wife prepare for you this time?¡± ¡°Hey, not the braised dishes from last time again? I can already smell them. Don¡¯t forget your brother here.¡± Lu Xiaoting raised an eyebrow, smirking with pride, ¡°Yeah, my wife worries I won¡¯t eat well alone. I¡¯ll share some braised dishes and meats with you guys at lunch.¡± Everyone was envious, continuously praising ¡®sister-in-law,¡¯ almost making Lu Xiaoting unable to keep his grin in check. ¡°Cough, cough, you guys don¡¯t need to envy me, I only have one wife like this.¡± Susu was still hawking near the cinema, feeling like her ears were burning up. She muttered, ¡°Don¡¯t know who¡¯s talking about me, my ears are so hot.¡± Now the Dragon Boat Festival was approaching, and the weather was getting intensely hot. On her way home, Susu bought five bottles of soda, ice-cold and refreshing, which instantly relieved much of the heat. However, Susu¡¯s good mood disappeared upon entering her family¡¯s yard. In the yard, the original owner¡¯s mother and young brother were bossing around their cousin Xian Yue, while a thin and helpless little girl with yellow hair stood to the side¡ªit was the original owner¡¯s younger sister, Su Sanya. ¡°Oh, Erya, you¡¯re finally back. Mom and Bao Gen are hungry.¡± Seeing her daughter, Mrs. Su¡¯s wrinkled old face immediately brightened with a smile as she rushed over. Susu dodged Mrs. Su¡¯s dirty hands and frowned, ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Upon hearing this, Mrs. Su immediately became discontent and began to complain, ¡°It is all because of you, living it up in the city, eating delicacies and savoring spices, without a thought for your poor parents and brother toiling away in the countryside.¡± Susu took a step back and faced her mother, who spat when she spoke and bore a heavy garlic smell, frowning, ¡°I¡¯m just earning a meager living here, neither feasting nor drinking extravagantly.¡± ¡°Erya, I¡¯m hungry, go buy some big pork buns.¡± Bao Gen covered his stomach and complained of hunger. Xian Yue was about to speak up when Susu interrupted loudly, ¡°Bao Gen, what are you dreaming about? You want big pork buns? I think you¡¯re dreaming of a big beating.¡± Bao Gen, who had thrown tantrums before, seemed to remember the previous slaps and promptly covered his face, quietly rising from the ground. Seeing this, Mrs. Su stealthily walked over to Su Sanya, pinched her fiercely, and hissed, ¡°What are you staring at? Go talk to your sister.¡± Su Sanya, with tears brimming in her eyes, dared not disobey her mother, for fear of another brutal beating. Seeing that Su Sanya was still hesitating, Mrs. Su pinched her arm harshly. ¡°E-er-sister...¡± Su Sanya whimpered and shuffled over, head bowed, not daring to face her older sister. Worried that showing any softness toward Su Sanya would attract the troublesome old lady, Susu looked expressionlessly at the old Mrs. Su and Bao Gen, whose little eyes were shining shrewdly. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that a married daughter is like water that has been splashed out, and whether I live or die it should no longer concern the Old Su Family?¡± Caught off guard, old Mrs. Su¡¯s face twisted as she plastered a smile and moved closer again, ¡°I was just scaring you, afraid you wouldn¡¯t work hard at your in-laws¡¯. How could I not care about you, when you are a piece of meat that fell from my body?¡± Susu sneered and issued an eviction order, ¡°Don¡¯t think I¡¯m still the old Erya, whom you could manage by giving me a piece of cornbread to scramble your in-laws¡¯ home. From now on, don¡¯t even think about coming over to sponge off us. If you come, I¡¯ll bounce you out every time.¡± Saying this, Susu picked up the yard broom and chased them away. Mrs. Su tried to cajole her but saw her daughter brandishing the broom and coming towards them. Mother and son scampered off with their heads covered, the broom-snapped places on their bodies stinging hot. ¡°You heartless wretch, had I known you¡¯d turn out this heartless, I would¡¯ve drowned you in the piss pot long ago.¡± ¡°Erya, stop hitting Bao, it hurts, please stop.¡± ... Susu chased the people out and closed the door behind her, all in one smooth motion. At the door, Mrs. Su was still cursing. Seeing the door suddenly open and her fierce-looking daughter charging out with a broom, she was so frightened that she immediately grabbed her son and ran. Looking at the little aunt standing dazed by the door, Susu glanced at her and then looked away. She instructed her mother-in-law, ¡°Mom, if the Su Family comes again, you don¡¯t have to deal with them.¡± Chapter 18 - 18 18 Old Ox Su Daya ?Chapter 18: Chapter 18 Old Ox Su Daya Chapter 18: Chapter 18 Old Ox Su Daya Mrs. Lu hesitated a bit, ¡°Susu, wouldn¡¯t this be inappropriate?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it, Mother. My parents would suck you dry of your blood at the slightest show of kindness from you.¡± Knowing that her mother-in-law was concerned about her, not wanting her to be in a difficult position, Susu went on, ¡°I¡¯ve thought it through, you don¡¯t need to worry about me having a hard time.¡± Mrs. Lu nodded, doing whatever her daughter-in-law suggested. Xian Yue really envied the relationship between her second aunt and second sister-in-law ¨C it was even closer than most blood-related mothers and daughters. After a satisfying meal, the mother and daughters, all smiles, headed straight for the bathhouse with their small baskets. At home, only the grandfather and grandson were left to look after things. ¡°Come here, Xiao Yu, Grandpa will give you a bath.¡± Father Lu readied the hot water and instructed the little one to strip completely. ¡°Ouch, what are you embarrassed about? We¡¯re both men, what¡¯s there to be afraid of?¡± Xiao Yu sat down in the big tub with his little bum bare, his small face all flushed. ... After a thorough bath, feeling slick and smooth all over, Susu hugged the fragrant little one and both drifted off to sleep. The next day, the family got busy from the moment they got up. Susu was still running her daily route between her home and the movie theater. Right after selling a load of marinated goods and arriving home, she encountered an unwelcome visitor at the door. Susu frowned at the sight of the dark, skinny, and withered woman at the door, a mere 22 years old yet looking as old as someone in their thirties or forties. It was Su Daya, the original host¡¯s elder sister, the hardworking old workhorse of the family. ¡°Erya, you¡¯re back.¡± Su Daya¡¯s smile spread across her dark face as she saw her sister. ¡°Yeah.¡± Susu nodded indifferently and snorted through her nose, ¡°Elder sister, what brings you here?¡± Su, rubbing her hands nervously, glanced at her sister and, seeing her stern face, followed meekly into the courtyard. In the courtyard, busy Xian Yue paused for a moment and then greeted with a smile, ¡°Second sister-in-law, you¡¯re back. And who might this be?¡± ¡°My elder sister. Xian Yue, you don¡¯t need to bother with her, just focus on what you¡¯re doing,¡± Susu said. She put down her basket and plonked herself down, ¡°So tell me, elder sister, what¡¯s the matter with your visit today?¡± Su Daya glanced at the people in the courtyard, clutched her hands, and with a do-or-die attitude began, ¡°Erya, I¡¯ve heard it all from mom. How could you do such things? Mom and dad toiled to raise us. Bao Gen is the only male child in the family, and it¡¯s only right for us sisters to help a little.¡± As if a switch had been flipped, Su Daya prattled on, ¡°How could you kick mom and Bao Gen out? Sister came today to take you back. You just need to apologize to mom and dad properly, and they surely won¡¯t be angry with you anymore. Bao Gen in the future...¡± Susu dug at her ear, visibly annoyed, she rolled her eyes. Here we go again! Another brainwashed ¡°sister-in-law¡± siphoning off her husband¡¯s family to support her own. ¡°Stop right there!¡± Interrupted, Su Daya looked blankly at her sister. ¡°Spare me the lecture. You don¡¯t even look after your own two skeletal, starving children, and here you are, draining resources from your husband¡¯s family to help your own parents. Grow some sense, will you!¡± Susu looked Su Daya up and down, ¡°Look at yourself, only in your early twenties and already resembling someone in their thirties or forties. Bao Gen has gotten so fat, and instead of taking care of your own family, you¡¯re still digging into your husband¡¯s pocket to support your parents. It¡¯s time to smarten up!¡± Su Daya choked on the words, feeling somewhat at a loss as she touched her own face. Just when Susu thought she had saved her brainwashed sister-in-law, Su Daya¡¯s timid voice came through. ¡°Erya, it¡¯s not easy for dad and mom, we...¡± It was just out of consideration for the original host that she kindly advised the Old Ox Su Daya. Seeing this, Susu heaved a long sigh. ¡°Su Daya, I really want to crack open your skull to see, ignoring your own children while treating the vampire-like maternal family as treasures. I don¡¯t think you¡¯re just foolish, you¡¯re downright stupid!¡± Su Daya¡¯s lips trembled as she murmured softly, ¡°Erya, you don¡¯t understand; a married woman needs the backing of her maternal family. Bao Gen is our family¡¯s only male, we have to take good care of him, otherwise, what can we do if Bao Gen doesn¡¯t stand up for his sisters in the future?¡± Susu frowned, feeling greatly puzzled. ¡°With our parents who are soft on the outside but fear confrontation, and Bao Gen who is so cowardly? He wouldn¡¯t be able to sort out anything! Besides, my brother-in-law treats you quite well, even though you¡¯re emptying his house to prop up your maternal family, he hasn¡¯t laid a hand on you. You¡¯d be better off focusing on living your own life well rather than expecting anything else.¡± Susu made her point and stood up to send her away. Su Daya was pushed out the door and, almost getting smacked in the face by the closing door, she opened and closed her mouth without being able to say anything, eventually leaving with a sorrowful expression. Looking at Xian Yue who was hesitant to speak, Susu smiled and said, ¡°No worries, probably my mother sent my sister over to persuade me.¡± Xian Yue both admired her sister-in-law¡¯s forthright way of speaking and doing things, and felt the Su family¡¯s aunt was too partial, believing in the severity of gender discrimination; it¡¯s too much to exploit the daughters like vampires. ¡°Don¡¯t be sad, sister-in-law, you still have us.¡± ¡°What¡¯s there to be sad about? What happened?¡± Mrs. Lu, who just happened to return while pushing her bicycle, hadn¡¯t heard clearly and asked. Susu stood up to help her mother-in-law with the things, shrugging nonchalantly, ¡°My sister came over this morning and hinted that I should continue to support our maternal family; I sent her away.¡± Mrs. Lu sighed, thinking that they should have kept the guest for lunch before sending her back, but then considering the in-laws¡¯ manner, she decided against it. ¡°Your big sister is also a pitiable person.¡± There is something detestable about the pitiable. Susu didn¡¯t want to mention the Su family¡¯s oddities anymore and changed the topic, ¡°Mom, how about it? Are you tired every day? If not, you can rest at home and I¡¯ll hire someone else.¡± ¡°Not tired, what¡¯s there to be tired about?¡± Mrs. Lu waved her hand, knowing her daughter-in-law was worried about her, and glared at her affectionately, ¡°Mom just stands there for a while every day. When I see so much money coming in, I¡¯m so happy I can hardly keep up, let alone feel tired.¡± Xian Yue also laughed and praised, ¡°You¡¯re right, I even feel like second aunt looks younger.¡± Being praised as younger by her niece, Mrs. Lu beamed with joy. Susu nodded, ¡°Alright, but if you are tired, you have to say something, mom. Don¡¯t force yourself.¡± ... Upon hearing that the eldest daughter had also been sent away, Mrs. Su looked at her cautious eldest daughter with disdain, cursing and slapping her repeatedly. Su Daya was beaten until her head buzzed, tears streaming down, but she dared not dodge and could only protect her head. ¡°Mom, stop hitting, please stop.¡± Seeing the eldest sister being beaten, Su Baogen acted as if he saw nothing, still lying on the kang. On the side, Su Sanya was so scared she didn¡¯t dare to breathe loudly. After tiring herself out, Mrs. Su sat back on the kang with her eyes squinted, ¡°Sanyi, you go tomorrow. If you don¡¯t bring back the money, see how I deal with you.¡± Su Sanyi shook her head and murmured softly, ¡°Mom, my second sister surely won¡¯t give it.¡± ¡°Slap!¡± Chapter 19 - 19 19 Returning to the Village ?Chapter 19: Chapter 19 Returning to the Village Chapter 19: Chapter 19 Returning to the Village Mrs. Su¡¯s hand swung viciously, and Su Sanyi¡¯s cheek immediately swelled up. ¡°If I tell you to go, you go. Can¡¯t I even give orders to a girl anymore?¡± Su Sanyi, trembling with fear, nodded furiously. ¡°Get going, and be quick about it! Girls are just lazy, only knowing how to shirk work.¡± ... Unaware of the events unfolding at the Su Family, Susu was in high spirits as she collected money and sold her marinated goods. ¡°Oh my, sister-in-law, I thought that was you from a distance.¡± Liu Gong¡¯an approached with a cheerful grin. ¡°Brother Liu, what brings you here?¡± Brother Liu¡¯s smile was simple and honest. He pointed to his lunchbox, ¡°My mother heard there¡¯s a really good marinated food stall near the cinema and told me to buy some. What a coincidence, it¡¯s run by my sister-in-law.¡± ¡°What would you like, Brother Liu? We know each other well, so I¡¯ll definitely throw in some extra for you,¡± Susu took his lunchbox and swiftly packed it up. ¡°No need, no need, sister-in-law. Sell it like you would normally.¡± Brother Liu waved his hands, embarrassed, refusing to take advantage of the offer. ¡°If you feel bad, then help by spreading the word about my stall.¡± After seeing off Liu Gong¡¯an, Susu wiped sweat from her brow. The back-and-forth haggling had left her quite parched. With money in pocket, she happily headed home. ¡°Sanyi?¡± Seeing the girl at the door looking emaciated and with a swollen cheek, Susu instantly guessed what had happened. ¡°Did mother hit you? Sent you to ask me for money?¡± Su Sanya timidly nodded, tears swirling in her eyes as she shrank her neck in fear. Anger surged inside Susu, but she could not vent it on the pitiful Little Aunt, and her chest heaved with the effort to calm herself. It felt as if a lump of air trapped in her chest couldn¡¯t rise or fall. ¡°Sanyi, have you eaten?¡± Su Sanya cautiously looked up at her older sister and shook her head, her voice tiny, ¡°No, not yet.¡± Susu, witnessing the fear-stricken Little Aunt, went inside to fetch two steamed buns and some marinated goods, ¡°Have a bite to eat first, I¡¯ll take you back home later.¡± Seeing the Little Aunt eagerly salivating but just staring obediently at the bowl, Susu firmly insisted she finish it or face her wrath. ¡°Yes, got it, Big Sister.¡± Watching the Little Aunt devour the food, Xian Yue saw her past self, who once lived such a life at her in-laws, and she got up to fetch a bowl of water. ¡°Eat slowly, don¡¯t choke.¡± ¡°Mhm, mhm, mhm.¡± ¡°Xian Yue, I¡¯m going to take my sister back for a bit later. Otherwise, these constant little dramas get pretty disgusting to deal with.¡± The more Susu spoke, the angrier she got ¨C how could anyone be so biased to the core? They were all her children, yet treated so unequally? Sitian Village ¡°Oh my, who¡¯s that? Whose family in our village bought a bicycle?¡± The people working at the edge of the field stood up curiously at the news, craning their necks to see. One of the women squinted and slapped her thigh, ¡°Hey, isn¡¯t that Su Erya from the Old Su Family who married into the city?¡± ¡°Right, and isn¡¯t that Su Sanya following behind her?¡± ¡°Why does Su Erya look so unhappy to me?¡± ¡°Pah! Just because she got married and moved to the city, does she need to come back with such a sour face?¡± The people¡¯s love for gossip blazed as they watched the direction the bicycle went, itching with unbearable curiosity. Some curious old lady, simply jogging off to the Old Su Family to take in the spectacle. After parking her bicycle neatly, Susu stormed into the house and dragged down Su Baogen, who had been sleeping soundly on the kang bed. ¡°Sanyi, go to the fields and call Dad and Mom back. Just tell them I¡¯m back.¡± Watching her little brother wail, Su Sanya shivered and nervously ran out. She ran halfway and bumped into Su Fu and Mrs. Su, who had hurried back home in flustered joy after hearing from the villagers that their daughter Erya had returned. ¡°Dad, Mom, Sister Erya¡¯s back.¡± ¡°Alright, alright, I know.¡± Seeing the delighted parents, Su Sanya¡¯s face turned even paler. Hearing Mrs. Su¡¯s joyful voice, Susu immediately started beating Su Baogen. Su Baogen, who had been daydreaming about his big sister buying him a large meat bun, immediately started crying and hugging his head. ¡°Ouch, Sister, what are you doing? Stop hitting me, stop!¡± ¡°I¡¯m Baogen, stop hitting me, it hurts~¡± Hearing their son¡¯s cries, Su Fu and Mrs. Su rushed in frantically. They were greeted by the sight of their daughter Erya beating their son until he was rolling in tears, and Mrs. Su immediately slapped her thigh and charged over, cursing loudly. ¡°You¡¯re gonna die, you cheap slut, daring to hit my Baogen. I¡¯ll fight you to death!¡± Before Mrs. Su¡¯s grubby hands could reach her, Susu nimbly dodged and, with a swift kick, sent Su Baogen flying out. ¡°Ouch, my precious baby¡ª¡± The Su parents managed to catch their miserably crying son, only to be knocked down themselves, landing heavily on the ground. Mrs. Su glared at Susu fiercely, ¡°You crazy girl, coming back just to beat Baogen.¡± Beside her, Su Fu frowned deeply, ¡°Erya, you...¡± Susu glanced at the crowd tightly packed inside and outside the yard and sneered, ¡°To make me, a married daughter, subsidize my natal family and my lazy glutton of a brother, you really went to great lengths. Every two or three days you come begging, or otherwise force the girls at home to take turns working, all to make me skim from my husband¡¯s family to support my own. ¡± ¡°The other day it was my older sister, and today it¡¯s my younger sister. You really stooped to every level for money. Looking at Sanyi¡¯s swollen face, I guess my big sister didn¡¯t give in to your demands for money and probably didn¡¯t escape a beating when she got back, did she?¡± ¡°I knew it, the other day I saw Su Daya with a bruised, swollen face, limping.¡± ¡°That¡¯s heartless! If my daughter-in-law acted like that, I¡¯d make my son beat her to death for ruining our family.¡± ¡°Exactly, just look at how fat the Su Family¡¯s son has gotten. And yet they still rely on their daughters to secretly prop them up.¡± ¡°If a family had that kind of daughter-in-law, they¡¯d truly be cursed for eight lifetimes.¡± Watching the crowd whisper among themselves, Susu continued, ¡°Today I¡¯m here to warn you all, if anyone else comes to my husband¡¯s family, I¡¯ll beat up your precious son. Come one time, get beaten one time.¡± ¡°Ah, such a hard life for me, to have given birth to a wretched girl...¡± ... Having said her piece, Susu ignored Su Fu and Mrs. Su, who were causing a scene, and simply rode away on her bicycle. Watching her second sister¡¯s retreating figure, Su Sanya¡¯s eyes sparkled brightly. Having dealt with her outrageous natal family, Susu felt especially good and took a detour on her bicycle to buy some meat and ribs. ¡°La la la, today is a good day, a wonderful...¡± Just as she turned into the alley and steered her bicycle towards home, she ran straight into an old lady looking worried. ¡°Oh goodness, it¡¯s lucky you¡¯re here, I was just on my way to inform your family.¡± Susu looked at the old lady, about to say something, when she heard the old lady¡¯s voice. ¡°Your Xiao Yu fell down from a tree.¡± Chapter 20 - 20 20 Home Remedies ?Chapter 20: Chapter 20 Home Remedies Chapter 20: Chapter 20 Home Remedies ¡°What?¡± ¡°A group of kids were climbing a tree to pick fruit, and your Xiao Yu fell from the tree, right by our place.¡± Susu felt a ringing in her ears and, not bothering with the meat and ribs that had dropped to the ground, she hopped on her bike and sped straight to Aunt Wang¡¯s house. ¡°Auntie, please could you go to my house and let my mom know.¡± ¡°Ah, ah, ah, I¡¯ll go right away.¡± Aunt Wang, being kind-hearted, picked up the meat and ribs from the ground and ran toward the Lu Family¡¯s home. Susu arrived as fast as she could, only to see a group of children gathered together. ¡°Xiao Yu.¡± The little guy was lying on the ground, drenched in sweat, yet he still tried to hold back his tears. ¡°Auntie, I¡ª¡± With reddened eyes, Susu quickly stepped forward and carefully picked him up, ¡°Xiao Yu, don¡¯t be scared, Auntie will take you to the hospital right now.¡± Perhaps because someone cared, the little guy who had been bravely holding back his tears suddenly began crying with a pout and hiccupping sobs. County Hospital ¡°You parents are really careless, the child¡¯s collarbone is broken.¡± ¡°Broken collarbone?¡± Susu¡¯s heart skipped a beat, ¡°What do we do? Doctor, does he need surgery?¡± Seeing how anxious the parent was, the doctor¡¯s attitude softened a bit. ¡°No need, I¡¯ll prescribe some medicine; just try to avoid bumping his right arm. Fortunately, he¡¯s young, and the bone will heal over time.¡± ¡°You parents should be careful when you get home, and regarding the wound on his head, make sure to change the dressing and keep it dry.¡± As Susu was worrying, Mrs. Lu and Father Lu came running in a panic. ¡°Susu, how is Xiao Yu? Is it serious?¡± ¡°Mom, Dad, Xiao Yu¡¯s collarbone is broken.¡± Looking at the listless little fellow, Susu stood up, ¡°Mom, Dad, I don¡¯t have enough money on me, give me the money now, I¡¯ll hurry to the pharmacy to buy the medicine.¡± ¡°Ah, ah, ah, hurry up, Mom and Dad will stay here with Xiao Yu.¡± Mrs. Lu immediately handed all the money from her pocket to her daughter-in-law. Looking at the anxious grandparents, Xiao Yu guiltily hung his small head. ¡°Grandpa, Grandma, I¡¯m sorry, it¡¯s all Xiao Yu¡¯s fault, spending so much money.¡± The old couple looked at the little guy with his arm in a sling, heartbroken, wanting to touch him but afraid of aggravating his other wounds, they softly consoled the guilty Xiao Yu. In no time, Susu returned with the medicine in hand. The family of four pushed the bike back home, with Xiao Yu seated on the rear of the bicycle, Mrs. Lu and Susu guarding him on both sides. Today had been a day of highs and lows, having beaten up Su Baogen, argued with the Old Su Family, come back feeling delighted, and then in a frantic rush taking the little one to the hospital. After the emotional rollercoaster, now feeling relaxed, Susu felt so tired she didn¡¯t want to move at all. But the meat had been bought, and in this weather, it couldn¡¯t be left out without cooking. Fortunately, her cousin Xian Yue was at home. Susu was very grateful, glad that she had asked her cousin to come over to work, keeping the house in perfect order. Looking at the little fellow beside her, Susu felt it was necessary to have a proper talk with him. ¡°Xiao Yu, can you tell Auntie why you climbed the tree today? It¡¯s so dangerous.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Auntie, Xiao Yu was wrong, I won¡¯t dare to do it again.¡± Seeing the little one apologizing ever since the accident, Susu felt a mix of emotions and patted his small head. ¡°There¡¯s no need to say sorry, getting hurt wasn¡¯t your fault. But can you tell Auntie why you climbed the tree?¡± Xiao Yu looked up at Auntie, fumbling with his fingers. ¡°I wanted to pick some fruit for Auntie to eat.¡± Hearing this, Susu¡¯s heart melted even more, she sighed deeply and affectionately patted the little one¡¯s head. ¡°Aunt was so touched, Xiao Yu wanted to pick fruit for Aunt to eat. But, from now on you must never do such dangerous things again, Aunt¡¯s heart aches when she sees Xiao Yu hurt.¡± ¡°Did you hear that, Xiao Yu? If you want to do something in the future, discuss it with Aunt first. Aunt doesn¡¯t want Xiao Yu to get hurt.¡± ¡°Mm!¡± Seeing that Aunt wasn¡¯t angry, Xiao Yu¡¯s dangling heart relaxed, and he nodded his head vigorously. ¡°Alright, alright, your head is still injured, you can¡¯t move it randomly, hurry and lie down to sleep.¡± Susu hurriedly protected Xiao Yu¡¯s head, really afraid that the little guy would make himself uncomfortable by moving too much. The next day, as the first rays of dawn spilled over, noises rose from every household. ¡°Sister Su, how did Xiao Yu get injured?¡± Xiao Sun, who came to pick up goods, saw Xiao Yu with his arm in a sling around his neck just as he entered the courtyard. ¡°He fell from a tree yesterday. Luckily he¡¯s still young. The doctor said his bones will slowly heal on their own.¡± Afraid that the little one would be scared, Xiao Sun quickly comforted, ¡°It¡¯s okay, Xiao Yu, Brother used to fall a lot too, it¡¯ll get better slowly. Look how strong Brother is now.¡± Xiao Yu frowned and said, ¡°Mm, thank you, Brother Xiao Sun.¡± ¡°Xiao Yu, today you and your cousin Aunt stay at home.¡± When the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law were leaving, the little guy still wanted to follow them to sell goods as usual. Both Mrs. Lu disagreed, and Xiao Yu obediently stayed at home. In the summer of the north, there¡¯s a different temperature in the shade and under the sun. Susu found a cool place to hawk her wares, the breeze coming in waves, taking the heat away. As it approached noon, the sun was baking everything leaving no shade to hide in. Susu, braving the scorching sun, hurried home. Because the little guy was injured, Susu specifically asked the meat delivery boss to include some extra big bones with each day¡¯s delivery. The thinking was ¡®eat what you need to repair,¡¯ as in ¡®like heals like.¡¯ After arriving home, Susu immediately got busy boiling the big bones for soup. As time passed, the soup in the pot gradually turned white, and the rich aroma of bone broth drifted around. The kids next door were drooling and clamoring to have some too, since Aunt Wang next door got along well with her own mother-in-law. They would sometimes pass a bowl of food over the wall. Just as Susu was about to bring over the bone soup, Mrs. Lu came back with a mysterious package. ¡°Susu, look what mother has brought, something good.¡± ¡°Perfect timing, Mother. You¡¯re close with Aunt Wang, take this bone soup over for her to try.¡± ¡°Okay, okay.¡± Mrs. Lu placed the item she was holding onto the table and stood at the edge of their own wall with a big bowl, calling out, ¡°Xiue, Xiue!¡± ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± ¡°Hurry up, my daughter-in-law Susu asked me to bring you some bone soup to try. You know my Xiao Yu injured his bone.¡± ¡°Oh dear, let me clear a bowl for you, just wait a moment.¡± ... Inside the kitchen The aunt and sister-in-law were both curious about the yellow-paper package but didn¡¯t touch the contents. ¡°Mother, what did you bring back?¡± Mrs. Lu slapped her thigh, almost forgetting, and picked up the yellow-paper package to bring it over. ¡°Let me tell you, this is good stuff. I heard of this folk remedy, and eating this is really effective for bone healing.¡± Susu and Xian Yue both leaned in curiously to take a look. The next second, the yellow paper was opened, revealing a pile of stiff, dead geckos (mouse spiders) lying peacefully inside. ¡°Ahh¡ª¡± ¡°Goodness~¡± Chapter 21 - 21 21 Spooky ?Chapter 21: Chapter 21: Spooky Chapter 21: Chapter 21: Spooky Susu leaped to the kitchen doorway in terror, keeping her distance from her mother-in-law, shivering all over with goosebumps. ¡°Mom?¡± Mrs. Lu and Su Xianyue both jumped in surprise, looking up to see her already at the doorway. ¡°Goodness, why did you run so far away?¡± Mrs. Lu was somewhat amused and bewildered by her daughter-in-law¡¯s expressive, bell-like eyes. Susu frowned deeply, feeling numb all over, ¡°Mom, what are you doing with that heap of bugs? Throw them away quickly, they¡¯re really creepy.¡± ¡°Ha ha ha.¡± Mrs. Lu burst into hearty laughter, while Su Xianyue also couldn¡¯t help but giggle as she explained to her sister-in-law. ¡°Sister-in-law, you don¡¯t know about this, but it¡¯s really good for medicine. I once heard that someone had big welts on their hands, and using the juice squeezed from this thing made them heal so quickly.¡± Susu glared, as if she had heard such talk before. After a while, Susu just watched from a distance as her mother-in-law fed the crushed remains of the horseshoe crab to the little one. Well... It really took one bold enough to feed, and another brave enough to eat. Su Xianyue reassured her with a smile, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, sister-in-law, that stuff is already dead and gone.¡± Susu, ¡°~~~¡± For several meals in a row, Susu felt like she just couldn¡¯t bear to look at the pair straight. No, no, it¡¯s just too damn eerie. Susu shook her head vigorously, not daring to think about that ghastly scene any longer. Watching Aunt mutter to herself while shaking her head, the little one¡¯s tiny brain was filled with great confusion. ¡°Aunt, what¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Ahem, it¡¯s nothing, nothing.¡± Under normal circumstances, Susu would have lovingly patted the little guy¡¯s head. In the evening, after selling out her braised food and getting home, Susu saw her parents-in-law beaming with joy. ¡°What¡¯s gotten into you both? Did something good happen?¡± ¡°This afternoon, your Brother Lu called and said that for the Dragon Boat Festival, the whole family will be coming back to celebrate.¡± Mrs. Lu was overjoyed as she counted on her fingers, pondering the extra food she needed to prepare; with the whole family coming back for the Dragon Boat Festival, it would be unacceptable to prepare too little. Susu was stunned for a few seconds before she realized that the original story¡¯s protagonist¡¯s family was the one returning. On reflection, she couldn¡¯t remember this part being mentioned in the book. What she remembered was that the protagonist felt her mother-in-law favored boys over girls, looked down on her as a daughter-in-law, and had daughters, resulting in the family rarely visiting. Seeing even her mother-in-law joyfully getting to work, Susu wondered if perhaps she had read too fast and missed something. ¡°Xian Yue, you should head back early on the day of the Dragon Boat Festival and have a good celebration with your Uncle and Aunt, spend the night, and don¡¯t hurry back.¡± ¡°Sister-in-law, what about the chores here?¡± Still washing vegetables, Su Xianyue paused and frowned, ¡°Otherwise, I think I¡¯ll come back after dinner?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. By then, your several brothers and Little Aunt will all have returned, and they will be able to manage,¡± said Mrs. Lu. Susu nodded, ¡°Right, Xian Yue, you can go back in the morning that day or even the night before. That way, you can spend more time with your Uncle and Aunt.¡± ¡°Mhm, I got it.¡± Su Xianyue nodded, thinking about buying some gifts for her parents when she went back. The day before the Dragon Boat Festival Seeing there were still quite a few people in line, Susu handled money and goods with orderly efficiency. It was only after the last satisfied customer left with their lunchbox that Susu had a moment to wipe the sweat off her neck with a towel. ¡°Whew, it¡¯s getting hotter and hotter.¡± Being unbearably hot, Susu went to buy a bottle of soda. The icy-cold drink cooled her down immediately, chasing away much of the heat. Susu¡¯s brain whirred nonstop as she stared blankly at the vendor selling icy-cold soda, who clung protectively to his chest. Once she sold out the braised goods in her carry-basket, Susu headed toward the recycling station. Thinking about whether she could find a handcart, Susu walked around with her hands behind her back, and she happened upon a broken-down tricycle. ¡°Old man, how much for this shoddy tricycle?¡± Fanning himself with a palm-leaf fan, the old man glanced over indifferently, without much enthusiasm. ¡°That piece of junk, just give me five yuan and take it away.¡± Only five yuan? Susu suppressed a smile, quickly took out five yuan and handed it to the old man, and then she hauled and dragged the worn-out tricycle away immediately. She was afraid the old man might change his mind. After putting in a great deal of effort and sweating profusely, Susu finally brought the decrepit tricycle back home. ¡°Susu, why have you just come back? What¡¯s this...¡± Mrs. Lu was about to leave the house when she ran into her daughter-in-law returning. Susu wiped the sweat from her forehead, ¡°The weather¡¯s getting hotter and hotter, and I thought about selling some ice cream. I found this run-down tricycle at the scrapyard. If we fix it up, it should still be usable.¡± ¡°Okay, let your dad fix it this afternoon. If there¡¯s anything that needs to be repaired, just tell him.¡± ¡°Alright, I understand, mother.¡± As the sun set in the west, it took away much of the heat. Apart from Brother Lu and his family, the Lu siblings each arrived home one after another. ¡°Second sister-in-law.¡± Looking at the slim and refined Lu Huaisen and his plump-faced wife with glasses, Bai Xiao, Susu stood up, ¡°Third brother, sister-in-law, welcome back.¡± This was also the first time Susu met this couple, and they made a very good first impression. ¡°Second sister-in-law, I¡¯m here too.¡± Lu Xiaomei pretended to be unhappy and pouted, sticking her head out. ¡°Oh dear, indeed, it¡¯s just that your sister-in-law¡¯s eyesight isn¡¯t what it used to be, even failing to see my fairy-like Little Aunt.¡± Lu Xiaomei¡¯s face turned red with embarrassment from the teasing, and she stomped her foot and ran off. ¡°Ah, second sister-in-law~¡± ¡°Hahaha...¡± Susu¡¯s hearty laughter filled the yard. Lu Huaisen and his wife looked at each other, both feeling that Susu seemed very different this homecoming. Lu Xiaoting¡¯s eyes twinkled with amusement, ¡°Wife.¡± Susu¡¯s cheeks blushed at the sound of the deep, magnetic voice calling her. Seeing that the third couple was looking over, she gave her husband an annoyed glance and walked away, flipping her braids. Calling and calling, summoning spirits, are you! ¡°Uncle?¡± Xiao Yu came out and immediately rushed towards the tall man in the courtyard, his eyes shining brightly. Looking at the little guy with an arm in a sling, Lu Xiaoting carefully picked him up, ¡°Xiao Yu, how did you get hurt?¡± ¡°Uncle, I¡¯m sorry, I was climbing a tree and accidentally fell off,¡± the little guy hung his head. ¡°Be more careful in the future.¡± Susu raised an eyebrow, thinking the man might blame her, but then she heard his voice. ¡°However, you¡¯re not very good, kiddo, falling and hurting your bones and head while climbing a tree. When I get the chance, I¡¯ll teach you how to climb.¡± Susu shot the man a look and took Xiao Yu into her arms, ¡°Don¡¯t go teaching him just anything.¡± From the time her siblings returned, the smiles hardly left the faces of the elderly Lu couple. The next day, as noon approached, Mrs. Lu would occasionally stick her neck out and look around, frowning, ¡°Why hasn¡¯t Brother Lu¡¯s family come back yet?¡± Speak of the devil, and he shall appear. There was some noise coming from the courtyard, and Mrs. Lu quickly put down what she was doing and ran outside. ¡°Mother, we¡¯re back.¡± Leading them was a young man holding two bags full, bearing a resemblance to Lu Xiaoting. Chapter 22 - 22 22 Chongxi Sister-in-law ?Chapter 22: Chapter 22 Chongxi Sister-in-law Chapter 22: Chapter 22 Chongxi Sister-in-law Following close behind was a young woman dressed in a white Bulaji dress, accompanied by two little girls, one taller than the other. It was indeed Jiang Nan, the heroine of the original book, with her two daughters. ¡°Mom.¡± ¡°Grandma.¡± The older of the two girls plunged straight into Mrs. Lu¡¯s arms, calling out ¡°Grandma¡± with each breath. ¡°Oh, my little Xiao Yu is becoming more and more beautiful,¡± Mrs. Lu said, her eyes crinkling with joy as she gave a glance at the expressionless young woman and the little girl huddled by her side. ¡°Big brother, take your wife back to the room,¡± she said. ¡°Brother Lu, elder sister-in-law,¡± greeted Lu Xiaomei. She nodded happily, put down her things, and with a hint of embarrassment, explained. ¡°I missed the bus yesterday; did you all come back yesterday?¡± The three brothers hadn¡¯t seen each other for a while, even though they all lived in the Provincial City, each busy with their own work and families. Now, the brothers were chatting away merrily. Jiang Nan, with nothing better to do, took her younger daughter for a stroll in the yard, her gaze shifting to her older daughter who was running around the kitchen, feeling somewhat displeased. ¡°Really, what¡¯s so fun about the kitchen?¡± she muttered. ¡°Mom.¡± Following her little daughter¡¯s gaze, Jiang Nan saw a little boy with a sling on his arm and frowned. Because the entire Lu Family had returned today, the usual dining table couldn¡¯t accommodate everyone, so the men had their own table to enjoy drinks and conversations, while the women and children were arranged around a table on the heated brick bed. Mrs. Lu was overjoyed to have all the children back; she busily served food to the younger family members, reminding them cheerfully. ¡°Brother Lu¡¯s family, Brother Lu Xiao¡¯s family, eat more; Susu¡¯s cooked meals are delicious.¡± ¡°Yes, absolutely. My second sister-in-law¡¯s cooking is really tasty,¡± Lu Xiaomei echoed, nodding. Susu¡¯s eyes twinkled with a humble smile, ¡°It¡¯s all right, elder sister-in-law, Xiao Yu, and Xiao Xue, please eat more.¡± Xiao Yu, confused, looked up, ¡°Um, Aunt.¡± Susu and Mrs. Lu were taken aback; it took them a moment to realize Xiao Yu and Xiao Yu shared a name, even though the characters were different. ¡°Oh dear, this really is something.¡± ¡°Xiao Yu, this elder sister is also called Xiao Yu, but her ¡®Yu¡¯ is different from your ¡®Yu,''¡± clarified Mrs. Lu. Upon hearing this, the adults and children alike laughed. Jiang Nan, watching the Chongxi sister-in-law engage in cheerful banter with grandma, felt puzzled. Since when did these two get along like mother and daughter? And what¡¯s more, hadn¡¯t the Chongxi sister-in-law changed drastically? Wasn¡¯t she the one who, because of the younger Lu brother¡¯s adoption, used to stir up trouble, turning the house upside down every now and then? Sensing the original protagonist¡¯s scrutiny, Susu ignored it, pretending she didn¡¯t notice. After the meal, watching her Little Aunt and second sister-in-law fight over doing the dishes, Jiang Nan pursed her lips and led her two daughters back to their room to rest on her own. Mrs. Lu noticed this scene and felt somewhat displeased in her heart, but her expression remained decent. Brother Lu walked into the room to find his wife lying on the brick bed. He sat down and asked softly, ¡°Why don¡¯t you go and sit with mom and the siblings, have a chat?¡± ¡°Forget it, your mom doesn¡¯t like me. Why should I bother trying to get in her good graces?¡± Jiang Nan replied, her spirits seemingly lifted as she sat up. ¡°Do you know about your second brother adopting his coworker¡¯s orphaned child?¡± Brother Lu nodded, ¡°Yeah, I just heard from younger brother as soon as I came back. Poor kid.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you find it strange? With second sister-in-law¡¯s Erya¡¯s tempestuous nature, she hasn¡¯t turned the house upside down? And it seems she¡¯s taking good care of the child.¡± Jiang Nan¡¯s eyes were full of wonder; she couldn¡¯t understand what had gotten into her Chongxi sister-in-law. ¡°She¡¯s not as bad as you¡¯re making her out to be. I think she¡¯s doing quite well. Seeing how our parents are now, I can tell she¡¯s been putting in a lot of effort. I¡¯m truly grateful for our second sister-in-law,¡± Brother Lu spoke from the bottom of his heart. ¡°Never mind, you wouldn¡¯t understand even if I told you.¡± Jiang Nan rolled her eyes and laid down. ***** ¡°What?¡± Jiang Nan was shocked, doubting if she heard correctly, ¡°Mom and my sister-in-law selling stewed food at a street stand? Impossible!¡± Brother Lu put down his bowl, nodding, ¡°Yeah, Lu Xiao said it, they¡¯re all busy in the kitchen now.¡± ¡°I have to go see for myself.¡± Jiang Nan said as she ran out, seeing Lu Xiaoting handling intestines at the door and the bustle of the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law duo along with Lu Xiaomei in the kitchen. Seeing that all three were staring at her, Jiang Nan softened her tone, ¡°I heard from Huai Ze¡ªMom, you and my sister-in-law are selling stewed food at a stall?¡± ¡°Yep,¡± Mrs. Lu nodded. ¡°Oh.¡± Watching her elder daughter-in-law turn to leave, Mrs. Lu pursed her lips, somewhat displeased. Brother Lu had just finished putting shoes on his little daughter when he saw his wife coming over, looking dazed. ¡°How could this be, how could this be. Even Su Er Ya, that Chongxi Sister-in-law, could be selling stewed food at a stall?¡± Jiang Nan frowned and muttered to herself, utterly unable to believe what she had just heard. Brother Lu hurriedly pulled her over, speaking in a hushed tone, ¡°Keep your voice down, it¡¯s not good to be overheard. Besides, I think my sister-in-law cooks really well, so it¡¯s normal for her to do well in the food business.¡± Jiang Nan glared, about to scold the man, but then she remembered he didn¡¯t know about the past life and so remained silent. She lay back on the kang, pondering to herself how it just didn¡¯t seem right. ¡°Big bro, is your wife going back to sleep again?¡± Seeing her eldest son coming out with his two granddaughters, Mrs. Lu casually asked. Brother Lu was a bit embarrassed, ¡°Nannan didn¡¯t sleep well last night, so I told her to sleep a bit more.¡± Mrs. Lu pursed her lips, thinking to herself that this daughter-in-law never sleeps well whenever she¡¯s here. She put away her emotions and turned to play with her granddaughter. ¡°Xiao Xue, did you sleep well last night? Let grandma hold you.¡± The little girl got scared and immediately hid behind Brother Lu¡¯s legs, ¡°No, no.¡± Mrs. Lu¡¯s smile froze on her face; she remembered a phone call with her son and wanting to talk to her two little granddaughters when she heard the voice of the little girl on the other end. ¡°I don¡¯t want to, Mommy said the old lady doesn¡¯t like me.¡± Brother Lu, holding his little daughter, frowned and spoke sternly, ¡°Xiao Xue, it¡¯s not polite to do that. This is grandma, you should call her...¡± ¡°Wah, Mommy¡ª¡± Brother Lu¡¯s expression turned cold, just about to have a serious talk with his little girl when Jiang Nan immediately rushed over and snatched her daughter away. ¡°What are you doing? She¡¯s just a child, you¡¯re scaring her with that stern face.¡± ¡°Nannan, little Xiao Xue...¡± Jiang Nan, impatient, interrupted and walked towards the house holding the child, ¡°Enough, enough, she¡¯s just a child; we can teach her slowly.¡± Watching his wife walk away without looking back, Brother Lu swallowed his displeasure and turned to his mother, ¡°Mom, I¡ª¡± ¡°Ah, it¡¯s fine, it¡¯s fine. The kids don¡¯t come back often; they¡¯re just a bit shy.¡± Mrs. Lu didn¡¯t want her son to feel awkward, so she pretended it was no big deal and waved it off. Outside, the three brothers gathered around, watching Lu Xiao skillfully handling the meat, and the other two brothers joked. ¡°Second bro, looks like you¡¯ve been well-trained by your sister-in-law.¡± ¡°Second bro is awesome! Sister-in-law is mighty!¡± Chapter 23 - 23 23 Controversy ?Chapter 23: Chapter 23 Controversy Chapter 23: Chapter 23 Controversy Susu didn¡¯t compete with the man for the carrying basket; she watched the tall man with the basket looking a size too small on his back and walked beside him, lips slightly tilted in amusement. The Lu Family brothers were also quite curious, so they decided to join their mother and head out to the bustling scene. Jiang Nan, watching from the window, curled her lips in disdain. ¡°Pfft, it¡¯s just setting up a stall, yet they make such a big fuss.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go, I¡¯ll take you out on the street for some fun.¡± After saying that, Jiang Nan took her two daughters and left the house. Meanwhile, Brother Lu and his brother were helping their mother push the cart to the entrance of the textile factory. Watching their mother expertly call out her sales pitches, both laughing and chatting with the customers, the two brothers couldn¡¯t help but marvel. ¡°Mother, you¡¯re so impressive!¡± Lu Xiaodi gave his mother a thumbs up admiringly. Mrs. Lu, seeing her two sons fumbling around, couldn¡¯t help but laugh even more broadly, ¡°I¡¯ll manage it myself, just look at you both making a mess.¡± The brothers exchanged smiles and sheepishly stepped aside to listen to their mother¡¯s instructions. ... ¡°Boss, give me half a pound of the meat dishes and half a pound of the vegetarian dishes.¡± ¡°Sure thing, sure thing, half a pound of each, that will be ninety cents.¡± Susu skillfully handed the goods over to the customer and casually passed the money to Lu Xiaoting to keep. The customer, looking at the couple, joked, ¡°Boss, is this your man? What does he do? He seems quite imposing.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Lu Xiaoting¡¯s gaze remained fixed on his wife as he saw her nod with a smile on her face. ¡°He¡¯s my husband, works at the Provincial City Police Station, a public security officer, so he does have quite an imposing air about him.¡± ¡°Aha, no wonder.¡± ... Perhaps due to the festive season, a basket full of marinated goods was quickly sold out. When Susu got home, she found herself followed by a little shadow. Xiao Yu toddled after his aunt, almost wishing he could help out if his right arm weren¡¯t bandaged. Taking advantage of the early hour, the family of three had already started bustling about in the kitchen. ¡°My goodness, Xiaoxiao, you have no idea how impressive our mother is, she just stands there calling out and we barely had to do anything.¡± ¡°Mother is so amazing!¡± Bai Xiao praised gently. ¡°Aiya, it¡¯s nothing, it¡¯s nothing.¡± Mrs. Lu, bashful from her son¡¯s and daughter-in-law¡¯s praise, couldn¡¯t suppress the smile on her face. Lu Xiaomei leaned cozily against her mother¡¯s arm, ¡°Mother, there¡¯s no need to be modest.¡± ¡°Yeah, our mother is really something, not at all inferior to the young ones.¡± Saying this, Susu gave a thumbs up. Mrs. Lu, teased by her daughter-in-law and daughter, blushed and scolded them half-heartedly, ¡°Off with you, always teasing your old mother.¡± Seeing their mother embarrassed, the sister-in-law and daughter shared a knowing smile. ¡°Ha ha ha...¡± Listening to the laughter from the kitchen, Brother Lu, seeing the empty room, frowned. ¡°Mom, aren¡¯t we going back to eat?¡± Lu Yu tugged at his mother¡¯s clothes as they looked at the big characters of the state-run restaurant. Jiang Nan felt irritated at the thought of her in-laws¡¯ home and said disdainfully, ¡°No, we¡¯re not going back. Why would we? Let¡¯s eat here and then go back.¡± ¡°But... Auntie¡¯s cooking is really delicious.¡± The little girl was puzzled. ¡°Please¡ª¡± Jiang Nan snorted disdainfully, looking down on that Chongxi sister-in-law even more. She only knew how to use petty tricks to curry favor with the elderly. ¡°I really don¡¯t want to eat that woman¡¯s cooking, nor should you, Xiao Yu. The three of us will go back after we eat.¡± With that, Jiang Nan directly led the children into the state-run restaurant, one with each hand. The little girl pursed her lips and said nothing further. As the dishes were served on the table and the eldest daughter-in-law and the two granddaughters were still nowhere to be seen, Mrs. Lu asked, ¡°Brother Lu, where are your wife and the two children? Why aren¡¯t they here?¡± Brother Lu looked towards the door, somewhat anxious, ¡°They probably took the kids out; they¡¯re not in the house.¡± The whole family waited to the left and right, still no sign of them. Mrs. Lu felt some displeasure but managed not to show it, ¡°Alright, let¡¯s start eating. Leave some in the pot for them.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s eat.¡± Once the grandparents had spoken, the whole family finally started to move their chopsticks. Just after Lu Xiaomei and her third sister-in-law Bai Xiao had finished cleaning up the dinner table, Jiang Nan leisurely returned with the two children. Mrs. Lu was holding back her anger, afraid she couldn¡¯t help but scold them. It was a festival and wouldn¡¯t be good, so she simply avoided coming out of the room. Out of sight, out of mind. Brother Lu pulled his wife into the room and asked with a frown, ¡°Why did you just get back? I left some food in the pot for you; I¡¯ll go get it for you.¡± ¡°No need, I took the kids and ate at the state-run restaurant,¡± Jiang Nan said nonchalantly, waving her hand and climbing onto the kang bed. Brother Lu, seeing his wife lie down on the kang as soon as she returned, was still very patient, and spoke gently, ¡°Wife, we have food at home. The whole family was waiting for you, and you ended up eating outside with the kids.¡± ¡°We can go to a restaurant anytime, once we get back. There¡¯s plenty of time.¡± Jiang Nan rolled her eyes, ¡°I just don¡¯t want to be home, that¡¯s why I took the two kids out. I don¡¯t want to see your mother¡¯s face, and your second sister-in-law, who¡¯s always using little tricks to coax the old folks.¡± ¡°Jiang Nan!¡± Brother Lu¡¯s face turned cold. ¡°What are you yelling for? You scared me!¡± Jiang Nan patted her chest and turned her back, clearly annoyed. ¡°Jiang Nan, it¡¯s fine for you to be willful usually, but can¡¯t you be a little more peaceful for just these few days we¡¯re here?¡± Brother Lu said, lowering his voice. Being spoken to in such a way by her husband, Jiang Nan turned around and retorted angrily, ¡°You know full well I don¡¯t get along with your mother. I¡¯m already here with you, what more do you want? Now you¡¯re even shouting at me?¡± Hearing the quarrel between Brother Lu and his wife, Mrs. Lu sighed. ¡°Wuu wuu¡ªDaddy, Mommy, please don¡¯t fight. I¡¯m scared¡ª¡± ¡°Daddy, Mommy, can you please stop fighting?¡± Xiao Xue cried, standing on the floor fearfully, while Xiao Yu clung to her sister, both their faces full of worry and fear. Seeing the sisters¡¯ scared expressions, Brother Lu softened his tone and picked up the two children onto the kang. ¡°Daddy and Mommy aren¡¯t fighting. We just talked a little loudly, now be good and go to sleep with Mommy.¡± Watching her husband¡¯s retreating back, Jiang Nan lay down on the kang again, clearly still irritated. Lu Xiaoting looked at his wife, who might as well have perked up her ears out of curiosity, and chuckled as he reached out to cover them. ¡°Curious little cat, go to sleep. You still have to man the stall in the afternoon.¡± Susu¡¯s face turned red at being called a ¡°curious little cat¡± by her husband. Watching him stand up to leave, she slapped herself lightly. ¡°Get a grip, blushing at that.¡± Seeing Brother Lu sitting alone in the courtyard, Lu Xiaoting moved a stool over to sit together with him. ¡°Brother.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Brother Lu nodded, a bit embarrassed. The two brothers chatted casually back and forth. In the evening, Brother Lu brought in a bowl of noodles, saw his wife turned away from him on the kang, and coaxed softly, ¡°Wife, get up and eat.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, wife, please don¡¯t be mad at me. Don¡¯t go hungry; that would really upset me.¡± ¡°Hmph!¡± Chapter 24 - 24 24 Mountain Wheel Cart ?Chapter 24: Chapter 24 Mountain Wheel Cart Chapter 24: Chapter 24 Mountain Wheel Cart Jiang Nan heard the man making strange noises and got up, glaring with a bit of a pout. ¡°Hmph, you¡¯re really annoying.¡± Seeing that his wife was finally not angry anymore, Brother Lu grinned showing off his teeth, ¡°Hmm-hmm-hmm, I¡¯m annoying, I¡¯m annoying.¡± ¡°Annoying you¡ª¡± Just then, Susu happened to pass by, ¡°...¡± She felt goosebumps all over, never expecting that the reticent Brother Lu had this side to him. Watching her eldest son behaving like that, Mrs. Lu tossed and turned with sighs. ¡°Stop thinking about it, we old folks shouldn¡¯t meddle in the young ones¡¯ business, don¡¯t make it difficult for our son by getting involved.¡± ¡°Ah, I really look down on the way of his household, so petty. Let¡¯s just get through the festival and go back home, out of sight, out of mind.¡± The night was thick, a gentle breeze blew, mingled with the sound of cicadas and insects. Susu rolled over and boldly took the man lying next to her into her embrace. Looking at his wife¡¯s tender little face, as if dreaming of something delicious, she smacked her soft, pink lips together. The man¡¯s dark eyes gradually deepened, he bent down slightly, and his thin lips gently touched hers. ¡°Wife, go to sleep.¡± ¡°Mmm~¡± Watching the woman unconsciously smacking her lips, Lu Xiaoting¡¯s usually stern face instantly softened like a melting iceberg. ***** ¡°Aunt, look!¡± Susu had just arrived at the doorstep with her husband when Xiao Yu, who had been eagerly awaiting at the door, pulled them in. Following the little guy¡¯s pointing hand, they noticed a brand-new-looking tricycle by the courtyard wall. ¡°My goodness, Dad, you brought the tricycle back?¡± Susu was pleasantly surprised, having thought it would take several more days to get it back, but her father-in-law had pushed it home today. ¡°From a distance, it looks just like new. Fixing it must¡¯ve cost a pretty penny, right? Dad, how much did you spend? I¡¯ll pay you.¡± As soon as his daughter-in-law mentioned money, Father Lu refused to take any and even purposefully scowled, ¡°If you talk about money again, I¡¯ll get angry.¡± Susu didn¡¯t know whether to laugh or cry; pushing money around like this seemed impersonal among family, so she simply dropped the subject. The whole family gathered around the tricycle, talking and laughing. ¡°With the cost of repairs, it was less than 40 yuan in total, that¡¯s really worth it. Little Sister-in-law is so lucky.¡± ¡°And it looks just like new, but it¡¯s a hundred yuan cheaper; such a bargain.¡± Lu Xiaomei, arm in arm with her sister-in-law, was beaming with joy, ¡°Sister-in-law, how come you¡¯re so capable!¡± ¡°Hahaha...¡± Susu put her hands on her hips, laughed heartily to the sky three times, and held her chin up high, ¡°Of course!¡± Through the window, Jiang Nan rolled her eyes, her mouth almost curling to the sky. ¡°Tch, it¡¯s just a worn tricycle they found, is it really that exciting?¡± ¡°A bunch of country bumpkins who¡¯ve never seen the world.¡± Susu caught a glimpse of someone in the window out of the corner of her eye but didn¡¯t pay much attention. After the meal, Lu Xiaoting eagerly volunteered to add a retractable canopy to the tricycle. Under the scorching sun, watching the blazing heat above, Susu stopped her husband, ¡°Wait until the sun isn¡¯t so intense in the afternoon before you start; don¡¯t get heatstroke.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine, I¡¯d rather get it done early and rest easy.¡± Lu Xiaoting lowered his gaze to his wife shaking her head, and he pushed the tricycle to the shed. Facing her husband¡¯s deep gaze, Susu felt her cheeks warm, and fearing he would succumb to the heat, she returned to the kitchen to brew a large pot of mung bean soup. ¡°Wife, you go and rest in the room; we¡¯ve got to set up the stall in the afternoon.¡± Drenched in sweat from the day¡¯s work, Lu Xiaoting spoke without turning around, a towel draped over his neck. Every morning at first light, they would start making braised goods, and without a rest at midday, it would indeed be hard to endure the afternoon. Susu didn¡¯t bother with pleasantries with the man, she simply placed a large bowl of mung bean soup on the stool to cool, ¡°Then I¡¯ll go back to the room first, remember to drink the mung bean soup.¡± ¡°Sure, go ahead.¡± Once she was inside, Xiao Yu had already fallen asleep, sweating profusely. Looking at the little fellow, sleeping like a piglet, Susu lay down next to him. ... Due to Lu Xiaoting needing to fix the canopy, Lu Xiaomei followed her sister-in-law to set up the food stall in the afternoon. ¡°Oh my goodness, it¡¯s getting hotter by the day.¡± A customer complained while handing over his lunch box, ¡°With the weather so hot, I¡¯m too lazy to cook. Give me a pound of vegetarian dishes and half a pound of meat dishes; I¡¯ll just eat them with steamed buns tonight.¡± ¡°Exactly, in this sweltering weather it¡¯s torture to stay in the kitchen. Not to mention, cooking more meals makes the whole house hot and stuffy.¡± ¡°Boss, my kid loves your food. He made a fuss about eating it again, so give me a pound of vegetarian dishes and a pound of meat dishes.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± ... After seeing off the queue of customers, the sisters-in-law were also sweaty. Lu Xiaomei wiped off her sweat with a towel, ¡°Sister-in-law, although you and mom earn quite a bit every day, it¡¯s either not busy at all or overcrowded, which really isn¡¯t easy.¡± ¡°We¡¯re used to it now; it was much more hectic at the beginning.¡± Susu handed the carrying basket to her younger sister-in-law, ¡°Xiaomei, you go back first. If your second brother asks where I am, just tell him I went to the ice cream factory.¡± ¡°Got it, Sister-in-law.¡± Now that the tricycle was ready, they also needed to quickly get the ice cream selling business started. At first, the folks at the ice cream factory were reluctant to deal with Susu, seeing she was a young comrade. ¡°How do you know I can¡¯t sell it? The chairman said women hold up half the sky. Besides, I¡¯m ordering in bulk, so it¡¯s not like you¡¯ll be losing out.¡± ¡°Moreover, if I sell well, I¡¯m definitely going to order more...¡± ... ¡°My goodness, Lu Gong¡¯an, how can you be so amazing!¡± Seeing the rickshaw-like canopy that looked like something out of an old Republic of China drama, Susu¡¯s eyes lit up. She circled around the tricycle, admiringly giving the man a thumbs up, her face filled with pride. ¡°Lu Gong¡¯an, how can you be so skilled, is there anything you can¡¯t do?¡± Lu Xiaoting, being stared at with his wife¡¯s sparkling eyes, showed a hint of a suspicious blush on his wheat-colored face, and gave a cough. ¡°Ahem, it¡¯s alright, just alright.¡± ¡°Nothing just alright about it, you¡¯re incredibly awesome!¡± As she spoke, Susu, eager to try it out, excitedly beckoned to Xiao Yu, ¡°Xiao Yu, come quickly, Auntie will take you for a ride.¡± ¡°Xiao Yu, join us.¡± ¡°Ha ha ha...¡± It wasn¡¯t long before the Family Court resonated with the merry voices of one adult and two children. As expected, the canopy-adorned tricycle drew the attention of the entire Family Court. ... The next morning Mrs. Lu got up early to prepare marinated goods and some homemade side dishes for her children. ¡°Remember to finish the marinated goods when you get back; those need to be eaten first. Don¡¯t let them go bad.¡± ¡°Alright, the kids should be leaving, don¡¯t miss the train.¡± Brother Lu picked up a big bag that Father Lu had stuffed into his hands, ¡°Father, Mother, take care of yourselves, Nannan and I will come back to see you during the holidays.¡± As Brother Lu spoke, Jiang Nan pursed her lips, turned around without a word, and urged, ¡°Hurry up, we¡¯re going to be late.¡± Watching the eldest daughter-in-law leaving with a sour face, Mrs. Lu was so irritated she placed her hands on her hips. ¡°Your mother I...¡± Chapter 25 - 25 25 Ice Cream ?Chapter 25: Chapter 25 Ice Cream Chapter 25: Chapter 25 Ice Cream ¡°Really gave her a lot of face, coming back and sulking all day long. People who don¡¯t know might think I owe her money. To think I actually cared whether she came back or not. Why did he marry such a thing?¡± Seeing someone curiously peeking, Father Lu closed the courtyard door, ¡°Don¡¯t be upset anymore. That¡¯s just how our eldest son¡¯s wife is. Don¡¯t stoop to her level and upset yourself.¡± Susu watched her fuming mother-in-law but didn¡¯t want to speak ill of her behind her back. ¡°Mom, don¡¯t be angry. You still have me as a daughter-in-law.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense.¡± Susu glared at her husband unhappily. Little did she know, her husband said seriously, ¡°Am I lying? Just ask our mom.¡± Mrs. Lu¡¯s fury immediately turned into smiles, ¡°That¡¯s true. Which old lady in the Family Court doesn¡¯t envy me? A filial daughter-in-law who¡¯s also capable.¡± ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s true,¡± Father Lu nodded. Susu covered her face, shoving the snacks into her husband¡¯s arms with a bit of grit. ¡°Hurry and go, don¡¯t miss your train.¡± Lu Xiaoting smiled lightly, patted the little lady opposite him on the head, and said in a deep voice, ¡°Wife, I¡¯ll come back next week.¡± Wrapped in her husband¡¯s hormone-filled, sexy, magnetic voice, Susu¡¯s cheeks uncontrollably heated up, and she glared at him. ¡°Go on, get going!¡± Lu Xiaoting, tickled by his wife¡¯s cute behavior, licked his cheek, squinted his eyes, and got up to leave. ¡°Phew~¡± Susu touched her hot cheeks, met her mother-in-law¡¯s teasing gaze, and embarrassedly hid in the kitchen. Life for the family returned to its peaceful, mundane busyness. Ice Cream Factory ¡°Brother Liu.¡± ¡°Xiao Su is here. Just wait, I¡¯ll finish up what I have in my hands and then stock you up.¡± ¡°No rush, you go ahead, Brother Liu.¡± Having said that, Susu directly biked to a shady spot to wait. ¡°Hey, Xiao Su, you¡¯ve managed this mountain bike nicely, even added a canopy.¡± ... After leaving the ice cream factory, Susu peddled the mountain bike slowly, starting to hawk her goods. ¡°Ice cream! Chilly, refreshing ice cream!¡± ¡°Cool, delicious ice pops, sweet and creamy milk bars~¡± ¡°Ice cream, ice cream, delicious ice cream.¡± ... Unable to withstand the children¡¯s nagging, adults directly hailed the slowly moving mountain bike. ¡°Hey, how much for the ice cream?¡± ¡°Ordinary ice pops are three cents each, cream ice pops are five cents each.¡± ¡°Mommy, I want a cream ice pop, a cream ice pop.¡± A seven or eight-year-old little girl cuddled her mother¡¯s thigh, acting coquettishly. The young woman tenderly wiped the sweat beads from her daughter¡¯s forehead and took out five cents, ¡°Give us a cream ice pop.¡± The little girl handed the cream ice pop to the young woman. After the young woman lightly touched it to her lips, the little girl carefully licked it, as both mother and daughter¡¯s faces overflowed with happy smiles. Seeing this, Susu¡¯s face also brightened with a smile. She decided it was best to stop in the shade and continue selling where she was. In no time, 30 ice creams were sold. Checking the time, Susu went back to the ice cream factory to get another 30 ice creams, and on her way back home, she also picked up some braised foods. ¡°Fragrant Su¡¯s braised food, with meat and vegetables, don¡¯t miss out as you pass by.¡± ¡°There are also refreshing ice pops~¡± ... ¡°Auntie, I want an ice pop.¡± The voice was heard, but the speaker unseen. Susu looked down and saw a little bald head. She almost couldn¡¯t resist the urge to rub the little baldy¡¯s smooth head. ¡°Aunt, I want an ice pop.¡± ¡°Oh, all right.¡± Having the wheelbarrow was so convenient, Susu lazily leaned inside the cart, able to grab items for customers who came along. The weather was hot and dry, and ice cream sold out even faster than braised food. ¡°Sister Su, sold out already?¡± The two bumped into each other in the alley, right as Xiao Sun had just finished picking up goods from the Su Family. ¡°Yep, all sold out.¡± Susu nodded and joked, ¡°Not bad, kiddo. You¡¯re really putting in the effort, keep it up.¡± Xiao Sun, a bit embarrassed, scratched his head but with a determined look said, ¡°Yep! I also need to thank Sister Su, otherwise I¡ª¡± Susu, who hated sappy sentiments, interrupted Xiao Sun just as he started to express his thanks again. ¡°Alright, you better hurry and sell your goods so you can head back early.¡± ¡°Yep, bye Sister Su.¡± After several days, Susu¡¯s ice cream and braised food business was booming, and her daily revenue had increased significantly. Seeing Xiao Sun across from her, hesitating to speak, Susu slapped his arm, ¡°Spit it out, what is it?¡± ¡°Sister Su, I¡ª¡± ¡°Come on, be a man. Just say it, stop beating around the bush.¡± Watching the man opposite her close his eyes, take a deep breath, Susu couldn¡¯t help but laugh and cry at the same time, as if she was watching someone heading into battle. ¡°Sister Su, I... I also want to sell ice cream.¡± As if afraid of being misunderstood, Xiao Sun quickly added, ¡°It¡¯s not that I won¡¯t sell braised goods anymore, but I want to, like you, sell both. I...¡± ¡°Pfft¡ª¡± Susu burst into laughter, tears streaming down her face, and after composing herself, she said, ¡°No need to say it, I had the same idea, just wondering how you¡¯d transport them.¡± Hearing this, Xiao Sun heaved a sigh of relief, frowning in thought. ¡°Sister Su, I have a handcart at home.¡± Thinking it over, Susu agreed it could work, so they quickly made arrangements. ¡°Xiao Sun, you start with the handcart, and later I¡¯ll provide you with a bicycle.¡± Afterward, Xiao Sun seemed supercharged, full of energy in everything he did. Golden twilight spilled across the sky, graced with a tangerine hue of Cai Xia. Mrs. Lu passed a big chunk of meat into her daughter-in-law¡¯s bowl, ¡°Susu, eat more meat. You¡¯re running around so much every day, you look like you¡¯ve lost weight in this little while.¡± ¡°Second Sister-in-law has been really busy lately, she definitely needs to nourish herself,¡± Xian Yue agreed. In just a short moment, looking at the heap of meat piled up like a mountain in her bowl, Susu quickly picked up her bowl and moved away from the other three. ¡°Dad, Mom, Xian Yue, stop adding more to my bowl, I¡¯m getting full.¡± ¡°You child, why is your appetite so small?¡± Mrs. Lu frowned. Watching her in-laws and cousin make frowning faces, Susu hurried to explain to keep them from worrying. ¡°It¡¯s just the hot weather, it makes my appetite smaller.¡± After dinner, the family enjoyed a rare moment of leisure. They all sat under the eaves to enjoy the cooler air. ¡°Aunt, lie back.¡± Hearing the little guy¡¯s voice, Susu obediently lay down and blissfully enjoyed the single-hand massage from Xiao Yu. ¡°Feels so good!¡± ¡°Xiao Yu, how are you so skilled? Auntie¡¯s waist isn¡¯t sore anymore, back isn¡¯t aching either.¡± The little guy¡¯s face flushed, his bright grape-like eyes sparkling. ¡°I¡¯ll give auntie a massage every day.¡± ... Looking over the account books of the last few days, the demand for braised goods was increasing. With Lu Xiaomei busy on her feet all day at home, Susu thought it was time to find a yard dedicated to making braised goods. Morning ¡°What? Find which house? Why spend money renting another place when we¡¯re not using our own yard?¡± Mrs. Lu heard this and immediately shook her head and waved her hands in disagreement. ¡°You child, our yard isn¡¯t too small to use, and we¡¯re not leaving, why waste money like that?¡± Chapter 26 - 26 26 New Courtyard ?Chapter 26: Chapter 26 New Courtyard Chapter 26: Chapter 26 New Courtyard Susu, having anticipated her mother-in-law¡¯s reaction, spoke calmly. ¡°Mom, you see, nowadays, Xiao Sun, you and I are selling quite a lot of marinated goods every day. Xian Yue is also busy at home, constantly rushing around. Not to mention, I want to increase the supply of marinated goods and hire people to sell them.¡± ¡°Firstly, Xian Yue is too busy to handle it alone. Secondly, when we have more people coming to pick up goods, it¡¯s bound to disturb you and dad¡¯s rest. Thirdly, having people coming and going every day, people in the Family Court will notice, and although they might not say anything, they could become unhappy or envious over time.¡± Mrs. Lu furrowed her brows, nodding uncontrollably, agreeing with her daughter-in-law¡¯s rationale. Better safe than sorry. If business were to pick up, who knows how many people might become envious, and if someone decided to cause trouble, it would be unstoppable. Seeing that her mother-in-law was nearly persuaded, Susu continued, ¡°You are more familiar with the county than I am, see if you can find a larger courtyard. Also, once we have found the courtyard, we¡¯ll need to hire two nimble and clean workers to prepare the marinated goods. And find someone eloquent, like us, to sell in the streets.¡± ¡°Alright, alright, I¡¯ll listen to you. I¡¯ll go ask around later.¡± Mrs. Lu nodded hurriedly, quickening her actions. Coincidentally, less than a day later, Father Lu found a courtyard. ¡°It¡¯s not far, just about a ten-minute walk from our house, probably 5 minutes by bike.¡± As the evening approached and it was no longer busy, the whole family, without even stopping for dinner, went to check out the courtyard. Upon entering the courtyard, directly ahead were three rooms, a kitchen, and living spaces on each side. The space in the front courtyard was quite large, and there was also a small spare room on the side of the house. The rent was six yuan a month, to be paid six months in advance. To be cautious, Susu also signed an agreement with the landlord, specifying a one-year term during which the landlord could not arbitrarily raise the rent. With the housing issue finally settled, the family walked home chatting and laughing. ¡°Speaking of Dad, see if anyone has puppies, I want you to bring three puppies home,¡± Susu suddenly remembered. Mrs. Lu, puzzled, asked, ¡°Susu, why are you bringing so many dogs back?¡± ¡°Mom, I plan to keep two dogs in the new courtyard to guard the place, and one at our house. In case anyone with ill intentions sneaks in, it¡¯s good to have some protection.¡± Father Lu nodded, ¡°Susu is right, now that we are making money. If some hooligans target us, and no one¡¯s home during the day, it would be an easy steal.¡± ¡°Exactly.¡± Mrs. Lu, frightened by the thought of intruders, patted her chest, ¡°Susu really has a good head on her shoulders, thinking of everything.¡± The next day, the family found time to clean the new courtyard. ¡°Aunt is here.¡± Susu turned and yelled into the house, ¡°Mom, Xian Yue, Aunt¡¯s here.¡± ¡°Oh my, elder sister-in-law, what brings you here?¡± ¡°Mom, why are you here?¡± Aunt Liu Fen laughed at their reactions, ¡°I heard you were here cleaning the new courtyard, so I came to help.¡± ¡°That¡¯s great, with the elder sister-in-law¡¯s help, we can finish earlier.¡± Feeling slightly embarrassed, Susu responded, ¡°Thank you, Aunt, let¡¯s go out for dinner together tonight.¡± Aunt Liu Fen, being a straightforward person, rolled up her sleeves and got to work briskly. ¡°What¡¯s there to thank me for? Look at how vibrant Xian Yue is now, I should be thanking you and her second Aunt. If it weren¡¯t for you, Xian Yue would still be home, having to look at her sisters-in-law¡¯s faces, instead of earning thirty yuan a month.¡± Su Xianyue pursed her lips, smilingly reminding her mother, ¡°Mom, my second sister-in-law gave me a raise, it¡¯s forty-five now.¡± ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Aunt Liu Fen stared wide-eyed, exclaiming in shock, ¡°So old already in one month? Oh no, no, my heart is all over the place...¡± ¡°Susu, when the time comes to hire two cooks, what if they leak our family¡¯s secret recipe?¡± Mrs. Lu frowned, her face filled with worry. ¡°Mom, don¡¯t worry. The secret recipe will still be in our hands, and Xian Yue will continue to be in charge of the spice packets. The new hires will mainly be responsible for washing vegetables and managing the cooking.¡± Susu comforted her mother-in-law, ¡°By the way, Mom, have you thought of anyone yet?¡± ¡°Yes, yes, yes, for the cooks, I think your Aunt and her neighbor, Li Chunhua, would be fine, both diligent and capable, and they love cleanliness.¡± Mrs. Lu explained a bit shyly, ¡°You know your Aunt¡¯s family has it tight, Mom thought we could help as much as we can. If it turns out they¡¯re not up to it, you won¡¯t even have to say anything, Mom will send them away herself.¡± ¡°Okay, what about the salesperson, Mom, do you have anyone in mind?¡± Mrs. Lu slapped her thigh, almost forgetting, ¡°It¡¯s your Aunt¡¯s family, your youngest brother¡¯s wife¡¯s elder sister, Wang Hong. Her husband fell off the roof a couple of years ago while fixing it, and since then he can¡¯t do heavy work and needs a lot of medication every month. The whole family relies on Wang Hong farming and selling vegetables to get by, I think the girl can endure hardships and is very determined.¡± ¡°Okay, please ask her if she is willing to come, and I¡¯d like to meet her too.¡± After saying this, Mrs. Lu, unafraid of the sun, rode her bike to Aunt¡¯s house. Upon hearing about such a good opportunity, Aunt Su and Aunt Li immediately came running over. ... It was that very afternoon that Susu met Wang Hong, Aunt Su¡¯s sister-in-law. Clad in clothes patched over patches, the whole person dark and thin, she stood there somewhat awkwardly but still plucked up the courage to speak. ¡°Rest assured, Homeowner, I can endure hardships. Whatever you say, I¡¯ll do. If you¡¯re not sure, you can ask around, I do all sorts of work in and out of the house¡ª¡± ¡°Sister Hong, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be nervous. Here¡¯s what we¡¯ll do, come here around 8 o¡¯clock tomorrow morning, I¡¯ll take you out to sell for a day, you¡¯ll learn how to do it and see if you can handle it.¡± The next morning Susu and the two others had just arrived at the new court, only to see Wang Hong waiting at the door. ¡°Come in, come in, you haven¡¯t been waiting too long, have you?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t want to delay, so I settled things at home and came here,¡± Wang Hong said, scratching her head in embarrassment. Soon, Aunt Su and Aunt Li had also arrived, and the group quickly began to tidy up. During the process, Wang Hong even rushed to help wash the vegetables. ¡°Sister Hong, you don¡¯t need to ¨C once the braised goods are ready, we¡¯ll go out to sell on the street. Just sit and wait for now.¡± ¡°No need, no need, I can¡¯t just sit idle watching others work.¡± ... ¡°What are you doing not going inside and squatting here?¡± Lu Xiaoting carried a bag of food and from afar saw his sister squatting by the door. Lu Xiaomei stood up, pouting, ¡°Second brother, there¡¯s no one at home. I don¡¯t know where Mom and my sister-in-law have gone.¡± ¡°Wait here, I¡¯ll go ask.¡± Lu Xiaoting came out from next door at Aunt Wang¡¯s house, ¡°Aunt Wang said Mom and Susu went to the new Family Court.¡± Chapter 27 - 27 27 Attacked ?Chapter 27: Chapter 27 Attacked Chapter 27: Chapter 27 Attacked The Lu siblings listened to the laughter coming from the yard, exchanged glances, and stepped forward to push open the courtyard gate. ¡°Woof woof woof¡ª¡± ¡°Woof woof woof¡ª¡± Two yellow and black puppies the size of a grown man¡¯s palm burst out, baring their teeth at the pair as if to warn them, ¡°Kid, watch out! Be careful we bite you!¡± ¡°How did you guys find your way here?¡± Susu was both shocked and delighted, hurriedly picking up the two fierce little puppies, one in each arm. ¡°Da Huang and Da Hei, these are family, no need to be so fierce, oh.¡± As if understanding, the two little ones whimpered softly, obediently licking their tongues. ¡°Uncle, Little Aunt.¡± Seeing the two, Xiao Yu rushed over excitedly. ¡°Hmm, go play.¡± Lu Xiaoting patted the little guy on the head. Xiao Yu led Da Huang and Da Hei to the back to play, with a bounce in his step, while Lu Xiaomei rolled up her sleeves and ran to help with the work. Only the young couple remained where they were. Susu, a bit uncomfortable under the man¡¯s deep gaze, hung her head and lightly kicked at the stone beneath her foot with the tip of her shoe. ¡°How come my wife has gotten even more formidable? I haven¡¯t seen her for a few days, and the business at home has expanded even further.¡± At the sound of the man¡¯s teasing voice, Susu froze, and when she lifted her head, she collided with the man¡¯s deep, starry eyes. ¡°Hmph, of course,¡± she retorted, and without waiting for the man to react, she took off like a shot. Lu Xiaoting chuckled lowly, watching the woman¡¯s retreat with a beguiling smile playing upon his lips. After hastily cleaning all the pots and pans used during the day, the group headed out the door. ¡°Da Huang, Da Hei, hurry up!¡± ¡°Aoow~¡± The two little puppies followed the little guy, their short legs churning rapidly. ¡°Sister-in-law, I¡¯m about to graduate soon. What if I come back and help you with the stall? Going to university is just about finding a job anyway, I might as well come out and make money now.¡± Lu Xiaomei whispered to her sister-in-law, afraid of being scolded by her mother. ¡°No way.¡± Susu rejected her without hesitation and softened her tone upon seeing the little aunt¡¯s astonished look. ¡°Studying is so good. After graduating from university, you can get a job assignment. I used to want to study, but my family wouldn¡¯t let me. You just want to earn money, right? I promise that I¡¯ll work hard to expand the marinade business to the Provincial City. Then when you go to university, you can come and work part-time during the holidays.¡± Lu Xiaomei¡¯s eyes shone as she nodded, ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll listen to my sister-in-law.¡± ¡°What secret are you aunt and niece whispering about, all sneaky like that?¡± Mrs. Lu teased, watching them exchange whispers. Lu Gong¡¯an, who had exceptional hearing, had clearly caught the aunt and niece¡¯s conversation but smiled without a word. ¡°Mom, it¡¯s a secret between me and my sister-in-law.¡± Lu Xiaomei affectionately linked arms with her sister-in-law, tilting her chin up, ¡°Right, sister-in-law?¡± Susu deliberately shook her head to indicate it wasn¡¯t. Lu Xiaomei stamped her foot, ¡°Sister-in-law~~¡± ... The next morning As soon as Susu came out, she saw Xiao Yu sticking out his little bottom, bending over and muttering something to the three little puppies. ¡°Sister Hong, do you want to try selling on your own today, or would you like to follow me again to get used to it?¡± Wang Hong clenched her fist, ¡°Susu, I want to try selling goods on my own.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Susu nodded, supporting Sister Hong¡¯s idea, ¡°Sister Hong, we can¡¯t sell in the same spot to avoid competing for business. You go near the school then.¡± ¡°Alright, I got it.¡± The two finished speaking, and Susu glanced at the time. In the morning, since Xian Yue had to do laundry, she hadn¡¯t come over together, but why hadn¡¯t she arrived by now? ¡°Mother, Xian Yue hasn¡¯t come over yet?¡± Mrs. Lu looked up, ¡°No, I haven¡¯t seen her.¡± As the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law were puzzling over this, a disheveled person with grimy clothes walked in. ¡°Xian Yue?¡± ¡°Xian Yue, what happened to you?¡± The crowd exclaimed in shock. Looking up, they saw Xian Yue¡¯s face covered in bruises, startling everyone. Susu immediately helped her onto a chair and asked with a frown, ¡°What happened, who hit you?¡± ¡°I ran into Wang Yong and his mother on the way here, and, and it was Wang Yong¡¯s mother who hit me.¡± Xian Yue gasped in pain. Mrs. Lu swore angrily, ¡°Damn bastard, they¡¯re already divorced, what right does that old witch have to hit you?¡± Lu Xiaoting was calmer than his mother and asked, ¡°Xian Yue, where did you run into the Wang mother and son?¡± ¡°Right after I left the Family Court, Wang Yong¡¯s mother started cursing at me and rushed over to beat me without any warning.¡± Susu was practically exploding with anger and stormed out. ¡°That dead old thing, she thinks there¡¯s no law, eh? Daring to beat someone in the street, I¡¯ll show her¡ª¡± Mrs. Lu, fearing her daughter-in-law would be at a disadvantage, quickly called for her son to bring her back. ¡°Wife, don¡¯t be rash. Leave this to me,¡± Lu Xiaoting said, stopping the furious little woman. Susu, tightly held by the man, stopped helplessly. ¡°I¡¯m not being rash, I¡¯m going to the Police Station to report this. Why are you pulling me?¡± ¡°Alright, we¡¯ll go together.¡± ¡°Mother, take Xian Yue to the hospital, we¡¯ll head to the Police Station.¡± ¡°Alright, got it.¡± Police Station ¡°This is outrageous!¡± Hearing their story, the young police officer was infuriated. Lao Liu had a stern face and said coldly, ¡°Old Lu, leave this to us. We¡¯ll go and bring them back right away, detain them.¡± ¡°Liu Gong¡¯an, I¡¯m coming with you.¡± Lao Liu looked at his red-faced sister-in-law, then at his old friend. Seeing Old Lu nod, he agreed. Four people on two bicycles headed straight for the village where the Wang mother and son lived. As soon as the villagers saw the police caps approaching, they immediately followed to watch the commotion. ¡°Mrs. Wang Yong, because of your egregious behavior of beating someone in the street today, and with the victim seriously injured, you are being detained. You must also compensate the victim with at least 20 coins for medical and emotional damages.¡± Wang Yong and his mother knelt down and begged for mercy immediately. ¡°I was wrong, I won¡¯t dare to do it again.¡± ¡°My son, your mother doesn¡¯t want to go to jail.¡± Wang Yong watched his mother handcuffed with large silver bracelets, too terrified to utter a word. Susu glanced at the crowd of onlookers, listing the Wang mother and son¡¯s misdeeds. ¡°Everyone, come judge this for yourselves. Just because she bumped into my family¡¯s Xian Yue in the street, this Old Mrs. Wang started beating her without saying a word. Poor Xian Yue didn¡¯t even do anything, didn¡¯t even get a chance to speak, and was beaten into a bruised mess and had to go to the hospital.¡± ¡°Disgusting creature.¡± Lao Liu turned to the Wang mother and son, ¡°Wang Family, quickly pay the medical bills and the compensation for emotional distress, or the consequences will be more severe.¡± Wang Yong, not wanting to implicate himself, scrambled back to the house and came out with a pile of coins. Susu sorted through them one by one, confirming the 20 coins, before nodding to Liu Gong¡¯an. Looking at Old Mrs. Wang with snot and tears all over her face, the young police officer couldn¡¯t hide his disdain. As they now had Old Mrs. Wang with them Lao Liu took the back seat, and Susu, like a child, had to sit on the horizontal bar of the bicycle. Chapter 28 - 28 28 In a Hurry ?Chapter 28: Chapter 28: In a Hurry Chapter 28: Chapter 28: In a Hurry Encircled by a man¡¯s lean yet strong arms, the air filled with his masculine scent. Susu¡¯s cheeks gradually flushed, but the bumpy ride on her buttocks soon distracted her. In the village ¡°My goodness, the Wang family and their son are really something else.¡± ¡°Now that they are held up in jail, they won¡¯t be so smug.¡± ... ¡°It¡¯s absolutely shameful, mentioning someone from our village being jailed, it affects the advancement rating of our whole village.¡± As the onlookers whispered among themselves, Wang Yong wished he could just find a crack in the ground to hide in, so he ultimately just hid back in his house. In the county Throughout the journey, keeping the same posture, the first thing Susu did when she got off the vehicle was to rub her buttocks, feeling they had split into four parts. After saying goodbye to Liu Gong¡¯an, the couple headed straight for the new courtyard. ¡°Xiaomei, have Xian Yue and mother returned?¡± ¡°Sister-in-law, my mom and Sister Xian Yue just got back.¡± Lu Xiaomei poked her head out of the kitchen, ¡°Mom has gone to inform Aunt. When Sister Xian Yue returned, she was thinking about working, but Mom insisted she lie down on the bed. Sister Xian Yue is now resting in the inner room.¡± ¡°Hmm, did Mom say how Xian Yue¡¯s injuries are? Are they serious?¡± Before Lu Xiaomei could speak, Aunt hurriedly ran in. In the inner room, Aunt hugged her daughter, crying and scolding, while Xian Yue smiled, comforting her mother. ¡°Mom, it¡¯s okay, my Aunt took me for a check-up, and the doctor said it¡¯s nothing serious, just needs some rest.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll curse that Wang family¡¯s ancestors, they are truly heartless. Next time I see that old hag, I¡¯ll yank all the hair off her head. I just don¡¯t believe...¡± ¡°Aunt, Lu Xiaoting and I went to the Police Station and reported the incident. The police have detained Old Mrs. Wang.¡± Sharing the good news, Susu took out a handful of coins from her pocket, ¡°Xian Yue, this is the medical and emotional distress compensation that I got from the Wang family. Keep it safe.¡± ¡°Sister-in-law, I don¡¯t want it. Not only did my situation stop you and Aunt from doing business, but I also can¡¯t work because I¡¯m resting. I can¡¯t accept it.¡± Aunt wiped her tears, ¡°Xian Yue is right, we can¡¯t take this money.¡± Before Susu could speak, Mrs. Lu spoke sternly to her sister-in-law and niece, ¡°We are all family, why even say such things. If Susu gives it to you, just take it.¡± ¡°Xian Yue, keep it and take care of your health. Don¡¯t think too much.¡± Susu then stuffed the money directly into Su Xian Yue¡¯s arms. Seeing this, Xian Yue felt a bit embarrassed but insisted on reimbursing today¡¯s hospital expense to her aunt. Mrs. Lu chided, ¡°You child.¡± ... After discussing the urgent matters, the group didn¡¯t stay inside too long. Firstly, there were still things to be busy with outside, and secondly, to avoid disturbing Xian Yue¡¯s rest. Seeing her daughter asleep, Aunt rolled up her sleeves and rushed out to take over the tasks. ¡°Xian Yue earns that salary every month; now that she¡¯s injured and can¡¯t work, I¡¯ll fill in for the next few days.¡± Seeing that she couldn¡¯t dissuade Aunt, Susu didn¡¯t hold her back. Since the pickled goods business moved to the new courtyard, the whole family had been having lunch there. At noon, the moment Father Lu returned, he heard the news about his niece being assaulted and was incredibly upset. How did they come across such unreasonable people, such meddlesome troublemakers? ¡°No way, let big brother, sister-in-law, and Xian Yue stay here for now. The couple can take care of Xian Yue and feel more at ease, and it¡¯s also good for keeping an eye on the courtyard.¡± Susu nodded in agreement. Mrs. Lu¡¯s eyes lit up, that¡¯s right, her elder brother was still unaware, and would be heartbroken once he knew. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll talk to my elder brother and sister-in-law in a moment.¡± As soon as Aunt Liu Fen heard this, she hurriedly waved her hands, ¡°No, no, it¡¯s not appropriate for an entire family to move into their daughter¡¯s home.¡± ¡°Sister-in-law, I¡¯m not saying you and my brother should stay indefinitely. It¡¯s just about coming over to take care of Xian Yue for a while. Otherwise, can you two rest easy? You would end up running back and forth every day. It¡¯s better to stay here for a while; it¡¯s also a chance to help keep an eye on the yard.¡± ¡°Then... should I go back and ask your elder brother?¡± Aunt Liu Fen seemed somewhat persuaded. She had originally planned to bring her daughter home to take care of her and temporarily take her place in assisting with the work here. But when she thought of the two daughters-in-law at home, Aunt Liu Fen hesitated. It wasn¡¯t for any other reason but the fear of her daughter being mistreated at home. ¡°Little Aunt, your elder brother should be almost back; I better hurry home and discuss this.¡± Having said that, Aunt Liu Fen quickly ran off. ¡°Mom, you and Lu Xiaomei take Xiao Yu back first; my wife and I will wait here for my Aunt.¡± ¡°Okay, we¡¯ll go back and start cooking.¡± The little guy was somewhat reluctant, but still obediently took his two exuberantly happy puppies and left. The yard suddenly became so quiet it was almost too much, leaving just the couple staring at each other. Susu felt uncomfortable under the man¡¯s dark gaze and averted her eyes, ¡°Why are you looking at me like that?¡± Had he discovered something? Just as Susu nervously pondered what excuse to use, she heard the man¡¯s deep voice beside her ear, ¡°Wife, how are you so amazing!¡± ¡°Once you act, you grasp everything firmly. Considering how terrified people are of the police hat, once Old Mrs. Wang gets released, she¡¯ll surely skirt around our family in the future.¡± The relieved person proudly lifted her little chin, her pale face full of smugness. ¡°Exactly, who else but my clever wife. I might not know much, but I definitely know to seek help from the police when trouble arises!¡± Watching the playful little woman, Lu Xiaoting laughed softly, nodding seriously, ¡°Yep! My wife is really smart!¡± This man certainly looked good when he smiled! After a while, Susu blinked, stealing a glance at the man. Why was there always a feeling of being subtly jabbed? But seeing the man¡¯s serious expression, Susu figured she was overthinking it. Before long, Uncle Su and Aunt hurried in carrying a large bundle, looking very hurried. ¡°Uncle, Aunt.¡± ¡°Ah, Xiao Ting, Xiao Ting¡¯s wife.¡± Uncle Su, sweating profusely, spoke anxiously, ¡°Your aunt mentioned this, and I hurried over; we¡¯ll stay here for a while to take care of Xian Yue.¡± ¡°Okay, Uncle, Aunt, please make yourselves at home.¡± ¡°Alright, alright, I¡¯ll go see Xian Yue first.¡± ... ¡°Ah¡ªUncle and Aunt really do love their daughter Xian Yue,¡± Susu sighed. ¡°Don¡¯t be sad, wife; you have us.¡± Hearing the man¡¯s voice, Susu came back to her senses and looked up to meet his concerned gaze. Susu paused, realizing that he had mistaken her for being upset. As a wandering soul from another world, Susu had no emotional attachment to the Su family but only felt sympathy for Erya, who was neglected by her parents and brainwashed by her family who valued men over women. The sigh was for¡ªthank goodness not all families favored sons over daughters! Chapter 29 - 29 29 Calling Thieves ?Chapter 29: Chapter 29 Calling Thieves Chapter 29: Chapter 29 Calling Thieves ¡°I don¡¯t understand, why do parents still differentiate between their children when they¡¯re all their own.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine, I just think that having parents like my uncle and aunt is very rare.¡± Susu shook her head, ¡°And I also have such good in-laws and a nice sister-in-law.¡± Lu Xiaoting looked straight at the petite woman beside him and swallowed the words that were on the tip of his tongue. The next day ¡°Sister Hong, for your first day running the stall on your own, selling over twenty kilograms is already very impressive. Take it slow, it will definitely increase in the future.¡± Wang Hong¡¯s face, which usually wore a frown, was now filled with a hopeful smile as she nodded in agreement. ¡°I still need to thank you, Susu, for being willing to employ me. This is from my husband; it¡¯s all vegetables we grew ourselves, not worth much. But you must accept it.¡± ¡°Okay, then I¡¯ll accept it. Sister Hong, please remember to extend my thanks to your husband.¡± Susu didn¡¯t hesitate and took the vegetables, but still she cautioned, ¡°However, this is just for this time, it¡¯s not allowed in the future. As long as you work hard, that¡¯s what makes me the happiest.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll definitely work hard, and never let our family down.¡± ... ¡°Xiao Wang¡¯s vitality has improved a lot,¡± Aunt Li said with a smile. Aunt Su nodded, ¡°Indeed, Wang Hong and her husband have had a tough life, being mistreated by their in-laws. It wasn¡¯t easy until they separated from the extended family and started making their own decisions. Then her husband got injured, couldn¡¯t do heavy tasks anymore, and became bedridden. To afford her husband¡¯s medical expenses, their family became very poor. Occasionally, her parental family would help, but that wasn¡¯t much. But luckily, she met Susu, and that is what you call, what was it... something about the moon... something bright.¡± ¡°Aunt, it¡¯s ¡®after every storm comes a calm,''¡± Lu Xiaomei corrected. ¡°Yes, yes, yes, that¡¯s the phrase.¡± Aunt Su smiled fondly at her niece and then said proudly, ¡°It¡¯s always the educated children who speak so beautifully.¡± ¡°Second sister, look how smart Xiaomei is. Just wait for her to get into a university too. Having two college graduates would be a first for your family. Both your son and daughter are successful, and your daughter-in-law is so filial. You just wait and enjoy your blessings.¡± Mrs. Lu, flattered by her sister¡¯s compliments, beamed and couldn¡¯t stop smiling. Not even trying to be modest, she asked, ¡°Are you envious of your second sister?¡± ¡°Envious? How can I not be! I¡¯m so green with envy!¡± ¡°Hahaha...¡± Lu Xiaomei and Susu shared a smile. Textile Factory Family Courtyard As the Lu Family just reached their doorstep, they were stopped by their neighbor, Aunt Wang. With a stern face, Aunt Wang called out, ¡°Oh, you¡¯re finally back; if you didn¡¯t return, I would have sent my second son to look for you.¡± ¡°What happened?¡± Aunt Wang slapped her thigh, spitting as she spoke, ¡°There¡¯s been a thief in our Family Court!¡± ¡°What?¡± The Lu family exclaimed. ¡°It¡¯s the He Family¡¯s youngest son who started selling buns recently, and his mother has been bragging about how much money he makes. This afternoon, while nobody was home, a thief broke in.¡± ¡°Oh my! So...¡± ¡°You wouldn¡¯t believe how they turned the house upside down.¡± Aunt Wang waved her hand, took a sip of water to moisten her throat, and continued animatedly, ¡°Old Mrs. He walked into the house and was so scared she fell to the ground.¡± ¡°Oh my, how much money was stolen?¡± Mrs. Lu inquired. Aunt Wang rolled her eyes, nearly into the sky, ¡°What money? She was just boasting. The thief didn¡¯t find any money, got mad, and trashed the place. But they did take the family¡¯s old hen; Old Mrs. He was so angry she was cursing all afternoon.¡± Everyone¡¯s emotions roller-coastered. ¡°It was so scary, imagine if someone had been home when the thief broke in¡ªwhat if he was cruel, and had stabbed someone with a knife?¡± ¡°Ouch, that¡¯s true. You folks should be careful too. I must hurry back now.¡± Aunt Wang heard this and got a bit scared, quickly walking back to her place and securing the door. There was a slightly heavy atmosphere in the house. Lu Xiaoting analyzed calmly, ¡°If there were strangers in and out of the Family Court, everyone would definitely notice. It¡¯s highly likely an inside job, which is why they knew so much about the He Family¡¯s situation.¡± ¡°What should we do then? They won¡¯t come to our house, will they?¡± Mrs. Lu clutched her chest. ¡°It¡¯s unlikely. They probably got the idea after hearing the He Family boasting.¡± Susu nodded, ¡°I think so too. Plus, we have a dog. The dog isn¡¯t big, but it would definitely bark if someone tried to break in.¡± ¡°Right, let¡¯s make sure to lock all the doors and windows before going to bed from now on.¡± Inside the pitch-black house, ¡°I¡¯m leaving tomorrow. I¡¯ll leave the house to you, my dear.¡± Susu looked towards her husband, ¡°Mm, take care to eat on time when you go back. I¡¯ve noticed you tend to forget meals when you get busy.¡± ¡°Mm, I know, my dear.¡± The man¡¯s dark eyes watched his wife affectionately, a smile forming on his lips, ¡°Thanks for your hard work, my dear.¡± Charmed by her husband¡¯s sensuous voice, Susu rolled over with a smile, ¡°Good that you know.¡± The foggy sky in the early morning, worried about missing the bus if it rained, the siblings left home early. Before long, the sky was covered with dark clouds, the cold wind blowing gustily. Dark clouds gathered, and it was drizzling continuously. As the light drizzle soaked the earth, it splattered small dots of mud from the puddles. Susu got up to use the toilet and ran into Mrs. Lu cooking breakfast. ¡°Mom, with such heavy rain, there¡¯s no need to set up the stall. Why don¡¯t you sleep in a bit more?¡± ¡°I¡¯m used to waking up at this time; can¡¯t sleep even if I stay in bed.¡± Mrs. Lu, still cheerful, urged, ¡°Susu, go back to sleep for a bit. I¡¯ll keep the food warm in the pot; you can eat whenever you get up.¡± ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll go lie down for a bit more.¡± Strangely, though she had just been too sleepy to keep her eyes open, once she lay back down, the sleepiness was gone. Xiao Yu, on the other hand, was sleeping like a piglet. With no need to prepare pickles for selling today, Susu relaxed leisurely against the edge of the bed, watching as the drizzle outside the window gradually turned into a heavy downpour. Could this be what they call ¡®stealing half a day of leisure¡¯? ¡°Susu, why are you up?¡± ¡°Can¡¯t sleep.¡± The mother-in-law and daughter-in-law sat on small stools. ¡°Ah¡ª¡± Mrs. Lu sighed deeply. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Mom?¡± ¡°Being used to being busy all the time, having such a sudden leisure really feels strange.¡± Susu petted the three fluffy little ones by her feet, ¡°Yeah, it does feel a bit strange.¡± With nothing else to do, the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law simply took out a half-done shoe pad Mrs. Lu was making to pass the time. ¡°Aunt, Grandma.¡± Xiao Yu, rubbing his eyes, ran in, followed by three excitedly wagging-tail puppies. ¡°Aunt, why didn¡¯t you wake Xiao Yu up? I feel like I slept a lot.¡± Susu lifted the little guy onto the bed, ¡°It¡¯s okay. No need to set up the stall today, so sleep some more.¡± Chapter 30 - 30 30 Divide the Family ?Chapter 30: Chapter 30 Divide the Family Chapter 30: Chapter 30 Divide the Family Listenting to grandma talk about the gossip in the Family Courtyard, Susu was all ears, enjoying the tales, while the little one next to them was curiously staring at the shoe pads in their hands, looking from left to right. The half-month flew by, and the Lu Family¡¯s braised foods business was booming, leaving Mrs. Lu smiling every day. That evening, Mrs. Lu had just finished chatting with the neighbors in the Family Courtyard about the latest gossip. Following behind her were Aunt Wang and her youngest son. ¡°Susu, your Aunt Wang and her son Wang Dong are here to see you,¡± she said. Susu hurried down from the kang to greet them, ¡°What brings you here, Auntie?¡± Aunt Wang pointed somewhat sheepishly to her son, ¡°My son Wang Dong was wondering whether he could get some braised food to sell?¡± ¡°Sell braised food?¡± Susu was a little surprised. Seeing her reaction, the young man quickly said, ¡°Sister-in-law, I used to trade grain for others, and now I¡¯m not so busy, I thought I might try selling braised goods? It¡¯s alright if it¡¯s not possible.¡± ¡°Of course, you can,¡± Susu nodded, but she laid it out straight, ¡°You can get goods from me, but I have people who specialize in selling as well, and they all have their fixed spots for their stalls. If you want to sell, you can¡¯t set up in the same place as our own people...¡± ¡°Sure, naturally, it has to be like that.¡± ¡°Alright, as for the purchase, we have uniform prices. For vegetarian dishes, sixty cents, and for meat dishes, one dollar and twenty cents. For vegetarian dishes, you get a five cent profit per jin, and for meat dishes, fifteen cents.¡± Susu wasn¡¯t shy to speak directly and lay out the terms clearly. She had thought Wang Dong would go home and think it over before giving her an answer, but to her surprise, he nodded on the spot and said he would start by trying to sell five jin of each the next day. After discussing business, the Wang mother and son headed home. Looking at her composed grandma, Susu couldn¡¯t help being curious, ¡°Mom, how come you didn¡¯t ask me why I agreed to let Wang Dong buy goods to sell?¡± ¡°Hey, what¡¯s there to ask? You¡¯re smarter than your mother, surely you have your reasons. Besides, the more he sells, the more you earn,¡± Mrs. Lu said as she got up to scoop water from the pot into the footbath, ¡°Susu, you wash your feet first, Mom will go lock the door.¡± ¡°Thank you, Mom.¡± ... ¡°Look at our parents, now they don¡¯t even bother with their grandsons and granddaughters anymore, just taking care of their little girl, not even glancing at our house.¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough, my little sister got hurt,¡± respond Brohter Su. Eldest Sister-in-law Su pinched her husband hard, ¡°Enough what? I¡¯ve never seen parents so biased.¡± After a while, hearing the man¡¯s snores next to her, Eldest Sister-in-law Su kicked him out of annoyance, ¡°Such a carefree creature.¡± Second branch of Su Family Second Su moved closer to her husband and complained, ¡°Look at our parents, they only pamper your little sister, not even caring about the grandkids.¡± ¡°What are you going on about? My little sister got hurt, didn¡¯t she? Mom looks after the chores that Little Sister cannot do otherwise; would you rather not pay your Second Su her wages?¡± replied Su Chenghe, originally sleepy, his eyelids fighting a losing battle against slumber, but now irritated by his wife¡¯s constant buzzing. He rolled over to look at her. ¡°If you didn¡¯t show your little sister such a long face all the time at home, would our parents be unhappy? Imagine if your daughter¡¯s daughter-in-law gave her a long face, would you be happy?¡± Second Su was momentarily lost for words by her husband¡¯s retort but still felt slighted, ¡°Still, it¡¯s not necessary for them to have moved in with her.¡± Second Su pouted, ¡°And ever since Little Sister came back from her divorce, our parents haven¡¯t really bought us anything.¡± ¡°Alright, alright, let¡¯s sleep. I have to work tomorrow,¡± Su Chenghe cut her off. The next day Uncle Su and mother, worried about their grandsons and granddaughters at home, finished their errands and bought two jin of meat, cheerfully heading back home. ¡°Who knows what state the home¡¯s been turned into?¡± ¡°Mom, with Eldest Sister-in-law and Second Su there, don¡¯t worry,¡± Su Xianyue replied with a wry smile. As soon as they entered the alley, they encountered a group of chattering children, among whom were several of the younger Su generation. ¡°Grandma.¡± ¡°Little Aunt.¡± A group of children, excited and elated, gathered around, and seeing the meat, they happily shouted, ¡°We¡¯re going to have meat, we¡¯re going to have meat!¡± ... Eldest Sister-in-law Su looked at the mother-in-law and little sister-in-law, who were chatting and laughing, and curled her lip, ¡°Little sister, you must have made quite a bit, huh? Look at the new clothes on you.¡± Xiao Su Xian Yue quickly looked down and said, ¡°This is new fabric that Second Su bought for me, I made it myself.¡± Aunt Su frowned, ¡°It was Susu who saw that Xian Yue¡¯s clothes were not decent and bought the fabric with her own money.¡± ¡°Hey, I didn¡¯t even say anything, you see how anxious mom and little sister are getting, anyone would think that it was you and father who provided the supplement.¡± Eldest Sister-in-law Su finished speaking and, hugging her little girl, muttered, ¡°Look at this, your grandparents spent all their money on your little aunt and wouldn¡¯t even buy meat for you~~¡± ¡°Slap¡ª¡± Aunt Su slapped the knife onto the cutting board with an ugly expression on her face. ¡°I think you are just full and looking for trouble, always thinking about the petty cash in your father¡¯s and my pocket. Is it such a crime that I made a dress for Xian Yue, that you have to hold a grudge against me? I¡¯ll spend my money on whomever I want, do I have to consider your feelings? When Xian Yue was unmarried, didn¡¯t she help take care of several nephews and nieces? Not to mention, I¡¯ve raised your children till they grew big, and have always helped subsidize this household. Has there been a month when your father¡¯s salary hasn¡¯t gone towards subsidizing you? Hm? I didn¡¯t realize that helping you was a mistake.¡± ¡°Mom, I didn¡¯t mean that.¡± Second Sister-in-law Wang Caixia quickly waved her hands. Before elder daughter-in-law He Hong could speak, Mrs. Lu was already angrily standing with her hands on her hips. ¡°Don¡¯t think I don¡¯t know your little schemes. I...¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡± The three men of the Su Family who had just returned, looked at the people in the room and asked. After learning the full story, Su Fu¡¯s face darkened, and he did not utter a word. Brother Su and Su said a few words to their own wives in a low voice, and hurriedly tried to smooth things over with their parents and sister. ¡°Let¡¯s separate!¡± Su Fu uttered three words with a cold voice. ¡°Old man, what are you rambling about?¡± ¡°Dad?¡± ¡°Dad, what are you saying?¡± ¡°Just that, mom and dad, don¡¯t be angry, I¡¯ll definitely keep my wife in line in the future. I...¡± ... Textile Factory Family Courtyard ¡°What? They¡¯re separating?¡± Mrs. Lu exclaimed in surprise, looking at her eldest brother and sister-in-law. The Lu Family members were all: ¡°???¡± ¡°Ah, it might be easier if we separate, it¡¯ll spare us from everyone thinking we two old folks are playing favorites.¡± Brother Su sighed. Eldest Sister-in-law Su was still a bit angry when talking about the evening¡¯s events. ¡°From now on, let those two families live however they want, we won¡¯t interfere, and they shouldn¡¯t expect any more money out of me and the old man.¡± ... After seeing off Uncle Su and his family, Mrs. Lu was still angry on behalf of her eldest brother. ¡°Mom, I¡¯ll need you to look after the business these next few days.¡± Mrs. Lu slapped her forehead, ¡°Oh dear, look at my memory, I forgot about your trip to the Provincial City tomorrow, rest assured, your father and I will take care of it.¡± Provincial City, Public Security Bureau Family Courtyard. ¡°Ah, isn¡¯t that Lu Gong¡¯an¡¯s family?¡± Chapter 31 - 31 31 Minced Meat ?Chapter 31: Chapter 31 Minced Meat Chapter 31: Chapter 31 Minced Meat ¡°My goodness, really!¡± ¡°You¡¯re saying that woman has the nerve to come back? She turned Family Court into a mess; if it were me, I¡¯d be too embarrassed to show my face.¡± ¡°Oh my, that woman is like tough meat; she¡¯s got nothing to be embarrassed about.¡± ¡°Exactly, exactly, her thick skin is like the ground back in our hometown, super thick.¡± ¡°Hahaha...¡± A group of women laughed out loud, bending over backward with laughter. Susu, who was trying to locate her home based on memory, was suddenly startled and turned around to look. She thought to herself what a loud voice, almost making her hands tremble and drop the food she was holding. Susu, curious, surveyed her surroundings; so this was the ¡°tubular building,¡± both sides of the hallway were packed full. Pushing the door open, she found a rectangular room, simply furnished but clean and bright. Having been prepared for a major cleanup, Susu was stunned in amazement. Everywhere she looked was clean and tidy, even the double bed near the wardrobe had its quilt neatly folded, and the bedsheets were smooth without any wrinkles. ¡°Not bad, this person is really capable!¡± ¡°Lu Gong¡¯an, you¡¯re off work.¡± Lu Xiaoting nodded to the chattering group of old women, ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°Xiao Lu, you should quickly go home and check it out, your wife came back this morning.¡± An old woman, holding a shoe pad, kindly reminded him. Hearing this, Lu Xiaoting paused his steps, thanked the old woman, and hurried home. ¡°Tsk tsk tsk, just wait, there¡¯s bound to be a commotion at Lu Gong¡¯an¡¯s home, it¡¯s going to be noisy at noon.¡± An old woman smacked her lips, sure of it. ¡°Ah, poor Mr. Lu Gong¡¯an, to end up with such a wife.¡± ¡°So annoying, we had some peace for a while, and now it¡¯s starting up again, such bad luck.¡± Watching the figures come and go through the gate, the man¡¯s Adam¡¯s apple moved, and he quickly stepped forward. ¡°Wife.¡± Hearing the voice, Susu turned around, holding a plate in each hand, smiling, ¡°You¡¯re back, just in time for dinner, go wash your hands and let¡¯s eat.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Susu set the table and looked up to meet the man¡¯s deep eyes, ¡°Why are you staring at me like that? Come on, eat.¡± ¡°Why didn¡¯t you call? I could have picked you up.¡± Lu Xiaoting furrowed his brows slightly. Susu casually replied, ¡°I know the way. Besides, I thought you might be busy.¡± ¡°Right, the courtyard we talked about earlier, is it far? If not, let¡¯s go see it after we eat. If it¡¯s far, never mind.¡± ¡°Not far.¡± After dinner, The couple appeared together, causing quite a stir in Family Court. Walking through, Susu was quite satisfied with the location, with a Police Station nearby, plenty of people around, and convenient access to places. An old man with a rattan fan led them into the courtyard. ¡°This is also because my son got a job transfer recently, it¡¯s inconvenient for him to live here, and we old folks need to help with our grandchild, so this house just became available. Take a look around, if it¡¯s suitable, we can settle it today, thirteen dollars a month.¡± With that, the old man moved a small stool to the side of the wall to cool off, not minding the young couple. This courtyard was a bit smaller than the one they rented in the county, which was also twelve dollars a month, but a higher price in Provincial City was expected. Susu looked up at the man, ¡°What do you think?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve seen three houses; after comparing them, I think this courtyard is the most suitable.¡± ¡°Okay, let¡¯s take this place then.¡± Because the old man was averse to trouble, both parties finalized the rental agreement that afternoon, paying half a year¡¯s rent upfront. Looking at the woman¡¯s blushing face, Lu Xiaoting chuckled, ¡°Are you this happy?¡± ¡°Of course, now that the house is sorted out, I can start hiring people in the Provincial City soon and set up a stall. The money will quickly flow into my pocket.¡± The more Susu thought about it, the more excited she became, wishing she could start working immediately. ¡°You better head to work now, I¡¯ll be back in the county after I finish cleaning this afternoon.¡± Susu didn¡¯t notice the man¡¯s gloomy dark eyes, she continued to talk about herself and reminded him to contact her as soon as someone applied for the job. ¡°Wife, how about not returning until tomorrow?¡± ¡°That won¡¯t work, I¡¯ll be away for a day and my mother will be all alone at home. Besides, I promised Xiao Yu I¡¯d be back tonight.¡± Lu Xiaoting: ¡°...¡± Susu quickly cleaned the new yard and caught the last bus of the afternoon back to the county. As soon as she reached her doorstep, she saw a little one propping his chin with both hands, eagerly waiting. Like a little cannonball, Xiao Yu ¡°whooshed¡± his way over to her. ¡°Auntie.¡± ¡°Xiao Yu, have you been good at home with grandma today? Did you miss Auntie?¡± Susu patted the little fellow¡¯s head and asked twice with a smile. The little guy nodded vigorously, ¡°Hmm, hmm, hmm, Xiao Yu was very good. I missed Auntie a lot.¡± Mrs. Lu, holding a shovel, peeked out half of her body and said cheerfully, ¡°You don¡¯t know, Xiao Yu has been talking about you since this morning. As soon as you arrived, he carried his small stool and ran to the yard gate to wait for you.¡± ¡°By the way, did you like the yard?¡± Susu nodded, ¡°I liked it, it¡¯s not far from the Family Court, just near the Police Station.¡± ... Provincial City, Family Court. Lu Xiaoting entered the house and sighed as he looked at the empty room. Two days later ¡°Xiao Sun, make sure everything at home is settled. Tomorrow, we¡¯ll catch the earliest bus to the Provincial City.¡± Just having answered a phone call at the alleyway, Susu entered and saw Xiao Sun packing marinated goods into a basket with Xian Yue. ¡°Yes, everything is settled. The Provincial City isn¡¯t far anyway, and I¡¯ll come back every three to five days to check. Once I save some money, I¡¯ll bring my grandparents to the Provincial City too.¡± Seeing Xiao Sun¡¯s blushing face, Susu thought he was just shy and didn¡¯t think much of it. ¡°Alright, you go ahead.¡± ... ¡°Sister Hong, how did it go with your husband?¡± Susu asked Wang Hong, who was wiping her sweat. Wang Hong took a deep breath and nodded seriously. ¡°My husband and I have discussed it. He¡¯ll take care of the home and the kids, and I originally thought of commuting daily between home and the Provincial City. But considering the daily 50 cents fare, it adds up a lot over a month. I didn¡¯t even realize I could earn that much in a month, so I decided to go to the Provincial City to earn more money to get my husband¡¯s illness treated faster.¡± ¡°Okay, see you at the bus station tomorrow, Sister Hong.¡± Afraid that Sister Hong might say something emotional again, Susu quickly changed the subject. Hearing that he would be going to the Provincial City tomorrow and wouldn¡¯t be coming back for a while, the little one stuck to Susu¡¯s side all night. Looking at his tightly pursed little lips, clearly wanting to follow her, but not voicing it, Xiao Yu. Susu touched the little guy¡¯s head, ¡°Auntie will be very busy every day once I¡¯m there, and I won¡¯t be able to take care of Xiao Yu. But I promise you, once the business in the Provincial City steadies, I¡¯ll bring you along, okay?¡± Chapter 32 - 32 32 My Fault ?Chapter 32: Chapter 32 My Fault Chapter 32: Chapter 32 My Fault The next day, bright and early, three people each carried 20 kilograms of marinated foods and caught the first bus to the Provincial City. After getting off the bus, Susu led the two straight to the rented courtyard. ¡°Sister Hong, Xiao Sun, after you finish selling the marinades, come straight here. I¡¯ll clean up the place, just in time to wait for the people coming for the job interview.¡± Susu sent Sister Hong to a nearby school, and Xiao Sun to the somewhat chaotic bus station; fortunately, neither place was too far away. She wasn¡¯t worried about them getting lost; they had passed by these places on their way, and having been out and about for so long, they could simply ask someone with a simple question if needed. After the two had left, Susu didn¡¯t sit idle; she busied herself while waiting for the two people she had arranged to interview. ¡°Knock, knock, knock¡ª¡± Hearing the knock, Susu hurried to open the door. What she saw were a young woman and a slightly older woman. ¡°You¡¯re here for the interview, right? Come in, come in.¡± Susu greeted them into the courtyard with a smile and asked, ¡°Did you come here together?¡± ¡°No, no, we met at the door,¡± the slightly older woman said, waving her hand. After a brief conversation, Susu learned the basic details about the two women. The slightly older woman, named Yang Erniu, lived nearby. She was thirty years old, had three kids, with the oldest already in their teens. It was her child who had seen the job posting on the door and called to inquire. The younger woman was named Huang Ying, who had heard about the job through a casual mention by a relative. She had just gotten married that year. Now that her husband¡¯s family had split their household, and with her husband working at a dairy factory and sharing a dormitory there, she thought of stepping out and finding some work. Susu nodded; her first impression of them both was rather good. ¡°Alright, we mainly deal with food here, so hygiene is a must. You can start with a one-month trial. The salary for the trial period is 20 yuan, and after that, it¡¯s 30 yuan per month. If you do well, there¡¯s certainly room for a raise.¡± Hearing that there was a salary of 20 yuan in the first month, both women nodded repeatedly. ¡°Your main tasks would be washing vegetables and preparing marinades. You can go back and think about it.¡± Susu looked at Huang Ying and said, ¡°Your home is far away, you can stay here. Your husband can also move in. But there will be two other staff members staying here too, so later on, it will have to be one room for males and one for females.¡± After seeing off the two women, Susu, carrying a backpack basket, prepared to go out and sell goods. ¡°Sir, I wanted to ask, besides the school, is there any other place around here where many people gather?¡± Lying leisurely on a rocking chair, the old man glanced at her and lazily asked, ¡°What are you selling? Why do you ask?¡± ¡°Sir, I make my own marinated goods and was thinking of giving it a try selling them.¡± ¡°Ah, marinated goods, how are you selling them? Are they tasty? If they are good, let me try some.¡± ... Bus Station ¡°Marinated goods, fresh, tasty, and fragrant marinated goods.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t miss out as you pass by¡ª¡± Whenever someone approached, Xiao Sun hurriedly called out. Many people, curious, came to take a look and ended up buying some. ¡°Hey, young man, did you make these yourself? Not bad at all, they¡¯re really quite fragrant.¡± A middle-aged man spoke as he paid for a kilogram of meat, ¡°I¡¯ll take some back for the kids to try.¡± ¡°Sure thing, take care.¡± ... Chunmiao Primary School Since it wasn¡¯t yet time for school to let out, Wang Hong was selling near the bungalows opposite. There was a group of aunts and grandmas sitting in a circle nearby with their kids. ¡°Fragrant marinated goods¡ª¡± ¡°Freshly made this morning, buy some to eat with rice at home, it¡¯s tasty and appetizing.¡± ¡°Grandma, I want some.¡± ¡°Grandma, I want some too.¡± Seeing someone enjoying the fragrant braised dishes, the children drooled with envy and all pleaded with their grandmas to let them have some too. Many old ladies couldn¡¯t withstand the kids¡¯ nagging and ended up buying each half a pound to one pound. ¡°Grandma doesn¡¯t have money on me, next time, next time.¡± ¡°Wow~ Grandma¡¯s lying, Grandma¡¯s lying.¡± The old lady, troubled by her granddaughter¡¯s crying, hurriedly shouted to Wang Hong, ¡°Girl selling braised food, wait a moment and don¡¯t go yet. I¡¯ll go home and get some money.¡± ¡°Sure Auntie, no rush, take your time.¡± By the time Susu had not gone far, a basket of braised food had been sold completely nearby. She didn¡¯t go directly home, but rather to a nearby vegetable market to buy some vegetables and meat, and even arranged daily deliveries with the shop owner. On her way home, Susu couldn¡¯t help but laugh as she remembered the shop owner¡¯s suspicious gaze. If it hadn¡¯t been for someone recognizing her coincidentally, the wife of Lu Gong¡¯an from the Second Road Police Station, that shop owner might have kicked her out. ¡°Hey, isn¡¯t that Lu Gong¡¯an¡¯s wife? I thought you went back to your hometown?¡± ¡°Did you and your husband make up? What about the child? Have you sorted things out?¡± Susu forced a laugh, ¡°...¡± When Susu reached home, she saw two people at the door. ¡°Sold out?¡± Wang Hong and Xiao Sun nodded happily, both excitedly sharing their experiences of the day. If they didn¡¯t have to officially start their braised food business the next day, both were eager to go out again right away. Seeing their slightly regretful expressions, Susu couldn¡¯t help but laugh. The three of them weren¡¯t idle either; Susu cooked lunch in the kitchen¡ªbraised pork ribs, cucumber salad, dry-fried green beans, minced meat with eggplant, and a pot of round, plump white rice. Wang Hong and Xiao Sun busied themselves cleaning the house, dusting, and sweeping until noon. ¡°Brother-in-law.¡± Xiao Sun hurriedly yelled inside, ¡°Sister Su, my brother-in-law is back.¡± Susu popped her head out and, seeing the tall figure in the courtyard, teased, ¡°Lu Gong¡¯an sure has perfect timing.¡± Seeing his wife drenched in sweat, the man rolled up his sleeves and washed his hands, ¡°Wife, what else needs to be done? Let me do it.¡± ¡°Alright, just bring in the dishes.¡± Susu wasted no time in directing her husband around. Wang Hong, watching the young couple, smiled without saying a word and quietly brought in the cutlery. ¡°Did you come straight here or did you go home first?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t go back, I figured you¡¯d come straight here and wouldn¡¯t have time to go home.¡± As they were speaking, the man¡¯s hands weren¡¯t idle, constantly serving his wife more meat and vegetables. Looking at a bowl piled up like a small mountain in just a few seconds, Susu didn¡¯t know whether to laugh or cry, and playfully glared at him. ¡°Just eat yours, are you trying to make me burst?¡± ¡°Eat more, you need to build strength.¡± Both Wang Hong and Xiao Sun looked at each other and smiled, saying in chorus. Wang Hong teased, ¡°Susu, Lu Gong¡¯an is really worried about you.¡± ¡°Yes, my brother-in-law really cares about you, Sister Su.¡± With her cheeks flushed from their teasing, Susu playfully pinched her husband¡¯s side in annoyance, ¡°It¡¯s all your fault.¡± Lu Xiaoting felt a pain on his side and raised his eyebrow. ¡°Yeah, my bad.¡± Chapter 33 - 33 33 Abandonment of Care ?Chapter 33: Chapter 33: Abandonment of Care Chapter 33: Chapter 33: Abandonment of Care Susu¡¯s face was red with embarrassment, and she gave the man a fierce glare before burying her head in her meal. Watching his wife¡¯s adorable antics, Lu Xiaoting also remained silent, his eyes and eyebrows brimming with laughter. At the dinner table, there was a moment of utter silence, broken only by the sound of dishes and utensils clinking. Since there was no need to set up the stall today, Susu decided to go with Sister Hong and Xiao Sun to purchase everything they needed, including pots, pans, ladles, and the like. Worried about gossip, Susu took Sister Hong to stay at the Family Court for one night, while Lu Xiaoting went to the new house to make do with Xiao Sun. ¡°Susu, what¡¯s up with staring at us?¡± Feeling uncomfortable under their scrutiny, Wang Hong tensed up. Susu certainly couldn¡¯t say it was because the original owner had turned the Family Court upside down in just three short months, creating a situation where people and dogs were unwelcome. She simply guessed it was probably just out of curiosity. Watching the two people¡¯s retreating backs, the old ladies and young wives downstairs curled their lips. ¡°Tsk tsk tsk, Lu Gong¡¯an must have endured quite a bit.¡± ¡°You tell me, how can their skin be so thick? Look at what they¡¯ve done to the Family Court. If it weren¡¯t for me, I would be too embarrassed to come back.¡± ¡°Hahaha, Su Er Ya has such thick skin, how could she possibly be embarrassed?¡± A group of women acted as if they had heard the world¡¯s funniest joke, laughing so hard they were slapping their thighs and doubling over. Susu just shrugged her shoulders, knowing without thinking that the people from the Family Court must have said nothing good. The next day, the two got up early and left the Family Court without even eating breakfast. At the entrance, a man and a woman waited with large and small bags. ¡°Good morning, boss.¡± The woman was Huang Ying, who had come to apply for the job yesterday, and her husband looked reserved. ¡°Why are you here so early?¡± ¡°We thought we¡¯d move our things over early, and my husband has to go back to work later. It¡¯s also a good chance to get to know the way.¡± During the conversation, the gate of the courtyard also opened, and Susu led the couple inside. ¡°Men in the east room, women in the west room, you guys go in and tidy up first, and we¡¯ll start working when the vegetables arrive.¡± No sooner had she finished speaking than Yang Erniu also arrived. Susu and Sister Hong had made a big pot of sweet potato porridge and had also prepared a bowl of dough for making two-in-one buns at noon. The courtyard gradually began to bustle with activity, and Susu reminded the two to clean the ingredients thoroughly, especially the pig intestines, which must be scrubbed clean. ¡°Oh my goodness, so pig intestines need to be washed like this? No wonder they have a certain smell when I cook them at home.¡± Sister Yang spoke while working efficiently with her hands. ¡°It¡¯s truly an eye-opener, I never knew you had to use flour to wash them. Such a precious ingredient, us ordinary folks can¡¯t bear to use it like that. We can hardly eat it a few times throughout the whole year.¡± Susu, amused, said that when the first batch of braised foods were ready, she would let both of them taste it, especially the pig intestines. Happy to hear this, the two worked even more swiftly. Before long, with their help and without setting up the stall, Sister Hong and Xiao Sun got busy too. It wasn¡¯t long before the aroma filled the courtyard, the savory scent of the braised food wafted into their nostrils, making people¡¯s mouths water. Inhaling the fragrance, Huang Ying grew curious, ¡°Sister Su, it smells so good. Could this be a family secret recipe?¡± Susu nodded, smiling without a word. ¡°Mom, what¡¯s that smell? It¡¯s so delicious.¡± ¡°Delicious my foot, get moving to school now, dilly-dallying around, or your mom here will loosen your skin.¡± ¡°Wow¡ªmom, you¡¯re so fierce, I...¡± ¡°Fierce my foot, watch it or I¡¯ll knock your head off.¡± ... Listening to the chaos next door, everyone couldn¡¯t help but laugh. As the first pot of aromatic stewed goods was ready, Susu served a bowl for everyone to taste. Xiao Sun and Sister Hong, eager to show off their skills, couldn¡¯t wait to pack the cooled stewed goods and headed out the door after they had completely cooled off. Meanwhile, Susu continued to teach them how to stew, of course, the secret stew recipe had been prepared by her in advance. The most important thing about these stewed goods was her secret seasoning mix, which she handled personally to prevent any leaks of the recipe. ¡°Sister Yang, Yingzi, keep an eye on the fire for me, I¡¯m going to get some fresh air.¡± ¡°Sure thing, Xiao Su.¡± ¡°Alright, Sister Su.¡± In the midst of the summer heat, staying in the kitchen meant sweating profusely, so Susu, fanning herself with a hand fan, flopped down onto a small stool. ... Before the second pot of stewed goods had time to cool, Wang Hong and Xiao Sun came back one after the other. ¡°That fast?¡± Shocked, Susu quickly handed the two sweaty people water to drink, which had been cooled since the morning. Wang Hong¡¯s face was filled with a smiling expression, casually wiping sweat with the towel around her neck, ¡°There were still so many people who didn¡¯t manage to buy it, complaining that I made too few. I only managed to appease them by saying we were still making more at home, and they could come and pick it up soon.¡± ¡°It¡¯s the same for me, but some customers at the bus station had to catch their rides, probably couldn¡¯t wait that long.¡± Xiao Sun was grinning from ear to ear, his face growing markedly darker. ¡°They¡¯ll cool off soon enough, just in time for you two to take a breather.¡± Susu said, then jokingly added with a laugh, ¡°Xiao Sun, you¡¯re getting darker and darker. What if you scare the girls away when you go match-making?¡± Xiao Sun¡¯s face, ambiguous if it was red or not, scratched his head but decided not to say anything else. For several days, the sales performance of Sister Hong and Xiao Sun was very impressive. Lu Xiaoting looked at his wife¡¯s smiling face and even his usually stern face broke into a smile. ¡°You little money lover.¡± Susu tilted her head proudly, thinking to herself that this was just the beginning; she planned to make even more money. ¡°Humph! Just watch, I¡¯m going to make even more money.¡± ¡°Yes, my wife is the best.¡± Susu¡¯s ears turned red, and when she met her husband¡¯s deep and smiling eyes, she awkwardly averted her gaze. Humph, truly an enchanting man. In recent days, the people in the Family Court watched the couple come and go together, their eyes almost popping out in the beginning. Everyone said that Xiao Lu from the Public Security Bureau was tall, handsome, but his taste in women wasn¡¯t that great. They found it unbelievable how much he cherished such a cunning woman. As gossip spread, it escalated¡ªseeing only the couple coming and going for several days, Yang Tianyu seemed nowhere to be found. ¡°Do you think it¡¯s possible they got so fed up with that woman¡¯s troublemaking that they just abandoned the kid?¡± ¡°I think so too. With that woman¡¯s temper, could she live a peaceful life? She¡¯s more likely to make trouble.¡± The rumors spread with certainty, and soon the Family Court was abuzz with whispers that the couple had abandoned the Public Security officer¡¯s orphan, gaining more traction as time passed. The leadership of the Police Station and their spouses each approached the couple with grave expressions, earnestly advising them. Police Station ¡°Abandoned?¡± Lu Xiaoting looked at Director Wang, his brows tightly furrowed. Family Court ¡°Abandoned?¡± Susu looked at the middle-aged woman who claimed to be the leader¡¯s wife, her eyebrows twisted into knots. Chapter 34 - 34 34 Making a Phone Call ?Chapter 34: Chapter 34 Making a Phone Call Chapter 34: Chapter 34 Making a Phone Call Director Wang slammed his hand down on the table, a grim expression on his face. ¡°It¡¯s all over the Family Court that you and your spouse have abandoned Xiao Yu. What¡¯s going on with this?¡± Xian Yue frowned and replied coolly, ¡°Xiao Yu is perfectly fine at home, so how did it get around that we abandoned him? Besides, my wife isn¡¯t that sort of person. It was just a momentary inability to accept the situation, but now Xiao Yu is even closer to my wife than he is to me.¡± ... Susu glanced back at the crowd gathered at the door, seemingly there for the drama, and something clicked in her mind, but she wasn¡¯t the least bit intimidated. ¡°Aunt, I don¡¯t know where these crazy rumors came from. Xiao Yu is fine and staying at home. If it weren¡¯t for the fact that I¡¯m busy with the brine goods business and don¡¯t have the time or energy to take care of the little guy, Xiao Yu wouldn¡¯t need to stay with his grandparents for now.¡± Director Wang¡¯s wife looked at the people around her, guessing it was probably the idle gossip of the local women that spread the rumor. But considering Su Er Ya¡¯s past behavior, she still harbored some doubts. Susu had also thought of this, and with slight helplessness, said, ¡°If you don¡¯t believe me, we can take the earliest bus tomorrow to go and see my in-laws.¡± Looking into the young girl¡¯s clear and straightforward eyes, Aunt Wang believed most of what she said. At that moment, Lu Xiaoting happened to walk in the door and saw the two women, immediately greeting, ¡°Aunt.¡± ¡°Xiao Lu, you¡¯re back. I¡¯ve just finished talking with your wife. I¡¯ll be heading back now.¡± ¡°Ah, Aunt take care, come and visit when you have time.¡± Susu escorted her to the door and waited until Aunt Wang¡¯s figure had disappeared before returning to the room. ¡°Aunt Wang came to ask about Xiao Yu. She said the Family Court was spreading rumors that we¡¯d abandoned him and wanted to have a talk with me about it.¡± Lu Xiaoting nodded, ¡°Mm, this afternoon our Director also called me in for a talk.¡± Susu blinked, saying nothing, and waited for the man to continue. County ¡°Aunt, the small shop¡¯s Aunt Zhang asked me to call you. Your second son phoned and said to bring the child over to wait for a call back in five minutes.¡± ¡°Ah, I¡¯m coming.¡± The grandmother and grandson were delighted, their first thought being that their daughter-in-law/Aunt had called. Mrs. Lu, beaming with joy, got to the door before she remembered, ¡°Elder sister-in-law, I¡¯ll be right back, please look after¡ª¡± ¡°I know, go on,¡± her elder sister-in-law waved her off, saying, ¡°Just look at Erya and Xiao Yu, how happy they are.¡± ¡°What? Xiao Yu, isn¡¯t Susu by your side?¡± Hearing that it was her own son on the line, Mrs. Lu grimaced and picked up the little one. Xiao Yu clutched the phone, his little face flushed, ¡°Uncle, Xiao Yu really misses you and Auntie.¡± Lu Xiaoting raised his eyebrows, soothing the little one, ¡°There¡¯s a grandpa here who wants to talk to you.¡± Director Wang glared at the kid, feeling somewhat embarrassed but still bravely asked about whether the little one was being treated well at home and whether he had been bullied. Since the phone¡¯s sound quality back then was average, Mrs. Lu overheard and frowned with displeasure. But the little one was serious, nodding his tiny head earnestly. ¡°Auntie, Uncle, grandpa, grandma, and Aunt are all very, very nice. Xiao Yu is so happy.¡± ... After hanging up the phone, Director Wang was glared at coldly by Lu Xiaoting for quite a while before cracking a smile and cursing playfully. ¡°Alright, alright, I¡¯ve wronged you, kid. My mistake. I¡¯ll have your Aunt sort things out at the Family Court, so stop giving me that look.¡± When the others saw Mrs. Lu returning all huffing and cursing after leaving so cheerfully, they were all curious. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with Erya? Why are you so angry after just taking a call? What happened?¡± As Aunt Liu Fen finished speaking, everyone looked over anxiously. Mrs. Lu, hands on her hips, cursed away. ¡°My second son called, and someone kept butting in, constantly questioning Xiao Yu, making it seem like we were abusing the child at home.¡± Xiao Yu was also upset, his little brow furrowed into waves. In their cooing voices, ¡°Grandpa and Grandma, uncles and aunties have all been so kind to me.¡± Seeing the little tyke¡¯s chubby cheeks, everyone felt the urge to tease him, and one by one they made the little one¡¯s face turn rosy with laughter. ¡°What about Aunt Xian Yue? Do you like Aunt Xian Yue?¡± ¡°What about your great-aunt, do you like her?¡± ... People took turns with their comments, and even Mrs. Lu couldn¡¯t stay mad anymore; she joined in the laughter while she worked. ¡°You, Erya, tell me, how come you¡¯re so lucky? There¡¯s not one in ten miles who isn¡¯t envious of you.¡± ¡°Exactly, whenever people talk about the Lu Family around here, who wouldn¡¯t be jealous?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, that¡¯s right. Your sons are each more impressive than the last, and your daughters-in-law are so filial and capable, just wait until your little girl gets into university.¡± ¡°Oh my, stop it, you¡¯re making me green with envy.¡± ¡°Hahaha.¡± Father Lu pushed his bicycle in, joking with a laugh, ¡°What are you all talking about? I could hear your laughter from far away.¡± ¡°Oh, I forgot to mention my brother-in-law.¡± The women laughed so hard they were beside themselves, leaving Father Lu confused. ... Provincial City ¡°You¡¯d better talk to those people in the Family Court nicely, how can they spread baseless rumors as if they were true?¡± Once Director Wang recalled Xiao Lu¡¯s ambiguously smiling eyes, his face flushed hot with embarrassment. ¡°Do I even need to say it? As soon as I finish speaking with you, I¡¯m going to talk to them.¡± Having said that, Aunt Wang stormed out of the door, clearly annoyed. These women had nothing better to do all day than to gossip. Look at that, now they¡¯ve caused a real problem, haven¡¯t they? Susu didn¡¯t seem to mind too much; after seeing off the leader¡¯s wife, she busied herself with cooking. ¡°Oh my goodness, the Lu Gong¡¯an family really doesn¡¯t skimp, even putting so much oil in their stir-fry.¡± ¡°My goodness!¡± Susu ignored the nosy onlookers and calmly carried the plate back to her room. She took extra care to put away the used seasonings, wary of any mischievous children snatching them up. ¡°You¡¯re back, come wash your hands and let¡¯s eat.¡± Seeing the man return, Susu quickly said. As the two sat down opposite each other, Susu brought up Aunt Wang¡¯s visit earlier that evening. Her brows furrowed slightly, ¡°I don¡¯t know who started this rumor that we abandoned Xiao Yu. It was because of this that Aunt Wang came to talk to me.¡± ¡°Hmm, Director Wang has spoken to me about it too.¡± Susu was surprised, ¡°That won¡¯t affect your job, will it? Did you explain clearly to your boss?¡± Lu Xiaoting¡¯s gaze met the worried little woman, ¡°No worries, I¡¯ve spoken to Mom over the phone, and Director Wang also asked Xiao Yu directly. Don¡¯t worry about it.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a relief, that¡¯s a relief.¡± Susu let out a long sigh of relief, and the two did not continue on the subject. ¡°What? The kid is being raised in Lu Gong¡¯an¡¯s house?¡± ¡°And that woman actually didn¡¯t make a fuss, just came back home to live quietly?¡± ... Aunt Wang cut off the chattering group of women with a cold face. ¡°Enough, Comrade Xiao Su was just young and impulsive. From now on, no more blathering about this at the Family Court.¡± Chapter 35 - 35 35 Old Mrs. He ?Chapter 35: Chapter 35 Old Mrs. He Chapter 35: Chapter 35 Old Mrs. He A group of women and old ladies initially didn¡¯t care much, but when they saw the leader¡¯s wife with a stern face, they stopped their laughter and nodded earnestly to show they understood. ¡°Alright, as long as you remember, just don¡¯t go talking nonsense outside,¡± Aunt Wang waved her hand to signal everyone to disperse. The women called out to their kids and, with hunched shoulders, quickly went upstairs one after the other. Usually at this time, the old ladies, women, and children would all be downstairs. Susu glanced at the ground floor, which was empty without a single person. ¡°Wow, what¡¯s going on today? There¡¯s not a soul downstairs. I was wondering why it was so eerily quiet.¡± When Lu Xiaoting heard her voice, he too came over, ¡°Yeah, it is very quiet.¡± Susu turned around and found herself blocked by the man, surrounded by his presence, and felt a bit embarrassed. An ambiguous atmosphere rippled between the two, with pink bubbles all around. Meanwhile, the atmosphere in the other homes of the Family Court was not so good. The men from each household were aware of what had happened at the Family Court and were at home asking their wives about it. An old lady looked at her son¡¯s stern face and felt a little scared, her old face creased with worry. ¡°I, I just saw that the kid wasn¡¯t with them, so I made a guess... Who knew it would spread everywhere.¡± He Zhong slammed his palm on the table, frustrated and helpless, ¡°Mother, it¡¯s because of your baseless gossip that our leaders have talked to Old Lu.¡± ¡°That, that¡¯s not going to affect you, is it?¡± The old lady¡¯s face showed fear and anxiety. The several children at home were also startled, staring at their father. ¡°Xiulin, go buy some presents tomorrow, take your mother, and apologize to their family.¡± ¡°Mom, at your age, how can you...¡± Seeing that his own mother still didn¡¯t realize her mistake, He Zhong stated firmly, she had to go, no excuses. The old lady quivered her lips, clearly reluctant. ... ¡°So, it¡¯s just because the people of the Family Court saw that I came alone? And then the rumor about us abandoning Xiao Yu started spreading?¡± Susu was incredulous, amazed at the wild imaginations of the old ladies and daughters-in-law. ¡°I¡¯m truly astounded... They managed to spin something out of thin air into a story with complete details, as if it were true.¡± ¡°Wife, don¡¯t be angry,¡± Hearing her husband¡¯s comforting words, Susu shook her head, ¡°I¡¯m not angry, just a bit speechless.¡± Having been here for a few days, she wondered if the little guy missed her. Lu Xiaoting saw what the little woman was implying and whispered, ¡°Xiao Yu was saying today how much he misses you.¡± ¡°Really? Then you tell me...¡± ... The next day, the couple left the Family Court early in the morning. He Zhong¡¯s wife got the house in order and then hurried to the supply and marketing cooperative to buy a bag of brown sugar and a bag of fruit candies. One reason was she dared not disobey her husband¡¯s words, and the other was the fear of affecting her husband¡¯s job. As soon as she returned from the supply and marketing cooperative, she dragged her unwilling mother-in-law out the door. But they ran into an immovable guard at the gate and returned home without achieving anything. Watching her mother-in-law smother her giggles, He Zhong¡¯s wife sighed in resignation. Over here, Susu was busy as could be in the new yard, oblivious to the fact that people from her home had already made several trips. Due to Xiao Sun and Sister Hong¡¯s daily sales, the demand for marinated goods increased, leading the supplier to start delivering twice a day instead of once. Naturally, Susu and the others were extremely busy. As soon as the ingredients arrived, they immediately set to work. When lunchtime finally arrived, Susu felt like her back was about to break and plopped down on a stool. Family Court Looking at the still closed door, He Zhong¡¯s wife became anxious, and as soon as her husband returned, she hurriedly said, ¡°I¡¯ve been here several times today, and the Lu Family¡¯s door has been locked the whole time. You don¡¯t think his wife is throwing a fit with Lu Gong¡¯an over this, do you?¡± He Zhong thought about it but didn¡¯t notice anything unusual with Old Lu today. ¡°I¡¯ll ask Old Lu when I go to work this afternoon.¡± In the evening, when the couple returned together, Susu was being pushed on a bicycle by a man. The residents of the Family Court, who normally wouldn¡¯t bother much with Susu, were actually smiling and nodding in greeting to the couple. Not to mention Susu herself, even Lu Xiaoting was quite surprised. ¡°What, is the sun rising from the west today? Why are so many people smiling at me?¡± No sooner had the two of them sat down at home than there was a knock on the door, before Lu Xiaoting could speak. Susu wondered, ¡°It isn¡¯t some other trouble, is it?¡± Lu Xiaoting shook his head and got up to open the door. ¡°Sister-in-law, Aunt Wang?¡± ¡°Xiao Lu, are you two back? Where¡¯s your wife?¡± He Zhong¡¯s wife covertly took her mother-in-law¡¯s hand. ¡°She¡¯s inside, Sister-in-law, Aunt Wang, please come in.¡± Lu Xiaoting hurriedly made way for the two women and turned to call into the house, ¡°Wife, Sister-in-law He and Aunt He are here.¡± ¡°Sister-in-law He, Aunt He, please take a seat.¡± As she spoke, Susu got up to pour water for the two women. ¡°No need, no need, sister, please don¡¯t trouble yourself.¡± Seeing how easygoing Xiao Su was, Sister-in-law He felt even more embarrassed and looked at her mother-in-law, who was shrinking back, and sighed. ¡°Xiao Su, today I brought my mother to apologize to you.¡± Seeing the mother and daughter-in-law duo, Susu guessed something but didn¡¯t rush to speak. Sister-in-law He was a straight shooter, and given it was her mother-in-law¡¯s fault, she laid out the whole story. Watching her mother-in-law cowering and frustrated by her inability to swallow her pride and admit to wrongdoing, since she considered herself an elder, there was nothing she could do. After all, she was the daughter-in-law. ¡°Xiao Su, I specially went to the supply and sales cooperative to buy this for you and to bring my mother-in-law to apologize. My husband also really lectured us when we got back; I¡¯m terribly sorry, because of one reckless word from my mother-in-law, the whole Family Court was abuzz.¡± Sister-in-law He tugged at her mother-in-law, who was silent like a gourd cut at the mouth, and whispered a reminder, ¡°Mother, have you forgotten what Lao He said at home?¡± ¡°Little Lu¡¯s wife, it¡¯s all my fault; if you¡¯re going to blame someone, blame me, nothing to do with my son, but please...¡± Remembering her son¡¯s words, Old Mrs. He quickly blurted out a string of things. Susu raised an eyebrow, seeing that the old lady feared implicating her son, therefore she was brought here by her son and daughter-in-law. Seeing Sister-in-law He giving her signals on the side, Susu instantly understood and kept a straight face. ¡°Aunt He, you have to keep your word, otherwise, I really will go to the Police Station to ask their leaders about it.¡± ¡°Oh dear¡ª¡± Old Mrs. He cried out in alarm, frightened she was almost about to kneel, and repeatedly assured by patting her chest. Susu and Sister-in-law He exchanged a look and saw the amusement in each other¡¯s eyes. After sending off the old lady, who was trembling and being supported by Sister-in-law He as she slowly moved along the wall, Susu finally laughed out loud, ¡°Hahaha, that old lady is really funny! Hahaha...¡± Lu Xiaoting watched his little woman laughing until her stomach hurt, and his eyes and brows were filled with smiles. Chapter 36 - 36 36 Mrs. Lus Burst of Output ?Chapter 36: Chapter 36: Mrs. Lu¡¯s Burst of Output Chapter 36: Chapter 36: Mrs. Lu¡¯s Burst of Output ¡°I can¡¯t take it anymore; thinking about it makes my stomach hurt from laughing.¡± Susu patted her own head. The more she tried to shake off the image of Old Mrs. He¡¯s trembling legs, the clearer it became in her mind. Lu Xiaoting was also amused to tears. ... The next day, the couple went downstairs at their usual time. By then, there were already quite a few old ladies and little kids downstairs. ¡°Hey, you two are heading out so early?¡± Someone asked, and Lu Xiaoting nodded in agreement. ¡°Little Lu¡¯s wife, why do you go out so early every day? I heard you¡¯re doing business outside, is that true?¡± ¡°People said the leader¡¯s wife mentioned it, so how could it be false? It must be true.¡± An old lady helping her granddaughter urinate interjected, which made everyone glance over curiously. Susu was shocked, but her face remained calm, and she politely smiled at everyone. Internally, she found it very odd. The people in the Family Court usually ignored her, so why were they suddenly all smiles and talking to her these past few days? Strange! Too strange! ¡°Little Lu¡¯s wife, are you really doing business outside?¡± ¡°Just earning some meal money.¡± Susu nodded without going into detail, ¡°Then, auntie, I have to get busy now, we¡¯ll chat more when I come back.¡± ¡°Oh, then go ahead, don¡¯t let us keep you from your work.¡± The crowd watched the young couple leave and then resumed their joking. ¡°Don¡¯t you think Lu Gong¡¯an and his wife really have a good relationship, always going in and out together?¡± ¡°But I feel like Little Lu¡¯s wife has changed a lot.¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah, not as aggressive as before, always trying to get a bargain.¡± ... ¡°The ladies suddenly greeting me gave me quite a scare at first.¡± Susu¡¯s first reaction was ¡®Hostile intent!¡¯ Lu Xiaoting raised an eyebrow, ¡°Wife, you get scared too?¡± Susu gave him a glare, annoyed at how he made it sound like she was always so fierce. She poked him hard, ¡°Hmph!¡± Lu Xiaoting held his side, unable to hide the smile in his eyes as he watched her huffy back. Police Station ¡°Hey, Old Lu, why are you so happy today?¡± Lao He looked up and saw a man with a smile spreading across his face. ¡°How about it? Your little sister-in-law isn¡¯t angry anymore, right? I asked your sister-in-law to bring my mother over to apologize. It¡¯s all my mom¡¯s fault; the old lady just says whatever comes to her mind. One random guess and it spread through the Family Court like wildfire.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine now.¡± Lu Xiaoting immediately put away his smile and restored his usually stern face. ¡°Yesterday did indeed give auntie quite a fright, my wife just wanted to teach auntie a lesson. Auntie didn¡¯t have any trouble getting home, right?¡± ¡°Ah, what could possibly go wrong.¡± He Zhong waved his hand dismissively, ¡°It¡¯s a good lesson for the old lady, keeps her from being idle and gossiping with the other old ladies in the Family Court all day.¡± Under the high, scorching sun of the midday, the intense heat shimmered on the ground. During her lunch break, worried about the situation at home, Susu ran to the store to make a phone call. County ¡°Auntie, your daughter-in-law is calling.¡± The auntie from the store shouted from the doorway. Just after dinner, as Mrs. Lu was about to take Xiao Yu to sleep, she immediately exclaimed with joy, ¡°Got it, got it, I¡¯ll be right over.¡± After saying so, Mrs. Lu was about to call for Xiao Yu when she saw the little guy had already dashed out like a gust of wind. ¡°Wow, that stinky kid runs really fast.¡± ¡°Go ahead, Auntie, we¡¯re here at home,¡± shouted Aunt Liu Fen, poking her head out. Watching Mrs. Lu trot out, ¡°Look how happy your auntie is.¡± Susu, keeping an eye on the time, redialed the number. ¡°Mom, it¡¯s me, Susu. How¡¯s the braised food business at home? Any problems? How are you and dad¡¯s health? Take it easy with the work, and don¡¯t tire yourselves out.¡± ¡°All good, all good.¡± Hearing her daughter-in-law¡¯s words, Mrs. Lu was so thrilled she couldn¡¯t close her mouth. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about the family business; it¡¯s been going really well every day. Just be at ease in the Provincial City.¡± Beside her, Xiao Yu stood on tiptoes, his little face flushed and desperate, and called out in a baby voice, ¡°Grandma, tell her, I really, really miss Auntie.¡± ¡°Oh dear, I forgot about you, little one.¡± Hearing the conversation between her grandson and granddaughter-in-law, Susu¡¯s smile grew wider. She also spoke a few words with the little guy and then heard her mother-in-law mention the incident. ¡°Susu, you have no idea. They asked questions as if we were abusing Xiao Yu at home. If I wasn¡¯t worried about affecting my second son, I would have snapped back right there.¡± Susu couldn¡¯t help but laugh and cry, briefly explaining the whole situation. ¡°What the heck?¡± ¡°They said you two abandoned the child and aren¡¯t raising him? No wonder they kept questioning Xiao Yu.¡± Mrs. Lu became increasingly angry, standing with hands on hips and cursing indignantly. ¡°They¡¯re truly the worst, spouting nonsense dirtier than eating shit, just making up rumors about other people¡¯s families...¡± The lady from the small shop, hearing the commotion and wondering what was going on, couldn¡¯t hold back her curiosity. She craned her neck and perked up her ears. ¡°Scoundrel!¡± Xiao Yu was also fuming, pouting his lips and sporting a very unhappy look on his little face. ... ¡°Mom and dad, take care of your health, I¡¯m going to hang up now.¡± ¡°Hey, hey, hey, you and your younger brother take care of your health too. You just be at ease in the Provincial City, we¡¯re here at home.¡± After paying the bill, Susu went back to take a nap; otherwise, she would struggle to stay awake in the afternoon. Just after Mrs. Lu hung up, she immediately called her son. ¡°Would you look at you? Your wife is being bullied like this and you¡¯re not even helping her. I really¡ª¡± Lu Xiaoting was met with a torrent of scolding from his mother before he could get a word in, and then the phone was abruptly hung up. The other family members, having heard the entire tirade from Mrs. Lu, all showed awkward expressions. ¡°Little Lu, sorry, I¡¯ve already scolded my wife. She definitely won¡¯t make reckless comments anymore.¡± ¡°I also had a serious talk with my wife; why would she spread such nonsense.¡± ... Lu Xiaoting nodded solemnly with a stern face. ¡°Today at noon, I called my mother to inquire about the situation at home, and I mentioned that day¡¯s event. Mom got so angry she started scolding over the phone.¡± Susu collapsed on the bed, having grown quite indifferent to sharing it with another person. Looked at by the man¡¯s deep, dark eyes, Susu looked up, ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± ¡°Mom called the station this afternoon.¡± ¡°Hmm, and then?¡± ¡°Cough, she vented for a while, then just hung up,¡± said Lu Xiaoting, touching his nose tip. Susu paused for a moment, recalling how loud the phone calls from that era were, and belatedly asked. ¡°Your colleagues at the station didn¡¯t all hear it, did they?¡± Under his wife¡¯s scrutinizing gaze, Lu Xiaoting nodded. ¡°Yes, they heard every single word.¡± Chapter 37 - 37 37 Attitude Change ?Chapter 37: Chapter 37 Attitude Change Chapter 37: Chapter 37 Attitude Change Susu bounced excitedly out of bed, her big eyes sparkling. ¡°Our mom is so powerful!¡± ¡°And what about your colleagues, what was their reaction?¡± Seeing his wife with eyes full of curiosity, Lu Xiaoting was momentarily stunned. ¡°Hey, please continue.¡± Anxious, Susu grabbed the man¡¯s arm and shook it. Lu Xiaoting raised his eyebrows slightly, a smile playing on his lips, ¡°Then... everyone felt quite embarrassed, kept apologizing, and even said they would go home and remind their own wives.¡± Susu then realized she had been coquettishly talking with the man¡ªthe very thought made her entire face instantly turn bright red. Oh my, why am I acting coquettishly with someone? Dear heavens, I¡¯m so embarrassed!!! Lu Xiaoting watched as his wife buried her face into the pillow, her ears so red they might bleed. He came over, pulled her up, and said sternly, ¡°Sweetheart, don¡¯t suffocate yourself.¡± Feeling the humor in the man¡¯s magnetic voice, Susu blushed even deeper and glowered at him irritatedly. ¡°Stop it.¡± ¡°Hahaha.¡± Her little antics amused Lu Xiaoting so much that he laughed out loud. ¡°Hmph! Keep laughing, and I won¡¯t be polite anymore.¡± Lu Xiaoting raised an eyebrow, ¡°Oh? What would ¡®not being polite¡¯ look like?¡± ... After the ¡°abandonment¡± controversy had passed, the people at the Family Court treated Susu quite differently. From initially ignoring her and gossiping behind her back, they now greeted her with smiling faces. Susu, initially feeling odd and uncomfortable, had now gotten used to it. ¡°Xiao Su, have you eaten?¡± ¡°Not yet, I just woke up and am not hungry.¡± ¡°Little Lu¡¯s wife, I see you punctually every day.¡± ¡°Yes, indeed.¡± ... ¡°Mom, what¡¯s wrong? What happened at home?¡± Susu was a bit anxious. ¡°There¡¯s nothing wrong at home, it¡¯s about your uncle Cheng He. His factory¡¯s performance has been worsening, they can¡¯t pay salaries on time, and he still needs to support his wife and kids. So, he came over to ask if he could also start selling goods whenever he has time, just like Aunt Wang¡¯s youngest son.¡± Mrs. Lu sighed, ¡°I hurriedly called you to discuss what we should do.¡± ¡°Sure, why not.¡± Susu added, ¡°I was planning to visit home anyway, I¡¯ll talk to Cheng He when I get there.¡± ¡°Can you leave Provincial City though? Don¡¯t you need to prepare the marinade?¡± ¡°No issue, I¡¯ll prepare it in advance, I¡¯ve turned a lot of it into smaller bits, you can¡¯t really tell anymore.¡± ¡°Okay, okay, so when are you coming back? Mom will buy some groceries and cook something nice.¡± Struggling between laughs and tears, Susu replied, ¡°I¡¯ll catch the last bus back this afternoon.¡± ... ¡°Is this your second daughter-in-law coming home?¡± The store owner joked, ¡°Your daughter-in-law is almost like your own daughter; having her as a daughter-in-law must be quite something.¡± Mrs. Lu, beaming, waved her hands, ¡°It¡¯s mainly because there are few children as filial as my Susu.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t keep you any longer; I¡¯ll get going.¡± The store owner smacked her lips, ¡°Look at her, what a life! So good!!¡± Mrs. Lu was so excited she couldn¡¯t feel the slightest bit of fatigue, and if it weren¡¯t for the meat spoiling, she would have faced the scorching sun to go shopping. Provincial City ¡°Sister Hong, Xiao Sun, I¡¯m heading back to the county tonight, are you guys coming too?¡± ¡°Yes, yes, yes.¡± Sister Hong scratched her head shyly, ¡°Not gonna lie, it¡¯s my first time being away from home for so long. I¡¯ve been missing my kids.¡± Xiao Sun nodded, ¡°I¡¯m also going back to visit my grandparents and to buy some stuff to bring back.¡± ¡°Otherwise, with my grandparents¡¯ character, they would definitely not be willing to spend money or eat anything; I guess it would be just cornbread and pickles.¡± In the afternoon when it was not busy, Susu took the time to calculate both of their salaries. She made a special trip to the supply and marketing cooperative, planning to bring some things back when she returned in the afternoon. Police Station ¡°Who are you looking for?¡± Susu was stopped at the door and immediately said she was looking for Lu Xiaoting from the police. ¡°And what is your relationship with Lu Gong¡¯an? What do you want from him?¡± ¡°I¡¯m... I¡¯m his wife, I need to see him for something.¡± ¡°Oh my, look at my memory; I didn¡¯t even recognize my own sister-in-law.¡± The man slapped his head, ¡°Sister-in-law, wait here, I will go call him for you.¡± ¡°Brother Lu, your wife... no, your sister-in-law is here to see you.¡± The people in the office exchanged glances and looked sympathetic. Lu Xiaoting ignored the group and hurried out. ¡°Could Little Lu¡¯s wife be here to make a scene?¡± ¡°I doubt it, the little sister-in-law seems quite changed.¡± ... ¡°Wife, what¡¯s up?¡± Seeing the man¡¯s anxious expression, Susu smiled, ¡°I¡¯m going home tonight. Cheng He wants to sell some marinated goods and also check on the house. I¡¯ll catch the last bus in the afternoon, just came to tell you first.¡± Lu Xiaoting looked at his wife, hesitated, but eventually nodded. In a serious tone, he said, ¡°I understand, do you want me to take you there?¡± ¡°No need, no need.¡± Susu laughed, ¡°Sister Hong and Xiao Sun will be going back with me; you just focus on your work.¡± Everyone came out and saw Lu Xiaoting still looking outside, and teased him. ¡°People are long gone; why are you still looking?¡± ¡°Stop watching, wait for her to come back tonight and you can stare all you want.¡± ¡°Young couples are always clingy. Not like us old couples, being able to stand each other is already good.¡± ¡°Cough, better get back to work.¡± Lu Xiaoting, slightly embarrassed by the teasing, quickly changed the topic. Meanwhile, the three of them had packed their things for the family and caught the last bus. ¡°Susu, Xiao Sun, have some candies to sweeten your mouths.¡± Sister Hong smiled and handed a few candies to both of them, not keeping any for herself but carefully storing the candies away. ¡°Thank you, Sister Hong.¡± Susu shared some milk candies she bought with them, ¡°You two try these.¡± ¡°Oh no, I don¡¯t want them; those milk candies are too expensive, save them for the children.¡± Wang Hong refused, not accepting whatever was said. ¡°Oh, my Sister Hong, just accept it. If you don¡¯t, it¡¯d make me feel bad too; we are both basking in Sister Su¡¯s generosity.¡± Both were amused by Xiao Sun¡¯s winking and making faces. Wang Hong, feeling somewhat embarrassed, finally accepted and secretly vowed to herself to work hard. The three had arrived late and didn¡¯t get seats, so they could only stand in the aisle. However, chatting and joking made the time pass quickly. After getting off the bus, the three split up, each going to their own homes. Susu didn¡¯t go straight home, but directly to the new house. ¡°Mom, Xiao Yu and I are back.¡± ¡°Oh, Susu is back.¡± Everyone in the courtyard was visibly happy. Mrs. Lu quickly wiped her hands of water, her face creasing into a smile with crow¡¯s feet. ¡°Back already? Are you tired? Are you thirsty?¡± Before Susu could even respond, Xiao Yu charged over like a little cannonball. ¡°Aunt¡ª¡± Chapter 38 - 38 38 Show Off ?Chapter 38: Chapter 38 Show Off Chapter 38: Chapter 38 Show Off ¡°Aunt, Xiao Yu misses you so, so much~¡± Stumbling a bit, Susu, with a smile on her face, touched the little guy¡¯s freshly shaved little bald head. The feel was excellent! Pinching the little guy¡¯s obviously chubby cheeks, she asked, ¡°What are you thinking about? Is it in your heart or in your little head?¡± ¡°Are you tired from the ride? Sit and rest for a while. After I finish this bit of work, we¡¯ll head back. I¡¯ve already washed the vegetables and everything.¡± Seeing her mother-in-law so excited, Susu nodded with a smile. Xiao Yu ran to the door, grabbed a small stool, sat down beside her, and started babbling about recent events. Susu didn¡¯t brush off the little guy and occasionally interacted with him. ¡°Elder sister-in-law, you¡¯re back. I rushed here right after work.¡± Su Chenghe ran inside, sweating profusely. Susu quickly asked him to sit down and then inquired about his idea of selling stewed goods. A bit embarrassed, Su Chenghe, considering his wife and children at home, braved himself to speak. ¡°Sister-in-law, our factory isn¡¯t doing well lately, and we haven¡¯t received our salaries for months. Things in the city are expensive, unlike in the countryside. I wanted to ask if I could take some merchandise to sell? I¡¯ll make sure to sell well and try to sell more.¡± Seeing Su Chenghe¡¯s nervousness, Susu found it a bit amusing, but she laid out the conditions first. ¡°It¡¯s possible, but all my sales spots are predetermined to avoid fighting over customers. If you want to try, you can, just like anyone else¡ªfive cents for vegetarian dishes, fifteen cents for meat. Since it¡¯s a part-time, there are no base wages. You can take a small load to try tomorrow; if it works, we¡¯ll set the quantity in advance to facilitate shipping.¡± Elder Sister-in-law, I¡¯m willing to try, I¡¯ll rush over right after work tomorrow.¡± After sending off an excited Su Chenghe, the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, along with Su Xianyue, carrying the washed vegetables and meat, and Xiao Yu, headed towards the Family Court. The three of them watched the little guy jumping ahead, chatting and laughing joyously. Just entering the Family Court, they ran into a group of old ladies working and chatting at the alley entrance. Seeing them, the ladies joked. ¡°Hey, has your second son¡¯s family come back?¡± ¡°Yes, just got back.¡± ¡°Look at all these bags¡ªmust have bought a lot for you two old folks.¡± ¡°Ts, ts, ts, your daughter-in-law is really filial.¡± ¡°Oh, she¡¯s alright.¡± Mrs. Lu, smiling like a blooming flower, waved her hands in feigned humility. ¡°Let¡¯s hurry back and cook; we won¡¯t keep you any longer.¡± ... Once home, Susu deliberately put on a stern face to tease her mother-in-law. ¡°Mom, how could you respond like that? When someone says your daughter-in-law is filial, why did you respond with ¡®she¡¯s alright¡¯?¡± ¡°Oh dear, mom was just worried about making those old ladies envious and causing conflict between other mothers-in-law and daughters-in-law. How could I do that?¡± Mrs. Lu, holding her daughter-in-law, said sincerely. Beside them, Su Xianyue, teased by her aunt, couldn¡¯t help but laugh and nodded, ¡°Exactly, exactly, Aunt is right.¡± ¡°Hehe, Mom, I was just teasing you.¡± Mrs. Lu chided, ¡°Mom knows you well, you child.¡± As soon as they entered the house, Susu quickly reached into her handbag. She pulled out a red and white blouse and a pair of dark gray trousers for her mother-in-law. ¡°Mom, I bought this at the Department Store in Provincial City. Take a look and see if you like it.¡± Mrs. Lu loved it so much she couldn¡¯t let it go, carefully touching it with a look of distress on her face, ¡°Why are you still buying things for Mom? I have clothes.¡± ¡°Mom, as long as you like it, that¡¯s all that matters. Isn¡¯t the point of earning money to be happy and improve our quality of life?¡± Susu then took out a white top with floral patterns and a pair of black trousers, ¡°Xian Yue, these are for you.¡± Before Su Xianyue could even refuse, Susu interrupted, ¡°Xian Yue, just accept them as a reward from your sister-in-law.¡± ¡°Right, if your sister-in-law gives it to you, you keep it. Don¡¯t say things that make you seem like an outsider.¡± After Mrs. Lu spoke, Su Xianyue accepted it with teary eyes. ¡°Thank you, sister-in-law. I will definitely work hard and not let you down.¡± After soothing her tearful little aunt, Susu turned to face a pair of eager eyes that were trying to avoid her gaze. ¡°Ta-da, Xiao Yu, guess what this is?¡± ¡°Rubber sandals!!!¡± The little guy¡¯s eyes gleamed, unblinkingly staring with surprise written all over his face. ¡°And there¡¯s also a short-sleeve shirt and shorts.¡± Seeing how happy the little guy was made Susu smile, ¡°Auntie will wash them tonight, and you can wear them tomorrow.¡± After a long silence from the little guy, Susu frowned, wondering if he didn¡¯t like them. Xiao Yu furrowed his brow, ¡°Auntie, is it very expensive? Xiao Yu... my clothes and shoes are still good. You can return them.¡± Knowing that he wasn¡¯t disliking but was instead worried about the money spent, Susu reassuringly stroked Xiao Yu¡¯s head, deceiving him that they couldn¡¯t be returned. Xiao Yu felt a mix of distress and joy but still advised in his childish voice, ¡°Auntie, don¡¯t buy anymore in the future. We need to save money.¡± Susu placated him for a bit, but she would still buy things in the future. When Father Lu came home, he saw his wife beaming, attributing it to the joy of having her daughter-in-law back. Looking at the lavish meal on the table ¨C braised fish, corn ribs soup, stir-fried pork with scallions, cold vermicelli buns ¨C he commented, ¡°Today¡¯s meal is really rich; it must be Susu¡¯s doing, right?¡± Mrs. Lu glared at the old man, ¡°Just eat, what¡¯s with all the chatter? I need to finish and clean up quickly because I¡¯m going out to visit friends.¡± ¡°Hey, you old woman, your daughter-in-law is back, and you¡¯re still wandering about?¡± ¡°You know nothing.¡± ... Listening to the old couple bickering, Susu said to her bewildered father-in-law. ¡°Dad, I bought you a pair of leather shoes and a belt since I saw your old one was worn out.¡± Upon hearing this, Father Lu stopped arguing and happily sped up his eating. After dinner, Su Xianyue volunteered to wash the dishes. Father Lu and Mrs. Lu, dressed in new clothes, happily went out to show off to their neighbors and friends. Xiao Yu dashed over and then ran off. ¡°Auntie, I¡¯m going out to play for a while and will be right back.¡± Watching him run to the door and squat down to wipe his sandals, Susu was amused but also somewhat heartened. She was heartened to see the little fellow being less cautious and more lively than when he first arrived, displaying the vitality typical of his age. It wasn¡¯t long before the little guy returned, his head covered in sweat. He hadn¡¯t gone anywhere but had brought a little stool to sit next to Susu under the eaves to enjoy the cool air. Uncle Su¡¯s house The family members varied in their reactions upon hearing that the second son wanted to sell brined goods in his spare time. Eldest Sister-in-law Su snorted, ¡°Second brother, why didn¡¯t you call your elder brother to join? You just sneaked off to talk on your own.¡± Chapter 39 - 39 39 Showing Off (Part 2) ?Chapter 39: Chapter 39 Showing Off (Part 2) Chapter 39: Chapter 39 Showing Off (Part 2) Brother Su frowned, ¡°What nonsense are you spouting? The second brother isn¡¯t that kind of person.¡± Su Chenghe picked up on the hidden meaning in his elder sister-in-law¡¯s words and was somewhat displeased, but he hadn¡¯t yet shown any coldness. ¡°Elder sister-in-law, if you want something, you can go talk to the second sister-in-law. Telling me is useless. Besides, I had asked elder brother already; he had no intentions, so I went ahead and spoke myself.¡± Elder sister-in-law Su got anxious and pulled at her own husband, ¡°Why aren¡¯t you going, you...¡± ¡°Enough, I¡¯m just not cut out for that. I¡¯m doing quite well in the factory, stop nagging.¡± Elder sister-in-law Su didn¡¯t care that the in-laws were present and went on to berate her husband. Brother Su didn¡¯t say a word, letting his wife rant and rave, completely ignoring her. Seeing her son being scolded by his daughter-in-law, Aunt got annoyed. ¡°That¡¯s enough, don¡¯t you know what kind of person elder brother is? Honest people shouldn¡¯t do business. Otherwise, they get cheated without even realizing it.¡± ... Su Family¡¯s main branch ¡°What does mom mean? Is she calling you stupid?¡± Brother Su glared, ¡°You only know how to spout nonsense.¡± Second branch ¡°What does mom mean? Is she saying you¡¯re not honest?¡± Su Chenghe turned over, ¡°If you keep talking nonsense, get out. Middle of the night and not sleeping, just stirring up trouble.¡± ... ¡°Sister Su, my grandparents made...¡± Xiao Sun, carrying a basket of wild vegetables, ran into a delicate figure sweeping the yard, pausing in his steps. He coughed lightly, ¡°You, hello, isn¡¯t Sister Su at home?¡± Su Xianyue got startled by the sudden voice from behind and staggered. ¡°Ah¡ª¡± Xiao Sun scratched his head, somewhat embarrassed, ¡°Sorry, sorry. I didn¡¯t mean to scare you.¡± Su Xianyue, not used to being around strangers, quickly walked towards the house, ¡°Sister-in-law, Xiao Sun is here.¡± Susu came out and saw the bewildered Xiao Sun, deciding to tease him. ¡°Why did you come over?¡± Xiao Sun shivered and lifted the basket, saying his grandparents had nothing to do and dug them up from the village. They couldn¡¯t be found in the county, and they were specially sent over for a taste. Susu, seeing a basket full of fresh green wild vegetables, was truly happy. ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve had a bite of this. When you go back, thank me to your grandparents.¡± ¡°No need, no need, it¡¯s nothing special.¡± Xiao Sun, a bit embarrassed, scratched his head and quickly glanced inside the house before hurrying back. Su Xianyue glanced at the closing yard gate again, frowning slightly, then picked up the broom from the ground. Susu shook her head and didn¡¯t say anything. In the alley ¡°My goodness, are these from your second brother¡¯s purchase in the Provincial City?¡± ¡°Look at this pattern, it¡¯s really pretty.¡± ¡°You two just wait to live a good life.¡± Mrs. Lu, addressed by others, squinted her eyes, waved her hand, and corrected everyone. ¡°They said it¡¯s from the Department Store in Provincial City. I¡¯m so distressed, I can¡¯t stop the kids from being filial.¡± ¡°Oh my, I just don¡¯t have such good luck, so envious it could kill me.¡± Aunt Wang¡¯s voice boomed loudly, ¡°Why do I see that your Old Lu isn¡¯t wearing new clothes? Only your daughter-in-law bought for you?¡± Seeing everyone curiously staring at her, Mrs. Lu laughed and slapped her thigh. ¡°How could that be? She bought new shoes and a belt for his dad; everything¡¯s bought for family members, even our daughter who¡¯s not at home has her share.¡± Listening to everyone¡¯s envious compliments, Mrs. Lu¡¯s face beamed like a blooming chrysanthemum. Inside, the nephew and niece along with a little one had washed up and were lying on the kang, waiting left and right, but still not seeing the old couple return. It seemed that the elderly couple was truly overjoyed. Su Xianyue laughed, ¡°Uncle and Aunt must be thrilled. Who knows, they might wait for the crowd at Family Court to disperse before coming back.¡± Susu nodded, smiling warmly as she patted the little one¡¯s head, asking if he wanted to accompany her to the Provincial City tomorrow. Seeing the little one¡¯s eyes light up instantly, the next second his head drooped. In a buzzing voice, ¡°Xiao Yu won¡¯t go, it will bother Aunt.¡± Realizing the little one was worried about burdening her, Susu¡¯s heart felt as though it were clenched tight, both sour and painful. She touched Little Baldy¡¯s head, ¡°How could it? Xiao Yu can help Aunt with many tasks!¡± ¡°Really?¡± The little one¡¯s eyes sparkled, and seeing Susu nod, he excitedly raised his little hands. Counting on his short hands, he listed all the chores he could do. That¡¯s when noise came from outside, the elderly couple returning after showing off around. The next morning, as soon as Susu stepped out, she saw the hot, bustling main room, the table full of pots and jars. When leaving, looking at the big and small bags on the ground, Susu couldn¡¯t help but laugh and cry. ¡°Susu, when you leave, take all this with you. These are all sauces made from Mom¡¯s recipes, perfect for noodles or meals, And there¡¯s also pickles and meat from home, all your favorites.¡± ¡°Mom, this is too much.¡± Before Susu could finish, her mother-in-law interrupted, ¡°Not too much, not too much, Mom will carry them over for you.¡± The car slowly moved, and Mrs. Lu¡¯s figure gradually disappeared from the window. Seeing the things on Sister Hong¡¯s and Xiao Sun¡¯s laps, Susu felt both amused and warmly touched. Arriving alone in a strange world, to have met such a loving family was truly fortunate. ¡°Susu, should we help deliver these things to Family Court first?¡± Susu shook her head, watching Curious Xiao Yu look around. The four of them went straight to the yard. In the yard, two people had already started to get busy, and the others didn¡¯t sit idle either. After washing their hands, they began to work. ¡°Aunt, let me help too.¡± The little one somehow got a small stool, sat down, and got right to work. Susu didn¡¯t stop Xiao Yu¡¯s actions, but continued to encourage the little one. Family Court After a busy day, Susu led Xiao Yu, carrying things back to Family Court. Some people saw them and asked curiously. ¡°What? Is this the son of Yang Police?¡± ¡°Yes, he¡¯s not so busy lately, so I brought Xiao Yu over.¡± Susu chatted with the people for a while, then led the little one upstairs. Leaving behind a group of stunned women. ¡°I reckon that¡¯s the kid, he¡¯s gotten quite plumper.¡± ¡°Looking at him tells you how well they treat him, it seems Little Lu¡¯s wife has really changed.¡± No one dared to bring up the recently hot topic of ¡°abandonment¡± that had spread through Family Court. ¡°Xiao Yu, this is our home, sit down, and Aunt will quickly make some food.¡± After Susu said this, the little one volunteered eagerly, raising his little hand to help. Unfortunately, unlike back in the old home where there was a courtyard and a big pot, it was a coal stove. Xiao Yu didn¡¯t need to tend the fire, but tiptoed to watch. ¡°Uncle¡ª¡ª¡± Susu was startled by the little one¡¯s loud call, looking up to see the little one rushing to a man¡¯s legs. Lu Xiaoting scooped up Xiao Yu in one swift motion, striding towards his little woman with a smiling curl of his lips. ¡°Wife, you¡¯re back.¡± Susu lowered her head, her face flushing as she averted her gaze, pretending to be composed. Damn! She was seduced by this man again! Chapter 40 - 40 40 Hospital ?Chapter 40: Chapter 40 Hospital Chapter 40: Chapter 40 Hospital ¡°Heehee, Aunt is shy,¡± Xiao Yu said, covering his little mouth and giggling. Susu glared at both young and old, ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you be serving the food already?¡± Watching his wife¡¯s huffy back, Lu Xiaoting patted Xiao Yu¡¯s butt. ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense, or you might make Aunt Su mad, and she¡¯ll ignore both of us.¡± ¡°Lu Xiaoting!¡± A woman¡¯s annoyed voice came from inside, as the man¡¯s thin lips slightly curved upward. The little guy, covering his little mouth, laughed like a cat that just stole a snack. Both young and old exchanged smiles and quickly served plates and bowls. Before long, it was July, and the weather grew even hotter. The kitchen¡¯s two big pots were steaming, making the whole room as sweltering as a sauna, drenching everyone in sweat. The three of them took turns watching the fire; otherwise, they couldn¡¯t stand it. As soon as Susu left the kitchen, breezes blew by, bringing instant relief. ¡°Oh my, Xiao Su, you¡¯re finally back.¡± As soon as Susu entered the Family Court, someone called her with an anxious face. ¡°My goodness, why are you just coming back? Your Lu Gong¡¯an has been injured; he¡¯s now in Provincial City Hospital.¡± ¡°What???¡± Susu felt her head buzz and immediately ran outside. ¡°Ah, this situation, I just hope Lu Gong¡¯an isn¡¯t too severely hurt.¡± ¡°Ah~¡± ... Susu got the information on Lu Xiaoting¡¯s ward and ran there without stopping. Gasping for air, hands on her waist, she asked, ¡°How is Lu Xiaoting doing?¡± ¡°Sister-in-law is here.¡± ¡°Younger sister.¡± The two policemen standing by quickly got up and gestured to talk outside. Susu cast a glance at the unconscious man on the bed and followed them out, keeping a stern face. ¡°What exactly happened?¡± ¡°Sister-in-law, today our station was supporting the higher authorities in a pursuit, and Lu Gong¡¯an was stabbed in the abdomen as he saved a colleague, then fell from a height.¡± The younger policeman hit his head in vexation, ¡°It¡¯s all because I wasn¡¯t careful enough.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t blame yourself, that guy was just too cunning.¡± The slightly older policeman patted the younger one¡¯s shoulder, looking very serious. ¡°Fortunately, it wasn¡¯t a vital spot.¡± Hearing this, Susu finally breathed a sigh of relief. When she learned that the two men had footed the bill for the surgery and hospital fees, Susu quickly reached into her pocket to repay them. But she had left home in such a hurry that she didn¡¯t bring much money, which embarrassed her. ¡°I rushed out so quickly, I don¡¯t have enough money. Please take this for now, and I¡¯ll pay you back when I go home, okay?¡± ¡°Hey, you¡¯re being too formal, younger sister.¡± Seeing the two nod, Susu sighed in relief. Susu took the chance before the two left to quickly call her father-in-law. Then she hurried back to the new house to arrange the afternoon¡¯s work and took care of Xiao Yu. Carrying four meals, she rushed back to the hospital non-stop. As soon as Father Lu heard his son was in the hospital, he immediately took leave from the factory and went to find his wife. In the middle of the day, Susu, sweating profusely and panting, handed over two lunch boxes to the two policemen. ¡°Thanks for your trouble, have something to eat before you go back.¡± ¡°No need, we can eat when we get back.¡± The two refused to eat, and Susu insisted they eat, saying in this weather, the food would spoil before evening if left uneaten. After sending the two off, Susu looked at the man on the bed with a calm face and sighed. According to the doctor, he would likely wake up in the afternoon. Running around all morning, Susu was also exhausted and started to feel more and more drowsy as she leaned on the hospital bed. When Lu Xiaoting woke up, he noticed a strange sensation in his hand and turned to look. He saw a delicate little face with gently closed eyes, small hands tightly gripping his palm. The man¡¯s brows knitted slightly as he gently brushed away the strands of hair that had fallen on her face. Susu frowned, groggy, as if she saw the man¡¯s eyes open. She jolted upright, ¡°You¡¯re awake?¡± ¡°How do you feel? Are you uncomfortable? Should I call the doctor?¡± Lu Xiaoting¡¯s wheat-colored face flushed with a suspicious redness, his lips mumbling a few times. Seeing the man hesitated to speak, Susu gave him an irritated stare, ¡°Just spit it out, don¡¯t be pussyfooting around like a big baby.¡± Feeling somewhat disdained by his own wife, and indeed quite desperate, Lu Xiaoting cleared his throat. He glanced away shyly, ¡°Ahem, that¨C¡± ¡°That what?¡± Susu snapped. ¡°Ahem, I, I need to use the restroom.¡± Susu¡¯s eyes widened as she reflexively scanned the man¡¯s lower half. The next second, she saw his large hand slowly move to cover his private area. Susu: ¡°...¡± There was no choice; she couldn¡¯t let a grown man wet the bed, as that would be truly embarrassing. ¡°Support me well, make sure to hold me steady.¡± Susu repeated the instruction, concerned. Lu Xiaoting¡¯s face was full of smiles, his arm resting on the slender shoulders of the woman, an indescribable fragrance filling his nostrils. If one looked closely, they could see his ears were beet red. In the deserted men¡¯s restroom, Susu knocked for a long while without anyone responding, then led Lu Xiaoting inside. Just as Susu wondered whether she should assist the man or not, she heard Lu Xiaoting¡¯s voice above her head. ¡°Aren¡¯t you leaving?¡± ¡°Oh, oh, oh.¡± Susu nodded like pounding garlic, at the sound of the man¡¯s chuckle, her little face flushed as she stumbled out of the restroom. The man at the door was startled, looked up at the men¡¯s restroom sign, then turned his head to look at the woman standing outside, his face full of shock. ¡°Good gracious~I must¡¯ve run into a female hooligan.¡± With a ¡°bang,¡± the restroom door was slammed shut. Susu: ¡°...¡± Heh heh heh. Brother, you are so... absolutely adorable!!! In the hospital room Susu made him comfortable, ¡°You sit tight; I¡¯ll go get some water.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± As he watched his wife leave the room, Lu Xiaoting had just closed his eyes when he heard an old lady nearby say, ¡°Young man, your wife is really good. Hearing you were in the hospital, she rushed over here, fussing over you.¡± ¡°Exactly, exactly, you weren¡¯t awake at the time, but we all saw it; she was so worried about you.¡± ¡°Hearing from those two police officers that it was a work injury, that you got hurt while catching a criminal, it¡¯s really something!!¡± Lu Xiaoting listened to the other patients in the room, each commenting patiently and occasionally responding. When Susu returned with a warm thermos, seeing this she was quite astonished. She was just about to tease the man when the room¡¯s door was pushed open. ¡°Dad, Mom, little sister.¡± The Lu family, mother, and daughters, carrying bags both big and small, hurried in. Seeing Lu Xiaoting¡¯s pale lips and his leg wrapped up, the mother and daughter immediately had tearful eyes. Father Lu¡¯s eyebrows were tightly furrowed, his eyes slightly red, ¡°How is it? Is it serious? Any permanent damage?¡± ¡°How did this happen all of a sudden?¡± ¡°Sister-in-law, how is my second brother?¡± Seeing his parents and sister panicking, Lu Xiaoting quickly assured them that there was nothing seriously wrong with him and asked them to relax. Susu glared at the man irritably, ¡°What do you mean nothing serious? You¡¯ve broken your leg; it will take a hundred days to recover from bone and muscle injuries. And you were stabbed in the belly. Fortunately, it didn¡¯t hit anything vital.¡± Chapter 41 - 41 41 Hospital (Part 2) ?Chapter 41: Chapter 41 Hospital (Part 2) Chapter 41: Chapter 41 Hospital (Part 2) ¡°Ah, you little rascal, with such a serious injury and still claiming it¡¯s nothing, your mother is really going to be angered to death.¡± Mrs. Lu was so angry she wanted to punch her son, but seeing the bandages on her second child, there was nowhere to start, so she could only glare helplessly. Father Lu sighed in relief, but his face remained tense, clearly not having recovered from the shock. After discussing the serious matters, Susu suddenly remembered the big and small parcels on the floor, feeling somewhat helpless. ¡°Mom, have you all eaten?¡± Mrs. Lu nodded, the family had eaten before they received the news, briefly tidied up, and rushed over here as quickly as possible. ¡°It¡¯s good that your little sister is on break, I was worried you¡¯d be too busy here, so I called her over to help keep an eye on things.¡± Susu was worried about the shortage of helping hands, so this was just like timely rain. Glancing at the time, ¡°Mom, you all wait here, I need to rush home to cook.¡± ¡°Let your little sister go with you.¡± Thinking of the amount of cooking required, and how Xiao Yu must also be anxious, Susu nodded in agreement. The two sisters-in-law carried the items, first delivering things to the new house, as there was not enough space at the Family Court for so many people. ¡°Auntie¡ª¡± As soon as Susu arrived, the little one came running over with red-rimmed eyes, her little face full of worry. Biting her lip, ¡°Auntie, how is Uncle doing?¡± Wang Erniu also looked concerned, ¡°Sister Su, you don¡¯t know, since you left, Xiao Yu has been so worried about your brother-in-law, she¡¯s been distracted even while eating.¡± ¡°How is Lu Gong¡¯an? Is it serious?¡± Huang Ying also asked with concern. Susu patted the little one¡¯s head, not going into detail, just mentioning that he would have to stay in the hospital for a while longer. It was just right to get her little sister settled in, mainly to be in charge of cooking braised dishes. After talking about the serious matters, Susu rushed off to the market to buy meat and big bones. Lu Xiaoting had just undergone surgery and for now, could only eat lighter foods. Thinking of the principle ¡®like cures like,¡¯ and what to eat to replenish what was needed. Susu simmered a pot of milky white bone soup, minced the meat into ground pork to cook a pot of lean meat porridge, and also stir-fried two meat dishes for the in-laws and her little sister. ¡°Erniu, you guys take care of cooking dinner, I won¡¯t make it in time.¡± ¡°Okay, got it, Sister Su.¡± Susu ran into a sweating Xiao Sun, grinning from ear to ear with white teeth bared, but without time for talk, she hurriedly led Xiao Yu towards the hospital. Rushing over, they arrived at the hospital almost at six o¡¯clock. Seeing the person on the hospital bed, Xiao Yu ran straight towards him, tears streaming down his face. ¡°Uncle.¡± Lu Xiao touched the little guy¡¯s head, ¡°Uncle is fine, a big boy like me doesn¡¯t bleed tears, only blood.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Xiao Yu lifted his arm, wiped his tears, pouted his small mouth, and gave a stuttering nod. ¡°Mom, are you hungry? Eat while it¡¯s hot.¡± Susu didn¡¯t bother with the father and son, hurriedly getting the meal ready. Then, under the man¡¯s expectant gaze, she opened the lunchbox, releasing a rich and sweet fragrance. ¡°Gurgle¡ª¡± Lu Xiao¡¯s face turned red, fortunately, his wheatish complexion hid it somewhat. Seeing the man¡¯s discomfort, Susu simply pretended she hadn¡¯t heard anything. ¡°Drink it while it¡¯s hot.¡± Lu Xiao coughed, reaching out to take a spoon, but Susu dodged away. ¡°I¡¯ll feed you, be careful not to jar your wound.¡± Seeing this, Mrs. Lu reached out to take over. Susu moved away, shaking her head, ¡°Mom, I¡¯m not hungry yet, you all eat first.¡± Having said that, she continued to feed the man a second spoonful. Lu Xiao had no choice but to quietly accept the feeding from his own wife, his ears flushed with red. He whispered softly, ¡°Thank you, wife.¡± Susu blushed at the magnetic sound of his voice, and chided him with a glare. That evening, Su Fu stayed behind to keep watch, while the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law took Xiao Yu back to the family court. As soon as they entered the family court, they were surrounded by everyone there. Hearing the neighbors¡¯ words of concern, and seeing the worry on their faces, Susu felt a warm glow in her heart. ¡°Yeah, luckily it didn¡¯t hit any vital spot, but he still needs to stay in the hospital for a while. It¡¯s just that his leg will probably take a few months to heal properly.¡± ¡°Ah, it¡¯s good that he¡¯s okay.¡± ¡°Exactly, as long as he¡¯s okay, that¡¯s what matters.¡± ... Everyone offered kind words, telling Susu to just say the word if she needed anything, and they would surely help if they could. No matter what, Susu was very grateful for everyone¡¯s concern. The three returned home, and Mrs. Lu sighed with grief. ¡°Mom, stop thinking about it. Now that it¡¯s happened, we¡¯ll just take good care of Lu Xiaoting,¡± said Susu as she hugged her petite mother-in-law. ¡°Ah, that¡¯s all we can do now,¡± Mrs. Lu sighed. ¡°Your dad can¡¯t be away from the factory for long; he¡¯ll probably have to go back in a couple of days. Then it will just be us two taking care of the second son.¡± The next morning, Mrs. Lu went to the hospital to relieve Father Lu, while Susu made breakfast at home before heading to the hospital with the meal. ¡°Susu, did you run into your dad on the way?¡± Susu nodded, ¡°Yes, I ran into dad right after I left, and I told him there¡¯s still food in the pot.¡± After a night had passed, Mrs. Lu looked noticeably wearied. ¡°You¡¯ve had a hard time, Susu.¡± ¡°Mom, we¡¯re all family. If you keep being so formal, I¡¯ll get mad,¡± Susu said sternly, feigning anger. Worried her daughter-in-law might actually be upset, Mrs. Lu shook her head and waved her hands in protest. The man on the hospital bed lay with his eyes gently closed, his thick lashes casting a shadow on his face. Susu, carrying a thermos, was about to leave the room when she nearly collided with the suddenly opening door. ¡°Oh dear, Xiao Su, I¡¯ve finally found you,¡± an aunt said excitedly as she entered the ward, looking around. ¡°Aunt Huang, what brings you here?¡± Susu asked. Upon hearing her voice, Aunt Huang immediately began to slap her thigh, crying with a mix of tears and snot. Worried about disturbing other patients¡¯ rest, Susu quickly ushered the crying Huang family members out of the room and closed the door behind them. Mrs. Lu, concerned that her daughter-in-law hadn¡¯t returned yet, ran into Susu as she was coming back. ¡°Is everything alright, Susu? What were those people here for?¡± ¡°And why are you carrying malt extract and brown sugar? Did you go to the co-op store?¡± Hearing her mother-in-law¡¯s barrage of questions, Susu couldn¡¯t help but smile wryly as she explained the reason for the Huang family¡¯s visit. It turned out that the Huang family¡¯s eldest grandson was that police officer, Lu Gong¡¯an, and Lu Xiaoting had fallen from a height while saving Huang Chengguang. Having learned the full story from their grandson the night before, the older Huangs had hurried over with gifts to thank their savior¡¯s family. Knowing the whole story, Mrs. Lu remained silent, her face taut with tension. Choking back tears, she said, ¡°If I could, I would rather my second son not have any merit or gratitude. I¡¯d prefer him to live simply, at least safely and soundly, without suffering.¡± Susu sighed, uncertain of how to comfort her mother-in-law. After Su Fu went back to work, it was just the two of them, taking turns staying with the patient in the hospital. Mrs. Lu was nearly fifty, and Susu, fearing her mother-in-law couldn¡¯t handle it, volunteered to take the night shifts. Seeing the doctor come to check on the patient, Susu promptly inquired, ¡°Doctor, how is my husband¡¯s injury?¡± ¡°He¡¯s recovering well, the family has been taking good care of him,¡± replied the doctor. ¡°Thank you, doctor,¡± Susu said. She turned her head, her eyes glistening, ¡°Lu Xiaoting, did you hear that? The doctor says you¡¯re recovering well.¡± Chapter 42 - 42 42 Hospital (3) ?Chapter 42: Chapter 42 Hospital (3) Chapter 42: Chapter 42 Hospital (3) Seeing his wife¡¯s sparkling eyes, Lu Xiaoting¡¯s handsome thin lips rose high, his eyes and brows all carrying a smiling expression. He nodded, lightly uttering a sound of agreement. Susu was momentarily dazed by the man¡¯s smile and blurted out, ¡°You look so good when you smile, why don¡¯t you smile more often?¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Lu Xiaoting raised an eyebrow, somewhat surprised, but still nodded seriously, ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll smile more from now on.¡± Susu¡¯s gaze firmly met the man¡¯s, who was full of smiles, and as she listened to his deep magnetic voice, a blush gradually spread across her fair little face. In a moment of embarrassment, she turned to leave, but her hand was suddenly grabbed. ¡°Wife, don¡¯t go.¡± Struggling with her arm fiercely for a while to no avail, Susu resentfully glared at the man and sat back down. Watching the little one with puffy cheeks like a small squirrel, Lu Xiaoting was just about to speak when his mother suddenly arrived. ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Did you make Susu angry?¡± Without waiting for her son to reply, Mrs. Lu raised her hand and slapped him. Lu Xiaoting winced in pain with a hiss, probably a palm imprint had already formed from his mother¡¯s Iron Sand Palm. With a wry smile, ¡°Mom, what are you doing? I didn¡¯t do anything.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t do anything? How come your wife¡¯s cheeks are so puffed up?¡± Mrs. Lu glared at her son with her dry hands becoming restless. Lu Xiaoting hurriedly cast a pleading look at his wife, or else, with his mother¡¯s temper, he would definitely receive a few more Iron Sand Palms. Looking at the man¡¯s eager dark eyes, like a little guy, Susu stopped grinning. ¡°Mom, the doctor just came for a check-up and said Lu Xiaoting is recovering well.¡± ¡°Oh really?!!!!!!¡± Seeing her daughter-in-law nodding, Mrs. Lu, delighted, immediately forgot to settle scores with her son and hurriedly called Father Lu to report the news. Watching her mother-in-law hustle, Susu raised an eyebrow at the man. ¡°See? My mom is on my side, so don¡¯t think about bullying me, or I¡¯ll let mom take care of you.¡± Looking at his little wife with her chin lifted and a smug expression on her face, Lu Xiaoting chuckled. He nodded repeatedly, agreeing, ¡°Yes, yes, of course, I wouldn¡¯t dare.¡± Susu blinked her large eyes, a strange feeling spreading. ¡°Uncle.¡± As soon as he entered, Xiao Yu dashed to the bedside like a whirlwind, his eyes fixed on the bandages on the man¡¯s leg. ¡°Why are you here?¡± Lu Xiaoting patted the little guy¡¯s head. Xiao Yu frowned, his voice childishly concerned, ¡°Xiao Yu is worried about Uncle¡¯s injury, so Aunt brought me here.¡± ¡°Uncle, does it still hurt?¡± ¡°Xiao Yu, good boy, Uncle¡¯s not in pain anymore.¡± ¡°Uncle, are you thirsty? Can Xiao Yu get you some water?¡± The little guy was about to grab the teapot. Amused, Susu pressed Xiao Yu back onto the chair, ¡°Just sit here and talk to Uncle; Aunt and I will handle these things. Besides, you are still so young. What if you don¡¯t hold the thermos steady? These are filled with freshly boiled water; what if you get burned?¡± ¡°If you get hurt, our whole family would be worried.¡± Xiao Yu pursed his lips and nodded, ¡°Okay, Xiao Yu understands. Aunt, Uncle, just call Xiao Yu if you need anything, alright?¡± Listening to the conversation between the young and the old, Lu Xiaoting didn¡¯t interject and just quietly watched the two. ¡°Xiao Lu.¡± All three looked up simultaneously just to see two police officers in uniform walking over. ¡°Director Wang.¡± ¡°Xiao Lu, lie down quickly. Don¡¯t jump onto your wound.¡± Director Wang immediately reached out to stop Lu Xiaoting, who was trying to get up. ¡°How are you doing? Today, we are here on behalf of the department to visit you.¡± ¡°Director Wang, much better,¡± Lu Xiaoting nodded. Susu, due to the original owner spending a short time in the Family Court and her own pickled goods business which had her leaving early and coming back late every day, had hardly met other officers and didn¡¯t remember them much. She quickly offered the stools she and Xiao Yu were sitting on to them, worried about disturbing their conversation, greeted them, and was ready to go out and wait. ¡°Little Lu¡¯s wife, there¡¯s no need, we¡¯ll just talk for a moment and leave.¡± As soon as Director Wang finished speaking, the officer behind him passed malted milk, brown sugar, and White Rabbit Creamy Candy to Susu. Susu was startled and immediately waved her hands to refuse, but Director Wang said it was a small token from the department. Seeing Lu Xiaoting nodding, she then accepted them. ¡°Director Wang, about that case¡ª¡± Lu Xiaoting hadn¡¯t finished his sentence when Director Wang interrupted him. ¡°Xiao Lu, you made great contributions in this case, and the department has decided to commend you. However, the most important thing for you right now is to relax and heal. As the old saying goes¡ª¡¯it takes a hundred days to recover from bone and muscle injuries.¡¯ During your recovery, your salary will be issued as usual. Your only task is to take good care of yourself and try to recover quickly so you can return to work.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Seeing the man still staring at the door, Susu quickly warned him that if he didn¡¯t heal properly, she would immediately get his parents involved, and then he wouldn¡¯t dare disobey. ¡°What? Am I wrong?¡± Seeing the man¡¯s deep gaze fixed on her, Susu put her hands on her hips and puffed out her small chest, her large eyes glaring at the man. Lu Xiaoting couldn¡¯t help but laugh softly at how adorable his wife was. ¡°No, I¡¯ll listen to my wife.¡± Susu glared; this man always somehow made it seem like she was being bossy and domineering. Xiao Yu looked at his uncle on the bed and then at his pouting Aunt, his face full of melancholy. He ran to the front of the hospital bed, his voice soft and milky, ¡°Uncle, you have to behave, heal well, and you can¡¯t make Aunt angry, okay?¡± Hearing this, Susu immediately lifted her chin proudly with a coy look. Seeing the unified front of the two, one big and one small, Lu Xiaoting was very aware of the situation. ¡°Xiao Yu, Aunt is going back to cook, are you going with Aunt or staying with grandma in the hospital?¡± ¡°Hospital, I¡¯ll help grandma take care of uncle.¡± Looking at the little guy¡¯s serious face, Susu smiled and affirmed the little-adult-like Xiao Yu. ¡°Good, then grandma and uncle are both relying on Xiao Yu.¡± Xiao Yu nodded solemnly, ¡°Aunt can be at ease.¡± Mrs. Lu patted Xiao Yu on the head, smiling as she admonished her daughter-in-law. Susu¡¯s eyes inadvertently met Lu Xiaoting¡¯s, hearing his voice in her ear. ¡°Be careful.¡± Family Court The entire Family Court was filled with the aroma of chicken, tantalizing the adults and children alike. ¡°It must be coming from the Lu Family again,¡± an old lady smacked her lips. ¡°Definitely, these past days, Little Lu¡¯s wife has been making bone broth and chicken soup, trying all kinds of ways to nourish her man.¡± ¡°That Little Lu¡¯s wife is really too extravagant, with meat and chicken soup every day. Lu Gong¡¯an¡¯s salary must be getting squandered,¡± an old lady sneered. ¡°The point is, if my man were injured and hospitalized, I¡¯d certainly nourish him every day too. What if he doesn¡¯t recover well? If the pillar of the home falls, what would become of the whole family?¡± A group of old ladies and young wives nodded in agreement, ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± Chapter 43 - 43 43 Lu Family Brothers ?Chapter 43: Chapter 43 Lu Family Brothers Chapter 43: Chapter 43 Lu Family Brothers ¡°Sure, that makes sense. But man, I do feel really bad about it.¡± ¡°However, since Little Lu¡¯s wife came back, she¡¯s really changed a lot.¡± A sister-in-law nodded, ¡°Exactly, we all live on the same floor, and seeing how diligent she is every day, the food she cooks smells so good. Yang Police¡¯s child now has a chubby face, which shows that the pair of them are doing a great job raising the kid.¡± ¡°Absolutely, the kids have gotten so smart now. If the couple wasn¡¯t good to them, would the kids be that attached to them?!¡± ... As soon as Susu stepped out with the lunchbox, the circle of aunties and young wives downstairs all turned to look at her. Feeling everyone¡¯s stark gaze, Susu smiled at them, taking it as a way to say hello. ¡°Is Little Lu¡¯s wife taking food to someone?¡± ¡°Yes, aunty.¡± ¡°Then you better hurry, Little Lu¡¯s wife, don¡¯t be late.¡± Susu nodded, ¡°Alright then, I¡¯ll go ahead, aunties and sisters.¡± ... ¡°Mom, have a bite and then go back to catch up on some sleep.¡± Susu gently woke Mrs. Lu up. ¡°Susu¡¯s here.¡± Mrs. Lu rubbed her eyes, still a bit groggy. Susu didn¡¯t bother Mrs. Lu further and first helped Lu Xiaoting to the bathroom, proficiently helping him inside while she waited at the door. Thinking that continuing like this wasn¡¯t a solution, if he accidentally fell midway, that would be really bad. Lu Xiaoting looked down at his small wife¡¯s increasingly red ear tips, puzzled. ¡°Cough, well, maybe you should stop going to the bathroom, just like everyone else, use a bedpan instead.¡± Susu, with her head down, said this directly without looking at him. The man, caught off guard by Susu¡¯s suggestion, choked up a bit, his face flushing with heat. ¡°Maybe, maybe not, I¡¯ll just eat and drink less each day.¡± On hearing this, Susu immediately looked up and glared at him, ¡°No way.¡± She decisively made up her mind without caring about his embarrassment. Lu Xiaoting moved his lips, horrified at the thought, still wanting to negotiate further with his wife. Pushing the door open, he saw two familiar figures. ¡°Brother Lu, Brother Laosan? What brings you guys here?¡± ¡°How can you even ask? You got hurt so badly and didn¡¯t even tell me or Laosan. If dad hadn¡¯t called us, we would still be clueless.¡± Brother Lu said with a stern face, slightly angry. Brother Laosan was also somewhat angry, feeling that his second brother didn¡¯t treat them like brothers by not calling about such a major incident. All three brothers were in Provincial City, not far from each other. Mrs. Lu hurriedly made peace for her second son, ¡°He didn¡¯t want to disturb your work, and besides, he¡¯s got mom and Susu here.¡± Seeing his mother and wife vouching for him, Lu Xiaoting quickly nodded. Looking at the younger brother¡¯s bandaged leg, and hearing their father mention a stab wound to the stomach, the two brothers exchanged a helpless glance. Brother Lu sighed, ¡°You, you, making things so distant between siblings.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, second brother, this is where you went wrong,¡± Brother Laosan chimed in. Beside them, Bai Xiao pinched her husband, ¡°Stop spouting nonsense.¡± ¡°Second brother, sister-in-law, don¡¯t listen to his babble.¡± Brother Laosan was about to speak but was silenced by a glare from his wife, leaving him sheepishly touching his nose. ¡°Second, we¡¯ve already discussed it on the way here, and your eldest brother and I will take turns looking after you.¡± ¡°Exactly, school¡¯s out for me too, so I have plenty of time. I¡¯ll watch over you most of the time, and Brother Lu can come over when he¡¯s free.¡± Susu was somewhat surprised and worried this incident might cause tension between the couple, so she suggested they discuss it with their family before deciding. Bai Xiao adjusted her glasses and smiled gently, ¡°It¡¯s fine, Sister-in-law. School is out, and we have plenty of time.¡± Seeing that Brother Lu and his brother insisted, Susu didn¡¯t say anything more. After all, the person lying in the bed was their own sibling and it was more convenient for men to look after each other. Finally, after some discussion, it was decided that the three members of the Lu Family would take turns staying by the bedside, while Susu would take care of cooking and delivering meals. Provincial Machinery Factory Family Court ¡°Why did you come back so late? The kids and I were getting hungry.¡± Jiang Nan frowned unhappily and complained. Brother Lu always brought meals from the cafeteria home, but today he had forgotten about it because of his younger brother¡¯s situation. ¡°Haven¡¯t eaten yet?¡± Before Jiang Nan could reply, Brother Lu quickly rode his bike out to buy food. Watching his two children devour their food, Brother Lu¡¯s brows furrowed and he explained the afternoon¡¯s events. Hearing this, Jiang Nan slammed her chopsticks down on the table and wiped her mouth. ¡°Isn¡¯t Lu Laosan enough? You don¡¯t need to go. What will the kids and I eat if you do?¡± ¡°Snap¡ª¡± Brother Lu slapped the table. ¡°Lu Huaize, what are you doing? You startled me,¡± Jiang Nan said, patting her chest, clearly annoyed. Seeing the children looking somewhat frightened, Brother Lu softened his tone. ¡°He¡¯s my own brother and as the eldest, it¡¯s my duty to contribute financially and physically. And as for you¡ª¡± ¡°You still want to spend money?¡± Upon hearing about money, Jiang Nan immediately stood up and glared down at him. ¡°Over my dead body. If you insist on looking after your brother, then I might as well go back to my mother¡¯s home.¡± Brother Lu frowned. His wife was usually noisy, but she had never taken this kind of attitude before. Offended, he stayed silent. ¡°Fine, fine! Go with your brothers then.¡± Seeing her husband actually turning his face away from her, Jiang Nan stormed out angrily. Brother Lu felt both angry and helpless, worried that his wife might really leave and something might happen, so he quickly comforted his daughters and asked a neighboring aunt to watch over them while he went after her. From a distance, Brother Lu watched Jiang Nan¡¯s furious figure, feeling a headache come on as he discreetly ensured she safely reached her parents¡¯ home. With no choice, he left his children temporarily in the neighbor¡¯s care and rushed to the hospital. The neighbor sighed as she looked at the two little girls with sad faces, wondering how such a loving couple had started arguing. In this Family Court, no one doted on his wife like Brother Lu did. Hospital Lu Xiaoting looked at his worn-out elder brother and frowned. ¡°Brother, if you need to use the bathroom, just call me and I¡¯ll bring the bedpan.¡± Lu Xiaoting: ¡°...¡± ¡°Mom, can¡¯t you see why I¡¯m upset?¡± Jiang Nan leaned on the bed, her face sullen as she complained nonstop to her mother until her mouth went dry, grabbed the tea mug beside her, and looked down to see the dark, dirty mug which she immediately tossed aside. ¡°Oh, how disgusting.¡± Her mother rolled her eyes and told her daughter-in-law to clean the mug quickly. ¡°You might as well stay at your mother¡¯s home,¡± her mother advised, ¡°wait until Huaize comes to pick you up before returning. You have to firmly grasp your man at once...¡± Hearing her mother¡¯s words, Jiang Nan¡¯s eyes brightened, and she nodded. ¡°Hmpf! Let him be worried to death.¡± ¡°Exactly, that¡¯s the way!¡± Her mother squinted her eyes and fueled the fire with a long rant. Chapter 44 - 44 44 Quarrel ?Chapter 44: Chapter 44 Quarrel Chapter 44: Chapter 44 Quarrel ¡°Brother Lu, if you are not at home, how will your sister-in-law and the two kids eat?¡± Lu Xiaoting knew that Brother Lu always brought food home from the cafeteria and rarely cooked at home. Brother Lu was momentarily stunned and evaded the question vaguely, simply stating not to worry. Lu Xiaoting frowned. Something had been off about Brother Lu since he arrived, coupled with his tired face; he must have had a fight with his elder sister-in-law. As a younger brother, it wasn¡¯t right to meddle in Brother Lu¡¯s family affairs. Besides, despite Brother Lu¡¯s usually gentle nature, he was stubborn about his decisions once made. ¡°Brother.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Brother Lu looked up, concerned, ¡°Do you need to use the bathroom?¡± ¡°No, no, no.¡± Lu Xiaoting quickly intervened, stopping Brother Lu from helping him up. ¡°Well, if you need anything, just call me.¡± Brother Lu then lay across two stools, closing his eyes and resting. All he could think about were his wife and two daughters and he wasn¡¯t sleepy at all. The next morning, Lu Huaisen, who came to take over, called out Brother Lu. Seeing his youngest brother¡¯s mysterious demeanor, Brother Lu frowned, ¡°Little brother, what¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°Brother, tell me the truth. Did you have a fight with my elder sister-in-law?¡± ¡°No, you worry too much.¡± Brother Lu obviously didn¡¯t tell the truth, mainly to avoid worrying the family. Lu Huaisen gave him a look that clearly said ¡®how can you lie with a straight face,¡¯ glanced at the hospital room, and lowered his voice. ¡°Yesterday, I ran into my elder sister-in-law¡¯s brother. I heard it clear as day. My elder sister-in-law was so upset she went back to her mother¡¯s house. She even asked me to persuade you to go and bring her back.¡± ¡°Brother, look, I¡¯m on leave anyway, why don¡¯t you¡ª¡± Knowing what the third brother was about to say, Brother Lu raised his hand to stop him, his expression serious. ¡°The person lying in there is my own younger brother. How can I, as an elder brother, not be here? Let¡¯s not let mom and the second brother know about this situation to save them worry. Besides, I know what I¡¯m doing.¡± Knowing he couldn¡¯t change Brother Lu¡¯s mind, Lu Huaisen did not press further. The two brothers entered the room one after the other, and Lu Xiaoting in the bed had already woken up, his deep eyes looking toward them. Feeling guilty under the gaze of his second brother, like that of a hawk, Lu Huaisen nervously touched his nose, avoiding his brother¡¯s eyes. ¡°Ahem.¡± Afraid of being discovered by the second brother, Brother Lu coughed dryly to divert his gaze. ¡°Second brother, how are you? Do you need to use the bathroom?¡± Lu Xiaoting withdrew his gaze and raised an eyebrow. ¡°No need, Brother. Why don¡¯t you go back after breakfast?¡± Brother Lu hurriedly waved his hands, ¡°No need, no need. It¡¯s the same if I eat in the cafeteria. I¡¯d better hurry to work. If you need anything, just call the third brother, hear me?¡± Seeing Lu Xiaoting nod, Brother Lu quickly opened the door and left. Inside the hospital room Under the sweeping gaze of his second brother, Lu Huaisen couldn¡¯t help but lower his head. ¡°It¡¯s time to eat.¡± Susu entered, carrying large and small bags, puzzled by the scene. ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡± A few minutes earlier Unable to withstand his second brother¡¯s intense gaze, Lu Huaisen had no choice but to honestly confess everything he knew. ¡°Brother and sister-in-law probably fought over Brother staying to keep me company overnight, and in her anger, she went back to her mother¡¯s house. I¡¯ve already tried to persuade him, but Brother wouldn¡¯t listen...¡± Listening to the two brothers, Susu¡¯s brows furrowed deeply. ¡°So, are the sisters now being looked after by someone Brother hired?¡± Lu Huaisen nodded, ¡°Yes, he¡¯s paying them 50 cents a day.¡± Susu shook her head. How could this be acceptable? The two children were already scared when they saw their parents arguing. Now that Mom had gone back to her maternal home and Dad had to be at the hospital and couldn¡¯t attend to the house, the sisters must be feeling so anxious and frightened. ¡°Let¡¯s do this. When Brother Lu arrives, I¡¯ll talk to him and have Xiao Yu and Xiao Xue come over. Xiao Yu will be there during the day, and grandma and Little Aunt are also there; it will definitely be better than asking someone else to take care of them.¡± Lu Huaisen¡¯s eyes brightened, and he nodded repeatedly. Susu turned her head and bumped into the man¡¯s deep eyes, pinching him irritably. ¡°Hiss~¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong, second Brother? Are you in pain?¡± Lu Huaisen, who was about to eat from his lunchbox, looked up, his face filled with concern. Lu Xiaoting, seeing his sister-in-law¡¯s glaring warning, slightly curled his thin lips and said, ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± Lu Huaisen glanced suspiciously at his second brother and scratched his head. Damn, his brother¡¯s smiling face is quite frightening. ¡°Ah~¡± Mrs. Lu sighed upon hearing the news. She frowned, somewhat displeased. She couldn¡¯t understand what the elder daughter-in-law was thinking. Not helping between real brothers, what kind of brotherhood was that? The more she thought about it, the more uneasy she felt. The mother-in-law and daughter-in-law first went to the hospital to deliver meals to the brothers, and then they rushed to the Family Court. Mrs. Lu had visited the steel plant¡¯s Family Court many years ago to take care of her elder daughter-in-law. Relying on her memory from those years, she found her way there. ¡°Mom, you are really amazing.¡± Praised by her daughter-in-law, Mrs. Lu beamed with joy. ¡°Mom, second sister-in-law, why are you here?¡± Seeing the two at the door, Brother Lu was somewhat panicked. Mrs. Lu instantly went cold-faced, staring fiercely at her son¡ªhad it not been for the third son telling her, she, as the mother and the grandma, would still be kept in the dark. Seeing her son frown, Mrs. Lu lowered her voice, ¡°Don¡¯t blame the third one. If it weren¡¯t for the second one noticing something was off, that rascal would have still been deceiving me.¡± Seeing this, Susu quickly explained the intentions of the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law. ¡°Brother, don¡¯t be too quick to refuse. There¡¯s still room at my place, and grandma and Little Aunt are there, along with Xiao Yu. Having the sisters stay there will give them company and save you from worrying.¡± Seeing that the elder brother had not yet agreed, Mrs. Lu became somewhat anxious. ¡°You¡¯re so stubborn. Your own mother and sister aren¡¯t a bother.¡± Barraged by their own mother like a timed campaign, Brother Lu couldn¡¯t help but grin bitterly, looking at his two daughters and saying, ¡°Xiao Yu and Xiao Xue, you girls will stay with grandma and Little Aunt for a while. After Dad is done with this busy period, he¡¯ll come and get you, alright?¡± Xiao Yu pursed her lips, ¡°Dad, what about Mom?¡± ¡°By then, both Mom and Dad will come and pick you up, alright?¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Hearing this, the sisters¡¯ faces immediately brightened with sweet smiles. Hand in hand, ¡°Goodbye, Dad. Come and get us with Mom soon.¡± ... ¡°Xiao Yu, Xiao Xue.¡± Mrs. Lu, with a kindly face, reached out to hold her granddaughters¡¯ hands. Unexpectedly, Xiao Xue quickly hid behind her sister, warily staring up at the adults. A flash of sadness crossed Mrs. Lu¡¯s face, but Xiao Yu voluntarily took grandma¡¯s hand. ¡°Grandma, Xiao Xue is shy. Don¡¯t be sad, Grandma.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Mrs. Lu¡¯s face lit up as she patted her eldest granddaughter¡¯s head. ... After settling the three generations in a bungalow, Susu led Xiao Yu back to the Family Court. The scene downstairs was lively, young kids squatting down playing with mud, older children playing with beanbags and marbles, occasionally mixed with the cries of unaware toddlers. From a distance, the laughter of the aunties could be heard, seeming almost contagious, making one want to laugh. Chapter 45 - 45 45 Bowing in Thanks ?Chapter 45: Chapter 45 Bowing in Thanks Chapter 45: Chapter 45 Bowing in Thanks ¡°Little Lu¡¯s wife is back.¡± ¡°Aunts, have you eaten?¡± ¡°We¡¯ve eaten already, came down after we finished.¡± ... ¡°Xiao Xue, grandma will wash your face.¡± As soon as Mrs. Lu¡¯s words fell, the little girl hid behind her elder sister, with a muffled voice, ¡°I don¡¯t want Grandma, Mommy says Grandma doesn¡¯t like me and elder sister.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense, you need to listen and behave.¡± Xiao Yu was anxious and nervously pulled her sister to apologize, afraid that Grandma would be angry. ¡°No, no, Xiao Xue isn¡¯t lying; Mommy really said that.¡± Seeing her granddaughter throwing a tantrum, Mrs. Lu felt a lump in her heart. It seemed her elder daughter-in-law truly raised the kids this way. ¡°Lu Xiaomei, you take the two kids and get them cleaned up; I¡¯m going back to my room.¡± Lu Xiaomei sighed. Her elder sister-in-law really should not have taught the children that way. ¡°Come on, Little Aunt will take you to wash your face and brush your teeth.¡± ... She felt like something was stuck in her chest all night, neither moving up nor down, so Mrs. Lu simply went to the hospital. At the hospital Lu Xiaoting and Susu exchanged glances upon hearing Mrs. Lu¡¯s words. ¡°You tell me, just one phone call from the eldest, and my old lady fears delaying for even a second. I rushed over to take care of their confinement but nothing I did was right. That¡¯s fine. But then, to end up teaching the children nonsense! When did I ever favor boys over girls? How could I possibly mess up taking care of someone during their confinement? This has upset me all night.¡± Susu patted Mrs. Lu¡¯s chest to comfort her. ¡°The child is still young and hasn¡¯t spent much time with you, so it¡¯s normal for her not to be close. After living here for a few days, it will get better. Mom, you must not upset yourself too much.¡± Lu Xiaoting¡¯s voice suddenly rang out, ¡°Don¡¯t get upset anymore, if it really comes down to it, when my wife has our child, you can take care of the baby however you want.¡± Susu blinked, her cheeks flushing red as she realized what he meant, and stared wide-eyed. Mrs. Lu, who had just been upset, immediately shifted her gaze, taking her daughter-in-law¡¯s hand with a face blooming like a chrysanthemum, as if she had already seen herself walking through the streets proudly with her grandson. ¡°Oh, just the thought of leading around my eldest grandson makes me so happy I could wake up from sleep laughing.¡± Susu felt helpless and didn¡¯t know whether to laugh or to cry, ¡°Mom, it¡¯s too early to tell, and how do you know it¡¯s going to be a boy? What if it¡¯s a girl? Won¡¯t you be happy then?¡± ¡°It¡¯s definitely going to be a boy; the Old Blind Man has never been wrong. You two hurry up; your father and I are waiting to hold our grandson.¡± Mrs. Lu was smiling from ear to ear, delighted beyond measure. Susu frowned; how could they take the words of a charlatan seriously? Lu Xiaoting also timely intervened, ¡°Mom, don¡¯t put any pressure on my wife; I will be happy whether it¡¯s a boy or a girl.¡± ¡°Happy either way, happy either way.¡± ... For several days in a row, Susu led a simple routine of going back and forth between the Family Court, the hospital, and their flat, busy yet fulfilled. The two sisters went from being reserved at first to enjoying every day. Xiao Xue in particular initially followed her grandma around as she just began to walk, which amused and exasperated Mrs. Lu. ¡°Grandma.¡± The little girl held a milk bottle in one hand, gulping down the malted milk eagerly, and reached out her little arms asking to be held by grandma. Mrs. Lu tapped little Xiaoxue¡¯s messy head, purposely keeping a straight face, yet the smile in her eyes was unstoppable. With a slap on the little girl¡¯s bottom, she scolded, ¡°You little rascal.¡± Xiaoxue, clutching her milk bottle, giggled without a hint of fear. As soon as she put the little one down, she saw Brother and elder sister carrying their little stools, and the little girl eagerly followed. As Sister Huang Ying began to wash vegetables in a large basin, she remarked, ¡°Aunt, you¡¯re truly blessed. Your grandkids are so well-behaved. Unlike my kids, always up to no good¡ªdon¡¯t give them a spanking for one day, and they¡¯re up on the roof removing tiles.¡± Seeing the three siblings together, Mrs. Lu¡¯s face was all smiles. ¡°Old saying goes, ¡®At seven or eight even the dog will detest.¡¯ Except for our eldest, these three siblings were quite the handful growing up. Not to mention anything else, their clothes would tear every other day. Back then, you couldn¡¯t even keep up with patching them. Don¡¯t look at our second son now, so stable and serious. Before he was seventeen or eighteen, he was always having his brothers¡¯ backs, getting into fights every other day. When it came to Lu Xiaoting from the textile factory, everyone knew who he was. Not for anything else, that lad could even make the county¡¯s hooligans submit. None dared to bully his brother and sisters. Hearing they were related to Lu Xiaoting was enough to keep others from messing with them.¡± Sister Huang was shocked, ¡°I never would¡¯ve guessed. Aunt, don¡¯t laugh at me, but I find Lu Gong¡¯an rather intimidating. Feels like he has an aura that¡¯s pretty scary.¡± Yang Erniu nodded vigorously, ¡°Aunt, me too.¡± ¡°But Aunt, you really know how to raise kids. All of your children have formal jobs, and now Xiaomei is about to take the college entrance exams...¡± That was the scene Susu walked in on. Mrs. Lu was discussing child-rearing wisdom with Sister Huang Ying, while the newly-married Yang Erniu listened with earnest, occasionally nodding. ¡°Aunt.¡± ¡°Elder sister-in-law.¡± Susu scooped up Xiaoxue, who had her hair tied up in a little tuft, while Xiao Yu and Xiao Yu as her protectors followed on either side. The three who had been deep in conversation finally noticed. Sister Huang couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°Oh my, Aunt, I forgot to mention, the skill with which you found a daughter-in-law is truly exceptional.¡± Pride was written all over Mrs. Lu¡¯s face as she recounted how the family¡¯s fortunes improved after her second son¡¯s wife entered the home. Huang Ying and Yang Erniu were momentarily stunned, exclaiming their amazement. Susu shook her head, disregarding the three who were immersed in their heated discussion. ¡°Xiaomei, could you run to the hospital at noon and bring lunch for your second brother and third brother? I need to check the accounts and calculate last month¡¯s wages.¡± ¡°Okay, elder sister-in-law, I got it,¡± Lu Xiaomei said, covering the pot. Two large pots bubbled away, making the whole hall steamy. Seeing Lu Xiaomei sweating profusely, Susu felt somewhat guilty, ¡°Thank you for all your hard work, Xiaomei.¡± Lu Xiaomei chided, ¡°Elder sister-in-law, why say that? I couldn¡¯t be happier to help. Besides, you¡¯re not giving me wages for nothing.¡± Distracted by recent events, Susu had forgotten to ask Lu Xiaomei about her high school exam results until then, so she inquired. ¡°I haven¡¯t received the admission letter yet, but I put down our home address. If there¡¯s any news, dad will definitely call to inform us.¡± ... Susu looked at the ledger showing 1,263.52 yuan, her smile growing wider. After removing the forty yuan for Sister Huang and Yang Erniu¡¯s first month¡¯s wages, as well as the wages for Sister Hong and Xiao Sun, and accounting for the costs, the net profit was close to seven hundred yuan¡ªa very decent figure. After all, only Sister Hong and Xiao Sun were in sales up until now. Sister Hong, with 101.5 yuan in hand, her eyes welling up, bowed repeatedly in gratitude. Xiao Sun wasn¡¯t much different, holding the money and grinning ear to ear, saying thank you to Sister Su again and again. Susu was both amused and overwhelmed by the two, turning to face Sister Huang and Yang Erniu who were grinning from ear to ear. Unable to bear the four of them taking turns bowing and thanking her, assuring her over and over, Susu made sure they kept their money safe and quickly excused herself. Chapter 46 - 46 46 ?Chapter 46: Chapter 46 Chapter 46: Chapter 46 ¡°Mom, keep these 20 dollars.¡± Mrs. Lu looked at the money her daughter-in-law handed over and refused to take it until Susu said it was for buying groceries, then she finally accepted. The mother-in-law and daughter-in-law had nothing to do, so they decided to lead the three children to the alley entrance to wait for Lu Xiaomei, who was delivering meals. Hospital Lu Xiaoting saw that it was again his younger sister who had brought the meal. He coughed and asked, ¡°Xiaomei, where is your sister-in-law?¡± Lu Xiaomei, without lifting her head, simply replied that her sister-in-law was at the bungalow settling accounts, seeming to be distributing last month¡¯s salaries. Watching his thoughtful elder brother and his younger sister, busy serving water to both men, Lu Huaisen adjusted his glasses and smiled silently. ¡°Cough.¡± ¡°Brother, drink some water; look at you, you¡¯re coughing.¡± Lu Huaisen couldn¡¯t hold back and chuckled aloud. Lu Xiaoting warned with a glance at the younger brother, then turned to his sister and said, ¡°Ignore your third brother, he¡¯s having a fit.¡± Lu Xiaomei blinked, ¡°Oh.¡± ... ¡°Sister Hong, don¡¯t be so nervous. The more you act like this, the more likely you are to attract attention.¡± Wang Hong¡¯s lips trembled nervously as she swallowed. ¡°I don¡¯t want to be, but when I think about how much money I¡¯m carrying, I just get really nervous.¡± Xiao Sun was also extremely nervous, seeing so much money for the first time. Afraid of being targeted by thieves, the two maintained a tense vigilance all the way to the county. Once they reached the county, they didn¡¯t dare to stay long and hastened home. Looking at the banknote on the kang, Wang Hong and her husband burst into tears, while their confused children, not understanding why their mother had brought back so much money, began to cry fearing some terrible misfortune. The passing villagers shook their heads and sighed, ¡°Ah, the Zhang family really has bad karma.¡± Zhang Jianjun, feeling slightly embarrassed as he looked at his family, advised his wife to do her job well and not to let down Boss Su. Wang Hong playfully punched her husband, ¡°You don¡¯t need to tell me, your main job now is to get well and take care of our kids.¡± Hearing that their mother could earn a good amount each month and their father would get better, the three siblings cheered joyfully. The couple exchanged a smiling glance, their eyes filled with brilliance. County Brine Yard ¡°Bark bark bark¡ª¡± As Xiao Sun approached the gate, a little chubby dog rushed out, barking fiercely as a warning. Hearing the noise, Su Xianyue came out, ¡°Da Huang, go back.¡± The chubby dog wagged its tail, whimpered, and waddled back to its kennel. ¡°Mr. Su.¡± Xiao Sun, stuttering and somewhat at a loss, ¡°Sister Su asked me to tell you she can¡¯t come back for now, her salary might be delayed for a few days, but as soon as she gets time, she¡¯ll return.¡± Su Xianyue nodded, said a few words, and then went inside. ¡°Xiao Sun is here.¡± Xiao Sun nodded and repeated what Sister Su and the Second Aunt Su along with Aunt Su had said again. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, don¡¯t worry, we¡¯re all family. How¡¯s Xiaoting doing? His father said he¡¯s recovering well; has he been discharged?¡± Seeing this, Xiao Sun repeated everything he knew. The two women then sighed in relief. Aunt Su puckered her lips in the direction of Xiao Sun¡¯s departing back, ¡°Elder sister, I think that Xiao Sun is a good kid, young and earning well, handsome and respectful. I think he might have a little interest in Xianyue.¡± Aunt Liu Fen shook her head repeatedly, showing clear disapproval. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dare say that; Xiao Sun is younger than Xianyue. Xianyue has been divorced once, who would look up to her? It¡¯s not that I, as her mother, am putting her down, but we shouldn¡¯t indulge in baseless fantasies.¡± ¡°Ah¡ª¡± Aunt Su sighed, lamenting her niece¡¯s misfortune in marrying into such a family. ¡°His dad, Xiao Sun came back this afternoon, and I was thinking of asking Xiao Sun to bring her some malted milk essence and brown sugar.¡± Aunt Liu Fen brought up the afternoon¡¯s incident with a hint of regret. ¡°You can¡¯t just blabber, people will laugh if they overhear,¡± Uncle Su frowned. Aunt Su rolled her eyes at her husband, unimpressed. She knew better than that, she was just speaking casually at home. The Su brothers heard their mother¡¯s words and hurriedly made a trip to the supply and marketing co-op. Eldest Sister-in-law Su Eldest Sister-in-law Su stared at the two bags of brown sugar, feeling a pang of pain in her heart. She was just about to suggest keeping one bag for themselves and sending the other as enough. Brother Su interrupted, ¡°The younger brother also bought malted milk, if you want people to laugh at you, then just do that.¡± Eldest Sister-in-law Su glared, clutching her chest, almost didn¡¯t sleep all night from tossing and turning. Second Su Second Sister-in-law Su held the malted milk with great fondness, her face also full of agony. ¡°My goodness, I¡¯ve never tried this stuff in my life.¡± Su slowly glanced at his wife. ¡°Wasn¡¯t that bowl of malted milk at your aunt¡¯s house when we got married swallowed by a dog?¡± ¡°I hate you!¡± Second Su was stunned and punched her husband. Meanwhile, in the Provincial City Lu Xiaoting looked at the two lunch boxes on the table, filled with spare rib soup and creamy carp soup, and then up at his wife whose eyes sparkled like stars. He raised an eyebrow, ¡°Why such a feast today?¡± ¡°You tell me, which day isn¡¯t a feast?¡± Rolling her eyes at her husband, Susu turned her head and smilingly instructed the dazed-looking Brother Lu and Lu Laosan. ¡°Sister-in-law, don¡¯t prepare so much next time, just a simple meal is fine.¡± Brother Lu was a bit embarrassed. Lu Huaisen nodded and echoed his elder brother¡¯s words. Susu just said she was in a good mood today and wanted some fish soup herself, urging everyone to eat while it was hot. Lu Huaisen widened his eyes, thinking to himself, my goodness. Lu Xiaoting raised an eyebrow, obviously not believing it was just because of a good mood, his eyes smiling as he looked towards the little woman by the bed. ... Seeing both the brown sugar and the malted milk, Susu didn¡¯t know whether to laugh or cry. Mrs. Lu spoke quite proudly and self-assuredly, ¡°Look, that¡¯s our old Su family for you, always thoughtful.¡± The couple shared a smile, listening to the old mother¡¯s incessant chatter, nodding and agreeing from time to time. ¡°Look, your Uncle Su, the whole family even included three portions.¡± ¡°But when you think about it, it¡¯s also the sentiments of your brother and your brother-in-law¡¯s families.¡± ¡°Your Aunt, too, the house is already tight on funds, just buying a bag of brown sugar should have been enough, why buy malted milk too.¡± ... Just lying there every day, apart from eating and sleeping, Lu Xiaoting felt he was almost stiff, couldn¡¯t wait to get discharged and go home. He had just thought about getting out of bed to move around when his wife pressed him down again. ¡°You, lie there properly, if you mess around again, watch out, I¡¯ll beat you.¡± Susu stood with one hand on her hip, her face stern, waving her fist to warn her husband. Lu Xiaoting felt a bit guilty and whispered, ¡°Got it, wife.¡± ¡°Hmph!¡± Susu rolled her eyes at her husband irritatedly, instructed the younger brother to keep an eye on his second brother, then turned and left. Watching his own brother get scolded, Lu Huaisen barely held back his laughter, his shoulders quivering. Lu Xiaoting coldly glared, ¡°Lu Laosan!¡± ... Almost half a month passed. ¡°Hmm, you¡¯ve recovered well, just come for regular check-ups from now on.¡± Chapter 47 - 47 Discharged from Hospital in 47 s ?Chapter 47: Discharged from Hospital in 47 Chapters Chapter 47: Discharged from Hospital in 47 Chapters With the doctor¡¯s word, Lu Xiaoting, who couldn¡¯t stay in bed, didn¡¯t want to stay any longer. Just worrying about how to get back, as soon as he left the hospital, he saw an old man driving a horse carriage passing by, and Susu immediately chased after him. ¡°Old man, old man.¡± ¡°Old man driving the carriage, wait a moment~¡± ¡°Hmm~¡± The old man stopped the carriage by the roadside, puzzled, ¡°What¡¯s the matter, girl?¡± ¡°This is the situation, my husband is discharged from the hospital today. I¡¯ll give you one yuan if you could please take us back in your carriage.¡± ¡°Sure, sure, sure, why not.¡± As soon as the old man heard it, he agreed without even asking for the address. ¡°Girl, go call your people. I¡¯ll drive the carriage to the front of the hospital and wait for you.¡± ¡°Ah, thanks a lot, old man.¡± Susu hurried back to the ward, where Brother Lu was supporting Lu Xiaoting, with Lu Huaisen and Susu carrying things like warm pots and washbasins. ... Jiang Nan¡¯s sister-in-law Wang Zhaodi rolled her eyes. This elder sister-in-law came back only to freeload and do nothing all day, always ordering people around. Lazy and gluttonous, she¡¯s just unbearable! ¡°Look at you, I¡¯m busy spinning around every day, and you still only cause trouble for me. My life is so hard, serving the old and attending to the young, damn it¡¯s like being cursed for eight lifetimes.¡± ¡°Eat, eat, eat; sleep, sleep, sleep; what else do you know besides eating?¡± Jiang Nan rolled over, sat up, and glared. She hadn¡¯t been back long, and this Wang Zhaodi was always slamming and thrashing about, squeezing her with words inside and out every day. ¡°Wang Zhaodi, who are you showing your cursing to? If you want to scold me, have the guts to do it to my face, don¡¯t just mumble about it.¡± Wang Zhaodi rolled her eyes and put her hands on her hips. ¡°Oh my, elder sister, what are you talking about? I¡¯m just disciplining my child, don¡¯t misunderstand. Besides, I wouldn¡¯t dare to scold you.¡± Looking at the shameless Wang Zhaodi, Jiang Nan¡¯s chest heaved up and down with anger, and she fiercely slapped the kang. Just as things were about even, Jiang¡¯s mother, who had been pretending not to hear, finally spoke up, scolding her daughter-in-law and then earnestly advising her own daughter. ¡°We all depend on your brother-in-law for support; your job doesn¡¯t earn much money. What if you make your brother-in-law unhappy?¡± ¡°He wouldn¡¯t dare!¡± Jiang Nan glared. ¡°Look how long you¡¯ve been back, and brother-in-law hasn¡¯t even visited once. Maybe he¡¯s annoyed, also...¡± Listening to her mother go on and on, Jiang Nan became increasingly anxious, but still retorted stubbornly. ¡°Enough, stop nagging, it¡¯s giving me a headache. Huai Ze isn¡¯t like that.¡± Jiang¡¯s mother pouted, still trying to cajole her daughter. Watching their elder sister hurry off, Wang Zhaodi rolled her eyes and pinched her husband. ¡°My dear, it hurts, don¡¯t be angry, don¡¯t be angry, we still need to rely on my elder sister and brother-in-law.¡± ¡°Hmph, if it weren¡¯t for that, I would have slapped her long ago.¡± ... ¡°Hey, is Lu Gong¡¯an back?¡± ¡°How is Lu Gong¡¯an?¡± People at the Family Court were all concerned, gathering around one by one. Some timid women covered their chests, looking a bit frightened. Susu gave the old man driving the carriage one yuan, exchanged a few simple pleasantries with the crowd, and then went upstairs. After settling in, Brother Lu and the third brother said they wanted to go back. Susu hurriedly gave each of them a bag of brown sugar and a jar of malted milk, afraid they would refuse, she said. ¡°These were given by family members or people from the Family Court, we can¡¯t finish them at home.¡± The brothers saw there was quite a lot and didn¡¯t decline. ¡°Sister-in-law, once I get off work in the afternoon, I¡¯ll come back to pick up Xiao Yu and Xiao Xue.¡± ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll wait at home with the kids, Brother, just come directly.¡± After sending off the Lu brothers, Susu wasn¡¯t idle. Mrs. Lu said a word and then took the basket to go out for groceries. Susu pointed at the candy eggs piled on the cabinet, which everyone from the Family Court had brought over one after another since Lu Xiaoting was hospitalized. ¡°I¡¯ve remembered them all, so we can return the favors later.¡± Lu Xiaoting nodded, ¡°I¡¯ll listen to whatever my wife says.¡± Susu was stunned for a moment, wondering what he meant by suddenly agreeing to everything she said. When their eyes met, an unusual sparkle appeared in the man¡¯s black pupils, and she heard his voice. ¡°Thank you, wife, for your hard work during this time.¡± Susu felt her cheeks start to heat involuntarily as the man kept calling her wife. She coughed, ¡°Well, it¡¯s good you know.¡± Lu Xiaoting smiled slyly, his thin lips parting slightly, ¡°From now on, I¡¯ll listen to whatever my wife says.¡± Susu glared, thinking when had this man become so smooth with words. Caught by his intense gaze, Susu thought to herself¡ªwhat a charming man! Lu Xiaoting raised his eyebrows, mimicking his wife¡¯s usual manner, and blinked, ¡°Wife?¡± Susu, feeling her heart nearly leap to her throat, covered his compelling eyes with her hand. Her voice shaking, she said, ¡°Don¡¯t seduce people.¡± ¡°Hehe...¡± The man¡¯s deep, magnetic laughter exploded in her ear, and, embarassed and annoyed, Susu moved her hand from his eyes to cover his lips. Blushing, she warned, ¡°No laughing, no laughing.¡± The next second, a cool sensation spread from her hand, startling Susu to pull her hands back behind her. Incredulously stuttering, she started, ¡°You-you-you... why did you kiss...¡± Lu Xiaoting raised his eyebrows, his eyes smiling, ¡°Can¡¯t I kiss my own wife?¡± Susu glared. Was this the same reserved Lu Gong¡¯an? ¡°Squeak¡ª¡± When Mrs. Lu entered the house carrying a basket of vegetables and meat, her face was cheerful, ¡°Look at me¡ª¡± ¡°What¡¯s the matter here?¡± Seeing her daughter-in-law¡¯s puffed cheeks, Mrs. Lu looked at her son. ¡°It¡¯s nothing, mom, please start cooking. Your daughter-in-law was just saying her stomach was growling.¡± Mrs. Lu looked left and right, and seeing her daughter-in-law nod, she skeptically went to cook. Before she left, she warned the second son not to upset Susu. With her mother-in-law¡¯s support, Susu proudly tilted her chin, snorted, and ignored the man. Lu Xiaoting couldn¡¯t help but smile wryly. ... Having learned from the neighbor¡¯s aunt that the two sisters were taken away by their mother-in-law, Jiang Nan pouted and muttered quietly in discontent. And since she didn¡¯t bring the house keys and didn¡¯t want to be laughed at by others, Jiang Nan simply ran straight to the factory. ¡°Nannan?¡± As soon as she got off the bus, Brother Lu saw his wife, whom he hadn¡¯t seen for several days, and happily caught up to her. Jiang Nan kept her head low, feeling a bit sullen, and afraid the man would argue with her again. Brother Lu sighed, took the initiative, and lowered his head, ¡°Wife, why did you only just come back? The kids and I missed you.¡± Hearing this, Jiang Nan pursed her lips and glared at him annoyed. With a tone full of grievance, she complained, ¡°Hmph! All you do is deceive. You didn¡¯t come to find me for such a long time.¡± Brother Lu felt helpless, having run back and forth between the factory and the hospital recently, and not having taken care of the two kids. Jiang Nan was coaxed by the man for quite a while and eventually cracked a smile, playfully swaying. ¡°You¡¯re annoying.¡± ¡°I¡¯m annoying, I¡¯m annoying.¡± Brother Lu breathed a sigh of relief, sent her back home, then rushed back to the factory hurriedly. Chapter 48 - 48 48 Being Caught ?Chapter 48: Chapter 48 Being Caught Chapter 48: Chapter 48 Being Caught Jiang Nan stared at the tightly closed door and involuntarily took two steps back as she thought about her mother-in-law and the Chongxi sister-in-law sizing her up. Brother Lu held his wife¡¯s hand, comforting her softly. ¡°It¡¯s okay, I¡¯m here.¡± ¡°Big brother, why didn¡¯t you come in when you arrived?¡± Mrs. Lu came out with a basin and noticed her eldest daughter-in-law standing behind her son, trying to keep a straight face. ¡°The elder sister-in-law is here too, come inside.¡± Jiang Nan bit her lip and nodded, not daring to meet her mother-in-law¡¯s gaze. Lu Xiaoting was somewhat surprised but maintained his composure and greeted them. ¡°Brother, elder sister-in-law, please have a seat. Susu has gone to pick up a few kids and will be back soon.¡± Jiang Nan nodded and didn¡¯t pay attention to what the brothers were saying, surveying the room instead. Noticing how tidy everything was, even the jars and bottles on the shelves were neatly arranged, she pursed her lips and stood up, curious to have a closer look. All these were fine items from the Department Store, which she hadn¡¯t dared to buy before; it surprised her that the Chongxi sister-in-law had managed to buy a complete set. Pfft, I¡¯m beautiful, I don¡¯t need all these useless things. Returning with soapnuts, Mrs. Lu happened to catch the elder daughter-in-law¡¯s scowling face very clearly. She frowned and looked at her eldest son but ultimately said nothing. Jiang Nan frowned, feeling displeased. This old lady smiled brightly at that crafty sister-in-law but only showed a stern face to her. They were both daughters-in-law, yet her favoritism was almost palpable. If it weren¡¯t for picking up her two beloved daughters, she wouldn¡¯t have bothered coming here to endure this. ¡°Hahaha, brother, sister, catch me!¡± ¡°I¡¯m coming¡ª¡± ¡°Ah¡ª¡± Hearing the noise in the hallway, three children rushed into the room. ¡°Mom!¡± The sisters, drenched in sweat and beaming with joy, rushed to hug their mother. ¡°Mom, we missed you so much.¡± ¡°Mom, why did you come so late? My sister and I have missed you for a long time.¡± Seeing her doted-on little princesses looking dirtier and wilder than ever, Jiang Nan felt a darkness before her eyes. ¡°Eew, why have you become so dark? Look at the sweat on your heads; I¡¯m taking you to the bathhouse for a scrub tomorrow.¡± Upon hearing about the scrub, the sisters shook their heads vigorously and cooed their arms, pleading, ¡°No, no, scrubbing hurts too much.¡± ¡°Mom, can¡¯t we just rinse off in a big tub like grandma?¡± ¡°No way! That won¡¯t get you clean.¡± Jiang Nan¡¯s brows knitted tightly together as she fanned herself with a look of disgust. Susu patted Xiao Yu¡¯s head and led the little fellow inside, ¡°Brother, elder sister-in-law, stay for dinner before going back.¡± Brother Lu nodded, ¡°Okay, then we¡¯ll trouble you, brother and sister-in-law.¡± During dinner, Jiang Nan couldn¡¯t believe her ears when she heard that the second younger brother¡¯s family had expanded their pickled goods business to the Provincial City. If she hadn¡¯t heard it from them personally, she would have thought she was hallucinating. That¡¯s not right, I clearly remember in my last life, because of adopting that child, Su Erya was trafficked while running back to her mother¡¯s home? How is this different from what I remember? Not only was Su Erya kind to the adopted child, but she also started a pickling business and expanded it to the Provincial City. Could it be because I was reborn, other things were also affected? Noticing Jiang Nan¡¯s gaze, Susu smiled, ¡°Elder sister-in-law, eat more, please don¡¯t be shy.¡± ¡°Oh, okay.¡± Jiang Nan held her bowl, her mind in turmoil, and the food tasting bland. She hadn¡¯t expected this Chongxi sister-in-law to be so impressive now; the pickled goods business seemed to be doing quite well. ¡°Mom, I want to eat fish.¡± Xiao Xue saw that her mom wasn¡¯t paying attention to her, so she shook her mom¡¯s arm. Seeing this, Susu picked the bones out of the fish belly and cautioned the little girl, ¡°Eat slowly, be careful of the bones.¡± On the way back, Jiang Nan¡¯s mind was filled with Chongxi Sister-in-law¡¯s gentle whispers, which made him somewhat panicked. Brother Lu saw that his wife had seemed distracted since they had finished eating, his face filled with concern. ¡°I¡¯m fine, I probably just didn¡¯t sleep well last night.¡± Jiang Nan shook his head, and looking at the worried man in front of him, his spirit instantly revived. It¡¯s okay, I still have the kids¡¯ dad. Family Court Xiao Yu held onto Grandma¡¯s big hand, looking back every three steps. Mrs. Lu was amused by the little guy, ¡°We are not leaving forever. Once your uncle¡¯s leg heals, we¡¯ll come back.¡± ¡°Yes, I hope uncle¡¯s leg heals quickly. And that he won¡¯t get hurt again.¡± ... Lu Xiaoting¡¯s gaze was tightly fixed on the slender figure inside the room, and for a moment he seemed a bit lost. ¡°Hey!¡± Susu emptied the footbath, paced forward, and waved her hand in front of the man. ¡°What are you thinking about, so deep in thought?¡± ¡°Wife, you are too thin.¡± Hearing this, Susu looked down at herself, indeed, she was on the thinner side, but she was quite happy with her metabolism that prevented her from gaining weight. Not like before, when even drinking water made her gain weight, she would skip dinner to control her figure and would nibble on a tomato when she couldn¡¯t bear the hunger. ¡°It¡¯s good to be thin, I like it thin.¡± ¡°Too thin, it¡¯s hard to embrace.¡± Susu looked at the man in shock, and the man seriously nodded his head. Damn, this is too surreal! So this is what you are like, Lu Gong¡¯an. The moonlight outside the window shone through and lit up the dark room slightly. Susu lay on her side facing the man, and under the moonlight, she observed his long eyelashes, high nose bridge, and the distinct jawline. Sometimes, God really seems unfair. This man was handsome from every angle, and as Susu¡¯s eyes rolled around, she leaned in and kissed him lightly like a dragonfly touching water. Her index finger touched the man¡¯s cool, thin lips, slightly pressing them, and murmured softly, ¡°They are quite bouncy.¡± The man¡¯s eyes suddenly opened, and Susu screamed in fright, not having recovered yet when her neck was pressed down by the man¡¯s strong arms. A cool sensation passed through her lips, meeting a pair of deep, dark eyes. The caught Susu blinked her big eyes, her lips lightly pursed. ¡°You don¡¯t have to be so sneaky next time, just kiss me if you want.¡± Watching as she screamed and then buried her head in the blanket, Lu Xiaoting chuckled softly. ... Susu, who had not slept well the night before, yawned as she walked out the door and bumped into the neighbor next door. ¡°I thought I heard someone from your house last night, everything okay?¡± The scenes from last night flooded into her mind, and Susu¡¯s face instantly heated up, she quickly made up an excuse. ¡°That, that was, I thought there was a rat last night, it scared me.¡± ¡°Oh, a rat...I wonder why it ran so fast.¡± Sister Wang scratched her head, puzzled. Lu Xiaoting looked at his busy mother, frowning, ¡°Mom, where is my wife?¡± ¡°Your wife is busy with the business, I can handle things here on my own.¡± After Mrs. Lu had cleaned the house and sat on a stool waiting for it to dry, she noticed that her younger son seemed a bit upset. She scolded with a laugh, ¡°What? Isn¡¯t mom looking after you good enough?¡± Chapter 49 - 49 49 Obediently Listen ?Chapter 49: Chapter 49 Obediently Listen Chapter 49: Chapter 49 Obediently Listen Talking about this matter, Mrs. Lu was both annoyed and amused. She even said on the phone to her husband, ¡°That stinky boy has finally come to his senses, knowing to stick with his wife now.¡± The eldest and the youngest, both couples, were love-matches, but only the second couple¡¯s marriage was arranged by the family. Originally, they consulted the Old Blind Man for the couple¡¯s fortune-telling based on their birthdates. The old couple was somewhat worried, afraid that the young couple wouldn¡¯t get along well. ¡°Now, are you relieved? Aren¡¯t the second couple¡¯s affections for each other so strong?¡± Hearing her husband¡¯s words, Mrs. Lu¡¯s face relaxed, ¡°Well aren¡¯t they, I¡¯m just waiting to hold my grandson now.¡± Just thinking about a soft, chubby grandson, the old couple couldn¡¯t help but laugh out loud together. However, Father Lu still reminded his wife not to put too much pressure on their daughter-in-law by constantly mentioning grandchildren. Mrs. Lu rolled her eyes though the phone, ¡°As if I don¡¯t know that, I¡¯m just nagging you a bit.¡± ¡°What¡¯s that about? I can hear laughter from a distance.¡± Susu pushed a big-truss bicycle to the doorstep. Seeing her daughter-in-law return, Mrs. Lu teased with a smile, ¡°Haha, Susu, you didn¡¯t see it, today your husband saw his mother¡¯s face, it kept changing. He even asked me, ¡®Mom, where¡¯s my wife?¡¯ with a look that seemed like he didn¡¯t want his mother to come, it was hilarious.¡± Susu felt a bit embarrassed listening to her mother-in-law, cursing to herself how ridiculous the man was. ¡°Haha, Aunt, this just shows how good Lu Gong¡¯an and Xiao Su¡¯s relationship is; you should get ready to hold your grandchild,¡± said Xiao Yu. ¡°Oh, they are really affectionate,¡± Mrs. Lu seemed to already see her grandson waving his little hands at her, so overjoyed her mouth wouldn¡¯t close. ¡°You know what¡¯s strange? Why do they even try to control childbearing? They still don¡¯t allow it now...¡± Fearing the others would tease her, Susu quickly packed up a basket of marinated goods with Lu Xiaomei and hurriedly left. Her own ladies¡¯ bicycle was still in the county; this one belonged to Lu Xiaoting, which he used for commuting, with big wheels and quite tall. Being short, she couldn¡¯t mount it and had to squeeze through the middle, pedaling in small half-circles while standing. It was a bit cumbersome and tiring, but it was still better than walking. Now that there was enough help with the marinated goods business, Susu simply rode the bicycle through streets and alleys, pausing now and then to call out her wares. ¡°Marinated goods for sale, delicious marinated goods, don¡¯t miss out as you pass by.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t get a bad deal, can¡¯t be cheated.¡± ... ¡°Hmm, not bad! Give me two pounds of each. I¡¯m just about to head back to my mother¡¯s house,¡± said an elegantly dressed sister in a polka dot white blouse and gray-blue trousers. Susu efficiently packed and weighed the goods, handing the big wooden bowl to the sister, ¡°Vegetable dishes are eighty cents, meat dishes are one fifty per pound. That¡¯s four dollars and eighty cents in total, I¡¯ll refund you twenty cents once the bowl is returned.¡± ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll have my kid come over to return it later.¡± Once someone made a purchase, others curiously came over to look and most of them bought something. After collecting the wooden bowls back, Susu pedaled on. ¡°No, next time I go back to the county, I must bring the bicycle over. This is just too much effort.¡± Watching the sun grow brighter in the clear blue sky, Susu found a spot in the shade to stop. Fanning herself with her straw hat, she called out ¡°Marinated goods for sale,¡± and when someone approached, she simply flipped the hat back onto her head. By the end of the day, her vest was soaked through, then dried, then soaked again. The first thing upon returning was to pull the curtain around her and wipe her body. With limited conditions, and feeling uncomfortably sticky, she couldn¡¯t care less about the man still lying in bed. Lu Xiaoting heard the sound of splashing water, and his peripheral vision caught sight of a cloth curtain. Feeling slightly awkward, he coughed to clear his throat, forcefully turning his gaze away. ¡°Whew~ That¡¯s refreshing.¡± Susu filled another basin with warm water and gestured to the man with a tilt of her chin. ¡°Take off your clothes, I¡¯ll wipe you down.¡± Looking at the man¡¯s bulging chest muscles and well-defined arms, Susu compressed her lips, restraining herself from pouncing on him. Lu Xiaoting caught all of his wife¡¯s subtle movements, his lips curled into a smile, his eyes filled with mirth. Susu looked up and stumbled upon the man¡¯s seemingly amused dark pupils, pausing for a moment before irritably tossing the towel in her hand at him. ¡°Sweetie.¡± Lu Xiaoting removed the still-warm towel from his face and let out a soft chuckle. Seeing his wife staring at him, Lu Xiaoting touched his cheek, thinking there must be something on his face. Susu glared, but chose not to fuss too much with the man who was somewhat incapacitated. The weather in July was so hot it felt like there was nowhere to hide. Especially around noon, even the breeze was hot. Worried about getting too tanned, Susu always wore long pants and sleeves, yet she could still feel herself darkening a few shades every day. Every day, going out early and returning late, she was so tired she just wanted to fall into bed and sleep. Smelling the sweat on her own body, Susu struggled to get up, took a quick wash, and then flopped back onto the bed. Lu Xiaoting looked at his own slender and fair legs, turned on his side, and adjusted his injured leg. Mainly because his wife was incredibly restless in her sleep. The next second, a slender arm was draped over him. Lu Xiaoting gently shifted and, by the moonlight, turned to look at the little figure beside him. ¡°Sweetie, you¡¯ve worked hard.¡± His lips softly kissed down, pulling the blanket that his wife had kicked off, covering her stomach properly. The next morning Susu woke up in a daze, only to see her hand hugging the man tightly. Her face burning with embarrassment, Susu carefully climbed out of bed and turned around to meet the man¡¯s bleary eyes. Susu: ¡°...¡± ¡°Sleep a bit longer.¡± Susu tiptoed with the basin to the washroom, and upon returning, she saw the man staring at her. ¡°Did I wake you? Do you want to sleep a bit longer?¡± Lu Xiaoting shook his head, his voice somewhat hoarse, ¡°No need, I¡¯m not sleepy anymore.¡± After watching the little woman swiftly tidy things up, Lu Xiaoting cleared his throat. ¡°Come back early tonight.¡± Susu raised an eyebrow and waved to the man. ¡°Stay at home and behave, don¡¯t go wandering off.¡± ... Mrs. Lu saw her daughter-in-law talking to Xiao Yu for quite some time, the little guy nodding seriously with a tough little face. ¡°Go ahead, Xiao Yu.¡± ¡°Auntie, bye-bye.¡± Susu watched the pair leave, her smile beaming as she placed her hands on her hips and proudly jutted out her chin. Lu Xiaomei found it somewhat amusing; her sister-in-law sometimes acted like a child. ¡°Second sister-in-law, what did you say to Xiao Yu? His little face is so tense, someone who doesn¡¯t know better might think there¡¯s a serious matter.¡± Susu remembered the man¡¯s reproachful dark eyes and laughed, ¡°I told Xiao Yu to keep an eye on your second brother, to stop him from getting into mischief at home.¡± Lu Xiaomei gave her sister-in-law a thumbs up. ¡°Uncle.¡± ¡°Xiao Yu is back.¡± Lu Xiaoting called the little guy over. ¡°Uncle, you need to heal properly. Auntie is working hard to earn money outside.¡± Xiao Yu echoed like a little adult, his voice earnest and childlike. ¡°Be obedient and don¡¯t make Auntie worry!¡± Chapter 50 - 50 50 Going to College ?Chapter 50: Chapter 50: Going to College Chapter 50: Chapter 50: Going to College Watching the little guy act like a little adult, Lu Xiaoting found it somewhat amusing. ¡°Okay, okay, Uncle will listen.¡± Xiao Yu frowned, his face serious. ¡°Aunt said Xiao Yu has to watch Uncle and not let you sneak outside.¡± Lu Xiaoting choked, didn¡¯t expect his wife to know, and guiltily touched his nose. ¡°If Uncle doesn¡¯t listen, Xiao Yu will have to tell Aunt.¡± Seeing the little guy with a stern face, Lu Xiaoting had no choice but to nod in agreement. Mrs. Lu, who had been covertly watching them, grinned. She thought the brat still needs Susu to discipline him. Old mom¡¯s words didn¡¯t work, so let¡¯s have your wife handle you. ¡°Old Lu, why are you so happy?¡± Aunt Wang asked curiously. ¡°We just received our daughter¡¯s college admission notice, so I¡¯m about to make a call.¡± ¡°My goodness, your Lu Xiaomei got into college? Wow, how incredible is that?¡± Aunt Wang clapped her thigh and shouted so loud nearly the entire Family Court could hear. Father Lu had just mentioned that his daughter got into a college in the Provincial City and hurried off to make a phone call, leaving the residents of the Family Court buzzing with excitement. ¡°What? Your dad said your admission notice has arrived?¡± Seeing her daughter nod, Mrs. Lu was both shocked and delighted, pinching her philtrum with one hand and waving excitedly with the other. Lu Xiaomei couldn¡¯t help but smile and shake her head, ¡°Mom, what are you doing?¡± ¡°Mom¡¯s just preventing an excitement-induced faint¡ªtaking early precautions.¡± Mrs. Lu regained her composure and happily murmured to herself, ¡°Truly, the ancestors have blessed us. The Lu family has produced two college students now¡ªtruly our ancestors are exhaling plumes of blue smoke.¡± Susu, upon hearing the good news, immediately decided not to cook lunch that day. Everyone would go out to eat to simply celebrate Lu Xiaomei getting into college. Even though it was just a junior college, during this era, the junior college degree was highly valuable, with the state providing employment after graduation. In a way, it was like securing a guaranteed job ahead of time. That afternoon, Father Lu appeared in the flat with his arms full of large and small bags. ¡°Dad, why have you come?¡± ¡°Your Dad, why have you come?¡± Mother and daughter realized quickly and rushed forward to help carry things. Father Lu¡¯s smiling cheeks hadn¡¯t fallen since learning his daughter was admitted to college. ¡°I¡¯m delighted. Couldn¡¯t stay calm at home, so I took two days off from the factory.¡± Mrs. Lu proudly shook her head, ¡°Just look how impressive my daughter is, right?¡± Father Lu nodded, ¡°She is my daughter too.¡± ¡°Nonsense, my daughter came from my belly, mainly inheriting my intelligence.¡± ¡°That¡¯s still thanks to her dad¡¯s intelligence.¡± ... Lu Xiaomei watched her parents bicker with an endlessly joyous smile. Susu, upon returning, was immediately caught up in conversation by Xiaomei who had the image of their parents arguing in her mind, laughing so hard her stomach hurt. At night, Father Lu stayed in the flat. Xiao Sun and a few other men slept in the eastern room. Fortunately, the kang was big enough that three men and a little boy weren¡¯t crowded at all. ¡°Dad¡¯s here?¡± Susu nodded. Seeing her husband¡¯s puzzled face, she belatedly remembered that her father-in-law had arrived and had gone straight to the new compound. It seemed the old couple were too excited and apparently forgot to mention seeing their son. Susu: ¡°...¡± ¡°Dad¡¯s probably too excited, that¡¯s why he forgot to come here.¡± Lu Xiaoting shrugged helplessly, ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± Susu blinked, observed carefully for a long while, and seeing that he genuinely wasn¡¯t upset, she finally breathed a sigh of relief. ... ¡°Why don¡¯t we eat with our sons at the Provincial City as well, just as a celebration for Xiao Mei?¡± Mrs. Lu suggested, mainly because it was so busy at home that they couldn¡¯t leave. ¡°Sure, you won¡¯t be able to head back to the county soon, just celebrate here in the Provincial City.¡± The old couple feared their daughter might be unhappy and turned to look at her simultaneously. Lu Xiaomei was amused by her parents turning their heads at the same time, ¡°I think this is fine, it won¡¯t disrupt my sister-in-law¡¯s business. Besides, my second brother is still injured, he can¡¯t go anywhere.¡± The family joyfully made their decision, and Father Lu called the eldest and third son to inform them. Mrs. Lu and Lu Xiaomei took charge of washing vegetables and preparing the ingredients, while Susu was responsible for cooking. The third son went directly to the Family Court to bring his second brother over. The yard was bustling with activity. ¡°Auntie, if my family could have a college student, my husband and I would wake up laughing in our dreams,¡± Sister Huang said with envy. Wang Hong dreamed aloud, ¡°I¡¯m just hoping my husband gets better soon, so that our kids can study. I¡¯d scrimp and save for it. Who knows, maybe our family could also have a college student.¡± Mrs. Lu¡¯s face lit up happily at everyone¡¯s talk, while Lu Xiaomei¡¯s face turned so red with laughter it was almost unbearable. ¡°Grandma~¡± Xiao Yu and Xiao Xue ran up one after another, followed by Brother Lu and his wife. Mrs. Lu happily hugged her granddaughters and looked up to greet, ¡°Elder Brother, have your wife sit down for a while.¡± Brother Lu nodded, watching the three kids running around the yard. Jiang Nan looked at her two wild daughters, feeling somewhat headache-ridden and worried her husband might get upset. She simply closed her eyes¡ªout of sight, out of mind. Yet, listening to everyone chatting and laughing, Jiang Nan felt irritable. When did her Chongxi sister-in-law become so likeable? ¡°Sister-in-law, we¡¯re here.¡± At the sound, Susu saw the third son supporting his second brother, while Bai Xiao helped with the bicycle, darting out to take over the bicycle. ¡°Xiaoxiao, I¡¯ll take it. The doorstep here is high; be careful not to get your clothes dirty.¡± As she spoke, Susu carried the bicycle sideways into the yard. With many people, they set up two tables; one for the Lu family, the other for the restaurant¡¯s staff. ¡°Let¡¯s not worry about those three. They drink theirs, we eat ours.¡± Susu even bought about ten bottles of soda, and there, the three little ones hugged their sodas, sipping and smacking their lips with delight, a picture of enjoyment. ¡°Elder sister-in-law, Xiaoxiao, eat some more,¡± Susu called out to the two. Watching her now capable sister-in-law, Jiang Nan felt a little uneasy in her heart. The women and children had their fill, and turning around, they noticed the three men¡¯s faces were flushed. On such a joyous day, Mrs. Lu didn¡¯t even bother checking on the three. As long as the younger son didn¡¯t drink, it was fine. Susu raised an eyebrow, leaning into her man¡¯s ear and whispered softly, ¡°Why? You craving booze too?¡± She quickly changed the subject, ¡°But...no chance! You can drink once you¡¯re well.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not interested in alcohol.¡± Lu Xiaoting saw his little wife giving him a skeptical, teasing look and couldn¡¯t help but laugh. Raising an eyebrow, he said in a deep voice, ¡°I only like my wife¡ª¡± Before he could finish, Susu twisted her hand on his waist, giving it a hard spin. She glared at him, ¡°Talking nonsense!¡± Lu Xiaoting laughed out loud, ¡°I mean, I only like the soup you make.¡± Susu: ¡°...¡± Awkward, what a huge embarrassment! Jiang Nan caught their antics and was baffled. ¡°Nannan, why don¡¯t you eat some more?¡± Brother Lu noticed his wife hadn¡¯t eaten much. Jiang Nan pushed her husband¡¯s face aside, frowning, ¡°How much did you just drink? Your breath smells like alcohol.¡± ¡°Ah, just happy, accidentally had a couple extra drinks.¡± Chapter 51 - 51 51 Cicada Monkey ?Chapter 51: Chapter 51 Cicada Monkey Chapter 51: Chapter 51 Cicada Monkey Being stared down by his wife, Brother Lu sheepishly showed a row of white teeth, ¡°Nannan, I was wrong, I won¡¯t drink so much next time.¡± ¡°Hmph, good that you know.¡± Watching the younger couple, Mrs. Lu smiled until her eyes were nearly closed, then turned her head and pursed her lips at the elder couple. Glued together in broad daylight, what a sight they were. In the blink of an eye, the school term was almost upon them. Lu Xiaoting¡¯s injuries had healed considerably, and as long as he was careful to avoid vigorous activities, he would be fine. Having been home for over a month and unable to sit still, he had returned to his job at the police station. Fortunately, his colleagues and bosses were understanding, only letting Lu Xiaoting sit in the office and temporarily do some clerical work. Susu teased him, ¡°You really can¡¯t stay still, everyone just watches you leaning on a cane, and you also...¡± ¡°Ah¡ª Lu Xiaoting, what are you doing? Be careful, or I¡¯ll tell mom you¡¯re bullying me.¡± Staring at the non-stop babbling little aunt, Lu Xiaoting bent down and silenced her with a kiss. Feeling the cold touch on her lips, Susu froze. This was their first kiss in the full light of day. Blinking and meeting the man¡¯s deep, dark eyes, Susu¡¯s stiff body softened. Accompanied by the chirping of cicadas and insects, the night sky outside the window was filled with stars. A gentle breeze blew, ensuring a good night¡¯s sleep. Susu, supporting her sore back, got up and softly gasped at the sight of bruises on her body as she looked down. Looking around, there was no sign of the man in the room. Cursing under her breath as she got out of bed, what a dog of a man, truly despicable. ¡°Susu is here, my younger son came over this morning saying you didn¡¯t sleep well and would be late. How are you?¡± Being stared at with concern by her mother-in-law, Susu uttered a few uncomfortable words, then quickly rode off on her bike. Leaving Mrs. Lu standing there, puzzled. ... Grandma and the two ladies carried a basket, chatting and laughing. With registration just around the corner, Susu, along with her mother-in-law and sister, was ready to have a good scrubbing in the bathhouse. In the female section of the bathhouse, a quick scan revealed a blur of pale bodies. Susu, covering her private areas, found a less crowded corner to face away from the crowd and began to wash. Unable to withstand Mrs. Lu¡¯s Iron Sand Palm, Susu and her sister scrubbed each other¡¯s backs. After finishing, they took turns scrubbing Mrs. Lu¡¯s back, which turned a bright red, yet Mrs. Lu still complained that they weren¡¯t scrubbing hard enough. After a thorough bathing session, it was already dark when they came out. The mother and daughters, with their wet hair loose, walked while shaking their heads to dry their hair in the evening breeze, and by the time they reached home, their hair was half-dry. On the registration day, Father Lu specifically requested leave from the factory to accompany his daughter to Provincial City for her college enrollment. Father Lu carried a quilt roll, Mrs. Lu and the sister carried baskets filled with toiletries. Susu, holding a thermos in one hand and tightly holding Xiao Yu¡¯s little hand with the other, brought the little one to see the university, hoping it might inspire his academic motivation. Provincial Finance and Economics College The group followed the student in charge of registration to the dormitory. The dormitory was empty, it seemed the other students hadn¡¯t arrived yet. ¡°Aunt, Aunt¡¯s school is really nice.¡± Susu patted the little one¡¯s head, ¡°Then our Xiao Yu should also work hard to go to university in the future, okay?¡± ¡°Yes! I want to study hard, go to university, and earn money to spend on you, Aunt.¡± The adults were amused by the little one¡¯s words and jested among themselves. ¡°What about grandpa?¡± ¡°And grandma? Will you spend money on grandma too?¡± ¡°And don¡¯t forget your aunt.¡± ... Taking advantage of the early hour, the family also took a trip to the Department Store. ¡°Is this the Department Store? It really does look grand.¡± Mrs. Lu looked here and there, feeling as though her eyes weren¡¯t enough. ¡°It¡¯s much bigger than the Supply and Marketing Cooperative.¡± Father Lu nodded, life was definitely getting better. Thinking that the little one was about to start first grade, it was the perfect time to buy some pencils and notebooks. Susu immediately spotted a military green shoulder bag; bags like this or homemade ones were typical for school kids during this era. ¡°Hello, could I get one of those military green bags?¡± Susu held the military green bag against the little one for comparison¡ªit was still slightly big. She suddenly felt someone tugging on her sleeve, and when she looked down she heard, ¡°Aunt, Xiao Yu doesn¡¯t want it.¡± The little guy puffed his cheeks and vigorously shook his head, quietly saying, ¡°Aunt, it¡¯s too expensive, too expensive.¡± The old couple didn¡¯t say a word, Mrs. Lu thought about making one at home since those sold in the Department Store were indeed pricey. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Aunt has money. This is my gift for you starting school.¡± Saying that, Susu immediately paid. ¡°Here, Xiao Yu, put on your backpack.¡± Susu filled it with pencils, an eraser, and such, then slung the small backpack over the little guy. ¡°It looks great!¡± Xiao Yu pursed his lips, his little face beaming with joy yet tinged with a bit of heartache. Mrs. Lu helped adjust the straps, ¡°It¡¯s a bit long, Granny will shorten the straps when we get home.¡± ¡°Mm, thank you, Aunt. Thank you, grandma.¡± ... Lu Xiaoting waited left and right in the Family Court but didn¡¯t see them anywhere. ¡°Uncle, we¡¯re back~¡± Hearing the noise, Lu Gong¡¯an, who had been stretching his neck like a rock waiting for his wife, immediately lay back on the bed, pretending to be leisurely. ¡°Uncle, look, Aunt got me a new backpack.¡± Xiao Yu rushed in with a flushed face, eager to share his joy. Lu Xiaoting smiled and patted the little guy¡¯s head. ¡°It looks great.¡± ¡°Hehe, Aunt bought it, of course, it looks good~¡± While the father and son were talking, Susu came in carrying things. ¡°Cough~ Xiao Yu, go wash your face, look at all that sweat.¡± Susu wasn¡¯t too concerned about the goings-on between the two, and after putting things away, she turned to face the man¡¯s resentful big eyes. After a dry explanation, she assertively put her hands on her hips. ¡°Our trip was all about proper business, all rush and flurry... I initially just said to buy Xiao Yu some clothes for school straight away, but then mom mentioned knowing a tailor in the alley, and we ended up buying fabric instead.¡± After a stream of words from his wife, Lu Xiaoting nodded grudgingly, ¡°Wife, I didn¡¯t say anything though.¡± Susu rolled her eyes at the man, wasn¡¯t it obvious from that resentful look in his eyes? In the blink of an eye, both the older and the younger one in the house had gone to school, and the old couple had also returned home. With two people less, the bungalow became busier. Susu collapsed into the rocking chair, exhausted, and sighed deeply. It was time to hire a couple more people. ¡°Aunt, guess what I caught for you?¡± The little guy ran in, followed by a limping man. Susu lazily glanced over, ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Watch this~¡± Xiao Yu brought a glass jar closer, pointing at a few wriggling creatures inside, ¡°Aunt, these are cicadas I caught. They¡¯re delicious¡ª¡± ¡°Oh my goodness~¡± Chapter 52 - 52 52 National Day ?Chapter 52: Chapter 52 National Day Chapter 52: Chapter 52 National Day Susu was startled out of her wits, almost toppling headfirst from the rocking chair. Luckily, she was swiftly caught and steadied by the man. ¡°Aunt?¡± Seeing the little one¡¯s frightened wide eyes, Susu felt somewhat embarrassed and covered her face. ¡°It¡¯s okay, it¡¯s okay. Aunts are girls, and girls are usually scared of bugs.¡± The little one scratched his head, but the girls in his class didn¡¯t seem afraid at all? They even joined the boys to catch them. After shooing the little one away, Susu glared at the man disapprovingly. ¡°It¡¯s all your fault for not stopping him, giving me such a scare.¡± Chided by his wife without distinction, Lu Xiaoting laughed lightly, ¡°I only saw Xiao Yu with a bottle, I really didn¡¯t see what was inside.¡± ¡°Humph, you saw the bottle, yet you didn¡¯t ask, if not to blame you...¡± Lu Xiaoting looked at his wife¡¯s babbling lips, ¡°Hmm, you¡¯re right, I¡¯ll definitely be more careful in the future.¡± Susu proudly lifted her chin, ¡°That¡¯s more like it.¡± The little one tugged on his uncle¡¯s arm, motioning for him to lean in closer with his ear. Seeing Xiao Yu looking around secretly, Lu Xiaoting couldn¡¯t help but smile as he leaned over. ¡°What¡¯s up, Xiao Yu?¡± ¡°Uncle, don¡¯t make Auntie angry. We are men, strong men, and we should be considerate towards girls.¡± Lu Xiaoting couldn¡¯t help but smile and patted the little tyke¡¯s head. ¡°That¡¯s not the case.¡± Xiao Yu¡¯s face scrunched up, with an expression that said ¡®Uncle, how can you lie to a child?¡¯ Sighing like an old soul, ¡°Uncle, I saw it all this afternoon.¡± ¡°Alright, alright, uncle knows now.¡± ... In the county, Textile Factory Family Courtyard. Mrs. Lu had just locked the door when she ran into Aunt Wang, who was returning from the public toilet. ¡°Huaishe¡¯s mother, you haven¡¯t rested since coming back, where are you off to now?¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s just as idle at home. It¡¯s better over there; I can help my Su Xianyue keep an eye on things, and it¡¯s more lively with more people around.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know, everyone in our Family Court is envious of you. Look, you¡¯ve even been to the Provincial City; your Su Xianyue is really impressive.¡± Mrs. Lu listened with a beaming smile and modestly waved her hand. ¡°Okay, we¡¯ll chat more when I get back, I¡¯d better hurry over there.¡± ¡°Sure, sure, go on, you¡¯re busy.¡± Watching her spirited old neighbor, Aunt Wang shook her head, ¡°Ah, envy gets us nowhere, envy gets us nowhere...¡± In the blink of an eye, the scorching summer gave way to the refreshing early autumn. Susu arranged the cured goods business and took Xiao Yu on the bus back to the county. Remembering the man¡¯s wistful gaze, Susu couldn¡¯t help but laugh softly. Lu Xiaoting watched the bus drive away, reluctant to leave until now. ¡°The wife is really heartless, not even waiting to go back with me tomorrow.¡± ¡°Woof, woof, woof.¡± ¡°Da Hei, be quiet.¡± ¡°Woof, woof, woof.¡± Mrs. Lu shook the water off her hands and went to open the door. ¡°Susu? Xiao Yu?¡± ¡°Mom.¡± ¡°Grandma.¡± Mrs. Lu¡¯s mouth immediately stretched into a wide grin, happily pulling the two inside. Even Da Hei bared his teeth in a vigilant warning at them. ¡°Has Da Hei grown this big?¡± As Mrs. Lu led them inside, ¡°He eats a big basin of rice every day, look how shiny his fur is.¡± Susu stopped the busy Mrs. Lu and led the little one to sit under the eaves. She teased Da Hei with her hand, ¡°You little silly, it hasn¡¯t been that long since we last saw each other, have you forgotten me already?¡± Da Hei, with its tail curled up, came over and sniffed around both the adult and the child from all directions. After a good while, it seemed to remember who they were. Panting with its long, red tongue, Da Hei circled around them, its perked tail nearly snapping from excessive wagging. ¡°Your Brother Lu and the third one both phoned home,¡± said Mrs. Lu¡¯s voice from the main room, ¡°they are both coming back for National Day to stay a few days.¡± ¡°By then our whole family will be together again, I need to buy more groceries tomorrow...¡± Listening to her mother-in-law prattle on and on, Susu wasn¡¯t the least bit annoyed, instead responding occasionally with comments of her own. Xiao Yu was already getting on famously with Da Hei, their combined laughter and the dog¡¯s barking filling the courtyard. The temperature difference between morning and evening during the National Day holiday in the north was quite large. Wearing a short-sleeved shirt and yawning as she stepped out of the door, Susu shivered from the cold, her skin puckering with goosebumps and her body hair standing on end. She quickly ran back inside to put on a slightly thicker jacket and changed into long pants. The three mothers and daughters-in-law got ready early and went over to the new yard. Susu left Xiao Yu to play with Da Hei, heading straight inside to check the ledger. The daily figures were recorded clear and distinctly, at a single glance. Susu nodded, very satisfied. ¡°Xian Yue, not bad.¡± Xian Yue, being praised, had a face so flushed with happiness that it turned red, ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to my second sister-in-law¡¯s good teaching.¡± ¡°Xian Yue, in these past few months, you¡¯ve been managing the braised food and also responsible for bookkeeping. I¡¯ve decided to increase your salary to forty-five yuan.¡± Xian Yue waved her hands anxiously, shaking her head, ¡°No need, no need, it¡¯s not much trouble, second sister-in-law...¡± Susu cut off Xian Yue¡¯s words and decisively made the decision. Months ago, Uncle Su and his wife couldn¡¯t stand the constant bickering between their two daughters-in-law and simply decided to move over here to live. The family of three felt somewhat indebted and insisted on paying rent. Eventually, under Susu¡¯s suggestion, they settled on five yuan a month. It served two purposes: it gave them an extra pair of hands to look after the yard, and Aunt Su often helped out with chores. ... ¡°Grandma.¡± Xiao Yu and Xiao Xue, the sisters, hid behind Mrs. Lu, a little scared, yet also curiously poking their heads out to stare at the big black dog. Mrs. Lu, her pant legs being hugged by her two granddaughters, didn¡¯t know whether to laugh or cry. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Da Hei won¡¯t bite you. It¡¯s afraid of grandma beating it.¡± Da Hei¡¯s dark eyes stared at them, its mouth wide open, with a pink tongue hanging out. Xiao Yu took the sisters by the hand, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m here, I¡¯ll protect you.¡± Jiang Nan scurried into the house from behind her husband, patting her chest. ¡°That scared me to death.¡± Brother Lu put down his belongings and consoled his wife with a smile, ¡°It¡¯s okay, don¡¯t be afraid.¡± Jiang Nan pouted, ¡°Why keep a dog, it looks quite frightening.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just the two old folks at home, having a dog makes us feel more secure.¡± ... ¡°Second sister-in-law, let me do it.¡± Susu didn¡¯t stand on ceremony with her younger sister, mainly because she felt a bit nauseous at that moment, probably from catching a cold when she was sleeping the night before. In the courtyard, the father and sons were having a conversation when Lu Xiaoting noticed his wife covering her chest. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, wife? You¡¯re holding your chest, does it hurt?¡± Susu¡¯s vision was suddenly blocked and she looked up at her husband, shaking her head. ¡°It¡¯s nothing, I probably just caught a cold yesterday.¡± ¡°Time to eat~¡± Looking at a table full of dishes, the fishy smell drilled straight into her nostrils, stirring up a storm in her stomach. Afraid of affecting everyone¡¯s appetite, Susu took a few deep breaths, trying to suppress the nauseous feeling in her stomach. As it happened, she couldn¡¯t hold it back, and a rush came from her stomach. ¡°Ugh~¡± Susu covered her mouth and rushed out, a discomfort rising in her throat. Chapter 53 - 53 53 Pregnant ?Chapter 53: Chapter 53: Pregnant? Chapter 53: Chapter 53: Pregnant? ¡°Ugh¡ª¡± Mrs. Lu patted her back gently, her face all scrunched up in concern. ¡°Susu, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Coming out with her were Xiao Yu and their cousin Bai Xiao. ¡°Aunt, what¡¯s happened? Why did you throw up?¡± ¡°Is the second sister-in-law okay?¡± Looking at the mess on the ground, Susu felt very embarrassed and shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s nothing, really.¡± Jiang Nan watched the fuss over the Chongxi sister-in-law and smirked slightly. As soon as Susu sat down, she seemed to smell that fishy scent beckoning her and covered her mouth, rushing outside again. Hunched over, she even started crying from the retching. ¡°I can¡¯t do this, mom, you guys eat first. My stomach feels terrible.¡± Mrs. Lu¡¯s eyes shone with excitement as she slapped her thigh, ¡°Susu, when was your last menstrual cycle?¡± Susu hesitated for a moment, her eyes meeting her glowing mother-in-law¡¯s as she frowned and tried to remember. ¡°Hmm, it seems like it¡¯s been over a month since it last came.¡± God! Could it be what I think it is? Mrs. Lu clapped her hands loudly, her face beaming. ¡°Ah, that must be it, I guessed you must be pregnant!¡± ¡°Old man, second son, come out quickly, stop eating, hurry.¡± The men in the house looked at each other before getting up from the Kang one by one. ¡°What¡¯s with you, old woman, can¡¯t we even eat a meal?¡± ¡°Eat, eat, eat, that¡¯s all you think about, I¡¯ll give you nothing to eat!¡± Father Lu was dumbfounded as his spouse scolded him. Lu Xiaoting furrowed his brows and rushed to support his pale-faced wife. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, dear? Why so pale?¡± Before Susu could even speak, Mrs. Lu slapped her younger son on the back and said sharply, ¡°Ask, ask, ask. You are always asking. You didn¡¯t even notice your wife feeling nauseous. Hurry, get the bicycle ready, and follow me to see the doctor with your wife.¡± ¡°See the doctor?¡± Mrs. Lu slapped him again, ¡°Yes, see if your wife is pregnant!¡± Lu Xiaoting, still stunned, disregarded the palm marks the Iron Sand Palm of his mother left on his back, and listened to her orders. He went inside, grabbed a thick cushion, and tied it to the back of the bicycle. Susu watched her dumbfounded husband and laughed tearfully. The mother and son guided the bicycle outside. Not wanting to stay at home and wait, Father Lu decided to follow them. Jiang Nan was feeding his little daughter when he saw the joyful group entering and casually asked, ¡°What happened?¡± Brother Lu was beaming, ¡°The second sister-in-law might be pregnant, mom and dad took her to the hospital.¡± Jiang Nan paused his chopstick mid-air and nodded. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s good news.¡± He marvelled at how the elderly couple could not even wait to finish their meal before rushing to the hospital. After having their meal, the two brothers tidied up the table and washed the dishes. Lu Xiaoting watched the traditional Chinese medicine doctor press fingers on his wife¡¯s wrist, his face full of concern, ¡°Doctor, how is it?¡± Mrs. Lu glared at her son, ¡°Keep quiet, don¡¯t disturb Doctor He.¡± Usually, when someone in the Family Court got ill, they didn¡¯t go to the hospital but visited this traditional doctor for a diagnosis and some herbs. Though the recovery was slow, it usually left no lingering illness. ¡°Um, indeed, it¡¯s a joyful pulse, still early in the pregnancy, not even two months. She¡¯s lacking some nutrients, make sure she eats well when she¡¯s back. If you¡¯re still concerned, come back later for another checkup.¡± ¡°Pregnant! Not even two months...¡± Lu Xiaoting¡¯s mind raced as the old doctor¡¯s words echoed repeatedly. ¡°Wife, am I going to be a dad?¡± Susu looked at her husband¡¯s dazed expression and couldn¡¯t help but laugh, nodding her head. ¡°Yes, you¡¯re going to be a dad, and I¡¯m going to be a mom.¡± ¡°You silly boy.¡± Mrs. Lu scolded with a smile. ¡°Aunt!¡± From afar, Xiao Yu was seen squatting by the door, hugging Da Hei¡¯s big black head. Susu looked at the little one¡¯s wrinkled face and smiled. ¡°Aunt¡¯s fine.¡± ¡°Then why did Aunt throw up?¡± ¡°Xiao Yu, your aunt is going to have a little brother or sister.¡± Lu Xiaoting patted the little guy and said with a smile, ¡°You¡¯re going to be a big brother.¡± Hearing that he was going to be a big brother, Xiao Yu¡¯s mouth puckered as he both cried and laughed. The adults were bewildered by the little one¡¯s reaction, as Susu hugged him and soothed him gently. ¡°Why are you crying?¡± Xiao Yu cried uncontrollably, his small hands tightly grasping Susu¡¯s neck. ¡°Aunt, our village had an auntie who was having a little brother, and then... then that auntie... she¡¯s gone. I... I don¡¯t want... I don¡¯t want our auntie to be like that, I...¡± Understanding, the mothers-in-law took turns comforting the little one. It wasn¡¯t until they promised to take Xiao Yu along to see Doctor He every time that the little guy cheered up. He ran back to brag to his sisters that he was going to have a little brother or sister soon. The siblings curiously gathered around Susu¡¯s belly. Watching Chongxi Sister-in-law being crowded by everyone, Jiang Nan almost rolled her eyes to the ceiling. Snorting, ¡°Pfft, what¡¯s the big deal? I bet when you have a daughter, the old lady won¡¯t pamper you like this.¡± ¡°Mommy, grandma said I came from your belly, why is that?¡± Xiao Xue ran in energetically, pointing to her armpit, her head sweaty. Brother Lu came in laughing and scooped up his little girl, ¡°Grandma was teasing you, you and your sister both came from Mommy¡¯s belly.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Seeing her daughter¡¯s wide eyes fixed on him, Jiang Nan smiled and nodded. ¡°Humph! Grandma was lying.¡± Xiao Xue twisted her little hips, struggling to get down. ¡°Daddy, put me down, I¡¯m going to find grandma.¡± Brother Lu gently patted his little girl¡¯s butt, and as soon as she hit the ground, she ran off like the wind. ¡°Wife, why are you glaring at me?¡± Jiang Nan huffed, ¡°Everyone else¡¯s wife is pregnant, and you¡¯re all excited, running around.¡± Knowing his wife was jealous, Brother Lu immediately wrapped his arms around her. ¡°That won¡¯t do, old man, you better hop on your bike and get to the supply station to buy a bottle of wine, I need to visit Old Blind Man this afternoon.¡± ¡°The most expensive one.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± As soon as Father Lu heard it was for Old Blind Man, he said no more and rode out the door on his bicycle. Susu couldn¡¯t help but chuckle, ¡°Mom, what do you need from Old Blind Man?¡± ¡°Mom has something to ask Old Blind Man, don¡¯t worry about me during lunch.¡± Mrs. Lu got up saying she was going to call Aunt Su to join her; it was a good time to have Old Blind Man calculate Xian Yue¡¯s marital prospects. Seeing her mother-in-law so trusting of that man, Susu felt uneasy and turned to look at her husband, who was massaging her shoulders. ¡°Mom trusts him too much, could she be cheated?¡± Lu Xiao furrowed his brows in thought, ¡°She shouldn¡¯t be; they say Old Blind Man is really accurate. He even calculated all of our siblings¡¯ names.¡± Susu perked up, ¡°That explains why the middle names of Brother and the third brother both have ¡®Huai.¡¯ I thought it might be because our sister is a girl...¡± ¡°Immortal, are you there?¡± Chapter 54 - 54 54 The Great Calamity Has Passed ?Chapter 54: Chapter 54: The Great Calamity Has Passed Chapter 54: Chapter 54: The Great Calamity Has Passed ¡°Humph, who is the ¡®immortal¡¯?¡± Old Blind Man snorted coldly and glanced sideways at the two people. ¡°Hehe, Old Blind Man, Old Blind Man.¡± Aunt Liu Fen, standing nearby with her heart in her throat, wondered whether calling him by that name right to his face would get them kicked out. ¡°Humph, come in.¡± Hearing Old Blind Man¡¯s words, the aunt and sister-in-law hurriedly followed him into the courtyard. ¡°His aunt?¡± Mrs. Lu whispered to her sister-in-law, ¡°Old Blind Man has been humiliated in the streets years ago because of the nickname ¡®immortal¡¯, so he prefers everyone calling him Old Blind Man. Besides, he¡¯s not really blind, it¡¯s just¡ª¡± ¡°Speak, what do you want to calculate?¡± Mrs. Lu hurriedly brought out the wine she had brewed and her homemade preserved goods, together with a piece of paper. ¡°My daughter-in-law is pregnant, can you help me see how it will turn out?¡± Old Blind Man held the wine bottle, sniffed it, and his old face broke into a smile as he eagerly stuffed a piece of preserved meat into his mouth. Narrowing his eyes, he smacked his lips, ¡°Where is this sold? Not bad at all!¡± Mrs. Lu grinned proudly, planning to deliver some more of her small business¡¯s products tomorrow. Old Blind Man nodded in satisfaction, tucked away the smile on his face, looked at the paper with the birth dates, and started counting on his fingers. The aunt and sister-in-law watched Old Blind Man anxiously, afraid of missing the slightest detail. After a long moment, Old Blind Man slowly uttered a few words. ¡°The great disaster has passed.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Old Blind Man glared, his old face wrinkled, ¡°What? You don¡¯t believe what I calculated?¡± ¡°No, no, I¡¯m just too happy.¡± Mrs. Lu shook her head like a rattle, fearful of annoying Old Blind Man. ... ¡°How about that? Aren¡¯t you worried anymore?¡± Mrs. Lu teased her elder sister-in-law cheerfully, her face also full of joy. Old Blind Man had said it, her daughter-in-law¡¯s great disaster had passed, and from now on, things would only get better. The fortune of the entire Lu Family had changed with it. Thinking of her soft, chubby grandson, she was so happy that the corners of her mouth almost reached her ears. ¡°Hahaha, now I¡¯m not worried anymore.¡± Aunt Liu Fen¡¯s eyes crinkled with joy. Just now, Old Blind Man had said, her daughter¡¯s marriage prospects were just ahead, and her daughter¡¯s fertility was good¡ªno need for baseless worries. ¡°It¡¯s a pity that Old Blind Man didn¡¯t say who it is?¡± ¡°Ah, my dear sister-in-law, haven¡¯t people said that certain secrets of the heavens must not be revealed? Just relax and wait.¡± Aunt Liu Fen laughed, ¡°Yes, yes, yes.¡± ... Textile Factory Father Lu listened to his wife prattle on endlessly, showing no impatience. His old face was flush with happy radiance, repeatedly advising his wife not to keep talking about the grandson, lest it annoy their daughter-in-law. Mrs. Lu glared at him, ¡°I know that. Alright, alright, go to your work. I¡¯m off to see if anyone is selling old hens.¡± Seeing his wife walk away without looking back, Father Lu glared, ¡°This wife of mine.¡± Susu groggily opened her eyes, only to meet a particularly kind face and instantly became alert. ¡°Mom?¡± ¡°Ah, Old Blind Man said things will get better and better from now on, so don¡¯t worry.¡± Susu: ¡°...¡± Thinking to herself, I wasn¡¯t worried, was I? ¡°Mom bought an old hen, I¡¯ll make you some chicken soup.¡± Looking at her bustling mother-in-law, Susu couldn¡¯t help but laugh and cry a little, tugging at her husband¡¯s sleeve. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, my dear? Are you feeling unwell again? Feeling nauseous?¡± ¡°No, don¡¯t be so worried.¡± Seeing her husband¡¯s tense face, Susu felt a bit amused, ¡°What I wanted to say is, nowadays we can only have one child. If it¡¯s a girl, you won¡¯t¡ª¡± Lu Tingxiao furrowed his brows, interrupting the little woman with a serious expression. ¡°No matter if it¡¯s a boy or a girl, they are our child. I will like them all the same.¡± Susu pouted dismissively¡ªmen¡¯s mouths, deceitful as ghosts. They speak prettier than they sing, claiming they don¡¯t care about the gender, yet so many people are desperate for a son they¡¯d do anything to have one. It¡¯s not like we have a throne to inherit that we absolutely need a son. She glared at him, issuing a warning, ¡°If you dare treat our child poorly, I¡¯ll kick you out immediately.¡± Lu Xiaoting couldn¡¯t help but laugh, what was she even talking about? It seems like Granny was right after all; the mood swings of a pregnant woman are no joke. He nodded along with the sulky little woman, trying to soothe her for a while. ¡°What¡¯s all that racket in the yard?¡± Jiang Nan lazily kicked her husband. ¡°Mom, I know, grandma bought an old hen to make soup.¡± The little one said and ran off like a gust of wind. Jiang Nan¡¯s face scrunched up, slapping her husband in annoyed reproach, ¡°Your mom is so biased, my younger sister-in-law just got pregnant and she¡¯s already stewing old hens for her. I can count on one hand the times I had your mom¡¯s chicken soup.¡± Brother Lu laughed bitterly, ¡°When you were pregnant with our two kids, those were different times. Getting to eat an egg was because Mom had to barter with others over a long time. Everything was scarce, not like now where lots can be freely bought if you¡¯re willing to spend the money.¡± ¡°You always side with your mom, I say one thing and you have ten to retort.¡± Brother Lu wrapped his arms around his upset wife and planted a kiss on her. ¡°Sweetheart, if you want, I¡¯ll go buy an old hen for you right away.¡± Jiang Nan glared at him playfully, ¡°Enough already, you make me sound like Xiao Xue, that little glutton who wants to eat everything.¡± ¡°Mommy, who¡¯s the little glutton?¡± Xiao Xue, who had sneaked in at some point, was watching her parents huddled together, covering her mouth to stifle her giggles. ¡°Hehe, I saw it all, Daddy kissing Mommy.¡± Jiang Nan¡¯s face turned bright red, as she hit her husband lightly and pretended to sleep. ¡°It¡¯s all your fault, so annoying!¡± Before the couple could react, the little girl had already darted out again. ... ¡°You¡¯re really annoying!¡± It was dinner time when everyone was startled by Xiao Xue¡¯s sudden outburst. Xiao Yu held his chest, looking a bit hurt. ¡°Why am I annoying, sister?¡± ¡°I¡¯m just copying Mommy, that¡¯s what she says to Daddy.¡± The little girl innocently mimicked her mother¡¯s words. The whole family was amused and laughed heartily. Jiang Nan blushed, giving her husband a stern look. Brother Lu quickly handed a piece of candy to his satiated daughter, and then one to each child. With their mouths full of candy, the little chatterbox finally shut her mouth. ¡°Susu, you rest, Mom and Little Aunt will clean up.¡± ¡°Right, don¡¯t overwork yourself, Second Sister-in-law.¡± Jiang Nan pursed her lips, was being pregnant really a reason to treat her like a treasure? Too lazy to watch this whole family dote on each other, she stood up and went back inside. Mrs. Lu frowned, the eldest sister-in-law had come back and didn¡¯t lift a finger to help, just eating and sleeping. Oh well, it¡¯s just for a few days. ¡°Hmph, this Chongxi Sister-in-law really knows how to please people, managing to wrap her mother-in-law and Little Aunt around her finger.¡± ¡°Even the youngest sister-in-law, Bai Xiao, has...¡± Jiang Nan lay restlessly on the bed, tossing and turning, growing more and more agitated. ¡°What kind of spirit has possessed this Chongxi Sister-in-law?¡± ¡°What spirit?¡± Chapter 55 - 55 55 The Strong Wind Blows ?Chapter 55: Chapter 55 The Strong Wind Blows Chapter 55: Chapter 55 The Strong Wind Blows Brother Lu came in holding a basin for washing feet and asked with a smile, ¡°What are you muttering to yourself about?¡± ¡°Nothing.¡± Jiang Nan shook her head, she couldn¡¯t very well say she was talking about that Chongxi Sister-in-law, could she? With her husband¡¯s temperament, he¡¯d definitely start lecturing her again. Seeing the eldest son preparing footbath water for his wife again, Mrs. Lu didn¡¯t say anything, nor did she feel like commenting. So long as her eldest son¡¯s wife didn¡¯t act out, she thought it was fine for the couple to do as they liked. In the blink of an eye, the brothers who had jobs went off to work, the students to their schools, leaving just the old couple at home. Initially, Mrs. Lu was worried about her second daughter-in-law, even thinking of having her stay till the pregnancy was stable before returning to Provincial City. But eventually seeing it wasn¡¯t feasible, she could only remind her son to help out more at work and let Susu not overexert herself ¨C after all, there were enough hands at the store... ... ¡°Aunt, bye-bye.¡± Susu found it funny, watching the father and son riding away on their bicycle. Ever since she returned to Provincial City, she had been treated like a treasure by these two, who had set up a small bed for Xiao Yu in the Family Court. They both vied to do things for her, insisting on taking her to the Court every day before feeling at ease. Afterwards, Lu Xiaoting would take Xiao Yu to school and then head off to his own workplace. Sister Huang said enviously, ¡°Your man really dotes on you, and even Xiao Yu knows how to be considerate of adults. Not like my husband, who wouldn¡¯t even help if an oil bottle toppled over. Those darn little kids just know how to play. Ultimately, daughters are more thoughtful and know how to show concern for their mothers.¡± Sister Hong nodded in agreement, ¡°Exactly, daughters are just more attentive than sons, who are more rough and casual.¡± ¡°Susu, do you prefer a daughter or a son?¡± Susu touched her belly, not yet showing, and thought about it. ¡°Each has its own worries, I guess. I¡¯m afraid my son will be too rough and tough to discipline. For a daughter, well, I worry about her being bullied.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± ... Susu lay on the rocking chair, basking in the sunshine, listening to the others discussing child-rearing experiences, silently taking mental notes. Bathed in the warm sunshine, drowsiness came over her and she soon drifted off into a light sleep. ¡°Sister Su, Sister Su.¡± Susu slowly opened her eyes, which were dazzled by the bright sunshine overhead, and she closed them again to adjust. ¡°What is it, Xiao Sun?¡± ¡°Sister Su, you should be careful not to catch a cold. Why don¡¯t you go inside and sleep? After all, the store is not too busy.¡± Susu nodded, got up, and walked towards the house. Her mind was still groggy from sleep, and it took her a moment to realize something and she turned back. ¡°Do you have something to tell me, Xiao Sun?¡± Xiao Sun scratched his head somewhat embarrassedly, ¡°Sister Su, I¡¯ve also saved up more than three hundred yuan now, and I was thinking of bringing my grandparents over.¡± Susu nodded, that was a good thing, it showed the kid was filial. ¡°Well, when you have time, look around for a rental place nearby, and I¡¯ll have your brother-in-law take a look too. When the time comes, I¡¯ll¡ª¡± Xiao Sun waved his hands in a bit of a hurry, ¡°No, no, I just wanted to tell you, Sister Su, I want to bring my grandparents over by myself, I can¡¯t bother you to pay the rent, I¡¯ll pay it myself.¡± ¡°Okay, then I¡¯ll give you an extra five yuan every month as a housing subsidy.¡± Susu interrupted what Xiao Sun still wanted to say, ¡°That¡¯s settled then, it¡¯s been agreed upon that room and board are included.¡± With that, Susu yawned. Since becoming pregnant, she had become especially sleepy, and she never seemed to get enough sleep every day. A lie-down on the kang, and she could fall asleep within minutes. The family of three had just gotten home when they ran into a neighbor couple. ¡°Is that Lu Gong¡¯an¡¯s clothing? Is it cold?¡± Sister Wang quite warmly cautioned the couple, ¡°The weather here is just like that, very cool in the morning and evening and scorching at noon. Next time you go out, remember to bring an extra jacket so you can take it off if it¡¯s hot and have something to wear if it¡¯s cold. You don¡¯t want to catch a cold.¡± ¡°Actually, I didn¡¯t feel cold, but he insisted I wear it.¡± Recalling the earlier incident, Susu felt somewhat amused. Sister Wang felt envious, ¡°Just look at your Lu Gong¡¯an, he¡¯s worried about you feeling uncomfortable in the wind.¡± When they reached the entrance of their home, Susu waved goodbye to Sister Wang, and the family of three entered the house. Watching Lu Gong¡¯an also help his wife with the door, Sister Wang shot a disdainful glance at her own man. ¡°Look at you, then look at Lu Gong¡¯an, why don¡¯t you learn something from him?¡± Sister Wang¡¯s husband, Police Song, frowned. ¡°What should I learn? Are you cold too? If you¡¯re cold, just go inside and put on a jacket. We¡¯re already at our doorstep, what? You want me to take mine off for you?¡± ¡°You¡¯re such a fool!¡± Sister Wang was so frustrated. ¡°How am I a fool? You, woman, why are you getting angry for no reason?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sick, okay?¡± Police Song frowned, ¡°Do I need to take you to the clinic? Get some medicine?¡± Sister Wang¡¯s eyes looked like they were about to burst into flames, she swung her hand and slammed the door forcefully. ¡°Hey, this woman must have swallowed a bullet, she¡¯s so fiery!¡± Police Song, glaring, touched his nose that almost got hit by the door. My nose is already not that tall, and now she¡¯s about to flatten it even more! ... ¡°Wife, what do you want to eat? I¡¯ll cook.¡± Susu shook her head, ¡°I don¡¯t really feel like eating anything specific, you decide.¡± ¡°Alright, if you suddenly crave something, just call for me.¡± Lu Xiaoting said this and rolled up his sleeves, picking up the vegetables and heading towards the stairwell. The little one helped out, running back and forth to check if Susu needed anything. ¡°Oh my, my poor memory, I almost forgot.¡± Father and son looked at Susu at the same time, and in unison they asked, ¡°Wife, what¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Aunt, what¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Pfft¡ª¡± Seeing the serious faces of the tall and the small, Susu could not hold back her laughter. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s Xiao Sun who wants to bring his grandparents to the Provincial City. Help keep an eye out to see if there are any houses for rent nearby. It doesn¡¯t have to be too big.¡± Lu Xiaoting breathed a sigh of relief, ¡°Okay, got it.¡± In the middle of the night, Susu was woken up by the sound of the wind outside. Just listening to the whooshing sound, she could already imagine how strong the wind was. Susu rolled over and snuggled into her man¡¯s arms, falling asleep again. When Susu woke up again and looked around, she found herself alone in the empty house. ¡°Wife, there are buns, steamed bread, millet porridge, and eggs in the pot. Have something to eat. It¡¯s windy outside, just rest at home today. I¡¯ll buy lunch and come back.¡± Susu arched her brows lightly, ¡°Quite considerate, aren¡¯t we?¡± Looking at the willow branches swinging wildly outside the window, Susu clicked her tongue. With her slight build, if she went out, she¡¯d almost certainly be blown away. ¡°Wife, we¡¯re back.¡± Hearing the commotion, Susu turned to look, and saw a tall figure followed by one more person. ¡°Sister-in-law.¡± ¡°Cheng He? What are you doing here?¡± Susu was somewhat surprised to see her husband¡¯s elder brother, Su Chenghe, and quickly got up to welcome him. ¡°Cheng He, aren¡¯t you at work?¡± After Su Chenghe set down his things and turned to put down his carrying basket, he looked a little embarrassed. ¡°Sister-in-law, I specifically came to the Provincial City to find you.¡± ¡°To find me?¡± Chapter 56 - 56 56 s of quarreling ?Chapter 56: 56 chapters of quarreling Chapter 56: 56 chapters of quarreling Lu Xiaoting placed the lunchbox he was holding properly, ¡°Let¡¯s talk while eating.¡± ¡°No need, no need, I ate before coming over. Second Brother, Sister-in-law, you guys eat.¡± Su Chenghe was really embarrassed. He had come over to find his sister-in-law for something, how could he impose for a meal? He should have waited outside until after lunch before coming. Lu Xiaoting turned around and took some noodles, ¡°I¡¯ll cook some more noodles. I didn¡¯t know you were coming today, so I didn¡¯t prepare enough food.¡± ¡°No need, no need, Second Brother, you go ahead and eat, I¡¯m really not hungry.¡± ¡°Growl¡ª¡± Su Chenghe paused, his entire face instantly turning bright red. Susu tried hard not to laugh out loud, her shoulders shaking as she controlled her voice. ¡°Come on, we¡¯re all family here. Why act like strangers?¡± ¡°Second Brother, then I¡¯ll do it. I¡¯ll go and cook.¡± Lu Xiaoting glanced at his cousin, ¡°You know how to cook?¡± Su Chenghe choked, and eventually, dejectedly, sat back down. He really hadn¡¯t cooked before. Before getting married, cooking was always handled by his mother and sister, and after getting married, it was always his own wife who did it. ¡°Second Sister-in-law, my Second Brother is really incredible. He catches criminals and can also cook noodles.¡± ¡°Uncle Cheng He, my uncle can cook too. Right now, it¡¯s my uncle and I who are cooking.¡± Xiao Yu puffed up his chest proudly, indicating that he would learn from his uncle in the future. ¡°How come my Second Brother is so amazing, what is it that he can¡¯t do?¡± Her own man being praised, Susu proudly lifted her chin. ¡°By the way, you said you wanted to talk to me about something?¡± Su Chenghe gritted his teeth and explained his plan to buy out his years of service and go into sales with his sister-in-law. ¡°Second Sister-in-law, I wanted to ask if you¡¯re short of people in the Provincial City? I was thinking, since the city is big, there must be more opportunities than in our county. I want to come to the city and work with you.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Susu certainly wouldn¡¯t mind having more people, but then she thought. ¡°However, have you discussed this with your younger brother, your wife, and your parents?¡± Su Chenghe shook his head, ¡°With my wife being the way she is, she definitely won¡¯t agree, always talking about the ¡®iron rice bowl.¡¯ But now, they¡¯ve been unable to pay us for several months. I¡¯ve been selling braised goods part-time in the county, earning twenty or thirty a month. I just thought I¡¯d give it a try; otherwise, I¡¯ll definitely regret it later.¡± Susu hesitated a bit, not wanting to cause a rift between the couple because of this. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Second Sister-in-law, I¡¯ll handle the home front. It won¡¯t interfere with business, and with my wife¡¯s short-sighted nature, once she sees the money, she¡¯ll be fine.¡± Susu: ¡°...¡± After the meal, Lu Xiaoting took Su Chenghe to the bungalow area to clarify things with Sister Huang and the others. Full and satisfied, Susu leaned back on the bed, drowsy, and simply put down her book and fell asleep. The strong yellow wind outside still blew fiercely, greatly affecting the braised goods business. Seeing that it was really impossible to sell anything, everyone returned to the bungalow. Thankfully, it was now October, and the weather was cool. The vegetables placed on the ground wouldn¡¯t spoil. Realizing it was really impossible to sell the braised goods, Xiao Sun ran to the Family Court and brought the remaining goods, letting them know. Xiao Sun, Su Chenghe, and Wang Hong followed suit, heading back to the county. ¡°The weather is bad, there are still some braised goods left. You should take them to each family to have a taste.¡± It didn¡¯t look like much, but with many people in the Family Court, each family only got a little to taste. ¡°Ok, thank my wife for me, it looks delicious.¡± As Sister Wang spoke, she cleared some bowls and handed them back. One adult and one child went door-to-door, delivering a bowl to each household. By the time the father and son duo returned, Susu had quickly made dinner, tomato and egg noodle soup. ¡°Wow, it smells so good.¡± The little guy sniffed with his small nose and instantly spotted the noodles on the table before running off to wash his hands. ¡°Uncle, hurry up, Aunt made noodles.¡± ¡°Coming.¡± Susu watched as both big and small seriously scrubbed their hands, waiting until everyone was seated before the whole family started using chopsticks. Seeing the man eat the noodles with garlic, Susu was curious. ¡°Is it good?¡± ¡°Delicious.¡± Lu Xiaoting handed his wife a clove of garlic, ¡°Eating noodles without garlic cuts the flavor by half. You should try too.¡± Susu eyed the large clove of garlic, hesitated for three seconds, then took it and prepared to give it a try. ¡°Ouch¡ªIt¡¯s so spicy.¡± After swallowing, her entire mouth was filled with the strong taste of garlic, so she ate a large mouthful of noodles. Only then did the garlic taste subside, and she quickly tossed the garlic onto the table, not wanting to take another bite. The man didn¡¯t mind; he picked up the half-bitten garlic from the table and ate it with big bites. Xiao Yu, following his pattern, alternated bites between a clove of garlic and noodles, eating delightfully. Seeing the father and son like this, Susu¡¯s appetite grew, and she ate nearly half a bowl more. Of course, the big and small were responsible for cleaning up the dishes and utensils. ¡°You father and son better brush your teeth well later, or you¡¯ll both be sleeping alone.¡± Susu reminded them. Fearing his wife wouldn¡¯t let him into the bed, Xiaoting and the son hugged their toothbrushes and brushed vigorously, almost until their gums bled. ¡°Um, no smell.¡± ¡°Um, Uncle¡¯s mouth doesn¡¯t smell either.¡± ... ¡°Why did I hear from the people at the factory that you quit?¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m planning to go to Provincial City to sell marinated goods.¡± ¡°What? Why didn¡¯t you discuss it with me? That was a steady job. You damn fool, I seriously owe you.¡± Su Chenghe initially still wanted to hide it from the family until he got the money next month; surely his wife would¡¯ve stopped nagging and be all smiles then. But who knew someone with such a big mouth leaked the news the moment he left. Seeing his weeping wife, he patiently explained, ¡°You know the factory hasn¡¯t been able to pay wages for months. I¡¯d rather sell marinated goods¡ªsurely it¡¯ll be better every month.¡± ¡°Really, really?¡± His wife was skeptical, wiping her eyes, ¡°But you didn¡¯t even discuss with me before you sold your seniority.¡± ¡°It¡¯s pointless talking to you.¡± ¡°Dad, Mom, look at the second son.¡± Uncle Su and his wife listened with headaches. Their grandson had urgently called them back this afternoon, claiming that the second son and his wife were fighting. It scared the couple, but seeing that they were calm now was a relief. ¡°Look, you should have at least told your wife about something this big.¡± The aunt pointed at her son, ¡°Look how scared the kids were. Hurry up and tidy up for dinner; your father and I are going back.¡± The aunt glanced at the eldest daughter-in-law eavesdropping by the corner of the wall and frowned, ignoring that woman. Hearing her own elder sister-in-law, Mrs. Lu comforted the sighing daughter-in-law. ¡°The old saying goes, ¡®children are blessed on their own.¡¯ Didn¡¯t Old Blind Man say that Xian Yue¡¯s fated one is right in front of her? Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s someone we know?¡± Speaking of her daughter¡¯s marital affairs sparked the aunt¡¯s spirit; no longer sighing or despairing. ¡°Who do you think could be with my Xian Yue¡ª¡± ¡°Aunt Su, Aunt Lu.¡± The two sisters-in-law looked up when they heard the voices. Chapter 57 - 57 57th Shop ?Chapter 57: 57th Chapter Shop Chapter 57: 57th Chapter Shop Xiao Sun scratched his head somewhat sheepishly, ¡°Aunt, my grandma sent me over to deliver some homemade dishes.¡± Aunt Su glanced at Xiao Sun, then at her elder sister-in-law, her face bursting into a smile as radiant as a flower. With a face full of enthusiasm, she greeted him, ¡°Xiao Sun, come in, come in. It¡¯s so thoughtful of you.¡± Mrs. Lu looked at her younger sister and warmly invited, ¡°Yes, Xiao Sun, have a seat. Did you just get back today?¡± ¡°Yep.¡± Xiao Sun felt a bit uncomfortable under Aunt Su¡¯s gaze, scratching his head, ¡°Today there was a sandstorm in Provincial City, couldn¡¯t sell anything, so I thought I had nothing better to do and decided to come and see my grandparents.¡± Aunt Su clapped her hands, admiring the boy¡¯s filial piety. Aunt quietly reached out to tug at Little Aunt, giving her meaningful looks, signaling her not to stir up trouble. Mrs. Lu, oblivious to the silent communication between the pair, cheerfully escorted Xiao Sun to the door. ... Because a few days ago, every household received a small bowl of aromatic braised delicacies, so fragrant it could make your tongue fall out. Knowing that it was Mrs. Lu Gong¡¯an¡¯s wife¡¯s business, they felt somewhat embarrassed. Now, these past few days, whenever a family cooked up something tasty, they would send their kids to deliver a portion up to the second floor. ¡°Xiao Su, I¡¯ve been rendering pork fat today, here¡¯s some fresh cracklings I just fried. I wasn¡¯t sure about your taste preferences, so I didn¡¯t add anything.¡± Sister Wang from next door came in with a small bowl of cracklings, all smiles. ¡°You can add salt or sugar, whatever you prefer.¡± Looking at the golden cracklings, Susu¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Thank you, Sister-in-law, I love crackling and potato buns. I¡¯ll make some tonight and bring a couple over for you to try.¡± As she spoke, Susu could almost feel the drool about to spill from her mouth and touched the corner of her lips. ¡°Oh, I couldn¡¯t possibly accept¡ª¡± Susu cut off she was about to say, ¡°There¡¯s nothing to be embarrassed about, we¡¯re all neighbors here. That settles it then.¡± After seeing Sister-in-law Wang off, Susu couldn¡¯t wait to start kneading the dough. Thinking of the crackling and potato buns, her mouth couldn¡¯t help but water uncontrollably. Susu slapped her cheeks, ¡°I can¡¯t think about it, can¡¯t think about it. The more I think, the more I crave.¡± When the father and son came back, even before they entered the house, they could smell the delicious aroma. ¡°Aunt, what tasty thing have you made?¡± The little guy sniffed, his face a picture of delight, ¡°It smells so good!¡± Susu looked at the man coming in behind and teased, ¡°What are you two, dogs? Following the scent home?¡± ¡°I made crackling and potato buns, they¡¯re about ready. Go bring them in.¡± Lu Xiaoting frowned, ¡°Where did you get the cracklings? Did you go to the market this afternoon?¡± Susu shot the man a reproachful look, ¡°Sister-in-law Wang from next door brought them over. You can take a couple to her later.¡± Between the three family members, not a single bun was left untouched. Susu had one and a half, the little guy had one. Lu Xiaoting ate the most, polishing off three and a half buns. Susu was astounded; one bun was almost the size of an adult man¡¯s fist, yet this man managed to eat three and a half. Lu Xiaoting felt a bit embarrassed under his wife¡¯s scrutiny, ¡°Your cooking is just too delicious.¡± The head chef, Susu, was pleased with the praise and nodded in satisfaction. ¡°If you like it, I¡¯ll make more next time.¡± ¡°Thank you, my dear.¡± Caught under the intensity of the man¡¯s dark eyes, Susu¡¯s face instantly flushed, completely smitten. ¡°Right, help me keep an eye out for a suitable shop. If possible, I¡¯d like to buy a place.¡± Susu was thinking about the heavy winds from the past few days. The calendar was approaching October, and once winter arrived or if sandstorms hit again, they surely wouldn¡¯t be able to sell on the streets. Renting a shop specifically for the braised food business seemed like a good idea. ¡°Ok, I¡¯ll keep an eye out.¡± ... ¡°Wife, I¡¯ll come pick you up at noon.¡± Xiao Yu waved his little hand, ¡°Be good, Auntie, Uncle and I will come to pick you up at noon.¡± ¡°Alright, got it.¡± Susu couldn¡¯t help but laugh and cry at the little guy¡¯s antics, watching the father and son duo leave. The weather was good in the summer, and washing vegetables and such was done in the yard. Now that the temperature had dropped, everything was being done inside, but fortunately, the main room was quite spacious, allowing three or four people to work at the same time without getting in each other¡¯s way. Plus, with two pots starting to stew the marinated goods, the room was just right¡ªnice and warm. Susu sat cross-legged on the kang bed looking through the ledger, the warmth underneath her buttocks. Unlike the Family Court where there were only beds, they hadn¡¯t started heating these past few days, so the house was gloomy and not at all warm. The marinated food business wasn¡¯t as good as it was during the warm days; with the cold weather, people preferred something hot to eat. Susu thought it was time to adjust the strategy, reducing the number of vegetarian dishes appropriately and increasing the quantity of marinated pork, pig¡¯s trotters, pork head meat, and chicken legs, among other things. Now that she had something to do, Susu was no longer sleepy. She first discussed the matter with a few people, then went to find the vendors who supplied vegetables and meat. After finishing her business, she strolled slowly toward home. It was noon, and the sun was shining brightly, making her break out in a sweat. As soon as she got back, she saw Xiao Yu, with a pouty mouth, running over. Susu laughed, pinching the little guy¡¯s cheek, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Who bullied my Xiao Yu? Look at that pout, you could hang a small donkey off it.¡± ¡°Auntie, didn¡¯t you say you would stay home and be good? Why did you go out on your own?¡± Xiao Yu¡¯s little eyebrows were furrowed, and his small hand clutched the bigger one, ¡°Uncle and I were so worried about you.¡± Susu found herself being led by one large and one small hand, one on each side of her arm, being guided into the yard, a mixture of laughter and tears. She wasn¡¯t even showing her pregnancy yet, and the father and son duo was this anxious. Later on, they would probably watch her every move. ¡°Don¡¯t worry; it¡¯s okay, you two.¡± ... Susu hadn¡¯t expected to find a shop for sale so quickly, it was a bit surprising; she had thought they¡¯d find a rental house first. Taking advantage of the man¡¯s day off, the family of three set out to look at the shop. The first shop was located between a middle school and a factory, with a residential area nearby, and the entire street was lined with houses facing each other. Entering the door was a small storefront room, the size of the place was okay, about 30 square meters. Behind it was a small courtyard, with a main house and a living room. Susu thought it was not bad; they could open a shop in the front and live in the back to watch over the store. But the price was a bit high, the landlord asked for 1500 yuan and showed no sign of budging. ¡°Boss, we¡¯ll go back and discuss it, and we¡¯ll get back to you with an answer whether it¡¯s a yes or a no.¡± The boss nodded, ¡°Alright, but make it quick.¡± The two of them then checked out a second shop, near a university and not far from the factory¡¯s residential area. The location was indeed good. It was just a bit small; a storefront in the front and a small room connected in the back. The asking price was 1200 yuan. ¡°Wife, what do you think?¡± Susu frowned, ¡°I think the locations are both good, and if we open the shops, there will definitely be no shortage of customers.¡± Lu Xiaoting nodded, indeed. The little guy looked at Auntie and then at Uncle, his little face scrunching up into a ball. He usually only spent one cent on a piece of candy; over a thousand yuan sounded like so much. But it seemed like Auntie really wanted to buy it. So worrisome! Chapter 58 - 58 58 Pocket Money ?Chapter 58: Chapter 58: Pocket Money Chapter 58: Chapter 58: Pocket Money ¡°Buy them all!¡± As soon as Susu finished speaking, she saw both an adult and a child staring at her. Looking at their furrowed brows, Susu found it amusing and lifted her chin, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we have money.¡± Worried they might be shocked, Susu explained, ¡°Buying it would be more reassuring. Firstly, we won¡¯t have to worry about the landlord getting greedy seeing the good business and frequently raising the rent, or suddenly refusing to rent to us. Secondly, even if it¡¯s not used for now, we can always lease it out and just wait to collect the rent every month.¡± Lu Xiaoting pondered for a moment, then nodded, ¡°Hm.¡± Family Court The first thing Susu did when she got home was to double-lock the door. ¡°Luckily I haven¡¯t had the chance to go to the bank to deposit the money.¡± Lu Xiaoting watched his wife pull out a small locked box from the wardrobe, her face beaming with delight. Hugging the box, she sat cross-legged on the bed and began counting the money. Watching the bed covered with bills, coins, and one and two yuan notes, Susu suddenly felt overwhelmed. She waved at her husband, ¡°What are you waiting for? Come and help me.¡± ¡°Xiao Yu, you should sort the coins.¡± ¡°Lu Xiaoting, you handle sorting the bills by denomination and stack them up.¡± Rubbing her hands together, Susu chuckled three times, ¡°I¡¯ll handle the big money.¡± Lu Xiaoting was amused by his wife¡¯s small antics, his thin lips curving into a beautiful arc. The room was quiet, filled only with the sound of money rustling. ¡°1, 2, 3, 4... 4987 yuan and fifty-seven cents.¡± Hearing his wife¡¯s count, Lu Xiaoting¡¯s pupils widened, knowing that his wife earned quite a bit each month, but he was still startled to hear the specific amount. ¡°Hahaha, counting money is really fun.¡± Susu pulled out fifty-seven cents and handed it to Xiao Yu, who was staring with wide eyes. ¡°Here, Xiao Yu, this is your pocket money from Aunt.¡± Xiao Yu¡¯s mouth gaped open, and he shook his head and waved his hands, ¡°No no, Aunt, keep it for yourself.¡± ¡°Aunt is in a good mood, be obedient.¡± Grinning, Susu pulled out a two yuan note and handed it to her husband, ¡°Here, your pocket money.¡± Seeing him staring at her with dark eyes, unmoving, Susu stuffed it into his hand impatiently. ¡°Alright, you¡¯ve handed over your salary, so you should keep at least two yuan on you.¡± Lu Xiaoting: ¡°...¡± Susu set aside 2800 yuan and planned to deposit the rest in the bank that afternoon. ¡°Come with me to the bank this afternoon, I want to deposit the money.¡± ¡°Hm.¡± As soon as Susu stepped out with the basin, she ran into Sister Wang. ¡°I saw your door was closed, I thought you hadn¡¯t come back yet.¡± ¡°Just got back, Sister-in-law is heading out.¡± Sister-in-law Wang patted the basket on her arm, ¡°Old Song wants some buckwheat noodles, we¡¯re out of cucumbers at home, so I¡¯m going out to buy some. Do you need anything? I¡¯ll bring it back for you.¡± Susu thought for a moment. They didn¡¯t need anything at home, so she didn¡¯t ask Sister Wang for any favors. ¡°Okay, then I¡¯ll be going.¡± ¡°Hey, Sister-in-law, take care.¡± ... After the meal, Susu usually took a nap, and the males didn¡¯t go out. When Susu opened her eyes, she realized she had slept until almost three o¡¯clock. Turning her head, she saw them either reading or doing homework. Yawning, Susu looked over and saw neat numbers on the little guy¡¯s notebook. She patted the little fellow¡¯s head, offering praise. ¡°Xiao Yu is awesome, writing so neatly.¡± Xiao Yu was praised and smiled happily, with his eyes squinting into a thin line. Once the little guy had finished his homework, the family of three went to the bank again. Susu held the passbook and sighed in relief; keeping so much cash at home had been a little unsettling. Now, everything was sorted, as long as they kept the passbook safe. ¡°Hey, what¡¯s wrong with you?¡± Susu reached out to nudge the man, looking up because she didn¡¯t want to miss the expression on his face. Something had been off about him since he came back. Lu Xiaoting looked at his wife¡¯s worried face, sighed, but said nothing. ¡°Why are you sighing? Come on, talk to me.¡± Susu was equally anxious. The man¡¯s large hand softly caressed Susu¡¯s stomach, avoiding making his wife anxious; his brows furrowed slightly as he slowly began to speak. ¡°I just feel like I¡¯m a big man but so useless. My wife wants to buy a place and I can¡¯t help, instead, you have to pay for it yourself.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Susu frowned. ¡°How are you useless? Weren¡¯t you the one running around looking for the shop? And besides, haven¡¯t you been contributing your salary? Doesn¡¯t the money you earn cover our food and drinks?¡± Lu Xiaoting sighed, ¡°My salary is nothing compared to what you earn.¡± ¡°How can you say it¡¯s nothing? Isn¡¯t our entire family relying on you?¡± Susu held the man¡¯s face in her hands, looking straight into his eyes and said, ¡°You are Lu Gong¡¯an, serving the people, and you¡¯re the pride of me, Xiao Yu, and our baby in my belly. You serve the people outside, while I strive for better living conditions for our future child. Everything is for our little family...¡± Susu spoke until she was out of breath, then noticed the man staring mutely at her. Annoyed, she slapped him lightly, ¡°What are you staring at? Say something.¡± ¡°I¡¯m looking at you.¡± Lu Xiaoting raised his eyebrows, chuckled softly, ¡°My wife is so amazing, makes money, and is so eloquent.¡± Susu glared at him playfully and lay back down on her human cushion. ... With things on her mind, Susu woke up early. ¡°Why not sleep a bit longer? I¡¯ll wake you up later.¡± Susu shook her head, ¡°Can¡¯t sleep anymore, let¡¯s get the shop sorted first.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± After Susu got ready, the two of them hurriedly left, leaving Xiao Yu at home. The landlord must have gotten worn down by Susu¡¯s persistence; he finally offered a discount of fifty yuan. ¡°Wow, girl, that mouth of yours, I¡¯d be happy if my son had half of your talent.¡± Susu: ¡°...¡± After leaving the housing authority for the second time, Susu held her small bag tightly, her mouth unable to close from joy. Once she had arranged for the shop¡¯s renovations, Susu rushed back to her flat without stopping. ¡°The situation is like this, Sister Hong, I think you should look after the shop, the salary remains the same. There is one thing though; the shop is relatively stable, but it probably won¡¯t sell as much volume as you running around outside every day. But definitely, it won¡¯t have days where the weather was too harsh, and you couldn¡¯t set up your stall.¡± Since Sister Hong was the only female colleague, Susu naturally took care of her first. Wang Hong nodded without hesitation, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll go.¡± Susu was surprised, having thought Sister Hong would need more time to think. ¡°As you say, Susu. If it weren¡¯t for you, my husband would still be lying on the kang.¡± ¡°Has your brother-in-law¡¯s health improved a lot?¡± Speaking of her husband, Wang Hong nodded happily, ¡°Yes, ever since I started earning money, we haven¡¯t had to stop his medicine every two days due to lack of money; his diet improved too. Now he can get out of bed, and the doctor said in another three months, he should be able to live normally.¡± Chapter 59 - 59 59 Opening ?Chapter 59: Chapter 59 Opening Chapter 59: Chapter 59 Opening In the blink of an eye, the first Su¡¯s braised food in Provincial City officially opened for business. With the noise from the initial renovations and the word-of-mouth from the nearby residents, many people knew that a ¡°Su¡¯s braised food¡± was opening nearby. Susu had occasionally sold here before, and many regular customers had been eagerly awaiting the opening. As firecrackers crackled and popped, the new store officially opened. Numerous curious adults and children gathered around, the children happily chasing and playing while the adults chatted and laughed. ¡°I heard that for the first three days of opening, you get a discount on everything you buy in the store.¡± ¡°What do you mean, you mean everything is sold at a discount?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, my daughter has been fussing to eat here, but Xiao Su hasn¡¯t been around for a while. I didn¡¯t expect them to open a shop.¡± An older sister stretched her neck and said. The two talking looked curious, ¡°Have you eaten here? How is it? Tasty?¡± ¡°It¡¯s very tasty; I specifically came to buy some, not just for our kids, but us adults love it too.¡± ... ¡°Lady boss, I heard that you can get a discount if you buy something in the store during the first three days? Is that true?¡± ¡°Yes, yes, is it true?¡± Susu, smiling, pointed to the poster on the door and raised her voice to say. ¡°Indeed, it¡¯s true, everyone, as you can see, our store is having a three-day event.¡± ¡°Anyone who shops here will enjoy a 20% discount. For every five yuan spent, the store will also give away half a pound of braised vegetables. Everyone is welcome to come and see.¡± Wang Hong stood anxiously behind the counter, with Lu Xiaomei, who was on vacation and came to help, both fully prepared for the crowd. An older lady with a vegetable basket asked, ¡°What do you mean by 20% off? How much money is that?¡± ¡°What are you talking about with these discounts, I didn¡¯t quite catch that?¡± ... Listening to everyone¡¯s comments, Susu still smiled, waving her hand for silence. She slowly started, ¡°During the first three days of opening, everything is 20% off. That means the normally eighty-cent vegetables are now sixty-four cents per pound. The meat dishes usually at one and a half yuan are now one yuan twenty per pound during these three days, directly saving thirty cents. Moreover, everyone, who are familiar customers, can group together, and if several people together spend over five yuan after the discount, they¡¯ll get an extra half pound of vegetables. Everyone can go home and share.¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s nice.¡± The aunties whispered among themselves, beginning to ask how much each was planning to buy. In groups of two or three, they decided to buy together to get the extra half pound of vegetables. ¡°All set, elder sisters, please line up over here, and make sure not to crowd.¡± Seeing the crowd gathering at the door, Susu hurriedly pulled Xiao Yu behind the counter. In no time, the crowd formed two long lines. Wang Hong and Lu Xiaomei were responsible for weighing and packaging, while Susu handled the money and provided change. The little guy helped out, running errands wherever needed. ¡°Elder sister-in-law, are you tired? If you¡¯re tired, take a break. Sister Hong and I are here.¡± Lu Xiaomei kept busy but worriedly reminded her sister-in-law. On hearing this, Wang Hong nodded, ¡°Yes, Xiao Su, don¡¯t overdo it. If you¡¯re tired, just sit down.¡± Susu shook her head, ¡°I¡¯m fine, I don¡¯t feel tired yet. I¡¯ll keep handling the money; it¡¯s faster that way.¡± ¡°Okay, if you get tired, just rest, and don¡¯t push yourself too hard, you hear?¡± Susu, amused, nodded, then realized the two were busy and couldn¡¯t see her. ¡°Alright, I know, I definitely won¡¯t overdo it.¡± As people heard the commotion and saw the long line forming at the entrance, they approached curiously. ¡°Auntie, what are you doing here?¡± The elder lady, holding Xiao Sun¡¯s hand, replied, ¡°Buying braised food. They just opened and are having a promotion.¡± ¡°Is it tasty?¡± ¡°It¡¯s delicious, why wouldn¡¯t it be? And it¡¯s cheaper than usual because of the promotion.¡± ¡°Really? Then I¡¯ll buy some to try.¡± ... Many people who came out of curiosity ended up taking some home after hearing what the others said. After seeing off the last elder lady, Susu glanced at the time¡ªit was already past 11 AM. A few of them had been so busy all morning they hadn¡¯t even had time to drink water. Now, they guzzled down a large cup of water and then plopped down to sit. ¡°Oh my goodness, there were so many people.¡± Wang Hong patted her thighs, feeling as if her legs had gone numb from standing. Lu Xiaomei¡¯s face was flushed from the busyness. ¡°It feels like my arms and legs aren¡¯t my own anymore. No wonder, the folks from Provincial City don¡¯t blink an eye when spending money.¡± ¡°You both worked hard. I expect the next three days will be busy too, so I¡¯ll add a little extra to your pay.¡± Susu massaged her waist, leaning back from the exhaustion and feeling sore all over. Luckily the baby was still small, otherwise it would have been too much. Wang Hong felt somewhat embarrassed; after all, working was expected, and here she was getting an extra subsidy. She was about to speak when she heard Lu Xiaomei¡¯s crisp voice. ¡°Hehe, thank you, elder sister.¡± ... Lu Xiaoting came in, carrying groceries in two nets on his bicycle. ¡°Let¡¯s eat, I went to the state-owned restaurant to buy us food.¡± She hadn¡¯t realized how hungry she was until the aroma of the food hit her, and Susu¡¯s stomach growled. Uh... A bit embarrassing! ¡°Eat up. I don¡¯t have to go this afternoon, I¡¯ll stay here to help.¡± Lu Xiaoting handed chopsticks to his wife. Susu thought about how she was still pregnant and should not overexert herself, so she put aside any concerns about whether it seemed manly or not. After all, she had to stay for the afternoon. Looking at the almost empty display of braised food, Lu Xiaoting didn¡¯t idle even after eating, and went back to fetch more stock. Susu took Xiao Yu to the back yard to rest and take a nap. Wang Hong and Lu Xiaomei were in the front, keeping an eye on things in case someone came into the shop. In the afternoon, Susu woke up startled to find she had slept until almost 4 PM. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you wake me?¡± Lu Xiaoting, busy making change for a customer, smiled at his wife¡¯s indignant look. ¡°I wanted you to get some extra sleep; we were handling things fine.¡± Susu noticed an elder lady¡¯s gaze while she was buying items and suddenly felt a bit embarrassed. ¡°Could I get a pound of meat dishes and a pound of vegetarian dishes?¡± One elder man said without even looking up, ready to pull out his money. Wang Hong stiffened and quickly said, ¡°Sorry, sir, but we¡¯ve sold out. Maybe come by tomorrow?¡± ¡°Sold out? Already?¡± The elder man, slightly discontent, took back his lunch box. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll have to come tomorrow then.¡± ... For three days, the grand opening promotion made the braised food business boom. And with it, the whole street became busier. Afterwards, the flow of customers decreased significantly, and Wang Hong initially found it hard to adapt to the sudden quiet. The daily turnover stabilized at forty to fifty yuan. Susu felt reassured enough to leave things in Sister Hong¡¯s hands, making occasional visits to the shop. Chapter 60 - 60 60 Pulling Strings ?Chapter 60: Chapter 60 Pulling Strings Chapter 60: Chapter 60 Pulling Strings That day, Susu was at home tutoring Xiao Yu with his homework when someone knocked on the door. ¡°Xiao Sun?¡± ¡°How come you¡¯re here? Is there an emergency?¡± Susu poured a glass of water for Xiao Sun. Gazing at the man scratching his head, looking hesitant to speak, Susu found herself wanting to laugh. She didn¡¯t rush him, just waited with a smile for Xiao Sun to start talking. Xiao Sun glanced at Xiao Yu, who was diligently writing, and said dryly, ¡°Sister Su, I have something to tell you. Can we talk by the door?¡± It seemed to be something serious, something not meant for young ears. ¡°Xiao Yu, why don¡¯t you go and play with your friends for a bit? Aunt has something to discuss with Brother Sun.¡± To avoid any idle gossip from spreading in the Family Court, the door was left wide open. ¡°Out with it, what¡¯s the matter? You¡¯re so serious.¡± Xiao Sun took a deep breath, mustered his courage, and revealed the purpose of his visit. ¡°Sister Su, it¡¯s like this.¡± Susu was flabbergasted, and seeing Xiao Sun¡¯s eager eyes, she slowly closed her gaping mouth. Questioning again, ¡°So, you want me to talk to my family about this, to help you get together with Xian Yue?¡± ¡°No, Xiao Sun, when did you start fancying Xian Yue?¡± Susu was still in shock, trying to recall any connection between Xiao Sun and Xian Yue, but couldn¡¯t think of any. ¡°You¡¯re only 16, right?¡± In this day and age, people mature early, but not to the point of getting married at 16, surely? Xiao Sun scratched his head awkwardly, ¡°I¡¯ve already turned 17, almost 18. I¡¯m only one and a half years younger than Sister Xian Yue.¡± Susu was stunned, but knew she had to clarify, ¡°You know that Xian Yue was married before, how she was abused by that family, and was finally brought back by my Uncle and Aunt, getting divorced from that man. ...¡± ¡°Sister Su, I know all that. It was that family¡¯s fault; Sister Xian Yue is innocent. I promise I will be good to Sister Xian Yue, and I¡¯ve already discussed it with my grandparents, who are also very happy about it.¡± ... After Xiao Sun had left, Susu was still somewhat dazed, sitting blankly in the same spot. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Why are you dazing off alone?¡± Lu Xiaoting came home to find his wife sitting there, completely motionless. Susu immediately pulled him to sit down and told him everything about Xiao Sun¡¯s visit and what was said. ¡°Do you think this is plausible?¡± Lu Xiaoting raised an eyebrow, equally surprised. ¡°I think we should call mother, tell her about this, and let her gauge Uncle¡¯s and Xian Yue¡¯s reactions.¡± No sooner said than done, Susu dragged her husband out to make a call to their hometown. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Oh, my goodness~¡± ¡°Okay, okay, I got it, I¡¯m going to see your Aunt now.¡± As soon as Mrs. Lu hung up the phone, the nosy shopkeeper¡¯s wife immediately came over to gossip. ¡°What happened? What did your daughter-in-law say to make you so startled?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Mrs. Lu thought to herself that this was a matter affecting her niece¡¯s reputation and couldn¡¯t be shared with this blabbermouth. She fobbed the shopkeeper off with a few casual remarks and quickly scooted off. ¡°Tsk~ why so stingy?¡± The shopkeeper¡¯s wife pouted, feeling irked at not catching any gossip, itching with curiosity. Had she known, she wouldn¡¯t have left to blab elsewhere and would¡¯ve definitely overheard the conversation. Father Lu watched his wife go out to answer the phone and not come back, frowning. ¡°Did my wife disappear just to answer a phone call?¡± Convenience Store ¡°Hey, Aunt Wang, where¡¯s my old man?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t know, after he answered the phone, he ran off in a hurry.¡± The convenience store owner¡¯s wife pouted. ¡°Elder sister-in-law, elder sister-in-law, come out quickly, I need to talk to you.¡± Mrs. Lu was running and walking all the way to the new compound. Hearing the noise, Aunt and Aunt Su came running out. ¡°Oh my, sister, what¡¯s got you in such a state? Just look at how you¡¯re panting.¡± Mrs. Lu waved her hand dismissively, ¡°Why are you still not heading back? Shouldn¡¯t you be cooking for the children?¡± ¡°Elder sister-in-law asked me to stay for dinner, I¡¯ll go back after I¡¯ve eaten.¡± ... ¡°What? Susu really said that on the phone?¡± Aunt Liu Fen whispered, glancing back inside the house. ¡°Huh, isn¡¯t this just the predestined relationship the Old Blind Man was talking about? I¡¯ve always thought Xiao Sun has a thing for our Xian Yue.¡± Aunt Su slapped her thigh, spitting as she spoke with excitement. Mrs. Lu wiped her face in disgust and was too caught up to scold her sister, instead pressing for details. ¡°What? How do you know?¡± ¡°Just think about it, every time that Xiao Sun comes over. His eyes keep drifting inside the house; he¡¯s definitely sneaking peeks at Xian Yue.¡± Aunt Su gestured with winks and nods, ¡°I told elder sister-in-law, but she didn¡¯t believe me.¡± ¡°Sister-in-law, you should ask Xian Yue about her feelings tonight. I think Xiao Sun is a fine young man.¡± Mrs. Lu genuinely thought Xiao Sun was a good catch, hardworking and filial, and his family didn¡¯t have any messy relatives. Plus, according to Susu, he was now earning over a hundred a month, saving most of it, and even planning to bring his old folks to live comfortably in the Provincial City. Convinced by the insistent advice of both aunts, Aunt Liu Fen also found herself interested, acknowledging Xiao Sun¡¯s merits. She nodded, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll have a good talk with Xian Yue later. If the child is also willing, I¡¯ll talk to his father about it.¡± Uncle Su shook his head, unsure why his wife and sisters-in-law were so chatty. They¡¯d spent all day together¡ªwasn¡¯t that enough? ¡°Your mother and your aunts sure can talk¡ªat it all day, and still going at it through the night.¡± Xian Yue glanced at the trio sitting in a circle in the courtyard, ¡°It shows how close I am with my mother and two aunts.¡± ¡°Heh, you wily woman, running off to take a call and disappearing.¡± Father Lu came in pushing his bicycle, not hiding his annoyance. ¡°I waited left and right at home and saw no sign of you. I thought you old woman had been abducted.¡± Mrs. Lu rolled her eyes, ¡°I had important matters. What are you blabbering about?¡± Father Lu glared; here he was, coming out of concern to look for her, and she accused him of blabbering. Aunt Su smiled and stood up, ¡°Brother-in-law, my sister came over to tell us some important news, don¡¯t be mad.¡± After seeing several people off, Aunt Liu Fen eagerly pulled her daughter inside. ¡°Your father, I¡¯m going to sleep with my daughter tonight, don¡¯t wait up for me.¡± Uncle Su, carrying a basin of foot-washing water, left the room shaking his head. ¡°This woman, always acting on a whim.¡± Xian Yue blushed at her mother¡¯s words, a slender face flushed with embarrassment. ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense, Mother.¡± ¡°What nonsense? This is what your second sister-in-law called and told us about, could your second sister-in-law be lying?¡± Aunt Liu Fen took her daughter¡¯s hand, ¡°Your mother and your aunts all think Xiao Sun isn¡¯t half bad. You wouldn¡¯t have to serve any in-laws if you married him. The old man and the old lady are diligent folks and are said not to be too harsh.¡± ¡°How about it? What do you think? Don¡¯t be scared, tell me.¡± Xian Yue¡¯s eyes welled up, and she bit her lower lip, hesitating. With her eyebrows tightly knotted, she murmured softly, ¡°But, but... I¡¯m older than he is.¡± Chapter 61 - 61 61 When a woman turns 30 she embraces a gold ?Chapter 61: Chapter 61: When a woman turns 30, she embraces a gold brick Chapter 61: Chapter 61: When a woman turns 30, she embraces a gold brick Knowing her daughter wasn¡¯t unwilling but worried about the age issue, Mrs. Lu stern-faced, took her daughter¡¯s hand and said, ¡°What¡¯s the problem, other people say women three years older are like gold bricks. Xiao Sun is only a year younger than you, practically the same age.¡± ¡°But mom, I¡¯m a divorced woman, can I still...¡± Seeing her distressed daughter, Aunt Su Liu Fen felt a twinge in her heart, hugged her daughter tightly, and patted her on the back. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Xiao Sun knew about it from the first day he met you, stop worrying needlessly.¡± ¡°As long as you like him too, I¡¯ll call your sister-in-law tomorrow.¡± Su Xianyue hugged her mother¡¯s broad waist and nodded, her voice thick with emotion. ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll go with mom; I want to talk to my sister-in-law.¡± ¡°Okay, after lunch tomorrow, we¡¯ll make the call.¡± Uncle Su only found out the next morning and left for work shocked. ¡°Look at your father¡¯s face; his mouth could fit an egg.¡± Aunt Su Liu Fen recalled her husband¡¯s expression just now and laughed until tears came. Su Xianyue felt a bit embarrassed, stomped her foot, ¡°Mom~¡± ¡°Alright, alright, mom won¡¯t talk anymore.¡± Aunt Su watched her daughter who had just acted coquettishly and wiped the corner of her eye. Her daughter had finally regained some of her girlish charm. It was all that wretched old woman¡¯s fault, turning her lovely daughter into this. Her Xianyue used to be cheerful and lively too. ... ¡°Really? Okay, I¡¯ll tell Xiao Sun in a bit.¡± ¡°From what I know of Xiao Sun, he¡¯s a responsible and ambitious person; I believe he¡¯ll definitely treat Xianyue well.¡± ... After hanging up, Susu paid the money at the small shop and headed towards the bungalows. Usually a ten-minute walk, Susu took almost twenty minutes. As things weren¡¯t settled between the two families yet, Susu decided to talk to Xiao Sun alone about it. ¡°Really, Sister Su? That¡¯s great, I¡¯ll catch the last bus back this afternoon.¡± Xiao Sun¡¯s face flushed with excitement, and he was somewhat incoherent. ¡°Thank you, Sister Su. I promise I¡¯ll treat Xianyue well and never let her be sad.¡± Susu didn¡¯t know whether to laugh or cry, and gave Xiao Sun a knock on the head. ¡°Not even close and look at you, making no sense.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll give you a day off tomorrow. Get everything sorted and I¡¯ll await your good news.¡± ¡°Hehehe, thank you, Sister Su.¡± That afternoon, everyone saw Xiao Sun occasionally giggling to himself, and they all couldn¡¯t stop laughing. That very afternoon, Xiao Sun, holding pastries and sweets bought specially from the Department Store in Provincial City, rushed back to the county. Staring at the yard for a long time, his heart was so nervous it was about to jump out of his throat. ¡°Hey, Xiao Sun, why don¡¯t you come in?¡± Father Lu happened to be passing by on his bicycle. ¡°Lu, Uncle Lu.¡± Father Lu was puzzled as he watched the young man stutter and nearly trip over his own feet. The scenario that followed was five against one. Xiao Sun looked at the five elders opposite him, nervously swallowed his saliva. With a dry throat, he finally spoke, ¡°Uncle, Aunt, my name is Sun Hao. I only have grandparents above me; my parents passed away when I was young. I¡¯m making around a hundred each month now, and I plan to rent a place in Provincial City and bring my grandparents over. My grandparents are quite agile,...¡± The three women nodded in approval. ¡°Do grandma and grandpa know about Xian Yue¡¯s situation?¡± ¡°They do.¡± Xiao Sun¡¯s eyes were resolute. After learning about Xian Yue¡¯s past experiences, his grandparents sighed heavily. ¡°Uncle, Auntie, I will surely treat Xian Yue well, I swear.¡± Aunt Su watched Xiao Sun as he swore and thumped his chest in assurance, smiling and nodding. ¡°Xiao Sun, Auntie wants to know what you see in our Xian Yue.¡± Upon hearing this, everyone¡¯s gaze turned towards Xiao Sun sitting across from them. Xiao Sun scratched his head sheepishly, having felt that this girl was gentle and soft since the first time he had met Sister Xian Yue. The more he saw her, the more he couldn¡¯t help but have his gaze drift towards her. Aunt Su slapped her thigh, ¡°See, this must be what Old Blind Man called fate right before our eyes.¡± Uncle Su and his wife were initially a bit anxious, but after meeting the people, they felt reassured. In these times, when both sides looked at each other as potential partners, they needed someone to bridge the gap, and Aunt Su eagerly volunteered to be the matchmaker for both families. Had it not been so late, they would have discussed the matter with Xiao Sun¡¯s grandparents that very day. The next morning, the three generations of the Sun Family rose early. Granny Sun even dug out the only set of clothes without patches that the old couple owned. ¡°Old man, how¡¯s my hair? Not messy?¡± ¡°Not messy at all.¡± ¡°Oh dear, you hurry up and tidy your beard. Don¡¯t embarrass our grandson by looking all scruffy.¡± ¡°Got it, got it, bring me some water for washing.¡± Xiao Sun, hearing his grandparents bustling about, grinned widely while inspecting his outfit. ¡°Granny, please check quickly. Does this look okay? Is it smart?¡± Granny Sun rushed into the room and circled her grandson, nodding her head. ¡°It¡¯s good, very smart.¡± Hearing someone knocking at the courtyard door, the Sun family scrambled to welcome the guests inside. Aunt Su looked at the well-prepared family of three and nodded satisfactorily. ¡°The New Yard¡± ¡°Auntie, rest assured, we only have this one grandson and we surely won¡¯t hold the kids back. There¡¯s nothing about setting rules for daughters-in-law at our house. If Xian Yue marries into our family, it will be the young couple who will make their own decisions. While we¡¯re still able to move around, we don¡¯t need the children to look after us. We can still help with laundry and cooking. The kids just need to look after themselves...¡± Aunt Liu Fen, hearing Granny Sun¡¯s words, slowly smiled. ¡°Auntie, I won¡¯t hide from you, my Xian Yue has had a hard life. The woman in her previous household was either scolding or hitting her every day, grinding down my daughter until she wasn¡¯t herself anymore. Thankfully, our daughter-in-law is kind-hearted and let Xian Yue work for her, making a decent wage each month. Otherwise, she¡¯d still be at home enduring her two sisters-in-law wrestling and griping about their little sister-in-law visiting her parental home.¡± Aunt wiped away tears, thankful that her daughter now had her own money, which kept her sons¡¯ wives from disrespecting her. Whenever she returned, they would compete to invite her to meals. Both families hit it off right away, and arranged the children¡¯s engagement that very day. Aunt carried the couple¡¯s birth dates and visited Old Blind Man with some locally made liquor. Upon receiving the auspicious prediction from Old Blind Man, she returned home beaming. When Susu saw Xiao Sun again, she noticed the young man¡¯s face beaming with joy. Susu teased, ¡°I could see your bright smile from miles away! Are you that happy?¡± ¡°Hehehe.¡± Xiao Sun scratched his head, grinning, ¡°Sister Su, Xian Yue and my arrangement has been settled.¡± Chapter 62 - 62 62 Hosting a Banquet ?Chapter 62: Chapter 62: Hosting a Banquet Chapter 62: Chapter 62: Hosting a Banquet ¡°That soon?¡± Susu was shocked, her eyes wide and mouth agape, as she asked again for confirmation. ¡°So the date has already been set?¡± ¡°Yeah, Aunt went to ask the Old Blind Man, and the date¡¯s been set for the end of this month.¡± Susu was shocked once again. Didn¡¯t that mean the wedding wasn¡¯t far off? ¡°What? Xiao Sun, you¡¯re getting married?¡± ¡°Which girl is it?¡± Sister Hong laughed as she teased, ¡°You¡¯re a go-getter, which lucky girl is it?¡± Xiao Sun was not at all embarrassed and hadn¡¯t stopped smiling proudly. ¡°Sister Hong, you know the person too. It¡¯s Xian Yue.¡± ¡°What? You and Xian Yue got together?¡± Sister Hong¡¯s eyes widened in shock, ¡°You sly dog. Xian Yue is a good girl; you better treat her well.¡± The others didn¡¯t know who Xian Yue was, but they congratulated Xiao Sun all the same. ¡°We¡¯ll set up a few tables in the county and everyone with time should come eat.¡± Susu clapped her hands, ¡°We¡¯ll all go and share the joy. I¡¯ll cover the transport costs. We¡¯ll squeeze overnight in the county and catch the earliest bus back the next day. That¡¯ll be perfect.¡± Time flew by like running water, swiftly like an arrow. In the blink of an eye, the end of the month arrived. The Sun Family, having no other relatives, only had the grandparents and grandchild, and a few old neighbors with good relations. It wasn¡¯t that the Sun Family didn¡¯t have relatives, but ever since Xiao Sun¡¯s parents passed away one after another, many looked down upon the two seniors taking care of a clueless little brat and gradually lost contact. As for the Su Family, it was all their own relatives, as well as Uncle Su¡¯s colleagues from the factory, and the neighbors from the street. These days, most guests came alone to dine; they were too embarrassed to bring the whole family and freeload, so the turnout wasn¡¯t too large. On the joyous day, Susu gave the county staff a day off. Since the Sun Family¡¯s yard was too small to set up the feast, they had to set up five tables inside the new courtyard. They reserved a big table in the hall for the young folks, and set up one each on the kang beds and floors of the east and west rooms, for the elders and children. ¡°Hey, you¡¯re back just in time.¡± Mrs. Lu, wearing an apron, called over for Susu to hurry and seat the guests; it was almost time to start the feast. ¡°Please sit wherever you like, don¡¯t be shy.¡± After getting everyone settled, Susu whispered to her mother-in-law. ¡°Mom, Uncle and Aunt must be thrilled.¡± ¡°Ha ha ha, your Aunt has been so happy since this morning that she hasn¡¯t stopped talking. Your Aunt even joked, telling her to be careful not to laugh her face into a cramp.¡± Mrs. Lu had been helping out in the room and still hadn¡¯t seen the second brother. ¡°Where are the second brother and Xiao Yu?¡± Susu raised her chin, ¡°They¡¯re chatting with big brother and the third brother in the east room.¡± Mrs. Lu frowned and waved the fire poker, ¡°This rascal, his wife is pregnant and he doesn¡¯t stay with her, but runs off to find some peace and quiet?¡± ¡°Mom, it wasn¡¯t like that, I told him to go.¡± Susu laughed at her mother-in-law¡¯s gesture, ¡°Mom, you don¡¯t know how strictly Lu Xiaoting watches me; he won¡¯t let me do anything. I had to send those two away to catch a breath.¡± ¡°That¡¯s more like it.¡± ¡°Have elder sister-in-law and Bai Xiao come back?¡± There were quite a few people at home, but Susu hadn¡¯t seen them yet. Mrs. Lu curled her lip, considering her eldest son¡¯s wife¡¯s affectations, she really didn¡¯t expect her to come back. ¡°The eldest brother¡¯s wife hasn¡¯t come back, but the third brother¡¯s family has. They¡¯re in the east room.¡± ... ¡°Xian Yue, we¡ª¡± ¡°Elder sister-in-law, you¡¯re back, please have a seat.¡± Susu observed the radiant glow on her face; although still slim, her vitality seemed greater than before. ¡°Xian Yue, congratulations, this is the wedding gift I¡¯ve prepared for you. You must be happy.¡± Su Xianyue¡¯s eyes reddened, and she refused to accept it, ¡°Elder sister-in-law, you¡¯ve already given me my job, why are you spending more on me?¡± ¡°Just accept it, this is my blessing to you.¡± Looking at the brand new cloth in her hands, hot tears rolled down her face. Sniffling, ¡°Thank you, elder sister-in-law.¡± Susu, never one to handle emotional moments well, spilled the beans about the decision to transfer Xian Yue to the Provincial City. ¡°But elder sister-in-law, if I go to the Provincial City, what about the business here in the county?¡± ¡°No worries, my mother is here. Just set your mind at ease; it¡¯s not like we can allow you newlyweds to live apart right after getting married. That simply won¡¯t do.¡± ... Winter came around in the blink of an eye. The cold northerly wind howled outside the window, as Susu wrapped in a scarf and hat, dressed in a puffy cotton coat, hurried into the Family Court. In the dead of winter, aside from the little kids who didn¡¯t fear the cold playing hide-and-seek downstairs, there wasn¡¯t a single adult in sight¡ªall huddled at home, laying low for the season. Just reaching the stairs, she bumped into Sister Wang carrying a ball of yarn. ¡°Xiao Su, just got back from outside?¡± ¡°Yes, elder sister-in-law. Are you going out?¡± Sister Wang waved her hand, ¡°Ah, just that the little ones at home are giving me a headache, told them I¡¯m going to visit the neighbors.¡± ¡°Xiao Su, if you¡¯re not busy, why not join me? You must be bored alone at home anyway.¡± Saying so, Sister Wang simply dragged Susu upstairs with her. Upon entering, several women seated inside all looked over. ¡°Elder sister-in-law, I¡¯ve brought Xiao Su over to visit.¡± Sister Wang said with a beaming smile. ¡°Oh, we have a rare visitor! Xiao Su, how come you have time to come out today?¡± An elder sister-in-law said, scooting over on the seat to make space for the two. Just as Xiao Su felt somewhat embarrassed and didn¡¯t know what to say, Sister Wang chuckled and chimed in. ¡°Our Xiao Su is usually busy, unlike us, just idling at home all day.¡± ¡°Xiao Su, you better take off that cotton coat quickly, it¡¯s warm in here, otherwise you¡¯ll start sweating soon.¡± Xiao Su nodded, took off the bulky coat, and instantly felt much lighter. ¡°Oh my¡ª¡± An elder sister-in-law exclaimed, pointing at Xiao Su, ¡°Xiao Su, are you...?¡± Several elder sisters-in-law all looked over. ¡°No wonder Xiao Lu has been supporting Xiao Su every day. Turns out Xiao Su is pregnant.¡± ¡°Looks like it¡¯s been already four or five months, hasn¡¯t it?¡± Xiao Su smiled and touched her belly, shaking her head, ¡°Just three months. I wasn¡¯t intentionally keeping it from you sisters. It¡¯s just, my mother-in-law said not to tell anyone before three months, fearing the baby won¡¯t be stable.¡± All being experienced mothers, they understood as soon as they heard. One elder sister-in-law, in her thirties, reached out to pinch the cotton of Xiao Su¡¯s jacket, looking envious. ¡°Xiao Su, your coat looks so thick. It must be very warm. You must have used quite a lot of cotton, huh?¡± ¡°My mother-in-law made it; she must have saved up quite a bit of cotton.¡± Talking about this, Xiao Su remembered her mother-in-law pointing at a big floral cloth, her face beaming with joy. ¡®Susu, look at this bright red fabric, it¡¯ll surely look festive when made into clothes.¡¯ Thinking about herself wearing a coat made of big floral cotton, Xiao Su shuddered. Luckily, with her playful pouting and coaxing tactics, Mrs. Lu gave up on the flashy floral fabric. ¡°Xiao Su, your mother-in-law is really good to you, willing to use so much thick cotton.¡± ¡°Not like my mother-in-law, would rather strip our house bare, just to give everything to her youngest son.¡± Chapter 63 - 63 63 Angry ?Chapter 63: Chapter 63 Angry Chapter 63: Chapter 63 Angry ¡°I¡¯d be thanking my lucky stars if my mother-in-law didn¡¯t point at my nose and criticize this and that,¡± Xian Yue said. ¡°Heh, you don¡¯t know my mother-in-law...¡± ... Susu hadn¡¯t expected her cotton-padded jacket to spark such a rant from her sisters-in-law, with the vibe that they could go on for days and nights without end. It was like sitting on pins and needles, like having a thorn in one¡¯s back. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the sisters-in-law shifted topics, now talking about their husbands and children. ¡°I see Xiao Su¡¯s belly isn¡¯t small, it¡¯s gotten as big as mine was around four or five months.¡± ¡°Maybe it¡¯s just a lot of amniotic fluid. There was a young wife in my mother¡¯s family with a big belly, but they said it was just the fluid.¡± ¡°Xiao Su, are you experiencing any morning sickness now?¡± Susu shook her head, ¡°I had a little during the first three months, but it¡¯s mostly okay now, except I can¡¯t stand the smell of fishy scents. It makes me nauseated and want to vomit.¡± The sisters-in-law nodded, saying it was normal and things would probably get better after the three-month mark. Listening to her sisters-in-law share stories about when their kids were young, Susu felt both amazed and scared; just the thought of it overwhelmed her. ... After sending off the old and the young, Susu didn¡¯t go to the shop, instead staying at home and spacing out. Now that the business at the flat and the shop was stable, checking up on things every once in a while sufficed. An idea that Susu had long harbored surfaced once again. That was to open a clothing store. She had chosen the marinated food business initially because start-up funds were insufficient, the cost of marinated goods was low, and with good taste, they were easy to sell. Moreover, she didn¡¯t know much about the area as she had just arrived. Now with the funds available, Susu felt it was time to consider it, especially since there was a vacant storefront. With her idea in mind, Susu directly put on her thick cotton coat and headed to the flat. Wrapped tightly in a thick cotton coat and pants, Susu wasn¡¯t cold at all but felt like a duck, waddling as she walked. ¡°Woo woo woo ¨C Mom made these cotton pants and jacket way too thick.¡± Susu clumsily climbed onto the kang bed. ¡°When Xiao Sun comes back, tell him to come in. I need to talk to them about something.¡± ¡°Got it, second sister-in-law.¡± With nothing else to do, Susu leaned against the kang bed head, flipping through the account book and considering her trip to Guang City. While Provincial City naturally had garment factories, their costs and designs weren¡¯t as good as those from the Southern region. Especially considering Guang City as a major garment wholesale city, Susu figured there weren¡¯t any problems, apart from the distance. ¡°Second sister-in-law.¡± Susu nodded and asked the two to sit down, sharing her plan to open a clothing store with them and her thoughts of having them manage it. Sister Hong took her time to react, finally realizing Xiao Su was going to open another shop selling clothes. Then she hesitated, ¡°What about the marinated food shop?¡± ¡°Now, I¡¯m just asking for your opinion. If you¡¯re willing, I will arrange for someone else to manage the marinated food shop.¡± ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll follow Xiao Su¡¯s lead.¡± ¡°Okay, we¡¯ll follow second sister-in-law¡¯s decision.¡± Seeing they agreed without asking any questions made Susu smile with amusement and a sense of trust. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to ask about your salaries before agreeing?¡± Sister Hong waved her hand, unconcerned, ¡°Eh, I¡¯ve put my faith in you, Xiao Su. I trust you.¡± ¡°Yeah, I trust second sister-in-law too.¡± Feeling trusted like this made Susu very happy, and she nodded. ¡°Right, I won¡¯t let you down.¡± ... Looking at a table full of delicious and aromatic dishes, Lu Xiaoting¡¯s lips curled, and he raised an eyebrow. ¡°You didn¡¯t do something bad, did you?¡± Susu ¡°...¡± This guy truly lives up to being a cop, does he have to be so suspicious?! ¡°No, no, not at all.¡± Susu¡¯s lips curled into a sweet smile as she called out to the big and little ones to hurry and wash their hands for the meal. ¡°Quick, wash your hands or the food will get cold.¡± Xiao Yu obediently led the half-doubtful, half-convinced man away. Susu let out a long sigh of relief and patted her own cheeks. Relax, relax, don¡¯t be nervous. ¡°Uncle eats meat, Aunt eats meat.¡± The little guy stood up and placed meat in both their bowls. ¡°Xiao Yu should eat too, have more.¡± Susu reciprocated by serving the fattiest pieces of meat to the big and the little one. People these days lack fat, so they prefer fatty meat dripping with oil rather than lean meat. Once the big and the little one had cleared the dining table, Xiao Yu sat down obediently at the side, took out his books, and diligently began to work on his homework. Lu Xiaoting approached his wife, his dark eyes filled with laughter as he gazed straight at the little woman who sat quietly and neatly on the bed. Susu nervously swallowed and tugged at the man¡¯s shirttail. ¡°Come closer, I want to talk to you.¡± The man raised an eyebrow, ¡°What is it, tell me.¡± ¡°Cough, cough.¡± Susu cleared her throat, her large eyes filled with a coquettish look, and slowly began to speak. ¡°I was thinking, since the marinated food store¡¯s business has stabilized and I don¡¯t need to worry about it anymore, I want to open a clothing store and wanted to discuss it with you.¡± ¡°A clothing store?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Susu nodded, ¡°So, I¡¯m thinking of making a trip to Guang City. I¡¯ve read in the papers that the wholesale clothing industry there is pretty developed, so I thought¡ª¡± Before she could finish her sentence, the man coldly cut her off. ¡°No, you¡¯re pregnant right now; I do not agree.¡± Susu pouted, her eyes hopefully fixed on the man whose face had turned cold. Sensing his tone was perhaps too harsh, Lu Xiaoting softened his voice. ¡°Traveling to Guang City from here takes roughly two days and two nights. Given your current state with such a big belly, there¡¯s no way I¡¯ll agree to it.¡± ¡°But, isn¡¯t it still early for me? Also, I won¡¯t be going alone. I¡¯ll take Cheng He and Xiao Sun with me when the time comes, so we¡¯ll have each other¡¯s company.¡± ¡°No, trains are too chaotic; all sorts of people are on them. With your belly, if something were to happen, what would I do with Xiao Yu?¡± Lu Xiaoting made it clear that he was firmly against the idea. Susu was also getting annoyed and glared unhappily at the man. Xiao Yu, who was near the doorway, overheard their argument and looked worriedly from his uncle to his aunt, his little face scrunching into a baozi frown. Lu Xiaoting prepared some foot-soaking water and placed it next to Susu¡¯s feet. ¡°Wife, why don¡¯t you soak your feet?¡± Susu sulked and ignored the man, plunging her feet into the water, only to immediately flinch and pull them back due to the heat. Lu Xiaoting, seeing this, said helplessly, ¡°Be careful, the water¡¯s quite hot, ease your feet in slowly.¡± ¡°Hmph!¡± Susu didn¡¯t want to talk to the man, so after washing her feet, she lay down with her back to him. That night, the man was banished to the small bed while Susu cuddled the fragrant and soft Xiao Yu to sleep. ¡°Aunt, please don¡¯t be angry, okay?¡± ¡°Grandma said getting angry isn¡¯t good.¡± Susu was amused by the little one¡¯s serious frown. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Aunt isn¡¯t angry, I was just trying to scare your uncle a bit.¡± Xiao Yu gave an ¡®Oh¡¯ and, feeling reassured, closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep. Susu also knew the man was right, but she couldn¡¯t control her little temper. She glanced at the man whose long legs were half-hanging off his bed, curled her lips into a smile, and fell asleep. Chapter 64 - 64 64 new stores ?Chapter 64: 64 new stores Chapter 64: 64 new stores The next morning, Lu Xiaoting looked at his wife¡¯s rosy-cheeked face and helplessly shook his head, tucking in the blanket. ¡°Really just a big-tempered little pig.¡± Susu muttered in her sleep, who knows whether she was dreaming of something tasty or fun. ¡°Wife, there¡¯s porridge, eggs, buns, and steamed buns in the pot, have some so you don¡¯t get hungry.¡± Susu looked at the man¡¯s vigorous and powerful handwriting, a slight smile curling the corners of her lips. ¡°Hmph, not bad.¡± A night passed, and considering her actual situation, Susu also felt that her previous ideas were too impulsive. Since she couldn¡¯t go to Guang City for now, she didn¡¯t want to stay idle at home. Susu grabbed a pencil and notebook and started drawing, when suddenly, opening an eatery seemed like a good idea. No matter the era, everyone needs to eat, right? People regard food as their prime want. As long as the taste is good, a good wine needs no bush. Moreover, Susu was very confident in her cooking skills. Now that it was winter, they could sell spicy hot pot, which would be warm to eat. Additionally, they could sell some dough-based food like buns, steamed buns, and noodles; eating spicy hot pot with a bun or steamed bun could be filling and save money. No sooner said than done, Susu immediately left a note at home and wrapped in a thick cotton coat, headed towards the brine shop. Susu planned to first recruit two apprentices, as making spicy hot pot wasn¡¯t exactly a technical job, mainly relying on her own recipe. Then, she would find someone skilled in making dough-based food. The reason she went to Sister Hong was to get her to recommend two younger boys. Rural kids, used to hard life, could endure hardship better and wouldn¡¯t quit just because they were tired. ¡°Sister Hong, I want you to find two kids for me, those who can endure hardships and are honest and reliable. I plan to open a dumplings and spicy hot pot shop, providing food and accommodation, and I¡¯ll give them 12 yuan a month as an apprenticeship fee. The condition is they must work for me for a full year.¡± ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll head back to the village tonight.¡± Wang Hong agreed without a second thought. Susu then leisurely made her way to the bungalows. She shared the news about not going to Guang City for now with Su Chenghe and Xiao Sun, and both of them breathed a sigh of relief. Only Susu felt a bit embarrassed. After much thought, Susu decided to have Su Xianyue work in the new shop making dough-based food and also be responsible for managing the shop. ¡°Xianyue, think about it for a few days; if it doesn¡¯t work out, I¡¯ll find someone else.¡± ¡°Elder sister, I¡¯m willing, I¡¯m willing.¡± Su Xianyue furrowed her brows with some hesitation, ¡°But elder sister, I don¡¯t know how to be a shop manager, I¡¯m afraid I might not do well.¡± ¡°No worries, I¡¯ll teach you when the time comes, we¡¯ll take it slow.¡± Susu continued, ¡°I¡¯ll pay you 50 yuan a month, as you¡¯ll be responsible not just for making the food but also for managing the shop. But don¡¯t worry too much, I¡¯ll still be at the shop initially, and once the business stabilizes, I¡¯ll take a step back.¡± ... The next day, Wang Hong had Su Xianyue bring two teenage boys to Family Court. One was a distant relative related to Wang Hong¡¯s husband¡¯s family, named Xiao Long, sixteen years old and from a family with many children. The other, named Da Niu, was seventeen years old from a poor family in the village, with older brothers and sisters, and younger brothers and sisters. Both families, hearing about such a good job opportunity, promptly packed up the teens¡¯ belongings, and sent them with Wang Hong. Susu hadn¡¯t expected them to arrive so quickly, as she hadn¡¯t prepared everything yet. She first had Su Xianyue take the two to the bungalow to stay and would start training them in the craft of spicy hot pot the next day. ¡°Thank you, boss, we¡¯ll definitely work hard and not be lazy.¡± The two young men looked very honest, calling her ¡®boss¡¯ repeatedly, making Susu laugh uncontrollably. ¡°Just call me Sister Su.¡± ¡°Hey, Sister Su, Sister Su.¡± ... The three of them had not been idle these past few days, helping out with work. ¡°Da Niu, why haven¡¯t we started working yet? They didn¡¯t change their minds about us, did they?¡± Xiao Long turned over, feeling a bit uneasy. Da Niu was also a bit scared, stuttering, ¡°Shouldn¡¯t, shouldn¡¯t be.¡± Both young men were afraid that the boss might suddenly change his mind and not want them anymore. If they went back, the adults at home would scold them to death. When Brother Sun heard the two whispering, he reassured them in a lowered voice. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Just focus on learning the skills well. Once the shop is renovated, your skills will be sharpened, and the shop will open.¡± ¡°Really, Brother Sun?¡± Xiao Long and Da Niu looked eagerly in Brother Sun¡¯s direction. Even in the pitch-dark night, Brother Sun could feel their intense gaze. Talking about his own experiences relieved the anxiety of the two younger men. ... Susu took Su Xianyue along with Xiao Long and Da Niu to the shop. Seeing the clean and tidy store, Susu nodded in satisfaction. Next time they renovated, she would hire these uncles again. Not only were they fast workers, but they also cleaned up the place thoroughly. In less than a week, the two apprentices had mastered the art of cooking spicy hot pot and were doing the work efficiently. Su Xianyue had always been good at handling tasks and had already learned all the dumpling techniques Susu taught. ¡°You two will sleep in this room. You can keep an eye on the shop at night, although it¡¯s a bit small.¡± Susu then led them to a small storeroom in the back. Despite being small, it even had a window but no separate door. Inside, there was a double bed measuring one and a half meters. The two young men were pleasantly surprised ¨C such a big bed! At home, because there were many children, they always had to squeeze together during sleep, making it hard even to turn around. Now, having such a large bed and their own room, they couldn¡¯t express how happy they were. They felt so exhilarated at that moment and silently vowed in their hearts to work hard to avoid having to squeeze with their siblings again. Lu Xiaoting rode his bike to the entrance and strode inside, immediately noticing the bulky figure. ¡°I just went to the bungalow, and they said you came here? How did you come?¡± ¡°Second brother.¡± ¡°Brother Lu.¡± Susu was helped by the man onto a chair, looked up and, with a smile, said, ¡°Took the bus.¡± ¡°Where¡¯s Xiao Yu?¡± ¡°He¡¯s at home doing his homework.¡± Susu nodded and, after settling the two boys, returned home with Lu Xiaoting. During the ride, Susu crouched against the man¡¯s sturdy and broad back, shielding herself from the biting cold wind that was blowing towards them. As soon as they got home, the first thing she did was take off her heavy coat. Seeing his wife¡¯s actions, Lu Xiaoting chuckled softly. After receiving a glare from Susu, he sheepishly touched his nose. ¡°The shop¡¯s all fixed up. When are you planning to open for business?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll rest tomorrow, and officially open the day after.¡± Before they knew it, the grand opening day of Su¡¯s Dumplings and Spicy Hot Pot had arrived. Chapter 65 - 65 65 Officially Opens for Business ?Chapter 65: Chapter 65 Officially Opens for Business Chapter 65: Chapter 65 Officially Opens for Business The grand opening just happened to be on a Sunday, and Father Lu, Mrs. Lu, along with gifts from Uncle Su and Aunt, took the earliest bus to the Provincial City. Susu took Xiao Yu to the store first, while Lu Xiaoting ran to the train station to pick up the elderly couple. Mrs. Lu was beaming with joy, having dressed early in the clothes Susu bought for her in the Provincial City¡¯s Department Store, her hair combed meticulously. Even Father Lu, who usually didn¡¯t care much for dressing up, had put extra effort into looking sharp. ¡°Did Susu and Xiao Yu head to the store?¡± ¡°Yes, there are pastries at the shop, so it opens early. She went ahead to keep an eye on things.¡± At this moment, Mrs. Lu was like a victorious rooster, head held high and chest puffed out with pride, she lifted her chin a notch. ¡°My Susu is truly formidable, this is already our second store.¡± Hearing his mother sing praises of his wife, Lu Xiaoting¡¯s dark eyes filled with mirth, his lips curling into a wide smile. Yeah, my wife is that incredible. ... Jiang Nan had a sullen face, reluctantly pursed her lips as Brother Lu pulled her onto the bus. Xiao Yu and Xiao Xue, the sisters, were chattering away happily like two cheerful little birds. Brother Lu sighed, ¡°Cheer up, today is my brother and sister-in-law¡¯s big day for their store opening. We can¡¯t be the butt of the joke.¡± Jiang Nan curled her lips; how could she be happy when her Chongxi sister-in-law was opening a business, and here she was, unable to share in the excitement. However, in front of her husband, Jiang Nan still managed to muster a smile that was appropriately pleasant. Only, inside, she was dying of discomfort, and the children¡¯s chirpy banter was giving her a headache. ¡°Xiao Yu and Xiao Xue, be good, don¡¯t disturb others.¡± ¡°Okay, we know, Mommy.¡± Upon hearing their mother¡¯s words, the sisters instantly quieted down, communicating with eyes and gestures instead. Jiang Nan: ¡°...¡± What to do? She felt even more dejected. The noodle and spicy hot pot shop was located near the college and factory living area. Many college students and workers had heard the news that a noodle and spicy hot pot shop was opening and came early to check it out. Most were curious about what this spicy hot pot actually was. Susu explained with a smile to those curious, ¡°Spicy hot pot is where you pick whatever you want to eat and put it into this bowl, and we¡¯ll cook it for you with light spicy, medium spicy, or clear soup flavors. Moreover, you can also pair it with buns and pastries...¡± Someone pointed to the red banner with black characters hanging above the shop and asked. ¡°I see it says that for the first three days of opening, anyone who comes into the store can enjoy a 20% discount; does that mean it¡¯s cheaper?¡± ¡°Yes, you get a 20% discount on your total bill, which means if you spend one yuan, after the discount, it¡¯s only eighty cents.¡± ¡°Wow, that¡¯s good; you¡¯ve straight up saved two dimes.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go, shouldn¡¯t we go in and try it?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s do it, we¡¯ve come all this way.¡± ... Many people, with the mentality of ¡®since we¡¯re here,¡¯ had ordered some spicy hot pot and buns to try. Susu, worried that Xiao Long and Da Niu would be nervous, went into the kitchen to give directions. Several large pots were bubbling away with ingredients; despite being December and cold winter, the kitchen was sweltering. The four workers in the kitchen were so busy they were sweating buckets. Su Xiaomei and Xiao Yu were hosting the customers outside. The auntie clearing dishes was so busy she was tripping over herself; whenever a spot cleared, she¡¯d quickly clean up and make room for the next wave of guests. Just then, the Lu family arrived one after another at the store. Seeing the endless stream of people in the store, Mrs. Lu was delighted from the bottom of her heart, and she rolled up her sleeves to help collect dishes and wipe tables. The cleaning auntie looked stunned, as her work was taken over, and froze for a moment. ¡°Please take a seat, how can we have guests helping out? I¡¯ll be done in a moment, just wait a bit.¡± ¡°Hahaha.¡± Mrs. Lu was amused by the elder sister-in-law¡¯s actions and hurriedly explained that she was Susu¡¯s mother-in-law and it was only natural for the family to lend a hand. ¡°Mom? When did you get here?¡± Lu Xiaomei, who was helping prepare the malatang ingredients, just came out and was surprised and delighted. Mrs. Lu playfully rolled her eyes at her daughter, ¡°Hurry and take this over, the customers are waiting. Your dad and I just got here.¡± ¡°Alright, you and Dad take a seat and wait for a bit.¡± Seeing the situation, Father Lu did not idle either, helping with collecting money and doing the accounts. By the time Brother Lu and his brothers arrived, Father Lu and Mrs. Lu had already been busily working for a while. Mrs. Lu caught sight of her two sons and daughters-in-law and waved her hand. ¡°Why don¡¯t you go sit in the back?¡± ¡°Shall I and the third one help out?¡± ¡°No need, no need, there¡¯s not enough space in the shop for two more people to stand.¡± Mrs. Lu hastily ushered her sons and daughters-in-law to wait in the back room, really finding them a bit in the way. Bai Xiao looked at the steady stream of people coming in and out of the shop and couldn¡¯t help but think the business was booming. Lu Huaisen smacked his lips, ¡°How come the second elder sister-in-law is so impressive?! Look at all these people, she must be making a fortune every day.¡± The corners of Jiang Nan¡¯s mouth twitched imperceptibly. Her brow furrowed. How could this Chongxi sister-in-law seem like a completely different person? Not only selling stewed goods all the way to the Provincial City, but also opened up a little restaurant??? Bai Xiao quietly stretched out her hand and tugged at her man¡¯s sleeve. Lu Huaisen poked his head out, ¡°What¡¯s up, Xiaoxiao?¡± Seeing the three of them look over, Bai Xiao smiled and shook her head. Really now, hasn¡¯t she noticed the elder sister-in-law¡¯s face has changed, and yet here he is, praising the second elder sister-in-law again and again. Susu had been watching the three of them cooking in the kitchen. Although she didn¡¯t get her hands dirty, she too was sweating from the heat. The trio, initially flustered, gradually regained their confidence, losing the initial panic and trembling hands. ¡°Right, just follow the usual steps.¡± Susu found a stool to sit on, her pregnant belly making it hard for her to stand too long. Lu Xiaoting wanted to let his wife rest in the back for a while. Susu shook her head declining, knowing that without her presence, the three might start to panic again. ¡°Wow, why are there so many people?¡± ¡°Susu¡¯s noodles and malatang? When did they open a little restaurant?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go, let¡¯s go. We have to check it out, there are quite a few people, must mean it tastes good.¡± ... ¡°Boss, I¡¯ll have a mildly spicy malatang and also two steamed buns.¡± ¡°Alright, here¡¯s your meal ticket number, we¡¯ll call the number when it¡¯s ready.¡± ... After the lunch rush hour, having served an endless stream of customers, everyone finally got a break from the morning¡¯s bustle. Seeing that many of the malatang ingredients were running low, Susu cooked up a pot with what was left. ¡°Dad, Mom, elder brother and sister-in-law, third brother, Xiaoxiao, come try our shop¡¯s malatang, we¡¯ve also got cold dishes, buns, and sweet triangles.¡± After tasting, everyone nodded approvingly, exclaiming how delicious it was. Enjoying food that could rival state-owned restaurants, Jiang Nan for a moment lost all taste for the malatang in her mouth. It struck her as odd! How did this Chongxi sister-in-law suddenly become so capable of everything? As someone who¡¯s lived life once over already, she wondered, could she not even match up to Su Erya, who barely knew a few characters? No way... absolutely impossible! Chapter 66 - 66 66th Danger ?Chapter 66: 66th Chapter Danger Chapter 66: 66th Chapter Danger ¡°Daughter-in-law, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Brother Lu noticed something was off with his wife and asked softly. ¡°Are you stunned by the delicious food?¡± The dazed Jiang Nan: ¡°...¡± Xiao Xue held up a meat bun, bigger than her own fist, to show her mom. ¡°Mom, the meat bun is so delicious!¡± Xiao Yu nodded, tore the bun in half, and handed it to her mom. ¡°Mom, you eat, the meat buns Aunt Xian Yue made are really tasty.¡± Watching her daughters¡¯ faces smeared with juice as they ate, Jiang Nan stiffly tugged at the corners of her mouth. The bun in her mouth was tasteless, and her heart was sour. After the meal, Brother Lu and his younger brother¡¯s family went back. Susu took Father Lu and Mrs. Lu home to rest before coming back for dinner. The store had Aunt Xian Yue, Xiao Long, and Da Hua cooking, and a grandma cleaning and washing dishes. To make it convenient for Aunt Xian Yue to work, Xiao Sun rented a place nearby. They originally planned to rent a main room and move Grandpa Sun and Granny Sun over, so a family of four could live together. The old couple refused to agree, and the young couple couldn¡¯t persuade the elders, so they had to give up. Over three days, the crowd in the shop gradually returned to normal. The flow of customers wasn¡¯t as high as during the first three days of opening, but the business each day was still very good. The shop therefore settled on three cooks and one cleaner grandma, and Lu Xiaomei would come to help whenever she was on vacation. The Finance and Economics College was not far from there. Father Lu still had to work, so he went back to the county that night. Mrs. Lu stayed in the Provincial City, planning to stay for a few days. After all, whether she was there or not didn¡¯t greatly affect the business in the county. Susu took Mrs. Lu to the Department Store, and they bought whatever they liked. By the end, both mother and daughter-in-law could hardly carry any more. When they went, they had empty hands, but they returned carrying stuff to the brim. Of course, most of the things were carried by Mrs. Lu. ¡°Mom, take this fabric back for you and Dad to make clothes, and this scarf too...¡± Mrs. Lu was stunned, all for her and the old man? ¡°Susu, why is it all for your dad and me? No, no, leave some for you and your second brother.¡± Susu, seeing Mrs. Lu shaking her head and waving her hands, couldn¡¯t help but laugh. ¡°Mom, I specifically bought them for you and Dad, we already have our own.¡± Hearing it was all for her and the old man, Mrs. Lu instantly felt a pang. She scolded, ¡°Had I known it was all for your dad and me, I would have stopped you. You¡¯re too extravagant, child. Your dad and I still have clothes. Don¡¯t buy anymore next time.¡± Susu nodded in agreement, thinking to herself that she would still buy next time. ¡°Gurulu~¡± Susu awkwardly covered her stomach. ¡°Having shopped for so long, you must be hungry, right?¡± Mrs. Lu rolled up her sleeves, took three eggs, and went out, ¡°Let me make you three fried eggs to tide you over.¡± ¡°What else do you want to eat? I¡¯ll make it for you.¡± As Susu smelled the fragrance of the fried eggs, she thought for a moment, then ordered a pork stew from her mother-in-law. Mrs. Lu served the oily fried eggs into a bowl, put on her cotton-padded jacket, and went out to buy pork. Sister Wang next door had already heard the mother and daughter-in-law and was smiling at the doorstep. ¡°Xiao Su, your mother-in-law treats you really well, frying eggs for you and even specially running out to buy pork.¡± ¡°Sister, please come in and sit.¡± Susu called. Sister Wang waved her hand, ¡°No, my husband Old Song and the kids will be back soon, I need to hurry and cook.¡± ... ¡°Aunt Lu, are you out buying groceries?¡± ¡°Yes, just picking up some stuff to make a stew when I get back.¡± ¡°Okay, you better hurry. The men will be back soon too.¡± ... What Susu didn¡¯t know was that, in just the span of an afternoon, news had spread all over the Family Court, and there wasn¡¯t a sister-in-law who wasn¡¯t envious. Some of the old ladies, upon hearing this, even gossiped that Mrs. Lu hadn¡¯t asserted her authority as a mother-in-law. Instead, she was fussing over her daughter-in-law, which would have been laughable in the past. ¡°Second son, look what Susu bought for your mom and dad.¡± After finishing their meal, Mrs. Lu started to show off each item to her second son. Lu Xiaoting raised an eyebrow, ¡°My wife sure has a good taste.¡± ¡°Nonsense! As if you needed to say that.¡± Mrs. Lu glared at her son with a look of disdain. ¡°What¡¯s the use of a bratty boy, can¡¯t even pamper his old mom, only daughters are good.¡± After being scolded by his own mother, Lu Xiaoting helplessly turned to his wife as the decision-maker. ¡°Wife, look at your mother-in-law. I did nothing, and yet I got a whole earful.¡± Susu: ¡°...¡± Seeing a nearly six-foot-two, tough man showing a pitiful little expression, Susu couldn¡¯t hold it in and burst out laughing like a piggy. Xiao Yu, having finished his homework, looked at Grandma then at Uncle, turning his head to see Auntie shaking with laughter. The little guy covered his mouth and giggled, his large and bright eyes curving into crescents. Tugging at his grandma¡¯s sturdy palm, ¡°Grandma, can we stop scolding Uncle?¡± ¡°Uncle looks so pitiful!¡± Mrs. Lu hugged the little round-faced guy tightly, feeling warm and joyful. ¡°Oh, our Xiao Yu is so good. Don¡¯t be like your scoundrel uncle when you grow up. When Xiao Yu grows up, will you take good care of your Auntie?¡± ¡°Hmm!¡± Xiao Yu blinked his big eyes earnestly, his little face serious. He nodded solemnly, ¡°Later, I must take good care of Uncle, Auntie, Grandpa, Grandma, and Little Aunt. I also need to take good care of my little brothers and sisters...¡± Listening to the little guy¡¯s childish but firm voice, the adults felt both happy and heartache. Susu held Xiao Yu¡¯s hand, ¡°Auntie only hopes our Xiao Yu has happiness, health, joy, and safety.¡± ... Close to the end of the year, the streets recently saw many shifty-looking young people. ¡°Wife, several cases of burglary have been happening recently, give a heads up to Xiao Long and Da Niu.¡± Susu was surprised and nodded, ¡°Okay, Sister Su. We¡¯ll definitely be vigilant at night, and we won¡¯t let the bad guys succeed!¡± ¡°Yes, we definitely won¡¯t let our shop be robbed.¡± Xiao Long and Dashan clenched their fists, ready to fight to the end if necessary. Susu, worried the two teenagers were rash and too impulsive, Repeatedly instructed them to run if necessary, and by no means should they fight with those people. After receiving their promise, she finally relaxed. In a little while, customers began to trickle into the shop. The previous conversation ended as everyone got busy with their tasks. While waiting for Lu Xiaoting to pick her up, Susu was not idle either, browsing through the account book records. However, as everyone inside was busy, they were completely unaware that danger was starting to approach. At this moment, across from the small restaurant, a few young men with messy hair were squatting. Chapter 67 - 67 67 Report to the Police ?Chapter 67: Chapter 67 Report to the Police Chapter 67: Chapter 67 Report to the Police ¡°Guys, take a look, how many people are going in and out of that store. The business is booming!¡± ¡°No kidding, I heard at the beginning, it was so crowded people couldn¡¯t even find a seat.¡± ¡°Just perfect since we¡¯ve been a bit tight on cash recently, let¡¯s ask the boss for a loan.¡± A buzz-cut man shrank his neck and snickered slyly. Immediately, a chorus of lewd laughter broke out among them, causing the passing elderly men and women to turn their heads. ¡°What are you looking at? Careful or I¡¯ll bash you.¡± ¡°Look, look, look, stare at your mom¡¯s stare.¡± The passing seniors hurriedly quickened their pace, frightened. ¡°Oh? You¡¯re here.¡± Susu got up with a smile as she heard the man¡¯s voice. ¡°Wife, let me introduce you, this is Comrade Li Weonian, a public security officer from the nearby University Road Police Station.¡± ¡°Hello, Mr. Li.¡± ¡°Hello, sister-in-law.¡± Li Weonian scratched his head somewhat awkwardly. ¡°Wife, let¡¯s have one spicy hotpot and also bring six meat buns and a small cold dish.¡± Susu served the two men and then didn¡¯t bother them anymore. After they finished eating, Police Li insisted on paying, but of course, Susu and Lu Xiaoting wouldn¡¯t accept it. The three of them went back and forth for a good while, thankfully the store was empty at that moment. Police Li, having no other choice, gave up. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll brazen it out and freeload this time. But next time, sister-in-law, you can¡¯t do this, you have to take the money. Otherwise, I¡¯ll feel too ashamed to come again.¡± Susu nodded, ¡°Sure, Police Li, come again next time.¡± After sending off Police Li, Lu Xiaoting watched his wife, her cheeks flushed, and chuckled softly. ¡°Wife, is it okay if I don¡¯t pay either?¡± Susu glanced around, grateful there was no one else there, and gave the man an annoyed glare. ¡°With your two yuan a month in pocket money, do you think that¡¯s enough to cover it?¡± Lu Xiaoting was choked up and sheepishly touched the tip of his nose. ¡°Wife, I¡¯ve known Li Weonian from before, through work. I asked him to keep an extra eye on things here for you. If there¡¯s ever a problem, you can go find him at the University Road Police Station.¡± Susu¡¯s heart softened, and taking advantage that no one was around, she tiptoed up. Her pink lips landed a light kiss on the man, catching him off guard. She playfully blinked, ¡°Thank you, my dear Lu Gong¡¯an.¡± The man¡¯s voice was huskily appealing, ¡°Wife.¡± Susu felt uncomfortable under the deep, vortex-like gaze of his eyes, and pushed him irritably. ¡°Stop it, hurry up and go to work.¡± ¡°Wife, wait for me tonight.¡± Susu blinked her eyes, what to do? She instantly understood what the man meant. ... ¡°Why is there a cop here?¡± ¡°Probably just here for a meal, yeah?¡± ¡°Could it be that these people know the police?¡± ¡°That shouldn¡¯t be possible, right?¡± ... Susu frowned, it¡¯s the dead of winter, why were there still idiots hanging out on the streets?!!! ¡°Damn! That scared the shit out of me! Almost got caught.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you be more careful? With that sleazy look, people will know something¡¯s up as soon as they set eyes on you.¡± ¡°Fuck, who are you calling sleazy?¡± ¡°Enough, we¡¯re here for business, let¡¯s not fucking argue anymore.¡± ¡°Damn it, let¡¯s stake out here for a few days and see what the chick¡¯s relationship with the cop is.¡± ... Before leaving, Susu couldn¡¯t help but instruct Xiao Long and Da Hua with concern. ¡°Both of you be smart, if there are too many people and you can¡¯t handle it, run away immediately. Never fight back recklessly, you only have one life, and if it¡¯s gone, you can¡¯t even get married in the future. Do you hear me?¡± The two teenagers heard the word ¡°wife¡± and embarrassedly scratched their heads. Seeing Sister Su was still glaring at them, they quickly patted their chests and raised their fingers, swearing their assurance. It wasn¡¯t until then that Susu felt relieved and followed Lu Xiaoting to send Xian Yue back. Days passed by. Susu couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that someone was watching her¡ªperhaps it was a woman¡¯s sixth sense. But there was no one peculiar around, nor any strange occurrences. Still, her heart was in turmoil, and she sternly reminded the staff again not to get into fights. It didn¡¯t matter if things in the store were stolen or damaged¡ªthe most important thing was everyone¡¯s safety. ¡°Bro, we¡¯ve been squatting here for several days, and the cops come to this place every day. It seems that cop is the female boss¡¯s man.¡± ¡°We can¡¯t afford to offend him, shall we just let it go?¡± ¡°Exactly, if we get caught and thrown into the station, my dad would definitely kill me.¡± The yellow-haired youth chucked a stone and threw it away. The chattering thugs instantly fell silent, obediently crouching and tucking in their necks. Lu Xiaoting, who was on his bicycle, stopped and glanced over unintentionally. His eyes met theirs, and he frowned. ¡°Wife, did you notice any suspicious people or things today?¡± Susu shook her head, but shared her perpetual feeling of being watched with her man. ¡°Is it over there?¡± As Susu pointed, he followed her gesture with his long, distinct fingers and thought about the morning¡¯s events before nodding. ¡°Alright, I understand. Stay inside the house, I¡¯ll come back to fetch you.¡± After saying that, Lu Xiaoting pushed the door open and pretended to casually hop on his bike, leisurely pedaling away. In truth, his eyes were as sharp as a hawk¡¯s, closely watching the spot he had just seen. The thugs watched wide-eyed as the figure on the bike drew closer. Their legs went soft, and before they could react, the yellow-haired youth suddenly hissed. ¡°Run!¡± The five thugs scattered, tossing brotherhood to the back of their minds. Now it was just frantic running with no thought for the motto of risking their lives for their brothers. Lu Xiaoting¡¯s eyebrows raised slightly as he jumped off his bike and swung it at them. ¡°Ahh!¡± the yellow-haired youth screamed as he was hit and collapsed to the ground. ¡°Big brother!¡± The skinny youth¡¯s eyes were about to pop out of his head as he tried to pull the yellow-haired one from underneath the bike. Lu Xiaoting simply kicked the man down. Soon, a series of pitiful cries and screams filled the air. Lu Xiaoting looked coldly at the alley where the bodies lay sprawled in disarray. He kicked each one and pulled their belts off, promptly tying them together in a row. ¡°Auntie, could you please help me report this to the Police Station?¡± Lu Xiaoting called to a nosy older lady to get help while he watched over the gang. The old lady chorused ¡°Oh dear¡± as she ran off. In a short while, Li Weonian arrived on his bike, followed by two policemen. ¡°Brother Lu?¡± Li Weonian stopped his bike, followed by the panting grandma who had just assisted with calling the police. ¡°What¡¯s the situation with these people?¡± Lu Xiaoting briefly recounted the events, and the group brought the continuously howling individuals to the Police Station. ¡°Phooey, these idle thugs, they deserve to be caught!¡± ¡°Right, they never do anything worthwhile, I just glanced their way the other day and got cursed at.¡± Chapter 68 - 68 68 Five Little Hoodlums ?Chapter 68: Chapter 68: Five Little Hoodlums Chapter 68: Chapter 68: Five Little Hoodlums Li Weonian calmed down the crowd of furious elders who were shouting for the police to catch the small-time delinquents and throw them in prison. Five small-time delinquents hobbled in, shrinking their heads, not daring to look up. University Road Police Station A group of police officers stared at the five small-time delinquents squatting in a row with their heads in their hands, feeling incredibly angry inside. Decent people not doing decent work, insisting on engaging in petty thievery. ¡°Slap¡ª¡± ¡°Come clean!¡± ¡°Confess for leniency, resist and be dealt with severely.¡± The five small-time delinquents squatting on the ground with their heads in their hands shook with fear. ... Susu glanced at the door from time to time, seeing that the man hadn¡¯t come back yet, she couldn¡¯t help but worry a bit. ¡°It serves them right to be caught.¡± ¡°Indeed, look at them, none of them are old. Plus, I see them almost every day when I pass by.¡± ¡°Lucky that the policeman noticed in time, otherwise if the house got robbed that day, would have cried to death.¡± Two customers said while picking up their dishes, ¡°Boss, make it mildly spicy, and bring another four buns.¡± ¡°I heard you talking about the police, what happened just now? It was all noisy outside.¡± Susu, with a smile, gave the two customers their change, and curiously asked. ¡°Boss, you don¡¯t know?¡± ¡°Just now outside, a policeman just laid out five delinquents flat, tied them up and took them all to the police station.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve seen those five boys quite a few times, definitely up to no good. We still have to thank the alertness of our comrades in the police!¡± The three people in the kitchen heard the conversation and Xian Yue, worried, ran out. ¡°Sister Su, it wasn¡¯t my second cousin who caught them, was it?¡± Seeing everyone looking at her worriedly, Susu forced a smile and reassured them not to worry. But her own heart was all over the place. Wondering if this man got hurt or not. University Road Police Station The five small-time delinquents identified themselves one by one. The leader with yellow hair was named Chen Pishi, considered the head of the small gang. The fierce-looking bald youth was named Niu Dazhuang. The lean one with a stunned expression was named Er Lengzi. The wild-haired kid was called Ah Huang, and the other with long hair was called Da He. They all lived not far from the vicinity, and seeing the business doing well in the store, were short of money and started thinking about stealing from the place. Luckily they were caught in time, and no loss occurred. The delinquents, feeling guilty, did not dare to look up, listening to the admonishment from the police officer, Li Weonian. ... ¡°How come you just got back? You¡¯re not hurt, are you?¡± Susu anxiously circled around the man, checking him over, and finally heaved a sigh of relief seeing that he was alright. Lu Xiaoting helped his wife sit down on a stool, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I am not hurt.¡± ¡°How can I not worry?¡± Susu, sitting in the store, listened to the exaggerated stories of the customers coming in, and her heart began to worry gradually. Going up against five alone, what if he encountered some reckless individuals and got hurt? Frowning, ¡°So what exactly happened?¡± Now that the mealtime rush was over, there weren¡¯t many customers in the store, and the few employees looked over worriedly. Lu Xiao simply recounted the causes and consequences of the incident, frowning as he mentioned the five delinquents. ¡°Since these five have not yet committed a substantive crime, only harbored ill intentions, the police station can only detain them for a few days as a warning.¡± The cleaning lady exclaimed ¡°Aiyo,¡± slapped her thigh, and looked worried. ¡°What do we do then? What if those guys come out and target our store again?¡± ¡°Yeah, big brother, what if those guys take revenge on us?¡± Xiao Long and Da Niu huffed with indignation, necks rigid, ¡°If they dare come, we¡¯ll fight them to the end.¡± ¡°No need to worry, first of all, a few delinquents looked like they had more bark than bite, having thieving thoughts but lacking the courage. Secondly, the Police Station is taking this matter very seriously and intends to set an example. They will step up patrols in the area.¡± As Lu Xiaoting¡¯s deep voice sounded, the unease and anger of the few men were immediately quenched, and they felt much more at ease. Susu also breathed a sigh of relief, fearing those who had nothing to lose. She scolded the two apprentices with annoyance and coldness. ¡°How many times have I said it? When you encounter trouble, if you see you¡¯re no match and stand to lose, run away immediately. Why are you shouting about knocking people down again?¡± The two young men scratched their heads in embarrassment, feeling they couldn¡¯t let their good boss suffer losses. Seeing that they still hadn¡¯t taken her words to heart, Susu¡¯s small face fell a few notches. ¡°If I find out that you¡¯re trying to show off against others, pack your things and leave. I don¡¯t need disobedient people here.¡± Hearing they might be sent away, the two were scared, quickly thumping their chests and swearing promises. Susu lifted her eyelids and glanced at them, ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll see how you perform.¡± ¡°Thank you, Sister Su, we will certainly take your words to heart.¡± ... Lu Xiaoting watched as his wife, with a tender little face stiff from the cold, gently instructed the people in the shop, a smile curling at the edge of his lips. ¡°What are you smiling at?¡± Susu turned her head to meet the man¡¯s teasing gaze and, annoyed, raised her little fist and smashed it against the man¡¯s chest. ¡°Hehe...¡± The man chuckled, his usually stern face softened with unspeakable tenderness. ¡°You...¡± Lu Xiaoting grasped his wife¡¯s slender hand and whispered, ¡°My wife is really cute!¡± Susu: ¡°...¡± Several days passed. The Police Station¡¯s officers were patrolling the area, and sometimes, coinciding with meal times, they would come to eat at the shop. As a result, the locals all knew that the shop owner¡¯s wife¡¯s man was a policeman. Some kids who previously were rowdy and didn¡¯t eath properly became very well behaved as soon as they saw the large-brimmed police caps. ¡°If you don¡¯t eat properly, I¡¯ll call the owner¡¯s wife. Her man is a policeman. Let the police arrest naughty kids.¡± ¡°No, no!¡± The little bald boy shook his head like a rattle and promptly sat properly, eating quietly. Susu witnessing all of this: ¡°...¡± ¡°Aunt, is your back uncomfortable? Let me rub it for you.¡± Xiao Yu, noticing that Aunt kept pounding her back with her fists, immediately stretched out his little hands to rub and pound. Every now and then he would ask, ¡°Aunt, is this the right amount of strength?¡± The child was only seven years old; how strong could he be? Whenever this happened, Susu would always nod with a smile, showing a face that seemed eased and relaxed. ¡°Boss, your son is really filial.¡± ¡°Well, he is.¡± Xiao Yu¡¯s little face was flushed, and with pursed lips, he showed a shy smile. ... Lu Xiaoting was in front, with Xiao Yu and his wife behind him, his sharp eyes catching sight of a few familiar figures. The bicycle slowed to a stop as his gaze met with those who looked up. ¡°Lu, Lu, Lu Gong¡¯an?¡± A few men huddled at the street corner under the wall nervously swallowed their saliva. Their eyes darted around in a panicked flurry. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Susu leaned forward to take a look and saw several men trembling, not sure if it was from the cold or from fear. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Chapter 69 - 69 69 Knitting a Sweater ?Chapter 69: Chapter 69: Knitting a Sweater Chapter 69: Chapter 69: Knitting a Sweater A few ruffians were fixed in the sharp gaze of the man, thinking of running away with their tails between their legs. Unfortunately, their legs had gone weak. The leader with the small tuft of yellow hair, his neck stiff, stammered out a phrase. ¡°Police, since when do you care about people jaywalking?¡± Lu Xiaoting raised an eyebrow, responding coolly, ¡°Oh?¡± The tuft of yellow hair swallowed hard, afraid. As the eldest in the group, how could he be so easily intimidated? Whimpering... it was no use... The man¡¯s aura was too overpowering; all that filled his mind were the scenes of the last beating. Watching their leader¡¯s face change colors, the slender Er Lengzi stood up. With a bow and bent waist, ¡°Officer, we really didn¡¯t do anything, just got scolded at home until we couldn¡¯t take it and had nowhere else to stay, so we squatted here... didn¡¯t do a thing.¡± ¡°Really, Officer, believe me!¡± The tuft of yellow hair rolled his eyes, dragging the slender Er Lengzi. ¡°Will you shut up? Aren¡¯t you even a bit ashamed?¡± Lu Xiaoting nodded, ¡°Why is it just the three of you? The other two didn¡¯t come with you?¡± ¡°We didn¡¯t dare go find Brother Dazhuang and Da He; their moms and dads are really fierce.¡± The spiky-haired youth shrank his neck. ¡°Alright, then, off you go.¡± Having received the go-ahead from the officer, the three little thugs supported each other, trembling as they ran off. Susu couldn¡¯t help but laugh at the sight of the three men tumbling and scrambling away. ¡°Ha ha ha...¡± Lu Xiaoting, resigned, urged his wife behind him, ¡°Wife, be careful or you¡¯ll gulp down a bellyful of wind and feel uncomfortable in the stomach later.¡± ¡°Mmm-hmm.¡± Susu, with one hand clutching the man¡¯s firm waist and the other covering her mouth, to prevent really swallowing a bellyful of sand. Now that the new store¡¯s business had stabilized, there was a steady flow of customers every day. Susu didn¡¯t need to go there every day but had to drop in occasionally to check the accounts and such. This day, with one off to work and the other to school, Susu was home alone with nothing to do and had invited Sister Wang from next door to teach her how to knit a sweater. ¡°Like this... you start with casting on, not too tight but not too loose, either.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°If it¡¯s too tight, you¡¯ll have trouble picking the stitches and knitting the next, and if it¡¯s too loose, it¡¯ll unravel and leave holes. Never drop a stitch...¡± Knit and unravel, unravel and knit, Susu put in quite an effort and finally managed to get the start of the sweater right. ¡°Knitting a sweater is pretty hard; I feel sweat on my back.¡± Sister Wang, who was sewing a shoe sole, wiped her hand on her body then rubbed the needle on her scalp, with an embroidery needle shuttling back and forth on the thick sole. ¡°At first, it¡¯s like that for everyone, but once you get the hang of it, it won¡¯t seem hard.¡± Sister Wang looked up and remarked, ¡°Right, you¡¯re knitting this for your man, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Yep, men¡¯s clothes are larger, so I¡¯m practicing on that before knitting one for Xiao Yu.¡± ¡°The two of you spoil Xiao Yu rotten; he¡¯s so well taken care of.¡± Sister Wang felt even her own biological child would not be treated any better. Susu nodded, ¡°Since Xiao Yu has come to us, from now on, he is the brother of my future children and our son.¡± ¡°Knock knock knock¡ª¡± Suddenly, the door was knocked on, and both of them looked up at the same time. ¡°Must be the men coming back.¡± Sister Wang opened the door, and seeing a stranger, quickly turned to shout into the house. ¡°Xiao Su, there¡¯s a visitor, so I¡¯ll head back first.¡± ... ¡°Sister Hong?¡± Susu watched as Wang Hong was followed by a man carrying a basket on his back, and she had an idea. ¡°This must be brother-in-law, please, have a seat.¡± Wang Hong stopped the person who was about to leave, ¡°Xiao Su, don¡¯t rush, your brother-in-law and I aren¡¯t thirsty.¡± ¡°Okay, Sister Hong. If you two get thirsty, just help yourselves; there¡¯s hot water in the kettle on the stove.¡± Susu leaned back on the sofa, listening to Sister Hong speak. ¡°Your brother-in-law came over to visit me, and he specially brought some pumpkins and cabbages from home, as well as some dried vegetables we sun-cured this summer. They¡¯re all grown by us, not worth much money, but you take them so you won¡¯t have to spend money buying outside.¡± Susu smiled and nodded, ¡°Okay, thank you brother-in-law for carrying them all this way. Next time please don¡¯t bring anything, it is quite heavy.¡± Wang Hong¡¯s man, Wang Jianjun, scratched his head awkwardly, saying it was nothing. ¡°Sister Hong, are you and brother-in-law going to stay over tonight?¡± ¡°Mhm.¡± Wang Hong nodded and mentioned that it had been nearly a week since she had gone back. Not only did she miss her three children terribly, but she also yearned for them a lot. ¡°Alright, Sister Hong and brother-in-law, you should head off, so you don¡¯t miss the bus. Sister Hong, you can come a bit later tomorrow, as long as you open the store before 10 AM.¡± After sending off the couple, Susu continued to battle with the yarn in her hands. She didn¡¯t even notice when the big one and the little one returned. ¡°Wife, where did these pumpkins and cabbages come from?¡± Lu Xiaoting spoke as he started to arrange the vegetables that were stacked against the wall. ¡°Oh, Sister Hong and brother-in-law just visited, and brother-in-law brought them specially from home.¡± As she spoke, Susu proudly showed off the yarn she was holding to her husband. ¡°Look, I just learned how to knit sweaters from Sister Wang this afternoon. I want to finish this large one for you, and then knit a smaller one for Xiao Yu. When you father and son go out wearing the same sweaters, everyone will know at a glance that you two are father and son.¡± Lu Xiaoting looked at the blue yarn in his wife¡¯s hand, his eyes deepening. He curled his lips into a slight smile, raising his eyebrows, ¡°Wife, are you knitting this for me?¡± ¡°Mmm!¡± Susu nodded without lifting her head. ¡°Thank you, wife!¡± Hearing the man¡¯s slightly hoarse voice, Susu blinked her large eyes and revealed a sweet smile. Over at the single-story house, Su Chenghe had just returned from the nearby store, overwhelmed by his wife¡¯s weeping and wailing. ¡°Brother Cheng He, what¡¯s wrong? Why the long face?¡± Huang Ying¡¯s man, Zhang Dong, asked cheerily. ¡°Ah, don¡¯t even mention it. Your elder sister-in-law has been nattering over the phone.¡± Su Chenghe remembered his wife¡¯s crying voice and said irritably. ¡°I don¡¯t even know what she¡¯s fretting about all day; I think she¡¯s just idle at home.¡± That same evening Su Chenghe hurried back to the county and looked at his wife who was alternating between crying and laughing, shaking his head helplessly. What could he do but comfort her? Their two sons, not understanding the situation, followed their mother¡¯s lead and wailed, causing Eldest Sister-in-law Su to grumble softly to her husband next door. ¡°Do you think something¡¯s serious with Second Su¡¯s family? Could it be that Second Su... you know...¡± Brother Su rolled over and glared, ¡°What nonsense are you talking about? That¡¯s their business, why are you being so nosy?¡± ¡°They probably miss Second Su because he¡¯s been busy and hasn¡¯t come home for several days. Keep your mouth shut, don¡¯t go spreading rumors.¡± Eldest Sister-in-law Su rolled her eyes, unconvinced. Next door, Second Su was crying on her husband¡¯s chest. ¡°You heartless bastard, tell me, have you been finding other women? Tell me!¡± Su Chenghe glared back; what ridiculousness was this? His wife was talking nonsense again. ¡°What the hell are you babbling about? All day long I¡¯m working my ass off, and I haven¡¯t spent a penny. Every time I get paid, I give it all to you. Where would I even have the chance to find another woman?¡± Chapter 70 - 70 70 Visiting an Old Traditional Chinese ?Chapter 70: Chapter 70: Visiting an Old Traditional Chinese Medicine Doctor Chapter 70: Chapter 70: Visiting an Old Traditional Chinese Medicine Doctor Second Su waved his fist and stopped mid-air. Right, with barely any money in her man¡¯s pocket, women out there aren¡¯t foolish. ¡°Calm down now?¡± ¡°Stopped crying?¡± ¡°Stopped making a fuss?¡± Su Chenghe gave his stealthy wife a look, used one arm to embrace each of his sons and coaxed them. ¡°Stop crying, your mother is fussing for nothing. What are you two crying for?¡± The two brothers sniveled and looked at their dad, then at their mom, and finally stopped crying, their lips smacking. Looking at his sons with snot bubbles and then at his wife¡¯s face smeared with snot and tears, Su Chenghe found it unbearable to watch. ¡°Spit it out, who¡¯ve you been listening to gossiping around this time? If you won¡¯t tell, remember I¡¯m not one to mess around. Even if I were, with my brother and Second Su around, do you think they¡¯d let me?¡± Seeing his wife stutter, Su Chenghe knew it had to be related to her maternal family. ¡°Was it something your family said again?¡± Hearing the gritted teeth in her husband¡¯s voice, Second Su muttered softly, ¡°My mom and they, they just want what¡¯s good for me.¡± Su Chenghe, holding back the veins throbbing on his forehead, grudgingly advised his wife to pay less heed to the nonsensical talk of women in her family. ¡°They hardly do any real work; they just extend their hands too far.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t be bothered with you, just take good care of the kids at home and stop spreading idle gossip at your mom¡¯s.¡± The two brothers, carrying stuff, went to find their parents, chatting and laughing. Both sisters-in-law watched as Su Chenghe brought home brown sugar, butter peach crisps, and malted milk, each harboring their own thoughts. Eldest Sister-in-law Su felt a sting of jealousy, realizing that the second brother must have made good money in the provincial city. Her own dim-witted head, still clinging to that dead-end job in the factory, how much could that possibly earn. Second Su felt a pang in her heart; not even a festival or anything, and he buys brown sugar and peach crisps like it¡¯s nothing. What¡¯s more, even malted milk, that stuff is expensive. Remembering the deliciously sweet malted milk her husband made last time left her craving more. Unfortunately, after opening and having it once, it was taken back to her mom¡¯s house. Spiced Food Courtyard Aunt Su, in high spirits, got picked up by Uncle Su, Liu Fugui, since their daughter in senior year, Liu Yang, returned from school today. ¡°Let¡¯s invite Yangyang over to play tomorrow.¡± ¡°Got it, got it, elder sister, second sister, please come in.¡± Aunt Su, Liu Fen, beamed, ¡°If Yangyang manages to get into university in a couple of years, our Old Su Family will shine too.¡± ¡°That kid Yangyang is smart, who knows...¡± Mrs. Lu squinted her eyes and took another look, ¡°Aren¡¯t those Cheng Ming and Cheng He, the Su brothers?¡± ¡°Hey, really they are, when did the second come back?¡± Aunt Su took a closer look, indeed it was her own brothers. Mrs. Lu saw what the brothers brought and laughed. ¡°Elder Sister-in-law, look at how filial the children are.¡± The elder, Su Chengming, scratched his head feeling a bit embarrassed, ¡°It was the second brother who bought them; I just helped carry.¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough, let¡¯s go inside.¡± ... ¡°By the way, Cheng He, when you go back tomorrow tell Second Su that the shop she wanted has already been found by your uncle, two of them, see what she thinks?¡± ¡°Sure, second aunt, I¡¯ll tell Second Su when I get back tomorrow.¡± Uncle Su and his wife were happy to see their two sons, still unaware of why the younger one came back. They just thought he missed his wife and kids and came back to visit. When Susu learned that the shop had been secured, she thought about going back to check it out and keep an eye on the shop¡¯s renovation and opening. The couple had discussed this earlier; Lu Xiaomei was in charge of managing the accounts of several shops in the county. It was like early practice for finance students, every fortnight she took the books home for Susu to check. When Lu Xiaomei learned she¡¯d still get a salary of twenty-five yuan each month, she excitedly slapped her chest and promised it would definitely be error-free. ¡°Second Su, don¡¯t worry, even if I lose myself, I definitely won¡¯t make any mistakes in the accounting.¡± ¡°Alright! I trust you, Second Su. Do well, and I¡¯ll give you a raise later.¡± After encouraging her, Susu still made it clear to give a warning: if any falsification was discovered in the books, she wouldn¡¯t give face to anyone. Lu Xiaomei immediately clung to her Second Su and coaxed her with promises. ¡°Second Su, let alone others, if our parents knew I dared do such an unconscionable bad thing, they¡¯d kick me out of the house immediately.¡± Thinking of her in-laws, Susu already had an image in her head and burst out laughing like a pig. ... That day, Lu Xiaoting left Xiao Yu in the care of the next-door neighbor, Sister-in-law Wang. Since Sister-in-law Wang¡¯s youngest son and Xiao Yu were classmates, Sister-in-law Wang agreed cheerfully. ¡°Go ahead, it¡¯s okay, the boys are in the same class, so a few kids together going to school should be fine.¡± Susu patted the reluctant little guy, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯ll have your uncle bring you back during the holidays.¡± ¡°Okay, but Aunt, you have to behave and not overwork yourself.¡± Xiao Yu advised her earnestly. Watching the little guy sigh like a little adult, the two adults didn¡¯t know whether to laugh or cry. The next day, as the man watched from outside the car, the vehicle slowly drove away. The shadow of the man behind her gradually turned into a black dot and slowly disappeared. ¡°Mother?¡± Susu looked at her mother-in-law pushing a tricycle, wasn¡¯t it funny? ¡°Be careful, Susu.¡± Hearing the voice, Mrs. Lu¡¯s eyes lit up and she jogged over to help her daughter-in-law. She helped her up into the thickly padded, extra sturdy back of the tricycle. ¡°Mom, it¡¯s so comfy! Thanks, Mom.¡± ¡°The child, it¡¯s family, no need for thanks.¡± Mrs. Lu replied, closing the back of the tricycle, and then she pulled down the cart¡¯s canopy to shelter them from the wind. On the way, Mrs. Lu cautiously avoided every pothole to keep from jostling her daughter-in-law, progressing at a snail¡¯s pace. The mother-in-law and daughter-in-law went straight to look at the shop. One was by the bus station on the roadside, with a decent amount of foot traffic, just that the area had too many passersby and could get a bit chaotic. Another was near the county cinema, right across the street, with a few small vendors nearby. Considering the safety of the staff, Susu chose a storefront across from the cinema. Worried that the landlord might see the good business and frequently raise the rent, Susu directly pulled out one thousand yuan to buy the property. Mrs. Lu watched her daughter-in-law spend one thousand yuan in the blink of an eye to buy a shop, suppressing the pain she felt inside. It¡¯s alright, opening a shop is for making money. If needed, she could always sell more marinated goods later. They agreed with the landlord to meet at 9 a.m. the next day, money in one hand and keys in the other. ¡°Susu, settle in, Mom¡¯s taking you to the old Chinese doctor to get your pulse checked.¡± Mrs. Lu led her daughter-in-law straight to the old Chinese doctor¡¯s home. ¡°Doctor He, look at my daughter-in-law, she¡¯s only four months pregnant but her belly looks so big. Is it the baby is large or too much amniotic fluid?¡± The old Chinese doctor gestured, ¡°Extend your hand, let me take your pulse.¡± Susu obediently placed her hand flat, her heart beating rapidly. For some reason, she always felt a bit nervous seeing the doctor. ¡°Doctor He, how is it?¡± Chapter 71 - 71 71 Triplets ?Chapter 71: Chapter 71 Triplets Chapter 71: Chapter 71 Triplets Seeing the old Chinese medicine doctor knitting his brows tightly, wearing a stern face, and silently taking her pulse diligently, the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law¡¯s hearts suddenly leapt into their throats. Could there be something wrong? The two women exchanged a glance, nervously swallowing saliva. Mrs. Lu grabbed her daughter-in-law¡¯s small hand that was resting on her leg, and asked cautiously, ¡°Doctor He, how¡¯s it going? There¡¯s nothing wrong with my daughter-in-law¡¯s health, right?¡± ¡°Hahaha... No problem, no problem.¡± Doctor He stroked his beard and burst into laughter, leaving the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law baffled. Isn¡¯t... What¡¯s so funny about taking a pulse? ¡°Aiyo, Doctor He, don¡¯t beat around the bush. You¡¯re killing me with suspense.¡± Mrs. Lu stomped her feet anxiously. ¡°Relax, the pulse indicates that both mother and child are fine.¡± Doctor He paused in his speech, then continued with a beaming smile, ¡°Based on your daughter-in-law¡¯s pulse, it appears she¡¯s carrying triplets. Congratulations, congratulations, she really is a blessed person.¡± The mother and daughter-in-law left the old Chinese doctor¡¯s home still feeling somewhat dazed. ¡°Aiyo, my goodness, am I about to have three grandchildren at once?¡± ¡°Susu, slow down, be careful with your belly.¡± ¡°I was saying, when I was pregnant with the four of them, at six or seven months my belly was only this big.¡± ¡°Mom was worried that the children were getting too big, afraid...¡± Listening to her mother-in-law¡¯s endless chatter, Susu also gradually came back to her senses. ¡°We need to visit the old Chinese doctor every two weeks to take a pulse check, just to be sure.¡± When the mother-and-daughter-in-law duo reached home, Susu leaned back on the warm kang bed. Feeling the waves of warmth on her buttocks, she stopped Mrs. Lu, who was bustling in and out. ¡°Mom, don¡¯t be busy, come up and warm up for a bit.¡± ¡°No need, no need, my heart is so warm right now, I don¡¯t feel cold at all.¡± Mrs. Lu brought in another teapot and placed it on the coal stove. ¡°Susu, is there anything particular you want to eat? I¡¯ll go out and buy it.¡± Susu, warmed by the hot kang, felt drowsy and yawned. ¡°Mom, whatever we have at home will do, I¡¯m fine with anything.¡± ¡°Okay, okay, if you¡¯re sleepy, lie down and sleep for a while. If you need anything, just call Mom.¡± ¡ª¡ª ¡°His mom, daughter-in-law¡ª¡± ¡°Shh¡ª keep it down, Susu is asleep inside.¡± Mrs. Lu saw her husband return and immediately sent him out again on his bike to buy more meat to freeze outside. So that they could have meat any time they wanted. Her daughter-in-law was carrying three babies, after all; they really needed to ensure she had proper nutrition. Father Lu didn¡¯t hear his spouse¡¯s muttering, and without even removing his scarf, he went out again. ¡°Why is Old Lu going out again? Isn¡¯t Huai Ze¡¯s mother home?¡± ¡°She¡¯s at home cooking. You know, the daughter-in-law has returned, so she asked me to buy some meat.¡± ¡°Aiyo, how nice it is to be your daughter-in-law, coming back to specially prepared goodies.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t chat now; I need to hurry.¡± ... That afternoon, Susu met the employee that Xiao Sun had found for her. The girl, an 18-year-old who had just gotten married, was named Wang Li. Her parents¡¯ home was from a nearby town. Her husband¡¯s home was right next door to the Sun Family, and she had often helped the young and old of Sun Family. Her home was also near the store, which was convenient for commuting. ¡°Great, once the store renovations are complete, you can start working officially. Just be patient for a few more days.¡± ¡°Okay, Sister Su.¡± As soon as the person left, Mrs. Lu quickly added some hot water for Susu. ¡°It¡¯s freezing cold; drink some more hot water.¡± ¡°Is Aunt Wang at home?¡± The mother-in-law and daughter-in-law both looked toward the window at the same time, and saw Aunt Wang coming in with a basket swinging from her arm. ¡°Come in, Aunt Wang, and warm yourself by the fire.¡± Aunt Wang, all smiles, bent over and stretched out her hands toward the heat. Susu hurriedly shifted things around at the head of the brick bed. ¡°Aunt, come sit on the bed.¡± ¡°No need, no need.¡± Aunt Wang quickly waved her hands, refusing to sit on the bed and instead perched herself on the edge. ¡°I just came in from outside and I¡¯m all chilly. I wouldn¡¯t want to catch a cold from you. Not to mention, you¡¯re pregnant and suffering would be the least of it.¡± ¡°Why did Aunt Wang think to come visit me today? Isn¡¯t Wang Dong at home?¡± ¡°Ah, don¡¯t even mention it.¡± Seeing Aunt Wang¡¯s annoyed wave, Mrs. Lu curiously asked, ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°It¡¯s our eldest son¡¯s wife. She saw Dongzi buying things for his wife, now she¡¯s complaining that Dongzi is making money and not contributing to the family. In short, she¡¯s saying he¡¯s neglecting the family now that he has money and looking down on his poor elder brother and sister-in-law.¡± Aunt Wang developed a headache whenever she talked about the eldest son¡¯s wife. She had never liked her in the first place, but the eldest just had to fall for her and insisted on marrying her. Now, she¡¯s made the whole house restless. ¡°I thought I heard some noise earlier but didn¡¯t pay attention. Was it your eldest son¡¯s wife making a fuss?¡± Aunt Wang pulled out a pair of insoles from her basket. ¡°All that shouting gave me a headache, so here I am, seeking some peace and quiet at your place.¡± ¡°Ah, what¡¯s the old saying? Marry a virtuous wife, a good daughter-in-law... can bring prosperity for three generations.¡± ¡°You have no idea, there¡¯s not a single mother-in-law in our Family Court who isn¡¯t envious of you, with your accomplished children and dutiful daughter-in-law.¡± Mrs. Lu modestly waved her hand, ¡°Not at all, not at all.¡± ¡°Let me tell you, just take Zhang Qiang¡¯s family in our Family Court, theirs is like a real-life soap opera, with the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law having small quarrels every three days and big fights every five.¡± ¡°Whenever anyone mentions their family, it¡¯s always...¡± ... After sending off Aunt Wang who had spilled all of her grievances, Susu saw her mother-in-law staring at her with eager eyes. Thinking there was something on her face, she asked, ¡°Mom, is there something on my face?¡± ¡°No, no, I was just thinking about what Aunt Wang said. I¡¯m happy, happy to have such a good daughter-in-law like you.¡± Mrs. Lu thought for a moment, and when she thought of the pretentious eldest daughter-in-law, she immediately shook her head. Every family has its own set of problems! Susu: ¡°...¡± ¡ª ¡°Auntie, grandma, we¡¯re back~¡± The voice arrived before they did, and before the two on the brick bed could react, a little bundle all bundled up and revealing only a pair of big, black, grape-like eyes rushed in. Close behind was a tall man. ¡°Oy, I forgot you and the kid were coming back today.¡± Mrs. Lu was about to get off the bed to lift the little one up. ¡°No need, grandma, I can do it.¡± Xiao Yu stopped his grandma and was about to clamber up the side of the bed by himself. Mrs. Lu watched her grandson struggling and with a big scoop of her hand, she pulled the little guy up by his bottom. ¡°Come on, come sit with Auntie,¡± Susu beckoned. Xiao Yu shook his head, extending his little hands to warm himself by the coal stove. ¡°I¡¯ll join Auntie after I¡¯ve warmed up.¡± The two, big and small, were in perfect unison warming themselves by the stove. A few minutes later, both were sitting on either side of Susu. Mrs. Lu, seeing her family of five together, smiled and teased, ¡°Second son, I took your wife to see the old Chinese medicine practitioner, guess what?¡± Lu Xiaoting frowned, ¡°What happened? There¡¯s nothing wrong with my wife, is there?¡± Susu pursed her lips and tried to hide a smile, watching the man¡¯s reaction. ¡°Ha, ha, ha... Doctor He said that Susu is expecting triplets, our family is going to have three more little ones all at once.¡± Chapter 72 - 72 72 s Sold ?Chapter 72: 72 Chapters Sold Chapter 72: 72 Chapters Sold ¡°Triplets?¡± The man¡¯s brow furrowed into a character, his thin lips tightly shut, his face showing no hint of a smile. Susu, annoyed, twisted the man¡¯s waist harshly, not causing him any pain but hurting her own fingers instead. She glared at him, fuming, ¡°Lu Xiaoting! What do you mean? Why aren¡¯t you smiling? And why the long face?¡± Lu Xiaoting grabbed his wife¡¯s little hand and massaged it, sighing deeply. ¡°Wife, I¡¯m not unhappy. It¡¯s just... I¡¯m nervous and scared, I¡¯m afraid you...¡± Slap¡ª Before the man could finish, the back of his head was heavily smacked by his mother. Mrs. Lu stared at her son, ¡°What are you blathering about?¡± Knowing her son was also worried about his daughter-in-law, Mrs. Lu softened her tone and patiently comforted him. ¡°Don¡¯t worry without reason; the old traditional doctor said there¡¯s no problem. From now on, take Susu to get her pulse checked every half a month. Don¡¯t spook your wife with your nonsense.¡± ¡°Wife, I¡¯m sorry.¡± Lu Xiaoting suppressed the fear in his heart and regained his usual composed and calm demeanor in front of his wife and son. The family decided that very day to stay in the county until the delivery. And no matter what, someone must stay by Susu¡¯s side. Mrs. Lu glanced at her son and immediately warned him to keep himself in check, lest his male instincts trouble Susu. ¡°Cough, cough.¡± Lu Xiaoting choked on his mother¡¯s words, a suspicious blush sneaking onto his wheatish complexion. He cleared his throat. ¡°Mom, I¡¯m aware.¡± ¡°Hmph, what do you know.¡± Mrs. Lu glared at the father and son, ¡°Men are no good. Thinking of their moment of pleasure, couldn¡¯t care less about their wives? I find out if you¡¯ve mistreated Susu, I¡¯ll smack you with a big slap right away.¡± Lu Xiaoting: ¡°...¡± Father Lu, implicated: ¡°...¡± Susu bit her lip, barely holding back her laughter, looking everywhere but at the pitiful, wistful faces of the men. Watching Xiao Yu, who hovered close by her side, Susu smiled and patted the little guy¡¯s head. ¡°Xiao Yu, have you finished your homework? If not, take it out and work on it.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± The youngster and the smaller one on the kang bowed their heads deeply, their little faces extra serious. Mrs. Lu was busy rummaging through boxes and cabinets for clothes and fabric, taking out anything that felt soft. The end of the kang was already piled up like a small mountain of clothes and fabric. Susu¡¯s eyes widened in shock, ¡°Mom, there¡¯s no need for this many clothes and diapers for the kids, right?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve never raised a child, you wouldn¡¯t understand. Things dry slowly in winter; you need to prepare more diapers. The little clothes need to be changed frequently when they get wet or dirty. And with three kids, I¡¯m even worried this won¡¯t be enough.¡± Susu silently rubbed her stomach, which was as swollen as a balloon. During this period, apart from preparing clothes and diapers for her soon-to-arrive grandchildren at home, Mrs. Lu was either seizing fabric from the supply cooperative. ¡°Mom, didn¡¯t you go to buy fabric? Didn¡¯t you get any?¡± Susu looked at her mother-in-law¡¯s empty hands and asked. ¡°I sent it to your aunt and elder sister-in-law, it gets done faster with three people. It¡¯s better to prepare everything early; otherwise, I won¡¯t feel at ease.¡± Susu nodded, ¡°That¡¯s true, it¡¯s just a bit of a hassle for Aunt and sister-in-law.¡± ¡°No worries, we¡¯re family.¡± Mrs. Lu waved her hand nonchalantly. Relatives are there to help each other, after all, and it was the elder sister-in-law and the younger sister who brought it up first. ¡°By the way, Susu, your dad won¡¯t come back after work at noon; he¡¯ll go straight to the store to keep an eye on things.¡± ¡°It should be ready in a day or two.¡± ... In the blink of an eye, it was the opening day of ¡°Su¡¯s Braised Food¡± store in the county. Banners for promotion had been hung nearby early on, and with word-of-mouth from loyal customers, a large crowd had gathered early in the morning. For the first three days of the opening, everything was 20% off. Additionally, for every purchase over five yuan, half a pound of vegetarian dish and one meat dish were given for free. Many people looked at the big characters posted on the wall, discussing among themselves how much they should buy. ¡°Mrs. Boss, it¡¯s really great that you¡¯ve opened a shop, it saves us the trouble when we sometimes can¡¯t find what to buy.¡± ¡°Exactly, several times, by the time I go out, either the people have left, or it¡¯s all sold out.¡± ... ¡°Ha ha ha, I still have to thank everyone for supporting our little store.¡± ¡°Everyone, please line up. Let¡¯s take turns and try not to crowd.¡± Once everyone had quickly lined up, Susu was helped by her mother-in-law to sit inside the counter. ¡°Just sit quietly, don¡¯t come over here, Xiao Li and I can handle it. With so many people, be careful not to get pushed around in your condition.¡± Mrs. Lu gave anxious instructions, and seeing that Susu nodded in acknowledgment, she then went to greet the customers at the counter. Susu hadn¡¯t expected the new store to be so bustling, even busier than the opening day of the braised food store in the Provincial City. Looking at the long queue outside the door, she felt a bit impressed. Even in the dead of winter, no one seemed to mind the cold, and they were willing to line up for a long time for the sake of buying braised food. It seemed that the Chinese love for a bustling scene remained the same no matter the time. Even in the dead of winter, the door of the shop was half open, and both Mrs. Lu and Wang Li were busy to the point of sweating. In the blink of an eye, a few days passed. The flow of people in the braised food store stabilized, and Wang Li alone was just enough to handle it. With Mrs. Lu there, Susu didn¡¯t need to strain herself with her big belly coming to the store. However, whenever Mrs. Lu was not at home and went to the store, she would ask Aunt Wang next door to come over and accompany Susu. It¡¯s better to be safe than sorry. On this early morning, while it was still pitch black outside, the big black dog in the yard suddenly started barking loudly. ¡°Woof woof woof¡ª¡± ¡°Da Hei!¡± ¡°Woof woof woof¡ª¡± Mrs. Lu nudged her husband, her eyes half-closed, ¡°Old man, put on your clothes and go out to see why Da Hei is barking so fiercely.¡± Father Lu hurriedly put on his cotton jacket and pants, and wearing cotton shoes, he led the crazily barking Da Hei out of the yard. ¡°Who¡¯s there?¡± ¡°Uncle, it¡¯s me, Su Sanya, my sister¡¯s younger sister.¡± ... As soon as Susu opened her eyes, she saw a disheveled, skinny figure in tattered clothes standing like a human billboard. ¡°Sanyi?¡± It took a while for Susu to recognize her, it was her own younger sister, Su Sanya. Hearing her elder sister¡¯s voice, Su Sanya immediately burst into tears and sobs, blurting out a long string of words. ¡°Wait, slow down, don¡¯t rush.¡± Susu interrupted the crying girl, passing her a cup of tea at her side. Su Sanya held the hot cup with both hands, sniffing her nose. ¡°Elder sister, dad and mom want to sell me to an old widower for 200 yuan, to marry me off to that old man. I heard that old widower had two other wives before, both were beaten to death by him. I don¡¯t want to die, I, I... Elder sister, I really had no choice. I don¡¯t want to be sold, I...I could only escape in the middle of the night while our parents were asleep. Elder sister, please save me, save me.¡± Su Sanya said and then ¡°thud,¡± she knelt on the ground, her head banging against the floor repeatedly. Chapter 73 - 73 73 Su Sanya ?Chapter 73: Chapter 73 Su Sanya Chapter 73: Chapter 73 Su Sanya Mrs. Lu and Susu were both startled by the thumping sound of Su Sanya¡¯s kowtowing. ¡°Good heavens, Sanyi, get up, stand up and talk,¡± Mrs. Lu hurried forward to pull Su Sanya up. Susu, with her swollen belly, found it really inconvenient, so she frowned and quickly called for help to lift the person from the ground. ¡°Su Sanya!¡± ¡°Stand up if you have something to say, keep kneeling there and knocking your head on the ground, and I¡¯ll send you rolling out!¡± Upon hearing this, Su Sanya shrank her neck and allowed herself to be helped up by Mrs. Lu¡¯s pull. Her forehead was red and swollen, oozing with streaks of blood. Even her big eyes were red and swollen. Looking at the girl, so thin that she was all bones, with a pair of big, pitiful eyes staring at her. Susu sighed, ¡°What on earth is the matter? Slow down and tell us.¡± ¡°Yes, Sanyi, speak properly, your third sister and I are both here, don¡¯t be afraid.¡± Mrs. Lu touched the skinny frame of the girl, her heart aching terribly. Su Sanya sniffled, speaking in a hoarse whisper. ¡°Ever since the last time Erya beat up our little brother, she hasn¡¯t given a penny to the family. My eldest sister has also been under the control of her husband¡¯s family and hasn¡¯t come back. Without the support from my eldest and second sisters, my parents were persuaded by Widow Liu from the village to entertain the thought. They planned to sell me to an old widower in the mountains, all for the sake of 200 yuan in bride price, to save up for Bao Gen to have money to marry a bride.¡± ¡°How old is your little brother now? To save up for a son¡¯s marriage, they are selling their daughter?¡± Mrs. Lu frowned, not understanding at all. Su Sanya sniffled again and nodded, ¡°I¡¯m afraid if I get sold off, I would end up like the previous two aunts, beaten to death by that man. I took the chance when my parents were asleep at night and fled. I... I didn¡¯t know what to do, and could only think of coming to my second sister.¡± As she spoke, Su Sanya became agitated again, desperately pleading while holding onto Mrs. Lu¡¯s and Susu¡¯s hands. ¡°Auntie, second sister, please don¡¯t send me back, I don¡¯t want to die.¡± ¡°Wuuu... please, auntie, second sister, help me. I... I... I¡¯ll repay you in my next life, even if it means being a cow or horse.¡± Susu was filled with rage, feeling an urge to smash the Su couple¡¯s heads, to crack open their hearts and see what color they really were? What were they made of to be so heartless? Mrs. Lu was at a loss as well, turning to her daughter-in-law. After all, this was the Su Family¡¯s domestic issue. Susu knew the character of those two old things from the Su Family. If Su Sanya went missing, they would definitely come looking for her at the Family Court. ¡°Mom, there aren¡¯t many people outside now, take Sanyi to Grandpa Sun and Granny Sun¡¯s place. We can let the elderly couple take care of her for the time being.¡± ¡°Sanyi, you and auntie go stay at a familiar place that I know. I¡¯m worried the two elders will come looking for you at the Family Court.¡± Su Sanya immediately panicked, ¡°Then, what about you, second sister?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I have a way to deal with those two old things. You just stay at Granny Sun¡¯s and don¡¯t go anywhere else, wait for my word.¡± ¡°Okay! I¡¯ll listen to my second sister.¡± Worried about being seen by neighbors, Mrs. Lu simply rode a tricycle to take Su Sanya to the Xiao Sun family. The elderly Sun couple, upon hearing about the young girl¡¯s plight, were both angry and heartbroken. ¡°Auntie, don¡¯t worry. Sanyi will definitely be well taken care of here.¡± ... Mrs. Lu, uneasy about leaving Susu alone at home, hurried back on the tricycle after ensuring everyone was settled. ¡ª ¡°Old Mrs. Su, wait up.¡± ¡°What¡¯s it, husband?¡± Mrs. Su, with a wrinkled old face, shivered and drew her neck in from the cold. Su Fu squinted his eyes, ¡°Erya doesn¡¯t get along with us. She definitely won¡¯t call out Sanyi. Let¡¯s start by asking the neighbors. Once we have a witness...¡± Mrs. Su¡¯s eyes lit up, ¡°That¡¯s why you¡¯re the smart one.¡± The two of them were all action, knocking on the doors of each family in the vicinity of the Lu Family to ask around. Aunt Wang frowned and squinted, sizing up the two of them from head to toe. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about.¡± With that, Aunt Wang ignored them and locked the door behind her. Once she heard no more noise outside, she peeked out to check. Seeing no sign of the couple, she hurried to inform the Lu family. ¡°Aunt Wang.¡± ¡°Oh, lucky I found you, Aunt Lu. Just now, a couple was inquiring whether you had any visitors this morning. They looked like the parents who came to make trouble for Susu before.¡± ¡°Okay, thank you, Aunt Wang.¡± Mrs. Lu¡¯s heart skipped a beat, but she kept her composure, saying, ¡°I haven¡¯t seen any young girls. Probably just trying to scrounge something again.¡± ¡°I think so too. Be careful not to let them stick to you and not be able to get rid of them.¡± Mrs. Lu pushed her cart into the courtyard and quickly relayed what had just happened to her daughter-in-law. Both felt better prepared. Susu¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly, and she snorted coldly, ¡°They arrived quickly!¡± ¡°Mom, this way...¡± ¡°Alright, alright, I get it.¡± As Susu had expected, the Su couple, having gained nothing from their inquiries, rushed straight to the Lu family¡¯s doorstep. They put on a dramatic act, crying, making a scene, and threatening dire measures. ¡°Oh my poor little Sanyi! Mom spoke just one word, why did you run away...¡± ¡°Mom and Dad were almost scared to death by you. Hiding in your second sister¡¯s house, how can you do that? Come back home with Mom and Dad, don¡¯t scare us anymore.¡± ¡°Oh, Erya, Mom and Dad were wrong, don¡¯t keep your sister hostage... ¡± Before long, the Family Court was filled with onlookers, all whispering among themselves. ¡°Susu, why don¡¯t I go handle it myself? You¡¯re pregnant, and it¡¯s dangerous.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine, Mom. Just follow the plan I told you. That will be enough.¡± Unable to argue with her daughter-in-law, Mrs. Lu reluctantly stepped in front of her, steadfastly watching the crying Su couple. ¡°Oh, Erya, just let Sanyi go. Your parents and your little sister are young and ignorant. If you have any issues, take it out on your parents.¡± Su Fu sighed deeply with an expression of utmost sorrow. ¡°Erya, even if you don¡¯t want to see your parents, they don¡¯t blame you. But you can¡¯t keep holding onto your sister, not letting Sanyi come home. Do you know how worried your parents and brother are?¡± The uninformed crowd only felt sympathy for the old couple, criticizing Susu for being an unfilial descendant. Watching the two putting on their coordinated act, Susu raised an eyebrow. A lot can change in a short time. Even the foolish Old Mrs. Su could circle around the clueless onlookers. Aunt Wang couldn¡¯t stand it any longer and shouted, ¡°Do you have any evidence? Without evidence, don¡¯t make false accusations. My house is so close to the Lu family¡¯s, and I haven¡¯t seen any young girl around.¡± Susu supported her belly, putting on the appearance of a mistreated young wife. ¡°I haven¡¯t seen anyone from my parents¡¯ house in a long while. Since coming here for my confinement, I haven¡¯t stepped outside the door. How could I possibly...¡± ¡°Aunt Wang, would you mind running to the Police Station for me? Tell them my younger sister is missing. I¡¯m worried she might have been kidnapped.¡± Mrs. Lu slapped her thigh, ¡°Exactly, exactly, you report missing people to the police!¡± Aunt Wang nodded immediately, ¡°All right, I¡¯ll run to the Police Station right now.¡± Chapter 74 - 74 74 Sending the third maid to the Provincial ?Chapter 74: Chapter 74: Sending the third maid to the Provincial City. Chapter 74: Chapter 74: Sending the third maid to the Provincial City. The illiterate couple from the Su Family, upon hearing that they needed to report to the police, were so scared their legs began to tremble. The big loudmouth who had just spoken began to push through the crowd, trying to leave. With a guilty face, Mrs. Su directly clung to Aunt Wang¡¯s thighs, screaming and shouting, pleading not to report to the police. Su Fu¡¯s response was calmer, his face showing that he did not want to cause trouble at the police station over a trivial family matter. He wore an expression of moral righteousness, ¡°Erya, you always make a mountain out of a molehill. Who goes running to the police station over a small dispute? Don¡¯t be so willful, if Sanyi isn¡¯t coming here, where else could she be?¡± Susu raised an eyebrow; it seemed Old Man Su was quite shrewd. Mrs. Lu hastily spoke up, claiming innocence to the neighbors, ¡°Everyone come and judge, it¡¯s just my daughter and me at home. Where could anyone else be?!¡± ¡°Oh... right, there¡¯s also our Da Hei. Besides him, there really is no one else.¡± ¡°Bark bark bark.¡± ¡°Hahaha.¡± Upon hearing the barking, everyone was amused to laughter. Susu internally praised her Da Hei for doing well. Mrs. Lu noticed her daughter-in-law¡¯s quivering lip corners as she struggled to suppress laughter and gave a cough. ¡°Aunt Wang, I ask you to please make a trip to the police station. What if Erya really was taken by a human trafficker? What would we do then?¡± ¡°Hey~ don¡¯t you worry, Aunt Lu.¡± Said Aunt Wang, with a flick of her leg, she sent Mrs. Su tumbling over. ¡°Ah, Dad!¡± Mrs. Su watched as the figure disappeared from sight, so anxious she started slapping her thigh. ¡°What do we do now, Dad? If the police find out...¡± ¡°Shut your mouth!¡± Su Fu sternly interrupted Mrs. Su, glancing at his smiling second daughter with her hand on her belly. ¡°Susu, it¡¯s possible your sister is hiding somewhere in the village. Your mother and I will go back and check.¡± The people in the Family Court, seeing Mrs. Su scrambling on the ground, started to realize. ¡°It turns out the person wasn¡¯t at the Lu Family¡¯s place at all.¡± ... Those who, moments ago, were indignant, believing themselves to be the champions of justice, now one by one fell silent, shrinking their necks and shamefacedly returned to their own homes. Mrs. Lu quickly helped her heavily pregnant daughter-in-law into the house, ¡°Susu, hurry and get on the kang to warm up, don¡¯t catch a chill. Mother will pour you some hot water.¡± ¡°Thank you, Mom.¡± ¡°Auntie, I¡¯ll come and sit too, join in the fun,¡± Aunt Wang said with a chuckle as she walked in. Mrs. Lu warmly invited her to sit on the kang, ¡°We really have to thank Aunt Wang for just now.¡± ¡°Ah, it¡¯s nothing. We¡¯ve been neighbors for over a decade now.¡± ¡°Your reaction just now was so quick,¡± Mrs. Lu gave her a thumbs up. Aunt Wang tilted her chin up proudly, ¡°Of course, we¡¯ve been old buddies for years. I understood your signal with just a glance.¡± ¡°Besides, I don¡¯t like that couple. It¡¯s good to scare them a bit.¡± Susu pursed her lips; truth be told, Aunt¡¯s acting was quite impressive just now. If you didn¡¯t know better, you would have thought she really went to the police station to report the matter. Just thinking about the Su couple scrambling and rolling away, Susu couldn¡¯t help but feel vindicated. At lunch, Mrs. Lu and Father Lu talked about the morning¡¯s events, still cursing the Su couple for being worthless. ¡°But, coming back to it, Susu, how did you know your parents would be so scared the moment they heard about reporting to the police?¡± ¡°For one thing, no one in the village is educated, so they all fear being sent to a labor camp by the police. For another, they are guilty about selling their daughter, so they definitely don¡¯t dare to make a commotion and go to the police station.¡± Mrs. Lu nodded, agreeing that their own Susu was smart and understood everything. Xiao Sun Family Grandpa Sun and Granny Sun looked at the little girl who was younger than their grandson and felt heartbroken when they thought about what Aunt had said. ¡°Sanyi, right? You should feel at ease now that you¡¯re at Granny Sun¡¯s house. Don¡¯t be afraid.¡± Granny Sun cheerfully put food into the little girl¡¯s bowl and reminded her, ¡°Eat up, don¡¯t be shy. Our family and your second sister¡¯s family are related, so don¡¯t worry.¡± Grandpa Su nodded, ¡°Yes, yes, just like it¡¯s your own home.¡± Looking at the bowl piled up like a small hill, Su Sanya sniffled. ¡°Thank you, Grandpa Sun and Granny Sun.¡± Worried that the little girl would be anxious, Mrs. Lu took the opportunity while Father Lu was at home to quickly visit the Sun family. Upon learning that her parents had been scared off and that her second sister had not been affected by her, the string that Su Sanya had been holding tight ¡°snapped¡± and broke. Tears rushed out like a breached dam. Granny Sun and Mrs. Lu hugged the little girl, also unable to hold back their tears. Such a horrible thing to do, to treat one¡¯s own daughter this way. Fortunately, their Susu had realized early on and had broken off all ties with that bloodsucking family. Susu touched her hot ear tips and glanced at Da Hei sprawled out asleep on the dog mat. ¡°Sleeping so soundly? Makes me want to grab the dog and send him to work at a dog cafe.¡± In his sleep, Da Hei shuddered and lazily opened one eyelid. Susu thought, ...Oops, did Da Hei hear that??? ¡ª- Seeing her mother-in-law¡¯s eyes red and swollen like walnuts, Susu sighed. ¡°Was Sanyi crying a lot?¡± ¡°Ah~ That little girl must have been holding it in, and when she heard the news, the tears just poured out like they were free. She cried so much that Auntie Sun and I felt heartbroken.¡± Mrs. Lu sighed, looking sympathetically at her daughter-in-law lying on the kang bed, ¡°I don¡¯t even know how you made it through your childhood.¡± Susu was stunned. Even though she retained Su Erya¡¯s memories, she couldn¡¯t truly empathize with the original body¡¯s experiences. Pain is never truly felt until the whip falls on one¡¯s own skin. ¡°Mom, it¡¯s all in the past.¡± ¡°Ah...¡± ¡°Mom, I¡¯m worried that the Su family won¡¯t rest until they find Sanyi. Let¡¯s find a time to send her to Provincial City. You can take Sanyi to the pickled goods shop. First, there will be a place for her to live; second, she¡¯ll have work to do, and Sanyi won¡¯t dwell on her worries.¡± ¡°Alright, let¡¯s wait until the day after tomorrow, Sunday. Your father and your second brother will both be home; otherwise, I won¡¯t be at ease leaving you alone in the house.¡± Susu nodded. For several days of windy weather, Susu barely left the house except to use the restroom. ¡°Second brother, take good care of your wife while I¡¯m away. I reckon I¡¯ll be back around noon.¡± Su Sanya, dressed in Mrs. Lu¡¯s old jacket and cotton pants, had a face full of anticipation for Provincial City. ¡°Auntie, did my second sister really say that? If I go, as long as I work hard, I¡¯ll get food, lodging, and a salary?¡± ¡°Yes, your second sister said she¡¯ll give you 10 yuan a month.¡± Su Sanya, fingering her fingertips, looked a bit troubled, ¡°Auntie, isn¡¯t the salary too much? I¡¯d be happy just with food and lodging.¡± ¡°Auntie, when the time comes, can my second sister manage my money...¡± ¡°Old man, do you really think it¡¯s useful for us to be squatting here? That girl Sanyi doesn¡¯t have any money on her.¡± After boarding the bus, Su Sanya curiously looked outside with keen interest. ¡°Ah!¡± Hearing the scream, Mrs. Lu turned back to see the little girl curled up into a ball, shivering. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Sanyi?¡± ¡°Auntie, Auntie, I, I, I, I saw my parents.¡± Chapter 75 - 75 75 Aim for style not temperature ?Chapter 75: Chapter 75: Aim for style, not temperature. Chapter 75: Chapter 75: Aim for style, not temperature. Mrs. Lu carefully peeked out the window and, indeed, spotted the couple from the Su Family crouching on a step. Before they could look back, she withdrew her gaze and turned her back to their direction. Mrs. Lu silently comforted the trembling little girl, patting her on the shoulder, giving her strength. Fortunately, even after the car started, the Sus were still squatting there, looking around. ¡°Sanyi, it¡¯s okay now. We¡¯ve left. Don¡¯t be afraid.¡± After they had left the county, under Mrs. Lu¡¯s soft comforting, Su Sanya finally mustered the courage to look outside. Seeing the low houses growing distant, color returned to Su Sanya¡¯s pale face, and a big smile spread across her lips. ¡°Auntie, have we really left the county?¡± ¡°Yes, we have.¡± ¡°That¡¯s great! So great!¡± ... Su Sanya excitedly looked around, showing no signs of the dizziness or nausea that can come with one¡¯s first time on a bus. Mrs. Lu watched the little girl, who was as happy as a joyful little bird, and felt happy herself. This was the liveliness a girl her age should have. Throughout the journey, listening to the little girl¡¯s chatter, Mrs. Lu wasn¡¯t the least bit impatient and patiently described the Provincial City to the little girl. Su Sanya¡¯s young heart was filled with curiosity, affection, and a desire to explore everything about the Provincial City. ¡°This is your Sister Yingzi... From now on, you, Sister Yingzi, and a Sister Wang Hong will live together. They¡¯re both really nice. If there¡¯s anything you don¡¯t understand, just ask them boldly.¡± ¡°Hello Sister Er Niu, Sister Yingzi...¡± Yang Erniu felt a bit embarrassed since her eldest was nearly Sanyi¡¯s age, yet the little girl was calling her sister. But upon further thought, it seemed even less appropriate for the little girl to call her Auntie, as she was Xiao Su¡¯s younger sister. How could she let Xiao Su call her Auntie, then? Alright, alright, she would just have to thicken her skin and be the little girl¡¯s sister. Having familiarized Sanyi with her new surroundings and settled her in, Mrs. Lu hurriedly took the bus back to the county. ¡ª¡ª ¡°Auntie, Da Hei has grown so big, I can hardly lift him now.¡± Susu smiled as she watched the dog and child on the ground. ¡°It¡¯s mainly because your grandma has been feeding Da Hei so well, he¡¯s plump and his fur is black and shiny.¡± ¡°Did grandma raise Da Hei just like a piglet? I remember piglets being like this, eating and then sleeping, sleeping and then eating.¡± ¡°Ha ha ha... right, right, eating and then sleeping, sleeping and then eating.¡± ¡°Yep, piglet!¡± Lu Xiaoting came into the room carrying two bowls of malted milk, chuckling to himself. Susu frowned, meeting the man¡¯s amused gaze. She blinked. Was that a pun? She glared at him unamusedly, ¡°Get out of here, you¡¯re the pig.¡± Lu Xiaoting raised an eyebrow, his thin lips curling up, ¡°Oh? Eat and sleep, sleep, and eat, isn¡¯t that just a little piggy?¡± ¡°Hmph!¡± Susu pouted and rolled her eyes, rubbing her belly, ¡°If I¡¯m a pig, then your son and daughter are little piggies.¡± ¡°You¡¯re a big pig¡¯s trotter, you dog of a man!¡± ¡°Ha ha.¡± Watching his wife¡¯s ruffled feathers was just too cute. Lu Xiaoting chuckled softly, sympathizing with his little wife¡¯s indignation. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m a big pig¡¯s trotter, a dog of a man.¡± ¡°There, don¡¯t be angry, have some malted milk.¡± ¡°Xiao Yu, wash your hands and come up for some malted milk.¡± ¡°Okay, I got it.¡± Xiao Yu trotted into the main room and then back out again, noticing there were only two bowls of malted milk. ¡°Like a little adult, he issued an order, ¡®Uncle drinks first, Xiao Yu will drink afterward.¡¯ Lu Xiaoting couldn¡¯t win against the stubborn little fellow and finally drank half of it, then Xiao Yu happily held the bowl and sipped the sweet malted milk sip by sip. ¡®Is Mom back?¡¯ There was the sound of a door opening outside, and Susu sat upright. Lu Xiaoting unfolded his long legs and stepped down from the ¡®kang¡¯ bed, walking out. ¡®Where¡¯s Susu?¡¯ ¡®In the inner room.¡¯ Mrs. Lu took off her scarf and hat, hunkering down in front of the coal stove to warm up. ¡®Third Aunt is settled in; you don¡¯t need to worry about her, Susu. I think the child is quite smart; she¡¯s just a little timid.¡¯ Susu nodded. The three sisters had been raised through harsh discipline from their parents, constantly berated and beaten, addressed dismissively as ¡®girlies¡¯ and working like an old ox at home. It would be strange if they weren¡¯t timid. In a blink of an eye, the time had come just before the New Year. Susu thought about giving the shop employees three days off in advance, to come back to work after the eighth day of the lunar year. Letting everyone have a good rest and celebrate the New Year. ¡®Mom, call Xian Yue and let her know about the holiday. Also, the same goes for the county over here.¡¯ Mrs. Lu nodded, ¡®Okay, I got it. I¡¯ll call Aunt Wang to come keep you company, then I¡¯ll make the calls.¡¯ Susu watched Aunt Wang bent over her needlework, embroidering insoles, and became curious. ¡®Auntie, I see you¡¯ve embroidered quite a few insoles.¡¯ ¡®Hey, with so many kids at home, all very hardy, everything gets worn out quickly. I take advantage of the winter downtime to make a bunch and stock up for them to wear.¡¯ ¡®Did you draw these insole patterns yourself? They¡¯re really well done, with the flowers and birds.¡¯ ... On hearing that they were going to have such a long holiday, Aunt Su and the others felt it was too extended, and three days would have been enough. ¡®Yeah, Second Sister, you go back and talk to Susu, we¡¯re just idle at home anyway, might as well sell a few more braised items.¡¯ Mrs. Lu laughed; her little sister was addicted to working and wasn¡¯t pleased about the holiday. ¡®Sure, I¡¯ll talk to Susu when I get back.¡¯ Leaving the courtyard, Mrs. Lu went to the small shop to make the calls. Unexpectedly, the employees in the Provincial City also said that the break was too long, just two or three days would be enough. Everyone¡¯s heart was set on their work, only thinking about not delaying and earning some extra money. Hearing grandma¡¯s report, Susu was amused ¨C who would have thought there would be complaints about having too long a holiday? If the employees all said so, the boss naturally could open the business for a few extra days, to earn a bit more money. Susu decided then and there, they would close on the twenty-ninth and reopen on the fourth day of the New Year. On the twenty-eighth, Mrs. Lu made a special trip to the braising yard and the shop, giving each person a ten yuan New Year red envelope. The several employees in the shop were overjoyed, repeatedly thanking her, and Mrs. Lu made sure to relay it back home. It was the same with the employees in the Provincial City, except here it was Lu Xiaomei, the accountant, who handed them out on behalf. On the twenty-ninth of the New Year, the siblings of the Lu Family also started to return one after another. The youngest brother and his wife were shocked when they saw Susu¡¯s pregnant belly as they entered the house. ¡®Mom, how come Second Sister-in-law¡¯s belly is so big?¡¯ Mrs. Lu smiled mysteriously, implying that they would find out later. The youngest couple looked at each other in bewilderment. Lu Xiaomei was a bit afraid and stayed by her Second Sister-in-law¡¯s side continuously, explaining all the business and account details in the shop to Susu. Just when the house was bustling with noise and excitement, Brother Lu¡¯s family of four arrived, carrying loads of stuff with them. In the freezing weather, Jiang Nan, who prioritized style over warmth, wore a woolen coat, her nose tip red from the cold. ¡®Wife, come sit here and warm up; you must be frozen.¡¯ Chapter 76 - 76 76 years old 30 s ?Chapter 76: 76 years old, 30 chapters Chapter 76: 76 years old, 30 chapters Noticing the glances darting her way, Jiang Nan stiffened a bit but stubbornly said, ¡°It¡¯s not cold, the weather outside is quite nice.¡± Hearing this, Mrs. Lu looked up outside and pursed her lips. It¡¯s almost freezing to death. And this is called good weather? Susu pressed her lips together, holding back the urge to laugh. If it wasn¡¯t for sniffling while speaking, everyone might have believed her. Susu was leaning against the kang, flanked by protectors on both sides, listening to the Lu brothers discussing various rumors about the Provincial City. Jiang Nan¡¯s frozen body finally regained some warmth. Staying inside the room didn¡¯t make her feel hot either. Worried about dirtying her newly bought wool coat, Jiang Nan carefully took off her coat, folded it neatly, and put it away. ¡°Elder Sister-in-law, you¡¯re wearing so little, aren¡¯t you cold?¡± Bai Xiao¡¯s comment diverted everyone¡¯s attention to Jiang Nan on the floor. Brother Lu felt somewhat headache-inducing. She just wouldn¡¯t listen at home, and now she wasn¡¯t even afraid of freezing inside. The two brothers, seeing their elder brother¡¯s troubled look, chose not to speak. Susu smiled softly, silent. Mrs. Lu frowned, ¡°This is an old-fashioned house. It¡¯s not as warm as those with central heating. You¡¯re wearing too thin underneath, don¡¯t catch a cold.¡± Jiang Nan, who had started picking outfits half a month ago determined to outshine the Chongxi Sister-in-law, shivered and scanned the pregnant lady on the kang. She took the cue to put on a short cotton-padded jacket instead, ¡°Hmm, my wool coat is inconvenient indoors, I¡¯ll switch to something shorter.¡± ¡°I was just saying, but Elder Sister-in-law¡¯s clothes look quite nice,¡± Bai Xiao said with a chuckle, lightening the mood. ... On New Year¡¯s Eve Susu was originally helping with the cooking but had been shooed back by her in-laws and little aunt. Mrs. Lu waved her hand, ¡°Go wait in the room. Although Mom¡¯s cooking isn¡¯t as good as yours, I¡¯ve picked up enough from you¡ªit shouldn¡¯t be too far off.¡± Lu Xiaomei nodded, ¡°Second Sister-in-law, your main priority right now is to rest well. Don¡¯t tire yourself out.¡± Helplessly, Susu returned to the room to lie down, primarily because the weather outside was too cold; otherwise, she truly wanted to go out for a stroll. ¡°Aunt, we¡¯ll stay with you.¡± ¡°Second Aunt, me too, me too.¡± ¡°Second Aunt, here I come~¡± Watching the three little ones enter one after the other, Susu thought to herself¡ª¡±Here come the flying monkeys.¡± Lu Xiaoting, seeing three little ones keeping his wife company, went out to help his mother and to handle the pastry. The freshly steamed golden pastry emitted steam as Lu Xiaoting moistened his hands and kneaded the hot dough. After about ten minutes of kneading, small round mounds of pastry sat on the kneading board, ready to be fried to become fresh hot fried cakes. Inside, one adult and three little ones each held a small mound of pastry, eating deliciously. Looking at the table filled with dishes, a mix of vegetarian and non-vegetarian, all aromatic and appealing. The adults and children eating all gave a thumbs up; the chef¡ªMrs. Lu, assistant cook¡ªLu Xiaomei, and the fire handler¡ªFather Lu, couldn¡¯t have been more pleased. All afternoon, the sounds of firecrackers from outside were incessant, as were the children¡¯s laughs. ¡°My goodness, no wonder the Second Sister-in-law¡¯s belly is so big.¡± Bai Xiao exclaimed, stunned. Even the normally quiet Jiang Nan couldn¡¯t help exclaiming, ¡°Three? Oh, my!¡± Who would have thought the Chongxi Sister-in-law would be so lucky to be expecting triplets? On thinking about her own painful single pregnancy, Jiang Nan immediately felt there was nothing to envy. On the evening of New Year¡¯s Eve, the whole family changed into new clothes early. ¡°Grandpa, Grandma, happy New Year, good health, and may all your wishes come true!¡± ¡°Alright, alright, here¡¯s your New Year¡¯s money.¡± The siblings, hand in hand, took turns paying their New Year respects and collected a whole pile of red packets. ¡°Wow, one dollar?¡± ¡°Wow, Mom¡¯s is one dollar too.¡± Hearing the children¡¯s clamor, Jiang Nan, realizing she hadn¡¯t been outdone by Chongxi Sister-in-law, raised her chin proudly. ¡°Second Sister-in-law, this is for the child in your belly.¡± Looking at a red packet, Susu raised her eyebrows slightly, ¡°Elder Sister-in-law, no need, the baby isn¡¯t even out yet.¡± ¡°Keep it. I have two children; I can¡¯t let you be at a loss.¡± Jiang Nan insisted, shoving the red packet her way. Susu: ¡°...¡± On New Year¡¯s Eve, with nothing else to do, the four men of the Lu Family started playing cards. The mothers and daughters-in-law, uninterested, chatted on the side. By ten o¡¯clock, the three youngsters clearly couldn¡¯t keep up, with the youngest, Xiao Xue, already fast asleep in the quilt. The remaining, Xiao Yu and her brother, were also fighting off sleep, carrying the sleeping trio next door to sleep. The adults struggled to stay up for the New Year. The next morning, just after six, when it was still dark, the sound of firecrackers crackled both inside and outside the house. Susu, barely able to open her eyes, struggled with her hands and feet. ¡°So sleepy!¡± ¡°Darling, sleep a bit more, there¡¯s nothing to do if you get up anyway.¡± ¡°But isn¡¯t it traditional to rise early for New Year?¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine, you¡¯re pregnant; you can sleep in a bit more.¡± Hearing her husband¡¯s words, Susu went back to sleep assured. In the main room, a big pot of plump, boiling dumplings made one¡¯s mouth water. As the dumplings rolled in the water, Mrs. Lu scooped them onto a large steaming plate and brought them inside. ¡°Let¡¯s eat and see who¡¯s the luckiest this year. Who will find the coin?¡± Brother Lu shook his head, ¡°I¡¯ve given up hope, let¡¯s see how Dad and the second brother do.¡± The third brother, ¡°Every year it¡¯s either Dad or the second brother, I have never gotten it from childhood till now.¡± Lu Xiaomei¡¯s eyes sparkled as she puffed out her chest and took a bite. Nothing! She continued to eat, persisting until she had finished two bowls of dumplings, her stomach stretched tight, without even seeing a hint of the coin. The three youngsters held their bulging bellies and wiped their mouths. In the end, none in the family had found it. Mrs. Lu laughed, ¡°It must be either in the remaining dumplings or in the ones I saved for Susu.¡± Jiang Nan pouted; she knew he always doted on his second daughter-in-law. By the time Susu had woken up in a daze, it was almost ten o¡¯clock. Only Mrs. Lu was left at home. Seeing Susu awake, she smiled and asked, ¡°Hungry?¡± Susu hadn¡¯t thought about it until now, but her stomach rumbled with hunger. ¡°Mom, I¡¯ll go heat up some dumplings for you.¡± ¡°Thank you, Mom.¡± Susu looked around the unusually quiet house, feeling a bit puzzled, ¡°Mom, where is everyone else?¡± ¡°Your father and the others have gone to visit relatives, and the three kids and those from the Family Court have run off to visit houses and collect treats.¡± Susu, who had slept late the day before, had an unusual amount of sleep in her eyes today. After folding the bedding, she got up to wash up and brush her teeth. ¡°Eat while it¡¯s hot.¡± As Susu saw her mother-in-law watching her, she thought there might be something on her face and touched her cheek. ¡°Mom, is there something on my face?¡± ¡°Hmm~¡± In the midst of talking, Susu only felt something knock against her teeth and looked down. Chapter 77 - 77 77 how did you get here ?Chapter 77: Chapter 77, how did you get here? Chapter 77: Chapter 77, how did you get here? The left half of the dumpling was already bitten into, revealing a one-jiao coin stuck in it. ¡°Wow!¡± Mrs. Lu clapped her thigh, her face alight with excitement, ¡°It seems this year it¡¯s my Susu who has the best luck, the coins are usually wrapped by your dad and the second one.¡± Susu raised an eyebrow, it looked like her fortune for the next year was really good, having directly beaten her father-in-law and Lu Xiaoting. ¡°Elder Aunt, elder sister-in-law.¡± ¡°Good gracious, it¡¯s Xian Yue and Xiao Sun.¡± Mrs. Lu saw the two as soon as they came in and immediately got off the kang to greet them. ¡°These two kids just show up, and they even bring so much stuff with them.¡± Susu, seeing the two carrying armfuls of items, was also wide-eyed in surprise. ¡°Why bring so much? Later, take most of it back, just the thought is enough.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not much for elder Aunt and elder sister-in-law, many of these are dried mushrooms and wood ear picked from the mountain by grandma and grandpa, and there¡¯s also some homemade smoked chicken and smoked meat. Then there¡¯s some candies, peach pastries and such bought from the supply and sales cooperative.¡± Su Xianyue put the items on the kang, showing them one by one. Xiao Sun scratched his head, ¡°It¡¯s not too much, if it wasn¡¯t for elder sister-in-law I¡¯d still be living a hard life with grandpa and grandma, and wouldn¡¯t have been able to marry such a good wife.¡± Xian Yue glared at her husband reproachfully, a blush spreading across her round face. ¡°Not bad at all. I see that after some time apart, Xian Yue has grown plumper,¡± Susu observed carefully. ¡°Indeed, as soon as I entered the home, I noticed how chubby Xian Yue¡¯s face was.¡± Seeing the young couple¡¯s faces filled with a mix of happy shyness, Susu quirked an eyebrow. ¡°Xian Yue, you¡¯re not pregnant, are you?¡± ¡°Mm, just over a month.¡± Xian Yue nodded, mentioning her period was nearly two months late. Watching Xiao Sun walk with their niece, Mrs. Lu wiped the corners of her eyes with joy. ¡°This child Xian Yue has finally seen the sweet after the bitter; I reckon Xiao Sun is really a good kid.¡± As mother-in-law and daughter-in-law were discussing Xian Yue, more guests arrived outside. It was the two brothers from the eldest uncle¡¯s family, each carrying bags big and small, walking in cheerfully to wish their elder Aunt and elder sister-in-law a happy new year. ¡°Elder Aunt, elder sister-in-law, happy New Year, may all be as you wish, and may you achieve everything you desire in the new year. May all the stores do roaring business and money roll in...¡± Mrs. Lu laughed and scolded, ¡°You kid, you¡¯ve always been a smooth talker, and now you¡¯ve become even more eloquent.¡± Su Chenghe was all smiles, proud that it was his smooth tongue that helped him earn over a hundred yuan a month. After seeing off several waves of relatives and friends, Mrs. Lu was both laughing and crying, feeling a bit overwhelmed. No sooner had her rear touched the kang than more people arrived. ¡°Mom, don¡¯t worry, settle yourself on the kang, the guests should have mostly come by this morning.¡± Mrs. Lu leaned against the head of the kang, releasing a long sigh. Goodness, her arms and legs had thinned down from all the running around that morning. The whole Lu family habitually visited others to give New Year greetings, and the three siblings came back, their pockets stuffed with spoils from the morning¡¯s exploits. Triumphant and striding victoriously, they returned home with their heads held high. ¡°Oh my, you didn¡¯t pick up just a little this morning, did you?¡± Looking at the bulging pockets of the three siblings on the floor, Mrs. Lu teased them with a smile, then helped each of the three siblings up onto the kang. The three siblings ¡°whooshed¡± their pockets¡¯ contents onto the kang; mostly seeds, peanuts, pieces of candy, and among them, a few sticks of sweet potato and twisted dough sticks. ¡°Ah my, little ancestors, there are even twisted dough sticks, be careful not to get oil on your clothes; they¡¯re tough to wash.¡± Afraid the two granddaughters would get their clothes stained, Mrs. Lu quickly checked the pockets of the sisters¡¯ clothes and pants, luckily they weren¡¯t soaked with oil. ¡°You lot of little rascals.¡± ¡°Hehe.¡± The three siblings began dividing up their loot with giggles. ¡°Mine, Xiao Yu¡¯s, little sister Xiao Xue¡¯s, grandpa and grandma¡¯s, uncle and Aunt¡¯s...¡± ¡°Yo? Do we have ours too?¡± Mrs. Lu teased the three siblings. Xiao Yu nodded, ¡°Yeah, we all have a share.¡± Xiao Yu nodded again, ¡°Yeah, we had already agreed on that.¡± ¡°Mmm-hmm-hmm.¡± Xiao Xue nodded like pounding garlic, agreeing with her brother and elder sister. ¡°This child.¡± Mrs. Lu patted little granddaughter¡¯s bottom, beaming with smiles. Look at her; children need to stick around to feel dear to your heart. As the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law watched, the siblings on the kang bed shared the dried fruits, and those who had gone out to make New Year¡¯s calls were also coming back one by one. The first to enter were Jiang Nan and Brother Lu, wearing woolen overcoats, preferring to look good over staying warm. The mother and daughter-in-law exchanged a glance at elder sister-in-law Jiang Nan¡¯s ears, which were red from the cold. Mrs. Lu thought, in this deep winter, don¡¯t let the ears get frosted off. Susu genuinely admired the elder sister-in-law; her small frame yet so resistant to the cold!!! Could she really be wearing no padded jacket in this weather??? Every time she went out, if it weren¡¯t for needing to watch the road, she would have covered up her eyes too. ¡°Elder sister-in-law, quickly come up on the kang and warm up.¡± Jiang Nan, standing by the coal stove, stiffened slightly, the smile on her face somewhat forced as she held herself together. ¡°No need, the weather outside is quite nice, not cold.¡± Lu Xiaoting and the third ones who followed inside all looked up at the weather outside, wide-eyed and puzzled. The words ¡°This weather isn¡¯t cold?¡± might as well have been written across their foreheads. Looking at his stubborn daughter-in-law, Brother Lu, helpless, changed the subject, ¡°You take off your shoes and go up on the kang to see the girls; they must be missing you after you¡¯ve been gone all morning.¡± Jiang Nan glanced at the two girls on the kang, heads bowed, whispering something, before she took off her shoes and replaced them with a cotton jacket from the house and climbed onto the kang. ¡°What are you all up to?¡± Reinvigorated by putting on the cotton jacket, Jiang Nan peered over. ¡°Mom, we brought back a lot of snacks, we are sharing them with everyone.¡± Xiao Xue¡¯s little face was rosy with excitement, about to leap into her mother¡¯s arms. ¡°Ah, how come your face and hands are so black?¡± Everyone¡¯s attention in the room was drawn by Jiang Nan¡¯s exclamation, seeing the little girl standing on the kang with her small hands and face all muddied. ¡°Hee hee. I was just eating some seeds that brother and elder sister shared with me.¡± Knowing that his wife loved cleanliness, Brother Lu scooped up his little daughter. ¡°Look at this little face, little hands all dirty, Dad will take you to wash.¡± ¡°Xiao Xue, Mom wants to see you.¡± Jiang Nan, seeing that her older daughter didn¡¯t have her face all smeared like her younger sister, only had hands that were not so clean from grabbing seeds. Glancing at her in-laws and sisters-in-law, Jiang Nan resisted the urge to scold her daughter for making such a mess while eating seeds. The more she looked, the more disheartened she felt; she decided not to look anymore¡ªout of sight, out of mind. ¡°Ah, Brother Lu, elder sister-in-law, Happy New Year! Xiao Hai and I brought a few kids over to pay our New Year¡¯s respects to you.¡± The family sitting inside the room was stunned, watching as a whole family entered, one after the other. Susu didn¡¯t recall anyone of that memory coming and looked confusedly at her own in-laws. She saw the always smiling in-laws suddenly put on a cold face, and the smiles faded from the faces of the Lu siblings as well. Susu was puzzled, but she remained silent. ¡°Ah, you fools, hurry and greet your eldest uncle and aunt, and your brothers and sisters-in-law too,¡± shouted Aunt. Father Lu, with a stern face, spoke up, ¡°How come you all are here?¡± Chapter 78 - 78 78 Beat the Filthy Bitch to Death ?Chapter 78: Chapter 78: Beat the Filthy Bitch to Death! Chapter 78: Chapter 78: Beat the Filthy Bitch to Death! ¡°Oh, Brother, what a thing to say. It¡¯s Chinese New Year, we juniors definitely should come to pay respects to our elders.¡± The middle-aged man on the ground shrank his neck and didn¡¯t speak, while the middle-aged woman beside him showed no reaction and kept smiling as she talked incessantly. ¡°Guo An, Guo Ping, Guo Ning, hurry up and greet your great-uncle and great-aunt,¡± the middle-aged woman urged irritably, pushing her three children. ¡°Great-uncle, great-aunt, Happy New Year.¡± ¡°And to you, brothers and sisters-in-law, Happy New Year.¡± The three Lu brothers looked at one another. Of the three sisters-in-law, only Jiang Nan rolled her eyes skyward. Susu and Bai Xiao exchanged glances, each reading the words ¡°I don¡¯t know¡± in the other¡¯s eyes. Mrs. Lu turned her head away, clearly showing she didn¡¯t want to deal with the newcomers. Father Lu sighed, ¡°Hmm.¡± The middle-aged woman¡¯s smiling face stiffened, then she plunked herself down beside the kang, seemingly oblivious to the family¡¯s unwelcome attitude, and turned to call out to her husband, ¡°Hey, Dad, what are you standing there stunned for? Come over here and sit down, talk to Brother and sister-in-law.¡± From her angle, Susu could see the middle-aged man being stealthily pinched by the woman, his face contorting in pain. Susu¡¯s mouth twitched, imagining the flesh on his waist twisted a full hundred and eighty degrees. It sounded painful just to think about. But Susu had guessed the identity of the visitors¡ªit was mentioned in the book that the Lu family had three siblings, with Father Lu being the eldest, followed by a younger brother and sister. Presumably, this must be Uncle Lu and Cousin Lu¡¯s family. What was the conflict between the two families? It looked like Uncle Lu¡¯s family wasn¡¯t very welcome. Probably because it was Chinese New Year, their mother-in-law was so angry she didn¡¯t even want to look at them, yet they hadn¡¯t been thrown out. Father Lu knew his brother and sister-in-law well¡ªthey wouldn¡¯t be so enthusiastic for no reason, especially not to the point of bringing a bag of brown sugar. Frowning, without looking up, he said, ¡°Alright, what¡¯s the matter?¡± Cousin Lu¡¯s smile froze on her lips, but perhaps she was experienced in dealing with situations like this, as she quickly recovered her smile within seconds. Flashing a row of yellow teeth, ¡°I heard Second Brother¡¯s daughter-in-law opened a marinated goods store, with my sister-in-law helping out, no?¡± Uncle Lu tugged at his wife¡¯s clothes, murmuring softly. ¡°Why speak so soon? Don¡¯t be so hasty.¡± Cousin Lu backhanded him with another hundred and eighty-degree pinch and hissed through gritted teeth, ¡°Shut up, listen to your mother this time.¡± Susu noticed her mother-in-law breathing heavily in anger, grabbing her mother-in-law¡¯s dry, thin hand. She gave her mother-in-law an encouraging look, signaling not to get upset over dislikable folks¡ªit wasn¡¯t worth it. Mrs. Lu, seeing her daughter-in-law¡¯s resolute gaze, took a deep breath and squeezed back her daughter-in-law¡¯s warm, soft hand. Jiang Nan noticed the maneuver between the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, her mouth almost reaching her chin in a sneer. Psht, even with Uncle and Cousin here, there they are acting all mother-in-law and daughter-in-law affectionate. ¡°What do you mean by this, Second Brother?¡± Father Lu¡¯s brows furrowed tightly as he stared sternly at Second Brother¡¯s wife. For a moment, the room was eerily silent. Uncle Lu, intimidated under his elder brother¡¯s gaze, quivered his lips and stealthily stretched out his hand to pull his wife closer. ¡°Oh? Second Brother and Second Sister-in-law, you¡¯ve also come to wish the elder brother and sister-in-law a happy new year?¡± Two plainly dressed middle-aged people¡ªone tall and one short¡ªwalked in. Susu was completely befuddled. Now who were these people? And what was going on now? ¡°Ah, Xiao Mei and brother-in-law are here too? You¡¯ve arrived so early this year?¡± Mrs. Lu bubbled with excitement, moving down from the kang and taking the woman¡¯s hand, glancing outside the door. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you bring the kids over? Have them come over and play for a few days.¡± The newcomers were Father Lu¡¯s sister¡ªLu Mei, and the man, Fu Chunsheng, each carrying a basket on their back. She put down the back basket, which was brimming with items. Lu Xiaogu wiped the sweat off her forehead, her dark face exuding simplicity. ¡°Since we had a good harvest this year, I thought of coming over early to celebrate the New Year and, in passing, bring some dried goods and grains.¡± ¡°If you come back, you come back, what¡¯s all this with grains? Don¡¯t we have our own at home? We actually prefer the mountain goods, you can¡¯t find them for sale in the county.¡± ¡°Elder sister-in-law, it¡¯s all grown by ourselves and costs nothing. Everything is nice in the city, except everything you eat and drink costs money.¡± Second Aunt Lu watched Mrs. Lu, who had been looking down her nose earlier, was now getting along with Lu Xiaomei, the two sisters-in-law laughing and chatting together. She managed to hold back the urge to curse, thinking about the real reason for her visit. Once Mother¡¯s serious business was done, this little aunt would just wait to be scolded to death by her. Knowing to send grains to Brother Lu¡¯s family, why didn¡¯t she see any going to Second Brother Lu¡¯s house? ¡°Brother Lu and elder sister-in-law, look at these nieces and nephews, each one smarter and better behaved than the last. I was thinking it¡¯s better to employ family than hire outsiders. ¡°Look¡ª¡± ¡°No way!¡± Before Second Aunt Lu could finish listing all the advantages, Father Lu rejected her flatly with a stern face. ¡°What? What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°I said no, don¡¯t even bring it up. This store isn¡¯t ours to manage; we have no say. Even if it was ours, we have enough people, and we don¡¯t need you all, so don¡¯t even think about it.¡± Upon realizing there was no chance, Second Aunt Lu exploded on the spot. ¡°Are you insane, Brother? Using outsiders instead of your own family? You¡¯re a real piece of work, great uncle to the kids.¡± Second Uncle Lu¡¯s neck bulged as he glared angrily, ¡°Is this how you treat your brother, Brother? You¡¯re not afraid that Mother won¡¯t rest in peace, that she¡¯ll come up and find you...?¡± ¡°Second Brother!¡± Lu Xiaogu hastily tried to break it up. ¡°Shut up, or believe it or not, I¡¯ll beat you!¡± Second Brother Lu glared with eyes wide as saucers, throwing off his arm. ¡°You lay a finger on Xiao Mei, see if I don¡¯t chop you in half,¡± Mrs. Lu fiercely protected her little aunt. Father Lu slammed his hand on the table, pointing at Second Uncle Lu, ¡°I dare you! Come at me, I dare you to touch Xiaomei. As the eldest brother, I¡¯m like a father. Let¡¯s see if Mother comes up to find me after I beat you!¡± Susu patted her belly, thinking to herself that it was a bit frightening. What to do? She now had the image of Old Mrs. Lu crawling up from underground in her mind. Wuuu~~ So scary! So thrilling! Uncle Lu immediately shielded his wife and stared intently at his brother-in-law. ¡°Fine, fine, it¡¯s so typical of you, my eldest uncle and little aunt, to gang up and bully our second branch.¡± ¡°Pah! It¡¯s just making some shitty money, I don¡¯t care for it. Let¡¯s go, Dad,¡± scoffed Second Aunt Lu. Second Uncle Lu glared fiercely at Father Lu, ¡°Walk on, since they can¡¯t seem to see their poor relatives clearly.¡± ¡°Just go! Always creating a fuss!¡± Jiang Nan rolled her eyes in disdain, ¡°I can¡¯t understand why Old Mrs. Lu favored your family to begin with. Worthless, just stir up trouble at home.¡± ¡°Nannan.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll kill you, you bitch, dare to insult me!¡± Brother Lu reacted quickly, pulling his wife behind him and stood with a stern face. ¡°Uncle, please show some respect!¡± Lu Xiaoting frowned, his tone heavy, ¡°Don¡¯t force us on the New Year to have you stay at the Police Station for a few days, Uncle!¡± ¡°Alright! You win!¡± Chapter 79 - 79 79 not giving a single penny thats really ?Chapter 79: Chapter 79 not giving a single penny, that¡¯s really ruthless. Chapter 79: Chapter 79 not giving a single penny, that¡¯s really ruthless. Jiang Nan stood with her hands on her hips, cursing, ¡°Come on, if you dare to touch a single hair on my head, I¡¯ll send you straight to jail.¡± As Uncle Lu and his family skulked away dejectedly, Susu gave her elder sister-in-law a thumbs up, her face filled with sincerity. ¡°Elder sister-in-law, you¡¯re awesome!!!¡± Jiang Nan lifted her chin proudly and huffed, ¡°They got away easy and still act cute, a whole family without shame.¡± Brother Lu frowned, ¡°What are you saying? Just now, I was lucky to react quickly; otherwise, you would have been hit by Second Uncle.¡± Jiang Nan snorted, ¡°I can¡¯t stand their family. They¡¯ve never missed any opportunity to benefit themselves, and now they want to come over and leech off us? Dream on.¡± Brother Lu, feeling helpless, shook his head. Oh, the temper of his wife. Mrs. Lu, upon recalling the humiliated look on Second Brother¡¯s family, couldn¡¯t help but smile, siding with her daughter-in-law. ¡°What your wife said isn¡¯t wrong at all! Isn¡¯t it all true?¡± Jiang Nan widened her eyes. Her mother-in-law complimented her? And stood by her side? Brother Lu looked at his wife and mother forming a united front, shook his head helplessly. This just made him more fearful. Father Lu felt a thrill of satisfaction, but still maintained the solemnity needed as the head of the family and cleared his throat. ¡°Xiao Mei, are you all right? Second Brother is always like that.¡± Lu Xiaogu shook her head, ¡°I just don¡¯t understand how our mother could have been so biased back then. It made big brother, his wife, and the nephews suffer so much.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s just let bygones be bygones. Grandma is gone, no need to talk about it now.¡± Mrs. Lu sighed, pulling Lu Xiaogu and a few of the younger family members to speak next door. The men started drinking, chatting with Little Aunt¡¯s husband. Suddenly, the room with the sisters-in-law was left just to themselves, exchanging looks. Susu was a bit curious, straightening up a bit, ¡°Elder sister-in-law, do you know something?¡± Bai Xiao was also extremely curious, ¡°Yeah, elder sister-in-law, what¡¯s really going on with Second Uncle and his family? I notice that our mother doesn¡¯t seem to like them much.¡± ¡°Pah¡ª¡± Jiang Nan spat disdainfully and rolled her eyes, ¡°Them being called Second Uncle and Auntie is an insult to those terms.¡± Susu: ¡°???¡± Bai Xiao: ¡°???¡± ¡°It¡¯s normal for you not to know since you¡¯ve married into the family recently; even I have seen them only once or twice over the many years, and every time it was unpleasant.¡± Jiang Nan narrowed her eyes in reminiscence, ¡°The first time was when I had just married into the family, grandma was biased, which enraged our parents. I can¡¯t remember the specifics, but it was over something trivial. Grandma always sided with the second branch of the family. Later, I heard from your big brother that grandma was so biased back then that when she split the family, she gave nothing to our parents except for a quilt, which they had to ask for. Your big brother was only five or six years old, and the second and the third were just babies; grandma refused to look after the children. With no choice left, mom had to quit her job at the textile factory to look after them. At that time, our family couldn¡¯t even make ends meet, and it was only by borrowing food from our mother¡¯s family and her colleagues at the factory that we got by. When they went back to ask grandma for help, they found her family enjoying millet porridge and steamed mixed-flour buns. Mom cried all the way home with the children in her arms...¡± Susu and Bai Xiao listened in dismay. Clearly, grandma could have helped, but she chose to provide for her youngest son separately and excluded the eldest branch without giving them anything. Not a single penny¡ªsuch a ruthless heart. No wonder our parents dislike that couple, even though they aren¡¯t any good themselves. It just goes to show, whenever siblings are discordant, it¡¯s the parents¡¯ fault. That afternoon, Little Aunt¡¯s husband, Fu Chunsheng, went back, leaving Little Aunt to stay the night alone. Fu Chunsheng mainly worried about the children back home and the chickens and pigs; he feared the kids might not feed the pigs properly and let them lose weight while the adults were away. Little Aunt Lu Xiaomei was crammed into a room with Father Lu, Mrs. Lu, and Lu Xiaomei. ¡°Sss~¡± During dinner, Susu suddenly clutched her stomach and hissed, startling everyone into looking her way. ¡°Honey, what¡¯s wrong?¡± After gathering herself, Susu was a bit embarrassed, ¡°It¡¯s nothing, the baby just kicked me and it hurt a bit.¡± When it came to this topic, Mrs. Lu and Little Aunt had a lot to say. ¡°I remember when our family was close to giving birth later on, they would constantly punch and kick in the belly. Little Aunt¡¯s husband back then saw my belly bumping up and got scared, almost to the point of crying.¡± Mrs. Lu slapped her thigh, laughing uncontrollably, ¡°I remember, I remember, I was the same. Especially the second child, always kicking and jumping in the belly, nearly popped out early.¡± Susu elbowed her man, ¡°Looks like your mom had too much movement in the womb, is that why you¡¯re so quiet now?!¡± Lu Xiaoting awkwardly touched his nose tip, looking at his wife¡¯s frighteningly big belly. ¡°Mom, I heard twins are usually premature, so wouldn¡¯t my wife with triplets also...¡± Mrs. Lu nodded, ¡°I reckon, next month Susu will likely give birth, after the fifth day of the month, we¡¯ll see what the old traditional doctor says.¡± ¡°Right, mom, you alone won¡¯t be able to manage three kids when the time comes, we¡¯ll need to find someone else to help my wife with the babies.¡± Before Mrs. Lu could speak, Little Aunt rolled her eyes at her nephew. ¡°Your Little Aunt is sitting right here. Why look for someone else? The village isn¡¯t busy after the New Year. Little Aunt will come and help you.¡± Before Mrs. Lu could speak, Susu spoke first, ¡°Alright, then we¡¯ll bother Little Aunt. We¡¯ll give you a salary of $20 a month, and you stay and eat at our place.¡± ¡°You child, why pay your own family? That¡¯s like belittling me,¡± scoffed Lu Xiaogu, shaking her head and waving her hand, refusing the money no matter what. Mrs. Lu didn¡¯t know whether to cry or laugh, ¡°Little Aunt, just take it if Susu is giving it to you.¡± ¡°No, no, to help my own niece-in-law with the kids, how could I take money for that? What kind of person would I be then?¡± ¡°Little Aunt, if you don¡¯t come, I¡¯ll have to pay someone else the same. But no one else will care for the kids like family.¡± Susu¡¯s words left Lu Xiaogu speechless, her head spinning, and she eventually stopped arguing. The elder sister-in-law figured it was best to simply let the niece-in-law¡¯s words be, worst comes to worst, she¡¯d just do a bit more work then, managing both inside and outside the house. After seeing off the relatives and friends who came to exchange New Year¡¯s greetings, and just like that, the first day of the new year was over. The morning of the second day, The whole family was up early, a routine that continued until the fifth day. Little Aunt was sent back by her second nephew on a bicycle in the afternoon of the second day. In those times, a bicycle was still a luxury that most households couldn¡¯t afford. As soon as the bicycle entered the village, it attracted a lot of children to chase and gather around. ¡ª¡ª The Lu siblings each returned to the Provincial City. The younger ones, not yet time for school to start, clamored to stay at grandma¡¯s. Thinking it was always good to have someone home, having three youngsters there was beneficial. The youngsters were all very sensible, never shouting or screaming for fear of disturbing Aunt/Aunt, and if they were happy, they would just cover their tiny mouths and giggle softly. Chapter 80 - 80 Be mentally prepared for 80 ?Chapter 80: Be mentally prepared for Chapter 80. Chapter 80: Be mentally prepared for Chapter 80. Susu had been experiencing frequent fetal movements lately and dared not drink too much water at night, fearing she would constantly need to wake up to use the bathroom. Mrs. Su, worried her daughter-in-law might need help during the night, had simply moved in to sleep in the same room as Susu, along with the three siblings. By March, only Susu and her in-laws were left in the house. The three siblings had already started their school term and were reluctant to leave. They didn¡¯t want to leave grandma, Aunt/Third Aunt, nor Da Hei, who guarded the gate and the yard. Originally, the father-son duo, who used to come back every weekend, had been busy with Police Station work since last week and hadn¡¯t had time to return. However, the father and son would still call home every other week to ask about everyone. Just then, Mrs. Lu had just come in from outside after finishing a call, her face all smiles. Father Lu, who had the day off, asked, ¡°What did they say? You seem so happy.¡± ¡°It¡¯s the same old things, nothing new.¡± Mrs. Lu thought of the few words her second son had just said and disdainfully pursed her lips, annoyed that he had grown so tall yet only repeated the same few phrases. ¡°¡®How are mom and dad doing? How is my wife¡¯s health?...''¡± Even seven-year-old Xiao Yu was more engaging. He kept endearingly calling for grandma to the point he nearly melted her heart and even reminded grandma and grandpa to eat well, take care of their health, and not overexert themselves. Mrs. Lu glared at her husband, ¡°The second child just inherited your blunt, bumbling nature. That¡¯s why he suffers in silence. So, it makes your biased mother and that ungrateful brother of yours take advantage of him. But let¡¯s not talk about her and the eldest anymore.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no point in discussing this now that your biased mother is gone, but it was indeed pitiful how hard the eldest had it growing up, suffering because of useless parents like us.¡± Father Lu sighed, not understanding how his own mother could have treated them like that. They were all her children... Ah, it doesn¡¯t matter anymore since grandma has passed away, so what¡¯s the point in bringing it up again. Upon overhearing the old couple bickering, Susu sighed. Although she had heard from her elder sister-in-law and Lu Xiaoting about the hardships they faced after the family division in their early years, no one besides those involved could truly understand or empathize with the hardship and pain. Worried that Mrs. Lu might dwell on those upsetting thoughts, Susu diverted her attention by asking about childcare experiences. This instantly made Mrs. Lu forget the recent argument, and she started explaining how to take care of a newborn. Susu listened, confused, as it all went in one ear and out the other, and she eventually became so sleepy that she couldn¡¯t stay awake any longer. Seeing her daughter-in-law yawning, Mrs. Lu said with a helpless smile, ¡°Alright, if you¡¯re sleepy, take a little nap. I¡¯ll go cook, and it¡¯ll be ready when you wake up.¡± Provincial City Lu Xiaomei hurriedly packed her handbag, a gift from her sister-in-law purchased from the Department Store, and rushed outside. ¡°Ouch!¡± Two people collided as one entered and the other exited. Lu Xiaomei, clutching her forehead and tearing up, said, ¡°Nian Nian, are you okay? I¡¯m so sorry, I didn¡¯t see you there.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, I was walking too fast too.¡± Qiao Nian, holding his head and tearing up from the pain, asked, ¡°Are you heading to your sister-in-law¡¯s shop again?¡± ¡°Ah! I¡¯m already late. I have to rush off now!¡± By the time her roommate Qiao Nian reacted, she was already far away. Qiao Nian stared in astonishment. She sure left quickly. Lu Xiaomei currently managed the books for two shops plus a marinated goods courtyard, earning 35 yuan each month. Additionally, she made one yuan each day she worked part-time at a restaurant when not checking the accounts. Her monthly expenses were limited to food alone, allowing her to save 30 yuan each month. By her estimate, her elder sister-in-law was likely due to give birth soon. Lu Xiaomei, after settling the accounts for several shops, rushed to the Department Store, thinking of buying something for her elder sister-in-law. The nieces and nephews weren¡¯t a worry, as long as the baby had food and drink. The main thing was what to pick for her elder sister-in-law? Lu Xiaomei wandered all four floors of the Department Store, returning to school with a look of indecision on her face. Police Station on the Second Road Recently, several cases of burglary had occurred nearby. Although the items taken weren¡¯t very valuable, they had caused panic among the local community. The police at the station had heightened their patrols while trying to solve the cases quickly. Although Lu Xiaoting was worried about his wife, he would focus all his attention on work whenever he was on duty. The police profession was sometimes very dangerous, so he had to be extra vigilant. Xiao Yu, though worried about his aunt, didn¡¯t want to distract his uncle, and obediently went to and from school every day with the children of Police Song. In the county, Susu was awakened by bursts of pain in her abdomen. The contractions had become more frequent lately. Assuming it was just another contraction, she didn¡¯t want to wake her mother-in-law next to her and bit her lower lip to endure the pain. Fortunately, the pain subsided after a while, leaving Susu sweating profusely and breathing a sigh of relief. Mrs. Lu, half asleep, heard some noise and reflexively reached out beside her, touching a wet hand. Startled, she sat up immediately and saw her daughter-in-law sweating profusely and in pain. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Susu? Why are you sweating so much?¡± Hearing her mother-in-law¡¯s trembling voice, Susu caught her breath, ¡°Mom, my stomach hurts. I thought it was just a contraction, but now it¡¯s quite severe.¡± ¡°Wait here, I¡¯ll call your father to get the vehicle, and we¡¯ll take you to the hospital right away. Don¡¯t be scared.¡± Mrs. Lu, without even taking time to dress properly, rushed in her undershirt to call Father Lu. The elderly couple rushed about in a panic, helping Susu put on a sweater and cotton clothes with the aid of Mrs. Lu. A thick layer of mattresses was laid on the tricycle, and Susu was helped into it while Mrs. Lu grabbed another layer to cover her. Pulling down the tricycle¡¯s hood, the family of three hurried directly to the county hospital. ¡°Whoo~¡± Seeming to sense their owners¡¯ tension, Da Hei was restlessly pacing back and forth in the yard. ¡°Doctor, doctor, my daughter-in-law is about to give birth.¡± ... After a chaotic flurry, a very sweaty Susu was taken into the delivery room. Father Lu and Mrs. Lu were so anxious they were pacing in circles, neither able to sit nor stand. Soon, they heard a loud cry. Father Lu and Mrs. Lu looked at each other, shaking their heads. It couldn¡¯t have been that quick; there must be someone else in the delivery room. ¡°Where is Su Er Ya¡¯s family?¡± ¡°What? My Susu gave birth that quickly?¡± The doctor, with a stern face, scolded, ¡°Why did you bring her so late? She nearly gave birth on the road.¡± ¡°What? How is my daughter-in-law? Is she okay?¡± Seeing the genuine concern on their faces, the doctor¡¯s tone softened a bit. ¡°The mother is fine, but the third of the triplets is very weak. You need to be prepared. Have you got the baby bundle ready?¡± Mrs. Lu, in a daze, handed the bundle she was holding to the doctor. Chapter 81 - 81 81 The Diaper Snatching Drama ?Chapter 81: Chapter 81: The Diaper Snatching Drama Chapter 81: Chapter 81: The Diaper Snatching Drama ¡°Susu?¡± Looking at her daughter-in-law who had fainted with a pale face, Father Lu and Mrs. Lu each held a child, anxiously following behind. Another child was carried to the ward by a nurse. The ward was a large one, occupied by pregnant women and new mothers. As soon as the triplets entered the ward, they caused quite a stir. One by one, everyone¡¯s envious eyes turned red, as they all offered their congratulations. Mrs. Lu looked at the smallest granddaughter, a lot smaller than her two elder brothers, with a worried face. ¡°Old man, go back and cook some egg noodles for Susu, and also call your second son and your sister.¡± ¡°Mhm, I¡¯m rushing back now.¡± ¡°What? You¡¯re back so soon?¡± Mrs. Lu was surprised. It was just a round trip, so quick? ¡°I had just left when I ran into Aunt Wang. She said she saw this morning that Susu was about to give birth, and knowing the two of us would be too busy, she helped cook the brown sugar egg noodles.¡± ¡°Oh my, we really owe her a big thanks.¡± Mrs. Lu quickly helped her daughter-in-law sit up, ¡°Susu, eat while it¡¯s hot, eat plenty.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Having not eaten anything all morning, her stomach had already started to rumble loudly. In no time, a lunchbox full of noodles was emptied. Susu wiped her mouth, feeling content. ¡°Mom, how are the children?¡± ¡°They are all good, this one is the eldest, this is the second, and the third is a little girl, just like a little kitten.¡± Mrs. Lu dared not repeat what the doctor had said, fearing it would upset her daughter-in-law who had just given birth. ¡°Waah~¡± The second child suddenly let out a cry, startling the eldest and the third, whose little mouths puckered, and they started crying too. Both brothers¡¯ cries were loud, but only the skinny and small third child, even when crying, had a tiny voice. Susu was so flustered by the children¡¯s crying that she didn¡¯t know what to do. The old couple calmly checked the children¡¯s diapers; they were all dry. Fortunately, three bottles had been prepared in advance, and they each fed a child. After a good meal, the three siblings soon closed their eyes and fell asleep again. Almost noon, Lu Xiaogu came rushing in with a bundle, panting heavily. ¡°Big brother, elder sister-in-law, as soon as I received the notice, I rushed right over. How is the second brother¡¯s wife? Where are the children?¡± ¡°Shh. Susu and the children are all asleep.¡± Mrs. Lu pulled Lu Xiaogu down to sit and quietly pointed out the three children. ¡°Has Susu¡¯s milk come in?¡± Lu Xiaogu asked in a low voice. Mrs. Lu shook her head, ¡°Just the old man and I, how can we find the time to go back and cook soup? You don¡¯t know, when one of the children cries, the other two have to wail as well. Especially the second one, with such a loud voice, the eldest and the third have been scared into crying several times already.¡± As soon as her words fell, a ¡°waah¡± sound started, and a trio of cries began again. Susu was woken up by the children¡¯s crying and saw the three elders each holding a child, changing diapers. ¡°Aunt, how are Susu and the children?¡± Aunt Su and Aunt Su came in with smiles, carrying things. Little Aunt peeked at the three lookalike tiny ones, ¡°Oh, I think these eyebrows and eyes look like the second one.¡± Just as the diapers were changed, the pouting started again, and the three elders expertly began feeding. ¡°Susu, try the chicken soup and see how it is, your Aunt and I have been stewing it all morning.¡± As Aunt Su opened the lunch box, the rich fragrance of chicken soup instantly filled the whole ward. The hospital room was suddenly filled with the strange sound of a stomach growling. ¡°Thank you, Aunt, thank you, Auntie.¡± Perhaps because giving birth had been so physically draining, upon smelling the delicious chicken soup, Susu felt a sudden emptiness in her stomach. ¡°Which one of you elder sister-in-laws bought this? I¡¯ll give you the money for it.¡± As soon as Mrs. Lu finished speaking, she was met with rolling eyes from her own elder sister-in-law and sister. ¡°What¡¯s this? I, as an elder, make a chicken soup for Susu and you still want to pay? Do you have too much money or what?¡± ¡°Exactly! If it weren¡¯t for Susu, where could we earn so much money in a month? We, the elders, want to show our affection, and you always bring up money.¡± Watching her mother-in-law being reprimanded by Aunt and Auntie, Susu swallowed back her own offer of ¡°I¡¯ll give you the money.¡± Better to just drink the chicken soup obediently and not offend Aunt and Auntie. Since her body was mostly fine, Susu went back home that very afternoon. Unlike the rushed departure, the tricycle ride back was filled with three little ones, and the adults¡¯ expressions were cheerful and relaxed. ¡°Woof woof woof.¡± Seeing the owners return, Da Hei excitedly wagged its tail, following them into the house. Hearing the commotion next door, Aunt Wang poked her head out to look. ¡°Go on, your sister and the others are back.¡± ¡°Okay. Thank you, Auntie.¡± Worried that the kang was too hard, Mrs. Lu first laid two layers of quilts on it before slowly helping her daughter-in-law onto the bed. Susu lay at the head of the kang, covered with blankets, and still wearing a headscarf. The three little ones were lying side by side next to Susu, now fist in hand, sleeping soundly. ¡°Auntie, I¡¯m back, elder sister.¡± Susu looked at the blonde girl on the floor and frowned, ¡°How come you¡¯re back?¡± ¡°Elder sister, when I heard from my brother-in-law that you¡¯d given birth, I wanted to come back and help you take care of the nephews.¡± Afraid that her sister would send her back to the county again, Su Sanya continued, ¡°My Aunt and Little Aunt surely can¡¯t manage by themselves, and I¡¯ve been taking care of Bao Gen since I was a child. I can help you with the nieces and nephews, and take care of you during your confinement. Besides, the brine goods business won¡¯t be affected without me. Please let me stay, elder sister.¡± Looking into the girl¡¯s watery red eyes, Susu shook her head. ¡°Alright, stay then. Just like Little Aunt, I¡¯ll give you 20 yuan a month. Don¡¯t refuse, or I won¡¯t keep you.¡± Su Sanya¡¯s round mouth opened and closed, finally shutting. After all, the young girl was still childish, moments ago she had had tearful eyes, and now she was grinning foolishly at the three little babies. ¡°Little Aunt, I¡¯m here.¡± Seeing Lu Xiaogu carrying a basin of the triplets¡¯ diapers, Su Sanya immediately jumped off the kang, eager to wash them. In the middle of the floor, big and small grabbing the basin, both competing to wash the diapers. Mrs. Lu, amused yet helpless, spoke up, ¡°Little Aunt and Sanyi, neither of you needs to fight. Let¡¯s do this: one person washes the diapers each day. Little Aunt can wash them today.¡± ¡°And Sanyi, don¡¯t call her ¡®Little Aunt,¡¯ it sounds strange. Just follow what your sister calls her, just say ¡®Little Aunt.''¡± ¡°Aunt, I got it.¡± ... As Susu watched this battle over the diapers, she was just about to drift off to sleep when the second child¡¯s voice was the first to pierce her ears. ¡°Wah~¡± Susu was in for it!!! Sure enough, the next second, a trio of cries erupted from the siblings, nearly bursting Susu¡¯s eardrums. Thankfully, there were enough family members at home, one to take care of each child. Susu closed her eyes and slept peacefully, after all her breast milk hadn¡¯t even come in yet; the children could only drink the formula for now. Chapter 82 - 82 82 Pingping Anan Lele ?Chapter 82: Chapter 82: Pingping, An¡¯an, Lele Chapter 82: Chapter 82: Pingping, An¡¯an, Lele Within a day, there was chicken soup and pig¡¯s trotters, and by that night, Susu felt her breasts swelling. ¡°Mom, my chest is really swollen, could it be that I¡¯m going to...¡± Mrs. Lu, holding the bottle-fed second child, snatched the bottle away. ¡°Second is strong, let him suckle you.¡± The baby, whose meal was suddenly taken away, pouted pitifully and began to hum with mouth agape. Something was suddenly stuffed into his mouth, and he instinctively started sucking hard. ¡°Si~¡± Susu whimpered softly as the little one¡¯s suckling caused her chest to ache painfully. The baby finally got his wish and drank the fresh milk, gulping it down greedily. ¡°Come, suckle this side for Mommy, my precious big baby.¡± ¡°Wah~~¡± Having just managed to eat something, only to have it suddenly disappear, the little one opened his mouth wide and started to wail unhappily. His cries startled the little kids in Su Sanya¡¯s arms and Lu Xiaogu¡¯s embrace, who clutched their own bottles protectively with small hands. Susu felt a sharp pain in her chest, followed by a sense of relief. The baby, fearing his food would be snatched away again, suckled intermittently while still gulping down milk, with both little hands guarding his meal. All three eventually fell asleep while drinking, their eyes slowly closing. Mrs. Lu quickly took the grandson into her arms and whispered, ¡°Susu, you better lie down quickly. During your confinement, you can¡¯t keep sitting; it¡¯ll make your back hurt.¡± Susu did as she was told, surveying the room¡ªwhich had a stool next to the coal stove, with the siblings¡¯ diapers hanging in a circle. Su Sanya looked at her little niece and felt a pang of heartache. How could she be so tiny? ¡°Susu, we can¡¯t keep calling them ¡®first,¡¯ ¡®second,¡¯ and ¡®third,¡¯ it¡¯s so awkward. Pick some nicknames for the kids. We¡¯ll think about their formal names when Second comes back and discusses it with your dad.¡± Susu looked at the babies lined up and after a thought said, ¡°Let¡¯s call them Pingping, Anan, and Lele. I hope they will always be safe and healthy, happy together!¡± ¡°Aiyo, those are good names, much better than the village dogs¡¯ Egg, the pigs¡¯ Kid, or the cows¡¯ Egg,¡± Lu Xiaogu applauded in approval. Mrs. Lu smiled tenderly as she gently touched her grandchildren¡¯s faces, calling them one by one, ¡°Pingping, Anan, Lele.¡± That night, Mrs. Lu, Lu Xiaogu, and Su Sanya stayed in the room with Susu and the triplets, half the night spent soothing the three children. Father Lu, being the father-in-law, felt awkward squeezing in with a room full of women and children, and since he had to work, he had to sleep alone in another room. Early the next morning, Lu Xiaoting rushed home with Xiao Yu. Looking at his wife and children on the bed, Lu Xiaoting¡¯s heart was filled with indescribable sadness and guilt. The father and son warmed up before climbing onto the bed to join the family. ¡°Mom, why are you holding the kids?¡± Mrs. Lu glared at her son with irritation and said, ¡°We¡¯re taking them to your father¡¯s room to avoid waking up Susu later. Let Susu sleep a bit more.¡± Xiao Yu looked at his brother and sisters, then at his aunt, and decisively chose to stay with his aunt. Susu felt as though she had slept for a long time, not even hearing the children¡¯s cries, and squinted as she reached out her hand. ¡°Hm?¡± Susu opened her eyes in confusion, only to be startled awake by the sight of two handsome faces, one big, one small. ¡°I~~~damn~~~¡± Seeing his wife¡¯s startled reaction, Lu Xiaoting said sheepishly, ¡°Wife, I scared you.¡± Susu patted her chest, closed her eyes to calm herself, and helplessly rested a hand on her forehead. ¡°When did you father and son come back? That¡¯s not right... Isn¡¯t today Tuesday? How come you¡¯re back?¡± ¡°Aunt, Uncle took leave from school; we came back to see Auntie and our little brothers and sisters.¡± ¡°Wife, I didn¡¯t make it back for such an important event as you giving birth; I must stay with you during your confinement period.¡± Susu was naturally happy that her man was concerned about her, but then she thought about it. ¡°That¡¯s not right, can your workplace actually give you that much time off?¡± ¡°And Xiao Yu, you can¡¯t possibly miss a whole month of school, right? No way, we can¡¯t allow anything to interfere with your education.¡± Faced with his wife¡¯s piercing eyes, Lu Xiaoting touched his nose. ¡°I begged our boss for half a month¡¯s leave, and as for Xiao Yu, I had him bring his textbooks along. I¡¯ll tutor him during this half-month. It definitely won¡¯t affect his studies; otherwise, we¡¯ll all be in the county while the little guy is by himself in Provincial City, not convenient to mention. If he¡¯s worrying about home, he certainly won¡¯t study well either.¡± Susu gave her man a glare, then looked at Xiao Yu who was nodding his head pitifully at her, and pretended to sigh heavily. ¡°Alright, but if it does affect your studies...¡± Hearing the warning in their wife/aunt¡¯s tone, the father and son shook their heads and swore in unison that it wouldn¡¯t happen. As they were talking, they heard the loud voice of the second child, An¡¯an. Mrs. Lu, Lu Xiaogu, and Su Sanya each carried a child and filed in, with An¡¯an¡¯s voice dominating the trio of the little ones. The third child, Lele, was like a little kitten; not only was he much smaller than his two brothers at birth, even his cries were tiny huffs. Mrs. Lu handed the loud-voiced second child to her son. ¡°Susu, you feed Lele first, I¡¯ll go mix the formula and first feed Pingping and Anan.¡± ¡°Yes, Mum.¡± New mother Susu was flustered by the crying children. Seeing her little daughter didn¡¯t eat like her brothers, taking small, intermittent bites, her heart hung in suspense. Mrs. Lu came into the room with two bottles and put them up to the mouths of the crying grandchildren. Pingping, the eldest, seemed tired from crying, suckling a few times before continuing to feed. Anan took a sip, paused in surprise, then spit it out. No matter what, he refused to keep the nipple in his mouth and started crying loudly. ¡°You little rascal, have you become too good for formula after tasting breast milk? Be a good baby and don¡¯t cry, grandma can see your little throat all red.¡± ¡°Wah~¡± Susu¡¯s heart was breaking from the children¡¯s crying. ¡°Lu Xiaoting, come over here with the kids and join us for a meal.¡± Eventually, Mrs. Lu and Lu Xiaoting each held a child, while Susu leaned against a pillow. Susu pinched An¡¯an¡¯s chubby little arm. ¡°You little rascal, you¡¯re pretty strong.¡± Now that he was full, the eldest Pingping was content, playing with his little fingers. Xiao Yu looked at his wrinkled little brother and sister, their little faces all scrunched up, like tiny old men. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Xiao Yu?¡± Sanyi, seeing her young nephew looking puzzled, moved closer to have a look. ¡°Auntie, come here.¡± Xiao Yu, while the adults weren¡¯t paying attention, gestured for his aunt to lean closer. ¡°Auntie, why are the little brother and sister so ugly? My uncle and auntie are both so handsome and pretty.¡± ¡°Hey, looks like I need to study hard and earn a lot of money, and also take good care of my little brothers and sisters.¡± Sixteen-year-old Su Sanya chuckled, patted her nephew on the head. ¡°Newborns are all like that, changing every day. Give it a couple of days, they¡¯ll be good-looking.¡± Chapter 83 - 83 83 Light Yellow Arc ?Chapter 83: Chapter 83 Light Yellow Arc Chapter 83: Chapter 83 Light Yellow Arc Xiao Yu looked at his aunt suspiciously and nodded hesitantly. However, in the little guy¡¯s heart, she had resolved to study hard and earn money to support her younger siblings. Susu lowered her head and glanced at her noticeably uneven chest, her mouth twitching slightly. The triplets fell asleep once full, clutching their tiny hands, and drifting off in no time. Afraid of forming habits for the three children, Mrs. Lu and others only picked them up to comfort them when they cried. Usually, they lined them up on the bed to sleep on their own or to play with their fingers. Susu received a gift that Lu Xiaoting had brought back for his own sister, a red checkered scarf. She immediately put it on, unable to wait, and listened to the whole family compliment her one after another, her eyes squinting with laughter. ¡°Little Sister is thoughtful, I really like it.¡± Lu Xiaoting cleared his throat and took the opportunity, while it was just the two of them, though the three little ones on the bed didn¡¯t count. He mysteriously pulled out a watch from his pocket, ¡°Wife, see if you like it.¡± ¡°A watch?¡± Susu was somewhat flattered; at that time, watches were a hot commodity, expensive not to mention, mainly because most people couldn¡¯t even get their hands on one. Seeing how delighted his wife was as she flipped it back and forth, the corners of Lu Xiaoting¡¯s mouth slightly curled up. ¡°Wife, as long as you like it.¡± ¡°No, wait.¡± Susu suspiciously looked at her husband, her eyes slightly squinting. ¡°Tell me! Where did you get the money from? Hiding savings?¡± ¡°Cough.¡± Lu Xiaoting choked, feeling a bit guilty under his wife¡¯s scrutiny, and coughed with one hand clenched into a fist. ¡°Last month¡¯s salary, and I borrowed a bit from a coworker, I have to repay it every month when I get paid. I even made a promissory note.¡± Susu gave the man a disapproving look, ¡°When we get back, you return the money to your coworker.¡± ¡°Just two yuan in your pocket and you dare buy a watch. You¡¯ve got quite the nerve.¡± Caught under the gaze of his big puppy-dog eyes, Susu blinked, and since no one else was in the room, she quickly kissed him on the cheek. She whispered, ¡°This is your reward.¡± As soon as Mrs. Lu walked in, she saw her second son smiling foolishly for no apparent reason and contorted her mouth in disdain. ¡°You¡¯re already a father, what are you smiling at? Hurry up and go wash your son and daughter¡¯s diapers.¡± Resigned, Lu Xiaoting glanced at his wife, who wasn¡¯t paying attention to him, and got off the bed to wash his son and daughter¡¯s diapers. Looking at the full basin of diapers, the man¡¯s dark eyes narrowed, ¡°Is this from one night?¡± ¡°Nonsense.¡± Mrs. Lu couldn¡¯t help herself and slapped her son on the back. ¡°Little babies eat and then pee, especially three of them, of course, it¡¯s going to be a lot.¡± Lu Xiaogu tried to divert her nephew¡¯s attention, ¡°Elder sister-in-law, what are we cooking for Susu today?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s do soybeans stewed with pig¡¯s feet; we still have plenty of soybeans at home.¡± ... ¡°Aunt Wang, I¡¯ve put your things out by the door, remember to come out and take them.¡± It was the voice of Aunt Wang from next door. ¡°Hey, thank you, Aunt Wang, when my Susu is out of her confinement, invite her over to your house.¡± ¡°Alright, you¡¯re busy.¡± Mrs. Lu hurried to the door and brought in the eggs and brown sugar laid at the entrance. Just as she entered, she heard a knock on the door, accompanied by a voice. ¡°Aunt Lu, it¡¯s Old He¡¯s family here, we heard your second daughter-in-law gave birth to triplets... truly congratulations!¡± ¡°Ouch, thanks to Aunt He. Once Susu is out of confinement, feel free to come over.¡± ¡°Definitely, definitely, we will stop by to share in the joy then. I left the stuff at the door, remember to pick it up, Aunt He. I¡¯m heading back now.¡± As soon as it was quiet outside, Mrs. Lu hurried her son to pick up the things from the doorstep. Throughout the morning, people from the Family Court with good relationships kept coming to give gifts. Around here, the custom for people who are on good terms is to just say a few words at the doorway and leave the gifts for the pregnant woman outside without entering. The belief is that only blood relatives can actually enter the house to see the pregnant woman and child; otherwise, stepping inside might ¡°tread¡± on the child, which could harm the infant. People who abide by these customs usually say a few nice words, leave their gifts, and go. Those who don¡¯t care much about such customs might just walk in, ¡°treading¡± on the child, which makes the hosts uncomfortable, though it¡¯s usually just brushed off. Lu Xiaoting, just as he was about to enter the house with eggs and brown sugar, ran into Granny and Grandpa Sun, who were carrying a basket on their backs. ¡°Granny and Grandpa Sun are here, come on in.¡± ¡°We¡¯d better not. We don¡¯t want to ¡®tread¡¯ on the child, it¡¯s not good.¡± Granny Sun waved her hands to decline, helping her husband to lower the basket. Lu Xiaoting quickly went up to help, noticing the basket was quite heavy. ¡°Xiao Lu, these are air-dried chickens and ducks we exchanged with folks in the countryside. We also bought two old hens and four pig¡¯s trotters. Take all these inside for your wife to nourish her body. We thought your home wouldn¡¯t lack eggs and brown sugar, so we specifically got these from the countryside.¡± ¡°Granny and Grandpa Sun, this is too generous of you¡ª¡± Granny Sun interrupted, ¡°This isn¡¯t for you; it¡¯s for your wife to strengthen her body. Just accept it. Why act like strangers when we¡¯re family?¡± Despite their refusal to come inside, Lu Xiaoting had to watch as the elderly couple left and only then carried the large basket inside. ¡°What took you so long to come inside?¡± Still handling the hair on the pig¡¯s trotters, Mrs. Lu looked up to see her son with a big basket and was startled. ¡°Oh my, why so much stuff?¡± Lu Xiaoting recounted the recent events, and Mrs. Lu sighed. ¡°The elderly couple specifically brought it all this way; just accept it. We can return the favor slowly over time.¡± ¡°Your elder sister-in-law and Aunt came by yesterday as well with a lot of stuff. Our home is almost overflowing, so I had your father store it all in the spare room.¡± Right then, Susu, who was quietly lying on the Kang bed zoning out, pricked up her ears curiously upon hearing the noise outside. When Lu Xiaoting entered the room, he saw his wife gazing at him with sparkling eyes. ¡°Mom, what are they doing? Are they singeing pig¡¯s trotters? I can smell the burning hair.¡± ¡°Hmm, why don¡¯t you sleep a bit more?¡± Susu pouted, ¡°Not sleepy. If I sleep any more, I feel like I will merge with the Kang.¡± Lu Xiaoting couldn¡¯t help but laugh. He had just prepared some warm water for his wife when An¡¯an on the Kang burst into cries. Pingping, with her big eyes, and Lele, with his eyes shut, were startled by it and shivered, their little faces turning red as they both began bawling. ¡°Brother, don¡¯t cry. Let me see if you¡¯ve wet yourself.¡± Xiao Yu checked and indeed, An¡¯an¡¯s diaper was soaked. Lifting up his little brother¡¯s legs, he pulled out the damp diaper. ¡°Good boy, An¡¯an, don¡¯t cry. Brother will change your diaper so you don¡¯t startle your siblings.¡± Xiao Yu tried to soothe his brother in a mature manner, but he was a bit clumsy with the diaper change. Just as Susu was about to speak, Su Sanyi quickly took the diaper from Xiao Yu¡¯s hands. ¡°Xiao Yu, let me do it.¡± Holding An¡¯an¡¯s little feet, Xiao Yu nodded and was about to speak when a pale yellow arc sprayed onto his face. Chapter 84 - 84 84 Childs Urine ?Chapter 84: Chapter 84 Child¡¯s Urine Chapter 84: Chapter 84 Child¡¯s Urine The little guy looked bewildered and then saw that the arc came from Little An¡¯an. ¡°Ah?¡± Su Sanya exclaimed in surprise and couldn¡¯t help laughing, ¡°An¡¯an? How did you manage to squirt urine on Brother¡¯s face?¡± The little guy grinned toothlessly with a silly smile. Su Sanya pursed her lips and snickered. Mrs. Lu rushed in anxiously, ¡°What happened? What happened?¡± ¡°Mom, quickly get a cloth for Xiao Yu. An¡¯an squirted urine on his brother¡¯s face.¡± Susu laughed, her shoulders shaking and her voice breaking with laughter. ¡°What?¡± Mrs. Lu¡¯s eyes widened in shock. She turned to give Xiao Yu a towel and saw the damp spot on his little face, then cleaned it up with a smile. ¡°It¡¯s alright, it¡¯s alright. Baby¡¯s urine is clean; we¡¯re not afraid of child¡¯s urine.¡± Xiao Yu: ¡°...¡± ¡°Hahaha...¡± Laughing, Mrs. Lu just couldn¡¯t hold back any longer. Several kinds of laughter echoed through the room one after another. Lu Xiaoting patted Xiao Yu¡¯s shoulder and suppressed his smile. ¡°Are you alright? Do you need to wash your face?¡± Xiao Yu just stood there blankly while his uncle helped him wash and wipe his face. Afterwards, he sighed as he watched his second brother, who was gnawing on his little hands all slobbered, and patted the little guy¡¯s bottom. ¡°Hey, you little mischief maker, actually squirting urine on Brother¡¯s face. You can¡¯t do that anymore, okay?¡± Little An¡¯an thought Brother was just playing with him and showed a toothless smile. Father Lu came home from work and heard the laughter at home, curious: ¡°What are you talking about? So cheerful. I could hear the laughter from far away.¡± Lu Xiaogu pursed her lips and snickered, glancing at her sister-in-law. Father Lu looked puzzled. Mrs. Lu started talking and couldn¡¯t stop laughing, nodding her chin as she recounted her grandson¡¯s glorious deeds from the morning. Father Lu listened with a smile and went to wash his hands before checking on his grandchildren. The three little ones were lined up, sleeping soundly with their eyes closed. Afraid to wake them up, Father Lu sat by, smiling and watching. He saw Little An¡¯an frown, his little face slowly turning red. His small mouth puckered, and he whined. Father Lu patted his eldest grandson, ¡°Oh my, what¡¯s the matter? Your little face is all red.¡± Lu Xiaoting leaned in, ¡°Probably peed.¡± ¡°You sit down. I¡¯ll handle it.¡± Father Lu opened his grandson¡¯s wrap, and just as he lifted his legs, a sour stench hit him. The next second, a little yellow mass caught his eye. ¡°Oh, Grandpa¡¯s Little An¡¯an did a smelly poop? So smelly, so smelly.¡± Father Lu deftly wiped his grandson¡¯s bottom and changed his diaper, not minding at all, but instead looking very pleased. Susu inadvertently caught sight of her son¡¯s yellow waste and gagged reflexively. ¡°Ugh~¡± Lu Xiaoting immediately turned to block his wife¡¯s view, ¡°It¡¯s okay, you just rest, the children are taken care of.¡± Susu nodded, wiping away the reflexive tears at the corner of her eyes. After all, with so many people at home, and herself confined after childbirth, she worried about nothing but feeding. At midnight Lu Xiaoting heard the children starting to whine and quickly woke up her sister, Lu Xiaogu, and Aunt Sanyi. ¡°Little Aunt, Sanyi, keep an eye on the kids; I¡¯m going downstairs to mix the formula.¡± Lu Xiaogu and Su Sanya wrapped themselves in cotton coats and quietly soothed the several babies. Lu Xiaoting, not wanting the crying to wake his wife, swiftly prepared three bottles of formula. Fortunately, the triplets were accustomed to the taste of the formula. Although not too happy, they still hugged their bottles and gulped it down. Susu, half-asleep, glanced at the people in the room, ¡°Are the kids hungry?¡± ¡°No worries, my dear, go back to sleep.¡± Hearing her husband¡¯s words, Susu drifted back into a deep sleep, seemingly unaware of any noises in the later part of the night. The triplets had become like set alarm clocks, waking punctually and periodically throughout the night. Thankfully, with Lu Xiaoting, Lu Xiaogu, and Su Sanya there, Susu hardly had to wake up at night. Mrs. Lu often said that no other family¡¯s children were as sensible as theirs; they would grunt when hungry or wet before they started crying. However, if one of the triplets cried, the other two were sure to follow. Luckily, there were enough hands at home; one person per baby meant no frantic scrambling. There, Susu was listening to her mother-in-law and Little Aunt discuss the village gossip while little Lele whimpered like a kitten, her mouth wide open. The family all felt for the little girl, so tiny and struggling to nurse, having to pause frequently. They were especially concerned about little Lele thriving, prioritizing her for breastfeeding. Susu, holding her baby girl while nursing, expressed her surprise, ¡°Mom, don¡¯t you think little Lele seems to look a bit prettier?¡± Mrs. Lu, soothing her yawning grandson, replied, ¡°Absolutely, baby fed with breeze growing in no time. Just a few days and she¡¯ll look even better once she¡¯s out of the confinement.¡± Susu nodded, ¡°I see.¡± When she first saw the triplets, they were all wrinkled like little monkeys; Susu, their mother, even found them somewhat repulsive, truly wrinkly and ugly. But these past few days, either they had grown a bit, or she had gotten used to their looks. At least she wasn¡¯t as repulsed. Finally, when little Lele finished nursing, Susu had just picked up the loudly crying An¡¯an when the little guy immediately wrapped his hands protectively around his own food source. With the fear of someone snatching it away, he sucked with astonishing force, causing Susu some pain from the vigorous nursing. She gently patted the little rascal¡¯s bottom, ¡°Little mischief, be gentle.¡± The little guy continued sputtering, gulping down the milk noisily. Pingping and Lele, previously well-fed and watered, were now squinting and drowsy. Lu Xiaoting took An¡¯an from her, ¡°Dear, go rest for a while.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± After the three young ones were asleep, careful not to disturb the triplets, Lu Xiaoting took Xiao Yu next door to study. Falling behind in their studies could make catching up rather difficult. Fortunately, Xiao Yu was inherently bright and keen on learning; Lu Xiaoting found teaching him quite manageable, as the kid caught on very quickly. Lu Xiaoting patted the youngster¡¯s shoulder reassuringly, ¡°Xiao Yu, strive to study hard. As long as you are willing, your uncle and your aunt will surely support you through college.¡± ¡°Uncle, I¡¯ll work hard.¡± Xiao Yu clenched his little fists, silently cheering himself on. Susu¡¯s confinement was outrageously pleasant, her days filled with nothing but eating and sleeping. Ahem, of course, there were unpleasant aspects too... like using the bathroom, which was simply too inconvenient. Mentioning this, Susu was nearly ready to roar towards the sky, wishing she could immediately install a flush toilet at home. With the outside temperature at minus thirty degrees, a single trip outside could turn a person into an icicle. ¡°Susu, quick, mom has made you brown sugar eggs, drink them while they¡¯re hot,¡± ¡°Thank you, Mom.¡± Susu took the steaming large bowl, and with one spoonful, felt her entire stomach warm up instantly. Looking at the half-finished brown sugar eggs, Susu, touching her full stomach, really couldn¡¯t eat any more, so she passed it to Lu Xiaoting and Xiao Yu to finish while it was still hot. Chapter 85 - 85 85 Life Holds No More Appeal ?Chapter 85: Chapter 85: Life Holds No More Appeal Chapter 85: Chapter 85: Life Holds No More Appeal Lu Xiaoting frowned and shook his head, ¡°Too sweet.¡± Susu then remembered that this man had never liked things too sweet. ¡°Let Xiao Yu and her Aunt share it then.¡± Watching the two, one big and one small, politely pushing the brown sugar egg back and forth. Susu helplessly shook her head, directly took the empty cup in her hands, and split the brown sugar egg into two servings. ¡°Alright, one for each. Eat it all, no wasting.¡± Su Sanya held the cup, her eyes brimming with tears, and thanked her second sister. ¡°Thank you, second sister. If you can¡¯t finish, next time, Auntie can make less; it¡¯s a waste for us.¡± Xiao Yu nodded vigorously in agreement with his Aunt¡¯s words. The thing Susu dreaded most in life was seeing someone cry, so she simply closed her eyes to sleep, out of sight, out of mind. Su Sanya blinked, ¡°...¡± In the blink of an eye, half a month had passed, and Lu Xiaoting had already taken the reluctant Xiao Yu back to Provincial City. Susu was not at all reluctant to part with the departing pair, the adult and the child. After all, it¡¯s not like they wouldn¡¯t see each other again. What was there to feel sad or upset about? Susu, with her hair braided in two plaits and wearing a headscarf, slouched miserably at the head of the kang bed. This was the scene that Lu Xiaomei returned to, startling her; she feared that there had been a conflict between their mother and her second sister-in-law. Seeing her little sister-in-law beating around the bush, Susu could not help but laugh and cry. Not wanting her mother-in-law to be unjustly implicated, she could only say she had been unable to bathe and wash her hair, feeling unbearably itchy. Lu Xiaomei scratched her head and chuckled, ¡°Second sister-in-law, I thought Mom did something to upset you.¡± ¡°Hey, you little rascal.¡± Mrs. Lu walked in and overheard her daughter¡¯s remark, and swung a slap without good humor. ¡°If you don¡¯t come back, it¡¯s fine, but the moment you do, you start stirring up trouble between us mother and daughter-in-law, making it sound like I¡¯ve done something terrible.¡± Lu Xiaomei, nursing her sore back from her mother¡¯s Iron Sand Palm hit, muttered, ¡°I was just worried about you being tired from looking after elder sister-in-law during her confinement...¡± ¡°You think I¡¯m deaf? Can your elder sister-in-law be compared to your second sister-in-law? When has she ever been pretentious or dramatic?¡± Mrs. Lu, hands on hips, glared irritably at her daughter. Lu Xiaomei, seeing the murderous look in her mother¡¯s eyes, decisively changed the topic. She pulled out two bags of milk powder, ¡°Second sister-in-law, I ran to the Department Store several times and barely managed to snatch up these two bags.¡± Seeing the milk powder, Mrs. Lu¡¯s eyes lit up; the triplets at home were indeed consuming a lot of milk powder. She promptly put away the milk powder, ¡°Good, your Little Aunt has thought of her nephews and niece, buying them milk powder. That¡¯s very thoughtful.¡± ¡°Little sister really cares,¡± Susu warmly acknowledged her little sister-in-law¡¯s thoughtfulness. Having discussed the important matters, Lu Xiaomei then remembered about her little nieces and nephew. Careful not to disturb the triplets sleeping soundly, she looked around cautiously. She whispered, ¡°It¡¯s so amazing, these three tiny babies.¡± ¡°Second sister-in-law, Lele is so little.¡± ... After visiting her nephew triplets, Lu Xiaomei took out an account book from her bag, ¡°Second sister-in-law, I came back this time to see you and the triplets, but also to show you the accounts from several of our stores.¡± ¡°I was thinking you might be bored, and this could be something to do.¡± Lu Xiaogu walked in and heard the sisters-in-law discussing business, then quietly stepped out again. ¡°Little Aunt, Susu and Little Sister are talking about the business in the stores, should we just go ahead and start cooking?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± In the main room, the aunt and sister-in-law began preparing breakfast and dinner. ¡°Sister-in-law, aside from the employees¡¯ salaries and the working capital for each shop, I¡¯ve given everything else to my second brother. He said he¡¯ll find time to go to the bank and deposit it.¡± ¡°Alright, I¡¯ve got it.¡± Just as the aunt and sister-in-law finished discussing matters, little Pingping began to grumble. Susu swiftly checked the little one¡¯s bottom, and indeed, he had wet himself. Lu Xiaomei was amazed, ¡°Pingping is quite something, huh? He even whimpers when he¡¯s wet?¡± ¡°This little guy will probably be someone who likes cleanliness. He whines as soon as he wets or soils himself, but stops as soon as he has a clean diaper on.¡± Lu Xiaomei, ¡°That¡¯s quite good, isn¡¯t it? It also makes him easier to look after. Pingping is really a good boy.¡± Susu shook her head, about to say something, when An¡¯an, her second child, suddenly let out a howl. ¡°Wah~¡± The just-changed and comfortably sleeping Lele was startled awake, his little face turning red from crying. ¡°Wah~¡± ¡°Hmm~¡± Lu Xiaomei was in such a panic that she was all thumbs and at a loss for what to do. Having just come back from the outside restroom, Su Sanya quickly washed her hands and crouched in front of the coal stove to warm herself. Susu, who had little experience in postpartum child care, almost dropped the wet diaper on her younger son¡¯s head with a twitch of her hand. ¡°Elder sister-in-law, give it to me, I¡¯ll wash it in a second.¡± Feeling the dryness on his bottom, An¡¯an smacked his little mouth, and slowly his crying subsided. Pingping, the eldest, and Lele, the youngest, also gradually stopped their whimpering, and it wasn¡¯t long until all three little darlings were asleep again. Lu Xiaomei wiped the sweat from her forehead. Taking care of children was really no simple task. She hadn¡¯t even done much but was already sweating buckets. For dinner, the large family had second-milled flour steamed buns, stewed dishes, and pickles. Susu looked at the soybean pig trotter soup made at noon and felt a wave of nausea. For half a month, it had either been pig trotter soup, chicken soup, or eggs with brown sugar ¨C as bland as could be. Susu felt her taste buds were about to fade away; she longed for a meal that was sour, spicy, and numbingly hot. Any strong flavor would do. ¡°Mom, can I not drink pig trotter soup anymore?¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Lost your appetite?¡± Mrs. Lu asked with some urgency. Susu shook her head, ¡°It¡¯s not that, I... just got a bit tired of it. You all have some.¡± Mrs. Lu frowned, ¡°Then is there anything else you¡¯d like to eat? Mom will make it for you.¡± ¡°Mom, I want some noodles with a fried egg,¡± Susu thought for a moment. ¡°Alright, Mom will make it for you right away.¡± ¡°You all eat first. You can cook for me after you¡¯re done.¡± ¡°No need, the stove is still hot. It¡¯ll be ready in a jiffy.¡± Mrs. Lu¡¯s voice came from the kitchen, ¡°You guys go ahead and eat.¡± ... Before bed that night, Mrs. Lu noticed her daughter-in-law scratching her head ¨C having been through it all herself, she immediately knew it was an itchy scalp. ¡°You can¡¯t get wet during postpartum confinement or you¡¯ll risk having ¡®month disease¡¯ headaches later on. Once your confinement is over, I¡¯ll heat the stove up good and hot, and give your hair and body a good wash.¡± Susu counted the days on her fingers, covered her face, and thought, ¡®How can it be so long?¡¯ However, what Mrs. Lu said next hit Susu like a thunderbolt, leaving her spread-eagled on the kang, utterly forlorn. ¡°However, since you¡¯ve given birth to the third child, you should extend your confinement by at least another half month. Otherwise, it¡¯s easy to end up with lingering ailments.¡± ¡°No¡ª¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to¡ª¡± Susu stretched out her hand in dismay, a face full of tears. Lu Xiaogu and Mrs. Lu, the two elders, fearing the younger generation might carelessly touch water, took turns on guard. Everybody talked about how so-and-so did not observe her confinement when she was young and now constantly suffers from backaches and headaches. And how another so-and-so washed her hair during confinement and now gets terrible headaches at the slightest breeze. Chapter 86 - 86 86 The slick-talking jerk ?Chapter 86: Chapter 86: The slick-talking jerk. Chapter 86: Chapter 86: The slick-talking jerk. ¡°Aunt, we¡¯re back~¡± With the milky voice of the little guy, one big and one small entered the house one after another. Susu, looking at the dusty father and son duo, blinked her eyes, ¡°How come you guys are back?¡± ¡°This weather is so cold, why didn¡¯t you stay in the county?¡± The big and the small were huddled around the coal stove to warm up, and Xiao Yu said shyly, ¡°We missed Aunt and our little siblings.¡± Hearing this, Susu raised her eyebrows and looked at the man with a little expression, waiting to hear something flattering. Lu Xiaoting¡¯s dark eyes stared straight at his lovely and soft wife on the Kang bed, his voice slightly hoarse, ¡°Wife, I missed you.¡± Susu¡¯s widened eyes stared in surprise, and her mouth slightly opened as her brain froze for a few seconds. Realizing that the usually reticent man actually admitted to missing her, Susu¡¯s face blushed slightly as she cast a reproachful glance at him. ¡°What nonsense are you spouting in front of the children?¡± Xiao Yu looked back and forth from Uncle to Aunt, stifling a little giggle. After warming away the chill, the duo finally took off their shoes and prepared to get on the Kang. Lu Xiaoting picked up Xiao Yu in one motion, ¡°Go on, take care of your little siblings.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Susu felt uncomfortable under the man¡¯s deep, vortex-like gaze, and she turned her body slightly, avoiding his eyes. Lu Xiaoting¡¯s peripheral vision caught the children at the end of the Kang, seeing Xiao Yu intently watching over his siblings, he sat down right next to his wife. With one arm around his wife¡¯s waist, ¡°Wife.¡± Susu trembled slightly at the magnetic allure in the man¡¯s voice, and not too pleased, she swatted his big hand away. ¡°Go over there, don¡¯t sit so close to me, you might die from the smell.¡± Susu pouted, her body sweating, plus it had been over half a month without washing her hair or taking a bath, even she couldn¡¯t stand her own smell. ¡°It¡¯s not smelly, my wife does not smell at all, she¡¯s always fragrant.¡± Susu rolled her eyes at the flowery talk of the man and scoffed, ¡°Typical man, always able to argue black is white.¡± ¡°Cheesy charmer.¡± Unexpectedly scolded by his wife, Lu Xiaoting¡¯s brow furrowed slightly, glancing at the little ones on the Kang. Seeing his wife¡¯s sulky face, he seized the opportunity to steal a kiss. This scene was caught directly by Su Sanya who had just come in. The three pairs of eyes met in silence, Su Sanya stood frozen, unable to believe she had caught her brother-in-law stealing a kiss from her sister, and she was momentarily stunned. ¡°I didn¡¯t see anything.¡± That said, Su Sanya quickly ran out, even closing the door tightly behind her. Susu¡¯s face turned crimson in an instant, annoyed as she punched the culprit ¡ª Lu Xiaoting. ¡°It¡¯s all your fault, letting Sanya catch us, I¡¯m so embarrassed.¡± The culprit, Lu Xiaoting, ruefully touched his nose, letting his wife vent her frustrations on him. Softly coaxing, ¡°Wife, punch me to vent your anger, just don¡¯t be mad, it¡¯s all my fault.¡± Xiao Yu blinked his big eyes, thinking brightly, this must be what Song Ziping meant by ¡®To be close is to tease, to love is to scold, indifference means no love.¡¯ After the angered wife had let off some steam, Lu Xiaoting finally brought up the matter of the Provincial City Family Court. ¡°Wife, everyone in the Family Court heard you had triplets, and they sent over brown sugar or eggs, I¡¯ve remembered what each household gave. I saw we had enough brown sugar at home, so I didn¡¯t bring it back. As for the eggs, Xiao Yu and I usually eat them outside, so I simply took them to the store.¡± Susu nodded, ¡°Okay, I got it.¡± Looking at the little boy by his siblings¡¯ side, Susu beckoned, ¡°Xiao Yu, come here.¡± ¡°Here I come, Aunt.¡± Hearing his aunt¡¯s call, Xiao Yu tumbled over to her other side. ¡°How¡¯s school going? Can you keep up? Are any of the students bullying you?¡± ¡°I can keep up, and no one is bullying me. They know my uncle is in the police force, so they wouldn¡¯t dare. Plus, Song Ziping is there too.¡± ¡°Song Ziping?¡± Susu looked at the man, puzzled. Lu Xiaoting explained, ¡°That¡¯s the third child of Brother Song and Sister Wang.¡± Suddenly, it clicked for Susu. So, Ping¡¯s full name was Song Ziping. Susu patted the little guy¡¯s hand, only then noticing that Xiao Yu¡¯s hands were full of chapped little cuts. In the northern winter, the wind is harsh and dry. If you don¡¯t moisturize your face and hands, they can easily become chapped. She glared at the man, annoyed. ¡°Xiao Yu has so many cuts on his hands, and you didn¡¯t even think to apply clam oil?¡± Lu Xiaoting felt a bit guilty, ¡°I¡¯ll pay attention to it next time.¡± Seeing his uncle being scolded, Xiao Yu quickly interjected, ¡°Aunt, it¡¯s okay, some of my classmates have it too. I¡¯m used to it.¡± Susu frowned, knowing the little guy was just trying to save money. Without further ado, she ordered both father and son to apply clam oil after washing their faces in the morning and evening. ¡°Oh, my dear treasures of Grandpa~¡± Before Father Lu could finish, he noticed his second son on the kang bed and his tone immediately shifted. ¡°The second son is back.¡± Lu Xiaoting nodded in acknowledgment. Noticing his father¡¯s changing expressions, he helplessly shook his head; it indeed seemed like affection skipped generations. Having grown so big, it was the first time he saw his Father behave this way, which he was unaccustomed to. Susu, smiling warmly, watched their father-in-law and said, ¡°Dad, the first thing you do every day when you get home is come and lovingly kiss the triplets. Every night, it¡¯s mom who has to chase you back to your room so you¡¯ll go to sleep.¡± His Dad, did you wash your hands before touching your grandson?¡± Mrs. Lu, holding a big basin of seaweed pork rib soup, glared at Father Lu. Without turning back, Father Lu lowered his voice, ¡°I did wash my hands. It¡¯s the first thing I did when I got home.¡± Susu was skeptical and thought that if it wasn¡¯t for her mother-in-law holding the soup, she might have given her father-in-law an Iron Sand Palm. ¡°Susu, Mom made a new dish for you to try today, how about this seaweed pork rib winter melon soup?¡± ¡°Thank you, Mom.¡± As Susu was about to reach for it, the man beside her grabbed it first and placed it on the kang table. Looking at a big sea bowl full of pork rib soup, Susu¡¯s eyebrows puckered into a wave. ¡°Dear, you eat first. If you can¡¯t finish, I will.¡± Noticing his wife¡¯s dilemma, Lu Xiaoting immediately said. Mrs. Lu agreed, ¡°Right, if you can¡¯t eat it all, give it to the second one.¡± To avoid waking the triplets, several adults were dining in the eastern room. There, after Susu finished the soup, the second child began to sob softly. The neighboring adults, busy with their meal, hastily put down their food and each picked up a child to soothe. ¡°Let your Little Aunt make the formula, and you guys go ahead and eat. We¡¯ve got this covered here.¡± Each of the little ones, once they got their meal, immediately stopped crying and guzzled the milk greedily. The three little ones, fed and content, were not yet sleepy and stared around with their big dark shiny eyes. Lu Xiaoting was teasing his sons and daughter playfully. The three siblings, ever so accommodating, opened their little mouths and responded with clear, joyous laughter. ¡°Haha...¡± Xiao Yu, delighted, gently touched his younger brother and sister¡¯s soft little cheeks. Chapter 87 - 87 87 Envy ?Chapter 87: Chapter 87: Envy Chapter 87: Chapter 87: Envy Finally, the long month had passed, and Susu had never felt a month so long and slow. During that time, whenever Lu Xiaoting, the triplets¡¯ father, got a chance, he would rush back with Xiao Yu. Whenever they saw the three little ones who had changed a lot, the father and son couldn¡¯t stop doting on them. Of course, they would first dote on Susu, their beloved daughter-in-law/aunt, before it was the three little ones¡¯ turn. Susu calculated with her fingers that she still had half a month before she could wash her hair, and she lay sprawled on the kang bed, wishing she could stare a hole into the ceiling. It was so itchy~. Her head was unbearably itchy!!! She was so itchy that she swung a fist at the air. ¡°Ha~¡± Having just eaten their fill, the triplet¡¯s eyes were wide and round, thinking that their mom was playing with them, each of them grinned a toothless smile. ¡°Little rascals, still laughing, mom¡¯s head is about to itch to death.¡± ¡°Ha~¡± ¡°When the time comes, if mom¡¯s hair gets tangled, she¡¯ll spank your little butts.¡± ¡°Ha ha~¡± ... The youngest, Lele, had grown quite a bit over the month; compared to earlier when his cries sounded like a kitten, his voice had grown much louder now. Lele, lying close to his mom, yawned with his little mouth, held his little hands, smacked his lips, and slowly closed his eyes and fell asleep. The eldest, Pingping, had fallen into a drowsy sleep without anyone noticing. Susu looked at his chubby pale face and couldn¡¯t resist poking it a few times. Only the second child, An¡¯an, was full of energy. His large eyes looked all around, and his little arms and legs were particularly strong, kicking off his little blanket. Susu patted the little fellow¡¯s butt and covered him again with the blanket. ¡°Little rascal, kicking off the blanket again, why are you so energetic?¡± ¡°Go to sleep, don¡¯t wake up your brothers and sisters, or mom will come spank your butt.¡± ¡ª¡ª After the first month, Aunt and Aunt Su came the night before, carrying large and small packages. Mrs. Lu watched her elder sister-in-law and little sister command the two men, her brother and brother-in-law, to put down the carrying baskets. It seemed that those baskets were not light. ¡°You came alright, why bring so many things? Had you not sent enough before? Take it all back in a bit.¡± Su Xiaomei pulled her second elder sister aside. ¡°Sister, don¡¯t interfere, this is what we, as elders, are giving Susu.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, it¡¯s for Susu, so don¡¯t make a fuss,¡± Aunt Liu Fen said, glancing sideways. Mrs. Lu was left speechless by her little sister and sister-in-law¡¯s words and complained to her daughter-in-law. ¡°Susu, tell me about Aunt and Aunt Su, they came alright, but each carried a big basket of stuff, looks really heavy.¡± Susu frowned. ¡°Aunt, Aunt Su, what¡¯s all this? We¡¯re all family, why so formal?¡± Aunt Liu Fen laughed warmly, warming her cold hands, and grumbled. ¡°It¡¯s nothing much, just some millet and white flour we bought from nearby countryside, and also some chicken from a local farmer, just a little, to nourish you and my three grand nephews and niece. Don¡¯t listen to your mom making a big fuss.¡± Aunt Su nodded. ¡°Yeah, we¡¯ve made some good money over the last half year, buying this is nothing. Whatever you want to eat, just let your mother-in-law cook it, don¡¯t worry about these things.¡± Susu felt a bit embarrassed and turned to look at her mother-in-law. Mrs. Lu, unable to help but smile, nodded and warned Aunt and Aunt Su not to do this next time, and that was the end of it. The elders warmed themselves from the chill they had brought in from outside, then carefully started doting over the triplets again. ¡°Ooh, this little guy, so plump and white, just adorable.¡± ¡°Oh my, they¡¯re growing up so handsome!¡± ¡°It¡¯s true, they¡¯ve all grown up inheriting the best features of Susu and the second one. How could they not be beautiful?¡± ¡°Lower your voice, Dad, don¡¯t wake up the grand-nieces and grand-nephews.¡± ... Susu quietly listened as the elders endlessly showered compliments without repetition, a trace of fissures appearing on her face. The praise flowed out nonstop, as if it cost them nothing. It¡¯s true what they say, every parent cherishes their own child the most. Just look at the elders, wishing they could each hold a baby and shower them with several kisses. Thankfully, the triplets were very cooperative, sleeping so soundly throughout. Only when everyone had left did they start wailing. Feeling for her little kitten-like daughter, Susu still opted to feed Lele first. As for the eldest, Pingping, he was already used to it and was happily holding his milk bottle. The second one, Lele, not having gotten the milk yet, was unhappily opening her mouth wide, crying loudly. Their tears fell in big drops, which distressed the elders greatly. Little Lele, well-fed and watered, wouldn¡¯t let go of the bottle, her little hands clutching a bowl and playing. Susu, feeling for her, quickly handed the child over to her younger sister and took over the crying pitiable second child, Lele. The heartache twisted and clenched inside the old mother. ... As time passed, neighbors frequently came over to visit and see the children. Mrs. Lu, worried about people agitating her daughter-in-law¡¯s rest with their come and go, or bringing the chill with them into the home. Whenever the triplets fell asleep, she¡¯d promptly carry them to the east room, sparing her daughter-in-law the disturbance. ¡°Oh my, Aunt Lu, you¡¯re truly blessed. Your daughter-in-law has given birth to triplets all at once. Not just in our Family Court, I¡¯d say it¡¯s the first in the whole county.¡± ¡°You¡¯re talking about that ¡®planning¡¯ thing... what¡¯s it¡ªbirth control? Why do they even regulate others¡¯ childbirth anyway?¡± ¡°It¡¯s true, not complying can also jeopardize one¡¯s job. And without a son, wouldn¡¯t that cut off the family line?¡± ¡°Aunt Lu is indeed fortunate, getting grandsons and granddaughters all at once, and it doesn¡¯t hinder the job.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know, everyone in our Family Court is almost dying of envy.¡± ... Mrs. Lu just smiled slightly, said nothing, and listened to a group of women murmuring in low voices. Next door, Su Sanya whispered to her elder sister, ¡°Elder sister, I see them all looking quite envious.¡± ¡°Envious? What¡¯s there to be envious of?¡± ¡°They envy the Lu Family for getting three children at once, having both grandsons and granddaughters.¡± Susu shook her head. This triplet pregnancy had been more dangerous than others. When one cried, the other two would start crying as well. Even if a normal family had triplets, looking after the children would still be a headache. Thankfully, she had enough money to hire help. Add to that Mrs. Lu, Lu Xiaogu, and her own sister were all dedicating their whole hearts. This prevented her from facing hardships during her confinement and spared her from worrying about the children. Every coin has two sides. Mrs. Lu saw off the neighbors who had come to bask in the joy, and then she carried the wide-eyed, finger-sucking triplets back to the west room. Susu, jaw-dropping, watched the three little ones gnawing on their hands with a blend of crying and laughter. Time neither too fast nor too slow. Finally, the last day of her confinement arrived, and faced with the delightful news that she could soon wash her hair, Susu woke up excitedly early in the morning. Mrs. Lu, looked at eagerly by her daughter-in-law, couldn¡¯t help but laugh and hurried to boil water, getting the coal stove burning vigorously. The coal stove was blazing red-hot, with the big teapot atop it hissing, puffing out steaming vapors. Chapter 88 - 88 88 Falling into a Manure Pit ?Chapter 88: Chapter 88 Falling into a Manure Pit? Chapter 88: Chapter 88 Falling into a Manure Pit? Taking advantage of the hot and cozy room, with the help of her mother-in-law, Susu swiftly washed her hair. After nearly fifty days, looking at the murky water in the washbasin, Susu comfortably let out a long sigh of relief. Susu couldn¡¯t help but laugh and cry, as she took a towel to dry her elder sister¡¯s hair. A worried Mrs. Lu and Little Aunt insisted that Susu stay by the stove to dry her hair. Only after the two elders were sure Susu¡¯s hair was truly dry did they let her lie down at ease. Everyone in the room was sweating from the heat, Susu touched the sweat on her head, feeling refreshed and comfortably squinted her eyes to relish the rare and comfortable sensation. After Xian Yue¡¯s daughter-in-law came out of confinement, Lu Xiaoting started looking for a house near the Family Court to move his wife and child over. After all, it couldn¡¯t be that the wife and child stayed in the county, leaving father and son staring at each other every day. It was not easy but they finally found a residence not far from the Family Court and the brine goods court. The residence had an empty space in front of and behind the house, consisting of four rooms in total, two main rooms each in the east and west houses, a central hall, and a utility room. county ¡°Susu, your brother just called to say that he found a house and wanted to ask if you had any opinions?¡± Susu thought for a moment, ¡°Mom, tell Lu Xiaoting it would be best to buy a house. I want to build a bathroom for the house. Furthermore, it can also serve as an investment, like the two properties I bought before. The little sister mentioned last time she was here that the nearby shops had gone up by 200.¡± Mrs. Lu was somewhat hesitant but thinking about the inconvenience her daughter-in-law faced going to the toilet in winter during her confinement, and considering all the money at home came from her daughter-in-law. She nodded, ¡°Okay, Mom will call him right now.¡± Susu turned her head and met Su Sanya¡¯s worried gaze, pausing momentarily. ¡°What¡¯s up, Sanya?¡± After hesitating, Sanya whispered, ¡°Sister, aren¡¯t you afraid that Aunt will be angry with you for saying this?¡± ¡°Why would she be?¡± Susu slightly furrowed her brow, ¡°No, don¡¯t worry.¡± Sanya, reassured by her elder sister¡¯s confidence, also let her hanging heart down. Her elder sister was so capable, surely there was reason in her words. Susu didn¡¯t even know what her little sister was thinking; otherwise, she would surely chuckle foolishly. After receiving his mother¡¯s call in Provincial City, Lu Xiaoting went to inquire about the courtyard from the landlord. Unfortunately, the landlord made it clear he was only interested in renting, not selling. Lu Xiaoting wasn¡¯t discouraged and whenever he had time, he¡¯d ride around nearby residential areas with Xiao Yu, looking for any suitable houses for sale. ¡°Uncle, have my younger brother and sisters grown again?¡± ¡°Yes, kids grow fast, probably grew another ring.¡± Xiao Yu nodded, ¡°Yeah, Uncle, let¡¯s keep it up, find a house sooner, and get Aunt and my younger siblings here sooner. I really miss them so much.¡± The man¡¯s throat bobbed, his deep dark eyes dimmed slightly, and he hummed softly. ¡°Uncle does too.¡± Back in the county, Susu spent her carefree days just eating and sleeping, feeling great but bored. One day, Susu pinched the newly acquired fat around her waist and raised an eyebrow. ¡°I knew coming out of the month would round me out.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s good; the original owner was a bit too thin before, now having thickened a bit, it¡¯s just right.¡± Sanya was completely confused, ¡°Sister, what did you just say? I didn¡¯t hear you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing, it¡¯s nothing.¡± Susu quickly waved her hand, joking that if people heard, they would say she was too thin and needed to eat more. ¡°Sanyi, when we return to the county, you won¡¯t go back to the marinated goods courtyard right away. You¡¯ll first go help out at the restaurant. Your Sister Xian Yue is pregnant and probably won¡¯t be able to get out for a while, so you should learn how to make noodles from her.¡± ¡°Got it, second sister.¡± Su Sanya was secretly surprised; her second sister had other business as well, but no matter what, all she needed to do was follow her sister¡¯s commands. She wasn¡¯t very clever, but doing whatever her second sister asked was just fine. Meanwhile, Lu Xiaoting tirelessly found two properties, one near the Family Court with a slightly shabby house but a large courtyard. The other a bit further away with a smaller courtyard, but the house was not as dilapidated. After much deliberation, to facilitate his wife¡¯s eventual management of the shop, Lu Xiaoting chose the closer property, spending 1000 yuan. Then he tirelessly contacted a construction crew to repair the house and also add a modern-style bathroom. This would spare them the misery of freezing at the public toilets in winter or enduring the stench of feces after just a little while in summer. His wife was tidy; whenever they were out, she generally avoided public toilets as much as she could. The construction crew, five men in their forties, upon seeing the uniform of the authorities on the homeowner, worked meticulously and earnest. Hearing that it was to welcome his wife and children, they completed the work without delay. Lu Xiaoting took the time to inspect the property and was quite satisfied, giving each worker a small red envelope with an extra yuan. The young man hurriedly called home followed by another round of tirelessly cleaning the new home, ensuring all household items like pots and pans were ready. The next morning, Father Lu specially took leave from the factory, and the whole family, carrying their luggage, boarded the bus to the Provincial City. Mrs. Lu, Lu Xiaogu, and Susu each had a child secured in their arms, while Father Lu and Su Sanya carried baskets and bags of various sizes. People from those times were mostly simple and warmhearted; seeing the trio with children, many stood up to offer their seats. Everyone on the bus curiously looked at the triplets. ¡°How come they all look so similar?¡± Mrs. Lu, holding her grandson¡¯s bottom, smiled, ¡°They are triplets.¡± ¡°Oh wow, that¡¯s really good fortune; I¡¯ve only heard of twins but never seen them.¡± ¡°Indeed, now there are both grandsons and granddaughters.¡± ... Right after getting on the bus, Susu loosened Lele and held him in her arms. Luckily, the Provincial City wasn¡¯t far away, and they arrived before the three siblings could even start crying. No sooner had they arrived home than the second child, An¡¯an, began to bawl, prompting Pingping and Lele to join in. Su Sanya quickly prepared milk powder for her two nephews, while Father Lu stepped outside, walking in and out, surveying the courtyard and the house. After getting the well-fed triplets to sleep, the family began to move around and inspect the place. The three adults, along with Su Sanya, were gathered at the bathroom door, marveling at the bright and clean toilet inside. ¡°How do you use this toilet? Is this still a bathroom if it¡¯s this clean?¡± Lu Xiaogu wondered. Father Lu and Mrs. Lu had seen bathrooms in apartment buildings before, but it was their first time seeing such a toilet in a bungalow, and they were extremely intrigued. Susu smiled and demonstrated how to use it for them. Lu Xiaogu was the first to clap and express approval, ¡°This toilet is great, not like the self-made toilets in the village that not only stink but also easily make you fall into the cesspit?¡± ¡°Our village¡¯s Old Wang went to the toilet at night, didn¡¯t step carefully, and fell directly into the cesspit. Luckily it was shallow, or he might have drowned. The villagers had to help pull him out, nearly got everyone suffocated with the stench.¡± Chapter 89 - 89 89 is where the younger brother punches his ?Chapter 89: Chapter 89 is where the younger brother punches his sister. Chapter 89: Chapter 89 is where the younger brother punches his sister. Susu¡¯s eyes widened in alarm. People actually fell into manure pits? That wouldn¡¯t be quite as bad in winter, but in summer... The imagery was too ¡°beautiful,¡± too horrifying to think about or see!!! At noon, Mrs. Lu and Little Aunt were busy preparing a meal, using potatoes, cabbage, pickled pork from home, and a chicken Mrs. Lu had already prepared yesterday. As the delicious aroma of braised chicken wafted through the air, the cries of children mixed with the scolding of adults could be heard from neighboring houses. Lu Xiaoting rode his bicycle, hurriedly bringing Xiao Yu back home, and immediately began looking for his wife/Aunt. Watching Uncle and Auntie talking softly, Xiao Yu quietly shifted his seat to look at his younger brother and sisters. The younger siblings were truly adorable, and no amount of watching was ever enough. Before they knew it, June had arrived. The weather was dry and hot, and the triplets were so warm that they were dressed in little vests, now chewing on their little paws contentedly. ¡°Dad, you¡¯re here.¡± Father Lu smiled and nodded, going straight to see his grandchildren first thing. Ever since Mrs. Lu and Little Aunt had stayed in the Provincial City to help Susu with the children, Father Lu was left at home in the county all by himself. As soon as the holiday began, Father Lu settled Da Hei and headed straight for the Provincial City to see his grandchildren. Mrs. Lu slapped her husband with disgust. ¡°You didn¡¯t even wash your hands before touching the grandchildren. Didn¡¯t Susu say that adults¡¯ hands are full of bacteria? Don¡¯t make the kids sick and uncomfortable.¡± Father Lu, looking at his increasingly temperamental wife, didn¡¯t dare say a word and hurried to the main hall to thoroughly wash his hands with soap. At the Provincial Machinery Factory, ¡°Darling, quickly sign this, so your brother can hurry up and buy those things.¡± Jiang Nan, impatient, took the item from her mother¡¯s hand, signed her name without even glancing at it. Jiang¡¯s mother, looking at the signed paper, couldn¡¯t keep the smile off her face, which nearly reached her ears, and gleefully put the paper away. Jiang Nan finally showed a bit of a smile as she looked at the money her mother handed her. ¡°At least that fellow has some conscience.¡± Jiang¡¯s mother hugged her daughter, spilling out praise as plentiful as if it cost nothing, until she managed to coax her daughter into smiling widely. Jiang Nan, looking at the money in hand, curved the corners of her lips in a smile. Humph, to think she also had the ability to make money, and what¡¯s more, without having to run around¡ªthe money simply came to her. She was far better off than that Chongxi sister-in-law. ¡°Nannan, I¡¯m not busy this week, let¡¯s take the kids to see your second brother and his three children,¡± Brother Lu said, holding one daughter by the hand. ¡°Alright.¡± Brother Lu was somewhat surprised, raising his eyebrows at the unexpectedly wholehearted agreement from his wife; he hadn¡¯t even had to use the arguments he¡¯d prepared. Jiang Nan gave her husband a disdainful look. ¡°If you have something to say, say it. If you have to fart, let it out.¡± Did he really think she was blind and couldn¡¯t see? This time, she definitely had to dress beautifully and outshine the Chongxi sister-in-law. On the day of the Dragon Boat Festival, Brother Lu was carrying a bunch of bags, with one hand holding his little daughter¡¯s hand. Jiang Nan wore a white Bulaji dress with a pair of white high-heeled leather shoes, dressed up with particular care and looking attractive. Thinking back on all the attention she received along the way, Jiang Nan proudly lifted her chin. When the family of four arrived, Father Lu was in the courtyard killing a chicken. ¡°Dad.¡± ¡°Ah, you¡¯re here, come inside quickly.¡± Seeing the noisy, squawking chicken, Jiang Nan grimaced and stepped into the house. Brother Lu, thinking his wife had gotten scared, quickly brought his daughters inside. ¡°Dad, take a rest, I¡¯ll come out and take care of it later.¡± ¡°Brother Lu, elder sister-in-law.¡± Inside the room, Lu Xiaoting was changing his second son¡¯s diaper. Before the adults could speak, the two girls were leaning over the edge of the heated brick bed, craning their necks to look at their little brother and sister. ¡°Little brother, little sister.¡± Brother Lu cheerfully lifted his two daughters onto the brick bed and settled the girls, ¡°Your little brother and sister are still small, so be gentle when you touch them.¡± ¡°We know, Daddy.¡± The three siblings gathered around, chewing on their fists like the triplets. Xiao Xue even mimicked her baby brother and sister, sucking on her hand, only to be smacked by her elder sister who was disgusted by it. The two Lu brothers went out to help with the work, leaving only the sister-in-laws glaring at each other. Jiang Nan glanced at Chongxi sister-in-law¡¯s outfit several times, dressed in nothing more ordinary than a T-shirt and long pants, but with a face that was rosy and fair¡ªpretty good overall. Seeing the disheveled appearance of Chongxi sister-in-law made Jiang Nan instantly happier, her lips curving upwards uncontrollably. ¡°Sister-in-law, you look after the kids, I¡¯ll walk around and check on things.¡± ¡°Mm.¡± Susu put on a fake smile, and as soon as everyone left, she immediately dropped the act and examined her own clothes. Its clear on elder sister-in-law¡¯s face; she can¡¯t hide anything. She had just come in with a strained smile. But after looking at Susu several times, her lips were curving up so much it was harder to suppress than an AK. Anyone with eyes could see it. There was one main room with a large communal heated bed, and another room with a big clean bed. What surprised Jiang Nan the most was that there was actually a bathroom in the house. ¡°How luxurious for Chongxi sister-in-law, even putting a bathroom in her house, why doesn¡¯t she just ascend to heaven?¡± Lu Xiaogu, in urgent need of the bathroom, hurried over only to find her niece-in-law muttering to herself and quickly spoke up. ¡°Niece-in-law, do you need the toilet? If not, please go out, aunt needs to go urgently.¡± Watching the door slam shut in front of her, Jiang Nan rolled her eyes. She muttered under her breath, ¡°Pfft, what¡¯s the big deal with having a bathroom? It¡¯s still just a single-story house.¡± Mrs. Lu, busy in the main room cooking, saw her eldest daughter-in-law darting about and quipped with irritation. ¡°Eldest¡¯s house, if you have nothing to do, just sit in the room.¡± Jiang Nan pursed her lips and silently went into the main room. Susu, watching her huffy elder sister-in-law, wondered what was bothering her now. Just as she was about to speak, she heard the soft sobs of her little girl. She quickly picked up her daughter, whose tears were falling like rain, and soothed her gently. ¡°Aw, what¡¯s wrong with my Lele? Why are you crying so sadly?¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, Mommy¡¯s got you.¡± Xian Yue pointed at the little troublemaker, ¡°Aunt, it was the little brother who punched his sister.¡± Xiao Yu added, ¡°It was an accident by An¡¯an, brother.¡± Susu, caught between laughter and tears, patted the innocent-looking culprit, ¡°You little rascal, how can you be so strong.¡± ... The family sat around the heated bed for a meal, and since it was a festival, Mrs. Lu and Lu Xiaogu had prepared a feast of both meat and vegetables, comparable to a New Year¡¯s feast. ¡°Wow~¡± ¡°Wow~¡± ¡°Wow~¡± As soon as Susu picked up her chopsticks, a resounding trio of cries erupted from the triplets on the bed. With the second daughter-in-law¡¯s girl refusing formula, Susu, Mrs. Lu, and Lu Xiaogu had to hurriedly take turns nursing and consoling the infants, and mixing formula. After the youngest two fed, Father Lu and Mrs. Lu took over to burp the brother and sister. ¡°Susu, you eat first.¡± Looking at the old couple on the ground holding the children, Jiang Nan pursed her lips, her eyes glinting faintly. Chapter 90 - 90 90 The speaker has no intent but the ?Chapter 90: Chapter 90: The speaker has no intent, but the listener has a mind. Chapter 90: Chapter 90: The speaker has no intent, but the listener has a mind. ¡°Wife, you didn¡¯t eat much this morning, are you hungry? Eat more.¡± Brother Lu didn¡¯t touch his chopsticks and first picked out a bowl of her favorite dish for his wife. Then he picked up the dishes his daughters loved for the two girls, and only then did he start eating himself. ¡°Your mother loves garlic shoots, eat more.¡± Mrs. Lu sneaked a glance around to see if anyone was watching, and when no one did, she gave a disgruntled stare at the man, ¡°Mind your own food, don¡¯t bother about me.¡± Watching her father-in-law getting snubbed, Susu pursed her lips, barely holding back the smile curling up the corners of her mouth. It seemed that the favoritism of the Lu brothers towards their wives was no coincidence; it all came from Father Lu¡¯s example. After the meal, Lu Xiaomei rushed to take over the chore of cleaning up the dishes, pushing her old mother and aunt to rest. Lu Xiaogu squinted her joyful eyes, ¡°Our little sister is truly filial and sensible, daughters are the most thoughtful after all.¡± Her words resonated with Mrs. Lu. ¡°Indeed, when have these three annoying boys ever bought anything for me and your brother, except giving money and buying food? All the clothes and shoes I¡¯m wearing, aren¡¯t they all bought by Susu? Even his father¡¯s clothes and shoes, this child always thinks of me and her father wherever she goes. So to say, what¡¯s the use of having a son, in the end, they just end up listening to their wives, siding with their wives.¡± Lu Xiaogu nodded, ¡°If the daughter-in-law is good, that¡¯s okay, but it¡¯s terrible if you marry a home-wrecker, the house would be in constant chaos.¡± ¡°It¡¯s true, otherwise, what does the old saying go like, ¡®Marrying a good wife brings prosperity for three generations.''¡± ... The speaker unintentional, the listener interested. Jiang Nan, who had been all ears to every word, frowned coldly, her chest heaving with anger. She sneered repeatedly; the old lady was really good at giving a veiled criticism; this was clearly aimed at her. Susu looked at the family of four leaving in a hurry, completely puzzled. ¡°What¡¯s going on...? Why does it look like elder sister-in-law is storming off angrily?¡± Lu Xiaoting¡¯s brows furrowed slightly, ¡°It¡¯s nothing, elder sister-in-law is just that way, suddenly getting upset is normal, you don¡¯t need to worry.¡± Susu, ¡°...¡± Why should I worry? Shouldn¡¯t I be just curious? Provincial Machinery Factory Family Court. Brother Lu looked at his wife who suddenly became temperamental and, not wanting to scare the girls, handed them a dollar. ¡°Xiao Yu, take your sister to the snack store, buy whatever you want.¡± The unsuspecting sisters happily took the money and ran out. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you, wife? Why are you suddenly upset again?¡± Jiang Nan¡¯s chest heaved with anger, ¡°Your parents are biased, and your mother was bad-mouthing me with your little aunt.¡± ¡°How so?¡± ¡°How could it not be? I heard it with my own ears, could it be false? Your mother even said that the second son¡¯s wife is filial, isn¡¯t that implying I¡¯m not filial as the eldest son¡¯s wife! And your aunt talked about fearing marrying a home-wrecker; isn¡¯t that indirectly referring to me...¡± Brother Lu frowned, slightly upset, ¡°Mother and Aunt surely didn¡¯t mean that, don¡¯t overthink it.¡± ¡°How could they not?!¡± Jiang Nan glared, her emotions so stirred that she pointed randomly. ¡°Your parents really show favoritism, when the second brother had both a son and a daughter, they kept sending chickens and ducks, and vied to pamper the kids. Is it just because I gave birth to two daughters? When your mother was supposed to care for me in my confinement, she showed me a long face. And in the end, what happened? She simply quit and ran straight back to the county.¡± Brother Lu felt that his wife was going too far and tried to calm her with a good word. ¡°I won¡¯t say anything else about it, just remember when Mother was looking after you during your confinement, you didn¡¯t like chicken soup and pork trotters; Mother said a few words for the sake of promoting lactation and you got upset.¡± ¡°After that, you were dissatisfied with everything Mom did. You wouldn¡¯t eat this or that. Can you blame my mom for being upset?¡± ¡°And you keep comparing Mom to your own mother. Over time, obviously, my mom couldn¡¯t stand it. Besides, she only left after your mother came to take over.¡± Jiang Nan stared at her husband, her face a mix of disappointment and disbelief, ¡°Are you still my man? Still the father of my children? How can you take their side when you talk?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not taking anyone¡¯s side,...¡± Seeing his wife¡¯s eyes turning red, Brother Lu sighed and made a compromise. ¡°Alright, alright, don¡¯t be angry, it¡¯s my fault. Let¡¯s not upset the children when they see us.¡± ¡°Daddy, Mommy, my sister and I bought a bottle of soda. Let¡¯s drink it together.¡± Upon hearing her eldest daughter¡¯s voice, Jiang Nan quickly composed herself. ¡ª Susu had just finished feeding the twins from the triplets and watched them sucking on their fingers contentedly. She stood up and changed her clothes. It was fortunate that people were used to making clothes bigger these days; the slightly larger Susu fit just right into her old clothes. Although just right, there was still a twinge of sadness. ¡°Mom, I¡¯m going to check on the shop and drop by to see Xian Yue,¡± Susu said as she wheeled her bicycle out of the house. ¡°Okay, go ahead, but don¡¯t overdo it. Come back early.¡± With no hoe at home, Mrs. Lu and Lu Xiaogu used little shovels to clear a patch of land in the front yard. They planned to use the next day or two to plant some cucumbers, persimmons, and green onions. Although it was a bit late in the season, homegrown produce could save money and be picked fresh when needed. With Lu Xiaogu, an expert at farming, the two worked with full vigor. ¡°Xiao Mei, I¡¯m grateful you¡¯re here. I couldn¡¯t handle this alone.¡± ¡°Elder sister-in-law, crops are the lifeblood of us country folk. Seeing this big stretch of land lying fallow and not planting any grains or vegetables made me feel so empty inside.¡± Lu Xiaogu¡¯s face was filled with a genuine smile. ¡ª Small Restaurant: Not yet lunchtime, the place was pretty empty. ¡°Sorry, it isn¡¯t noon yet, the restaurant¡ª¡± Susu heard the door and peered out, her eyes lighting up at the sight of the visitor. ¡°Sister?¡± ¡°Sister Xian Yue, my sister¡¯s here.¡± The few busy in the kitchen quickly set their work aside and came out one after the other. ¡°Elder sister-in-law.¡± ¡°Sister Su.¡± ¡°Boss Su.¡± Seeing the energetic employees, Susu nodded and smiled. ¡°Thank you, everyone, for your hard work. I¡¯m just here to check in; you all can carry on.¡± Xiao Long, Da Niu, in charge of cooking hotpot, and the lady responsible for washing dishes and cleaning all went back to their tasks. Su Sanya said, seeing this, ¡°Sister Xian Yue, take a seat and chat with my sister while I handle the kitchen. Don¡¯t worry.¡± Su Xianyue sat down with her pregnant belly, smiling shyly, ¡°Thanks, Sanya.¡± Su Sanya waved her hand dismissively and dashed back into the kitchen to prepare the dough. ¡°How are you feeling, Xian Yue? Is it too much for you? If it¡¯s too hard, you should go home and rest early. Anyway, I can almost manage the triplets by myself now, with Mom and Little Aunt helping out.¡± Susu looked at Xian Yue¡¯s belly with concern. Just as expected, Su Xianyue shook her head. ¡°Elder sister-in-law, I¡¯m not tired at all. Sanya can handle a lot now, and she¡¯s eager to do everything. I just need to keep an eye on things. There¡¯s nothing tiring about that.¡± Chapter 91 - 91 91 Look the Chongxi Sister-in-law must be ?Chapter 91: Chapter 91: Look, the Chongxi Sister-in-law must be envious now! Chapter 91: Chapter 91: Look, the Chongxi Sister-in-law must be envious now! Seeing Su Xianyue¡¯s rosy complexion and no signs of pretense, Susu nodded in relief. ¡°Alright, just let me know if you feel unwell and make sure to rest a lot at home.¡± After discussing the serious matters, the two sisters-in-law talked about the triplets at home. Kids grow up so fast¡ªthey change day by day. When they were first born, they were tiny and scrawny, all wrinkled up. But now, even the smallest Lele had grown into a chubby little thing. By the time Susu got home hurriedly on her bicycle, she could hear the triplets¡¯ cries as soon as she entered the yard, cries that seemed to shake the heavens and the earth. Among them, the second child, An¡¯an, had the loudest voice. Alarmed by the crying, Susu dropped her bike and rushed into the house. ¡°Oh dear, what¡¯s happened? Why are you crying so sadly?¡± Mrs. Lu and Lu Xiaogu, each holding one sibling and sweating profusely, were relieved to see their mother returning. ¡°They simply refuse to drink the formula and are throwing a fit.¡± Worried the children might cry themselves hoarse, Susu and grandma each picked up a child so the siblings could feed at the same time. Finally getting their milk, the two siblings shielded it with their hands and drank eagerly. Watching her youngest son, who was even twitching in his sleep, Su Xianyue helplessly kissed his tender little cheek. ¡°Why such a temper? Even sleeping, you¡¯re twitching.¡± By contrast, Pingping and Lele, who were used to formula, were peacefully clutching their little fingers in their sleep. Provincial Machinery Factory ¡°Second sis, how about it? Isn¡¯t the idea your little brother gave you good?¡± Jiang Xiaodi lounged in a chair, his legs propped on the table, shaking his legs with a smug grin on his face. ¡°Look, you¡¯ve made over a hundred yuan in just a few days. That¡¯s much better than slaving away in that lousy job for over a month to earn only about thirty yuan.¡± Jiang Nan happily pocketed the money she had counted several times, tilting her chin up with pride. Then, with disdain, she glanced at her slovenly little brother who was neither sitting nor standing properly and frowned. ¡°Okay, stop bragging. If it weren¡¯t for the job I got you, could you have made this much money?¡± ¡°Get lost now, don¡¯t irritate me by being here.¡± With a wave of her hand, Jiang Nan shooed away the bothersome brother and alone she chuckled gleefully. ¡°Psh¡ª¡± Stepping outside, Jiang Xiaodi spat vehemently. ¡°What the hell? If it weren¡¯t for me, could you have gotten that much money? A fool without brains, you¡¯re even helping others count the money after being sold.¡± Nevertheless, thinking of the several hundred yuan in his pocket, Jiang Xiaodi grinned and walked away, patting his pocket. At that moment, Brother Lu was examining the latest machine returned to the factory. ¡°Hold on, let me lock the door.¡± Jiang Nan quickly locked the office door and followed her husband. After picking up the sisters Xiao Yu and Xiao Xue, the whole family slowly walked home. Xiao Xue held her father¡¯s hand, ¡°Daddy, today, we had new little brothers and sisters in our kindergarten. But the little brothers and sisters were so dirty. Their clothes were filthy, and they always had snot hanging from their mouths.¡± The little girl waved her hand in front of her nose with a look of disgust. Brother Lu patiently explained to his daughter, ¡°The little brothers and sisters are young, so it¡¯s normal for their clothes to be dirty. You were both like that when you were little.¡± ¡°Daddy¡¯s lying, my sister and I would never be that dirty,¡± pouted the little girl unhappily. Jiang Nan rolled her eyes at her husband, ¡°Your dad¡¯s fooling you. When you and your sister were little, I always dressed you both very clean.¡± Brother Lu¡¯s mind was filled with images of his daughters all dirty, with an indescribable look on his face. ¡°Exactly, and our triplet brothers and sisters are very clean as well.¡± Xiao Yu nodded in agreement with her sister. Talking about the triplets, the sisters begged their parents to visit their little brothers and sisters on Sunday. Brother Lu didn¡¯t say a word but looked towards his wife. Jiang Nan pursed her lips and felt doubtful inside. ... Taking advantage of the break, Father Lu brought some grain and vegetables from the county to the Provincial City. ¡°Why are you here again, old man? Is the fare free or what? Why do you come as soon as you get time off?¡± Father Lu, with a grim face, retorted, ¡°What¡¯s there for me to stay at home by myself? Besides, is it wrong for me to visit my grandsons and granddaughters? It won¡¯t cost that much.¡± ¡°With that money, you might as well save it for our grandkids to buy formula.¡± ¡°Hey, why are you becoming more and more stingy, old lady?¡± ... The whole family found it quite amusing to listen to the elderly couple bickering while working in the courtyard. Watching his wife smile with narrowed eyes, Lu Xiaoting leaned in close and whispered something in his wife¡¯s ear. Susu felt her ear heat up from the warm breath of the man and gave him a disdainful look, playfully saying, ¡°Keep dreaming, you.¡± Lu Xiaoting raised an eyebrow, his large hand reaching for his wife¡¯s plump, soft waist. ¡°What, you¡¯re not planning to grow old with me and want to fly away?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t even think about it. You¡¯re my wife, Lu Xiaoting¡¯s wife, and the mother of my child, for the rest of your life.¡± ¡°Stop it, you¡¯re annoying.¡± Susu felt seduced by the man¡¯s deep and magnetic voice, her ears turning red as she punched him softly. But her delicate and fair little hand was caught by the man, who lightly pressed a kiss to it. Susu widened her eyes in surprise, trying to pull her scalding hand back. ¡°Auntie, grandma, grandpa~ we¡¯re here~¡± The two sisters, dressed in pretty dresses, dashed in like two beautiful butterflies. Behind them followed the composed and handsome Brother Lu and the beautifully and appropriately dressed elder sister-in-law Jiang Nan. ¡°Dad, Mom.¡± The old couple couldn¡¯t help but laugh and cry as they watched their granddaughters dash past. ¡°Eldest, take your wife inside to rest. The sun outside is scorching right now.¡± ¡°Brother, sister-in-law, please take a seat.¡± Susu nudged the man beside her, directing, ¡°Go get some snacks for the kids, and bring Brother and sister-in-law some water.¡± At this moment, the three siblings were quietly discussing around the triplets, who were fast asleep. ¡°How come our little brother and sisters are so cute? They¡¯re much cleaner than the kids in our kindergarten.¡± ¡°That¡¯s because my little brothers and sisters are adorable.¡± ¡°Little brothers and sisters...¡± ... ¡°Brother, sister-in-law, why don¡¯t you stay for dinner before heading back? Let the kids play here a bit,¡± Susu suggested, glancing at the three siblings whispering softly to each other. ¡°Sure, thanks a lot, sister-in-law.¡± Brother Lu smiled and nodded, looking a bit embarrassed, ¡°Xiao Yu and Xiao Xue have been eager to see their little brother and sister for the past few days, so we brought them over as soon as we had a break.¡± ¡°Next time Xiao Yu and Xiao Xue want to come over, Brother, just send the two kids over. It¡¯s more lively when the house is full.¡± Susu then turned her attention to elder sister-in-law, who was wearing a pair of stylish Bulaji shoes, and complimented her with a smile. ¡°Sister-in-law, that outfit looks really nice. Did you buy it ready-made, or did you make it yourself?¡± The complimented Jiang Nan lifted her chin proudly and curved her lips in satisfaction. See, Chongxi Sister-in-law is envious! ¡°Neither. I had it specially made by an old tailor; lots of people have said it looks good.¡± Chapter 92 - 92 92 100000 Reasons Why ?Chapter 92: Chapter 92: 100000 Reasons Why Chapter 92: Chapter 92: 100000 Reasons Why Susu blinked and stiffly tugged at the corners of her lips. ¡°Haha, really? The elder sister-in-law sure has good taste, even Xiao Yu and Xiao Xue are dressed up so pretty.¡± Hearing someone praising her daughters, Jiang Nan felt quite smug. But still, she pretended to be modest and waved her hands. ¡°It¡¯s alright, it¡¯s alright. Mainly because my Xiao Yu and Xiao Xue inherited the good looks from me and their dad. They¡¯re so pretty, even a potato sack would look nice on them.¡± Susu nodded; the two sisters sure knew how to grow, picking all the good traits. Brother Lu couldn¡¯t stand listening to his wife¡¯s self-praise any longer and got up to leave. ¡°You chat, I¡¯m going to see if Dad and Mom need any help.¡± Lu Xiaoting noticed his wife¡¯s quivering lips and decisively followed his brother, ¡°I¡¯m going to the vegetable market.¡± ¡°Buy more meat, ribs, that sort of thing, and then go to the shop to get some marinated goods.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± Jiang Nan secretly rolled her eyes. This was just another way of showing off to her. Tsk, it¡¯s just meat, acting like who can¡¯t afford it. Susu raised an eyebrow, truly worried that the elder sister-in-law¡¯s eye-rolling might not return to normal ¨C that would be scary. ¡°Aunt, the baby brother is awake.¡± Hearing the voice, Susu hurriedly went to check on the triplets. Indeed, she found the eldest, Pingping, pouting, his little face in a displeased frown, whining. Right after she finished changing the baby¡¯s diaper, the second one also started to fuss. Susu, afraid that this little one would cry and scare the oldest and the youngest, quickly took out a fresh diaper. Uh... The little rascal made quite a big mess. ¡°Ew, the baby brother did a poopie!¡± While saying this, Xiao Xue pinched her nose disdainfully and waved her hand. It wasn¡¯t just the little girl who was disgusted; Susu, as the biological mother, was also quite reluctant to look. Holding her breath and lifting the baby¡¯s chubby legs that resembled lotus roots, she cleaned his bottom. ¡°Xiao Yu, help Aunt take the baby¡¯s dirty diaper out, and bring in a few clean ones.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Xiao Yu didn¡¯t mind at all, taking the dirty diaper and scurrying down the kang to run outside. Jiang Nan disdainfully watched the diaper¡¯s trajectory and, clutching her chest, ran out. During the diaper break, Susu held up the second child¡¯s chubby legs to let the air and scent disperse. Xiao Xue, curious, stared at her little brother and pointed, ¡°Second Auntie, what¡¯s this? Why don¡¯t I have one?¡± Susu didn¡¯t have time to stop the antics, watching dumbfounded as the little girl pinched her son¡¯s private parts. The corners of her mouth couldn¡¯t stop twitching; she closed her eyes. How... how can she explain this? ¡°Second Auntie?¡± The little girl blinked her big eyes, innocently staring at the Second Auntie with her eyes closed. Xiao Yu furrowed his brows, shielding his brother¡¯s privates, and seriously told his sister, ¡°Because he¡¯s a baby brother.¡± ¡°A baby brother? Then why is it different from a baby sister?¡± The little girl scratched her head, confused. Fearing that the little girl might ask a ton of ¡®whys¡¯, Susu quickly changed her son¡¯s diaper and skillfully changed the subject. ¡°Quickly go wash your hands, we¡¯ll have sticky rice sticks and peach crisps, and I¡¯ll make you both a bowl of wheat milk essence.¡± Hearing about food and wheat milk essence, the sisters immediately grabbed Xiao Yu and ran out. Having dispatched the endlessly curious kids, Susu let out a long sigh of relief. Scary, kids at this age are insatiably curious, and they could keep probing endlessly. ¡°Mom and Dad, I¡¯m back.¡± Lu Xiaomei walked in, carrying two net bags of items, her fair little face flushed red, with beads of sweat on her nose. ¡°Back so soon? Is the store all tidied up?¡± Mrs. Lu straightened her back while tending to the yard. ¡°Yes, breakfast sold out early, we cleaned up, and I headed back.¡± Lu Xiaomei had just finished speaking when she saw the three little ones squatting at the foot of the wall and waved at them. ¡°Come here, your Little Aunt bought you some soda. Take a bottle now to share, and the rest we¡¯ll drink with lunch.¡± The three siblings looked at the glass bottle beading with condensation, their happy grins fully exposed. ¡°Thank you, Little Aunt,¡± the two sisters said in unison. Xiao Yu smiled shyly, ¡°Thank you, Little Aunt.¡± ¡°Good kids, go ahead and drink.¡± ¡°Elder Sister-in-Law, why don¡¯t you come inside and sit? It¡¯s too hot out here.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, I just want to keep an eye on things out here.¡± ¡°Oh, I see. Well, if you get too hot, come inside to cool off.¡± Lu Xiaomei was a bit puzzled and felt that her elder sister-in-law was acting strangely. Watching her Little Aunt, who seemed eager to enter the house, Jiang Nan curled her lip and rolled her eyes skyward. The family¡¯s preference for males over females was nothing new. They hadn¡¯t been this affectionate with their own daughters. Barely even looked at them, but now, the grandson was treasured like a gem. As the noonday sun grew hotter, the bustling family finally sat down to eat. ¡°Susu, here¡¯s the lean part you like.¡± Mrs. Lu picked up her favorite lean spare ribs with the first chopstick for her daughter-in-law. ¡°Eldest Brother, pick whatever you like, I won¡¯t do it for you.¡± Jiang Nan rolled her eyes inwardly, the favoritism couldn¡¯t be more blatant; knowing exactly what the younger daughter-in-law likes, while not caring about the elder one. No matter her dissatisfaction, she maintained a placid exterior, ¡°Ah, Mother, I can get it myself.¡± Brother Lu, knowing his wife was picky, especially picked out her favorite dishes for her. ¡°Nannan, these are all the dishes you love. Eat up.¡± Jiang Nan forced a smile and continued eating on her own. Brother Lu took care of his two daughters, reaching to help them with dishes that were out of their reach. Lu Xiaomei devoured the meal her mother and Little Aunt made with great satisfaction. ¡°It¡¯s so delicious, hundreds of times better than the watery meals we get at school. And Mother, your cooking skills are getting even better, almost catching up with my second sister-in-law.¡± ¡°Yes, our mother¡¯s cooking skills are indeed getting impressive.¡± ... Mrs. Lu, hearing everyone¡¯s praises one by one, couldn¡¯t close her beaming smile and waved her hands modestly. ¡°Oh my, I¡¯m still a little behind Susu¡¯s cooking skills.¡± ¡°Grandma, it¡¯s yummy.¡± ¡°Yes, Grandma¡¯s food is really good.¡± ¡°Both Grandma¡¯s and Aunt¡¯s cooking are especially delicious.¡± Mrs. Lu mockingly nodded at the three siblings from afar, her smile nearly stretching to her ears, ¡°Alright, if it¡¯s good, eat up, fill your bellies.¡± The whole family was satisfyingly full, everyone content after a good meal. Even the triplets were exceptionally cooperative, waiting until everyone had finished eating before starting to wail. The ladies hurried to soothe and feed the children, while Father Lu and his sons cleaned up the table and washed the dishes. Jiang Nan gazed at each woman on the kang, holding a plump, fair baby, and felt a twinge of sourness in her heart. This Chongxi Sister-in-law was really something, not only having triplets at once but also steadily rising in status within the family. ¡ª¡ª Once the Dragon Boat Festival was over, the weather had truly become hot. Mrs. Lu had to change the triplets into bellybands because of the heat. ¡°Huh? Elder Sister-in-Law, what brings you here?¡± Chapter 93 - 93 93 I Divorce You ?Chapter 93: Chapter 93 I Divorce You! Chapter 93: Chapter 93 I Divorce You! Mrs. Lu was both surprised and delighted when she saw Eldest Sister-in-law Su, carrying a large basket, follow Xiao Sun, who was carrying a sack, inside. ¡°Second Su.¡± ¡°Hey, how¡¯s Xian Yue?¡± ¡°She¡¯s fine, just the weather¡¯s been too hot lately, her appetite¡¯s not too great.¡± Xiao Sun scratched his head. Aunt Su put down the basket and wiped the sweat from her forehead. ¡°Xian Yue is about to give birth, I brought some yellow beans and other grains for the two kids, and came to see the triplets on the way.¡± While speaking, Aunt Liu Fen began taking out items from the basket, ¡°Keep the eggs for eating.¡± ¡°Eldest Sister-in-law, what are you doing? Don¡¯t mess around¡ªtake them all to Xian Yue; she needs the nutrients right now.¡± Mrs. Lu stopped her sister-in-law. ¡°Tch, I¡¯m doing this for my grandnephew, why are you making a fuss? Besides, would I cheat my own daughter?¡± Aunt Liu Fen rolled her eyes impatiently and pointed at the straw beneath, ¡°There¡¯s more under here, I was just afraid the eggs would get damaged on the road; your elder brother specially arranged the straw cushioning.¡± Mrs. Lu wanted her elder sister-in-law to stay for a meal before leaving. Aunt Su was anxious to see her daughter, glanced at the triplet sleeping soundly, and hurried off with her son-in-law, Xiao Sun. Susu only heard from her mother-in-law about Aunt and Xiao Sun¡¯s visit when she got back. She couldn¡¯t help but laugh; she had just come back from the restaurant and hadn¡¯t bumped into either of them on the road. As the three were talking, the triplets¡¯ loud crying echoed through the house. ¡°Oh dear, my precious grandchild, why are you crying so sadly?¡± Mrs. Lu, while holding her loudly crying grandson, hurried to prepare his milk, but the stubborn little guy wouldn¡¯t suckle though the nipple was in his mouth. ¡°Mom, give him to me.¡± After feeding her baby girl, Susu quickly took over her son, whose voice was almost hoarse from crying. The little guy, upon contacting the familiar ¡®bowl,¡¯ immediately stopped crying, covered it with his small hands, and gulped down the milk. Mrs. Lu, holding her granddaughter who was slightly smaller than her two brothers, sighed, ¡°An¡¯an is really a little imp.¡± ¡°Look at Pingping, he enjoys his formula so much. This kid, on the other hand, won¡¯t drink a drop. He¡¯d rather howl than drink. He¡¯ll surely be a stubborn little mule in the future.¡± Susu also felt helpless with her son, ¡°My breast milk is getting less and less. Once it¡¯s gone, he¡¯ll probably drink it.¡± Mrs. Lu sighed about it too, thankful that their household was in better conditions now. Otherwise, with the daughter-in-law¡¯s lack of milk, the triplet¡¯s fate would be uncertain... ¡°Second Su, I¡¯ll head back home and check in the morning, do you have anything you want me to take?¡± Su Chenghe, dark and thin, wore a work uniform. Mrs. Lu was astounded, ¡°Why have you gotten so thin? Your mother just said you were back a couple of days ago.¡± The man chuckled he-he, his white teeth contrasting his darker skin. ¡°Second Su, I was thinking of buying a bicycle. It saves effort and I can sell more, make more money.¡± Mrs. Lu frowned and lectured her nephew, ¡°Your second sister-in-law says you can earn a hundred and fifty-six a month¡ªthat¡¯s not little. Don¡¯t work yourself too hard, look how thin you¡¯ve gotten.¡± ¡°Hehe, it¡¯s nothing, Second Su, just been too hot lately, and my appetite¡¯s gone down a bit. I¡¯ll eat it back in a couple of days.¡± ... County Bus Station Su Chenghe, carrying fabrics and sweets specially bought from Provincial City for his wife and child, excitedly headed straight home. He then stumbled upon the closed gates, pausing for a second. ¡°Chenghe has returned, your wife took the kids out early in the morning. Looks like she might have gone back to her parent¡¯s home.¡± Eldest Sister-in-law Su leaned against the doorway, her face teasing. Her gaze shifted downwards and noticed what her younger brother-in-law was carrying, her face instantly turned sour. She said in a sarcastic tone, ¡°Oh, buying fabric and sugar for your wife again, your household sure makes everyone envious. It¡¯s not like your elder brother who just earns those meager salaries. Our whole family is so poor we¡¯re almost eating Northwest Wind.¡± Su Chenghe did not want to engage with the elder sister-in-law, whose tone was sour through and through. He grabbed a handful of White Rabbit Creamy Candies and some fruit candies for his nephew and niece and simply went to see his parents. ¡°Dad.¡± The two brothers, who were squatting in the yard and chasing after Big Huang, spotted their own dad and pounced on him immediately. Su Chenghe picked up his two sons hugging his legs and tickled his sons with his stubble, filling the entire yard with the brothers¡¯ giggling laughter. ¡°Mom, has my wife gone back to her parents¡¯ house again?¡± When discussing the family of the second son, Aunt Liu Fen¡¯s smile froze a bit on her face; after thinking, she felt the need to remind her son. ¡°Cheng He, your wife keeps taking stuff and going back to her parents¡¯ house every other day. It¡¯s not that mom doesn¡¯t want your wife to be filial to her own parents. But you also know the situation at her family¡¯s home. In the end, isn¡¯t everything going to her brother¡¯s house? You work so hard making money, running here and there all day, and your wife just blindly obeys whatever her family says.¡± Su Chenghe furrowed his brows, only then noticing that the two boys were still wearing old clothes. ¡°Alright, Mom, I understand. I¡¯ll talk to my wife.¡± Su Chenghe gauged the time and took his sons back home. ¡°Hey Dad, when did you get back?¡± Seeing her husband returning, Second Su¡¯s face flushed with excitement. ¡°I came back and you weren¡¯t home, so I sat a while at Dad and Mom¡¯s place.¡± Su Chenghe put down his belongings and looked at his wife, ¡°Go get the passbook. I need to take some money to buy a bicycle when we go back to the Provincial City. It will make it easier for me to sell goods.¡± The smile on Second Su¡¯s face froze momentarily. She cautiously looked at her husband, ¡°Why, why suddenly wanting to buy a bicycle?¡± ¡°I just said, didn¡¯t I? To buy a bicycle, for selling goods. Quickly bring out the passbook. I¡¯m leaving as soon as I withdraw the money early tomorrow.¡± Su Chenghe frowned, watching his wife dally, and urged, ¡°Hurry up! What are you dawdling for?¡± Second Su, with her heart in her throat and under her husband¡¯s urging, begrudgingly and slowly fetched the passbook. Su Chenghe had to tug several times to pull the passbook from his wife¡¯s hand, despite it feeling somewhat inexplicable to him. But still with a mix of laughter and tears, he assured that he¡¯d only withdraw two hundred yuan. The next second, seeing just over a hundred yuan left in the balance of the passbook, Su Chenghe rubbed his eyes and after a closer look realized that there were one thousand yuan missing. ¡°Snap¡ª¡± Su Chenghe, blinded by rage, stared blankly at his wife, speechless. Second Su shivered in fear, sobbing about how her own parents cried and pleaded with her, and she had soft-heartedly lent her brother one thousand yuan. Su Chenghe¡¯s eyes turned bloodshot with fury, his speech incoherent, ¡°You really are filial, aren¡¯t you? Your husband works himself to death earning money outside, we barely afford extra meat to eat. Everybody notices how much I¡¯ve slimmed down and cares to ask after me, you return only to care about my salary, not even noticing what I¡¯ve come to look like! But you, oh you generously give your brother one thousand yuan? You truly are a good wife to me, a great mother to our children!¡± ¡°Alright, alright!¡± Su Chenghe felt a surge of blood to his head, exploding with anger, ¡°If you don¡¯t get that money back, I¡¯m divorcing you!¡± Chapter 94 - 94 94 Bruised and Swollen Face ?Chapter 94: Chapter 94: Bruised and Swollen Face Chapter 94: Chapter 94: Bruised and Swollen Face Second Su only now noticed that her husband, Su Chenghe, had grown so thin that his eye sockets were sunken in, and his clothes hung loosely on his frame. Then she remembered her sister-in-law¡¯s family with their well-fed, rounded bellies. Today when she had visited, she had even bought them a piece of meat, yet before she could even smell it herself, her parents and sister-in-law¡¯s family had driven her out. At this thought, Second Su burst into tears and hurriedly reached out to pull her husband. ¡°Dad, don¡¯t be angry, I know I was wrong.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the matter with you, Second?¡± Brother Lu and his elder sister-in-law came in upon hearing the commotion, looking at their thin, red-eyed brother and his gasping, sobbing sister-in-law. And also their two frightened nephews crying loudly on the floor, he sighed, ¡°What¡¯s the point of arguing, just talk it out nicely, please don¡¯t start hitting each other.¡± ¡°Xiao Dong, Xiao Chun, let¡¯s go, we¡¯re going to your uncle¡¯s house for dinner. Let your mom and dad have a good talk.¡± Inside the room, the woman¡¯s sobs were interspersed with the man¡¯s heavy breathing. ¡°Chenghe, don¡¯t be angry, I know I was wrong, please talk to me. I¡¯ll definitely get the money back, don¡¯t give me the silent treatment...¡± Su Chenghe abruptly withdrew his hand and said hoarsely, ¡°If it can¡¯t be taken back, we¡¯ll get a divorce.¡± ¡°Also, from tomorrow on, I¡¯ll leave you 10 yuan, and I will keep the rest.¡± Second Su looked at her husband lying on the kang bed, ignoring her, and covered her mouth to cry again. Next door ¡°Dad, what happened? Chenghe actually lost his temper?¡± Eldest Sister-in-law Su¡¯s face was alight with the gleam of gossip. Brother Su, annoyed, turned over, ¡°Who cares, why are you getting worked up? Just make sure our kids are alright.¡± ¡°Heh, you deadbeat, can¡¯t even let a person say a word?¡± ... Early the next morning, Su Chenghe gently coaxed his two sons, readied the passbook, and paid a visit to his parents. Second Su, watching her husband walk away without turning back, wiped away her tears, feeling unbearably miserable. Seeing their second son¡¯s red and swollen eyes, the old couple felt so sorry for him. Aunt Su walked in and immediately took out 200 yuan. Seeing the money his parents gave him, Su Chenghe paused, ¡°Dad, Mom, I can¡¯t take this, how can I accept your money?¡± ¡°Take it, buy a bicycle with it. Just consider it a loan from your mom and me, you can pay us back once you get your wages.¡± Aunt Liu Fen, frowning, forcibly stuffed the money into her son¡¯s hand, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, your dad and I will keep the passbook safe for you. Go on now, don¡¯t miss your bus.¡± And so, Su Chenghe, with a heavy heart full of complicated feelings, returned to the Provincial City with the two hundred yuan his parents had given him. Aunt Su only felt a buzzing in her head with anger, wondering how they ended up with such a spendthrift daughter-in-law. ¡°Aunt, just look at Cheng He, scrimping on food and clothing every day, and any bit of money he has he spends on his wife and children. His wife, on the other hand, lent the money to her natal family without batting an eye, a thousand yuan, that¡¯s a thousand yuan. Do I even need to mention the character of her family? They say it¡¯s a loan, but they never intended to pay it back. How many marinated goods must my younger brother sell to earn that back?¡± Aunt Su sighed, the niece-in-law¡¯s behavior was really deplorable. ¡ª ¡°Mom, Dad, little brother, Cheng He knows, he knows! Please return the money to me, otherwise, Cheng He is going to divorce me.¡± The Wang family parents looked at each other, silent. Wang Xiaodi¡¯s sister-in-law immediately objected to returning the money, arms akimbo and eyes slanted with defiance. ¡°Elder sister must be joking. We¡¯ve got to take care of our parents and children, where would we get the money from?¡± ¡°Besides, wasn¡¯t the money a filial gift to our parents? How could you ask for it back from your brother? That really makes no sense.¡± ¡°Mom, Dad?¡± Second Su was stunned. She turned to look at her own parents, only to see that the old couple had their heads down in silence, seemingly agreeing with the sister-in-law. ¡°Mom, Dad, little brother, didn¡¯t you hear? If I can¡¯t get this money back, Cheng He is really going to divorce me!¡± Wang Xiaodi snorted, ¡°Just divorce, what¡¯s there to be afraid of? It¡¯s not like Su Chenghe dares to do it, and even if he does, it¡¯s no big deal. If it comes to it, little brother can help you find another man.¡± ¡°Exactly, what your brother said is right. Su Chenghe is just trying to scare you,¡± Old Lady Wang agreed with her son. Second Su¡¯s pupils dilated in shock, unable to believe that these were her own dear brother and parents, who always wanted the best for her. ¡°You... you... are simply inhuman. Not only do you not wish me well, you even encourage me to get a divorce?¡± Only then did Second Su truly see these so-called family members for what they were, her eyes red enough to bleed, she shouted. ¡°Pay back the money! Give me back my money!¡± The sister-in-law rolled her eyes and spat, ¡°Pah. The food that¡¯s gone into my belly, you think I can spit it back out for you, dream on.¡± ¡°You idiot, what are you still doing standing there? Go and throw your eldest sister out.¡± ¡°You dare!¡± ... Second Su was beaten up by her own brother and sister-in-law, and thrown out of the house, her entire body aching terribly. But as soon as she thought that she was on the brink of divorcing her husband just because of this pack of heartless and ruthless family members, she immediately stood her ground with her messy hair, hands on her hips, cursing out loud. After attracting the curious stares of the neighbors, she counted on her fingers, listing all the terrible things the Wang family had done. ... Provincial City Bus Station Aunt Liu Fen glanced at her swollen-faced younger daughter-in-law and frowned. ¡°With such severe injuries, instead of resting at home, you insist on coming along; what were you thinking?¡± Second Su¡¯s lips quivered as she murmured, ¡°I came to see my man.¡± Aunt Liu Fen sighed and said no more. ¡°Eh? What happened to Cheng He¡¯s wife? It couldn¡¯t be from fighting with Cheng He, could it? That can¡¯t be right?¡± Mrs. Lu exclaimed as she was hanging diapers in the yard. ¡°Hey, his Little Aunt, I¡¯m going to find Cheng He first, have him come over at noon, and then I¡¯ll tell you about it when I get back.¡± Mrs. Lu nodded, ¡°Okay, elder sister-in-law, you go ahead.¡± ¡°Cheng He¡¯s wife, you should go inside and rest.¡± ¡°No need, no need. Little Aunt, you go about your business, don¡¯t mind me.¡± Having said that, Second Su nervously stared at the gate. Mrs. Lu saw this and did not bother her anymore, instead, she exchanged a knowing look with the Little Aunt. When Susu returned riding her bike, she suddenly saw a person with a bruised face sitting in the yard and was startled. ¡°Second sister-in-law.¡± ¡°Oh, sit down, Cheng He¡¯s wife, take a seat.¡± Noon As soon as Su Chenghe entered the yard, he saw his wife with a bruised face and frowned so deeply as if he could have caught flies with his brow. ¡°Who did this? Wang Xiaobao or your dad?¡± Upon seeing her husband return, Second Su nervously handed over the money pouch that dangled from her neck. Very carefully, with a nervous expression, she said, ¡°Cheng He, I begged and refused to leave until I got the money back from my parents. Can you not divorce me?¡± Su Chenghe looked down at the stack of scattered money and frowned. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, dad, I¡¯ve counted it, not a penny less.¡± Su Chenghe sighed and took the money, ¡°Enough about that, what happened?¡± Talking about this, Second Su proudly lifted her chin. ¡°They refused to give me money and even beat me and threw me out. I couldn¡¯t take it and cursed them so loudly the whole neighborhood knew. If they wouldn¡¯t give me the money, I threatened to make a scene at their factory. Afraid of losing their jobs, my dad and younger brother finally scraped together the money and paid me back.¡± Chapter 95 - 95 95 but Im the most promising ?Chapter 95: Chapter 95, but I¡¯m the most promising! Chapter 95: Chapter 95, but I¡¯m the most promising! ¡°Is it really that simple?¡± As Su Chenghe had expected, the Wang family, having suffered such a loss, naturally wouldn¡¯t let it go and immediately cut ties with their eldest daughter. The whole family was stunned when they heard this, looking at each other, at a loss for words for a moment. Second Sister-in-law Su was quite open-minded and waved her hand dismissively, ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯ve seen the Wang family for what they really are, just trying to fleece me. It¡¯s just a pity that I couldn¡¯t beat them on my own, but I still managed to scratch both Wang Xiaobao and his wife until their faces bled.¡± As she spoke, she let out a few proud laughs, but then she accidentally touched her wound and immediately winced in pain. Everyone was amused and lightened up considerably around the dinner table. Since his two sons were still relying on Eldest Sister-in-law Su for help, Su Chenghe took his wife to the supply and marketing cooperative to buy some candies and then saw her off on a ride back to the county. Aunt Su was left behind for a short stay and was currently amusing An¡¯an, one of the triplets. The little guy wasn¡¯t timid; seeing unfamiliar people, he curiously stared with his big round eyes. Upon hearing the news, Xiao Sun came over with his wife right after work, their bicycle¡¯s basket still hanging with a net bag. ¡°Little Aunt, I¡¯ve brought Xian Yue over to scrounge a meal,¡± he said. Mrs. Lu scolded playfully, ¡°If you¡¯re coming, just come, no need to bring anything.¡± Xian Yue tenderly smiled with her hands on her belly, ¡°It¡¯s nothing valuable. The fish were caught by a fellow villager in a nearby village.¡± ¡°Alright, The Little Aunt will stew the fish later, everyone can have a taste,¡± Mrs. Lu said as she went out to prepare the fish. ¡°Second Sister-in-law is really impressive, actually managing to get one thousand yuan back from her parents¡¯ home?¡± Su Xianyue was astounded by how her mother told her about the kooky way her sister-in-law got the money back from the Wang family. But this was also good, as it spared Second Sister-in-law from always bragging and even scrimping on the food in her sons¡¯ mouths to give to her parents and younger brother. Aunt Liu Fen nodded, ¡°I just hope from now on Second Sister-in-law will live well with your second brother and stop causing trouble.¡± Susu listened silently and was quite impressed with Su Chenghe¡¯s wife, a true ¡®brother-supporting demon¡¯ of the era, able to see clearly the leeches in her own family, and timely extricating herself was excellent indeed. ¡°By the way, Xian Yue, I¡¯ve been counting the days, and you¡¯re due soon. Do you want to start your maternity leave early? Standing all day with a big belly must be tough,¡± she said. Su Xianyue looked down at her stomach, her face a blend of tenderness and determination, ¡°Second Sister-in-law, if I feel even a little discomfort, I will certainly speak up. We¡¯re all used to working hard. In the old days in the countryside, many people worked right up until they gave birth, and the babies were born in the fields. Moreover, if I have to sit idle at home doing nothing, I¡¯m certain I would find it unbearable.¡± Susu turned to Xiao Sun beside her, ¡°What do you think, Xiao Sun?¡± ¡°Second Sister-in-law, I¡¯ll listen to Xian Yue. I¡¯ve already spoken to our landlord. When the time comes, we¡¯ll rent another room and have our grandparents come to help look after the child.¡± Aunt Liu Fen initially planned to take care of her daughter¡¯s postpartum needs but thought about the shortage of staff at the shop if she left, and besides, the child¡¯s paternal grandparents were good people. So she decided to follow her daughter¡¯s wishes and help out at the Little Aunt¡¯s shop more. With a whole family around, as soon as the triplets on the heated brick bed started to fuss, someone was immediately there to pick them up and soothe them. After feeding her niece and nephew until they were full, Susu took advantage of the many family members available to watch over the kids and rode her bicycle to the brine goods shop. ¡°Susu? Take a seat for a bit.¡± When Susu arrived, Sister Hong was busy serving customers, but as soon as she was done with several of them, she quickly came out to greet her. ¡°Susu, these are the accounts for the past half month.¡± Wang Hong first took out the ledger, discussed the business at hand, and then asked about the triplets. ¡°Sister Hong, I just took advantage of the triplets being asleep to come over and check. The main issue is that the second and third refuse to drink formula milk. They would rather cry themselves hoarse than drink it. Otherwise, if they could drink formula milk like the eldest, with my mother-in-law and Little Aunt at home, I would be able to stay out a little longer.¡± Wang Hong¡¯s face was full of envy, ¡°Susu, your in-laws are really good to you. Unlike my biased mother-in-law. When I was giving birth, I was working in the fields up until the labor pains started. I only rested at home for half a day on the day I gave birth, and had to work in the fields the next day. Even then, I was only allowed to rest because my husband insisted I lie down. Despite that, my mother-in-law cursed me from morning until night. Back then, I was also young. When my mother-in-law would curse outside, I would hold the baby and cry inside the house.¡± Susu sighed. No matter when, women¡¯s situations were the same, particularly difficult in this era that favored boys over girls. She patted Sister Hong¡¯s hand to comfort her, ¡°Sister Hong, it¡¯s all in the past. There are better days ahead. The more others look down on us, the harder we work to live well, just to spite them.¡± Wang Hong¡¯s eyes, full of fine lines, brightened, nodding vigorously. ¡°Susu is right! Now my husband is in good health, the children are obedient and sensible, and I earn more each month than a regular worker. I just want to make those who looked down on me green with envy.¡± ¡°Exactly! The more you look down on me, the more I¡¯ll prove you wrong!!!¡± Wang Hong watched the woman¡¯s petite figure leave, her heart burning with fervor. So much so, that she went directly to the doorway and started hollering. ¡°Marinated goodies, aroma wafting through the air, so delicious it will make your tongue melt...¡± A young man passing by on a bicycle was startled by the sudden shout. He wobbled on his bike, stopped, and turned to look at the source of the voice. Out of curiosity, he asked, ¡°Hey big sister, is it really that good?¡± Wang Hong looked at the young man¡¯s skeptical face and wasn¡¯t the least bit angry. She greeted him with a smile, ¡°Comrade, you can come and try. If it¡¯s not good, you don¡¯t have to buy.¡± The young man simply pushed his bicycle over and, after seeing the marinated delicacies that whetted both the eye and the appetite, his eyes lit up after trying them. ¡°Wow, not bad at all! Give me a kilo of each. How much is it?¡± ... Leaving the shop, Susu went straight to the marinated food courtyard to check on hygiene and ingredients. Confirming there were no issues, she put the ledger into her shoulder bag and hurried back home. ¡°Eh? Doesn¡¯t that look a lot like Lu Gong¡¯an¡¯s wife, Xiao Su?¡± ¡°Oh my, isn¡¯t that her!¡± The woman carrying a basket slapped her thigh excitedly and called out, ¡°Xiao Su, Xiao Su!¡± ¡°Sister Wang, are you just back from buying groceries?¡± Susu greeted everyone cheerfully as she pushed her bike. ¡°Isn¡¯t that the truth. What were you up to?¡± ¡°Right, I heard from Lu Gong¡¯an that you gave birth to triplets. No wonder your stomach was so big after just a few months. It turns out it was triplets.¡± ¡°Wow, I¡¯m so envious, you¡¯ve got both sons and daughters now. No need to worry about not having a boy first...¡± ¡°Mr. Lu really is a good man! He¡¯s so caring for his wife...¡± Sister Wang, with a smile on her face, changed the subject, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you throw a full-moon party for the kids?¡± ¡°Back then, my mother-in-law insisted I take a double confinement to avoid too much disturbance from visitors, so we just celebrated by ourselves. I suppose we¡¯ll have a big celebration for their first birthday.¡± Chapter 96 - 96 96 made my heart liver and lungs ache ?Chapter 96: Chapter 96 made my heart, liver, and lungs ache. Chapter 96: Chapter 96 made my heart, liver, and lungs ache. Bidding farewell to the envious members of the Family Court, Susu wiped the sweat from her head; standing and chatting under the blazing sun was both scorching and unpleasant. Worried that her mother-in-law and Little Aunt couldn¡¯t handle the three little rascals in her absence, Susu nearly pedaled her bicycle to the point of sparking flames. Beads of sweat ran down from under her straw hat, her entire face flushed and hot like a walking tomato. On this day, Xiao Sun pushed his bicycle to the doorway, with a large burlap sack of goods hanging from the front bar. Mrs. Lu and Lu Xiaogu, who were busy drawing water in the yard, quickly went forward to help steady the bike and carry the items. Frowning, Mrs. Lu said, ¡°You child, it¡¯s fine to come over, but why did you bring so much stuff again? When you leave, take it back for Xian Yue and the baby in her belly to eat.¡± ¡°Second Aunt, this is what my grandparents brought down from their place. They specifically instructed me to deliver it.¡± Xiao Sun¡¯s entire person was bronzed from the sun, and at this moment, he flashed a bright, honest smile. ¡°Auntie really, ever since my Susu gave birth, she hasn¡¯t stopped sending things to our house. You go back and tell your grandparents they can¡¯t keep sending stuff. Remember that.¡± Xiao Sun laughed with a he-he, not responding. After delivering the goods, he didn¡¯t rush off but stayed to ask Mrs. Lu for advice on caring for pregnant women and infants. Seeing her son-in-law taking notes so seriously, Mrs. Lu warmly smiled, knowing her niece had chosen the right man. Only a man who truly cares about his wife would do this, unlike those heartless men who never worry about such matters. Some even think giving birth is as simple as defecating or urinating, as if the baby just pops out with a ¡°plop.¡± Little do they know that childbirth for women is essentially a step through the gates of hell. Thinking of her own sweet daughter, Mrs. Lu suppressed the worry in her heart. When the time comes, she would have to ensure everything was taken care of for her girl. Speak of the devil, and he shall appear. ¡°Mom, I¡¯m back.¡± Lu Xiaomei came in, one hand carrying a mesh bag, hair damp with sweat and sticking to her forehead. ¡°Brother-in-law is here, is Sister Xian Yue with you? Did she come too?¡± ¡°No, Xian Yue is still busy at the store. Since my grandparents came up to the city, they asked me to bring some grain and vegetables we exchanged from our farm to Second Aunt and Second Sister-in-Law.¡± As he spoke, Xiao Sun stood up, packing away the notebook and pencil. ¡°I¡¯ll be going then, Second Aunt. I¡¯ll go wait for Xian Yue at the restaurant and we¡¯ll finish work together.¡± ¡°Alright. You go on.¡± ¡°Brother-in-law, take care.¡± After seeing off the guest, Mrs. Lu then asked her daughter, ¡°Why are you back today without taking a break? Why aren¡¯t you in class?¡± Su Xianyue placed the mesh bag on the stove, ¡°I missed my elder sister-in-law and the three nieces and nephews, so I came to visit.¡± Mrs. Lu gave her daughter a stern look, ¡°And what about class tomorrow? What if you miss it?¡± ¡°That won¡¯t happen, Mom. I¡¯ve checked already; I can catch the bus to school tomorrow and make it on time for the first class.¡± Lu Xiaomei hugged her mother¡¯s arm, pouting, ¡°Oh mom~ don¡¯t you miss your daughter? Your daughter comes to see you, and you¡¯re interrogating her.¡± Mrs. Lu pursed her lips, tapping her daughter¡¯s forehead with a finger, ¡°Humph, I don¡¯t know who just said they missed their sister-in-law and the little ones. Sweet-talking their old mother.¡± Lu Xiaomei playfully blinked and let go of her mother, darting into the house. She was really tired of her mother¡¯s nagging and went to seek support from her elder sister-in-law. ¡°Sister-in-law, I¡¯m back~ Did you miss me?¡± ¡°Missed, missed, missed you so much it hurt my heart, liver, and lungs.¡± ¡°Oh~ sister-in-law~¡± ¡°Hahaha.¡± ... Mrs. Lu shook her head as she listened to the laughter of the sisters-in-law inside the house. ¡°Xiaomei is such an adult already, yet she¡¯s still acting like a child.¡± ... Lu Xiaogu, while munching on the candy her niece had forcefully stuffed into her mouth, squinted with delight, ¡°I think Xiaomei is just fine the way she is, girlish and carefree. Here at her parents¡¯ house, she can afford to be happy and relaxed. Once married, she¡¯ll have to manage her household and earn a living, not to mention deal with all sorts of relationships with her in-laws...¡± ... Speaking of this, the sisters-in-law were triggered into a rant about their in-law¡¯s family. ... Lu Xiaogu herself witnessed her mother¡¯s favoritism, felt indignant toward her elder brother and sister-in-law, and was angry at her second brother and sister-in-law¡¯s brazen exploitation of the elder couple¡¯s resources. ... Alas, being a daughter who was not much valued by her own mother, she had little say and could only sympathize with her elder brother¡¯s family in her heart. ¡ª Uncle Su and his wife, seizing their day off, strapped on their bamboo baskets and caught the earliest bus to Provincial City. ... Knowing that their daughter¡¯s in-laws had come to Provincial City to take care of her, they headed straight for her place. ... After chatting with their in-laws for a bit, they proceeded directly to the restaurant, hoping to help their daughter out and give her some rest. ... By the time they arrived, it was peak breakfast rush, and the eatery was full of customers coming for breakfast. ... They may not have been skilled at other tasks, but helping to clear tables and wash dishes was something they could very well manage. ... ¡°Dad, Mom, how long have you been here?¡± ... After the rush, the kitchen staff cleaned up their areas and stepped outside for a break. ... ¡°We¡¯ve been here a little while, just finished up with the dishes.¡± Aunt Liu Fen spoke as she helped her heavily pregnant daughter to the door to sit down. ... Su Sanya greeted the elders, then quietly went to the counter to tend to the accounts. ... Uncle Su and his wife didn¡¯t want to trouble Mrs. Lu to fuss over meals for them, planning to visit the triplets and drop off some items in the afternoon before catching the last bus back home. ... With that in mind, they decided to stay at the restaurant and help out, especially since it would be busy during lunchtime. ... After a busy lunch shift, the couple lay exhausted on the table to rest. ... And you wouldn¡¯t believe it, but the waves of customers meant a lot of hard work during a meal period. ... However, the business was indeed good; it seemed many were regulars from nearby, with quite a few eating in and taking away, amounting to impressive daily sales. ... In the afternoon, Uncle Su and his wife, timing their visit, went to see the triplets and left some items, without lingering too long before heading back. ... Mrs. Lu complained to her Little Aunt about her brother and sister-in-law, ¡°My brother and sister-in-law are really something. They bother coming here yet don¡¯t want me to go to the trouble of cooking for them. It¡¯s like they think if they didn¡¯t come, we wouldn¡¯t even cook, as if a pair of extra chopsticks is that big of a deal. They make it unnecessarily formal for family.¡± ... Lu Xiaogu scolded in jest, ¡°You should be content, elder sister-in-law. What does that tell you? It shows that the Su family¡¯s elder brother and sister-in-law don¡¯t want to tire you out. Not like my own Little Uncle, timing his visits for mealtime, and then he specifically wants meat. Off-holiday, where would we get him meat? He should just eat whatever is available, but no, he¡¯s picky¡ªthis is too salty, that is too bland, something else is too spicy, always some complaint.¡± ... Mrs. Lu blinked, indeed frustrated by the pickiness of those who came for free meals. If her own Little Uncle were like that, she would be tempted to slap him upside the head. ... ¡°Mom, I¡¯m back.¡± ... ¡°Hey, why are you back again? No classes?¡± ... Lu Xiaomei, stared down by her mother, swallowed nervously. ... Anxious not to be seen through by her mother, she pretended to be composed and hopped into the house. ... ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ve just missed you, you know. And besides, I don¡¯t have as many classes this semester as I did last semester.¡± Chapter 97 - 97 97 This Melon is Guaranteed Genuine ?Chapter 97: Chapter 97: This Melon is Guaranteed Genuine! Chapter 97: Chapter 97: This Melon is Guaranteed Genuine! ¡°Hey, elder brother, you came back so early today?¡± Lu Xiaoting glanced at his sister and nodded, ¡°Yeah, it hasn¡¯t been too busy these past few days, so I came back earlier.¡± Lu Xiaomei climbed up the kang and saw her elder nephew diligently and neatly doing his homework. She couldn¡¯t resist giving his freshly shaved little bald head a rub. ¡°My elder nephew is really something; his handwriting is so neat and tidy, much better than your Little Aunt used to be.¡± Susu immediately saw through her little niece¡¯s intentions, but Xiao Yu¡¯s little bald head was indeed very nice to touch. Xiao Yu silently sighed in his heart. Little Aunt is really childish!!! Susu nudged the man beside her with her elbow, directing him to get off the kang and fetch the fabric she had bought that morning. ¡°Xiaomei, I bought several types of fabric this morning. I was thinking of making two new outfits for everyone in the family so we can have a change of clothes. Now that Bulaji skirts are in fashion, I thought of making you two skirts so you can be the most dazzling kid at school.¡± Lu Xiaomei¡¯s expression changed several times, covering her face; her sister-in-law was too funny, ¡°the most dazzling kid at school¡± sounded hilarious. ¡°Sister-in-law, I reckon this Bulaji fabric might only be enough to make two outfits. Why don¡¯t you wear them? I¡¯ll choose another fabric.¡± Upon hearing this, Susu immediately shook her head and gestured with her hands, ¡°No, no, no, I don¡¯t like Bulaji. I think it¡¯s even less comfortable than wearing cotton. I bought it especially for you, thinking of you wearing it to school to hang out and go shopping with classmates.¡± Seeing that her sister-in-law genuinely disliked Bulaji, Lu Xiaomei then cheerfully looked over the Bulaji fabric back and forth, contemplating how to make it. The commotion in the room was even heard by Aunt and Little Aunt outside, who were hanging up the urinal cloth and excitedly ran into the room. Lu Xiaoting silently made space for his mother and Aunt as he watched the four women gather around the fabric, discussing how to use it. Father and son exchanged glances, each continuing with their own business. ¡°Mom, shall I take it to the old tailor? It¡¯d save trouble and be quicker.¡± As soon as Susu spoke, it immediately drew objections from the other three. Mrs. Lu, ¡°We have the skills ourselves, why spend that unjust money?¡± Lu Xiaogu, ¡°Your Little Aunt and your mom are nearly as good as the old tailor when it comes to making clothes.¡± Lu Xiaomei, ¡°Sister-in-law, don¡¯t worry about it. You spent money on the fabric; you shouldn¡¯t have to spend more on making the clothes. Whatever ideas you have, just discuss them with mom, our mom and Little Aunt¡¯s stitching is really good.¡± Lu Xiaomei even gave a big thumbs up to her mother and Little Aunt. Mrs. Lu glanced irritably at her daughter, ¡°So it¡¯s just me and your Little Aunt working, huh? Your sister-in-law spends money on fabric, and you just enjoy the benefits?¡± ¡°Look how good your sister-in-law is to you, thinking of what young people like when making clothes, especially buying you Bulaji. She didn¡¯t even keep any for herself. You better remember her kindness in the future; I¡¯ll be the first to skin you if you¡¯re ungrateful.¡± Susu blinked, thinking to herself that it really isn¡¯t that she didn¡¯t want to wear it; she genuinely found it uncomfortable and unbreathable. Lu Xiaomei pouted unhappily as she looked at her mother, ¡°Mom, what are you saying? Am I that kind of person?¡± ¡°Besides, without my sister-in-law, I wouldn¡¯t even have been able to get into college. How could I be so ungrateful? I really consider my sister-in-law an elder sister now.¡± Lu Xiaoting, elder sister? What does that mean? Am I the brother-in-law now? ¡°Alright, alright, mom go cook. My sister-in-law will be hungry soon.¡± Lu Xiaomei shooed her mother and Little Aunt off to cook, then turned her gaze to her second brother. Lu Xiaoting frowned, ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± ¡°Second brother, why don¡¯t you take a walk outside? I want to have a private chat with my sister-in-law.¡± Lu Xiaoting, feeling resigned, could only grab Xiao Yu, who had just closed his book and was preparing to watch over his siblings, and they both went out into the courtyard. Susu blinked curiously, those bright eyes sparkling, ¡°Go on, what¡¯s the private chat about? Come on, tell me.¡± The spirit of gossip burned fiercely; seeing Lu Xiaomei stumbling over her words, Susu was incredibly curious, practically itching with impatience. She urged, ¡°Come on, come on, I promise to keep it a secret. I won¡¯t reveal a single detail.¡± Seeing the girl¡¯s cheeks slowly blush with two patches of redness, and a growing tendency to redden even more. Susu covered her mouth and exclaimed, ¡°You couldn¡¯t be in love, could you?¡± The girl, her thoughts guessed, shyly covered her face, ¡°Oh, sister-in-law, how did you know?¡± Susu¡¯s mouth twitched uncontrollably, thinking with your shy and blushing face, it would be hard not to notice! ¡°Look how red your face is, and that shy look on your face, anyone with eyes can see. Tell me about your little romance.¡± Lu Xiaomei, with her burning cheeks, had just started to speak softly when she was interrupted by the voice of her mother from the main room. ¡°Xiaomei, come out here, help mother...¡± ¡°Ah~ Coming right away.¡± Lu Xiaomei couldn¡¯t focus on whispering with her sister-in-law and hurried out to help her mother with chores. Mrs. Lu, who was chopping ribs, was startled by the sudden appearance of what she thought was a monkey¡¯s butt, her hand trembling and almost cutting askew. ¡°Oh my goodness, where did this monkey¡¯s butt come from, scaring your mother?¡± Lu Xiaomei stamped her foot, ¡°Mother~¡± ¡°What? Can¡¯t I mention a monkey¡¯s butt? What have you done wrong to have such a red face?¡± Mrs. Lu eyed her daughter suspiciously, feeling that the girl must definitely be hiding something from the family. ¡°Mother, are you going to cook or not? Do you want to starve my sister-in-law?¡± Lu Xiaomei rolled her eyes irritably, ¡°My sister-in-law just gave you three big chubby grandsons, you dare¡ª¡± Lu Xiaomei had not finished speaking when she was slapped by her mother¡¯s Iron Sand Palm, immediately causing her to grimace in pain. ¡°Quickly focus on your work. Stop babbling...¡± Lu Xiaogu quickly pulled her grimacing niece to start kindling the fire. Susu, hearing the noise in the main room, didn¡¯t know whether to cry or laugh, anxiously staring at the doorway. Knowing there was gossip but not knowing the details was truly frustrating, agonizingly frustrating. However, even until bedtime, the aunt and sister-in-law found no opportunity to be alone and gossip. The next day upon waking up, Susu heard from her mother-in-law that Xiaomei had already gone to school, and feeling bereft extended her hands in despair and shouted. ¡°No¡ª¡± ¡°This child.¡± Mrs. Lu shook her head, assuming the aunt and sister-in-law were just overly affectionate, and carried the granddaughters off to stroll in the yard. The yard was filled with the crisp laughter of the three siblings. For several days, Susu, with her spirit of gossip at its peak, still did not see Lu Xiaomei return home. She sighed deeply, ¡°Ah~ I am so upset~ This is not the outcome I wanted.¡± That day on the way to the store by bike, Susu happened to meet an old farmer selling watermelons. Her eyes lit up; she immediately bought three watermelons, and also got a sack from the old man. A watermelon for the mealtime, the pickled food yard, and her own family each. Since there was no ¡°gossip¡± to indulge in, she decided to satisfy herself with a real melon. ¡°Hey, this watermelon is not bad, big and round, definitely sweet.¡± Mrs. Lu said as she took the large watermelon her daughter-in-law was holding and went to chill it with water. ¡°Yes! This melon is guaranteed fresh! Definitely delicious!¡± Chapter 98 - 98 98 Eating Watermelon ?Chapter 98: Chapter 98: Eating Watermelon Chapter 98: Chapter 98: Eating Watermelon ¡°This child, why so distracted.¡± Lu Xiaogu muttered to herself and then heard the triplets crying, promptly running into the house. Susu chuckled to herself, it¡¯s one watermelon but not the same one. It¡¯s just a pity that the owner of the melon isn¡¯t here to enjoy it. The hot weather, paired with ice-cold, bright-red, big, and sweet watermelons, was indeed a delightful thing. Just as her son and grandsons had also returned, Mrs. Lu held the large watermelon ready to cut. She didn¡¯t need to use much force, with one cut, ¡®pop,¡¯ it split open by itself. Mrs. Lu¡¯s smile was so wide it showed her teeth, as she easily pried it apart, ¡°This melon¡¯s not bad at all, look at that bright red color, it looks really juicy.¡± ¡°Hurry up, everyone wash your hands and let¡¯s eat watermelon.¡± The entire family gathered around the basin munching on watermelon, while the triplets on the bed watched the adults curiously. The triplets were at the stage of practicing head-lifting and oral desire, at this moment staring intently at the others, drooling a drool ¡°falling three thousand feet¡± long. Nibbling on their little hands, drool dripped down steadily along with their saliva. Susu couldn¡¯t help but laugh as she wiped her son¡¯s and daughter¡¯s drool, ¡°Look at how you¡¯re drooling, slobber everywhere.¡± Afraid of not being able to eat lunch, the family had only a few slices of watermelon and stopped. Also, they feared that the three little ones on the bed would cry from craving, which would then be a hassle to soothe. ¡°Aunt, I¡¯m going to check on my little brothers and sisters.¡± ¡°Go on, go on, if your little brothers and sisters pee, call for us.¡± ¡°Mhm, got it.¡± Xiao Yu kicked off his shoes, swung his legs over the edge of the bed, and slowly climbed up. After patting his round belly, he saw his siblings¡¯ shiny hands and scurried down again, taking a towel to carefully wipe off the drool from their hands and chins. ¡°Why are you little brothers and sisters still drooling? Aunt said you¡¯re too young to eat watermelon, you have to wait until you¡¯re bigger to eat it.¡± ¡°Be good now, when you grow up you can eat it.¡± Responding to their brother were the triplets¡¯ wide, spinning eyes. Especially the lively and active second child, An¡¯an, who would always respond with his own gestures whenever his brother spoke. As for the eldest, Pingping, he was much quieter, silently nibbling on his plump little fingers, not paying much mind to his brother. The smallest in size, little sister Lele, started yawning, her big eyes blinking, and before long, fell asleep. In the yard, Susu was sighing on a lounger in the shade, with eyes closed and swaying gently, enjoying the occasional breeze. ¡°Wife, why the sighs? Who¡¯s upset you?¡± Lu Xiaoting sat next to his wife on a small stool, fanning his beloved with a fan in one hand. Susu suddenly opened her eyes, a slight frown on her beautiful brows, ¡°Why has Lu Xiaomei been so busy lately? She hasn¡¯t been home in days.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about her. She¡¯s an adult, she¡¯ll come home when she has time.¡± Susu shot the man a glance, ¡°You don¡¯t understand, ah well~ never mind, I won¡¯t talk about it with you.¡± Lu Xiaoting frowned, sensing his wife and Lu Xiaomei had some secret he wasn¡¯t aware of. Lu Xiaogu pursed her lips, jokingly saying, ¡°Look at Xiao Ting there, fanning his wife while she sleeps, if someone half as good as my second cousin came for my daughter, I¡¯d be content.¡± Hearing the praise of her son, Mrs. Lu¡¯s eyes crinkled with a smile, ¡°We still have to thank the Old Blind Man, he predicted it all too correctly...¡± When they talked about this, the aunt and niece certainly had endless stories to tell. ¡°Now, only Lu Xiaomei is left at home, and in the future¡ª¡± ¡°Mom, Aunt, I¡¯m back.¡± Lu Xiaomei burst in with a bright face and bounding energy, ¡°Where¡¯s my second sister-in-law? Is she back? Still in the house?¡± Lu Xiaogu teased her niece with a beaming smile, ¡°You¡¯re looking for your sister-in-law the moment you get back, you two get along like sisters.¡± Mrs. Lu listened happily, lifting her chin, ¡°There¡¯s your second sister-in-law, enjoying the cool breeze over there.¡± ¡°Xiaomei is back, come here, come here.¡± Susu immediately got excited and bounced off the lounge chair, waving her hand so fast it nearly left an afterimage. ¡°Go on, go inside and pour Xiaomei a glass of water.¡± Lu Xiaoting was chased away by his own wife and looked back to see her excitedly pulling Xiaomei into a conversation, their lips moving at an increased pace. ¡°Xiaomei, have some water.¡± Susu grabbed the teacup and without looking up, shooed her own man, ¡°Alright, I¡¯m going to chat with Xiaomei. Hurry inside and keep an eye on the kids.¡± Lu Xiaoting frowned in regret, ¡°Wifey?¡± ¡°Off you go, off you go, I want to whisper to Xiaomei about young girls. What¡¯s a big man like you doing standing around here?¡± Susu waved her hand and shooed the eagerly waiting big man away, her eyes sparkling with the thrill of gossip. Xiaomei looked down and stifled a laugh with a smile; her second brother seemed quite pitiable. She turned her head and met her second sister-in-law¡¯s intense gaze, her entire face instantly flushing red. She pouted, ¡°Second sister-in-law~¡± At the door, both Aunt and niece who witnessed the second brother¡¯s discomfiture laughed until their teeth were showing. Mrs. Lu gave her son a look that was a mixture of laughter and tears, ¡°Don¡¯t disturb your wife and Xiaomei¡¯s conversation, hurry inside and watch the kids.¡± Lu Xiaogu said, ¡°The second brother can be like this? This is the first time I¡¯ve seen it.¡± Lu Xiaoting frowned, his face taut as he quickly walked back inside. Listening to the alternating laughter of his mother and Little Aunt, his ears turned slightly red. As soon as he entered the house, he heard his son grunting and quickly climbed onto the kang. ¡°Uncle, the baby has peed.¡± Having had a prior experience of being splashed in the face with the baby¡¯s Child¡¯s urine, Xiao Yu cautiously waited for his brother to finish peeing before he removed the wet diaper. Hearing the commotion outside, Mrs. Lu and Lu Xiaogu quickly went inside and onto the kang, changing diapers for the three whimpering little ones. After changing their diapers, each one held a child, trying to soothe them. Lu Xiaoting cradled his little daughter, who was sucking on her little hand, and gently comforted her. The little girl pouted her small mouth, her eyes still brimming with tears. Xiaomei, hearing the noise outside, wanted to come in and soothe her nephews and niece, but was held back by Susu. ¡°It¡¯s okay; with mom, Little Aunt, and your second brother here, don¡¯t worry. It¡¯s probably just a number one.¡± Xiaomei couldn¡¯t help but smile and shake her head, ¡°Second sister-in-law, I¡¯ll just take a quick look and then come right out.¡± Susu waved her hand helplessly, ¡°Go ahead then, make it quick, I¡¯m still waiting to hear your secret.¡± Finally getting the main guest of honor back, Susu¡¯s gossip-loving soul ignited fiercely. In the end, Xiaomei came out holding her nephew An¡¯an. The little guy, upon seeing his mother, stretched out his small arms, leaning towards her. ¡°Alright, mom will hold you.¡± Susu resignedly took the little lad, letting her son rest on her. Her eyes shone brightly as she stared at her sister-in-law. ¡°Second sister-in-law, my partner is from our school too.¡± Xiaomei said in a soft, red-cheeked whisper. Susu nodded, ¡°And then?¡± Little An¡¯an, hearing the voices, curiously raised his tiny head, looking around in interest. ¡°My partner and I are from the same grade.¡± Chapter 99 - 99 99 s of jealousy ?Chapter 99: 99 chapters of jealousy Chapter 99: 99 chapters of jealousy Lu Xiaomei¡¯s voice grew quieter and quieter, and Susu had to stretch her neck and lean in to listen carefully. ¡°How is it? The main thing is he has a good character, and there is no mess at home.¡± ¡°He¡¯s a pretty good guy, the only college student in his family, and they all supported him to get admitted. He also studies really hard, and we are in the same class.¡± Susu, curious, asked, ¡°So how did you two get together? Did he confess to you first?¡± ¡°Sister-in-law~¡± Lu Xiaomei didn¡¯t expect her sister-in-law to ask such detailed questions¡ªher whole face instantly turned red and hot. After a long while, she moved her lips and muttered softly, ¡°We kept bumping into each other, so we started talking more. After a while, he made it clear that he wanted to date me, and I agreed.¡± ¡°Wow, the young man is quite bold.¡± ... ¡°Susu, Lu Xiaomei has finished eating.¡± The two, engrossed in their conversation, then realized that the little guy had already fallen asleep at some point. Even though he was asleep, his head was still turned towards Lu Xiaomei, giving a sense of eavesdropping sleepiness. The weather was hot in summer, and the household typically kept meals simple; otherwise, cooking in the hall for too long would make it unbearably hot, and the heat would make it impossible to sleep on the heated brick bed. Today¡¯s dinner was just cold noodles: a big bowl of chilled white noodles, a big bowl of shredded cucumber, and a big bowl of tomato and egg sauce. A bite of the cold noodles cooled her down significantly, and Susu had to admit, Mrs. Lu¡¯s cooking skills were improving impressively. Susu, enjoying her meal, said, ¡°Mom, your cooking skills are now comparable to a state-run restaurant¡¯s chef; it¡¯s really delicious.¡± Mrs. Lu was so pleased that she couldn¡¯t stop smiling, ¡°Eat more if you like it.¡± Lu Xiaomei also mimicked her sister-in-law, shoving a large bite of cold noodles into her mouth, giving a thumbs up, and said unclearly, ¡°Mom, this is so delicious.¡± Mrs. Lu rolled her eyes at her daughter, with a face of disdain, ¡°Finish eating before you talk. A young lady should sit and eat gracefully.¡± Lu Xiaomei, shocked, her eyes widened; she looked down at herself and then up at her sister-in-law, who was giggling like a kitten. Feeling helpless, she pouted her mouth, ¡°Okay, the same action that looks cute when my sister-in-law does it, looks... not so nice when I do it.¡± Seeing how his wife had quickly finished her meal, Lu Xiaoting said, ¡°Wife, do you want more? I¡¯ll mix it for you.¡± Susu nodded, ¡°Get me another half bowl. Mom¡¯s cooking is too delicious.¡± Mrs. Lu was beaming with joy throughout the dinner. ¡°Susu, what do you want for lunch tomorrow? Mom will make it for you.¡± Susu thought for a moment, ¡°Let¡¯s have oat noodles, boil some potatoes, and have a cold salad. I¡¯ll bring some spiced meat back.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Lu Xiaomei, taking advantage of her mother¡¯s absence, quietly complained to her sister-in-law, ¡°Sister-in-law, ever since the college entrance exam ended, my mom hardly notices me anymore; she doesn¡¯t even ask what I¡¯d like to eat.¡± Susu didn¡¯t know whether to laugh or cry, ¡°Well, what do you want to eat? I¡¯ll speak for you.¡± Lu Xiaomei giggled a little, ¡°I¡¯d like to have oat noodles too.¡± Susu... rolled her eyes at Little Aunt. ¡°Hehe, Mom, Little Aunt, let me clean up the dishes. You two rest.¡± ... The family had finished their breakfast before it even turned dark. As the sun set, accompanied by a cool breeze, it was no longer so hot outside. The family sat in the yard enjoying the cool air, chatting about family matters. Every so often, the squabbling voices of the neighboring children and the scolding voices of adults could be heard. Susu patted Xiao Yu¡¯s head with emerging stubble of hair, ¡°Xiao Yu, have you finished your homework?¡± ¡°Finished, Uncle has checked it all.¡± Xiao Yu nodded his head, his eyes comfortably squinting like a lazy kitten. ¡°Xiaomei, go find another stool.¡± Lu Xiaomei was bewildered as her second brother abruptly picked her up from the stool, utterly confused. Susu witnessed the Little Aunt being picked up by a man like picking up a small chick and couldn¡¯t hold back a laugh. Faced with Little Aunt¡¯s accusing eyes, she silently turned her head at a forty-five-degree angle. Lu Xiaomei: ¡°...¡± Looking up at the sky and around, but pointedly not at her sister-in-law, Lu Xiaomei sneaked a glance at her second brother who had just given her a cool look and quietly went to find her mother and Little Aunt. Mrs. Lu and Little Aunt were smiling warmly, waving and pulling Lu Xiaomei to sit between them. ¡°Xiao Ting really is... stingy.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, it¡¯s okay, sitting with Mom is just as good.¡± ¡°That kid, Xiao Ting, is really clingy with his wife.¡± ¡ª¡ª There were no entertainment activities at the moment, so the large family usually washed up and went to bed by a little past eight. Lu Xiaoting wrapped his arms around his wife, pulling the woman who was nearly plastered to the wall back into his embrace. Susu, feeling resigned, had even tried to escape this man by moving toward the wall, but ended up being embraced by him again. ¡°Oh, let me go, it¡¯s too hot,¡± Susu struggled to wriggle out of the man¡¯s embrace. ¡°Not letting go, just not letting go of my wife.¡± ¡°It¡¯s hot, your body is too hot, I¡¯m burning up.¡± Lu Xiaoting slightly loosened his muscular arm, complaining to his wife. ¡°Wife, I think you and Xiaomei are keeping secrets from me. You¡¯re not even being affectionate with me anymore.¡± Susu felt both itchy and warm from the breath of the man speaking near her ear and couldn¡¯t help but dodge away. As she listened to the man¡¯s pitiful complaints, the image of a nearly six-foot-tall tough guy looking all miserable and pitiful popped into her mind. She couldn¡¯t hold back a laugh, her shoulders shaking. Lu Xiaoting, feeling helpless, said, ¡°Wife.¡± ¡°Oh, please, whatever is between me and Xiaomei, that¡¯s women¡¯s business; why are you, a big man, getting jealous?¡± Susu turned over to face the man, soothing him with a smile. ¡°Wife, I don¡¯t care, I¡¯m jealous.¡± The corner of Susu¡¯s mouth twitched as she sensed a whining tone. Quite afraid of the man¡¯s persistence, she simply planted a kiss on him, ¡°Alright, alright, no more jealousy. I love you the most.¡± In the dark of the night, a victorious smile appeared on the man¡¯s lips, his voice husky and seductive. ¡°Wife, I love you the most too.¡± Susu¡¯s heart skipped a beat, it took her a moment to realize that those words had actually come from this man¡¯s mouth. Leaning in again, she gave the man a rewarding kiss. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s sleep, you have to work tomorrow.¡± ¡°Hmm, wife, good night.¡± Susu curled her lips, closed her eyes, and moved away from the warmth of the man. Just as Susu was about to drift off into sleep, her mind suddenly flooded with a mess of scenes. Susu abruptly opened her eyes, carefully recalling the storyline of the original book. Shocked, she covered her mouth. Wasn¡¯t the Phoenix Man, whom Xiaomei eventually married in the original book, the one mentioned today? Huang Chengzu¡ªa college classmate of Lu Xiaomei, a love born from freedom, married straight after graduation. Their married life had started off quite happy. Chapter 100 - 100 100 Tragic Destiny ?Chapter 100: Chapter 100 Tragic Destiny Chapter 100: Chapter 100 Tragic Destiny For various reasons, the relationship between the two deteriorated rapidly and finally ended in divorce. Lu Xiaomei¡¯s health also declined, and she eventually became despondent. She died young, not even reaching the age of 40, and her passing dealt a severe blow to Lu Family¡¯s elderly parents; they fell ill and never recovered. Susu¡¯s heart pounded fiercely, worried about waking the man next to her. Clenching her fists tightly, she controlled her breathing until it became even again. No! She couldn¡¯t let Xiaomei suffer the tragic fate of her original story. She had to devise a plan to break the two of them up. At the same time, she couldn¡¯t let Xiaomei be too heartbroken; she had to think it over carefully. All night her mind was cluttered with a mess of thoughts, all about Xiaomei¡¯s latter half of life. It was almost dawn when Susu finally managed to fall asleep with great difficulty. When she woke up in the morning, her eyes were bloodshot, and she felt dizzy and groggy; it was terribly uncomfortable. ¡°Mother, I feel a bit dizzy. I¡¯ll sleep a bit more. Call me if An¡¯an and Lele are hungry.¡± ¡°Fine, fine, you sleep. The kids have their mother and your Little Aunt.¡± After a bit more sleep, Susu felt much more alert. Her head wasn¡¯t as heavy, and her eyes weren¡¯t sore anymore. Her stomach, however, was growling, singing a vacant tune. She drank a bowl of barley essence and ate a couple of peach pastries to fill up. Only then did she truly come back to life. After feeding her son and daughter, she carefully recalled the original story¡¯s plot concerning Xiaomei. In the original story, Xiaomei and Huang Chengzu had a sweet romance that began in college and lasted all the way to their marriage after graduation. The Huang Family¡¯s parents and siblings were all farmers in their village, and they were overjoyed to learn that their son had found a girlfriend from the city. Whenever they met Xiaomei, they lavished her with praise, not sparing any compliments. The Lu Family was also deceived by the Huang Family, who were good at putting on a show, and believed that they found a reasonable and understanding family for Xiaomei. The young couple was assigned to a public service unit in Provincial City after graduation and became official employees. Their life was happy and fulfilling for the first half of the year. Other than the occasional requests for favors from Huang Chengzu¡¯s siblings, things were tolerable, and Xiaomei would bear it in silence. Later, the Huang Family began pressuring them to have children. Xiaomei was under intense mental stress, but she remained childless. The Huangs made innuendos and sarcastic comments, implying that Xiaomei was like a hen that couldn¡¯t lay eggs. They also recommended various traditional remedies for Xiaomei to drink. Being soft-hearted by nature, she felt somewhat responsible for not being able to conceive after being badgered so much and complied with drinking all the unpleasant remedies. As a result, her health deteriorated from these concoctions, while the Phoenix Man enjoyed the money and items from the Lu Family and impregnated another woman on the side. The Lu Family immediately arranged for Xiaomei¡¯s divorce upon finding out, stripping the Phoenix Man and his family bare, only just managing to get even. Xiaomei¡¯s health had suffered from all the traditional remedies, and she became despondent after the divorce. She left this world too soon, not even reaching 40. Father Lu and Mrs. Lu were deeply affected, their hair turned white overnight, they fell ill, and eventually passed away one after another. Thinking about Xiaomei¡¯s tragic fate in the book made Susu tremble with anger, wishing she could beat the Phoenix Man to death. Mrs. Lu was startled as she walked in, her face full of urgency. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Susu? Why are you so upset? Did Lu Xiaoting upset you?¡± ¡°A woman should never get angry; it¡¯s not good for your health. Don¡¯t be mad, I¡¯ll deal with Lu Xiaoting when he comes back,¡± Mrs. Lu reassured her, ready to discipline her son. An innocently scapegoated Lu Xiaoting, ¡°¦²(O?§ÕO?|||)¥Î¥Î¡± Susu took a deep breath. She certainly couldn¡¯t reveal that she knew the future events from the book, so she had to pretend she had a nightmare. Looking at her kindly-faced, smiling mother-in-law, Susu hesitated again and again before tentatively saying. ¡°Mother, would you like to hear about the nightmare I had?¡± Mrs. Lu, finding her daughter-in-law as adorable as a child, smiled warmly and nodded. ¡°Go ahead, I¡¯m listening.¡± Susu pursed her lips and said word by word, ¡°Yesterday, I dreamt that Xiaomei found a partner, and the two of them settled down right after graduation. After marrying, the husband¡¯s family would frequently come to mooch off of them, and later she was pressured by her mother-in-faw to drink dubious remedies... her health was ruined, the man cheated and got another woman pregnant, and in the end... they divorced.¡± Susu dared not mention that Xiaomei had passed away young, for fear that Mrs. Lu would be too distressed to handle it. After speaking, she carefully observed her mother-in-law¡¯s expression. Mrs. Lu¡¯s brows furrowed into a deep frown, she sighed and comforted her daughter-in-law, ¡°Don¡¯t be scared; it¡¯s just a dream. With your father-in-law and me around, we definitely won¡¯t let Xiaomei marry into such a family.¡± Susu was somewhat anxious, she couldn¡¯t just say that was Xiaomei¡¯s fate in a past life. ¡°Mom, I won¡¯t hide it from you, Xiaomei just told me yesterday that she¡¯s seeing someone, and then today I have this dream. My heart really doesn¡¯t feel at ease.¡± ¡°What? She¡¯s seeing someone?¡± Mrs. Lu was a bit anxious. ¡°Yes, and there¡¯s an old saying, what one thinks during the day, one dreams at night. Maybe this dream is a warning for our family to keep a closer eye on Xiaomei.¡± A sudden inspiration struck Susu, and she quickly said, ¡°Isn¡¯t Old Blind Man known for his accurate predictions? Why don¡¯t we take their birth information to him for a reading? If the fortune is good, we can be assured, but if it¡¯s not... we can¡¯t let Xiaomei jump into a pit of fire.¡± Mrs. Lu nodded repeatedly, ¡°Susu, you are right, we should definitely have it calculated.¡± Seeing her mother-in-law treat the matter seriously, Susu secretly heaved a sigh of relief. That very afternoon, she carried things to the Provincial Finance College, relying on her memory of when she accompanied Xiaomei to enroll, and found Xiaomei¡¯s dormitory. ¡°Knock knock knock.¡± ¡°Who is it? I¡¯m coming.¡± The door was opened by a trendy young girl who was startled upon seeing the visitor, ¡°Hello, may I ask whom you are looking for?¡± Susu revealed a standardized smile, ¡°Hi, classmate, I¡¯m looking for Lu Yuewan, I¡¯m her sister-in-law. I¡¯ve brought her some food.¡± Qiao Nian glanced at the assorted fruits and pastries in the net bag, smiled, and stepped aside to clear the door. ¡°Sister-in-law, hello, I¡¯m Qiao Nian, come on in and wait for Wanwan. She went to the library and should be back soon.¡± ¡°Hello, Qiao Nian.¡± Susu followed inside, surveyed the dormitory which now appeared more lively and homely than the first time. She placed the items on Xiaomei¡¯s desk, ¡°I¡¯ll leave the things here, then. I should wait downstairs; there are kids waiting for me at home, I can¡¯t be out for too long.¡± Qiao Nian was taken aback; she hadn¡¯t expected Wanwan¡¯s sister-in-law to be so young and beautiful to already have children. She had thought she was a just-married young lady. Susu had only waited a few minutes when she saw Xiaomei from a distance, chatting and laughing with a scholarly-looking male classmate as they walked toward the dormitory. ¡°Xiaomei.¡± ¡°Sis-in-law?¡± Xiaomei hurried over, her face full of joy, ¡°Sis-in-law, what brings you here?¡± ¡°I brought you some food, it¡¯s all on your desk. Remember to share with your roommates.¡± After Susu spoke, her gaze shifted to the clean-cut male student. Huang Chengzu stood stiffly and managed to say, ¡°Hello, sister-in-law.¡± Susu responded coolly, with a polite nod, ¡°Hello, classmate.¡± Chapter 101 - 101 101 uses oneself as an example advising ?Chapter 101: Chapter 101 uses oneself as an example, advising earnestly and kindly. Chapter 101: Chapter 101 uses oneself as an example, advising earnestly and kindly. Lu Xiaomei covertly signaled the man with a glance. Huang Chengzu sensed the cold indifference from his sister-in-law Yue Wan, greeted her, and then slipped away. Susu inwardly spat several times at the man who looked respectable but was actually a dog in human skin, dressed to the nines but doing nothing of substance. Lu Xiaomei, clinging to her sister-in-law¡¯s arm, cooed, ¡°Sister-in-law, what brings you here?¡± Susu rolled her eyes at the overly nai?ve and kind-hearted Little Aunt, protected too much by her family, and tapped her on the forehead. ¡°Sister-in-law had a night full of nightmares yesterday and couldn¡¯t stop worrying about you, so here I am.¡± Lu Xiaomei was taken aback for a moment but quickly realized it must be about the matchmaking and hurriedly asked. ¡°What happened? Sister-in-law, what did you dream about?¡± Susu put on a still-shaken expression, sighed, and shared the entire story of the dream with her little niece. Suddenly, the atmosphere grew tense. The two sisters-in-law looked at each other, eyes wide open in shock. Susu stayed silent, waiting for Lu Xiaomei to speak first. After collecting herself, Lu Xiaomei hesitantly said, ¡°It shouldn¡¯t be, right? It was just a dream, don¡¯t worry, Sister-in-law.¡± Susu sighed, knowing that just talking about dreams wouldn¡¯t convince a little niece who was deeply in love. Changing her approach, ¡°Xiaomei, do you still remember how your brother and I got married?¡± Lu Xiaomei was puzzled why her sister-in-law suddenly brought this up, but she still mentioned honestly. ¡°I remember Daddy wasn¡¯t well, and after a matchmaker¡¯s introduction and compatibility of our birth charts, you got married. Then Daddy¡¯s health gradually improved, and he got better.¡± That was exactly what Susu wanted to hear, so she started preaching earnestly, taking herself as an example. ¡°What does that tell us?¡± ¡°What does it tell us?¡± Lu Xiaomei echoed. With her hands clapping together in excitement, Susu declared, ¡°It means your brother and I are a match made in heaven, Old Blind Man¡¯s predictions were accurate!¡± ¡°In my opinion, Old Blind Man truly has genuine abilities. And who knows if my nightmare was just a dream or a divine warning for our family. Why not take your and that male classmate¡¯s birth charts to Old Blind Man for a look? If they are compatible, we¡¯ll all rejoice. But if not... we better get out early, right... Xiaomei, what do you think?¡± Susu scrutinized Lu Xiaomei¡¯s face, not missing any expressions on the young girl¡¯s face. Lu Xiaomei unconsciously nodded, feeling that her sister-in-law¡¯s suggestion was logical. ¡°Alright, I got it, Sister-in-law. I¡¯ll get his birth information, and I¡¯ll take it back home to Mom.¡± Having discussed the important matter, Susu didn¡¯t linger, remembering the three little ones at home who must be crying for her by now. ¡°Alright, go back quickly, Sister-in-law. You head on up; the stuff¡¯s for sharing with your classmates.¡± ¡°Hey, Sister-in-law, take care.¡± ¡ª ¡°Wanwan, your sister-in-law just came by, said she was waiting for you downstairs. Did you guys meet?¡± As soon as Lu Xiaomei returned to the dormitory, her good friend Qiao Nian poked her head out from the bed. ¡°Yeah, we met, had a chat downstairs.¡± As she spoke, Lu Xiaomei distributed some fruits and snacks among her dorm mates. Everyone thanked her, each envious of how wonderful Lu Yuewan¡¯s sister-in-law was. ¡°Wanwan, your sister-in-law is so nice, bringing you all these snacks.¡± ¡°Yeah, unlike my sister-in-law, who grudges me even a piece of candy. She hides them as soon as I come home. I actually saw it,¡± said the bespectacled female classmate, curling her lip. ¡°Sister-in-law Wanwan is not only beautiful but also so kind to Little Aunt, she¡¯s hard to find even with a lantern.¡± Hearing someone praise her second sister-in-law, Lu Xiaomei¡¯s mouth curled up with pride, and she tilted her chin up smugly. ¡°That¡¯s right, my second sister-in-law is filial to my parents, can earn money, and is beautiful too. Where else can you find such a good sister-in-law? It was nothing but sheer dumb luck for my Brother to have married such a wonderful wife like my second sister-in-law.¡± Everyone in the dormitory was amused by Lu Xiaomei¡¯s bragging about her sister-in-law, and they all felt incredibly envious. Qiao Nian quietly nudged her friend¡¯s arm, ¡°So, you haven¡¯t been caught by your second sister-in-law, have you?¡± ¡°I have.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Mm, we even greeted each other.¡± Lu Xiaomei nodded calmly, then in a whisper she quickly recounted what had just happened. Qiao Nian, bombarded with one shock after another, stared with wide, round eyes, stuttering, ¡°There, there, there¡¯s such an amazing person?¡± When Susu got home, she met the teary-eyed gazes of her second son and little daughter, feeling both heartache and amusement. Mrs. Lu and Lu Xiaogu were also relieved; they were quite scared by the incessant crying of the two little ones. Susu kissed her son and then her daughter, deciding to pick up one in each arm, ¡°Oh dear, look at how pitiful An¡¯an and Lele are crying. Mommy just stepped out for a moment, look how composed Brother is.¡± Composed Brother, the eldest Pingping, was contentedly chewing on two chubby little hands, covering his face with slobber. Mrs. Lu cried out in surprise, quickly wiping her grandson¡¯s drool, ¡°What makes our precious baby¡¯s fingers so delicious?¡± Seeing that the children had been mollified, Lu Xiaogu hurriedly took the three siblings¡¯ recently soiled diapers out to wash. In the summer heat, the large basin of water in the yard was already warmed by the sun, saving the trouble of heating water. Provincial Finance College After hearing his date¡¯s words, Huang Chengzu remained silent for a while, not speaking. ¡°Do you really believe that? In the past, this would be considered superstitious nonsense.¡± ¡°No, the Old Blind Man is very accurate.¡± Lu Xiaomei waved her hand, clearly having complete faith in her second sister-in-law¡¯s words. Huang Chengzu always felt something was off, and from that one meeting, he always felt that Sister-in-law Yue Wan actually seemed to dislike him. Although the sister-in-law didn¡¯t say it explicitly, he always had that impression. After hesitating again and again, he tentatively said, ¡°I feel like Sister-in-law doesn¡¯t seem to like me much?¡± Lu Xiaomei was startled, and quickly denied it, ¡°No, no, don¡¯t overthink it.¡± Thinking to herself, my second sister-in-law dreamt of you treating me that way, there¡¯s no way she could like you. But such things still couldn¡¯t be mentioned outright. So she urged him, ¡°Don¡¯t overthink it, hurry up and call your family to ask for your birth time and date so I can take it back to them.¡± Huang Chengzu nodded and said in a muffled tone, ¡°Understood.¡± On this end, having received a definite response, Lu Xiaomei explained the situation thoroughly to her second sister-in-law. Her second sister-in-law was concerned for her wellbeing, otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t bother herself with whether Lu Xiaomei dated anyone or not. These past few days, Mrs. Lu too was worried about her daughter¡¯s marital prospects, fearing it would turn out just like her daughter-in-law¡¯s dream, and she hadn¡¯t slept well for several days. Seeing that her daughter-in-law had just returned from outside, she rushed over in a few strides. ¡°Susu, how did it go? What did Xiaomei say?¡± ¡°Mother, don¡¯t worry, Xiaomei said she has already asked her suitor to call his family.¡± ¡°What? Xiaomei is seeing someone?¡± Lu Xiaoting was shocked. Chapter 102 - 102 102 Chinese Cabbage ?Chapter 102: Chapter 102 Chinese Cabbage Chapter 102: Chapter 102 Chinese Cabbage Lu Xiaoting had not expected to be hit with such explosive news just as he entered his home, and, surprised, his voice unintentionally amplified a few notches. The mother-in-law and daughter-in-law duo on the kang were startled by the sudden noise, unprepared and shuddering. The two hurriedly checked on the triplets nearby, seeing that the little ones were not awakened by the commotion, they both sighed with relief. Mrs. Lu glared at her second son standing at the doorway, ¡°Why are you yelling so loudly?! Huh? Trying to scare your mother to death?!¡± Susu clutched her wildly thumping chest, glaring at the man with no good humor, ¡°You nearly scared my soul out of me.¡± Lu Xiaogu watched her nephew being scolded, and couldn¡¯t help but hide her smile behind pursed lips. Chastised by both his mother and his wife, Lu Xiaoting scratched his head in chagrin. ¡°Mom, wife, I was wrong.¡± ¡°I just heard about Xiaomei dating someone, I really couldn¡¯t contain myself. What kind of rascal has the gall to poach our ¡®cabbage¡¯?¡± Mrs. Lu got annoyed looking at her second son, utterly indifferent to his sister¡¯s affairs. If it weren¡¯t for Susu, his sister¡¯s relationship with that no-good guy might have grown too strong to break up. Receiving two more disdainful glances from his mother for free, Lu Xiaoting quietly moved behind his wife, out of reach of his mother¡¯s restless Iron Sand Palm. Mrs. Lu, ¡°...¡± Susu could not help but laugh and cry at the sight; this man was truly afraid of his mother-in-law¡¯s Iron Sand Palm. ¡°Wife, you haven¡¯t told me who that scoundrel is, daring to poach our ¡®cabbage¡¯.¡± Mrs. Lu glared at him again. Her own daughter, pretty and charming, was no mere ¡®cabbage¡¯, but perhaps a sweet and juicy ¡®radish¡¯. Lu Xiaogu saw her sister-in-law raising her hand again, worried that her grown nephew would still get a beating, and quickly clutched her sister-in-law¡¯s arm. Lu Xiaoting sent a grateful look towards his Little Aunt, who always knew how to keep their mother¡¯s Iron Sand Palm at bay. Susu cleared her throat and slapped the man, ¡°Alright, we¡¯re discussing serious matters here.¡± Hearing this, Xiao Yu quietly withdrew his curious gaze, obediently opened his school bag, and started doing homework. After hearing the whole story, Lu Xiaoting frowned, no wonder his wife had been worried these past few days. Xiaomei had grown up too simple and kind-hearted, easily fooled by others when outside the home. She was his only sister, spoiled by their parents and three brothers since childhood. It was only when they had children and as his Little Aunt entered university, that they weren¡¯t as attentive to his sister as before. Just the thought of his sister being deceived or mistreated by some jerk made him all the more anxious and worried. Thinking this, Lu Xiaoting grew even more anxious and concerned, heading for the edge of the kang, ¡°I¡¯ll go to school to check on Xiaomei.¡± ¡°Hey, don¡¯t you go, Second Brother.¡± ¡°Xiao Ting, don¡¯t rush, we, as a family, are discussing it right now.¡± Susu quickly grabbed him, her eyebrows tightly furrowed, ¡°Sit down, will you? We haven¡¯t finished talking; what¡¯s the rush?¡± Mrs. Lu, irritated, smacked him several times in quick succession, ¡°What are you rushing for, huh?¡± ¡°You¡¯re a father yourself, what? Planning to go beat someone up? How disgraceful would that be? A policeman beating up civilians.¡± Lu Xiaoting winced as he covered his arm which throbbed from his mother¡¯s Iron Sand Palm, grimacing in pain, ¡°Mom, I didn¡¯t plan to beat anyone up, just wanted to see what kind of guy that is?¡± Mrs. Lu stopped short, silently retracting her hand meant for hitting her son. Xiao Yu watched his uncle get hit and shuddered, quietly bowing his head and continuing to diligently do his homework. Uncle got a beating for being disobedient! He had to be a well-behaved child, not to make Grandma, Aunt, or Uncle angry. ... After listening to his wife¡¯s explanation, Lu Xiaoting gave his wife a big thumbs up, ¡°My wife is really impressive!¡± Susu rolled her eyes at him but lifted her chin in pride, ¡°You¡¯re just realizing that now?!¡± ... Huang Chengzu parted with a dollar begrudgingly to the owner of the small store, grumbling, ¡°Insisting that I make a phone call, and there goes a dollar just like that.¡± Thinking of the arrangements for his parents, Huang Chengzu clenched his fists. He had to work hard to gain a firm foothold in the city. The entire family depended on him, and he was the only hope for them all. Huang Chengzu gripped the note with determination and strode towards the school. He had just arrived at the school gate when he ran into the lavishly dressed Qiao Nian. As classmates and roommates of his sweetheart, he greeted her with a smile, ¡°Qiao, are you going out?¡± Qiao Nian nodded, responding without much warmth, ¡°Yeah, going out.¡± ¡°By the way, Qiao, is Yue Wan in the dorm?¡± ¡°Wanwan left early this morning. She probably went to work at her sister-in-law¡¯s shop.¡± ... At the small restaurant, which was now past breakfast time and without any customers, everyone was busy preparing ingredients, kneading dough, or washing dishes. Lu Xiaomei took the chance to check and record the accounts. ¡°Sister Xian Yue, go rest; I¡¯ll take over after I finish the accounts.¡± ¡°No worries, I¡¯m not tired.¡± ¡°But sis, please just do as you¡¯re told and go outside.¡± Lu Xiaomei then forced her own second cousin out and made her sit on a stool to rest. Su Xianyue, amused and helpless, obediently sat down to rest, and whispered, touching her belly. ¡°See how kind Aunt treats mom? You have to be good to Aunt too, okay?¡± Inside the kitchen, Su Sanya¡¯s face was flushed, ¡°Sister Wan.¡± ¡°Hey, Sanyi, how have you been lately? Why haven¡¯t I seen you come by?¡± ¡°Hehe, I¡¯m afraid to bother your mom by making her cook something delicious for me, so I didn¡¯t dare to visit.¡± Su Sanya said, somewhat embarrassed, ¡°By the way, Sister Wan, how are my second sister and nephew doing?¡± ¡°They¡¯re all doing well; the triplets are so plump and white, very adorable. When you have time, you should visit your big nephews and see them grow. We¡¯re all family, no need for such formalities.¡± ¡°Got it, Sister Wan.¡± ... After a day¡¯s work, Lu Xiaomei didn¡¯t feel tired at all. The thought of having made more money seemed to energize her like a shot of adrenaline. Lu Xiaomei, cheerful and excited, was carrying a net bag and had just reached the downstairs of the building when she saw a familiar figure. She ran over with a smile. ¡°Why are you here? Waiting for me?¡± Huang Chengzu smiled honestly and nodded, ¡°Yue Wan, are you back? Tired?¡± ¡°Not tired.¡± Lu Xiaomei cheerfully took out a bun from the net bag and handed it over, ¡°I brought this for you especially, take it back to the dorm to eat.¡± Seeing her sweetheart bring something delicious back from work, Huang Chengzu grinned broadly, flashing a row of teeth, ¡°Have you eaten? Let¡¯s eat together.¡± Lu Xiaomei nodded, pushing the food back to the man, ¡°By the way, did you ask for your parents¡¯ dates and times of birth?¡± Huang Chengzu paused, his hand inadvertently touching his pocket, then shook his head. ¡°Not yet.¡± ¡°But is that fortune-teller really so accurate? Could it be a scam?¡± Lu Xiaomei thought he was just afraid of being cheated, and shook her head with a smile, ¡°Not at all.¡± Chapter 103 - 103 103 Evil Fate ?Chapter 103: Chapter 103 Evil Fate Chapter 103: Chapter 103 Evil Fate Seeing her boyfriend still hesitant and somewhat skeptical, Lu Xiaomei smiled as she spoke about the big events that happened in her family after her sister-in-law entered the Lu Family. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, the things our ancestors figured out are definitely remarkable.¡± ¡°The Old Blind Man is the most accurate in our area. If my mom hadn¡¯t secretly helped him years ago, the old master wouldn¡¯t have offered readings to just anyone.¡± Huang Chengzu, for some reason, felt more and more uneasy the more he listened, and inexplicably felt he shouldn¡¯t have shared his birth details with his girlfriend. ... Dressed flamboyantly, Qiao Nian had just entered her dorm room when she saw her friend intently looking at a piece of paper and curiously leaned over. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± ¡°Eh? Is this... Huang Chengzu¡¯s birth details?¡± ¡°Yeah, my sister-in-law had a nightmare, so she asked me to get it and check it out.¡± Qiao Nian raised an eyebrow, somewhat skeptical, ¡°Is it really that accurate?¡± ¡°Wanwan, even though I don¡¯t really like Huang Chengzu as a person, I¡¯m also not a big believer in fortune-telling. It always seems like just a bunch of frauds to me.¡± Afraid her friend might get upset, Qiao Nian then mentioned the people she had heard of who were swindled by such so-called swindlers until they were broke. Lu Xiaomei knew her friend meant well, so she detailed the significant events that had occurred in her family after her sister-in-law arrived. In shock, Qiao Nian¡¯s eyes and mouth opened wide, stammering, ¡°Really? Is that true??¡± ¡°Of course, it¡¯s true. My mom said that at the time, the Old Blind Man mentioned that as long as my sister-in-law got past a major crisis, things would go smoothly for our family from then on, and he even predicted that my brother would definitely have a son. Now, my parents are healthy, and my sister-in-law has just had triplets...¡± ¡°Holy cow¡ª that¡¯s incredible?!¡± ... The next day after class, Lu Xiaomei didn¡¯t go to the library and instead went straight home with her backpack. Huang Chengzu watched her slender figure disappear into the distance and, for some reason, a subtle unease began to stir in his heart. ¡ª ¡°Mom, Little Aunt, sister-in-law, I¡¯m back.¡± Lu Xiaomei had rushed a bit on her way home and arrived somewhat breathless. ¡°Oh, this child!¡± Mrs. Lu was coaxing her granddaughter to sleep and, seeing the little girl wake up with big, rolling dark eyes, she couldn¡¯t help but give her excited daughter a stern look. ¡°Lele was just about to fall asleep, and you just had to wake her up.¡± Seeing this, Lu Xiaogu quickly tried to soothe her niece, ¡°You can¡¯t blame Xiaomei, I don¡¯t think Lele was ready to sleep just yet.¡± Lu Xiaomei immediately took over her little niece, ¡°Mom, you rest, I¡¯ll take over.¡± ¡°By the way, where¡¯s my sister-in-law? Did she go to the store?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Mrs. Lu nodded, ¡°Your sister-in-law went out early. What do you need her for?¡± Lu Xiaomei was a bit embarrassed under her mother¡¯s direct gaze. After hesitating, she spoke softly. ¡°My sister-in-law asked me to get the birth details; I was just...¡± ¡°What? Birth details? Did you get them?¡± Mrs. Lu became anxious and reached out to her daughter, ¡°Let me see it quickly.¡± Seeing that her mother and aunt showed no surprise, Lu Xiaomei knew they probably already knew about her boyfriend. Her face turning red and hot, she awkwardly cleared her throat, ¡°It¡¯s in my backpack, Mom, you can get it yourself.¡± The aunt and niece pulled out a piece of paper written in pencil and instantly focused on it, heads together, examining the note. Lu Xiaomei took the opportunity while her mom and aunt were muttering over the note to run back with her niece Lele to hide in the back room. ¡°No way, Little Aunt, you and Xiaomei stay home with the triplets, I¡¯ll quickly go back and find the Old Blind Man.¡± ¡°Alright, Second Sister-in-law, you go ahead, I¡¯ll take care of the house, don¡¯t worry.¡± Mrs. Lu didn¡¯t bother about the daughters on the kang and hurried back into the room to grab her money before rushing off. ¡°Whew.¡± Seeing that her mother wasn¡¯t nagging at her ears, Lu Xiaomei instantly breathed a sigh of relief and kissed her little girl¡¯s chubby cheeks. ¡°Ah, my little darling, how can you be so cute?¡± The little one seemed to know she was being praised, happily blowing bubbles, her little hands and feet shaking. Eldest, Pingping, was quietly sucking on her fingers, her big, dark, and shiny eyes staring at the ceiling, unbothered by anyone. Second child, An¡¯an, was held in the arms of Little Aunt, grabbing at Little Aunt¡¯s clothes with one hand, savoring a candy with the other, large eyes rolling towards her sister. Suddenly feeling a warmth on her arm, Lu Xiaogu quickly put An¡¯an down, lifted her chubby legs, and pulled out the diaper. Sure enough, the little one had made a small pee and a little poop. ¡°You little rascal, you really can eat, poop, and pee.¡± Thinking it was all play, An¡¯an giggled delightedly, flailing her little hands and feet. ¡°No wonder I said this little one was frowning just now; turns out she was sneakily straining.¡± ¡°Straining for what?¡± Having heard that, Susu walked into the house, a net full of fruit in hand, removing her straw hat as the hair on her forehead clung wetly to her head. Hearing their mother¡¯s voice, the three little ones started humming and stretching out their hands, reaching for their mother. Susu quickly washed her hands and, one by one, kissed her three children. ¡°Why haven¡¯t I seen Mom? Did she go out to buy groceries?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not it. Today, little sister brought back that young man¡¯s birth date, and Second Sister-in-law couldn¡¯t wait; she rushed back to see the Old Blind Man.¡± Overhear, Lu Xiaomei shyly called out, ¡°Aunt~.¡± Lu Xiaogu, tickled by her niece¡¯s coy demeanor, quickly waved her hands, ¡°Aunt won¡¯t talk anymore, look at my little sister blushing.¡± ¡°Aunt~¡± ¡°Alright, alright, Aunt won¡¯t say anymore.¡± Susu pursed her lips, her eyes smiling crescent-shaped, changing the topic. ¡°Judging by the time, if Mom caught the bus right, she should be almost here.¡± Mrs. Lu anxiously stretched her neck out the door, looking around the familiar outskirts of the county, muttering softly. ¡°Oh dear, why is the bus driving so slow today? It¡¯s almost here.¡± As soon as the bus came to a stop, Mrs. Lu squeezed out in a flit. ¡°Hey, who is it? What¡¯s the rush?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t squeeze, we can all get off.¡± ¡°Hey, who¡¯s pushing me?¡± ... Ignoring the complaints behind her, Mrs. Lu, far from embarrassed, hurried down the road toward the Old Blind Man¡¯s house. Combining walking and running, she finally saw the big gate of the Old Blind Man¡¯s house. ¡°Who is it?¡± ¡°Old Blind Man, it¡¯s me, a daughter-in-law of the Lu Family.¡± The Old Blind Man recognized her as a familiar face and slowly laid back down on his chair, continuing to lounge. ¡°Tell me, what do you want to calculate this time?¡± ¡°Old Blind Man, I¡¯m here to check on my daughter¡¯s marital prospects, see, the child has found someone herself, and I¡¯m here to see their compatibility.¡± Saying so, Mrs. Lu respectfully handed over two strips of paper to the Old Blind Man. The Old Blind Man glanced at the strips, closed his eyes, pinched his fingers together, and muttered under his breath in words Mrs. Lu couldn¡¯t understand. ¡°A misfortunate match!¡± Chapter 104 - 104 104 Provincial Finance College ?Chapter 104: Chapter 104 Provincial Finance College Chapter 104: Chapter 104 Provincial Finance College ¡°What?¡± Mrs. Lu licked her cracked lips nervously and cautiously asked, ¡°What does that mean? Is it something not so good?¡± The Old Blind Man nodded, then shook his head, leaving Mrs. Lu anxious and panicked, bombarding him with a flurry of incoherent questions. ¡°There is fate without destiny; if they stay together, in the end, they will...¡± After leaving the Old Blind Man¡¯s house, Mrs. Lu felt dazed, with the Old Blind Man¡¯s words echoing in her mind. The ultimate result of being together could very well be like what Susu dreamed of. Thankfully, heaven was kind, allowing Susu to have a premonition of the unfortunate event, grateful that her daughter had not yet fallen too deep. Mrs. Lu made up her mind; she had to discuss the gravity of the situation with her daughter and separate her from that person at all costs. Without even going back to check on her husband, Mrs. Lu rushed to catch the bus back to Provincial City, her heart having already flown back home. Perhaps it was because she had a lot on her mind, lost in her thoughts the entire trip, the bus seemed to reach Provincial City in the blink of an eye. Thinking of her daughter at home, Mrs. Lu hurried back. ¡°Where¡¯s Xiaomei?¡± ¡°I¡¯m back.¡± Susu, who was holding the child and strolling in the yard, turned around with her daughter when they heard the voice. ¡°Mom, Xiaomei had classes at school this afternoon and went back for them.¡± Seeing the worried look on her mother-in-law¡¯s face, Susu roughly guessed that the Old Blind Man might have predicted something. That Old Blind Man really had some skills. ¡°Sister-in-law, why do you look so upset? It couldn¡¯t be...¡± Mrs. Lu sighed and recounted her conversation with the Old Blind Man to them in detail. After listening, Lu Xiaogu became anxious as well, ¡°What should we do now? Should we go find Xiaomei?¡± At a moment when both aunt and sister-in-law felt helpless, Lu Xiaoting arrived with Xiao Yu. Father and son, as usual, washed their hands before they went to see the triplets that had just fallen asleep. ¡°Second son, come here, I have something to tell you.¡± Seeing his mother¡¯s serious face, Lu Xiaoting was a bit stunned, then stood up and asked. ¡°What is it, Mother?¡± ¡°I went back to see the Old Blind Man to have our horoscopes read, and what he said wasn¡¯t much different from Susu¡¯s dream. I¡¯m worried that if we wait too long, Xiaomei will get in too deep.¡± Mrs. Lu took a breath, ¡°I¡¯m thinking of having you go to the college and bring Xiaomei back home. We need to deal with this as soon as possible.¡± ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll go right now.¡± Without further ado, Lu Xiaoting rode his bike out, his mind preoccupied with thoughts, pedaling furiously along the way. Passing by the bus stop, onlookers saw a blur as a bicycle sped past, each of them craning their necks curiously. ¡°Goodness, that bike is going so fast; it¡¯s almost as if it¡¯s catching up to a car.¡± ¡°My word, what was that thing that just whizzed by?¡± ¡°Seemed like a bicycle?!¡± ¡°A bicycle? Can it go that fast?¡± ... Lu Xiaoting arrived at the Provincial Finance College in record time. While riding the bike, he didn¡¯t feel it, but once he stopped, his whole body was bursting with heat, sweat beads streaming down from under his wide-brimmed hat. Many students, seeing this scene, thought someone must have committed a crime and scattered away from Lu Xiaoting in his police uniform. Breathing heavily, Lu Xiaoting propped his bicycle against the wall and rushed into the first floor, making it to the dorm supervisor¡¯s window in just a few strides. ¡°Knock, knock, knock.¡± The dorm supervisor, who was picking up stitches on a sweater, yelled impatiently, ¡°Who is it?¡± As she looked up, she saw a wide-brimmed hat startling her into shivers down her legs, and she stammered out a question. ¡°Officer, I, I didn¡¯t do anything, okay?¡± Lu Xiaoting frowned and spoke steadily, ¡°Comrade, could you please help me find a student from the accounting class of the Finance and Economics department, Lu Yuewan? I¡¯m her older brother; there¡¯s a family emergency.¡± ¡°Ah, wait a moment, officer, just a moment.¡± Hearing it was about his sister and not their business, the dormitory auntie quickly flipped through her notebook searching for someone as she patted her chest. Worried that the officer would grow impatient, the usually hands-off dormitory auntie didn¡¯t ask anyone else to call out, but went upstairs herself to summon. ¡°Lu Yuewan, your older brother is looking for you downstairs. He says it¡¯s urgent.¡± ¡°Ah? Oh.¡± Lu Xiaomei came to her senses and hurried downstairs with the dormitory auntie. The other people in the dormitory were all astounded. ¡°My goodness, is the dormitory auntie actually running up here to fetch someone?¡± ¡°Is the sun rising from the west?¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on? It¡¯s lucky enough when the dormitory auntie doesn¡¯t scold someone, but now she¡¯s coming up personally to call for someone?¡± Qiao Nian shrugged her shoulders helplessly, ¡°Wanwan¡¯s older brother is with the public security.¡± ¡°No wonder.¡± ¡°That explains it.¡± Seeing the dormitory auntie¡¯s pleasant demeanor, Lu Xiaomei felt all her hairs stand on end. ¡°Little Lu, I have to go. You chat with your brother.¡± ¡°Thank you, auntie.¡± Lu Xiaomei trotted to the door, ¡°Brother, what happened? What¡¯s the matter at home?¡± ¡°Mom¡¯s back, asked me to call for you. Go pack up, we¡¯ll head back soon.¡± Lu Xiaomei had a bad feeling in her heart but obediently followed her older brother home. For this kind of matter, Lu Xiaoting, a grown man, found it difficult to speak, so he simply took Xiao Yu into the main room to cook. In the inner room Mrs. Lu relayed the Old Blind Man¡¯s words, which his daughter-in-law had painstakingly analyzed and broken down for her daughter, afraid that she wouldn¡¯t listen. Even if her flesh and blood might resent her, as a mother, she absolutely couldn¡¯t stand by and watch her daughter leap into a pit of fire. Lu Xiaogu joined her sister-in-law in persuading, too, as both her brother and sister-in-law were so good to her, with only this one niece to care for. Lu Xiaomei fought back the sour sting at the tip of her nose, knowing her mother and Little Aunt only wanted the best for her, and didn¡¯t say anything, though her expression was somewhat listless. ¡°Mom, Little Aunt, I know, you¡¯re both doing this for my own good. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m not so foolish to jump into a pit of fire willingly.¡± Lu Xiaomei¡¯s single sentence caught Mrs. Lu and Lu Xiaogu off guard, both who had prepared a bellyful of drafts. They looked at each other, not knowing what to do next. ¡°Mom, Little Aunt, I just said what Little Sister needed to hear. Now you don¡¯t have to worry anymore, right?!¡± Seeing the young lady¡¯s spirits were low and fearing that their mother and Little Aunt might¡¯ve said too much, Susu quickly took her outside to catch a breath of fresh air. Mrs. Lu and Lu Xiaogu peered worriedly out of the windows. In the courtyard Susu wrapped her arm around the silently crying girl, silently comforting her until Lu Xiaomei¡¯s emotions had been relieved before speaking. ¡°Don¡¯t be sad now. In a life of several decades, who doesn¡¯t encounter a few unsuitable men? When one leaves, there will be better, more suitable ones waiting for us.¡± Lu Xiaomei let out a burst of laughter, sniffled heavily with a nasal voice, and hoarsely said, ¡°Sister-in-law, you actually make a lot of sense.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Susu said haughtily, raising her chin. Lu Xiaomei looped her arm through her sister-in-law¡¯s, leaning on her slender yet firm shoulder, coquettishly asking, ¡°Sister-in-law, can I sleep with you tonight, please?¡± Chapter 105 - 105 105 ?Chapter 105: 105 Chapter 105: 105 At dinner, Lu Xiaomei barely managed to avoid being stared down by her aggrieved second older brother, who was giving her a tragic look as she forced herself to finish her meal. ¡°My wife? Are you really going to sleep with that stinky girl?¡± Susu was amused by the man¡¯s ¡°how could you abandon me to sleep with the stinky girl¡± look, shaking her shoulders uncontrollably, trying hard to suppress her laughter. ¡°Just for one night, then you take good care of the triplets. Little sister is feeling quite down today, so I¡¯ll keep her company just this night and sleep with you tomorrow.¡± Glancing around and seeing that no one else was present, Susu kissed the man¡¯s sexy thin lips, ¡°Be good, I¡¯m going in first.¡± Lips curving upward, Lu Xiaoting gently caressed the lips that his wife had kissed, his deep dark eyes filled with laughter. After a good night¡¯s sleep, as dawn brightened, the quiet alley slowly woke to the noise of children and adults. Provincial Finance College After getting off the bus, Lu Xiaomei headed straight to the academic building. ¡°Wanwan, over here, come quickly,¡± Qiao Nian excitedly waved. ¡°Nian Nian, Tingting, Yueyue, good morning.¡± ¡°Wanwan, why are your eyes swollen? Did you not sleep well last night?¡± Lu Xiaomei touched her slightly swollen eyes, ¡°I drank too much water last night, and it turned out like this when I woke up.¡± Qiao Nian hesitated, just about to say something when the teacher walked in. Lu Xiaomei quietly breathed a sigh of relief, really at a loss for what to say. After lunch, Lu Xiaomei looked at the delicate-faced person opposite her, ¡°Let¡¯s talk.¡± Huang Chengzu silently followed behind Lu Xiaomei, his heart incredibly uneasy. The two found a secluded spot, and Lu Xiaomei got straight to the point, saying that her mother had already sought out the Old Blind Man to match their birth charts. ¡°Since the Old Blind Man has calculated that being together will ultimately only hurt us and lead to no good result...¡± Lu Xiaomei clenched her fingers tightly, ¡°Then... let¡¯s split up!¡± Huang Chengzu stared incredulously, shaking his head, ¡°Yue Wan, are you really breaking up with me just because of some swindling old man¡¯s words? No, I refuse, we¡¯re clearly so compatible, so fated! Why split because of an old man¡¯s words?¡± Watching the emotionally charged man, tears also welled up in Lu Xiaomei¡¯s eyes as she sniffles. ¡°I haven¡¯t told you how accurate Old Blind Man¡¯s fortune-telling is? Also, my family won¡¯t agree to this as it is. So... let¡¯s just part ways. You¡¯ll meet a better, more suitable girl in the future.¡± Huang Chengzu still wanted to salvage the situation, but seeing Lu Xiaomei¡¯s resolute expression, he instantly calmed down. Though their time together was short, they both knew that despite the other appearing to be gentle and delicate, once a decision was made, it would not be easily swayed. Disappointed to the extreme, Huang Chengzu scoffed, ¡°Fine, I see your family¡¯s true colors now. Talking about matching birth charts, isn¡¯t it just because my family is from the countryside and can¡¯t provide any support to the Lu family?¡± ¡°From start to finish, it¡¯s just disdain for me, a poor boy from the countryside!¡± Lu Xiaomei became agitated, ¡°How can you think that? Our family has never thought that way.¡± ¡°Hmph, playing the saint while being a sinner. I certainly can¡¯t climb high enough,¡± Huang Chengzu said before walking away with a flick of his hand. ¡°You...¡± Lu Xiaomei was considerably upset, any lingering guilt vanished as the man reproached her and her family. Looking up at the vast blue sky, tears in her eyes trailed slowly down her pale cheeks. Having calmed down, Lu Xiaomei sniffled and stood up to walk back. *Sigh~* Looking at the empty dormitory, Lu Xiaomei let out a long sigh of relief and laid directly back on the bed to sleep. ¡°I think today¡¯s fried rice wasn¡¯t bad, and the braised pork Nian Nian got looked really tasty.¡± ¡°Right? The head chef really knows how to cook.¡± As a few people entered the room with their backpacks on and saw someone quietly lying there sleeping, they paused and exchanged glances. ¡°Is Wanwan feeling unwell? She¡¯s usually reading at this time.¡± ¡°Then she probably is. Let¡¯s keep our voices down and not disturb her.¡± Everyone just thought Wanwan was feeling physically unwell, so they slowed down their movements and lowered their voices, being careful even when flipping through books. Lu Xiaomei heard the whole conversation and felt warm inside, deeply grateful for everyone¡¯s concern and care. It¡¯s just that now, with her puffy ¡°walnut eyes,¡± she was embarrassed to let everyone see her like that. There were no classes for the first period in the afternoon, and the dorm mates had packed up their things, preparing to go to the library to study. Seeing the person still lying in bed, a few of them felt a bit uneasy. ¡°Should we wake up Wanwan? Ask if she needs help reserving a seat at the library?¡± ¡°Maybe we should ask? Wanwan usually goes with us if nothing¡¯s wrong.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll ask.¡± Qiao Nian gently pushed her a few times and asked softly, ¡°Wanwan, we¡¯re going to the library to study, do you need us to save you a seat?¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Lu Xiaomei rubbed her eyes, still groggy from sleep and hoarse when she finally responded, shaking her head. ¡°No, no need.¡± Qiao Nian, hearing this, frowned slightly, sensing something was off and found an excuse to stay behind discreetly. Lu Xiaomei, with her ears perked, listened and hearing nothing more, slowly climbed out of bed and took several gulps from the tea jar. She touched her dry throat and turned around, only to encounter a pair of dark, shining eyes. Frightened, she jumped three feet in the air. ¡°Oh my God!¡± ¡°Huhuh~ Nian Nian~¡± Lu Xiaomei covered her wildly beating heart, almost jumping out of her throat, and said annoyedly. ¡°Nian Nian, why didn¡¯t you leave? You scared me.¡± Qiao Nian crossed her arms and looked at the person opposite her with eyes swollen like walnuts, squinting. ¡°Spit it out, be honest!¡± Lu Xiaomei, dodging looking directly, stammered, ¡°Be honest about what?¡± ¡°Hmph, I¡¯ve felt something was off since noon. Look at your eyes, swollen so badly. What exactly happened?¡± Lu Xiaomei looked at her friend¡¯s concerned gaze, her eyes welled up, and she pursed her lips, spilling the whole story of breaking up with Huang Chengzu. Sniffling, ¡°Nian Nian, do you also think I¡¯m making too much fuss? Listening to the fortune-teller...¡± Qiao Nian frowned, wiped her friend¡¯s tears, and with a stern face, patted her shoulder. ¡°Don¡¯t be sad, Wanwan, I support your decision. I never really liked Huang Chengzu anyway, such a pretty boy. Forget him, our Wanwan will find someone much better.¡± Lu Xiaomei laughed through her tears, playfully saying, ¡°Nian Nian~¡± Time moved to August. Su Xianyue, nearing her due date, took an early leave. The store was too busy, and Susu hired a temporary worker, very able at the job. Susu, worried about the store, had been running back and forth between home and work, busy without touching the ground. She had just returned home to see her mother-in-law beaming, holding a lunchbox. ¡°Susu, Xian Yue has given birth.¡± Chapter 106 - 106 136 was included ?Chapter 106: Chapter 136 was included Chapter 106: Chapter 136 was included ¡°You stay home and watch the kids; Mom will bring over some chicken soup. It¡¯s been a hectic day; I doubt anyone had time to make chicken soup.¡± Su Xianyue looked at her bustling mother-in-law and quickly called out, ¡°Mom, don¡¯t ride the tricycle, take my bicycle instead, it¡¯s quicker and easier.¡± ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll go take a look and come right back.¡± As soon as Su Xianyue stepped into the house, the three little ones on the kang stretched out their hands wanting to be held. The triplets now loved going outside the most, they couldn¡¯t stay still at home and stretched their little arms wanting to go out as soon as they opened their eyes. Father Lu, in order to entertain his grandchildren, directly rode the tricycle that Su Xianyue had once picked up from the scrapyard, loaded it with a bunch of snacks and essentials, and rode all the way from the county to the Provincial City. Su Xianyue and Lu Xiaogu, like they were moving stuff, transferred the three siblings one by one into the back of the tricycle. An¡¯an and Lele showed a toothless grin with delight, while Pingping, maintaining a cool demeanor, slightly tugged at the corner of his mouth. ¡°Goodness me, this kid just like his dad when he was little, acting all serious with a straight face despite his young age,¡± Lu Xiaogu said, laughing as she patted her grandnephew¡¯s little behind. Su Xianyue silently gave her eldest son a big thumbs up. Haha, got loaded up. When Su Xianyue got home, Su Xianyue laid the three little ones down one by one in the soft-lined back of the tricycle and, worried about the triplets getting sunburned, even pulled down the canopy. Mrs. Lu rode her bicycle carrying Lu Xiaogu behind her, with a bunch of snacks hanging from the handlebars. The family of six leisurely headed straight for the Su Xianyue¡¯s home, their journey filled with the giggles of the three siblings. Once there, the three watched An¡¯an in the tricycle¡¯s tub clutching a pig¡¯s trotter and laughing uncontrollably. Mrs. Lu grabbed her second grandson, laughing so hard her teeth showed, and happily kissed him several times. ¡°My dear An¡¯an, got a craving for pig trotters? Just look at you slobbering all over it.¡± Standing to the side, Su Xianyue couldn¡¯t help but bend over laughing at Pingping¡¯s look of disdain on his face. ¡°Aunt, Aunt-in-law, elder sister-in-law are here.¡± ¡°Oh my, our relatives are here, come on in and have a seat.¡± Hearing the commotion, Grandpa Sun and his household quickly came out to greet the guests, seeing the bounty of chickens, pig trotters, eggs, brown sugar, and formula, they hurried to decline. ¡°My dear, Aunt-in-law, you shouldn¡¯t have, these should be taken back for the triplets to have.¡± Mrs. Lu, smiling kindly, cuddled her chubby grandson, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it, Aunt. If we want something, we¡¯ll just buy it ourselves later. This is all for Xianyue and the kids. The only trouble is asking you and Uncle Sun to take some time to prepare it for Xianyue.¡± ¡°Oh my, it¡¯s no trouble at all, Xianyue is a great hero to the Sun Family. I¡¯m so pleased; I really wouldn¡¯t mind treating her like royalty.¡± The Sun menfolk carried the goods into the house, ¡°Grandma, hold back a few words and let¡¯s get everyone inside.¡± ¡°Oh my, silly me.¡± Granny Sun slapped her thigh, ¡°Come, let¡¯s go indoors and talk, we¡¯ll see how Xianyue and the kids are doing.¡± Inside Su Xianyue, already aware of the disturbance, peeked out and beamed as she saw everyone. ¡°Aunt, Aunt-in-law, elder sister-in-law.¡± Su Xianyue, lying on the bed, looked radiant and slightly shiny at the nose and forehead. ¡°Xianyue, how are you feeling? Still feeling uncomfortable?¡± ¡°Not too bad, just unbearably hot. The grandparents won¡¯t let me open the doors; I¡¯m nearly dying from the heat.¡± ¡°Being in confinement during summer is indeed tough, the heat is unbearable.¡± Mrs. Lu sighed, handing her niece a towel to wipe her sweat, ¡°Listen to your Aunt, dear, you¡¯re young and don¡¯t understand. You mustn¡¯t catch a draft during confinement, or you¡¯ll end up with lingering issues.¡± ¡°I know, Aunt, it¡¯s just that the heat is unbearable.¡± Su Xianyue nodded, looking at the little one opposite her with big, gleaming black eyes staring at her. ¡°An¡¯an, do you still remember your Aunt? Come give Aunt a hug.¡± Little An¡¯an was bold, and when he heard someone calling his name, he reached out his hand, immediately stretching it out for a hug. Mrs. Lu hugged the chubby grandson tightly, ¡°That won¡¯t do, you should hold the baby less during the postpartum month, otherwise your back won¡¯t be able to take it. Moreover, this little guy is too chubby and loves to squirm; even the Little Aunt finds it hard to hold him now.¡± Hearing his name, An¡¯an turned his head and stared curiously. The adults chatted for a while and then went to look at the baby on the bed, a little boy with ruddy cheeks. The triplets also curiously stretched their necks and peered over, still wanting to touch. Mrs. Lu and Lu Xiaogu almost couldn¡¯t hold the two plump babies. With a room full of women and children, Grandpa Sun felt embarrassed and simply went out to wash the great-grandson¡¯s diapers. Granny Sun happily chatted with the relatives. ¡°His Little Aunt, I and his grandpa used to worry about him finding a wife, but now not only does he earn a good sum every month, he has also found such a great wife. I and the old man even dream of our great-grandson, we could wake up laughing, and even if I die now, I would be happy.¡± ¡°Grandma!¡± Xiao Sun frowned, ¡°You and grandpa should just enjoy yourselves, don¡¯t think about all that nonsense.¡± ¡°Yes, aunt, Xiao Sun is so accomplished now, starting a family and career, just enjoy life with my uncle.¡± ... Mrs. Lu, not reassured, still gave advice to her niece about what to pay attention to during the postpartum recovery, repeating it over and over again. With her elder brother and sister-in-law not around, she as an aunt had to keep a close watch, lest the young couple be careless and suffer lingering ailments later. Before you knew it, a month had passed, and Su Xianyue had visibly gained more than just a little weight. Seeing the blissfully plump Xianyue, Susu joked, ¡°Xiao Sun really knows how to pamper his wife.¡± Su Xianyue felt a bit embarrassed, ¡°During the postpartum period, the grandparents tried various recipes; not only did I gain weight, but he forced himself to eat and gained weight along with me.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Susu initially didn¡¯t believe it, thinking that Xianyue was probably exaggerating, but after seeing Xiao Sun who had gotten noticeably chubbier, she finally believed. Alright, this young couple is indeed starting to look more like husband and wife. By mid-September, the weather in the north had cooled down. Taking advantage of the pleasant weather, before the windy, sandy October arrived, Susu and Lu Xiaoting took the four siblings out for a stroll. Xiao Yu was in charge of watching the triplets, to prevent the three non-verbal toddlers from moving around and falling. Lu Xiaoting pedaled the tricycle, dutifully serving as the chauffeur for the siblings. Susu, feeling delightful, leisurely cycled behind, always keeping an eye on the siblings. Qingcheng Park Along the way, Lu Xiaoting noticed many people glancing at his wife, and he stared back fiercely, intimidating enough to make people detour around them. ¡°Wifey~¡± Susu couldn¡¯t help but laugh at the man¡¯s aggrieved expression, pinching his sturdy waist. ¡°You should be happy that your wife is so beautiful, let others envy you for having a gorgeous wife.¡± Lu Xiaoting frowned, muttering softly, ¡°It¡¯s enough if my wife wears dresses for me, I don¡¯t want others looking.¡± Susu rolled her eyes at her husband, instructing, ¡°What are you mumbling about, hurry up and spread the stuff out, didn¡¯t you see your sons and daughters are getting restless?¡± Indeed, as soon as the mat was laid down, the triplets twisted their bodies and reached out their arms wanting to get down. The triplets played happily, and on the way back, they lay in the cart and fell asleep. Chapter 107 - 107 107 Earthy Smell ?Chapter 107: Chapter 107 Earthy Smell Chapter 107: Chapter 107 Earthy Smell Mrs. Lu had gone the whole morning without seeing the triplets and was already feeling an unbearable longing, so she hastily embraced her grandson and brought him into the house. Father Lu was enviously eyeing his grandson and granddaughter. Were it not for the triplets soundly sleeping, he would have wrested his granddaughter from his son¡¯s hands long ago. ¡°Pingping, An¡¯an, Lele, grandpa¡¯s sweetheart darlings, did you miss grandpa?¡± ¡°Aiyo, my eldest grandson and granddaughter are so good-looking.¡± Listening to his chatty spouse, Mrs. Lu was on the verge of giving him a swipe, but feared waking the dear grandchildren so instead she just grabbed the old man¡¯s ear and pulled him off the bed. ¡°Ouch, ouch, ouch... let go, let go, let go...¡± Little Aunt Lu watched as her brother was yanked down by his ear by the second sister-in-law, holding back laughter as she quietly exited and thoughtfully shut the door behind her. Father Lu, ¡°...¡± ¡°What¡¯s the big idea, woman, twisting my ear like that for no good reason?¡± Father Lu exhaled, massaging the ear nearly twisted off by his wife. Mrs. Lu stood with hands on hips and a stern look, glancing at the triplets sleeping soundly on the bed and lowered her voice. ¡°What are you hollering about? Afraid you won¡¯t wake up our grandsons and granddaughters?¡± Father Lu pursed his lips, ¡°Well, I haven¡¯t seen them for a few days so I just missed my eldest grandson and granddaughter.¡± Mrs. Lu simply rolled her eyes, ¡°You can look all you want, why keep on about it? Go on and on and I¡¯ll toss you right out.¡± Hey! This wife of mine, her temper¡¯s only getting bigger. Watching his increasingly temperamental spouse, Father Lu silently closed his mouth. The time had come to October. The temperature had plummeted. The triplets were already sporting their little thermal pants and tops, but still in split-crotch trousers for easy diaper changes. Woken by her biological clock, Susu opened her eyes to find the house dark and her first thought was that it wasn¡¯t time yet and she might as well continue sleeping. However, the man beside her stirred, sitting up to start getting dressed. Susu checked her wristwatch¨Cit was already past seven. ¡°It¡¯s past seven and still so dark?¡± ¡°Mhm, looks like there¡¯s a sandstorm blowing.¡± Susu sniffed the air, catching the familiar scent of earth, and nodded¡ªsure enough, a sandstorm was brewing. Recently, with the cold weather, many people couldn¡¯t be bothered to cook, making the store very busy in the morning. Without dilly-dallying, Susu quickly washed up and cycled to the store. ¡°Sister, you¡¯re here! What do you want to eat? I¡¯ll get it for you,¡± Su Sanya popped her head out. Susu waved it off, ¡°No need, I¡¯m not hungry yet, I¡¯ll eat later.¡± No sooner had she finished speaking than customers started streaming into the store. The few of them didn¡¯t chat much and just busied with their work. ¡°Boss, I want two pork and cabbage buns, and one milk tea. Put in extra pickles¡ªI love them.¡± ¡°Boss, I¡¯ll have a fried dough cake and a bowl of milk tea.¡± ¡°Boss, give me a serving of...¡± ... The six people in the store were rushed off their feet all morning. After the breakfast rush, everyone finally got a chance to grab a bowl and have their meal. Susu, watching Su Sanya who had grown quite a bit, was filled with relief. The kid was opinionated, not listening to everything at home and knew how to go out and find opportunities for herself. ¡°Sanya, how¡¯s it going, are you tired?¡± ¡°Not tired at all.¡± Su Sanya was savoring her bun and milk tea, ¡°Sister, back at home I¡¯d get up at dawn to start work, busy from morning till night and all for just two corn cakes. ¡°Now, not only can I make money, but there¡¯s also time to rest after being busy and the food is good, too. I¡¯m so pleased, why would I be tired?¡± ¡°Sister, I¡¯ve grown up.¡± Susu pressed her voice low, her cheeks flushed with redness. The experienced driver, Susu, glanced at Little Aunt¡¯s full chest, saw the shy expression on the little girl¡¯s face, and comforted her with a laugh. ¡°Uh-huh, my Sanyi has grown into a beautiful young lady, too. In the future, you¡¯ve got to keep your eyes peeled; make money first and don¡¯t let any man deceive you.¡± ¡°Sis~¡± Sanyi¡¯s face turned bright red as she coquettishly said, ¡°Sis, I won¡¯t be fooled, don¡¯t worry. Right now, the most important thing for me is to work hard and make money.¡± Susu also took the opportunity to caution her younger sister, to prevent her from being duped by some worthless man at her young age. However, seeing that the little girl¡¯s eyes were only focused on work and making money, she felt much more at ease. The sisters waited until the shop closed before riding bicycles back home. Having not seen their mother all day, the triplets were already restless, cooing, and flailing their chubby arms, eager to go out. Father Lu, Mrs. Lu, and Lu Xiaogu took turns holding each tightly swaddled child, walking and soothing them in the courtyard. Lu Xiaoting couldn¡¯t compete with his own parents and Little Aunt, so he simply stayed inside, watching and helping Xiao Yu with his homework. ¡°Ah, ah.¡± Upon seeing their mother, the three little ones immediately became restless, reaching out with their hands and crying persistently. Mrs. Lu and Lu Xiaogu nearly dropped the squirming little ones they held. ¡°Mommy¡¯s back.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± ¡°Ah, ah.¡± The sisters had a chilly ride back home because of the strong wind. Listening to the overlapping cries, Susu couldn¡¯t help but laugh and cry at the same time as she embraced the three little ones in a row. ¡°Ah, ah?¡± The three siblings clung tightly to their mother¡¯s clothes with strong little hands, looking at her as they babbled, as if to say, ¡°Mommy, why did you come back so late?¡± Susu kissed each of the siblings and asked, ¡°Were you all good today? Did you make any fuss?¡± ¡°Ah, ah.¡± Mrs. Lu, smiling, pointed to her grandsons clinging to their mother, ¡°These little ones have been restless since earlier, all wanting to go outside.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t listen to your mother. The children are so well-behaved. They hardly cry, unlike other kids their age who are always bawling. Our sweethearts don¡¯t wet their beds much anymore. They know how to be considerate of their grandparents and make a fuss when they want to pee,¡± Father Lu praised his grandchildren enthusiastically. That evening, the children clung to their mother. Dinner was made by Sanyi and Mrs. Lu, a big pot of steaming noodle soup. Father Lu, missing his grandchildren immensely, sat eagerly by, watching them clap their little hands in delight. ¡°Look at you, Dad. The weather isn¡¯t too cold now, but come winter, you really shouldn¡¯t come over every holiday.¡± Father Lu glared at his wife; she enjoyed spending every day blissfully with the grandchildren but seemed to mind his presence. ¡°What am I supposed to do alone at home? It¡¯s bleak. I can handle it on normal days, but you don¡¯t want me to come over during the holidays? I might as well retire early.¡± Mrs. Lu slapped her husband without much patience, ¡°Stop babbling nonsense. Just go to work. If you retire this early, how much can your pension be? Stick it out a bit longer, then use the pension to buy nice things for the grandchildren, alright? Are you daft, you old fool?¡± Father Lu rubbed the spot on his back where his partner had hit him, feeling somewhat sullen, ¡°I was just saying. What¡¯s the hurry? It¡¯s just that seeing you with the triplets every day makes me jealous.¡± ¡°Ah, I¡¯ve got to go back to work tomorrow.¡± Father Lu sighed. When would these days end? The next morning Father Lu gulped down his breakfast and hurried to the bus station to catch the earliest bus. Before leaving, he wanted to see his grandchildren but felt too embarrassed to intrude on a house full of women and children. Chapter 108 - 108 108 Baby Talk ?Chapter 108: Chapter 108 Baby Talk Chapter 108: Chapter 108 Baby Talk After bidding a reluctant farewell to her old partner, Mrs. Lu mercilessly locked the front door without a second thought. Watching the door close with a ¡°Duang,¡± Father Lu muttered to himself that his wife really wasn¡¯t the least bit reluctant to part with her man. ¡ª- ¡°Wife, do you want to rest at home a bit longer before coming back to work? I¡¯m worried your body can¡¯t handle it.¡± Su Xianyue shook her head tenderly, ¡°No need, I¡¯ve already rested for more than two months, plenty enough. Besides, the shop is busy, and we can¡¯t keep letting the elder sister-in-law work so hard.¡± ¡°Wife, if you¡¯re tired just say so. Anyway, my salary can support another wife too.¡± Su Xianyue rolled her eyes, feigning ferocity, ¡°What? You want to support another wife?¡± ¡°No, no, I mean I can support my wife even if she doesn¡¯t work.¡± Xiao Sun sheepishly scratched his head. ¡°Alright, get going then.¡± Chasing away her lingering husband, Su Xianyue tugged at her clothes, took a few deep breaths, and then pushed open the door and stepped inside. ¡°Sister Xian Yue, you¡¯re back.¡± Su Sanya had heard from her second sister early in the morning and immediately ran out with a beaming smile to welcome Su Xianyue, sizing her up while linking arms with her. ¡°Sister Xian Yue, you¡¯ve gained weight all over, you obviously had a good confinement, your complexion is rosy.¡± The others, hearing the commotion, rushed out one by one, each with joy written all over their faces. ¡°Sister Xian Yue.¡± ¡°Sister Xian Yue.¡± ¡°Xian Yue is back.¡± Susu was worried that Xian Yue might not adapt to returning to work so soon after childbirth, so she had talked to her younger sister about it the day before, asking her to keep an extra eye on Xian Yue. Su Sanya, holding onto Su Xianyue¡¯s plump arm, helped introduce her, ¡°Sister Xian Yue, this is Sister Xiao Hu. She¡¯s new here and in charge of greeting customers and taking orders at the front.¡± ¡°Sister Xiao Hu, this is my sister Xian Yue; she used to be in charge of the pastries and just finished her confinement.¡± After a brief exchange of pleasantries, they didn¡¯t delay any further and hurried back to their posts to wash and prepare vegetables and the like. Having been busy at the store for a long time early in the morning, Susu, who finally didn¡¯t have to wake up early for work, lay down on the kang bed ready to sleep until naturally waking up. However, in the midst of sleep, she suddenly felt a bit short of breath, and upon opening her eyes, she saw the triplets sprawled on top of her. She glanced at the time¡ªit was just past eight. She pinched each of the chubby little cheeks, both annoyed and amused, ¡°You three little rascals, trying to crush your mom to death, all piling on top of me.¡± The triplets thought their mother was playing with them and let out giddy giggles. Unable to sleep due to the noise made by the triplets, Susu couldn¡¯t stay in bed any longer, so she neatly folded the quilt and got up. Restless children, the triplets would not stop babbling in the house whenever they couldn¡¯t see anyone. With the cold weather slowing the drying of clothes and diapers, to prevent the triplets from wetting their pants, Mrs. Lu and Lu Xiaogu took turns attending to the triplets¡¯ peeing needs. ¡°Ah.¡± ¡°Ah ah.¡± ¡°Ah ah.¡± The triplets reached out their little hands toward the door, babbling incessantly, and Susu, worried they might start crying again, hurried back to the room after washing up and climbed onto the kang. The three little ones sat in a row, looking at their mother and babbling away. The old mother, Susu, couldn¡¯t understand the baby talk and randomly nodded in response to the chattiness of the triplets. Laughing and crying, she said, ¡°Mom, Little Aunt, these three tykes can¡¯t even talk yet. What will it be like when they start speaking?¡± ¡°Afraid they¡¯ve birthed three little chatterboxes?¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not quite right, the eldest Pingping talks less, spitting out words one at a time, as if dealing with his younger brother and sister.¡± Lu Xiaogu, ¡°I guess An¡¯an and Lele will probably talk a lot when they grow up, Pingping is like his dad, not very talkative.¡± Mrs. Lu nodded, ¡°Exactly, the second child was like that when he was younger, playing by himself as soon as he woke up, never fussy or noisy.¡± Susu touched Pingping¡¯s little head, gently, placed the child on the mattress, and softly patted him to sleep. Seeing that their brother had fallen asleep, An¡¯an and Lele lay next to him, chattering to each other, and soon fell asleep too. The three adults, afraid of waking the triplets, didn¡¯t talk much. Mrs. Lu and Lu Xiaogu were cutting fabric to make clothes, and when Susu had nothing to do, she knitted sweaters. Thanks to prior practice knitting for her family, she was now quite skilled at it. ¡°It¡¯s normal for your wife to be worried, a man with such abilities, and the couple not staying together often, of course she¡¯d be anxious.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t trust you, but I¡¯m afraid some shameless women would relentlessly pester you.¡± Aunt Su Liu Fen worried about her son, fearing that the young couple would quarrel and that the children would suffer from the strife. ¡°Hey, do you think someone just came in?¡± Lu Xiaogu seemed to vaguely hear talking. No sooner had the words left her mouth than the sound of the door opening could be heard in the main room, and soon after, Uncle Su¡¯s family of three walked in. ¡°Brother, elder sister-in-law, Cheng He.¡± ¡°Uncle Su, Aunt, Cheng He is here.¡± ¡°In-laws, Brother, elder sister-in-law, Cheng He, come sit on the kang.¡± Mrs. Lu saw her own older brother and his family coming over and quickly asked, ¡°Brother and sister-in-law, what¡¯s going on? Is Cheng He not working today?¡± Aunt Su Liu Fen slipped off her shoes and climbed onto the kang to warm her feet, ¡°It¡¯s just that the second¡¯s wife, she¡¯s at home all day worrying herself silly, afraid that the second will be unfaithful, insisting on taking the kids and joining him in the Provincial City.¡± ¡°His father and I agree, they are both still young, they can¡¯t always... The kids miss their father so much too.¡± Seeing everyone looking at him, Su Chenghe scratched his head, feeling a bit embarrassed. ¡°She just gets paranoid at home, I¡¯m busy earning money every day, where would I find the time to meet other people.¡± Aunt Su looked at her son and said dismissively, ¡°You know nothing, even though flies don¡¯t bite a seamless egg, some people just won¡¯t stop pestering. Now that all the money is in your hands, no wonder your wife is worried.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like I don¡¯t hand over the money. It¡¯s just that she¡¯s always sending money back to her parents¡¯ home, and I¡¯m worried she¡¯ll start getting her old complaints again,¡± Su Chenghe muttered. ¡°But it¡¯s a good thing, once his wife comes, she can help with cooking and doing the laundry, a home doesn¡¯t feel complete without a woman.¡± Mrs. Lu, ¡°Aunt, what about the two kids?¡± ¡°The little ones aren¡¯t in school yet, they¡¯ll come over with their parents. When they¡¯re of age, they can attend school in the Provincial City, for sure it¡¯s better than our county.¡± Su Chenghe, after helping his parents bring their things, sat for a while and left, needing to use his rest time to check on the house. The last thing he needed was his wife making a fuss at home; after all, he was a young and vigorous man who yearned for a good life with his wife and kids by the warm kang. After having lunch, Uncle Su and Aunt headed off with their baskets to see their daughter and grandchildren. Ever since their daughter gave birth, the couple would bring something to eat and check in every so often. The in-laws were easy to get along with, the son-in-law was gainfully employed, filial, and cared for their daughter. Every time they visited, the son-in-law always gave them something to take back; they never returned empty-handed. Of course, the couple also brought plenty of things each time they visited. As winter approached, the days grew short, with darkness falling by six o¡¯clock. Approaching winter, theft cases increased, prompting the Police Station to step up patrols in the vicinity. Susu picked up Xiao Yu from school and went home, bringing her husband some steaming hot food and hot brown sugar and egg drink. Chapter 109 - 109 109 Year-End ?Chapter 109: Chapter 109 Year-End Chapter 109: Chapter 109 Year-End ¡°Xiao Yu, you bring the food to your uncle. I¡¯ll wait for you at the door.¡± Susu was too lazy to get out of the car and simply assigned the task to the little one. ¡°Mhm.¡± Xiao Yu scampered inside and spotted the tall man at a glance. He ran over and tugged at the man¡¯s large hand. ¡°Uncle, Aunt told me to bring you food. You have to eat well.¡± Lu Xiaoting¡¯s big palm patted the little guy, reassuring him to eat well. ¡°Okay, Uncle knows. Hurry back home with your Aunt.¡± ¡°Mhm, goodbye Uncle.¡± ¡°Old Lu, what delicious treat has your wife brought you this time?¡± ¡°Brother Lu, why is your elder sister-in-law so nice? She¡¯s always sending food and soup every day, without fail. Does my elder sister-in-law have a younger sister? Introduce me, come on.¡± ¡°Get out of here. Brother Lu, if your elder sister-in-law has a younger sister, introduce her to me. I¡¯m the one with the smallest mouth in my family, and all my brothers and sisters are...¡± The young guy elbowed his way through his friends to introduce himself. ¡°Go away, you¡¯re everywhere.¡± Lu Xiaoting was not at all polite and kicked each one of them. These cheeky boys even dared to have thoughts about his little aunt¡ªthey deserved a few kicks on behalf of his wife. Fortunately, the recent thefts were limited to stealing firewood. With the Police Station¡¯s investigation and enhanced patrols, there were no more reports of stolen firewood from the community. It¡¯s highly likely that the petty thieves thought nothing of it, but they didn¡¯t expect the victims, who were losing their firewood, to stand in the alley scolding for a whole week, not to mention they went to the police. ... As winter arrived, temperatures plummeted. Susu, who was afraid of the cold, cooped herself up at home, minimizing her need to go out. Unless necessary, she would not step outside. The cold in the north was one thing, but the wind felt like a knife on the face; it was brutally cold and sharp. On top of that, consecutive heavy snowfalls made shoes wet quickly and roads slippery, leading to potential falls¡ªsuch an incident in the depth of winter was no small matter. The frozen ground in winter was hard as a rock; a fall could leave you sore for days. ¡°Second Aunt, I got up early this morning to make steamed buns. I brought some for you.¡± Second Su came in carrying a basket, with two kids following behind. ¡°Oh my, you should have saved them for your own children. Coming all this way to bring some to me. Come on in and warm up by the fire.¡± ¡°Hehe, I wasn¡¯t doing much at home anyway, and the two little ones were fussing about wanting to see their brother and sister.¡± ¡°Second Su.¡± ¡°Cai Xia is here. Hurry up and get Xiao Dong and Xiao Chun onto the kang to warm up,¡± Susu quickly made room for them. In the cold of winter, the head of the kang was Susu¡¯s spot, and in the heat of summer, Susu would automatically migrate to the cooler end of the kang. ¡°You two be quiet and watch over your brother and sister. Don¡¯t wake them up, got it? Otherwise, Mom¡¯s gonna spank your little butts,¡± Second Su Cai Xia threatened the children with her hand raised. Xiao Dong and Xiao Chun both covered their butts and nodded earnestly, ¡°Got it.¡± Susu couldn¡¯t help but laugh, watching the two brothers¡¯ actions; it seemed their butts had been on the receiving end of a spanking more than once. Second Su Cai Xia felt a little embarrassed, ¡°These two rascals are so naughty, they need a spanking every three days.¡± The adults didn¡¯t bother with the kids and gathered around the head of the kang to chat. ¡°Wah~¡± ¡°Wah~¡± ¡°Wah~¡± Three cries of babies echoed to the sky; the adults hurriedly went to check on the children. Second Su Cai Xia slapped one of her sons, ¡°Tell me, did you two make your brother and sister cry?¡± ¡°No, we didn¡¯t do anything.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± The brothers pouted and rubbed their foreheads. ¡°Cai Xia, don¡¯t blame the kids; the triplets just had a little accident,¡± Wide-eyed, Zhang Caixia stared at the three fresh little ¡®gifts¡¯ and blinked, ¡°Wow, these triplets really are different¡ªeven their bowel movements are synchronized.¡± Then, turning to meet the reproachful gazes of her two sons, Wang Caixia glared, ¡°What are you staring at? It¡¯s only this once that you¡¯ve been wronged.¡± Xiao Dong and Xiao Chun: ¡°...¡± Seeing the two little brothers¡¯ mouths almost pouting to their chins, Susu smiled and patted the tigerish heads of the two. ¡°Xiao Dong and Xiao Chun, go have some candy on your own; it¡¯s on that cabinet. Do you see it?¡± The two brothers looked at their mother in unison and only after seeing her nodding did they happily hop down from the bed to grab some candy. ... In the blink of an eye, New Year¡¯s Eve approached, and the shop, as usual, closed its doors on the twenty-ninth of the lunar year. Susu prepared a ten-yuan New Year¡¯s red packet for everyone, delighting them all so much that they each tucked one away, grinning from ear to ear. With Huang Ying and her husband taking care of the braised food stall and the shop, there was no need for concern. Feeling anxious, Su Sanya held tightly to her second elder sister¡¯s things as they both boarded the bus back to the county. Lu Xiaogu was all smiles on the journey, carrying gifts specially bought for the kids and the men, and right after getting off the bus, she was whisked away by her Little Aunt¡¯s husband, who had been waiting early at the bus stop. The triplets, bundled up snugly, made no fuss and just rolled their big eyes round and round wondrously. Father Lu had cleaned the house thoroughly in the morning, the stove inside was burning brightly, keeping the entire house comfortably warm. It turned out that the youngest couple returned the earliest. After a while, they found it somewhat amusing to see Father Lu anxiously pacing at the door. ¡°Father, have a seat. My brothers will be back soon.¡± No sooner had the words been spoken than Da Hei¡¯s voice echoed from the yard, and Father Lu, his face beaming, rushed outside. ¡°Father.¡± ¡°Uncle Lu.¡± ¡°Hey hey, come inside and get warm; it¡¯s toasty in here now.¡± Having walked the whole way, the adults were fine, but no matter how thick the shoes, the cold was unbearable for the feet. As soon as they stepped inside, they were greeted by the warm air, and the adults quickly removed the triplets¡¯ thick cotton clothes. The trio curiously looked all around, and upon seeing strangers, they stared intently at Father Lu and the young couple. ¡°My dear grandkids, do you still remember your grandpa?¡± ¡°Pingping, An¡¯an, Lele, I¡¯m your Little Uncle; come give me a hug.¡± The three little ones, startled, stretched out their tiny hands to find grandma and mama. ¡°Waaah,¡± in a flurry, they scrambled towards their mom and grandma. The adults all laughed heartily at the triplets¡¯ antics, while Susu and Mrs. Lu took off their shoes, climbed onto the bed, and cuddled the triplets in their arms. With the backing of grandma and mama, the brothers seemed less frightened and began to chatter away happily at everyone with their little hands waving. Lele lay obediently in her mother¡¯s arms, occasionally blinking her big eyes and peeking stealthily. By afternoon, Brother Lu and his family of four also arrived home. Elder sister-in-law Jiang Nan had a bright red nose from the cold, perhaps learning from last year¡¯s lesson, for she wore a thin cotton jacket underneath her wool coat. Bulging under the layers, the family initially mistook it for her having put on weight. ¡°Brother, Sister.¡± The moment little sisters Xiao Yu and Xiao Xue saw their younger siblings, their eyes lit up, and they scrambled onto the bed in excitement. Mrs. Lu, worried that the sisters might bring in a chill and give the triplets a cold, hastily instructed the two granddaughters to warm up before coming over to play with their brothers and sister. Jiang Nan quietly rolled her eyes; the old lady truly favored boys over girls, and her bias was fierce. It was all because her own two were girls. Mrs. Lu was solely focused on the children and did not notice her daughter-in-law¡¯s eye roll; otherwise, there would have been some serious questions. Chapter 110 - 110 110 Age 30 ?Chapter 110: Chapter 110 Age 30 Chapter 110: Chapter 110 Age 30 Seeing that mealtime had arrived, the whole Lu Family had returned, and Mrs. Lu couldn¡¯t stop smiling with joy, yet she worried about her triplets. Ever since the little ones had learned to crawl, they could hardly be considered well-behaved anymore; the moment you looked away, one of them would vanish without a trace. Mrs. Lu instructed, ¡°Xiao Yu, Xiao Yu, and Xiao Xue, play with your brothers and sisters, and help grandma keep an eye on them while I cook.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, grandma, I¡¯ll watch over my brothers and sisters carefully.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, grandma,¡± the sisters said in unison. Su Sanya felt embarrassed just sitting around waiting for food, so she followed Mrs. Lu off the Kang to help with the cooking. Jiang Nan had heard what the mother-in-law said earlier and felt stifled. Her mother-in-law¡¯s eyes were only for the triplets. The more she thought about it, the more irritated she became until she pinched Brother Lu, who was talking with his brothers, quite hard. ¡°Hiss~¡± Brother Lu was suddenly pinched and quickly covered his waist, wincing as he looked at his wife, ¡°What¡¯s wrong, wife? Who¡¯s upset you now?¡± Jiang Nan felt annoyed being stared at by the Lu family men and both sister-in-laws. She glared and snapped, ¡°What do you mean ¡®what¡¯s wrong again?¡¯ I don¡¯t feel like dealing with you.¡± Brother Lu, bewildered by the unexpected scolding, scratched his head, feeling completely in the dark about his wife¡¯s increasingly unpredictable temper. Susu wasn¡¯t aware that the elder sister-in-law was upset over her children. While chatting with her youngest brother¡¯s wife, Xiaoxiao, she also kept an eye on the children¡¯s movements. Mrs. Lu, hearing the vague noises from next door, frowned. ¡°Why does it sound like the eldest and his wife are arguing again?¡± Seeing her husband squinting and ignoring her, Mrs. Lu nudged her man, ¡°Hey, listen, isn¡¯t that the eldest and his wife arguing?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing; we should stay out of the younger couple¡¯s business,¡± he responded. ¡°If it weren¡¯t for the fact that the eldest has lost weight, I wouldn¡¯t bother worrying,¡± Mrs. Lu slapped her husband, upset and puzzled about what could be wrong with the elder daughter-in-law during the New Year. Brother Lu rubbed his head, feeling agitated. Why did his wife always feel his parents favored sons over daughters? ¡°Look at how mother treats the second brother¡¯s family compared to us. It¡¯s outright favoritism.¡± ¡°The sisters have grown up without much affection from grandma.¡± ¡°Enough, our parents aren¡¯t like that, and you shouldn¡¯t think about things that aren¡¯t true.¡± ¡°How can you say they aren¡¯t true? Look at how my parents treat me when I come home, and then look at their attitude toward the second brother¡¯s family. It¡¯s just too¡ª¡± ¡°Enough!¡± Brother Lu, choked with anger and his chest heaving, lowered his voice out of fear of being heard by the parents. His tone was somewhat harsh. ¡°People react to each other. If you don¡¯t get along with my parents, I¡¯ll avoid coming home too often to spare both sides the discomfort. The thing is, the second brother and sister-in-law are dutiful to my parents, so naturally, my parents might favor them a bit. It¡¯s human nature. You can¡¯t expect to have all the good things to yourself.¡± Jiang Nan stood there dumbfounded, staring at the man with a stern face, pounding his chest with her fists as tears streamed down her face. ¡°You bastard...¡± ... On New Year¡¯s Eve, the family was all up early, bustling to prepare the chicken, duck, fish, and meat. With Xiao Yu and his siblings watching over the triplets, Susu confidently took over the cooking tasks, while Mrs. Lu, Lu Xiaomei, and Su Sanya prepared the side dishes and assisted. The Lu family men, consisting of four members, were making dumplings in the east room since only Father Lu was at home before the New Year. Aunt Su and Uncle Su¡¯s families brought over some dumplings, which was just enough for the large family to have one meal. Jiang Nan lay alone in the room sulking, accustomed to the men always taking the initiative to coax her, yet this time her man hadn¡¯t approached her. Listening to the joyful laughter and chatter outside, Jiang Nan kicked the blanket in frustration. ¡°Asshole!¡± As a result, no one came to check on her all morning. Jiang Nan¡¯s eyes reddened with anger as she felt completely wronged¡ªher entire family didn¡¯t seem to care about her. By noon, with the crackling of firecrackers outside and the fragrance of delicious food wafting from every household, everyone was joyfully starting their New Year¡¯s Eve dinner. Even the slowest members of the Lu Family noticed that there was something wrong between Brother Lu and his wife. Susu, naturally not wanting to invite rejection, simply asked the two girls to call their mother for dinner. Brother Lu, not wanting to sour the festive mood of the entire family on New Year¡¯s Day, got up and went back to his room. ¡°Wife, get up and get ready. Dinner will be ready soon.¡± Jiang Nan huffed coldly but, seeing her husband come in, she climbed down the pole and got herself glammed up, not wanting to be outdone by the Chongxi Sister-in-law. The whole family gathered around a large table, giving a thumbs up to each of the impressive dishes laid out. ¡°Sister-in-law, your cooking skills are incredible. It¡¯s no wonder you can run a restaurant,¡± the third child said, his eyes gleaming as he devoured a piece of braised pork. ... Susu was all smiles as everyone took turns complimenting her. ¡°Ah, ah.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Up on the kang bed, the triplets watched everyone around the dining table, reaching out with their little hands. Seeing her drooling children, Susu picked out thin slices of meat for each triplet, and the three siblings gnawed away contently. During the meal, Brother Lu and his wife barely spoke aside from taking care of their two girls. To the family¡¯s shock, it was always Brother Lu who would back down and coax his wife, but this time he stubbornly held to his cold war stance without giving in. Mrs. Lu sighed, knowing her own son too well. It must have been that the elder daughter-in-law said something too extreme, otherwise, given her son¡¯s affection for his wife, the couple surely wouldn¡¯t have been in a cold war for such a long time. The sisters could sense that their parents were a bit off today, but they couldn¡¯t quite put their fingers on what exactly was strange. Xiao Xue scratched her head, ¡°Sister, why do Mom and Dad seem weird?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± Xiao Yu reassured her younger sister, feeling a bit worried herself. It seemed like she overheard her parents arguing last night as she was falling asleep. By evening, The siblings, after finishing dinner, excitedly put on new clothes. Even the triplets had changed into festive red outfits. ¡°Oh, my dear grandbabies, you all look like the children from the New Year paintings. So adorable!¡± Mrs. Lu couldn¡¯t stop smiling as she inspected the three boys, ¡°Do you like them? Grandma chose this fabric because it¡¯s so festive.¡± Jiang Nan frowned, her face turned cold at the sight of the clothes Grandma had made for the triplets, noticing that Grandma hadn¡¯t made any clothes for her own daughter. If Mrs. Lu knew what her elder daughter-in-law thought, she¡¯d spit in disdain. After all, whatever she made, it was either criticized for having an ugly color or being unattractive. ¡°Grandpa, Grandma, Happy New Year, wishing you prosperity, good health, and all the best.¡± ¡°Ah~¡± Father Lu and Mrs. Lu, looking at their well-behaved grandchildren, were so pleased that their eyes almost disappeared into their smiles. They handed out red envelopes, which had been prepared in advance, to each of the grandkids. ¡°And here¡¯s for our Pingping and An¡¯an, An¡¯an and Lele.¡± ¡°Thank you, Grandma.¡± Susu waved the little ones¡¯ hands. ¡°Ah, ah.¡± Though the three siblings didn¡¯t understand what red envelopes were, it didn¡¯t stop the little ones from clutching them tightly. Chapter 111 - 111 111 Next year we wont come back for the ?Chapter 111: Chapter 111: Next year, we won¡¯t come back for the New Year. Chapter 111: Chapter 111: Next year, we won¡¯t come back for the New Year. Jiang Nan grimaced as he handed out red envelopes to the children one by one. Mrs. Lu watched him, feeling very irritated. It was Chinese New Year, whose face was he pulling like that for? If it wasn¡¯t for the fact that cursing was frowned upon during the New Year, Mrs. Lu would have had a few choice words for this thoughtless daughter-in-law. After decades of marriage, Father Lu patted his wife¡¯s hand. The eldest daughter-in-law was just like a child, always had been, and only came back this once a year. She wasn¡¯t worth getting angry over. ¡°Sanya, here¡¯s your red envelope.¡± Susu directly handed a red envelope to her sister, who was cracking sunflower seeds. Su Sanya¡¯s eyes lit up, but then she shook her head and refused, ¡°Sister, I don¡¯t need it. I¡¯m an adult now. Plus, didn¡¯t the shop already give out red envelopes? Take it back.¡± ¡°Just keep it. You¡¯re still young. When you get married and have kids, Sister won¡¯t give you any more. Then, it¡¯ll be for your children.¡± ¡°Sister~¡± Seeing her little sister¡¯s shy demeanor, Susu laughed and covered her mouth, ¡°Alright, alright, Sister won¡¯t say anymore.¡± ¡°Xiao Xue, here¡¯s yours.¡± ¡°Thank you, Sister-in-law.¡± Watching the two younger girls whisper to each other with their red envelopes, Susu couldn¡¯t help but laugh. They were still just little girls. The sight of a red envelope made them beam. The youngsters had long since succumbed to sleep, and the adults chatted while eating dried fruits and nuts, waiting until the fire had burned down before heading to bed. Mrs. Lu tossed and turned, unable to sleep. Father Lu listened as his wife flopped around like a pancake, unable to settle. ¡°Still thinking about it? Just let it go.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what sin my eldest son committed to end up with such a wife. She gets angry over the tiniest things. She¡¯s pettier than the eye of a needle. She¡¯ll probably end up making herself sick one day. It¡¯s the New Year, and she¡¯s handing out red envelopes with such a sour face. If it weren¡¯t for the New Year, I would¡¯ve given her a piece of my mind right then and there. Always causing drama, no idea what she wants.¡± Father Lu silently listened to his wife rant about their eldest daughter-in-law without saying a word. Susu, however, didn¡¯t overthink it; her head hit the pillow, and she was off to dreamland. Next door Brother Lu sighed as he looked at his child-cuddling, back-turned, still upset wife. ¡°Nannan, can we not make a fuss during the New Year? If my parents really favored boys over girls, they wouldn¡¯t have paid for Xiao Xue¡¯s university.¡± Jiang Nan sneered, your parents perceive their own children and grandchildren differently, don¡¯t they? ... New year, new atmosphere. Despite having stayed up late last night, the whole family still got up early the next day. A big pot of round, plump dumplings was ready, Mrs. Lu cheerfully glanced over everyone, ¡°Serve yourself, let¡¯s see who can fish out the coin this year.¡± Xiao Xue¡¯s eyes sparkled as she added vinegar to her bowl, ¡°The coin...here I come.¡± ¡°Coin, I¡¯m coming too.¡± The three siblings hunkered down with their big bowls, eating intently. For a while, the room was silent except for the clinking of bowls and the sound of chewing. Jiang Nan glanced at the Chongxi Sister-in-law on the kang bed and silently sped up her dumpling eating, determined to find the coin. Susu, feeling somewhat bemused by being watched, carefully took each bite, wary of chomping on the coin. ¡°Uh?¡± Brother Lu, ¡°Ah? Second, did you find it?¡± Lu Xiaoting grinned, ¡°Nope.¡± ¡°Darn. You startled me; I thought you had found it.¡± ¡°No, just trying to scare you guys.¡± ¡°Um~¡± The whole family kept the motion of picking up dumplings, staring uniformly at Susu as she silently took out a coin from her mouth. ¡°Ouch, Susu found it again this year, it seems she will have the best luck next year.¡± Mrs. Lu, smiling from ear to ear, took the coin and pasted it onto the painting of the God of Wealth. ¡°Uh, I¡¯m so full. Since there are no more coins, I¡¯ll stop eating after this bite.¡± ¡°I¡¯m full.¡± ... As the time neared, the Lu brothers went out with New Year gifts to pay a New Year visit. The siblings couldn¡¯t sit still either and had already run out early to find nearby friends to gather sweets and seeds. The triplets had already woken up; Pingping the eldest and An¡¯an the second both had already gulped down their milk, and were now energetically staggering along the wall. Father Lu and Mrs. Lu intently watched their grandson who followed like a little duck. Lele, the youngest, was still leisurely drinking from the milk bottle, his eyes constantly fixed on his brothers. ¡°Ah ah ah.¡± Unable to stay still, Lele put down the bottle and, sticking out his little butt, called for his brothers. The two brothers were startle by their sister¡¯s sudden noise, staring at her with their big round eyes. The adults just watched the three siblings, laughing helplessly. Jiang Nan felt like an outsider as she watched the laughing family, feeling utterly alone. She didn¡¯t want to say anything; she simply went back to her room to lie down, as she couldn¡¯t fit in the conversation anyway. ... When Brother Lu returned and saw no one in the room, he frowned and went to check, finding his wife lying on the kang. He eased a bit, ¡°Wife, why not sit in the east room? Did the kids go out to get New Year¡¯s sweets?¡± ¡°Mhm.¡± Jiang Nan responded dully. ¡°Wife, why are you upset again? During the New Year, can¡¯t we just be happy?¡± Brother Lu felt a headache coming on. Jiang Nan pouted, ¡°You know I don¡¯t get along with your parent¡¯s home. Just now, watching your parents carefully protecting the triplets in the east room, I felt terrible.¡± The more she talked, the more distressed she got, tears and snot coming down, ¡°Our Xiao Yu and Xiao Xue see your parents less, watching your parents patiently caring for the triplets, I feel sorry for our daughter, my heart aches.¡± Brother Lu sighed, ¡°Haven¡¯t I told you before? When Xiao Yu and Xiao Xue were little, the youngest and youngest girl were also young, Dad was busy working, earning money. Mom, taking care of the youngest, who had time and energy to always check on us back then. Now it¡¯s not like the past anymore, back then even having food and clothes was a luxury, everything at home depended on my mother¡¯s meticulous management. Back then, everything required a ticket, and even gathering a few dozen eggs to exchange for chicken and pork took favors.¡± ¡°You¡¯re always lecturing, I¡¯m just heartbroken for our daughter. It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t want to have a son for you, but with things so strict now, if I had a son, both our jobs would be gone.¡± Brother Lu frowned, ¡°Who¡¯s talking about having a son? Our family has Xiao Yu and Xiao Xue, that¡¯s enough, what era are you living in that you still insist on having a son?¡± Knowing his wife was being stubborn, Brother Lu carefully broached his next point with a sigh. ¡°We won¡¯t come back for the New Year next year.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Jiang Nan sniffled, her eyes lighting up as she fixed them on her husband. ¡°Mhm. If coming back only makes everyone uncomfortable, it¡¯s better not to come at all.¡± Keep distance, over time, too close might lead to bad smells; perhaps things would gradually improve. ¡°Grandpa and Grandma, we¡¯re back.¡± The siblings burst excitedly back into the house, followed by Da Hei, whose tail wagged like a propeller. Chapter 112 - 112 112 Uncertain Weather ?Chapter 112: Chapter 112: Uncertain Weather Chapter 112: Chapter 112: Uncertain Weather The three siblings returned home loaded with snacks, and as soon as they climbed onto the kang, they started pulling out pockets full of sunflower seeds, peanuts, and candies. The triplets curiously stared at their elder brother and sister, the quicker ones instantly grabbing a handful to stuff into their mouths. Lu Xiaoting swiftly caught the little hand and took away the seeds. ¡°An¡¯an, be good, you can¡¯t eat this.¡± ¡°Ah, ah.¡± The little one unhappily opened his mouth and yelled at dad. The actions of their younger brother startled the three siblings, and they quickly started sharing the seeds and candies behind their younger siblings¡¯ backs. Jiang Nan and Brother Lu entered the room one after the other and saw their daughter, who looked like a little cat, covering her face; Jiang Nan took out a handkerchief to wipe her face. ¡°You child, your face is all messy.¡± ¡°Hehe, Mom, have some candy.¡± Jiang Nan disdainfully glanced at her daughter¡¯s dirty hands, ¡°Mom won¡¯t eat, you and your sister go ahead. Remember to wash your hands and face after.¡± ¡°Got it, Mom.¡± The older kids, feeling hot, ran from the head to the foot of the kang to play. Seeing their elder siblings run off, the triplets used their hands and feet to crawl after them. Susu, worried that the triplets might fall off the kang while not being watched, which would be awful, sat at the edge of the kang to prevent any accidents. ¡°Why are you sitting here?¡± asked Lu Xiaomei, wrapped up tightly, just back from using the outhouse. Susu pursed her lips, ¡°Those three are restless, I¡¯m afraid they might crawl off and fall.¡± Su Sanya took off her cotton coat, ¡°Second sister, move in a bit, I¡¯ll sit here and keep watch.¡± Susu, not wanting to argue with her sister, shifted inwards. Su Sanya took over from her sister to watch the triplets. Bai Xiao looked at the lively siblings enviously, ¡°Why is there still no movement in my belly? I don¡¯t ask for the luck to have triplets like second sister-in-law, but it¡¯s been over a year for me and Cheng He, and still no sign.¡± Seeing Bai Xiao¡¯s envious yet disappointed face, Susu comforted, ¡°These things can¡¯t be rushed, maybe if you stop thinking about it, it¡¯ll happen.¡± ¡°Yeah, Xiaoxiao, you and Cheng He are still young, no need to rush,¡± Mrs. Lu added, worried her daughter-in-law might pressure herself too much. Jiang Nan nodded, ¡°That¡¯s right, sister-in-law, just look at my Xiao Yu and Xiao Xue, they¡¯re three years apart; you can¡¯t rush these things.¡± Lu Xiaomei, being an unmarried Little Aunt, naturally didn¡¯t speak up, but silently nodded and passed the well-behaved Pingping to her sister-in-law to hold. Bai Xiao, who had been worried that her mother-in-law might push her because her belly had been quiet for so long, was relieved when her mother-in-law advised her not to rush. The little one was shy around strangers and didn¡¯t react at first, but later, staring at Auntie Sun, he pouted and reached out to his aunt wanting to be held. Lu Xiaomei couldn¡¯t help but laugh and cry as she hugged back her nephew who was on the verge of crying, pinching the little guy¡¯s chubby cheeks. ¡°You¡¯re quite sharp, little one.¡± The mothers-in-law and daughters-in-law chatted about family matters, creating an exceptionally harmonious atmosphere. Susu watched her sister-in-law laughing and chatting with the others, sometimes beaming with joy, and silently marveled. The elder sister-in-law was really like a child, unpredictable and moody, one second cold and silent, the next smiling broadly. It seems like Brother Lu took the initiative to make up with his wife again; the Lu brothers really pamper their wives. Susu¡¯s gaze involuntarily shifted towards her own tall, handsome husband, who stood out even among his equally outstanding brothers. Just like some kind of telepathy, Lu Xiaoting sharply sensed a burning gaze and turned around to meet the eyes of his tender and gentle wife. The man¡¯s eyebrows slightly raised, and his deep eyes seemed like a whirlpool, irresistibly drawing people in. Susu, catching the message in his gaze, felt her face instantly flush hot and thought she glared fiercely at him. How annoying! Lu Xiaoting looked at his wife¡¯s coquettishly angry eyes, his dark pupils grew even more intense, and his thin lips slightly curled. Jiang Nan rolled his eyes as he watched the couple¡¯s flirtatious exchanges completely unfold before him. Enough already! Flirting so openly as if no one else is around. In the midst of the lively family conversation, Little Aunt and Uncle Lu arrived with carrying baskets on their backs. ¡°Second Brother, Sister-in-law, Happy New Year.¡± ¡°Oh, Xiao Mei, Chun Sheng, have a seat, why is it just the two of you, why didn¡¯t you bring the kids along?¡± ¡°It¡¯s faster for Chun Sheng and me to cycle, and it¡¯s just right for the kids to stay home and watch the house.¡± Little Aunt said, pulling out six red envelopes, ¡°Here, Xiao Yu, Xiao Yu, and Xiao Xue, these are red envelopes from your Aunt and Uncle, take them.¡± Little Aunt then stuffed the other three red envelopes to the triplets. The oblivious triplets clutched the red envelopes and grinned foolishly. ¡°You keep the red envelopes your Aunt and Uncle gave you,¡± Mrs. Lu said, and the siblings joyfully accepted. In keeping with tradition, Mrs. Lu also gave Little Aunt three red envelopes for her nephews and nieces. After seeing off Little Aunt and her husband, Aunt Su and Aunt Su arrived one after another to pay a New Year¡¯s visit. Technically, as Uncle Su is the elder brother, it should be the Lu Family visiting Uncle Su¡¯s house for New Year¡¯s greetings, but starting from last year, Uncle Su and his wife always brought back some food and gifts during the festivals. ¡°Brother, Sister-in-law, come up and sit on the kang, Lu Xiaomei and her husband just left, and you came right after.¡± ¡°We ran into them on our way here.¡± Aunt Su, holding her tea cup, drank and spoke, ¡°Did Xian Yue and Xiao Sun come over for New Year¡¯s greetings?¡± ¡°Yes, they did.¡± Speaking of this, Mrs. Lu found it somewhat amusing, ¡°The two kids came over early in the morning, and they didn¡¯t come empty-handed. Leaving their child at home, they rushed to pay a visit. If they¡¯re coming, that¡¯s fine, but they brought so much with them. I told them to take it back for Uncle Sun and Auntie Sun, but the young couple wasn¡¯t happy about it.¡± ¡°That¡¯s normal, they follow Susu, and they can¡¯t make so much money every month, so it¡¯s only right.¡± ¡°Cheng Ming and Cheng He¡¯s families also came early to pay a New Year¡¯s visit. I noticed that Cheng Ming¡¯s wife seemed quite happy.¡± Uncle Su and his wife looked at each other, both smiling so broadly they could hardly keep their mouths shut. ¡°Eldest Cheng got a raise, and now that there¡¯s more money at home, his family is happier, and this year they haven¡¯t skimped on showing respect to their parents and me.¡± Mrs. Lu, always living in Provincial City, had no idea about her nephew¡¯s promotion and salary increase, immediately laughed heartily and patted her sister-in-law. ¡°Oh, congratulations, Sister-in-law. Now that both sons are earning money, you and brother are also making a good sum every month, life is really getting better.¡± Aunt Su, flattered, was all smiles, showing even her teeth. ¡°If we had known dividing the family would make the brothers stand tall on their own, we would have split long ago. Now, the two brothers have fewer conflicts and everything between the two families is affectionate and warm. Not like before, when a trivial issue could lead the wives to argue all day.¡± Now with sons, daughters-in-law, daughter, and son-in-law all being successful and filial, Uncle Su and his wife, holding onto their own salaries, lived a particularly comfortable life. Chapter 113 - 113 113 In broad daylight... dreaming of farts ?Chapter 113: Chapter 113 In broad daylight... dreaming of farts! Chapter 113: Chapter 113 In broad daylight... dreaming of farts! After seeing off Uncle Su and his spouse, other employees from the store continued to arrive to give their New Year greetings. What shocked Susu the most was how Sister Wang Hong, towing her entire family, delivered the New Year¡¯s gift they had prepared and then took off. Just as Susu was about to hand out red envelopes to Sister Wang Hong¡¯s three children, the family of five had dashed off, leaving Susu staring, dumbfounded, as they disappeared into the distance. ¡°Xiao Su, come on in. We¡¯ve brought the kids to the county to look around.¡± ... After the third day of the new lunar year, the family had been eating leftovers from New Year¡¯s Eve every day. The sight of those leftovers made Susu¡¯s eyes glint with a mix of hunger and fear. Mrs. Lu noticed her daughter-in-law eyeing the leftovers with a miserable expression and cheerfully brought over a plate of freshly stir-fried cabbage with glass noodles. She specifically placed it in front of her daughter-in-law, ¡°Susu, have some cabbage.¡± ¡°Thank you, Mom.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s eat, everyone. Help yourselves,¡± Mrs. Lu called out to the whole family to start eating. Jiang Nan curled her lip, feeling that the mother-in-law¡¯s partiality had gone through the roof. Among the three daughters-in-law, she had only bothered to make a fresh dish for the second daughter-in-law¡¯s family, without asking her or the third daughter-in-law¡¯s family at all. Most of the plate of stir-fried cabbage and glass noodles went into Susu¡¯s stomach. Satisfied, Susu lay down and hugged her son, who was attempting to bounce on her. Su Sanya took the initiative to take on the chore of cleaning up the dishes and, upon entering the room, saw her second sister lying on the bed in contented relaxation. ¡°Mom, how about next year we make less food? This meal¡¯s going to last until the fifth,¡± she suggested. ¡°You child, during the difficult times in the past, getting together this much food would have been as tough as climbing to heaven. We should make more dishes to have leftovers at every meal. Then, next year, we¡¯ll have more than enough, just to bring good luck,¡± her mother replied. Susu nodded in understanding, ¡°So that¡¯s why, I get it now.¡± In the cold of winter, households in the village were not very active, preferring to ¡°hibernate¡± indoors. And since there weren¡¯t any entertainment activities these days, and nobody in the Lu Family knew how to play cards or had any interest in them, after finishing their meal in the middle of the day, everyone went back to their rooms to take a nap. Susu and Lu Xiaoting placed the triplets between them and gently tapped them to sleep. Fortunately, the three siblings were quite considerate of their parents and fell asleep not long after. ¡°Xiao Yu, sleep now. Your brother and sister are asleep.¡± ¡°Mm.¡± Seeing this, Xiao Yu finally settled down to sleep next to his fragrant aunt. For a while, the Lu Family home was entirely peaceful, except for the rising and falling snores of Father Lu, and no other sound. Annoyed, Mrs. Lu slapped her husband and muttered that she was no longer accustomed to the old man¡¯s snoring. Lu Xiaoting suddenly awoke to his siblings bouncing and jumping on top of him. ¡°Ah ah.¡± Seeing their dad awake, the three siblings grinned and kept on babbling nonstop. Seeing that his wife was still asleep and fearing the triplets might wake her, Lu Xiaoting scooped them up and headed straight to the east room. Father and Mother Lu, who were deeply asleep, hazily opened their eyes to see their son bringing in the grandkids and instantly became alert. ¡°Ah, my dear grandchildren, why did you wake up so early?¡± ¡°Come here, my good grandchildren, let grandpa hold you.¡± Lu Xiaoting handed the triplets over to their grandparents and turned around to go back to nestle against his soft and sweet-smelling wife for a little more sleep. Susu was awakened by her man¡¯s iron grip. In her sleep, she felt suffocated and squeezed, and upon opening her eyes, she realized she was nearly plastered against the wall, with her man holding her tight from behind. Annoyed, she slapped the man awake. Lu Xiaoting looked pitifully at his wife, ¡°Wifey, why did you hit me?¡± Susu rolled her eyes, ¡°You nearly smashed me against the wall. Shouldn¡¯t I hit you? What, you want to crush me now?¡± The man¡¯s dark eyes were deep, his voice raspy, ¡°Wife, it¡¯s broad daylight... not too good, right?¡± Susu was so annoyed by the man¡¯s dirty thoughts that she leaned back and slapped the shameless man hard. ¡°Hiss~¡± But the man¡¯s arms were too solid, and it was her hand that ended up hurting. Huffy, Susu pinched the man hard. ¡°Broad daylight... what nonsense are you thinking!¡± ¡°Wife? So, how about at night?¡± Susu, ¡°...¡± Susu¡¯s cheeks flushed with irritation, and she bit down on the man¡¯s firm arm, ¡°For thinking about that stuff all day long, I might as well bite you to death.¡± ¡°Wife, don¡¯t be angry. Save all your strength for the night... to bite me.¡± The man¡¯s eyes were deep, his voice husky. Susu laughed despite herself. Was this still the abstinent Lu Xiaoting she knew? How come this shameless man was becoming more and more... After the fifth day of the new year, Brother Lu and the youngest son¡¯s families went back to Provincial City one after another. Worried that Father Lu would be too lonely at home by himself, Susu and Mrs. Lu planned to leave after the eighth day. Lu Xiaoting and Lu Xiaomei, the siblings, left in the afternoon of the fifth day because they had to work and look after the shop. As the time for school neared, Father Lu grew increasingly reluctant to part with the triplets, even insisting on having them sleep in the same room as Father Lu and Mrs. Lu at night. Susu was happy for the quiet. She shared a room with Xiao Yu and her sister Sanyi, not having to get up in the middle of the night to feed or change the triplets¡¯ diapers, sleeping soundly until dawn¡ªa sheer delight. The day before their departure, Mrs. Lu had packed up all the triplets¡¯ belongings and the food they¡¯d take back to Provincial City early in the morning. As soon as Father Lu got home from work, the first thing he did was to pick up the triplets, ¡°Do you miss grandpa?¡± ¡°Ah.¡± ¡°You do miss me! Grandpa knows our Pingping, An¡¯an, and Lele love grandpa the most.¡± ¡°Ah ah.¡± The triplets extended their little hands, grabbing at grandpa¡¯s clothes, trying to stand up. ¡°Oh, they know they¡¯re leaving tomorrow and don¡¯t want to let go of grandpa, right? Wanting to hug and cuddle with grandpa.¡± Mrs. Lu felt a shiver at her husband¡¯s words, feeling goosebumps all over. He was getting on in years... ¡°That¡¯s enough, stop your jabbering and come out to start the fire and cook.¡± Father Lu pouted, ¡°You just don¡¯t want to cook yourself. My dear grandkids are leaving tomorrow, and you still won¡¯t let me spend some time with them.¡± ¡°Hurry up!¡± ¡°Uncle, I¡¯ll go. You keep Pingping, An¡¯an, and Lele company,¡± Su Sanya, worried that Uncle Lu would get scolded by Auntie, quickly ran out to start the fire. ¡°Ah, that¡¯s our Sanyi.¡± Mrs. Lu looked at her husband acting as if he¡¯d never see them again and simply didn¡¯t want to watch¡ªa man of his age, still so indecorous. Susu found it somewhat amusing to hear her father-in-law call them ¡°dear grandchildren¡± over a hundred times throughout the evening. The next day, Father Lu kissed the triplets goodbye reluctantly as he left for work. The triplets thought grandpa was just playing with them and laughed gleefully, clapping their little hands. That afternoon, once Lu Xiaogu arrived, the four adults and four children took the bus back to Provincial City together. When Father Lu returned home from work, he sighed as he looked around the empty house. ¡°Woof woof woof.¡± Father Lu patted Da Hei¡¯s head and sighed, ¡°Now it¡¯s just the two of us left at home.¡± ¡°Woof woof woof.¡± In Provincial City, the four adults and four kids had no idea that back home, Father Lu was counting the days on his fingers, figuring out how much longer until he could retire. Lu Xiaomei had warmed up the house nicely early on, and as soon as everyone arrived, each of them was quickly served a bowl of steaming hot brown sugar water. Chapter 114 - 114 114 just endure it ?Chapter 114: Chapter 114, just endure it! Chapter 114: Chapter 114, just endure it! ¡°Mom, Little Aunt, second sister-in-law, Sanyi, Xiao Yu, come and have some brown sugar water to warm up your stomachs while it¡¯s hot. Are you hungry? Do you want me to heat up some rice for you?¡± ¡°No need, I just ate at home not long ago.¡± ¡ª¡ª Time passed, and the cold winter was over before we knew it. With spring¡¯s arrival, the weather warmed up from time to time, occasionally bringing a sandstorm. In the recent good weather, fearing that the children would catch a cold and be uncomfortable, Mrs. Lu dressed the triplets in light cotton jackets. Seizing the chance of good weather at noon, she took the three little ones out to play in the yard. Right now, the triplets were happily tottering around in their walkers, chasing after one another. Father Lu had specially commissioned a fellow villager who was good at carpentry to make the walkers, and he couldn¡¯t wait to bring them to Provincial City as soon as they were ready. The walkers really did the trick. The triplets, who couldn¡¯t stay still indoors, had finally found their amusement. They¡¯d start clamoring to go out as soon as they opened their eyes in the morning. The job of watching the three children while going about her chores became much easier for Mrs. Lu and Lu Xiaogu. ¡°Brother and Sister, we¡¯re back.¡± Hearing the voices, the triplets in the yard quickly pushed their walkers toward their brother. ¡°Bang.¡± ¡°Bang, bang.¡± ¡°Keke.¡± Xiao Yu hugged his eagerly running younger siblings, kissing each one on the face. With a beaming smile, he launched into the daily must-ask, ¡°Were you well-behaved at home today?¡± ¡°Good.¡± ¡°Keke, good.¡± ¡°Go-good.¡± Lu Xiaoting, who followed behind pushing the bicycle, looked at the four children with a smiling face, ¡°Pingping and An¡¯an and Lele.¡± ¡°Ah, Daddy.¡± ¡°Dad, Daddy.¡± ¡°Daddy.¡± Lu Xiaoting parked the bicycle, touched his obedient and clever sons and daughters, and picked up the fragrant and soft little daughter. ¡°Lele, did you miss Daddy?¡± ¡°Miss, miss Dad-dy.¡± The little girl¡¯s speech wasn¡¯t quite clear, and she planted a sloppy kiss on her father¡¯s face. Lu Xiaoting looked at his increasingly adorable little daughter, reluctant to let her go. ¡°Daddy, kiss.¡± ¡°Dad, a kiss.¡± Pingping and An¡¯an, anxious not to be outdone, each tugged on Daddy¡¯s leg, clamoring for a kiss. ¡°Ah~ Let go, let go.¡± The little girl, being at that lively age, wasn¡¯t happy being held in her father¡¯s arms and wiggled to get down. Lu Xiaoting set down his little bald daughter and gave each of them a kiss, and the two brothers happily left a faceful of slobber on Daddy. The three siblings ran around the yard, and Xiao Yu, anxious about his younger siblings, kept watch over them. After a busy morning returning from checking the accounts at several shops, Susu smiled at the sight of the four little ones in the yard. ¡°Ah, Mommy.¡± ¡°Mom.¡± ¡°Mom.¡± The two brothers, not giving way to each other, hurriedly ran toward their mother. Leaving an anxious Lele behind, tugging at her little voice, calling out, ¡°Ah, Brother, Mom.¡± Susu touched the two little bald heads and gently pinched their chubby cheeks, asking with a stern face. ¡°Did Pingping and An¡¯an behave well at home?¡± ¡°Good, good.¡± ¡°Mhm, good.¡± ¡°If you¡¯ve been good, Mommy will reward you with a kiss.¡± ¡°Kiss.¡± The two brothers were delighted to receive kisses from Mommy and returned several slobbery kisses to her. ¡°Wah~¡± Seeing her brothers getting kissed by Mommy and not being able to squeeze through herself, the little girl, anxious, called out with a strained voice. Susu, feigning upset at her daughter covered in tears and runny nose, tapped the little one¡¯s head, ¡°Why is Lele crying?¡± ¡°I want kisses, kisses.¡± The little girl stuttered and pointed to her own face. Susu¡¯s mouth twitched as she watched, though it was her own daughter, she really couldn¡¯t bear to do it. Having no choice, Susu carried the little girl to wash her face before holding her and kissing her several times. Having been kissed by her mother, the little girl then happily ran off to play with her brother. Susu helplessly wiped her mouth, feeling a bit dry from kissing her child so much. What can you do when triplets want everything to be the same? Even if it¡¯s a little bit less, it won¡¯t do. For instance, just now with the kisses, after kissing the eldest, Pingping, she had to kiss the other two three times each, and it had to be one kiss on each side. Mrs. Lu and Lu Xiaogu saw Susu had come back and, feeling relieved, handed over the task of watching the children to the mother before returning to the kitchen to cook. Susu comfortably lay in a lounger in the shade, watching the triplets circle around her. ¡°Kisses.¡± ¡°Kisses.¡± ¡°Kisses.¡± The triplets were like parrots, each repeating what the other said in their gibberish. There, the eldest, Pingping, came over to give mommy a kiss on the cheek, and An¡¯an and Lele weren¡¯t to be outdone and came over to give a kiss too. Susu helplessly looked up to the sky¡ªher own flesh and blood, what could she do about it? Just bear with it! Susu silently wiped her right cheek with a handkerchief, which had been slobbered on by her sons and daughter. Father Lu and Xiao Yu also found small stools to sit on either side of Susu, their attention focused on the triplets. ¡°Got it.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± ¡°Hey, take it slow.¡± Xiao Yu, fearing his younger siblings would walk too fast and trip, trotted over to pat their little heads. He had become accustomed to the triplets¡¯ unclear speech and still patiently taught them. ¡°Brother, brother.¡± ¡°Got it, got it.¡± ¡°Brother, brother.¡± ¡°Got it, got it.¡± ... Susu covered her mouth to stifle a laugh, catching hold of a little darling who was earnestly teaching his siblings to pronounce words. Lu Xiaoting, worried about his daughter tripping, kept his eyes on her all the time, and whenever she nearly made it to the gate, he would quickly scoop her up and bring her back. ¡°Papa, papa.¡± ¡°Lele, be good, don¡¯t run towards the gate, be careful not to trip.¡± The little girl was quite the little stubborn mule; Daddy said not to run towards the gate, but she insisted on toddling over there. After several attempts without success, she was quite happy to be picked up by Daddy each time, giggling wickedly. ¡°You little rascal, are you doing this on purpose?¡± Susu tapped the slightly sweaty tip of the little girl¡¯s nose. The little girl thought her daddy and mommy were simply playing with her, clapping her hands gleefully and laughing merrily. ¡°Alright, playtime¡¯s over, little ones, let¡¯s go home.¡± Lu Xiaoting picked up a son in each hand and carried them back to the house, with Susu holding her little girl following behind. After feeding the triplets milk and their supplementary food and getting their fill, the triplets lay in a row and soon fell asleep. With the kids asleep, the family had dinner, tidied up, and with the kids still not awake, they also grabbed the chance for a quick nap. Susu slept until past three in the afternoon, drowsily sitting up, she looked around and saw no one on the bed. Taking advantage of the triplets not noticing, she quickly slipped away and cycled straight to the store to check on things. There were no customers in the store at the moment, and it seemed like everyone had just woken up. ¡°Just do your own thing, I¡¯m going to check the accounts.¡± ... West Room The triplets couldn¡¯t sit still any longer and were clamoring to go outside. Mrs. Lu glanced at the shaded spot outside and, along with Lu Xiaogu, took the triplets to the cool area. As soon as they were set down, the triplets toddled off busily. With a ¡°thud,¡± a sharp cry followed. ¡°Wah~¡± Chapter 115 - 115 115 Kicked by a Donkey ?Chapter 115: Chapter 115: Kicked by a Donkey! Chapter 115: Chapter 115: Kicked by a Donkey! ¡°Ouch, my little ancestor.¡± ¡°Ouch, why did Lele fall?¡± Mrs. Lu and Little Aunt heard the child¡¯s crying, turned their heads, and saw the little girl lying on the steps at the entrance, crying her heart out. The two hurriedly helped her up. Mrs. Lu, holding her granddaughter, nearly died of heartache as she rocked the sobbing child. ¡°Lele, sweetie, did you hurt yourself somewhere? Why are you crying so hard?¡± Little Aunt inspected her carefully and saw that the little girl¡¯s little palms were red and slightly scraped. ¡°No wonder she¡¯s crying so hard, her hands are scraped.¡± ¡°Ouch, my dear granddaughter, it breaks my heart.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t cry.¡± Pingping and Anan anxiously circled around their sister, their little faces all scrunched up with worry. That afternoon, the little girl didn¡¯t run around with her brothers and was listlessly held by grandma and aunt in turns. When Susu got home, she saw her sons happily running around, but was somewhat surprised not to see her daughter. ¡°Hey, where did the little girl go?¡± As soon as she entered the house, the little girl saw her mother and her little lips puckered, and she started crying woefully. Susu, amused yet sympathetic, held her daughter on the floor to comfort her, only then learning from her mother-in-law and Little Aunt that her daughter had fallen. Looking at the little hands, which were now fine, she kissed her daughter¡¯s chubby cheeks, ¡°It¡¯s okay, who asked this little one to run to the door? Consider it a lesson learned.¡± Mrs. Lu and Little Aunt were so distressed that they cried in the afternoon. Susu held her forehead; with mother-in-law and Little Aunt being so upset, she wondered how the return of father and son would affect their doting on her little girl. Sure enough, when Lu Xiaoting arrived with a son in each hand, followed by Xiao Yu pushing a walker, the father and son, upon hearing that Lele had fallen in the afternoon, made a big fuss comforting the little girl. The little girl, who had been downcast that afternoon, just stayed in her father¡¯s arms and would not touch the ground. Pingping and Anan curiously followed their brother, mimicking whatever he did. After a good night¡¯s sleep, as the first rays of sunlight spilled in the next morning, a new day began. Waking up, the little girl had already forgotten yesterday¡¯s incident and happily followed her brothers. Mrs. Lu and Little Aunt were worried, so they made a plan, with Mrs. Lu keeping an eye on the little girl and Little Aunt watching the two boys. The brothers merrily walked ahead, their little legs moving quite fast, with the little girl following behind, shouting ¡°didi¡± nonstop. The courtyard echoed with the cheerful laughter of the three siblings. ¡°Auntie, Susu, my husband has come to see me, bringing quite a lot of our own harvested grain and some mushrooms picked from the mountains. I¡¯ve brought some over.¡± Wang Hong came with a basket on her back, followed by three children. ¡°Sister Hong is here, please have a seat.¡± ¡°Wang Hong is here, have a seat.¡± Mrs. Lu quickly grabbed a stool for her, then grabbed two handfuls of candy for Wang Hong¡¯s three children. ¡°Here, take the candy and share it among yourselves.¡± The triplets didn¡¯t dare to take it until they saw their mother nod, then politely thanked her. The triplets curiously eyed the three siblings, walking back and forth to look. Wang Hong sent the three siblings to watch their younger siblings to prevent them from knocking into or falling onto something, and then she started discussing the main issue. ¡°Susu, I had no other choice but to come to you; it¡¯s just too hard to keep it to myself.¡± Susu took on a serious tone, ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Sister Hong? Speak up, and we can all think of a solution together.¡± Wang Hong sighed, and then she began, ¡°Ever since I started making money with you, my greedy in-laws are always coming over to take advantage. If it were about respecting my in-laws, I wouldn¡¯t have much to say, since they did give birth to and raise my husband. But instead, the old couple is using our things to support his younger brother. What? Now we have to support his brother¡¯s family, too?¡± ¡°And what about your husband? What does he think?¡± ¡°Your brother-in-law just thinks we might as well consider it as respecting his parents and doesn¡¯t say too much. Lately, your brother-in-law must have been hearing too much gossip from his parents and siblings, afraid that I, making so much money, would look down on him and eventually leave them.¡± Wang Hong became more and more agitated and spat in disdain, ¡°I spit on that! If I were that kind of person, would I be working so hard like an old ox without any complaints? Now, my husband came here to deliver goods and he¡¯s asking me to go back, saying that now that our home conditions are good, it would be fine to return and continue farming. If I had never seen the world, maybe, but now that I earn over a hundred a month, I won¡¯t quit. My brain hasn¡¯t been kicked by a donkey!¡± Susu¡¯s eyebrows furrowed slightly, becoming speechless. All because of some baseless suspicions, they want his wife to give up her achievements? And to think, if it hadn¡¯t been for Sister Hong working so tirelessly, he would still be bedridden. However, Sister Hong¡¯s man isn¡¯t the chauvinistic type; probably it¡¯s just that he¡¯s been overwhelmed by his family, overthinking without any basis of his own. ¡°Sister Hong, how about this¡ªif you go back, say this, and then bring your husband and kids here as soon as possible. They can live in the courtyard behind the shop, which is perfect to help around. Once your husband arrives, he can also go to the countryside to get vegetables to sell, shouting through the streets. Everybody in the city needs such things. It could also bring some extra income.¡± ¡°Susu, that¡¯s a great idea; I¡¯ll go back and say this right away.¡± ... ¡°My dear grandchildren, have you missed grandpa?¡± Father Lu¡¯s first action upon arriving home was to visit his beloved grandchildren. The triplets scanned him with their big, dark eyes and then continued playing. Seeing that his grandchildren ignored him, Father Lu wasn¡¯t annoyed but smiled gently and slowly moved closer to the three siblings. ¡°Ah.¡± ¡°I am Grandpa.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± ¡°Grandpa.¡± ... Mrs. Lu could hardly stand watching her husband; she had never seen him show such patience with any of their four children. Father Lu glanced at his wife, ¡°It¡¯s not the same, besides our daughter who is tender and sweet, those three boys were always so rowdy, a day wouldn¡¯t pass without them stirring up trouble.¡± Just arriving home, Lu Xiaoting heard his father¡¯s words and his mouth twitched slightly, thinking that grandparents really do favor their grandchildren. To his grandparents, the grandchildren were precious whereas the sons were mere weeds, the kind that needed to be knocked down every other day. Each time the old man came over, he could only stay for a day. Mrs. Lu had specifically stewed chicken soup to nourish him, as when he was alone, anything he did was makeshift. On one hand, the family enjoyed the warm chicken soup, chatting and laughing along with the joyful cries of the children. On the other, on the way back, Wang Hong told her children about her plans to stay in Provincial City. The three children were both happy to stay with their mother and worried their father wouldn¡¯t agree. Wang Hong closed the door and discussed with her husband about moving the entire family to Provincial City. ¡°Hubby, moving here doesn¡¯t mean we can¡¯t respect your parents. We can give them five yuan a month for whatever they want to eat.¡± ¡°No! How can we farmers just quit farming land? That would be a waste of good land.¡± Chapter 116 - 116 116 what Radio ?Chapter 116: Chapter 116 what? Radio?? Chapter 116: Chapter 116 what? Radio?? Wang Hong saw that the man¡¯s refusal wasn¡¯t because he couldn¡¯t bear to leave his family, and her eyes sparkled with excitement. ¡°Father, we can just lease our land to someone else to farm,¡± she said. ¡°All they have to give us is ten percent of the crops, and they can keep the rest. I bet no one would refuse that.¡± Seeing her husband wavering, Wang Hong continued, ¡°Look at our three kids, how happy they are when they come here. Every time I see other children with their families, it makes me think of our own. Besides, if we stay in the Provincial City, our children can go to schools here. Isn¡¯t that hundreds of times better than the education they¡¯d get in our village? Our kids are all obedient and well-behaved. We didn¡¯t have the means before, but now we do. If the kids want to learn, we¡¯ll grit our teeth and support their education. Who knows? Maybe our family could also have a university student one day?¡± Wang Jianjun looked at the three children in the courtyard, his eyes filled with pride and self-assurance. But he still hesitated. ¡°But can we really make it in the city? Everything costs money here, even a bunch of scallions. And without a job, what would I do in the city? I can¡¯t just sit around spending money. I might as well stay and farm at home to save some money on food.¡± Wang Hong was delighted, knowing her husband was softening. She quickly mentioned the suggestion Susu had given. ¡°Susu suggested that we could buy vegetables from fellow villagers nearby and sell them in the city. Everyone has to go out to buy groceries. If we hawk them door-to-door, it even saves them the trip,¡± she explained eagerly. Wang Jianjun felt tempted. Naturally, as a man, he wanted to stay with his wife and children. If it were really possible, why wouldn¡¯t he want to stay with them in the Provincial City?! ¡°Wife, shall we give it a try?¡± ¡°Yes, Father, for the kids. Let¡¯s work hard together to stay in the Provincial City.¡± ... The three siblings were ecstatic to learn they were staying in the Provincial City, circling around their parents with joy. ¡°But, Mother, our eldest has already started the second grade in the village, he¡¯s halfway through the school year. What do we do now?¡± Wang Hong was also taken aback; in the excitement of discussing the move with her husband, she had forgotten to figure out the schooling situation for the children. Hitting her thigh, she exclaimed, ¡°Oh my! I really forgot to ask about that. I¡¯ll go ask right away.¡± Schooling for the kids was a significant matter, so the couple went right back to Susu¡¯s house. Susu, seeing a couple with such determination, was naturally willing to help and promised with a smile that she would find out more information. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Sister Hong, Brother-in-law. I¡¯ll ask around and let you know once I find something,¡± she reassured them. ¡°Aiya, thank you so much, Xiao Su,¡± they said gratefully. Wang Hong and her husband felt a little bad for troubling Susu so much and were deeply thankful for their benefactor. No matter what, as long as Susu needed them, they were ready to put in the work. ¡°Mother, we must have been very charitable in our previous lives to meet such good people in this one,¡± Wang Jianjun mused. ¡°Indeed, if it weren¡¯t for Susu, we¡¯d still be scratching a living out of the soil, going from hunger to fullness,¡± Wang Hong remarked. ¡°If not for my wife earning money, I¡¯d still be bedridden. Wife, I must have done something right in my past life to deserve you,¡± he said affectionately. ¡°Oh come on, we¡¯re an old couple now, no need for such mushy talk,¡± she replied, feigning exasperation. ¡°It¡¯s not mushy. My wife is the best, and she¡¯s the best mother for our kids,¡± he declared proudly. ... Early in the morning, Father Lu led the three wide-awake and energetic triplets around the courtyard. ¡°Old man, keep an eye on the kids, don¡¯t let them fall!¡± Mrs. Lu warned. ¡°Stop fussing, would I really let my grandkids get hurt?!¡± he retorted. ¡°You old man, dare to let the grandkids get hurt, and this old lady will hit you with a shovel.¡± Mrs. Lu stood in the hall, one hand on her hip, the other waving a spatula menacingly. Father Lu didn¡¯t bother arguing with his increasingly combative wife, just watched the three grandkids toddling around the yard with a contented smile. Today, Susu was resting at home. But with three eager grandparents fighting over who got to watch the children, Susu wasn¡¯t needed for childcare and thus lay sprawled on the kang, leisurely crossing her legs. The trio of oldies never went grocery shopping without taking the triplets along: they¡¯d make the tricycle cozy with soft cushions and place each triplet inside. ¡°Let¡¯s go, time for a stroll.¡± ¡°Lo~¡± ¡°Lo~¡± ¡°Lo~¡± Like parrots mimicking speech, they copied Grandpa¡¯s words, happily waving their chubby little hands. The three elders with the three young ones headed straight for the vegetable market. In the bustling market, the appearance of the triplets caused quite a stir. ¡°Oh my goodness, these three kids are so chunky, they¡¯ve been raised really well.¡± ¡°Wow, look how plump and fair they are! How did Big Sis manage that?¡± Mrs. Lu never stopped talking, puffing out her chest with pride, ¡°Yes, my family has triplets.¡± Father Lu, ¡°Yes, triplet siblings.¡± Lu Xiaogu, ¡°Right, triplets.¡± Everyone: ¡°...¡± All the old men and women were green with envy, oh what fortune, to have three babies all at once, complete with a pair for the handle. On the way, Pingping kept a cool facade, indifferent to those who approached to touch her. An¡¯an would grin at anyone, earning delighted smiles from all the elders and aunties. Lele, shy, covered his chubby face and crouched behind his brother. The family of six returned home in triumph, brimming with confidence, and encountered many elderly men and women chatting outside in the neighborhood. ¡°Oh my, look how well this child¡¯s been raised, so fair and chubby, so adorable.¡± ¡°And this boy, look at his chubby arms, like little segments.¡± Father Lu beamed, showing all his teeth, ¡°My triplets.¡± ¡°That¡¯s great, get on home now, don¡¯t keep Susu waiting anxiously.¡± Mrs. Lu rolled her eyes at her husband, he really had been showing off the whole way. Lu Xiaogu pursed her lips, trying to suppress a laugh; her second brother was such a character. Susu was wondering why they had been gone for so long and still hadn¡¯t returned, and just as she was thinking this, she saw them coming back. The three little ones rushed towards their mother, babbling and waving their hands. ... Seeing Father Lu reluctantly hugging the three little ones, Susu looked sympathetically at her father-in-law, who would be returning to his solitary life. Not wanting to leave her father-in-law alone in the silent house, Susu bought two radios that very day. ¡°Mom, this one¡¯s for you and my Little Aunt to listen to at home, and I¡¯ll give the other one to Dad to keep him from getting bored by himself.¡± Mrs. Lu scolded affectionately, ¡°You child, well-fed and well-kept, what¡¯s there to be bored about? And you even bought two radios; your dad will be so thrilled he¡¯ll be showing off all over town.¡± County, Textile Factory Family Courtyard Father Lu, smiling, adjusted his clothes and clasped his hands behind his back. After locking up, he strolled over to where the Family Court was liveliest. ¡°Well, that¡¯s unusual, Old Lu is out for a walk today, not lying at home missing his wife and kids.¡± ¡°Ha ha ha.¡± Father Lu maintained his composure, smiling broadly and waving his hand, ¡°Just got a bit carried away listening to the radio at home, so I thought I¡¯d come out for a walk, get some fresh air.¡± ¡°What? A radio??¡± Chapter 117 - 117 117 Returned to the County ?Chapter 117: Chapter 117 Returned to the County Chapter 117: Chapter 117 Returned to the County ¡°A radio? Old Lu, you got a radio?!!¡± Everyone exclaimed in surprise. Although they were all workers¡¯ families from the textile factory, a radio was still considered a luxury item in that era, hard to come by, and it used electricity. Father Lu gestured solemnly with his hand, ¡°It was all my second daughter-in-law¡¯s doing. She was worried I¡¯d be bored at home by myself, so she bought one specially for me.¡± ¡°Wow, Old Lu, your second daughter-in-law is really filial.¡± ¡°Look at Old Lu¡¯s daughter-in-law, so capable and filial.¡± The group of old men and women were envious, who wouldn¡¯t want such a capable daughter-in-law in their family? The corners of Father Lu¡¯s mouth couldn¡¯t stop rising as everyone took turns praising him. ¡°Yes, yes, my wife and I have good taste, all our daughters-in-law are filial.¡± ¡°Alright, I¡¯m not going to chat anymore, I¡¯m going home to listen to the radio and go to bed early.¡± With that, Father Lu, having successfully shown off to the old neighbors, walked back home humming a tune with his hands behind his back. Leaving behind a group of envious old men and women at the Family Court. Look at Old Lu¡¯s daughter-in-law, and then look at our own who only know how to squabble over food. It¡¯s all fate! Father Lu, who had just shown off successfully, had no clue that he had sparked a war between mothers-in-law and daughters-in-law at home, as he sat back with his legs crossed, humming along with the radio. On the floor lay a big black dog, its tail also wagging rhythmically to the sound of the radio. Provincial City Ever since the Lu household got a radio, Mrs. Lu and Lu Xiaogu would set aside time to listen to the broadcast, lately becoming fans of the evening stories. ¡°Second sister-in-law, second sister-in-law, it¡¯s time.¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯m coming.¡± Mrs. Lu quickly cradled the radio and placed it on the heated brick bed, carefully turning it on as instructed by her daughter-in-law. Voices soon began to emanate from the radio. Hearing the voices, the triplets all toddled over, arms raised to be lifted onto the brick bed. ¡°Grandma, bed bed.¡± ¡°Grandma, grandma.¡± ¡°Grandma, listen listen.¡± Mrs. Lu and Lu Xiaogu quickly lifted the three little ones onto the brick bed, and to make sure the children were comfortable, spread a padded mattress for them. The triplets, propped against pillows, sat side by side, incredibly well-behaved. The three little ones couldn¡¯t understand what was being said on the radio, but as long as they heard it, they would sit diligently, mimicking their grandma and aunt¡¯s example. Sometimes, when they heard songs playing from the radio, they would also hum along, though in a jumble. But you couldn¡¯t deny how adorable it was. Returning home, grandma Susu was greeted by this scene: two adults and three children all listening attentively to the radio, so engrossed that none of them noticed her arrival. Not wanting to interrupt their storytime, Susu quietly went to lie down in the west room. Lying with her eyes closed, she envisioned scenes in her mind, inspired by the sounds coming from the room next door. ¡°Susu, when did you get back?¡± Mrs. Lu came out to prepare dinner and immediately noticed her daughter-in-law lying on the bed. ¡°I got back while you were all listening to the story. Are you cooking, mom? I¡¯ll help you.¡± ¡°Alright, Susu, is there anything you¡¯d like to eat today? If not, I¡¯ll make a mixed vegetable stew, and we¡¯ve also got the steamed buns and rolls from this morning.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go with the mixed vegetable stew. I¡¯ve been craving it too.¡± The mother-in-law and daughter-in-law worked efficiently together, washing and chopping vegetables, starting the fire, and stir-frying, all in one fluid motion. ¡°Daughter-in-law, we¡¯re back.¡± ¡°Aunt, we¡¯re back.¡± ¡°Wash your hands, set the table mat, meal¡¯s about to be ready.¡± ¡°Uh-huh, got it.¡± Father and son chimed in unison. Time flew by, and before they knew it, the scorching summer had arrived. ¡°Auntie, I¡¯m back.¡± Susu lay under the cool shade structure that Lu Xiaoting had specially built for his wife, comfortably lounging on a recliner with her eyes closed, feigning sleep. ¡°Did you finish your exam so early? Did you come back by yourself, or did your uncle come to pick you up?¡± ¡°Hehe, I walked back on my own, it¡¯s not that far anyway.¡± Xiao Yu chuckled, revealing a row of white teeth that made him look even darker. ¡°Brother.¡± ¡°Brother.¡± ¡°Got it, thought about it.¡± Hearing the noise inside the house, the triplets clamored to get down from the kang bed to find their brother, and Mrs. Lu and Lu Xiaogu picked up each little chubby one by one. While talking, the triplets wouldn¡¯t let go of their brother and clamored for kisses. Xiao Yu happily presented his face, letting his younger siblings cake it with drool, not minding in the least, and even gave each of them a kiss in return. No one knew where the three little ones had picked up the habit, but it was a family rule that everyone must kiss to say goodbye and to welcome someone back. As soon as Xiao Yu got back, the triplets stuck to him like glue, following him wherever he went, even to the bathroom. Taking advantage of not having to care for the three little ones, Mrs. Lu and Lu Xiaogu took a moment to scrub and wash some of the kids¡¯ dirty clothes and hung them up to dry. ¡°Brother¡¯s three little shadows.¡± ¡°Hehe.¡± The triplets toddled along behind their brother, giggling stupidly at their mother¡¯s words. ¡°I want to be carried.¡± The little girl was lazy, tired of walking, and wanting to stick with her brother, she stretched out her chubby little arms for a hug. Looking at the little one¡¯s arms chubby like lotus roots, Xiao Yu squatted down, coaxing, ¡°How about brother gives you a piggyback ride?¡± ¡°Uh-huh. I want a piggyback ride.¡± The little one got her wish and clambered onto her brother¡¯s back, giggling so uproariously it was utterly comical. Pingping and Anan glanced at their sister and then trotted along behind their brother. Susu¡¯s business in the county didn¡¯t require her to stay in the shop except for the occasional check-in to inspect accounts and hygiene issues. This time, they returned to the county with the three children, fearing Father Lu would miss them too much. They also gave Lu Xiaogu a week off to go home and visit; Little Aunt had been helping with the kids and tidying up without complaint since after New Year¡¯s and hadn¡¯t been back since. If it weren¡¯t for the fact that Father Lu still had to work, he probably would have gone to fetch his three grandkids himself. ¡°I want to get down.¡± ¡°I want to get down.¡± The triplets clamored to get down and walk. Arriving at the entrance to the Family Court, it was too much to carry them, and so they let the boys down to walk. Susu took the pudgy little girl, and Mrs. Lu and Xiao Yu led the two boys by their chubby hands. ¡°Oh, isn¡¯t that Huai Ze¡¯s mother and the second son¡¯s wife? Back, are you?¡± ¡°Oh my, these must be your triplets? They¡¯re so well-fed, all chubby and fair.¡± ¡°Come here, give grandma a hug.¡± Anan wasn¡¯t shy at all, cheerily reaching out her chubby little hands to the elderly couple, not frightened in the slightest. Pingping didn¡¯t like being touched by strangers. Right now, she stretched out her hands wanting to be held by grandma. Lele had already buried her face in her mother¡¯s neck, peeking out curiously now and then. Mrs. Lu, holding her heavy grandson with some difficulty, beamed with joy as she chatted with the old neighbors. ¡°Eh? Why are you here? Why aren¡¯t you taking the kids home?¡± Father Lu hurried back, pushing his bicycle. As soon as he entered the alley, he saw his wife chatting with others while holding his grandson. ¡°The old man¡¯s timing is perfect, I can¡¯t carry our grandson any longer.¡± Mrs. Lu quickly placed the big grandson on the rear seat of the bicycle and rubbed her lower back. Chapter 118 - 118 118 Learning Grandpas Walking Posture ?Chapter 118: Chapter 118: Learning Grandpa¡¯s Walking Posture Chapter 118: Chapter 118: Learning Grandpa¡¯s Walking Posture Surrounded by an enthusiastic group of old men and women, An¡¯an, who felt a touch from everyone, spotted Brother sitting on the bicycle and clamored to sit too. ¡°Grandma, ride the bike, An¡¯an wants to ride too.¡± The little one, fearful that Brother might leave, rushed out in a panic, tugging at Grandma¡¯s arm for a hug. Father Lu noticed his wife¡¯s actions, ¡°Mom, you hold the bike, I¡¯ll lift An¡¯an onto the bicycle.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± The two brothers sat side by side on the back of the bicycle, their small hands tightly clinging to the front seat and Brother. Father Lu instructed his grandsons, ¡°Pingping and Anan, keep your legs apart, you can¡¯t put them down.¡± ¡°Understood, Grandpa.¡± The little brothers obediently straddled their chunky legs, with Father Lu guarding by their side. ¡°Bye, Grandpa and Grandma.¡± Little An¡¯an waved his little hand, melting the hearts of the group of old men and women, who were jealous to death. Look at everyone else¡¯s grandson, so well-behaved, even knows to say goodbye. Then look at their own grandson, all he does is eat and poop. If Susu knew what the elderly couple was thinking, she¡¯d laugh herself awake from sleep¡ªkids are all about eating and pooping. In less than the time it took for a meal, the news that the Lu family triplets had returned spread throughout the entire Family Court. The Lu family didn¡¯t have a clue, Father Lu had been smiling nonstop since they got back. He even kept a smile while looking at his obedient grandson eating dinner. Susu, watching her little girl mess around instead of eating properly, couldn¡¯t be bothered ¡ª she¡¯s old enough to speak up when she¡¯s hungry. ¡°Aunt Lu, I heard from folks you¡¯ve returned.¡± Aunt Wang came in with a small basket, all smiles. ¡°Oh my, you¡¯ve raised these three kids so well, so chubby and adorable.¡± ¡°Aunt Wang, take a seat, have you eaten?¡± ¡°I heard you all had come back, and everyone says you¡¯ve raised triplets well, so I came over to see and brought some fresh shallots.¡± Aunt Wang handed over a basketful of fresh green shallots. Mrs. Lu¡¯s eyes lit up, ¡°Thank you, Aunt Wang, I really like eating shallot buns, I¡¯ll make some for you to try.¡± ¡°No need, my lad picked these himself in the countryside, they¡¯re not worth much. Besides, we just made shallot buns at home today.¡± After eating, Father Lu took the triplets and Xiao Yu out for a walk, mainly to show off his grandsons. Mrs. Lu and Aunt Wang sat under the eave chatting and picking the shallots. ¡°You don¡¯t know about your Old Lu, he¡¯s always bragging about how filial our son and daughter-in-law are, it¡¯s caused some tension in our Family Court¡¯s relationships.¡± Mrs. Lu could imagine how her husband boasted, ¡°That old man, he¡¯s not subtle at all, what nonsense he spouts, only speaking blunt truths.¡± Aunt Wang: ¡°...¡± Inside, listening to her mother-in-law turn into a bragging fiend, Susu covered her face, laughing so hard her shoulders shook, vibrating uncontrollably. Da Hei lay comfortably, belly up, near Susu¡¯s feet. Susu couldn¡¯t move; the moment she did, he¡¯d follow enthusiastically. For some reason, Susu felt like she was seeing the shadows of her three little ones. Meanwhile, Father Lu proudly took his four grandchildren to show off to the old neighbors, even taking a few of the little ones to a small shop to buy a bunch of snacks. The three little ones grinned from ear to ear. Xiao Yu glanced at the net bag Grandpa was holding, lips pursed. Father Lu happily watched the three little ones. ¡°What have you got there?¡± ¡°I bought some snacks for the kids.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Mrs. Lu snatchesthe net bag from her husband¡¯s hand, unleashing a torrent of criticism. ¡°You¡¯re old enough, what are you up to? The triplets are still so young, can they eat these things? Don¡¯t spoil their appetite for regular meals.¡± Mrs. Lu gave her old partner an annoyed look and handed over to her eldest grandson, ¡°Xiao Yu, take this and save it to eat slowly, and you can¡¯t give any to your younger siblings.¡± ¡°Got it, grandma.¡± Xiao Yu glanced sympathetically at grandpa and obediently went back inside. ¡°Brother, wait.¡± The triplets hurriedly followed their brother. ¡°Doggy.¡± ¡°Doggy.¡± ¡°Lele, scared.¡± As soon as they entered the room, the two little brothers, their eyes shining, heard their sister¡¯s words and immediately acted like big brothers, each grabbing one of their little sister¡¯s hands. ¡°Don¡¯t be scared, sister, brother is here.¡± ¡°Yes, brother will protect you.¡± The little girl¡¯s big, round eyes stared intently at their big black dog, her scared little mouth puckered up, and she refused to go in with her little butt sticking out. ¡°Scared.¡± Hearing the noise, Xiao Yu dashed out in a flash, ¡°Don¡¯t be scared, sister. Brother will carry you to the bed.¡± The little man carried his sister and placed her on the bed. ¡°Mommy, scared.¡± Little Lele snuggled into her mom¡¯s arms, almost about to cry. ¡°Don¡¯t be scared, don¡¯t be scared,¡± Susu comforted her plump little daughter, laughing and crying. ¡°It¡¯s okay, it¡¯s okay, the dog won¡¯t bite. Look what brother is doing.¡± The little girl, curious, twisted her chubby body and saw her brothers actually petting the big dog, scared and curious, her round eyes wide open. ¡°Doggy, touch.¡± ¡°Doggy, you¡¯re so black.¡± ¡°Brother, what is the dog¡¯s name?¡± An¡¯an curiously asked as she squatted beside her brother. Xiao Yu, petting the obedient Da Hei and all smiles, said, ¡°This is Da Hei. You must not bully Da Hei.¡± ¡°We won¡¯t bully.¡± ¡°We won¡¯t bully.¡± Over several days, the triplets had already gotten familiar with the old men and women of the Family Court. The elders would go for a stroll every day after dinner, a must-do daily activity. Now, the triplets mimicked their grandfather¡¯s walking posture, their little hands behind their backs, their mouths puckering, leading the way merrily. Father Lu was amused by his quirky grandchildren, his eyes smiling into slits. ¡°Oh, are Pingping, Anan, and Lele out playing again?¡± ¡°Yeah! Hello, grandpas and grandmas.¡± ¡°Look at how polite such little kids are. You¡¯ve taught them well.¡± ¡°Indeed, when my kids were this age, they were still babbling.¡± ... Listening to everyone praise his grandchildren, Father Lu was so happy he couldn¡¯t stop smiling. The next morning After tidying up the house, Mrs. Lu led the four children to visit Aunt and Aunt Su in the pickled goods courtyard. Worried that her daughter-in-law would wake up and be anxious at not seeing anyone, she specifically asked Xiao Yu to leave a note, weighed down by a teapot. Susu slept until the sun was shining on her backside. It was very quiet at home. When she came out for a drink, she saw the note. She was just about to check on the business and accounts in the county, so Susu freshened up and first went to the pickled goods shop to check on sanitation issues before walking towards the pickled goods courtyard. Just as she reached the entrance, she heard laughter from the courtyard. Susu raised an eyebrow and stepped into the courtyard. ¡°Mom, what are Aunt and Aunt talking about that¡¯s so lively? I could hear it from far away.¡± Chapter 119 - 119 119 Dad and Mom ?Chapter 119: Chapter 119 Dad and Mom Chapter 119: Chapter 119 Dad and Mom ¡°Mommy.¡± Once Susu heard her voice, the three little ones immediately came rushing over excitedly. ¡°Bang bang bang.¡± Susu almost couldn¡¯t stay on her feet as she was bumped three times in a row by the siblings, who nearly knocked her over. She helplessly squatted down and pulled out a handkerchief to wipe the sweat off the little ones. ¡°What have you been doing, running around all sweaty?¡± ¡°Mommy, there¡¯s a dog, a big yellow dog.¡± The two brothers started talking about the dog, their big eyes shining like black grapes. ¡°Alright, go sit in the shade for a while, the dog is tired too and needs some rest.¡± ¡°Ok.¡± Susu, holding one child in each hand, stood up and walked towards the shed. ¡°Aunt, Aunt.¡± ¡°Susu¡¯s here, come sit.¡± The Aunt and Aunt moved swiftly, their hands never stopping even as they spoke. Mrs. Lu also rolled up her sleeves and joined in the work, and the little ones couldn¡¯t sit still; they hadn¡¯t been sitting for more than a few minutes before they ran off to play with Dahuang again. Xiao Yu followed behind the three little ones, worried about them falling. ¡°Lele, you can¡¯t ride on the dog, be careful not to fall off.¡± ¡°Dahuang, you¡¯re suffering.¡± Xiao Yu soothingly patted Dahuang, who was annoyed by the triplets, initially watching over them but now concerned about the overwhelmed dog. By noon, the whole family was too lazy to go back home and simply decided to eat there. Father Lu hurried home from work, and upon arrival, seeing the implacable guard at the door, he decisively rode his bike to the marinated goods yard. ¡ª After several days without seeing his wife and kids, Lu Xiaoting rushed out as soon as he finished work, heading straight for the bus station. A group of colleagues watched Lu Xiaoting¡¯s hurried figure, each chuckling and teasing. ¡°What¡¯s Old Lu rushing off for?¡± ¡°What else could it be, going back to find his wife.¡± ¡°It¡¯s hard to tell that Old Lu is so clingy with his wife.¡± ... Lu Xiaoting was oblivious to his colleagues¡¯ comments, his mind was only on his wife and children. ¡°Wife, I¡¯m back.¡± ¡°The youngest is back.¡± ¡°Daddy.¡± The triplets hadn¡¯t seen their father for several days and took a moment to react before happily rushing over. ¡°Hey, daddy¡¯s back! Did you miss daddy?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± The three little ones shouted in unison with their soft voices. Lu Xiaoting, with a happy face, lifted the triplets in a spin, eliciting giggles throughout the house. Susu pursed her lips, holding back her laughter; except for the first day back when they mentioned their father, the triplets had been too absorbed in play to think about whether their father was around. ¡°What would you like to eat, I¡¯ll go get some groceries and cook.¡± ¡°No trouble, dear, whatever you make, I¡¯ll eat.¡± ¡°Alright, watch the kids.¡± Susu said, planning to cut some meat for an easy, cooling mixed sauce noodle dish with meat. Inside, Father and sons were playing on the kang bed, the three little ones happily running around, which made Susu quite anxious. She quickly called out, ¡°Slow down, don¡¯t collapse the kang.¡± ¡°Got it, wife.¡± ¡°Daddy, I want a horse ride.¡± ¡°Daddy, I want a big horse ride.¡± ¡°I want one too, Brother wants too.¡± Lele raised his little chubby hand, not forgetting his brother. Xiao Yu couldn¡¯t help but wave his hands, laughing, ¡°Brother is a big kid now, doesn¡¯t like riding horses, you play by yourself.¡± The three kids took turns riding on their dad¡¯s back, joyfully shouting ¡°Giddy-up.¡± If outsiders saw this, they would be astonished; the usually stern and taciturn Lu Gong¡¯an actually letting his children horse ride on his back. ¡°Brother, it¡¯s my turn now.¡± ... After two rounds, Lu Xiaoting¡¯s knees were sore and he was sweating profusely. ¡°Alright, daddy¡¯s tired now.¡± ¡°Dad.¡± ¡°Dad.¡± ¡°Dad.¡± The triplets mimicked a looping machine, each one pouncing and mounting their dad. Lu Xiaoting fretted the children might get overly excited and bump their heads, so he kept his hands protectively over them. Xiao Yu smiled and kept an eye on his younger siblings to prevent any accidental head bumps. ¡°Brother, come on.¡± ¡°Brother, get on.¡± The triplets enthusiastically invited their brother to join them in riding the imaginary horse. ¡°No need, Brother is grown up and doesn¡¯t ride horses anymore.¡± Lu Xiaoting couldn¡¯t help but laugh, as the little ones still knew to call for their brother, ¡°Brother¡¯s grown up, can¡¯t ride; you play yourselves.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because Brother is a big boy now; you won¡¯t be able to play this when you grow up either.¡± ¡°We won¡¯t grow up, we won¡¯t grow up!¡± Fearing they might not be able to ride the big horse, the three siblings shook their heads like wave drums. ¡°Let¡¯s eat.¡± Father Lu and Lu Xiaoting both had large sea bowls filled with fried sauce noodles in front of them, while the others had normal-sized bowls. ¡°Thank you, Aunt.¡± Xiao Yu politely thanked as he took the chopsticks. ¡°You¡¯re welcome.¡± Susu turned to give a small piece of noodle to each triplet, who were eagerly eyeing it and in unison squeaked out in their milky voices, ¡°Thank you, Aunt.¡± The adults chuckled at the triplets parroting like parrots. Susu patted the three soft little bottoms, ¡°What are you randomly shouting for? Call her mom.¡± ¡°Why does Brother call her Aunt and Uncle?¡± ¡°Yeah, why?¡± ¡°Why, eh?¡± The three little ones turned into walking ¡®whys,¡¯ staring earnestly at their parents as if trying to unveil the mysteries. Susu exchanged a glance with her husband, feeling a bit pained as Xiao Yu bowed his head like he had done something wrong and patted the little guy¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Xiao Yu, eat your meal first; after eating, Aunt will talk to you.¡± ¡°Mhm.¡± The meal, filled with the constant chattering of the three little ones, was finished, and Father Lu helped his wife clean up the dishes. After dinner, Father Lu and Mrs. Lu took the triplets out for a walk. Susu, watching Xiao Yu anxiously keeping his head down, held the little guy¡¯s tiny hand. ¡°Xiao Yu, from the day you arrived, you became a member of our family. Before, your uncle and I didn¡¯t ask you to change the way you address us, because we wanted you to remember your own parents. But uncle and I have always treated you as our own child, so... would you like to start calling us dad and mom? We didn¡¯t change your name because we want you to remember your biological father, who sacrificed himself to save others¡ªhe is a pride for all of us, and especially for you.¡± The little man¡¯s eyes filled with tears, his lips tightly sealed; hesitantly he asked, ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes, indeed.¡± Susu rubbed the little guy¡¯s head, pretending to be comically distressed, ¡°Otherwise, I¡¯m afraid the three little ones will also keep calling us Aunt and Uncle, constantly asking ¡®why why¡¯.¡± Xiao Yu burst into a silly laugh, sniffed his nose, and quietly called out, ¡°Dad, Mom.¡± ¡°Ah~¡± ¡°Dad, Mom.¡± ¡°Ah~¡± ¡°Dad, Mom.¡± ¡°Ah~¡± ¡°Dad, Mom.¡± ¡°Ah~ Mom¡¯s precious son.¡± Susu embraced the little guy, who had grown quite a bit, uttering ¡®precious son¡¯ over and over. The little guy¡¯s eyes were red with tears still streaming down, his cheeks flushed with shyness and joy. Lu Xiaoting smiled warmly, wrapping his wife and son in his arms. ¡°Dad, Mom, I want a hug too.¡± As the triplets walked in and saw their dad, mom, and brother all huddled together, they clamored for hugs as well. Chapter 120 - 120 120 A Glorious Exit with Accomplishments ?Chapter 120: Chapter 120: A Glorious Exit with Accomplishments and Fame Chapter 120: Chapter 120: A Glorious Exit with Accomplishments and Fame ¡°Daddy, Mommy, Brother, here I come~¡± ¡°An¡¯an is coming too~¡± ¡°Ah, Brother, wait for me.¡± Lele, the little girl, hurried in, her little butt happily wiggling. Watching the family of six, the second eldest, enjoying themselves in harmony, the old couple silently withdrew and hurried to wash up before it got dark. ¡°Daddy, Mommy.¡± ¡°Daddy, Mommy.¡± ¡°Daddy, Mommy.¡± ... The evening fell among the children¡¯s repeated calls of Daddy and Mommy, causing Susu a headache from their chatter, like a parrot repeating the same words over and over. She smacked each of their round little butts and pretended to be fierce, ¡°Alright, close your eyes and sleep, no more shouting, or I¡¯ll spank you.¡± ¡°Hee hee, Mommy.¡± ¡°Ha ha ha.¡± The triplets covered their mouths to giggle and called ¡®Mommy¡¯ in turn, their voices rising one after another. ¡°Say it again, and you¡¯ll get a spanking!¡± Susu stretched out her hand to scare the little ones. The three little ones laughed like sneaky cats, covering their mouths and shaking their heads. Xiao Yu pursed his lips, his eyes curving into crescents, and got up to hush his younger siblings, ¡°Shh, Brother and sisters, you need to sleep nicely, okay?¡± ¡°Mm-hmm.¡± ¡°Mm.¡± ¡°Lele is good.¡± The three little ones giggled and covered their mouths, and it wasn¡¯t long before they were fast asleep. Susu, worried about the children catching a cold, covered their bellies with a thin blanket, ¡°Just look at how sweetly my four little piglets are sleeping.¡± ¡°Wife~¡± Before Susu could react, she was scooped up by the man, hot breath in her ear. Susu¡¯s cheeks heated up and she gave the man a sideways glance, ¡°What¡¯s the matter, why are you so clingy like the kids...¡± ¡°Wife, I miss you every day so much that I can¡¯t sleep.¡± ... Charmed by the man¡¯s sweet words, the couple, who hadn¡¯t seen each other for a few days, had an in-depth discussion. Susu was so exhausted she didn¡¯t want to move a finger and felt she could fall asleep in a second. After a good night¡¯s rest, Lu Xiaoting, worried that the triplets might disturb his wife¡¯s sleep, took them out to the yard early in the morning to play. ¡°Daddy, why isn¡¯t Mommy awake yet?¡± ¡°Mommy needs more sleep; you mustn¡¯t disturb her.¡± A few minutes later, the three siblings once again bounced over to ask their father. ¡°Daddy, why isn¡¯t Mommy awake yet?¡± ¡°Be good, play on your own for now, and when Mommy wakes up, we¡¯ll go out.¡± ... By the late morning, after being asked countless times by the three siblings, Susu finally got up leisurely to wash and get dressed. ¡°Mommy, how come you only just woke up?¡± ¡°The sun is shining on your butts.¡± ¡°Mommy, Daddy went out to play.¡± Susu looked at the three ¡®attachments¡¯ on her legs and, with a mix of laughter and tears, pinched each of their little cheeks, ¡°Mommy will be ready soon.¡± By the time the family set off, it was already past nine, and the three little ones were happily hopping and jumping. Worried that the triplets would get tired and unable to walk, Father Lu decided not to ride his bicycle, leaving it for his son to use with the grandchildren. ¡°Daddy, hold me.¡± The little girl Lele was feeling lazy, and after walking just a few steps, she reached out her little arms demanding to be held. Lu Xiaoting lifted his daughter onto the bike and looked down to ask his sons, ¡°Are you two going to ride?¡± ¡°No.¡± The two little brothers were too excited at the moment and wanted to run. Along the way, the family of six turned heads wherever they went. ¡°Comrade, your three children all look so alike.¡± ¡°Yes, triplets.¡± ¡°Triplets??? This is the first time I¡¯ve seen them.¡± ¡°Comrades, you¡¯re really lucky to have three all at once, with both a son and a daughter.¡± ¡°Yeah, the full package.¡± ... Along the way, many grandmas and grandpas wanted to hold the triplets to share their joy, but the eldest, Pingping, kept a stern face, allowing no stranger to touch him, while the little girl Lele, who was shy and easily frightened, was even more reluctant to be touched. Only An¡¯an, the sociable middle child, reluctantly allowed people to touch his little hand with a smile. ¡°Mommy, hand, hand.¡± Susu immediately took out a handkerchief, dampened it with some water, and wiped An¡¯an¡¯s hand. The little one crinkled his nose and sniffed it. ¡°Grandma, hand dirty, touched An¡¯an.¡± What he meant was that a grandma with dirty hands had just touched An¡¯an. Susu felt a headache coming on; so many people nowadays would get overly familiar upon seeing triplets and desperately wanted to hold them. The family of six went to the park, which was quite crowded, probably because it was a day off. Lu Xiaoting pushed the bicycle, letting his sons and daughter command him on what they wanted to see as they went along. They were all elated, their laughter filling the path. On the way back, they even encountered a vendor selling soda pops and ice pops, and the triplets curiously stared, making the other kids think their treats were about to be snatched and, frightened, they took off running. Worried that the triplets would start demanding treats, the couple exchanged a glance, quickly understood each other¡¯s thoughts, and swiftly moved away from the ice cream and popsicle vendor. ¡°Daddy?¡± The triplets pointed, baffled, at what they left behind. Xiao Yu immediately patted his siblings¡¯ soft, smooth cheeks, quickly changing the subject. ¡°Tired or not? Hot or not?¡± ¡°Not tired.¡± ¡°Hot.¡± ... Nobody was home, so Mrs. Lu, having nothing to do by herself, decided to visit the family courtyard to hang out with her elder sister-in-law and younger sister, and also to help out with some chores. ¡°I heard that in our Family Court, there¡¯s a family that resented their daughter-in-law for giving birth to a girl. The elder constantly nagged at home, while the younger one got another woman pregnant outside. Back in the day, they would have locked him up for fooling around. The whole family is no good, pitiable for that young daughter-in-law.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what they say... uh, how does it go again, something about a crooked top leading to a crooked bottom?¡± ¡°An upright beam leads to straight walls; a crooked beam to crooked walls.¡± ¡°Yes, yes, that¡¯s right. Elder sister, you¡¯re much more educated than I am.¡± Mrs. Lu, flattered by her sister¡¯s praises, lifted her chin proudly, ¡°That¡¯s right, I listen to the radio every day, it¡¯s not without its influence.¡± ¡°Oh my, sister, you don¡¯t know how envious people are of the life you¡¯re living. Helping your daughter-in-law take care of grandkids, and your daughter-in-law even bought a radio specially for you and brother-in-law to pass the time.¡± ¡°Life is not fair; who wouldn¡¯t envy Aunt Lu.¡± ... After dinner, with the whole family full, Father Lu took the four grandchildren out for a stroll down the street. ¡°Old Lu, have you eaten?¡± ¡°I have, the missus made stir-fried vegetables wrapped in pancakes.¡± ¡°Old Lu, taking your kids out for a walk again?¡± ¡°Just finished dinner, taking the kids out for a stroll to digest.¡± ¡°Triplets, come here, let Grandpa Zhou hold you; Grandpa Zhou will give you candy.¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Mommy said we can¡¯t eat candy from strangers.¡± ¡°Bad people give candy.¡± The triplets wrinkled their noses and walked away, holding onto their brother. ¡°Oh look at how smart these little ones are, even knowing that. My grandchild stops in his tracks at the sight of candy.¡± ... Father Lu cheerfully accepted his old buddies¡¯ envy, took the grandchildren for a round, and made his gleaming exit to great acclaim. He left a bunch of envious grandmas and grandpas in the Family Court, their eyes turning red with envy. How did someone get three smart and clever grandkids all at once? Everyone was jealous of the good fortune of Old Lu and his wife. Chapter 121 - 121 121 how did they suddenly start fighting ?Chapter 121: Chapter 121, how did they suddenly start fighting? Chapter 121: Chapter 121, how did they suddenly start fighting? Da Hei, who was frolicking and tumbling in the yard, flicked his ears alertly and stared at the gate, spotting the three little demons with his keen eyes. Suddenly, he dashed away and disappeared, hiding himself. Susu witnessed Da Hei¡¯s entire process from joyful rolling to scurrying away and laughed so hard that her shoulders shook. It was no wonder Da Hei reacted so dramatically, as soon as the three kids saw him, they would hug him and want to ride him, which was too much even for Da Hei, let alone his own mother. Lu Xiaoting took advantage of the kids sleeping soundly and immediately engaged in some vigorous exercise with his wife. ¡°Wife, I¡¯m leaving tomorrow, I can¡¯t bear to part with you.¡± ¡°Mhm,¡± Susu replied vaguely. ¡°Wife, when will you bring the kids back to our home?¡± ¡°Wife?¡± Lu Xiaoting¡¯s question was met with the sound of deep, slumbering breaths. Lu Xiaoting, ¡°...¡± Does this mean my wife doesn¡¯t love me anymore? Wuwu... As morning came, Lu Xiaoting kissed his sleeping wife and children reluctantly, sighing with a gloomy expression. ¡°Second brother, you better be quick, or you¡¯ll miss the early bus.¡± ¡°I know, Mom.¡± Mrs. Lu simply couldn¡¯t bear to look, disdainfully rolling her eyes at her son, ¡°You know, yet you still dawdle. What if you¡¯re late? Hurry up!¡± Lu Xiaoting was pushed out of the house by his mother, helplessly shrugging his shoulders and sighing deeply. Once outside, the man once again regained his cold demeanor. It was still early, and he didn¡¯t encounter many people on the way. Unaware of this, Susu slept until past eight and struggled to sit up from the bed. She heard the giggling of the siblings. She wondered what they were playing, sounding so joyful. ¡°Hey, what¡¯s going on here? Why so happy?¡± ¡°Mom, you¡¯re up.¡± ¡°Mhm.¡± ¡°Mommy.¡± The triplets rushed towards their mother upon seeing her. Susu was bumped by three chubby little ones, staggering and nearly falling over. ¡°Are you hungry?¡± ¡°Not hungry.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re not hungry, then go play.¡± Susu spoke and then took a small stool to sit next to her mother-in-law, helping with the laundry. ¡°You don¡¯t need to bother, I¡¯m almost done,¡± Mrs. Lu said urgently, trying to stop her. ¡°It¡¯s fine, Mom, it¡¯s faster with two people.¡± ¡°Mom, are you hungry? Grandma saved some food in the pot for you.¡± Mrs. Lu slapped her thigh, ¡°Look at my memory, there are still meat buns and vegetarian buns your father bought this morning in the pot. Let Xiao Yu get whatever you want to eat.¡± Susu shook her head, ¡°I¡¯m not hungry right now, I¡¯ll eat when I get hungry.¡± ¡°Xiao Yu, look after your brother and sister, Mom and Grandma are doing laundry.¡± ¡°Okay, Mommy, I know.¡± Mrs. Lu smiled and looked at the kids, whispering softly, ¡°You don¡¯t know, but first thing this morning, the three little ones opened their eyes looking for their dad. Then when they couldn¡¯t find their second uncle they started to cry. To avoid waking you, I took them to the east room to console them.¡± Susu was shocked; she had slept so deeply that she hadn¡¯t heard a thing. Concerned that the wind might pick up in the afternoon, the mother and daughter-in-law secured the clothes hanging on the line with wooden pegs. ¡°Little ones, come inside, let¡¯s drink some malted milk,¡± Susu called from the doorway of the main room, fearing the kids might run under the dripping wet clothes as they played. ¡°Oh, let¡¯s drink something sweet~¡± The two brothers charged ahead, with Lele hurriedly chasing after his second and third brothers, ¡°Brother, wait for Lele.¡± ¡°Lele, big brother will carry you.¡± Xiao Yu scooped up his anxious little sister with one swift move and darted ahead, getting inside the house before Pingping and An¡¯an. ¡°Big brother is the best.¡± The little girl happily patted her chubby hands. Pingping and An¡¯an weren¡¯t annoyed, they giggled and followed their mom, looking forward to sweet malted milk. ¡°Mom, you should drink yours while it¡¯s hot, too. It won¡¯t taste good once it cools.¡± ¡°Yes, got it.¡± ¡°Oh my, Auntie Lu, your second daughter-in-law is so filial, even inviting you to drink malted milk.¡± Aunt Wang peeked her head over the wall, where she had put a small basin. Mrs. Lu greeted her with a smile, ¡°Come over and sit, Aunt Wang.¡± ¡°No, no, if I step away, the kids at home will turn everything upside down.¡± Aunt Wang patted the basin. ¡°By the way, Auntie Lu, these are mushrooms that my son Wang Dong bought yesterday, really fresh. They are delicious whether boiled in soup or fried.¡± ¡°Okay, thanks, Aunt Wang. I¡¯ll clear a basin for you.¡± Mrs. Lu skillfully took the basin from the wall, her eyes shining at the sight of the fresh mushrooms, already planning how to cook them. Just after Aunt Wang handed over the basin, a grandchild¡¯s crying could be heard from inside, she sighed, ¡°There they go fighting again.¡± The next second, she shouted into the house, ¡°You all better behave, no fighting!¡± ¡°All day long knowing nothing but fighting, why don¡¯t you learn from others¡¯ kids to be...¡± Seeing grandma enter the room, Susu teased with a smile, ¡°Aunt Wang¡¯s boys are fighting again?¡± ¡°Exactly, probably the two brothers, they have to have a fight every few days.¡± ¡°Aunt Wang just gave us a bunch of mushrooms, how would you like them, mom? I can make something for lunch.¡± ¡°Mushrooms?¡± Susu¡¯s eyes lit up, ¡°Mom, can you make some mushroom and meat sauce? It¡¯s delicious with noodles or stuffed in steamed buns.¡± ¡°Sure, keep an eye on the kids for me, I¡¯ll go clean and chop the mushrooms.¡± Mrs. Lu said, finishing her malted milk in one gulp, she took the basin and empty bowl and went outside. At noon, they had a huge bowl of mushroom meat sauce, a fragrant plate of fried mushrooms, a plate of green pepper and shredded pork, and their own soft and fluffy big white steamed buns. Every member of the family ate until their bellies were round, with Father Lu patting his stomach and the grandchildren playing with his hair on either side. ¡°Wife, should we buy more mushrooms and dry them, so we can make this whenever we want?¡± Mrs. Lu rolled her eyes at her husband, ¡°You sure do love to eat, thinking you can have it whenever you want.¡± ¡°That¡¯s because you make it too delicious.¡± With that one line, Father Lu made Mrs. Lu beam with joy, her smile so wide she couldn¡¯t close her mouth. She shot a glance at her slick-tongued old man. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll find time to go to the nearby villages to buy some.¡± ¡°Mom, don¡¯t bother, just ask Wang Dong to buy more. Even if it costs a little extra, it saves you the trouble of going out.¡± ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll listen to Susu.¡± Mrs. Lu felt a warm glow in her heart, she glared at her husband, who only thought about eating, and chased him off to wash the pots. After dinner, with nothing else to do, the family of seven simply took the triplets out for a stroll. ¡°You all came out, find a place to sit down.¡± ¡°Your three kids are so well-raised, just look at their chubby little arms.¡± A group of adults gathered at the end of the alley, chatting and laughing merrily, with grandchildren from various families around them. When the adults got into gossiping, the discussion grew heated, each chipping in one after another. Susu, completely engrossed, wanted to listen more keenly when she suddenly heard her daughter¡¯s crying. ¡°Wah~¡± Turning her head, Xiao Yu had already picked up his tearful sister, while Pingping and Anan were already sparring with a three-year-old boy, brandishing his chubby arms. The children pushed and shoved, and the surrounding kids were too frightened to move. The adults quickly separated the three fighting children. ¡°Oh dear, what made you start fighting out of nowhere.¡± Chapter 122 - 122 122 Where Did the Mud Come From ?Chapter 122: Chapter 122: Where Did the Mud Come From? Chapter 122: Chapter 122: Where Did the Mud Come From? Pingping frowned, ¡°He snatched sister¡¯s toy.¡± An¡¯an was still angrily waving her little fists, ¡°And pushed sister, and wants to spank his butt.¡± The three-year-old sobbed and clung to grandma, ¡°Give it back give it back, it wasn¡¯t on purpose.¡± ¡°Sorry about that, is your Lele alright?¡± The old lady wasn¡¯t one to make a fuss, apologizing on behalf of her grandson. Xiao Yu pursed his lips, holding his sister tightly. Susu checked her little girl, relieved to see she hadn¡¯t been scratched. ¡°It¡¯s fine, it¡¯s normal for kids to fight and play.¡± Susu held her soft little Jiaojiao gently, speaking to the scared and snotty three-year-old child. ¡°Next time you want to see a toy, can you ask brother and sister nicely, okay?¡± ¡°Uh-huh, got it.¡± It was nothing new for kids to scuffle; the adults didn¡¯t pay it much mind and continued to chat. ¡°Did you hear about that? Just recently, a man who hit his wife ended up getting beaten by her and sent to the hospital.¡± ¡°Really? I heard that as soon as the woman¡¯s family got into the hospital, they beat the daughter-in-law up, leaving her with a swollen nose and bruised face.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it normal for a man to hit a woman? But she dared to hit a man, was she looking for trouble or what?¡± ¡°Psh, why not? If my man hits me, I¡¯ll hit him back, and if I can¡¯t beat him, I¡¯ll at least bite off a layer of his skin.¡± Susu curled her lip, thinking about how hitting someone when you¡¯re unmarried is intentional harm, but after marriage, even with the same intent, it gets lightly termed as ¡°domestic violence¡±. A single word, domestic violence, and no one could manage it, not even the police; all they could do was try to talk sense with words. They were all useless things, bullies who only picked on the physically smaller, weaker women and children by nature. ¡°I heard that the young wife didn¡¯t fight back at first, but later, while the whole family was sleeping, she beat them all up until they looked like pigs.¡± ¡°My goodness, was that little wife really that fierce?¡± ¡°Facing that awful kind of mother-in-law, she had to be tough. If she was any softer, she¡¯d be bullied to death.¡± ¡°Oh dear, who would dare to take her in after that? If my daughter-in-law dared to do that, I¡¯d immediately have my son divorce her. Give her a beating and kick her out.¡± The speaker was a notorious oddball from the Family Court, always pinching and scraping, mistreating her daughter-in-law and granddaughter. Susu scoffed, ¡°These types of men who hit their wives, if they do it once, they¡¯ll do it again. The first time he raises his hand, you have to hit back immediately, hard enough to knock his teeth out. Otherwise, these bullies who prey on the weak will treat hitting women as a hobby, taking out any dissatisfaction on them.¡± Everyone was stunned; they hadn¡¯t expected the daughter-in-law from the Lu Family to be so formidable. A bunch of old men and women looked at the elderly Lus with sympathy. Tsk, tsk, the Lu family¡¯s daughter-in-law is so fierce; Lu Laosi is going to have a tough time. Mrs. Lu¡¯s eyes shone; she applauded, ¡°Right, what my Susu said is correct. Who doesn¡¯t have a daughter? If my girl ended up with such a guy who dared to hit her, it wouldn¡¯t just be up to my daughter; I¡¯d personally lead my son and daughter-in-law to his door. If we don¡¯t beat that cur to the point where he¡¯s searching for his teeth, my surname isn¡¯t Su.¡± Everyone: ¡°(?¡¯?¡¯?)?o????¡± The group of ladies, putting themselves in the same shoes, were also angered into cursing along. Several old gentlemen were distracted, looking at Father Lu with sympathy, truly pitiful. Having such a powerful daughter-in-law was one thing, but a fierce mother-in-law too? Poor Old Lu¡¯s life is definitely hard! Father Lu, feeling puzzled under their stares, ¡°...¡± The little girl nestled in her mother¡¯s arms now watched her two brothers play happily with mud and couldn¡¯t sit still any longer, twisting her little buttocks wanting to join them. ¡°Mommy, I want to go play.¡± ¡°Lele, what are you doing?¡± ¡°Mommy, I want to play with Brother.¡± ¡°Okay, go ahead, but don¡¯t run off,¡± Susu patted her chubby darling¡¯s little butt and shook her arm. Their triplets ate too well; the two boys grew both horizontally and vertically, yet they weren¡¯t too chubby. The little girl hadn¡¯t grown much taller, just chubbier, and after holding her for a while, Susu¡¯s arms were sore. Xiao Yu didn¡¯t trust his younger siblings to be on their own, his gaze constantly on the three siblings who were bent over, their little butts in the air, bobbing their heads as they played with something, not knowing what. He leaned in with curiosity, ¡°Where did this mud come from?¡± An¡¯an, busy at work, didn¡¯t even lift his head, ¡°Big brother, little brother gave it to us.¡± Xiao Yu sniffed the air as the sharp scent of urine hit his nose, and his brow furrowed deeply into a chuan character. ¡°Where did you get the water and mud?¡± The littlest one, engrossed in molding mud, looked up and even demonstrated how they got the mud. Dropping trousers, peeing, mixing with both hands, all done in one fluid motion. Xiao Yu was astounded. He remembered doing something similar when he was a kid, but now he was a big ten-year-old and not some clueless little brat. Out of the corner of his eye, he stealthily glanced at his mother, who loved cleanliness, and held his forehead in exasperation. ¡°Mom, the little ones got their hands dirty playing with mud. I¡¯ll take them back to wash up.¡± ¡°Okay, go ahead.¡± Xiao Yu looked disdainfully at his siblings¡¯ urine-smelling hands, ¡°Let¡¯s go, we¡¯ll have candy back home, and then your brother will bring you out to play again.¡± ¡°Brother, bring the candy here.¡± ¡°Yes, big brother, have it ready.¡± The three siblings clearly didn¡¯t want to go back, still wanting to play with the mud. Xiao Yu resorted to his trump card, ¡°Come back with brother to wash your hands, and I¡¯ll make you better mud, okay?¡± ¡°Okay, we¡¯ll go back.¡± ¡°Back home, play with mud.¡± ¡°Play with mud.¡± At the prospect, the three siblings were eager to grab their brother¡¯s hand, causing Xiao Yu to panic at the sight of their urine-covered hands. ¡°Let¡¯s hurry.¡± ¡°Brother, wait for me.¡± ¡°Brother, wait for An¡¯an.¡± ¡°And for Lele too.¡± Susu smiled as she watched the lively and cute siblings chasing one another. ¡°Sit tight, scrub your hands thoroughly, and when there¡¯s no more mud, wash your hands with soap before you can have candy.¡± At Xiao Yu¡¯s command, the triplets obediently held out their chubby hands and earnestly began to rub them together. He supervised the three little ones as they lathered up with soap, carefully cleaning until there was no longer a smell of urine on their hands, at which point Xiao Yu heaved a sigh of relief. He fulfilled his promise to the little ones, first giving each a small piece of candy, then letting them play with mud again. ¡°Thank you, big brother.¡± ¡°An¡¯an loves big brother the most.¡± ¡°Horsey~¡± Xiao Lele happily gave his big brother a kiss. ¡°I want one too, I want one too.¡± All wanting to be the same, the pair of younger brothers were not to be outdone, each giving their brother a kiss on the cheek. ... ¡°Aunt Lu, your oldest son called and said he will call back in five minutes.¡± ¡°Ah, I¡¯m coming right away.¡± Mrs. Lu hurriedly followed Aunt Wang from the little shop, guessing that her oldest had some important matter. ¡°Alright, alright, I got it,¡± Mrs. Lu said, hanging up the phone with a cheerful smile. ¡°Yo, Aunt Lu is so happy. Got some good news now, have we?¡± ¡°My oldest said he¡¯s sending two granddaughters back home. As a grandma, I¡¯m delighted. More kids mean a livelier home.¡± Mrs. Lu found it a bit strange that her son wasn¡¯t waiting for a day off to send the granddaughters and was instead having a friend bring them. She couldn¡¯t help but worry about the possibility of something happening on the way. Chapter 123 - 123 123 The Exposure of the Crime ?Chapter 123: Chapter 123 The Exposure of the Crime Chapter 123: Chapter 123 The Exposure of the Crime The elderly couple knew their granddaughter was coming back and were ecstatic, unable to express how adorable their granddaughters were. Mrs. Lu went to the market early in the morning to buy vegetables and meat, preparing to cook several dishes to nurture her granddaughter¡¯s health. Brother Lu¡¯s family didn¡¯t cook, and they usually ate in the canteen. Canteen food definitely couldn¡¯t compare to homemade meals. Susu watched Mrs. Lu bustling in and out, teasing her, ¡°Mom, I¡¯m starting to get jealous.¡± ¡°Hahaha, no worries, I also bought your favorite ribs. We¡¯ll stew them at noon.¡± ¡°Hehe, thank you, Mom.¡± ¡°This silly child, there¡¯s nothing to thank me for.¡± Mrs. Lu glanced at the time, took off her apron, ¡°Susu, you stay home and watch the kids, Mom will go pick up Xiao Yu and Xiao Xue from the station.¡± ¡°Okay, go on, Mom. Don¡¯t let the kids wait too long.¡± County Bus Station Mrs. Lu looked eagerly as buses pulled in. ¡°Wuu wuu~ Grandma~¡± The sisters, with tears filled eyes, rushed into their grandma¡¯s arms. ¡°What¡¯s the matter, why are you crying?¡± Mrs. Lu was worried as she looked up at the young man who had brought the two children. ¡°It was a hassle for you to make a special trip to bring my grandchildren. I...¡± ¡°Auntie, I am Lu Huaize¡¯s colleague. Because Jiang Nan and Jiang Dong were involved in selling factory scrap, Huaize is handling the factory investigation. I was entrusted to bring the kids back.¡± Mrs. Lu felt a darkness before her eyes and a ringing in her ears. She took a deep breath to calm herself, her lips dry and cracked. ¡°Does this have a big impact on my son?¡± ¡°That... It¡¯s hard to say. Don¡¯t worry too much; the factory will make a clear investigation and won¡¯t wrongly accuse anyone.¡± ... Mrs. Lu¡¯s face was pale, feeling weak in her legs and hands, but seeing her granddaughters with swollen eyes like walnuts, she forced herself not to fall. ¡°Xiao Yu, Xiao Xue, don¡¯t be afraid. Grandpa and Grandma are here.¡± It took them twice as long as usual to get home. ¡°Mom, why did you get back so¡ª¡± Susu stopped mid-sentence, sensing something was wrong. Seeing the sisters with pale faces and swollen, reddened eyes, she instinctively guessed something had happened to Brother Lu¡¯s family. She stood up to help her mother-in-law into the house, ¡°Mom, don¡¯t worry, lie down and rest.¡± ¡°Xiao Yu, take your sisters to play.¡± After Susu called out, she gently coaxed the sisters, ¡°Would you help your elder sister-in-law by watching over your brother and sister? Your elder sister-in-law and grandma have things to do.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ... Susu glanced outside, lowering her voice, ¡°Mom, did something happen to Brother¡¯s family?¡± Mrs. Lu¡¯s tears fell continuously, she covered her chest and cursed fiercely, ¡°Brother really married a troublemaker! The Jiang siblings were selling the factory¡¯s waste steel and got caught, causing Brother to be investigated.¡± ¡°I knew it, why else would they send the kids back? With Jiang Nan¡¯s character, would he let the children come back?¡± ¡°The Lu Family is doomed for generations, falling for such a troublemaker. If this ruins Brother¡¯s job, I won¡¯t let her get away with it.¡± Susu was stunned; this incident wasn¡¯t mentioned in the original book, where Brother Lu was eventually transferred to the Capital. With this situation, even if it isn¡¯t directly related to Brother Lu, he¡¯s likely to be implicated. That¡¯s right, thinking back to her elder sister-in-law¡¯s previous attire, it seemed it had already started then. Susu frowned, feeling her elder sister-in-law was too foolish to risk everything for such a little money. Now that the truth had come out, her job was likely in jeopardy. Provincial City, Mechanical Factory Tears continuously streamed down Jiang Nan¡¯s face, driven by fear. She had thought it was just a matter of buying some waste materials from the factory and hadn¡¯t expected it to blow up into such a big issue. The day the incident happened and her suspension was announced, so many people had gathered around, and with everyone looking at her with disdain, Jiang Nan wished she could just disappear into a crack in the ground. Brother Lu had also been suspended because of this incident, waiting for the factory to clear up the matter, and had not slept all night, his eyes red with blood vessels. He sighed, ¡°How could you be foolish enough to sell the factory¡¯s scrap materials? It belongs to the factory, even if it¡¯s just scrap, it wasn¡¯t your place to take any initiative.¡± Jiang Nan continued to sob uncontrollably, her sentences broken by her tears, ¡°I just thought since the factory isn¡¯t using it, selling it could bring some extra income for the family. My younger brother said the same.¡± ¡°What should we do now? I¡¯m so scared. I hope this won¡¯t affect your future.¡± Brother Lu sighed, ¡°The best thing to do now is to cooperate with the factory¡¯s investigation and tell them everything you know.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll definitely cooperate. I just got carried away for a moment. It was my mother and younger brother who kept assuring me nothing would go wrong, and I...¡± Textile Factory Family Courtyard Upon returning home, Father Lu saw his daughter-in-law watching the triplets. Not seeing his wife, his first thought was that she had gone out to buy groceries. ¡°Has your mom gone shopping?¡± ¡°Dad, mom is lying down in the room. You should go see her.¡± ¡°Grandpa.¡± ¡°Hey, keep playing with your brothers and sister; Grandpa is going to step inside first.¡± Father Lu frowned, sensing something was amiss, and as he entered the room, he saw his wife lying on the bed with her eyes closed. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, mother? Are you feeling ill?¡± ¡°Father.¡± As soon as Mrs. Lu spoke, she couldn¡¯t help but cover her mouth, tears streaming down her face. Father Lu, somewhat panicked, rushed to comfort his wife on the bed, ¡°It¡¯s okay, don¡¯t cry. What happened?¡± ¡°Father, do you know why eldest son and his wife sent the twins back? It¡¯s because they¡¯re in trouble and can¡¯t look after the children. The foolish guy, along with her family, sold the factory¡¯s scrap materials. Not only were they caught red-handed, it¡¯s bound to affect his job.¡± Mrs. Lu had cried all day but held back from showing her distress to the granddaughters, even suppressing her voice and gritting her teeth as she spoke. ¡°Our family has had generations of bad luck, marrying someone with no brains, even daring to covet money.¡± Father Lu sighed; though the eldest was a skilled worker at the factory, if he was made an example of, his situation looked grim. ¡°Don¡¯t worry for now, let¡¯s wait for news from the eldest.¡± ¡°Tianyu, Xiao Yu, Xiao Xue, watch your younger siblings; I¡¯ll go cook.¡± Susu planned to prepare something simple, washing some cucumbers and lettuce to dip in sauce since the elderly couple likely had little appetite. Thinking back to the original plot of the book, there was no incident of selling scrap materials. With this complication, Brother Lu¡¯s potential transfer to the Capital because of his skills might be in jeopardy. If Father Lu and Mrs. Lu found out their son¡¯s future was gone, they would likely be furious. Provincial City Having listened to the man¡¯s advice, Jiang Nan and the investigators who came to look into the matter were told everything by her. ¡°Comrade, I¡¯ve told you everything honestly. Also, this matter has nothing to do with my husband; it won¡¯t affect him, will it?¡± ¡°Everything depends on the results of the investigation.¡± The factory sent someone to both families to investigate Jiang Dong, only to find that Jiang Dong and his wife had already fled with the money, leaving only the elderly and children, who knew nothing. Furious, the factory manager decided to make an example of this case to deter others from selling factory property. He immediately reported it to the police. Chapter 124 - 124 124 Resignation ?Chapter 124: Chapter 124 Resignation Chapter 124: Chapter 124 Resignation After the Police Station learned about the incident, they dispatched additional personnel to investigate the whereabouts of Jiang Dong and his wife. But now is not an era when everything requires a reference letter, I¡¯m afraid they might have already run off without a trace. Jiang Nan, on hearing this, both laughed and cried; this was her dear younger brother, who ran faster than a rabbit as soon as trouble arose. Even their mother clearly distanced herself from it all, vehemently denying any involvement. ¡°Impossible! Absolutely impossible!¡± Jiang Nan was so angry her chest hurt, ¡°Comrades, I¡¯ve confessed honestly. Every time my mother came to help my brother get a voucher, I just issued the voucher. How it was sold and where it went, I really had no idea. Moreover, my mother and brother never mentioned any of this to me. My mother gave me less than 300 yuan in total because she always said she was saving it up for me, to prevent me from spending it all at once. I thought that made sense, and she is my own mother, she couldn¡¯t possibly harm me, so I never inquired about it.¡± The person across from her was expressionless, ¡°Your mother didn¡¯t say that...¡± Jiang Nan, looking haggard, went home and threw herself onto the bed and wept. Brother Lu probably guessed something and sighed as he silently handed his wife a damp towel to wipe her face. ¡°The situation has already reached this point, crying won¡¯t solve anything. Let¡¯s face it together. Do you have any idea how much the illicit trading might have totaled? Let¡¯s see if we have enough money at home, and if not, I¡¯ll think of a way to come up with the rest.¡± Jiang Nan, stifling sobs, had a mind filled with mush, ¡°I don¡¯t know, but I guess it might have been around 2,000 or 3,000 yuan.¡± ¡°Okay, I got you.¡± Watching the man who always stood tall now hunched over, counting the money in the house, Jiang Nan regretted it so much her guts turned green. What foolish things had she done? If her actions caused her husband to lose his job, what would she do? The next day, hearing her husband¡¯s name being removed from the list of those planned to go to the Capital for training, Jiang Nan¡¯s heart dropped to the bottom of a valley. This was a training opportunity in the Capital, and without this chance, it essentially blocked her husband¡¯s path to a higher level. Jiang Nan didn¡¯t know how to face the man who had always cherished her and let her have her way, as she silently wept and stared. Afraid of the pointing fingers and whispers in the Family Court, Jiang Nan only went to fetch water early in the morning or late at night to avoid encountering people. County Father Lu and Mrs. Lu were worried about their eldest son and, fearing that calling would disturb him, had hardly slept in their concern. Over several days, the elderly couple visibly aged. Susu, concerned about their health and unable to convince them not to worry, tried her best to cook nourishing meals and brew soups to strengthen them. Even the usually cheerful and playful sisters didn¡¯t seem so lively this time around. ¡°Auntie, will my parents be okay?¡± Xiao Yu furrowed her small brows, her little face full of worry. Xiao Xue, being very young and not understanding, only knew to follow her sister¡¯s lead in shedding tears and sighing. Susu stroked the little heads of the sisters, softly consoling, ¡°Let the adults handle adult matters. Thinking too much as a child will stop you from growing tall. Come on, go play with your brothers. Your parents will come to pick you up after a while, so you should make the most out of this time to play with your siblings.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ... Susu was also troubled, having to console the young and the old alike. ¡°Mom, don¡¯t worry too much. The moment my brother and sister-in-law have any news, they will definitely call us. Worrying at home won¡¯t help.¡± Mrs. Lu sighed, ¡°I know all that, but I just can¡¯t help worrying. If only... I won¡¯t think nonsense anymore, what if everything turns out fine?¡± ¡°Alright, if you and the kids have dirty clothes that need washing, take them out. The water out in the yard is almost hot enough; I¡¯ll go wash the clothes.¡± Mrs. Lu said as she got off the kang to put on her shoes. ¡°Mom, you rest. I¡¯ll go wash.¡± ¡°No need, no need, the more I lie down, the messier my head gets. Better to do some work, keep myself from daydreaming.¡± Susu thought this made sense and got up to fetch a few dirty clothes for the little ones. Triplet can change clothes eight hundred times a day, their clothes never stay clean for more than three seconds. ¡°Hey, Pingping, An¡¯an, Lele, you three little rascals, don¡¯t bully Da Hei.¡± As soon as Susu came out, she saw the three tykes hugging Da Hei, riding on him, and she scooped up a chubby little girl, her hand still clutching a tuft of black dog fur. She smacked the little chubby girl¡¯s bottom with annoyance, ¡°No riding on the dog, stop bullying Da Hei or I¡¯ll spank you.¡± ¡°Hehe, Mommy, hug.¡± The little girl wasn¡¯t afraid at all, wrapping her arms around her mother¡¯s neck with a giggly smile. Susu kissed her with exasperation, ¡°A kiss and it¡¯s all better, go play on your own.¡± ¡°Mommy, kiss Pingping.¡± ¡°And An¡¯an too, Mommy kiss kiss.¡± Seeing their sister kissed, the two little boys puffed up their chubby cheeks wanting a kiss too. Susu kissed them each and only then the triplets contently went to play on their own. ¡°Come here, Da Hei.¡± Susu led a woebegone Da Hei over, fed him some meat, and patted the dog¡¯s head for being bullied by the triplets again. ¡°You¡¯ve had it tough, Da Hei. Next time, run faster.¡± ¡°Woof~¡± Da Hei gobbled up the food and lay down by Susu¡¯s feet to sleep with his eyes half-closed. ¡ª¡ª The verdict at the factory came in, Brother Lu got a demerit and a major penalty. They still had to pay for the damages at the factory, nearly 3,000 yuan. Jiang Nan cried like the tears didn¡¯t cost money, not stopping for a moment. ¡°What are we going to do?¡± Brother Lu got a headache from all the crying and a bit impatiently shouted, ¡°Can you stop crying?¡± ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m just really frustrated.¡± Realizing his tone was harsh, Brother Lu quickly softened his voice and sighed deeply. ¡°There¡¯s only about 1,800 yuan at home. I¡¯ll go to the second and third brothers to borrow money with an IOU. You stay home.¡± Jiang Nan was taken aback, thinking that they were all family, not strangers, and an IOU seemed unnecessary. But considering the mess she had caused, she didn¡¯t dare argue further, afraid of angering her husband. Brother Lu thought a lot on his way, now with a demerit and a major penalty, he feared his future was... Lu Xiaoting and Third Brother Lu didn¡¯t say a word and immediately gathered money for their brother, urging him to just speak up if anything comes up, as the brothers needed to discuss things together. As soon as Brother Lu got the money, he went straight back to the factory to pay it. Facing all the gossiping factory workers along the way, Brother Lu couldn¡¯t bear to stay any longer and tendered his resignation. ¡°Xiao Lu, you mustn¡¯t be rash, this is already in the past, you just need to¨C¡± ¡°Brother Hu, I¡¯m not being impulsive. I¡¯ve thought this through. The loss the factory suffered was because of me. If it wasn¡¯t for me, my wife wouldn¡¯t have been in that position. She wouldn¡¯t have had the opportunity to cause the factory any loss.¡± ... ¡°How did it go?¡± Seeing him return, Jiang Nan asked anxiously. ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s settled.¡± Brother Lu nodded, and before Jiang Nan could breathe a sigh of relief, he added, ¡°I¡¯ve quit. I¡¯m planning to go down south to find work.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ve decided already. Are you staying to look after the kids or coming with me?¡± Chapter 125 - 125 125 Return to the County ?Chapter 125: Chapter 125: Return to the County Chapter 125: Chapter 125: Return to the County Instantly, the couple packed up their luggage, bringing everything they could and moving the rest to the second son¡¯s home. ¡°Have you made up your mind, elder brother?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Now that you¡¯ve made your decision, go with peace of mind, call if there¡¯s anything. Though I can¡¯t help you from afar, I can still give you some advice.¡± ... Worried that his mother and wife would come to blows, Brother Lu went back to the county alone. ¡°Daddy.¡± The two sisters playing in the courtyard rushed excitedly toward their father when they saw him. ¡°Xiao Yu, Xiao Xue, be good, watch over your little brother and sister for a bit, Daddy needs to speak with grandma.¡± Lu Xiaogu was also aware of the situation with her elder nephew¡¯s family and hurriedly called into the house when she saw him return. ¡°Sister-in-law, Huai Ze is back.¡± ¡°Elder brother, how did it go? Everything all right?¡± Mrs. Lu asked anxiously. Seeing the troubled look on her elder nephew¡¯s face, Lu Xiaogu frowned, ¡°You talk, I¡¯ll go watch over the little ones.¡± Susu also sensed something was off and stood up, ready to step out, leaving space for the mother and son. ¡°Sister-in-law, you stay and listen together.¡± Brother Lu took a deep breath and began slowly, ¡°I and my second and third brothers have signed IOUs, borrowed money to cover the losses in the factory. ¡°We¡¯re planning to head down south to take a look, I¡¯ve heard the south is very developed, we want to go there to work and earn money, if there¡¯s a chance to start a business I¡¯d like to try it out.¡± ¡°Elder brother, don¡¯t be rash, how can you just throw away a secure job like that?¡± Mrs. Lu was so anxious she was nearly in tears. Susu patted her mother-in-law¡¯s hand, ¡°Mom, don¡¯t worry, now that things are more open, I¡¯ve heard you can make money down south in any kind of work, as long as you¡¯re willing to put in the effort; being self-employed definitely makes more than a secure job, it¡¯s just harder work.¡± ¡°Yes, Mom, don¡¯t worry, there are more opportunities in the south, I want to take advantage of being young to broaden my horizons and also to provide a better life for my daughter.¡± Brother Lu glanced at the children playing outside, ¡°That¡¯s the thing, we don¡¯t know anything yet, can¡¯t take the kids with us at the beginning.¡± Brother Lu felt embarrassed, but still mustered the courage to ask, ¡°Could I trouble Mom and sister-in-law to help look after the two kids for me? Here¡¯s a hundred for you to keep. ¡°Once I get there, I¡¯ll make money as soon as possible, and I¡¯ll also repay the borrowed money as soon as I can.¡± Mrs. Lu didn¡¯t make a decision for her daughter-in-law without consent, her mind a mess. ¡°Elder brother, don¡¯t worry, Xiao Yu and Xiao Xue are such good girls, I couldn¡¯t be happier to have them. Elder brother and elder sister-in-law, rest assured, I¡¯ll take good care of the two children.¡± Susu, bearing in mind her in-laws and Lu Xiaoting, nodded in agreement, then quickly changed the subject. ¡°However, elder brother, even though we, their aunt and uncle, are very good to the children, they still need their parents¡¯ companionship more.¡± Brother Lu was very grateful to his sister-in-law, ¡°Sister-in-law, rest assured, as soon as we¡¯re settled over there, we¡¯ll immediately bring Xiao Yu and Xiao Xue over.¡± After speaking, Brother Lu waited for Father Lu to return, too anxious to eat, and hurried back to the Provincial City. The sisters, a bit saddened, hung their heads low, knowing that their parents were going to work in the Southern regions and that they would have to live with their grandparents and second uncle and aunt; the sisters secretly wiped their tears. Lu Xiaogu sighed, wondering how things had come to this, her elder nephew was now jobless. In front of her granddaughters, Mrs. Lu had been holding back, but once only the four adults were left in the house, she finally burst out in anger. ¡°It¡¯s all because of that home-wrecker, that brainless thing, just for a bit of filthy money, causing the elder one to be marked and disciplined. How is everyone at the factory going to look at elder brother now? With his pride, how can he bear all the finger-pointing and whispering.¡± Father Lu sighed, ¡°What¡¯s done is done, don¡¯t get so angry, take care of your health, don¡¯t make yourself sick.¡± ¡°It¡¯s only because elder brother didn¡¯t bring that home-wrecker today, otherwise, I swear I could tear her apart, that brainless thing. Not one good person in the whole Jiang Family. The old are immoral and heartless, the young are even worse, ungrateful wretches, they ate so much of elder brother¡¯s kindness, and yet they turned around and ruined him like this.¡± Mrs. Lu was so angry she looked haggard, elder brother¡¯s good job was now spoiled because of all this. ¡°Mom, I read in the newspaper, it says the Southern regions opened up earlier than here, there are especially a lot of small street vendors, so don¡¯t worry too much.¡± Susu was afraid that grandma would worry herself into a frenzy all alone, becoming more and more upset, so she called the triplets into the courtyard. ¡°Pingping, An¡¯an, and Lele, grandma is feeling unwell, she¡¯s uncomfortable. Go inside and cheer her up, massage her legs and arms for her.¡± ¡°Grandma, Pingping is here.¡± ¡°Grandma, An¡¯an is here to see you.¡± ¡°Grandma, and there¡¯s Lele too.¡± Upon hearing the key phrase ¡®grandma is uncomfortable,¡¯ the triplets hurried back into the room, calling out ¡®grandma¡¯ nonstop. Xiao Yu was a sensitive and delicate child and had realized that something had happened at his uncle¡¯s home in the past few days. Seeing his mother looking sadly at his two sisters, he cleverly ran inside to give the three some space. ¡°Brother, sister, wait for big brother.¡± Susu squatted in front of the two sisters, Xiao Yu and Xiao Xue, eye-to-eye with them as they stood there, chins resting on their hands and eyes red-rimmed. ¡°Xiao Yu, Xiao Xue, your father has told you, right? You¡¯ll be living with your second uncle, second aunt, grandpa, and grandma for a while. ¡°You can feel at ease living in your own home, and if you need anything, you can talk to your second aunt.¡± ¡°Second aunt, did dad and mom have a fight and haven¡¯t made up yet?¡± Susu looked into the little girl¡¯s tearful eyes and told a white lie. ¡°Not at all. Your mom and dad are preparing to go to the Southern region to make money. Once things are stable, they will have you join them there. It¡¯s warm all year round in the Southern region...¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Of course it¡¯s true. But you both have to be good at home, so your mom and dad can make money in the South without worries, right?¡± ¡°Yep, we¡¯ll listen to grandpa and grandma, and second uncle and second aunt.¡± ... Susu silently breathed a sigh of relief, having successfully comforted the sisters. Inside the room Mrs. Lu was weighed down by the triplets, her heart nearly melting as each one called her ¡®grandma¡¯, hugging the sweet-smelling bundles. ¡°My treasures, you¡¯re so good, knowing how to cheer grandma up.¡± ¡°Grandma, smile.¡± ¡°Yes, grandma is smiling.¡± ¡°Heehee, grandma is smiling, she¡¯s laughing.¡± ¡°Hahaha...¡± In the triplets¡¯ minds, grandma¡¯s laughter meant happiness, and they joined in with giggling and clapping their hands. As soon as Susu entered the room, the triplets pounced on her with their babyish voices. ¡°Mommy, grandma isn¡¯t sad.¡± ¡°Mommy, grandma smiled.¡± ¡°Mommy, grandma is happy.¡± Susu rewarded each of the three little ones, flaunting their little bums for attention, with a kiss. Father Lu and Lu Xiaogu were envious and happy seeing the triplets who still knew how to make grandma laugh. Father Lu, feeling a bit jealous, embraced his three little grandchildren, laughing so hard his face was creased with lines. The three siblings couldn¡¯t sit still; having cheered up grandma, they clamored to go out and play in the yard. Father Lu, feeling apprehensive, stepped down from the kang to watch over the six children playing in the yard, while Da Hei, seeming annoyed by the noise, lay under the eaves, glancing over now and then. Looking at her own sister-in-law, Lu Xiaogu felt pained, even more so for her eldest nephew who was in this mess. Everything was going well with his work until his wife disrupted it; now, all they could do was hope that her nephew and his wife would have a smooth time in the South. Chapter 126 - 126 126 Heading South ?Chapter 126: Chapter 126 Heading South Chapter 126: Chapter 126 Heading South Provincial City Watching the empty house, the couple¡¯s hearts were indescribably bitter and sad. When they first moved into their own place, everything was joyful, and they had slowly furnished the home together. Jiang Nan¡¯s eyes were red and swollen, her tears had already dried up, leaving her eyes dry and gritty. ¡°Huai Ze, I am sorry, it¡¯s all because of me,¡± she said. Brother Lu sighed, ¡°At this point, what¡¯s the use of talking about it? The important thing is to learn from this lesson and work hard in the South, striving to bring the children over sooner.¡± ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll listen to you.¡± Jiang Nan was held in her husband¡¯s arms, and the weight on her heart finally eased somewhat. However, she worried about the Chongxi Sister-in-law she didn¡¯t get along with. ¡°I, I don¡¯t get along with the second sister-in-law, I¡¯m afraid for the children...¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, the second sister-in-law isn¡¯t like that,¡± Brother Lu resolutely interrupted his wife¡¯s frantic guessing. Jiang Nan bit her lip, but deep down, she couldn¡¯t help but worry. The couple boarded the southbound train quietly, filled with a mix of nervousness and anticipation for Yangcheng¡ªa place they had only heard about. As November arrived, the temperature dropped sharply after the onset of winter, and many people on the streets had already bundled up in cotton-padded jackets. After the school year began, to facilitate the education of the three siblings, Lu Xiaoting had specially made two trips to transfer his niece to a new school. Now, the siblings were in the same class, going to and from school together every day. Their elementary school wasn¡¯t far from home, so the two would meet their nearby friends for the school journey, without the need for an adult¡¯s aid. In those days, nurseries primarily managed children¡¯s eating, drinking, and playing without focusing on education. With triplets at home, the family could hardly spare anyone, so after discussing, the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law decided to wait until next year for the little girl to start first grade, foregoing nursery school this year. With many children and elderly at home, Susu ordered three bottles of milk every day. Due to familiar connections, they even received a discount, saving three or four dollars a month. Generally, as dawn breaks, the milk delivery worker would place the milk on the ground by the door, and the earliest riser in the household would bring it inside. Currently, the milk came in containers similar to glass IV bottles. Mrs. Lu and Little Aunt would first go to the kitchen to light the fire and warm the milk, first thing every morning. The delivered milk was already processed and boiled, only needing a quick reheat in hot water. ¡°Susu, drink the milk while it¡¯s hot.¡± ¡°Okay, Mom.¡± Susu liked to drink scalding hot milk slightly cooled; the top layer formed a skin, which she enjoyed eating first before drinking the milk. It tasted wonderful! Apart from the one bottle reserved for the triplets, each of the adults and children would have a glass of milk along with their buns and steamed bread in the morning. It was a mix of Western and traditional flavors, quite unique. Little Aunt finished the milk in her mug in one gulp, smiling and touching her face, ¡°I feel like I¡¯m not here to take care of the children, but to enjoy myself.¡± ¡°I get to eat meat every day, not to mention the white steamed bread from fine flour. Susu hasn¡¯t stopped buying me fabric for clothes either, and there¡¯s milk to drink every morning. I feel like I¡¯ve gained weight, even my face has gotten whiter.¡± Mrs. Lu teased her sister-in-law, ¡°How about it, didn¡¯t your brother-in-law praise you last time for looking younger and more beautiful?¡± Little Aunt pouted, ¡°With his blockhead, he¡¯s as oblivious as air. I practically shoved my face in front of him, but the fool¡¯s blind to see.¡± Susu laughed at Little Aunt¡¯s exaggerated tone, picturing the scene in her mind. Speak of the devil, and he shall appear. ¡°Second sister-in-law, old lady.¡± ¡°I swear I just heard that old geezer¡¯s voice?¡± Lu Xiaogu craned her neck and spotted her husband coming over with their daughter. ¡°Oh my goodness, that old geezer brought the daughter over.¡± Uncle Lu, carrying a basket on his back, entered the room, and the three triplets immediately scurried behind their mother, peering curiously. Lu Xiaogu quickly got off the kang and took her daughter to warm up by the fire, ¡°Yiyi, quickly get your slippers and warm your feet on the kang.¡± ¡°Second aunt, sister-in-law.¡± ¡°Hey.¡± ¡°Why did you guys come?¡± Uncle Lu, smiling happily, set down the basket and crouched by the fire, ¡°Big brother¡¯s family has good news, so I brought the daughter over to share the joy.¡± ¡°Oh my goodness, that¡¯s wonderful.¡± The thought of being a grandma soon had Lu Xiaogu¡¯s mouth grinning ear to ear. At noon, Mrs. Lu specially made a large pot of potato and pork rib stew to entertain her brother-in-law and niece. ¡°Chun Sheng, you too, if you come, just come, why bring so much grain? It¡¯s so heavy and tiring.¡± Uncle Fu Chunsheng, with a simple smile, replied, ¡°The kid¡¯s mother said the food here was good, I don¡¯t have much, just the grain from our own fields.¡± After eating, Lu Xiaogu still insisted on washing the dishes, but it was Mrs. Lu and Susu who firmly spoke up, and only then did she happily go back with her man and child to see her eldest daughter-in-law, planning to stay for a couple of days. Susu thought that if Lu Xiaogu was going to take care of her daughter-in-law during her confinement, they would need to find another maid by that time. Susu, who hated cold in winter and heat in summer, mostly stayed indoors during winter except for occasional visits to check on sanitation and finances at the store. Lu Xiaoting was on duty at the station today, and Su Nian braved the cold wind to bring a meal to her beloved husband. ¡°Sweetheart, thank you, but you hate the cold. Next time don¡¯t bother coming all the way to bring me food, I can go out to eat.¡± Susu, with only her eyes left uncovered by her husband, blinked and said, ¡°Today, Little Aunt¡¯s father came over, and mom made ribs, so I brought you a portion too.¡± ¡°Thanks, wife.¡± ... This Sunday, Lu Xiaoting was off work and the kids were also off school. Three adults each carried a chubby toddler and placed them onto the well-cushioned tricycle. The six siblings knew they were going to watch a movie and were excitedly bright-eyed. Mrs. Lu was also extremely excited; after all, this was her first time going to the movies. Back in her youth, the family had to budget tightly, having neither the extra money nor time for movies. The snow from a few days ago had been packed hard and was especially slippery. People on the street walked like penguins, arms slightly open to balance. ¡°Mom, be careful, walk slowly, don¡¯t fall.¡± Susu worriedly held her mother-in-law¡¯s arm, knowing a fall could be serious for someone her age. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ve been walking these roads for decades, I won¡¯t fall.¡± ... After watching the movie, the family of nine visited the Department Store. They went with empty hands but came back loaded. Su Nian, seeing something she liked, waved a big hand, ¡°Buy it.¡± They purchased clam oil, snowflake cream, and lots of snacks and candies; the most items bought were fabric. Susu didn¡¯t plan to ask grandma to make clothes for the whole family; instead, she intended to take the fabric to the old tailor, making two sets of new clothes per person. They also bought a lot of yarn of various colors; it was perfect for passing time at home by knitting sweaters. Chapter 127 - 127 127 Children Speak Their Minds ?Chapter 127: Chapter 127: Children Speak Their Minds Chapter 127: Chapter 127: Children Speak Their Minds These days, people prefer bright red and green colors, and Susu only bought black and white yarn for herself and her man, while everyone else got the bright red and green yarn that grandma likes. Mrs. Lu looked at the fluffy yarn and was already planning how to knit it. Susu was preparing to knit a couple¡¯s sweater for herself and her man, and the rest of the little ones would all be red sweaters with a touch of black or white. Lu Xiaogu had stayed at home for two days before she returned, and she brought back a bag of grain from home. Mrs. Lu couldn¡¯t be bothered to say anything about her little sister-in-law anymore, for she didn¡¯t mind the weight and the hassle of bringing it from afar. ¡°Elder sister-in-law, Susu, our little Xiao Min is pregnant, and after discussing with the family, by next May when the triplets are bigger and more nimble, I¡¯ll go back to help with the postpartum care. What do you think?¡± ¡°Sure, by then they will be able to run and jump, and I can take care of them myself. Besides, your second brother is also set to retire next year.¡± Mrs. Lu thought about her spouse retiring next year, coming over to help watch the kids, and felt at ease about the younger couple handling their own affairs. Susu nodded, happy that little aunt would come back next year for postpartum care, so there was no need to find another nanny. ... After Brother Lu and his elder sister-in-law moved south, besides the first month, they sent back one hundred yuan every month and made regular phone calls. Asking how everyone at home was doing, and talking to the two kids. They had planned to go to the photo studio to take pictures of several children today, but since it had started to snow, they couldn¡¯t go. ¡°Mommy, Brother is bad.¡± The little girl pouted, feeling wronged as she snuggled into her mother¡¯s arms to complain. Susu gently touched the little girl¡¯s chubby cheeks, ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°Brother hit me.¡± Susu found it hard to believe, yet the little girl, holding her cheek, described it in detail. Eventually, Susu cornered the two bewildered boys for questioning and learned that it had been the two older brothers play fighting and accidentally hitting her. ¡°Alright, alright. The brothers didn¡¯t mean it. Our little fairy princess Lele isn¡¯t mad anymore.¡± The little girl loved being called a fairy and immediately smiled covertly, covering her mouth. Susu sighed to herself, ¡°...¡± The weather was sunny that day, perfect for Father Lu, who was off work, to come and see the grandchildren, so the whole family set out for the photo studio. The photographer was initially startled by the crowd, thinking they were troublemakers; he only relaxed when he recognized the familiar triplets. Susu took the triplets to take photos every year as a keepsake, and the photographer had a particularly strong impression of them. First was a family portrait, a couple¡¯s photo of the elderly and the young couple, a sibling photo of Father Lu and Lu Xiaogu, a group photo of the six children, and individual photos of each. It was expensive to take so many photos, but it was money well spent. Not in a rush to see the photos, Susu chose regular processing and took a receipt to pick them up the following week. The whole family walking along the street was quite a sight, drawing the attention of many passersby. ¡°Mom, when the photos are developed, send one of Xiao Yu and Xiao Xue to my elder brother and sister-in-law.¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s good, I was just asking the boss to print an extra copy.¡± Mrs. Lu, happily arm-in-arm with her daughter-in-law, didn¡¯t know how to thank her thoughtful daughter-in-law enough. ¡°Little Aunt, can we write a letter to dad and mom and send it with the photos?¡± Xiao Yu was a bit nervous. ¡°Of course, you and your sister take your time writing it, and then let your second uncle send it along with the photos to your dad and mom.¡± Once home, the two sisters immediately started writing letters to their parents. The three siblings gathered, pondering over the words they didn¡¯t know how to write, and using Pinyin when they really couldn¡¯t figure it out. With the troublesome triplets also wanting to join in, though they couldn¡¯t understand, they still insisted on watching, babbling nonsensically at their brother and sister. ¡°Be good, no bothering, let¡¯s go drink some milk.¡± Su Nian led the three little troublemakers next door, leaving space for the three serious children to write their letters. Mrs. Lu watched her granddaughter happily writing to her big son and wiped the corners of her eyes, ¡°Lady Susu, thank you.¡± ¡°Mom, we¡¯re all family, why be so formal?¡± Su Nian chided them and patted the triplets on their buttocks, ¡°Alright, sit nicely, Mommy will go get you some milk.¡± Each of the triplets, holding their milk bottles, lay down in their own unique posture¡ªsome on their stomachs, some picking at their toes. As for the older three doing their homework at the kang table, each had a mug of milk. ¡°Thank you, Mommy.¡± ¡°Thank you, elder sister-in-law.¡± ¡°No need to thank me, drink it while it¡¯s hot.¡± After saying this, Su Nian stepped out, leaving the space to the three children. That evening Lu Xiaoting struggled to lull the excitedly chattering triplets to sleep, sweating profusely. Susu wiped oil on herself and glanced at the three little ones sound asleep, then whispered softly. ¡°Are they asleep?¡± ¡°Mhm.¡± Susu moved quietly and tiptoed onto the bed just as she was about to lie down under the blankets. Suddenly, she felt a chill, followed by the man sliding under the blanket next to her, his hot breath close to her ear. Susu shrank her neck, ¡°You¡ª¡± Immediately, the rest of her words were blocked in her throat by the man. Breathing heavily, Susu anxiously looked toward the children¡¯s direction. ¡°Keep it down, don¡¯t wake the kids.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine, they¡¯re asleep.¡± Amidst chuckling and seeking noises, Susu¡¯s clothes were stripped off by the man, leaving her shivering from the cold air. Susu was turned over and over by the man, feeling as if she was in dire straits, fearing the children might suddenly wake up and hear, she bit her lip tightly, moaning and gasping. After a bout of intensity, Lu Xiaoting lay on his wife, panting heavily, Susu tightly embraced in his arms. ¡°Daddy, what are you doing?¡± An¡¯an curiously peered his neck. Both were startled by the sudden voice; Susu, feeling guilty from her son¡¯s question, kicked the man out, tightly wrapping herself in the blanket, daring not to move. ¡°Daddy, what are you doing?¡± Lu Xiaoting quickly covered his naked self and replied dryly, ¡°An¡¯an, go to sleep.¡± ¡°Daddy, I need to pee.¡± Lu Xiaoting stretched his arm and lifted his son off the bed, ¡°Go pee by yourself.¡± After the sound of water splashing, the bare An¡¯an wanted to crawl into his mom¡¯s blanket, ¡°I want to sleep with Mommy.¡± Susu was nearly exposed by her son lifting the blanket, her heart nearly stopping from fright. ¡°Go to sleep nicely.¡± Lu Xiaoting pressed his son into his own little quilt, tucking him in. After An¡¯an fell asleep, Susu angrily punched the man. ¡°It¡¯s all your fault, An¡¯an almost found out.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, wife, kids forget everything after a sleep.¡± The next day Susu¡¯s face was so red it could explode, wishing she could cover An¡¯an¡¯s mouth. ¡°I saw it, Daddy was on top of Mommy, and Mommy kicked him.¡± With wide round eyes, the little guy started, ¡°Grandma, I...¡± Susu buried her head, pretending to be dead, her eyes tightly shut. Children¡¯s words are innocent, Mrs. Lu and Lu Xiaogu¡¯s faces turned beet red from embarrassment. Chapter 128 - 128 128 What If Its a Daughter ?Chapter 128: Chapter 128 What If It¡¯s a Daughter? Chapter 128: Chapter 128 What If It¡¯s a Daughter? Susu was furious, grinding her teeth as the main culprit wasn¡¯t home and still managed to embarrass her in front of her mother-in-law and Little Aunt. Mrs. Lu and Little Aunt, who had been through such experiences themselves, knew that newlywed couples are usually in their honeymoon phase, hurriedly took the triplets to the yard. As soon as Lu Xiaoting got home, he was met with his wife¡¯s cold stare, leaving him confused, until his mother pulled him aside to calm him down, after which he quickly went to admit his faults and charm his wife. Susu, puffing with anger, didn¡¯t even want to look at the main culprit. After all, he had started it, and she was the one left in an awkward position. ¡ª This day, the third brother came home with some goods to announce joyful news; it turned out his sister-in-law, Bai Xiao, was pregnant. Mrs. Lu was both shocked and delighted, hastily advising her son on what to be mindful of during pregnancy. ¡°Mom, later you can take the goods and go see Xiaoxiao with the third brother. Little Aunt and I are here, and you don¡¯t have to worry about the triplets.¡± ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll go with the third brother to see his family. It¡¯s their first child, I really can¡¯t help but worry.¡± In the afternoon, Mrs. Lu returned home with a smile. ¡°Mom, it seems that Xiaoxiao is doing well?¡± ¡°Yes, very well, she finds everything delicious.¡± Mrs. Lu, grinning, hugged her little granddaughter, ¡°On the way there, I was also worrying about who would take care of Pingping and her siblings later. Your elder sister-in-law and you had your postpartum month taken care of by me, and it¡¯s only right I do the same for the third brother¡¯s family. I was worried on the way there about what will happen when Little Aunt goes back for her postpartum care, and how to manage the triplets with just your father around, which I don¡¯t find reassuring. Now that the third brother¡¯s family has decided to ask his mother for help, your father and I can¡¯t contribute much physically, but we will provide some money.¡± Susu nodded, ¡°That makes sense.¡± ¡ª Susu had just returned from the store when she saw Xiao Yu and Xiao Xue, the sisters with red swollen eyes. Her first reaction was fear that the sisters had been bullied. Anxious, she asked, ¡°Xiao Yu, Xiao Xue, why are you crying? Has someone bullied you? Your elder aunt and uncle will stand up for you, don¡¯t be afraid.¡± Mrs. Lu looked up, her eyes also slightly red, ¡°No, we were just on the phone with the elder brother and his wife, and the children were missing their parents.¡± Susu breathed a sigh of relief, ¡°That¡¯s good. If anyone dares to bully you, you must tell the family. Your elder uncle will handle it.¡± The children all giggled, nodding cheerfully. The triplets, not understanding anything, giggled along with their brother and sister. ... ¡°Mom, you have no idea, ever since we came here, Huai Ze barely takes care of me anymore. He leaves early in the morning and hardly interacts with me when he gets home.¡± Jiang Nan thought of how her husband just went to sleep as soon as he got home, tears welling up from the frustration. ¡°He must still be angry with you. Coax him nicely, be affectionate for a few days, then cold for a bit, so he doesn¡¯t take you for granted.¡± Jiang Nan frowned, ¡°Mom, will this approach really work?¡± ¡°Of course, it will. Just listen to your mother, she wouldn¡¯t steer you wrong. Oh, and remember to send me some money, I¡¯m running low, and your nephew has been starving lately.¡± ¡°Alright, I understand.¡± Jiang Nan ended the call feeling weak, her mind overrun with conflicting thoughts. One voice argued, why are you making a fuss when your husband is tired after a long day? Let him rest properly. Another countered, why should he neglect you? Didn¡¯t he promise to keep you happy and treat you well when he married you? ... Throughout the journey, two opposing voices battled in Jiang Nan¡¯s mind, one urging her to listen to her mother, the other advising against it, leaving her confused and distraught. Looking at the room with only a bed, a simple table, and a basic stove, the meager surroundings moved Jiang Nan to tears. After covering the travel expenses to Yangcheng, they had only 50 yuan left, forcing them to rent a tiny flat. Surrounded mostly by other migrant workers, faced with immediate financial needs and unable to find suitable work, Brother Lu started working as a laborer on a construction site. Leaving early in the morning and not returning until after dark, exhausted by the heavy physical labor, he arrived home drained. Gazing at the cold, unused stove, Brother Lu let out an almost imperceptible sigh and, dragging his weary body, he cooked noodles. ¡°Wife, let¡¯s eat.¡± Without a word, Jiang Nan, Brother Lu, looking at his crying wife, felt nothing but a throbbing headache. Silently, he scarfed down the noodles, momentarily easing his gnawing hunger. Jiang Nan looked at the man who had always doted on her, utterly disappointed, and pushed the bowl away. ¡°Crash¡ª¡± The bowl fell and shattered, the white noodles scattering everywhere. Jiang Nan was startled; she hadn¡¯t expected the bowl to fall, but still stubbornly refused to be the first to back down. ¡°Smack¡ª¡± Brother Lu slammed his hand on the table, his eyes red with anger as his brow furrowed tightly. ¡°Jiang Nan, that¡¯s enough!¡± ¡°What are you getting so angry about? I¡¯m working myself to death to earn money. It¡¯s bad enough I can¡¯t even have a hot meal when I get home, but I also have to endure your inexplicable tantrums. What are you thinking? Or do you just enjoy arguing every day, without it you can¡¯t function, right?¡± Jiang Nan was dumbfounded, shaking with anger, ¡°Why are you yelling? Why are you yelling?¡± ¡°You think I want to? I didn¡¯t do it on purpose, why are you yelling at me?¡± ¡°Damn it, enough already, always fighting.¡± ¡°If you want to argue, go elsewhere and do it, don¡¯t disturb my rest.¡± ... Listening to the cursing from outside, Brother Lu took a deep breath to calm himself. ¡°Just say what you want to say, don¡¯t always make me guess, I¡¯m exhausted. If you still want to bring the kids over soon...¡± Jiang Nan looked at the man soundly asleep, her eyes brimming with tears, without a trace of sleepiness. She wondered how her life had become like this. Thinking of her two daughters waiting at home with eager eyes, Jiang Nan covered her mouth and quietly began to sob. ... Susu was overwhelmed by the triplets making noise. Seeing the man come in, she quickly said, ¡°Hurry, hurry, your dad¡¯s back.¡± ¡°Daddy.¡± ¡°Daddy.¡± ¡°Daddy.¡± The triplets scrambled into their father¡¯s arms, gleefully pulling on his face, each one calling out ¡®Daddy.¡¯ ¡°Do you miss daddy?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The triplets chimed in unison with their little voices. ¡°Daddy ride horse.¡± ¡°Ride horse.¡± Lu Xiaoting pinched his son¡¯s little cheek, apparently they really missed playing ¡®horse.¡¯ Susu, smiling, watched the triplets scramble around their father. ¡°Mommy, ride horse.¡± ¡°Mommy, come.¡± ¡°Mommy, together.¡± ¡°No, no, mommy doesn¡¯t like it, you go ahead.¡± Susu declined the triplets¡¯ enthusiastic invitation, mainly because she was afraid she might be squashed by their dad, Lu Gong¡¯an. After all, she was an adult¡¯s weight. That day The Lu family gathered at a restaurant for dinner, loudly celebrating Bai Xiao¡¯s pregnancy. ¡°Xiaoxiao, eat more, I see you like pig¡¯s feet.¡± ¡°Thank you, mother.¡± Bai Xiao kicked her man under the table. The third son felt the pain in his foot and immediately looked at his wife, who was smiling tenderly at his mother. ¡°Mother, we can only have one child, what if it¡¯s a girl...?¡± Chapter 129 - 129 129 Pouring Out Ones Heart ?Chapter 129: Chapter 129: Pouring Out One¡¯s Heart Chapter 129: Chapter 129: Pouring Out One¡¯s Heart ¡°What¡¯s wrong with a daughter, isn¡¯t she your child, isn¡¯t she my granddaughter?¡± Mrs. Lu rolled her eyes at her third son, wishing she could slap him across the face if not for the distance. ¡°We simple folks don¡¯t understand all that, what the country says, we do. Besides, what era is this, women can hold up half the sky.¡± Father Lu agreed, ¡°Your mother is right, you and your wife shouldn¡¯t feel any pressure either; a boy or a girl, they¡¯re both the same.¡± Susu praised her enlightened parents-in-law, ¡°Dad, Mom, you two are truly enlightened.¡± ... The old couple, coaxed by their son and daughter-in-law, beamed with joy, fed their grandchildren until they were full, and only then did they start eating with smiles. The weather was cold and the roads slippery. After seeing off the third son and his wife, the family started their walk back home. Laughter and play from the adults and children filled the way. Susu watched as the old couple and Lu Xiaoting were ice skating with the kids, quietly skating on the snow herself. Fortunately, her skilled technique allowed her to skate smoothly without falling on her backside even once. ... For two consecutive days, the couple was in a cold war, neither speaking nor acknowledging each other. The atmosphere at home was silent and tense; the two didn¡¯t even make eye contact during meals. To repay the debts owed to his two younger brothers, as well as the living expenses for his two daughters, Brother Lu earned just over a hundred a month, keeping only twenty for himself and sending the rest back home. Even though as brothers they weren¡¯t in a hurry, as the older brother, he couldn¡¯t just take his younger brothers¡¯ money for granted. At noon, feeling whimsical, Jiang Nan decided to take lunch to her man at the construction site. From a distance, she saw her usually neat and clean man sitting on the dirty, dusty ground, gnawing on a dry bun. Perhaps the bun was a bit dry; the man threw his head back to drink water and patted his chest. Tears welled up in Jiang Nan¡¯s eyes for no clear reason, and as if her legs grew roots, she couldn¡¯t take another step forward. Jiang Nan fled in panic, tears streaming down her face as she ran. Brother Lu looked up, scanning the empty space ahead, finished his bun in a few bites, and lay down to rest with his eyes closed. Meanwhile, Mrs. Lu couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that something was amiss, and her thoughts turned to her eldest son in the south, wondering how he was doing. His wife didn¡¯t know how to do anything, and going there, Mrs. Lu worried whether she could help with anything at all, even just making a meal so he could eat something warm. Mrs. Lu, concerned about her son yet not wanting to disturb his work, could only wait for him to call. ¡°Sigh...¡± ¡°Mom, why are you sighing? Are you thinking about Brother?¡± Susu noticed her mother-in-law¡¯s troubled expression and sat down beside her. ¡°Sigh...¡± Mrs. Lu was distressed, ¡°Your Brother has been sensible since he was young, always taking care of his younger brothers and sisters. He¡¯s always been one to bring good news and sparing the bad. He always says he¡¯s doing fine over the phone, but who knows what difficulties he might encounter, being a stranger in a strange land.¡± All Su Nian could do was to try to reassure her mother-in-law, but she also knew deep down it couldn¡¯t be easy. ¡°Mom, the money Brother sent back, let¡¯s pay off what¡¯s owed to the third brother¡¯s family first; we¡¯re not in a hurry. The rest, you keep for Brother, in case he needs money for something.¡± ¡°Okay, your mom will thank you on behalf of your Brother.¡± ... After a day¡¯s hard work, Brother Lu gazed at his house from afar, feeling anxious that returning home might lead to more arguments. Jiang Nan, who had gone to the market early to haggle over groceries and cooked two dishes, saw that it was already dark outside and her husband hadn¡¯t returned home, and she became worried at the doorway. ¡°Ah Shen, you¡¯re back; why aren¡¯t you coming inside?¡± ¡°Yeah, just got back.¡± ¡°Come in and have dinner quick.¡± Brother Lu looked at the satisfyingly fragrant dishes on the table, which included a platter of vegetarian dishes, a meat dish, and steaming hot rice. He was quite surprised, ¡°Did you go out to buy groceries?¡± ¡°Uh-huh, I had nothing to do this afternoon, so I went out for a stroll.¡± Neither of them spoke; they finished the meal in silence. After dinner, just as Brother Lu was about to start clearing the dishes, someone snatched them away. ¡°I¡¯ll wash them.¡± ¡°No need, you¡¯ve worked hard all day. Let me take care of it.¡± Jiang Nan, with tears rimming her eyes, forcibly took the dishes to wash. Brother Lu watched his wife, who had changed so greatly, and his restless heart was soothed as he pulled her into an embrace. ¡°Nannan, let¡¯s not fight anymore, okay? Let¡¯s work hard together and bring the kids over as soon as possible.¡± Tears streamed down Jiang Nan¡¯s cheeks, her head resting on the man¡¯s chest as she nodded vigorously. ¡°Ze, I realize my mistakes. From now on, you work hard to earn money for the family, and I¡¯ll take care of your food and daily life, so you can come home to a hot meal after a tiring day.¡± ¡°It¡¯s my fault, I¡¯ve been too willful. From now on, I¡¯ll strive to be a qualified wife and mother.¡± Brother Lu was puzzled by such a drastic change in his wife and frowned, ¡°Wife, what¡¯s come over you?¡± Jiang Nan looked through tear-blurred eyes at her husband, who had become noticeably thinner, ¡°Today at noon, I saw you gnawing on a cold bun at the construction site, and I didn¡¯t have the courage to face you. It¡¯s all my fault. If I hadn¡¯t listened to Jiang Dong, this wouldn¡¯t have happened ¨C causing you to work on the site. I¡¯ve thought a lot too, shall we not fight anymore and live our own lives well behind closed doors?¡± ¡°Uh-huh, we¡¯ll live well and won¡¯t fight anymore.¡± Since the couple moved down to Yangcheng, they had been quarreling frequently: small arguments every three days, big ones every five days creating a very tense atmosphere between them. Now, having spoken their minds, the couple embraced each other tightly, leaving the pots and pans unattended, they turned off the lights and went to bed. After a hearty round of exercise, they lay close together. The next morning, Brother Lu went off to work early to earn money. Jiang Nan, smiling, tidied up the unwashed pots and pans from the night before and made the little house spotlessly clean. ¡ª¡ª Mrs. Lu played with the triplets in the yard, who couldn¡¯t sit still in the house, ¡°Be careful on the ground, don¡¯t fall.¡± The triplets, like birds released from their cage, romped and played excitedly in the yard. Old Mother Susu, who was cold-sensitive, squatted indoors for warmth, listening to the children¡¯s chirping through the window. ¡°Lu Xiaogu, I¡¯m lucky to have you and mom with me, or else I¡¯d be a wreck.¡± Lu Xiaogu pursed her lips, ¡°It would have been easier if we were in the countryside. The older kids usually look after the younger ones; no need for adults to worry. When your brother and sister were little, it was just like that. They would go out with their elder brother, and he¡¯d bring them back on time for meals without me having to call for them.¡± ¡°Brother, don¡¯t push yourself too hard over there. Mom is always worried you¡¯ll only tell us the good news, not the bad.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, tell mom not to worry. Your elder sister-in-law has changed a lot. Nowadays, I come home to a hot meal every day.¡± ... Jiang Nan heard the lady from the general store calling her and thought her old mother might have an emergency, so she hurried to the store to make a phone call. ¡°Mom, what¡¯s the matter? Is there some emergency at home?¡± ¡°Nannan, mom¡¯s tight on money; send more over here. Your mom and your older nephews haven¡¯t had meat in a long time.¡± Jiang Nan frowned, ¡°Mom, don¡¯t you have some money? Use that first, I¡ª¡± Jiang¡¯s mother¡¯s sharp voice could be heard even through the phone. ¡°How can I? That¡¯s mother¡¯s money. Hurry up and send your mom money, or should your mom and nephews go hungry?¡± Chapter 130 - 130 130 Jiang Dong and His Spouse ?Chapter 130: Chapter 130: Jiang Dong and His Spouse Chapter 130: Chapter 130: Jiang Dong and His Spouse Jiang Nan¡¯s ears buzzed from her mother¡¯s sharp voice, momentarily dizzy and with a ringing in her ears. Back when the two of them arrived in Yangcheng and had rented a place, they were penniless that very month, unable even to lift the lid of their pot, yet they stubbornly waited until payday at the construction site. Every month, the man earned money at the construction site and, apart from setting aside twenty yuan for living expenses, he sent the rest back to pay off debts and cover the children¡¯s living costs. In the city, everything required money, even buying a single spring onion. Nowadays, Jiang Nan reluctantly split a single yuan to make it last. Listening to her mother¡¯s endless chatter on the phone, always about money, Jiang Nan suddenly felt tired and disappointed. ¡°Mom, when Ze was working at the machinery factory, I gave you twenty yuan a month, and occasionally sent you things. Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯ve spent it all! Not a single yuan saved.¡± Jiang¡¯s mother choked, ¡°No, that was a long time ago. I¡¯ve spent it all.¡± Jiang Nan frowned, ¡°Mom, I don¡¯t have money either. I still have debts to pay and I need to provide for the children¡¯s living expenses.¡± ¡°Your two nieces aren¡¯t as important as your nephew.¡± ¡°Mom?¡± Jiang Nan couldn¡¯t believe these words came from her mother¡¯s mouth. She scoffed, ¡°Mom, don¡¯t start with that. Not to mention he¡¯s my nephew, not my child. Why should I, as an aunt, bother with that? Besides, Jiang Dong took so much money and ran away¡ªI haven¡¯t even settled the score with him yet, let alone neglect my daughters for the sake of a nephew. Just one thing: there¡¯s no money to give, only my life is left.¡± Jiang Nan hung up the phone abruptly, grimacing as she paid over fifty cents, and returned home fuming. At noon, she still had to deliver food to the construction site for her husband, with no time to delay. Brother Lu enjoyed the stew his wife specially made for him, mindful of the inconvenience at his worksite, served with a fried egg. A simple and ordinary meal seemed incredibly delicious. That evening, when he came home from work and saw two bowls of egg fried rice on the table, big and small, a huge grin spread across Brother Lu¡¯s face. ¡°Nannan, I¡¯m back.¡± ¡°Come and wash your hands quickly, I¡¯ve made egg fried rice.¡± ¡°Um, my wife has worked hard.¡± After dinner, Jiang Nan finally spoke about the phone call from her mother that morning, ¡°My mother really! When she calls me, if it¡¯s not about money, it¡¯s about money again. She doesn¡¯t consider where I¡¯d get any extra.¡± Brother Lu frowned, worried that his mother-in-law might be in dire straits, ¡°I¡¯ll call my younger brother to ask around. After all, she is your mother. Once we¡¯ve paid off our debts, we can send your mother ten yuan a month.¡± ¡°That works,¡± Jiang Nan replied with a furrowed brow. ... ¡°Okay, brother, I¡¯ve got it. I¡¯ll call you back later.¡± After hanging up, Lu Xiaoting hopped on his bike and headed straight for the Jiang Family¡¯s address. ¡°Comrade, hello, could you tell me where Jiang Dong¡¯s family lives? I¡¯m a relative of his. It¡¯s been a while and I¡¯m having trouble finding the place.¡± ¡°Jiang Dong, Old Jiang Family? It¡¯s just inside, the third house from the end of the alley. Just go in and call out, you¡¯ll find it.¡± ¡°Hey, comrade, have you heard? Jiang Dong and his wife have come back.¡± ¡°Jiang Dong is back?¡± The old lady slapped her thigh, ¡°Yes, didn¡¯t they cooperate with his sister before, selling off scrap parts from the machinery factory? When they heard the rumors in the middle of the night, they grabbed the money and ran.¡± ¡°Really, I thought I¡¯d never see them again, but they¡¯ve come back.¡± ¡°I even heard they got targeted on the way, their clothes slashed and their money completely stolen. With no money and no means, the couple came back crestfallen.¡± ¡°Right, I¡¯ve got it, thank you, ladies.¡± ¡°It¡¯s no trouble at all, always happy to help.¡± After Lu Xiaoting did some more prying, he confirmed that indeed, Jiang Dong and his wife had been robbed and returned home. He waited until after work to call his brother back. Lu Xiaoting¡¯s explanation was succinct, providing his eldest brother with the information he had gathered. Brother Lu felt somewhat conflicted, ¡°Okay, I got it.¡± ... Watching his busy wife, Brother Lu hesitated whether to say it or not, but in the end, he spilled everything he knew. ¡°So, my mother didn¡¯t mention anything about Jiang Dong returning because she was afraid I wouldn¡¯t give her money. Moreover, she wanted the money for Jiang Dong and her grandson!¡± Jiang Nan felt like there was a suffocating lump in her chest, unable to go up or down. ¡°Don¡¯t be upset, wife. You still have me to provide for the children,¡± Brother Lu comforted his frail wife with his arm around her and spoke soothingly. Tears uncontrollably sprang forth from Jiang Nan, ¡°I thought my mother was quite good to me. I never expected that everything was for her son! Knowing how much we suffered because of Jiang Dong, she didn¡¯t mention a single word and still had the face to ask me for money?¡± ¡°Why does she have to do this when we are all her children...¡± ... Mrs. Lu frowned, ¡°Why did the eldest ask you to inquire about her mother-in-law¡¯s family?¡± ¡°What? That little bastard Jiang Dong is back!¡± Mrs. Lu slammed the table, her chest heaving with anger. If it weren¡¯t for that heartless brother-in-law and his foolishly loyal daughter-in-law, her eldest son wouldn¡¯t have lost his stable job and gone to work in the South. Even without her son saying it, Mrs. Lu knew how much her son must be suffering without money; otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t send back so much every month. ¡°I¡¯m going to find that little bastard tomorrow. He caused his brother-in-law¡¯s downfall and still has the guts to come back!¡± ¡°Mom, don¡¯t get angry, it¡¯s not worth ruining your health over such a person. Besides, this is, after all, the eldest brother¡¯s brother-in-law. If we make too much of a fuss, it¡¯ll be hard on the eldest brother, being caught in the middle.¡± ¡°Mom, Susu is right, my big brother knows what he¡¯s doing.¡± Mrs. Lu crossed her arms with a huff, ¡°Know what he¡¯s doing, he doesn¡¯t know a damn thing! If he hadn¡¯t married such a home-wrecker would he have lost his job and gone so far away to suffer!¡± Lu Xiaoting was silently on the receiving end of his mother¡¯s rant. Susu gave her man a look of sympathy and helplessness. Lu Xiaoting, ¡°...¡± The triplets, looking back and forth between grandma and dad, didn¡¯t hesitate to mimic grandma¡¯s scolding pose towards dad. ¡°Daddy bad.¡± ¡°Daddy makes grandma angry.¡± ¡°Daddy, you can¡¯t make grandma angry!¡± ¡°Grandma¡¯s good kids know how to care for grandma.¡± Mrs. Lu beamed as she hugged and kissed her grandkids, with a look of disdain for her son. The silently enduring Lu Xiaoting, ¡°...¡± ¡ª After a distressing night with poor sleep, Jiang Nan called her mother early in the morning. Jiang¡¯s mother was somewhat baffled as her daughter gave her a piece of her mind over the phone. ¡°How did you find out your little brother and his wife have returned?¡± ¡°Hmph, never mind how I found out.¡± Jiang Nan scoffed, ¡°Only now do I realize that you also favor sons over daughters. You clearly knew Jiang Dong embezzled money and ran away, making us suffer bitterly. Yet, you still have the cheek to ask me for money to support him.¡± ¡°Xiao Nan, your brother is quite pitiful too. He was robbed of all his money and barely made it back starving. You haven¡¯t seen¡ª¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough, it¡¯s not my fault. Why are you telling me this?¡± Jiang Nan took a deep breath, ¡°I¡¯m telling you, I absolutely won¡¯t spend another dime on that ingrate.¡± ¡°You ungrateful girl, your brother is the male child of our Old Jiang Family!¡± Chapter 131 - 131 131 The Family of Four Weeps Together ?Chapter 131: Chapter 131 The Family of Four Weeps Together Chapter 131: Chapter 131 The Family of Four Weeps Together Jiang Nan sneered. It turned out she was nothing but a servant girl, just a machine her birth mother used to demand money for her brother to live well. ¡°Xiao Nan, you can¡¯t just ignore your brother and nephews. Otherwise, the Old Jiang Family won¡¯t let you off, even from beneath the ground.¡± Jiang Nan¡¯s heart ached and turned cold. ¡°I meant what I said. I won¡¯t give that family of ingrates another dime in the future. As for you, you¡¯re my biological mother, after all. If you behave yourself, I¡¯ll give you some retirement money. But if you make trouble all the time, you won¡¯t get a cent from me. Anyway, you don¡¯t know where I am.¡± ¡°Hey, hey, hey, you can¡¯t do this!¡± ¡°Beep, beep, beep¡ª¡± Jiang¡¯s mother coaxed for a long time, thinking to herself that it was over, her daughter was serious. Suddenly feeling the world spin, her eyes rolled back, and she almost fainted right there in the small store. Jiang Nan was completely unaware that her old mother had almost fainted on the spot. She returned to her rented room in a daze. Looking at the small room, memories of nearly a decade in the machinery factory¡¯s family quarters began to flood her mind, along with various moments from her childhood. As a child, she didn¡¯t receive her parents¡¯ attention, and when her brother got hurt, she was also beaten. Until later, when she met Ze¡ªa young man with good character and background, well-liked by her parents. Now she realized that ever since she married Ze, a man from a good job and family, her parents changed their attitude. They often fawned over her and curried favor. All because her man had money, from five yuan a month to twenty later on. Jiang Nan regretted her past choices, realizing that because of her, Ze had been bled dry by her blood-sucking family. No wonder the two kids never liked visiting their grandma¡¯s house. Kids are the best at reading the room, knowing who treats them well and who doesn¡¯t. ... As soon as Brother Lu returned, he saw his wife with a smiling face. ¡°Wife, did you buy some meat?¡± ¡°Mm, you do physical work; you need to nourish your body.¡± ¡°Ah Shen, in the future, let¡¯s just close the door and live our own good life. We don¡¯t have to worry about what my family is up to. We should focus on our home with you and our two children.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll listen to my wife.¡± ... In the blink of an eye, another year was about to pass, and a new one was about to begin. Brother Lu and his wife had told their two daughters they were planning to come back for the New Year during a phone call, and the girls had been eagerly counting the days. ¡°Oh my, I¡¯m exhausted.¡± Susu and Lu Xiaoting walked into the house carrying bags big and small. Lu Xiaomei, who was hugging her little niece, was stunned. ¡°Second sister-in-law, why did you buy so much?¡± ¡°Huh~¡± Susu quickly took off her shoes to warm her feet. They were ice cold from walking the entire way. ¡°Well, the New Year¡¯s just around the corner. I haven¡¯t even started on the dry goods and sweets yet; it¡¯s all stuff for eating and wearing.¡± ¡°Each person gets a snowflake cream and clam oil. The clothes at the Department Store looked nice, so I got each of you a new outfit, and Little Aunt and mom made some too. Two new outfits for the New Year for each person.¡± ¡°You¡¯re being reckless with money again. One piece of clothing costs dozens of yuan. You should¡¯ve just bought for yourself. I¡ª¡± ¡°Aw, mom, it¡¯s all a gesture of my goodwill. I¡¯ll be upset if you keep talking like that,¡± Susu cooed to her mother-in-law. ¡°Alright, alright, mom will stop talking.¡± ¡°Come on, everyone, try them on and see if they fit.¡± With Susu¡¯s words, the women and children of the family excitedly began trying on their new clothes. Lu Xiaoting... always had the peculiar feeling of falling into a nest of women and children. ¡°Daddy.¡± ¡°Daddy.¡± ¡°Daddy.¡± The triplets immediately rushed to their father, clamoring to play horse-riding. Their father, Lu Xiaoting, lay down obediently, allowing his sons and daughter to climb aboard and ride the ¡®big horse.¡¯ ¡°Mommy, come and watch big brother ride the ¡®big horse.''¡± Susu and her eldest son exchanged a glance, politely declining. If she and her son were to hop on again, her husband would be squashed flat. ¡°Elder sister, second sister, come on.¡± Xiao Yu grabbed her excitedly wriggling younger sister, smilingly watched her siblings cheerfully shriek. Ah, my goodness, such powerful lungs. Susu couldn¡¯t withstand her daughter and son¡¯s caterwauling, shifted her bottom, wrapped her arms around the fragrant and soft Xiao Xue, pinching the chubby little cheeks puffing out. Xiao Xue smiled and allowed her second aunt to pinch her little face. In the blink of an eye, it was the New Year, and the stores still closed on the 29th, waiting to officially open on the sixth day of the new year. After settling the stores, Susu and Father Lu, Mrs. Lu, and Lu Xiaogu, four adults with six kids, went back to the county ahead of time. The house had been warmed up nice and cozy by Aunt and Uncle. The six kids were bundled up tight, with only a pair of eyes showing. ¡°It¡¯s too cold, hurry up in, I have hot water burning on the stove.¡± The adults sipped on brown sugar water while Aunt marveled at the triplets. Pingping was aloof and uninterested, An¡¯an was easy to befriend, joking to and fro with their uncle and grandma. Lele, the little girl, hid in grandma¡¯s embrace, occasionally peering out with her round wide eyes. Aunt and Uncle still had to rush off to work that afternoon, leaving in a hurry after lunch. A full house meant no rest, cleaning the house, washing dirty clothes, and even preparing hundreds of dumplings in advance. Lu Xiaogu helped out all the way until the 28th when her husband came to pick her up, planning to return on the sixth. Brother Lu, Eldest Sister-in-law Lu, and Lu Xiaoting arrived home one after the other. ¡°Did Huai Ze and his wife come back?¡± ¡°Yes, Auntie.¡± ¡°I heard you two went down south to work? Is it truly warm there all year round?¡± ¡°Right, Auntie, we don¡¯t even need to wear cotton pants in the winter down south.¡± ... The closer she got to the house, the more unsettled Jiang Nan felt. Brother Lu, sensing his wife¡¯s nervousness, reassured her, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, the kids must be missing us terribly.¡± ¡°Both kids have grown so much, it¡¯s the first time we¡¯ve been apart this long.¡± Thinking of her soft and delicate daughters, Jiang Nan gathered courage to face her mother-in-law. ¡°Woof, woof, woof.¡± ¡°Who is it?¡± Mrs. Lu, hearing Da Hei¡¯s barking, hurriedly looked outside to see her eldest son and his wife, quickly getting off the kang to greet them. ¡°Has the eldest come back home?¡± ¡°Mom.¡± ¡°Mom,¡± Jiang Nan called out in a low voice. Mrs. Lu wiped the corner of her eyes, patting her son she hadn¡¯t seen in half a year. ¡°It¡¯s good you¡¯re back.¡± ¡°Come into the house, the kids have been dying to see you.¡± Mrs. Lu led the way with a smile, ¡°Look who¡¯s back?¡± ¡°Daddy, Mommy!¡± Xiao Yu and Xiao Xue shouted in unison. ¡°Ah, Xiao Yu, Xiao Xue.¡± ¡°Daddy, Mommy.¡± The sisters immediately threw themselves into their parents¡¯ arms, and tears streamed down their faces. Jiang Nan hugged her children whom she missed for half a year, crying nonstop. Brother Lu hugged his wife and children, his eyes gradually becoming moist and red. As soon as Lu Xiaoting and their third child returned, they walked in on Brother Lu¡¯s family of four crying their hearts out. Jiang Nan sniffled, embracing her two kids, feeling a bit embarrassed. ¡°Mother, I¡¯m really sorry, sister-in-law, I couldn¡¯t control myself.¡± ¡°Not at all.¡± Susu shook her head, actually feeling like the elder sister-in-law seemed quite changed. Chapter 132 - 132 132 Bidding Farewell to the Old and ?Chapter 132: Chapter 132 Bidding Farewell to the Old and Welcoming the New Chapter 132: Chapter 132 Bidding Farewell to the Old and Welcoming the New Jiang Nan wiped her tears and quickly rummaged through the large bag her husband had brought back. ¡°Mom, these are fruits from the south, we brought some for you to try while the weather is still cold. There are also clothes from Yangcheng, they are particularly cheap, and I bought one for each member of our family.¡± Jiang Nan then took turns handing gifts to Mrs. Lu and the others, then turned to face her two daughters with their expectant little eyes and tapped their noses. ¡°I bought you both cotton-padded jackets and little leather shoes.¡± ¡°Wow~ so pretty.¡± For her two daughters, Jiang Nan had chosen a pair of pink leather shoes, as well as a red cotton jacket and black trousers. ¡°These are for Tianyu and An¡¯an and Lele.¡± Susu hadn¡¯t expected there to be gifts for four children, watching the triplets clutch their toys, she smiled and thanked her. ¡°Thank you, elder sister-in-law, for carrying these all the way from so far.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± Jiang Nan really felt embarrassed; she never expected that the one to help her out in the end would be the Chongxi sister-in-law she had always looked down upon. Without thinking, she rubbed her fingers, ¡°I should really be thanking you instead, second sister-in-law, for helping take care of the children. The moment I stepped through the door, I could see their little faces had rounded, which means you and Mom took great care of them.¡± Susu raised an eyebrow, quite surprised by the elder sister-in-law¡¯s change, as she used to look down on everyone. Mrs. Lu nodded, pleased that her daughter-in-law recognized this, always aware that nothing should be taken for granted. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you at home with your wife, Lu Laosan? What are you doing running back here?¡± Mrs. Lu slapped her third son somewhat annoyed. Lu Laosan, clutching his arm and frowning, replied, ¡°Mom, I just came back to see how big brother and elder sister-in-law were doing, and I¡¯ll go back this afternoon. Xiaoxiao is at my mother-in-law¡¯s place, so no worries.¡± Mrs. Lu lightly tapped her third son on the head and rolled her eyes. The mothers-in-law and daughters-in-law talked about the many differences between the southern and northern regions, mostly led by Mrs. Lu asking and Jiang Nan answering, with Susu listening quietly. The three brothers talked about almost the same things. Lu Xiaoting noticed his elder brother had slimmed down a lot, his eyebrows furrowing, ¡°Big brother, don¡¯t overdo it, look how skinny you¡¯ve become.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, big brother, you do hard labor, so you can¡¯t skimp on your meals.¡± After repaying the money he owed his two brothers, Brother Lu was no longer embarrassed and nodded with a smile. ¡°I know that. Your elder sister-in-law makes meat dishes for me every day. It¡¯s just that I¡¯m not used to eating rice every day.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true, we¡¯ve been eating flour-based food since we were little. Eating rice occasionally is fine, but having it every meal is a bit too much.¡± ... After lunch, worrying about the bus schedule, Mrs. Lu hurriedly sent her third son back to the provincial city. ¡°The daughter-in-law is heavily pregnant and still carelessly running around. It¡¯s only because her parents are nice and don¡¯t say anything.¡± Listening to her mother-in-law scold her youngest son, Susu smiled and hugged her daughter who was holding a Barbie doll. At that moment, Jiang Nan, as an outsider, thought the mother-in-law was quite reasonable. Compared to other families, it was quite normal for a heavily pregnant daughter-in-law to be busy with chores. She remembered that when she was almost due with Xiao Yu, her mother-in-law managed everything inside and outside the house. She was only let to eat and wash up, never having to lift a finger for anything else. ... On New Year¡¯s Eve, The whole family got up early, even the triplets who were already wide awake; they were now crawling and running around on the kang in the eastern room. Su Nian was startled by the thumping noises in the house, worried that they might break the kang during the New Year festivities. Father Lu watched the triplets, his eyes narrowing into slits with joy. Jiang Nan rolled up her sleeves, ¡°Mom, let me help you.¡± Mrs. Lu, Su Nian, and Lu Xiaomei, hearing this, all stared in astonishment at Jiang Nan who had rolled up her sleeves. Jiang Nan felt a bit embarrassed being stared at by the three of them as she knew she never helped with chores and only waited to eat whenever she came back. Jiang Nan flushed slightly, ¡°Mom, I¡¯ll learn to cook more, so I can make a variety of tasty dishes for Huai Ze.¡± ¡°Alright, you help wash the vegetables, and I¡¯ll teach you. Later, when Susu is in charge of cooking, you can watch and learn from her.¡± ¡°Ah, thank you, Mom. Thank you, Susu.¡± Both the main house and the west house¡¯s stoves were busy as three pots were used at the same time. Brother Lu and Lu Xiaoting squatted on the ground, dealing with the hair on the pig¡¯s trotters, hocks, and head. The entire Family Court erupted in unison as smoke wafted from every chimney and various delicious scents drifted through the air, making the children salivate wildly. With the final deep-fried cake coming out of the pot, the Lu Family¡¯s reunion dinner officially began. The Lu Family didn¡¯t have many formalities; once the food was served, everyone began to eat as soon as Father Lu and Mrs. Lu picked up their chopsticks. ¡°Brothers and sisters, eat fish.¡± Xiao Yu always served his younger siblings first and only took his share last. Now, he carefully removed the bones, painstakingly feeding his siblings bit by bit. ¡°Xiao Yu, you eat your own food first; don¡¯t worry about them.¡± ¡°Hehe, it¡¯s okay, Mom. It won¡¯t delay my meal.¡± Su Nian, unable to persuade the elder one, directly called out the names of the three younger ones, ¡°Pingping, Anan, and Lele, eat your own meat. Don¡¯t disturb your elder brother while he eats, or I¡¯ll spank you.¡± ¡°No spanking, no need. Pingping is good.¡± ¡°Anan is good too, no spanking needed.¡± ¡°No spanking, no spanking.¡± The three siblings immediately covered their little plump buttocks and started gnawing on their meat deliciously. After dinner, Brother Lu and Lu Xiaoting were responsible for cleaning and washing the dishes. Susu wasn¡¯t idle either; she stewed the pig¡¯s head, trotters, and hocks in a big pot, letting it simmer all afternoon so they could eat it in the evening. Once Jiang Nan saw there wasn¡¯t much help needed, she returned to her room to accompany the two children, knowing she and her husband would leave after the fifth day of the new year. The triplets, having woken up too early in the morning, fell asleep on the kang after the meal, with Father Lu and Mrs. Lu carefully moving the sleepily sprawled trio to the end of the kang. Cooking took long, and the head of the kang was too hot to sleep on. They also worried about the children overheating. In the evening, the whole family enjoyed the tender and flavorful stewed pig¡¯s head meat and trotters and hocks, continuously praising Susu¡¯s amazing cooking skills. The three little ones each held a piece of meat and ate delightedly, greasing up their faces. The elderly mother, looking disdainfully at her messy children, quickly fetched some warm water to clean them up. In the evening, the family gathered around the radio, snacking and laughing as they awaited the New Year. Eager to receive their New Year¡¯s money, the children each took turns wishing the elders well, the triplets performing the ritual adeptly. ¡°Wishing grandpa and grandma good health, happiness, and eternal youth.¡± ¡°Here, New Year¡¯s money, one for each.¡± Mrs. Lu, smiling warmly, pulled out a small stack of red envelopes from her pocket and passed them out to each grandchild. ... As the youngest child of the Lu Family, Lu Xiaomei joyfully held the red envelopes given by her parents, her elder brothers, and her sisters-in-law. Of course, Lu Xiaomei also prepared red envelopes for her six older nieces and nephews. ... Amid the joyous sound of firecrackers, the old was ushered out, and the new welcomed. The family gathered around the fire pit, roasting a vigorous fire symbolizing the banishment of evil spirits and ushering in luck and blessings. Chapter 133 - 133 133 New Years Visit ?Chapter 133: Chapter 133 New Year¡¯s Visit Chapter 133: Chapter 133 New Year¡¯s Visit On the eve of the New Year, aside from the six children who couldn¡¯t stay awake and fell asleep early, the adults insisted on staying up until the New Year before going to bed. Susu was so sleepy her eyelids were fighting each other, and as soon as she hit the pillow, she dozed off into a daze. She felt like she hadn¡¯t slept for long when she was awakened by various noises outside the house; it was still dark. Susu lifted her hand to check the time on her wrist, only to see it wasn¡¯t even seven o¡¯clock. ¡°Mommy, get up.¡± ¡°Mommy, the sun is shining on your butt.¡± ¡°Mommy, why are you still sleeping?¡± Pingping and Anan jumped onto their mother, chirping and calling for her. The triplets had already woken up, and if it wasn¡¯t for their father instructing them not to disturb their mother, they would surely have been chirping and running around already. Susu was almost sprayed with old blood as she was squashed by her chunky sons and daughters, and she pinched their little tufts of hair. ¡°Mommy is going to be crushed, get up a little.¡± ¡°Oh¡± The three siblings immediately sat up and stared eagerly at their mother. ¡°Come on, kids, let¡¯s go brush our teeth and wash our faces with dad.¡± Lu Xiaoting scooped up all three kids, ¡°Wife, if you¡¯re tired, sleep a bit longer, I¡¯ll take the kids to the eastern room.¡± ¡°Mhm.¡± Susu tossed and turned but had lost the will to sleep, and considering it was the first day of the New Year, she finally crawled out of bed. ¡°Mum, elder sister-in-law, Lu Xiaomei.¡± Su Nian felt a moment¡¯s embarrassment. ¡°There¡¯s hot water in the teapot, Susu. Hurry up and wash up, and then we can eat just in time.¡± Susu peeked at the white and plump dumplings and quickly washed and got ready. 7:20 AM. Looking at a big steamer full of dumplings, everyone¡¯s chopsticks were twitching with anticipation. Mrs. Lu and two others smiled with their bowls and chopsticks in hand, ¡°Eat up, let¡¯s see who¡¯s lucky enough to find a coin.¡± Brother Lu glanced at his younger brother, his chopsticks moving swiftly, ¡°Second brother, eat slower and give us a chance to find a coin.¡± Lu Xiaomei nodded, ¡°Exactly, second Brother, and dad, you too, slow down. It¡¯s always you two who find the coins every year. Mum, Brother, elder sister-in-law, Lu Xiao, I never had that luck.¡± Jiang Nan added with a smile, ¡°And second brother-in-law, too, it seemed like it was second brother-in-law who found the coins the last few years.¡± ¡°Right, right, right, elder sister-in-law, eat slower too, give us others a chance.¡± ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll eat slower, let¡¯s see who finds the coin this year.¡± Susu couldn¡¯t stop laughing. The couple exchanged a look and laughed, slowing down their dumpling consumption. Everyone else¡¯s chopsticks were flying, hastening the speed of eating dumplings. ¡°Oh, sorry everyone, I found the coin this year.¡± The whole family turned to look, and there was Father Lu, all teeth in his laughter, holding a one jiao coin. ¡°Ah, forgot to remind dad to eat slower.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not eating anymore, I¡¯m too full.¡± ¡°I¡¯m stuffed too, and I didn¡¯t even find a coin.¡± ... Mrs. Lu took the coin from her husband¡¯s hand with a smile and stuck it on the wealth god. After breakfast, Brother Lu and his wife, along with the sisters and Lu Xiaoting, took the New Year¡¯s gifts like brown sugar, which were valuable in those days, and went to pay New Year¡¯s visits. The triplets clamored to follow their elder brother, but Mrs. Lu was concerned and made sure the triplets were bundled up warmly with hats, scarves, and gloves. ¡°Tianyu, keep an eye on your younger brother and sister, don¡¯t let them fall.¡± ¡°Alright. Don¡¯t worry, grandma, I¡¯ll definitely take good care of them.¡± Then, Susu watched as Xiao Yu led three round little ones, waddling like penguins. The old mother couldn¡¯t help but laugh out loud like a pig¡¯s snort. Mrs. Lu glanced at her daughter-in-law with no amusement, this was just to prevent the children from getting cold. As soon as the three little ones left, the house instantly became much quieter. Susu lay sprawled on the kang bed, enjoying a rare moment of peace. It wasn¡¯t long before people arrived one after another, bearing gifts to pay a New Year¡¯s visit. Susu and her in-laws quickly served up brown sugar water, and there were also dried fruits and nuts on the kang bed, specially prepared for entertaining guests. ... ¡°Happy New Year, Grandpa and Grandma.¡± ¡°Happy New Year, what sweet little mouths you have.¡± The elderly couple who opened the door were all smiles, tickled by the triplets, marveling at how well these children were raised, their sweet little mouths so clever. ¡°Here, take some candy, sunflower seeds, and peanuts.¡± The old lady watched the chubby triplets with a beaming smile, grabbing a good deal extra for them. ¡°Thank you, Grandma, goodbye Grandma.¡± Xiao Yu smiled and took the triplets¡¯ little hands along with his little friends. The triplets were incredibly sweet talkers, calling younger folks ¡®Uncle¡¯ and ¡®Auntie¡¯, and those older ¡®Grandpa¡¯ and ¡®Grandma¡¯. With their endearing words, they charmed everyone in the Family Court, receiving more candies and treats than the other children. A few of Xiao Yu¡¯s friends who came along also benefited, grinning from ear to ear, calling out ¡®brother¡¯ and ¡®sister¡¯ so naturally. ¡°Brothers and sisters, thanks to you, I got more treats today than in past years. Here, these are for you.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, that¡¯s right.¡± The boys each stuffed a good amount more into the triplets¡¯ bags. ¡°Hehe, thank you, Brother. You¡¯re so nice.¡± The triplets had especially sweet mouths. Xiao Yu forehead in hand, hurried back with his bag stuffed almost to bursting with his siblings. The four siblings returned home with their little bags filled to the brim. Da Hei followed behind his siblings, wagging his tail cheerfully. ¡°My goodness, did you all just go plundering?¡± ¡°Mom, come help.¡± Susu couldn¡¯t help but laugh and cry, quickly taking the overloaded bags up onto the kang bed, promptly helping the triplets out of their coats to sit on the kang bed. Xiao Yu lined up each sibling¡¯s shoes neatly by the kang before taking off his own and climbing up. ¡°The brothers and sisters are just too endearing to the grandpas and grandmas, uncles and aunties of the Family Court.¡± Susu could easily imagine the scene of the Family Court¡¯s residents eagerly stuffing the little ones with seeds and sweets. The four siblings sat cross-legged on the kang, dividing their treats into small piles for each of them. Mrs. Lu, looking at her grandchildren with affection, joked with a smile, ¡°How come there are two extra piles here?¡± ¡°For elder sister.¡± The triplets unanimously said without looking up. Susu was strict about the children¡¯s consumption of sweets and snacks, so Xiao Yu wasn¡¯t worried and quickly cautioned the triplets, who were eyeing the candy with shining eyes. ¡°You need to eat less sunflower seeds and peanuts, or you¡¯ll get a sore throat. And you can only have one piece of candy a day.¡± An¡¯an and Lele sulked, their little hands sneakily trying to hide some sweet candy. Susu slapped the little ones¡¯ chubby hands, ¡°Mommy will keep these for you and give you some each day.¡± ¡°Mom, here¡¯s mine too,¡± Xiao Yu handed over his share. ¡°Right, or I¡¯m afraid you won¡¯t be able to resist your brothers¡¯ and sister¡¯s wheedling and you¡¯ll secretly give them candy.¡± Xiao Yu felt a bit guilty, indeed unable to resist his cute brothers¡¯ and sister¡¯s charm. Around ten o¡¯clock, the two brothers who went out for New Year visits also returned. Xiao Xue and Xiao Yu¡¯s sisters came back and immediately looked for their younger siblings, eager to pull them onto the kang bed. ¡°Brother, brothers and sisters, have some candy.¡± The sisters had specially brought it back, holding back their own craving all the way home. ¡°Elder sister¡¯s candy.¡± The six siblings gathered together to divide the chunks of candy, whispering to each other about who knows what. Chapter 134 - 134 134 Every Household Has Its Own Difficult ?Chapter 134: Chapter 134: Every Household Has Its Own Difficult Scriptures Chapter 134: Chapter 134: Every Household Has Its Own Difficult Scriptures ¡°Little Aunt, Little Aunt¡¯s husband.¡± ¡°Woof, woof, woof.¡± Following Da Hei¡¯s barks, Xiao Sun and Su Xianyue entered, carrying their son and laden with bags. ¡°Little Aunt, Little Aunt¡¯s husband, elder brother, elder sister-in-law, younger brother, younger sister-in-law, little sister.¡± ¡°Xian Yue, Xiao Sun are here, why are you still holding the child? Don¡¯t let the baby catch a cold,¡± Mrs. Lu said, about to get down from the bed. Su Xianyue quickly put her son on the bed, stopping Little Aunt. ¡°Little Aunt, don¡¯t come down. We¡¯re all family here, no need for such formalities.¡± ¡°My little boy has nothing to do at home, so I brought him here to play with his brothers and sisters for a while.¡± Su Xianyue said, hastily removing her son¡¯s hat and cotton-padded jacket. The little one felt shy under the gaze of everyone in the room and hid in his mother¡¯s arms, occasionally peeking out by turning his little head. Su Xianyue patted her son¡¯s bottom, ¡°What are you afraid of? Look around, there are three brothers and sisters about your age.¡± An¡¯an and Lele, feeling brave on their own turf, waddled up to their little brother, babbling affectionately. It wasn¡¯t long before the little ones ran to the end of the bed, chirping and playing. Mrs. Lu sighed, ¡°Time flies so fast. In the blink of an eye, Xiao Tian is over a year old, can run and jump, and his speech is much clearer.¡± ¡°Yeah, Little Aunt, before you know it, I¡¯ve got another one kicking in here, and I¡¯m going to be a mother of two.¡± ¡°What? You¡¯re expecting again?¡± ¡°Mhm.¡± Su Xianyue nodded, touching her belly with a particularly tender smile, ¡°Just over three months.¡± Mrs. Lu scolded, ¡°Then you shouldn¡¯t be carrying a child around. What if you fell on the way here? No wonder your face has gotten rounder.¡± ¡°Xiao Sun really listens too much to his wife; you can¡¯t let her have her way all the time.¡± Xiao Sun sheepishly scratched his head. ¡°Do your parents know?¡± asked Mrs. Lu. Su Xianyue nodded, ¡°They just found out too.¡± Mrs. Lu tapped her niece gently, ¡°I know what you both are thinking. Next time, don¡¯t run around so much. The baby in your belly is what¡¯s important.¡± After seeing off their niece and her family, Mrs. Lu grumbled, ¡°Elder Brother and Sister-in-law really should have held her back. Being pregnant and all. Visiting during New Year¡¯s is just about conveying good wishes, not necessarily having to visit in person.¡± Listening to his spouse mutter, Father Lu kept silent, not daring to say a word. Otherwise, with his wife¡¯s fierce temper, a single word from him might set her off. The next morning, Uncle Lu arrived with his three children, bringing quite a bit of stuff for the New Year¡¯s visit. ¡°Little brother, Little sister-in-law, Xiao Mei is at home taking care of the family, she couldn¡¯t leave.¡± ¡°How is everything at home, Little Aunt¡¯s husband?¡± ¡°All good, all good. Brother routinely brings some meat home for his wife, and everyone at Brother¡¯s house, including the baby in the womb, is doing well.¡± Little Aunt¡¯s husband said cheerfully as he emptied his basket, ¡°We¡¯ve raised more chickens than usual this year, so I brought two old hens over.¡± ¡°We¡¯re all family, no need to be so formal. Each time you visit, it¡¯s either meat or grains; it¡¯s starting to make me feel embarrassed.¡± ¡°Elder Sister-in-law, if it weren¡¯t for my wife working with you and your younger sister-in-law, she wouldn¡¯t be earning so much each month, and life at home would be considerably less comfortable.¡± ... Mrs. Lu wanted to keep the father and his children for a meal before letting them go, but eventually, Little Aunt¡¯s husband, anxious about home, left shortly after sitting for a while. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Mrs. Lu had just climbed onto the bed when she heard a commotion and saw several women by the window, ears perked, listening. ¡°You have no right to bully your sister-in-law! You still have the audacity...¡± Mrs. Lu asked, ¡°Why does it sound like the noise is coming from Aunt Wang¡¯s house?¡± Unable to contain her curiosity, Susu put on her husband¡¯s big cotton coat and ran out to the courtyard to listen. Mrs. Lu and Jiang Nan also ran out, and as soon as they did, they heard a big commotion from next door. At that moment, the entrance to the Wang Family¡¯s house was packed with people craning their necks to see what was happening. ¡°Elder sister-in-law? Does he even look like someone who should be an elder brother? Just because he¡¯s an elder brother, he thinks he can forcefully push people around?¡± ¡°That¡¯s your elder sister-in-law. No matter what, it¡¯s not your place as a younger uncle to lay hands on her. Today you hit your elder sister-in-law, will you hit your elder brother or our mother tomorrow?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense about other things. Just tell me...¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡± Mrs. Lu furrowed her brow. ¡°It seems like the Wang family¡¯s elder and younger daughters-in-law started fighting over something, and now, the two brothers are also shouting and about to come to blows.¡± Aunt Wang looked at her home, with chairs and stools scattered about, so angry her hands were trembling, and she gritted her teeth. ¡°Stop! Stop it!¡± The Wang brothers were defending their wives, both red-faced and arguing fiercely. Elder Sister-in-Law stared at the brash younger uncle who dared to push her and yelled furiously, ¡°Heartless and ungrateful brute. Behaving like this in front of your nephews and nieces, hitting their mother.¡± Brother Wang frowned, ¡°Shut up, just be quiet for once.¡± Wang Dong, supporting his wife, eyes red, warned, ¡°Li Zhaodi, shut your mouth. You dared to push my wife. If anything happens to her or the child in her womb, I swear I¡¯ll fight you to the death.¡± The younger uncle¡¯s fierce look startled Elder Sister-in-Law, who shouted back stiffly. ¡°Why are you shouting? There¡¯s no need. I¡¯m not a worm in you and your wife¡¯s stomach; how could I know she was pregnant? Otherwise, why would I push her? I¡¯m not stupid. If someone hits me, shouldn¡¯t I fight back?¡± Wang Dong¡¯s wife, her hair a mess, was infuriated by the shameless elder sister-in-law. ¡°If you weren¡¯t always making excuses and causing trouble, would I ever lose control and hit someone?¡± Brother Wang knew what his wife was like; probably, his sister-in-law was telling the truth, but he couldn¡¯t just watch his brother hit his wife. ¡°Let¡¯s split up! Split up!¡± Everyone was stunned by this sudden shout, all eyes turning to the visibly exhausted Aunt Wang. Aunt Wang closed her eyes, weary. Ever since the second brother¡¯s wife joined the family, there was a small quarrel every three days and a big one every five. The elder daughter-in-law was petty and always looked for small advantages, and the younger daughter-in-law was formidable themselves. Aunt Wang, tired of the constant bickering, repeated her earlier statement. ¡°Let¡¯s split up! Since there¡¯s constant quarreling every day, let¡¯s just separate and live our own lives.¡± Brother Wang said, ¡°Mother? This...¡± Aunt Wang cut off her eldest son, ¡°Listen to your mother first. Instead of daily chaos and conflicts so severe that you brothers are at each other¡¯s throats, it¡¯s better to split up early. As for my care, we can discuss that later.¡± The onlookers who had gathered out of curiosity exchanged glances, all shocked by the Wang family¡¯s decision to split up. And so, under the witness of a few leaders in the factory, the Wang brothers formally divided their household. Mrs. Lu sighed, ¡°Every household has its own difficult scripture to read. Seeing one¡¯s own brothers become enemies like that, which parent could stand it?¡± Susu comforted her mother-in-law, ¡°Mother, don¡¯t worry. Splitting up sometimes isn¡¯t necessarily bad. Instead of deteriorating brotherly love through daily quarrels, it¡¯s better to separate early. There¡¯s some truth to the saying ¡®familiarity breeds contempt.''¡± Mrs. Lu was amused by her daughter-in-law¡¯s earnest words and felt relieved that her own children got along well. Chapter 135 - 135 135 Favored and Surprised ?Chapter 135: Chapter 135: Favored and Surprised Chapter 135: Chapter 135: Favored and Surprised After the Wang Family had settled their separation, Aunt Wang, holding her dried goods, came over to visit Mrs. Lu. The two elderly women chatted idly while watching the children play rambunctiously on the kang bed. ¡°Aunt Lu, I really envy you. Your family¡¯s siblings are so close-knit and harmonious, your daughter-in-law is filial, and the men are exceptionally good men¡± Aunt Wang genuinely admired. Mrs. Lu chided her, ¡°Aren¡¯t all men like that? You¡¯re exaggerating too much.¡± ¡°Your man truly isn¡¯t an exaggeration. In the surrounding ten-mile radius, you can count on one hand the number of men like him. Who else¡¯s husband helps his wife take care of the kids and cook meals? Isn¡¯t that a loving and good man?¡± Mrs. Lu nodded with a smile, humbly agreeing. ¡°None of the women in the Family Court don¡¯t envy you. A good man who also is handsome. Though being handsome can¡¯t fill the belly, it¡¯s still pleasing to the eye, isn¡¯t it?¡± Mrs. Lu nodded, ¡°Yes.¡± ... After seeing off Aunt Wang, the smile on Mrs. Lu¡¯s face never faded. She even found the men and boys of the family more pleasing to the eye. Smiling, she asked, ¡°What would you gentlemen like for lunch?¡± The two brothers looked at each other, ¡°We¡¯ll leave it to you, Mother. You decide.¡± Father Lu was a bit scared by his quirky wife. The father and sons exchanged glances. ¡°What¡¯s gotten into your mother? What¡¯s she freaking out about?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t know.¡± Susu stifled a laugh, thinking to herself that her mother-in-law must have been provoked by something Aunt Wang said. Mrs. Lu was in high spirits. Watching her eldest son, busily working with low brows and eager eyes, she nodded in satisfaction. The wife of the oldest had changed a lot since coming back; she had become more sensible. She no longer pettily threw tantrums or got angry so easily. She heard from her eldest that in the Southern, the eldest also worked while his wife stayed home to cook, ensuring they could enjoy a hot meal when he returned. She had also come to terms with things; if the iron rice bowl was gone, it was gone. As long as the eldest and his wife worked together, they could make a good income as individual business owners. ¡°Eldest¡¯s wife, later give me your eight-character birthday.¡± Jiang Nan paused while chopping vegetables, ¡°Alright, Mother.¡± Susu chimed in with a smile, ¡°Mother, should we go to the market to buy some wine?¡± ¡°Right, we should buy a bottle. Old Blind Man really likes it.¡± Mrs. Lu called into the inner room, ¡°Eldest, go to the cooperative and buy a bottle of good baijiu.¡± ¡°Buy more wine? Don¡¯t we have some at home?¡± ¡°Just go and buy it when your mother tells you to. Why ask so many pointless questions?¡± Mrs. Lu glared. Brother Lu grudgingly nodded, ¡°I¡¯m going now.¡± Jiang Nan also guessed that her mother-in-law was probably going to see Old Blind Man, and she was somewhat skeptical. ¡°An¡¯an, don¡¯t you bully Da Hei.¡± Susu scolded, but then saw the rascal climbing onto Da Hei. An¡¯an blinked his big eyes, ¡°An¡¯an is not bullying, just riding the doggy.¡± ¡°You cannot ride the doggy either.¡± Susu promptly lifted her son off, but the little fellow was still pouting. ¡°Pingping, keep an eye on your brothers and sister. Don¡¯t let them ride Da Hei.¡± ¡°I know, Mommy.¡± Pingping puffed her chest, gently consoling Da Hei with her little hands and sternly warned her eager younger siblings in her baby voice. ¡°Mommy said you can¡¯t bully Da Hei!¡± ¡°Otherwise, you¡¯ll get a spanking.¡± An¡¯an and Lele covered their little bottoms, shaking their heads. ¡°No spanking, no spanking.¡± Hearing the little one sternly using Mommy to scare her siblings, all the adults couldn¡¯t help but burst into laughter. ¡°This child, she¡¯s so by-the-book, just like the second child when he was young.¡± Mrs. Lu looked at Pingping and was reminded of her second son¡¯s childhood¡ªalways so methodical, more so than even some adults. Susu had already imagined the childhood scenes of Lu Gong¡¯an and couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. The triplets were now like little shadows, hugging their dad¡¯s legs and calling out ¡°Dad¡± as soon as they saw him get off the bed to put on his shoes. ¡°Dad.¡± ¡°Dad.¡± ¡°Dad.¡± Lu Xiaoting touched his daughter¡¯s little pigtails with a gentle tone, ¡°Pingping and Anan, Lele be good, Daddy is going to the restroom.¡± ¡°I want to go with Daddy.¡± ¡°Anan wants to go too.¡± ¡°Daddy, hug me, Lele wants a hug.¡± Father Lu looked at his grandchildren who insisted on following their dad outdoors and affectionately tried to persuade the triplets, but they weren¡¯t buying it. Lu Xiaoting, with no choice, called out to his wife in the living room who was cooking, ¡°Wife, I¡¯m going to the restroom, Pingping, Anan, and Lele insist on following.¡± Susu, with one hand on her hip and the other waving a spatula, said, ¡°You three be good at home, don¡¯t follow Dad.¡± The triplets feared their beautiful mom the most at home ¡ª while grandpa, grandma, and dad just pretend to be scary, mommy really would spank. The three little ones quickly covered their little butts with both hands and shook their heads vigorously. ¡°Not following, not following, mommy won¡¯t spank.¡± Susu was almost charmed by her three kids¡¯ actions and almost couldn¡¯t hold back her laughter, glaring at the tall man. Lu Xiaoting awkwardly touched his nose, whispering close to his wife¡¯s ear, ¡°Wife, don¡¯t be mad.¡± ¡°Quickly go to your restroom.¡± Susu, annoyed, felt like spanking him just as she would spank the triplet¡¯s little butts. Mrs. Lu, hearing the interaction of her son and daughter-in-law, couldn¡¯t help but smile joyfully. ... After dinner, Father Lu rode a bicycle with his wife to visit the Old Blind Man. ¡°What¡¯s it about?¡± The Old Blind Man came out to open the door and went straight to the point. Mrs. Lu quickly pulled out Brother Lu and his wife¡¯s birth dates, ¡°We want to consult about our son and daughter-in-law.¡± The Old Blind Man leaned against the heated brick bed, closed his eyes, and started calculating, mumbling words that the couple couldn¡¯t understand. Father Lu and Mrs. Lu kept silent, not even daring to breathe heavily for fear of disturbing the Old Blind Man during his fortune telling, and quietly waited. ... On the way back, Mrs. Lu thought about the Old Blind Man¡¯s words, filled with smiles. According to the Old Blind Man, Brother Lu¡¯s family had overcome their tough phase, and the couple, working together, would progressively do better. She couldn¡¯t help but wonder if the rough patch Brother Lu¡¯s family faced was her own maternal home? After hearing about the troubling affairs of her maternal home from Brother Lu, he had also broken off ties with them. In her opinion, Jiang Nan¡¯s mother-in-law was also problematic, always exploiting her daughter to support her son and grandsons. ¡°Brother Lu¡¯s family, you and him must work together with all your might, that¡¯s the only way. I went to the Old Blind Man, and he confirmed as long as you two are united, things will gradually improve. Don¡¯t worry about home; even if we¡¯re not the kids¡¯ grandparents, their uncles and aunts treat them very well.¡± Jiang Nan was somewhat moved by this, her mother-in-law speaking so openly for the first time. Nodding, ¡°Mom, I understand. Seeing the kids¡¯ condition when I returned, I knew they are doing very well. I really appreciate father, mother, and my brothers-in-law and their wives.¡± Jiang Nan wasn¡¯t blind; upon returning she immediately noticed the children were thriving, their faces rounder and taller. She used to constantly call the Chongxi Sister-in-law, and now felt increasingly embarrassed. ... Brother Lu and his wife departed on the fifth day, traveling from Provincial City by train to the Capital, then transferring from the Capital to Yangcheng. The sisters were sad to leave their parents, their eyes swollen from crying. However, luckily with many kids at home, they bounced back the next day. Chapter 136 - 136 136 The Green-skinned Train ?Chapter 136: Chapter 136: The Green-skinned Train Chapter 136: Chapter 136: The Green-skinned Train The family returned to Provincial City on the sixth day of the New Year. Father Lu couldn¡¯t bear to part with them and insisted on taking them to the bus station, hugging his three grandsons and not wanting to let go. ¡°Grandpa, bye-bye.¡± The triplets felt no reluctance and couldn¡¯t wait to board the shuttle bus. Mrs. Lu looked at her husband, whose face was wrinkled with sadness, and offered comforting words with a smirk, ¡°Make sure to be extra careful with things like the stove when you¡¯re home alone.¡± That very afternoon, Susu and Lu Xiaomei went to their shop to check on sanitation issues and to do some accounting. Sanitation issues in the food business were of paramount importance and were always a high priority. Ever since they had discovered sanitation problems the last time, Susu, who was usually very good-tempered, lost her temper on the spot. She fined each employee three days¡¯ wages, and the store manager, five days¡¯ wages. Fearing that too light a penalty might lead the staff to not take things seriously, she couldn¡¯t possibly come to the shop every day to keep watch over it. After that incident, the staff had all become somewhat afraid of the boss; despite her usually gentle demeanor, she was frighteningly serious when problems arose. ... ¡°What¡¯s wrong with my wife?¡± As soon as Lu Xiaoting came home, he saw his wife standing there, lost in thought. Susu pulled her husband over to sit down, looking at him intently with her almond eyes. ¡°Now that the children are grown and we have Mother and Little Aunt around, I want to go to the Southern region to buy clothes to sell. You used to worry about my being pregnant and that it wasn¡¯t safe, but now it should be fine, right?¡± Lu Xiaoting furrowed his brows, ¡°My wife, I¡ª¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry, I will definitely take someone with me. And I¡¯ve already decided, regardless of whether you agree or not.¡± That night, the atmosphere between the couple was somewhat tense. The next morning, Susu went to find Su Chenghe and Xiao Sun, asking if they wished to head South with her. They looked at each other, and finally, Su Chenghe hesitated before asking, ¡°Sister-in-law, would my older brother agree to this?¡± ¡°Whether he agrees or not isn¡¯t important, the main thing is whether you two want to come and see the world with me,¡± Susu said, waving her hand dismissively. After hesitating, they both nodded, indicating they were willing to go with her. ¡°Good, get your family affairs in order, and we¡¯ll leave once I find a good shop space.¡± Susu was a woman of actions. She immediately cycled around the streets, particularly near the university and emerging business districts. ¡°Auntie, are there any houses for rent or for sale around here?¡± ¡°What? You¡¯re looking for a house?¡± The elderly lady leisurely pointed in a direction, ¡°Go over there and ask around, I think there might be some.¡± ¡°Ah, thank you, auntie.¡± Susu followed the direction the old lady had indicated and started asking anyone she saw. ¡°Excuse me, sir, do you know if there are any houses for rent or for sale around here?¡± ¡°What? You¡¯re asking about what?¡± ¡°Are there any houses for rent or for sale around here?¡± ¡°What houses?¡± Susu raised her voice, enunciating every word, ¡°Are there any houses for rent or for sale around here?¡± ¡°Oh~ My family just so happens to have one, wait here, I¡¯ll go fetch my daughter-in-law.¡± The old man said this as he shakily walked back into his yard. Susu was worried the old man might fall, so she opened her arms, ready to catch him if necessary. It wasn¡¯t long before a woman holding a child came out, ¡°Comrade, are you the one looking for a house to rent?¡± Susu quickly asked, ¡°I¡¯m not looking to rent, I want to buy.¡± ¡°Buy a house? This... I¡¯ll have to discuss it with my husband. I can show you rental properties right now; there are several storefronts available for rent in this area.¡± Susu was surprised; this unassuming woman turned out to have quite a few properties. The woman, noticing Susu¡¯s astonishment, explained with a smile, ¡°Not all of them are ours; some we¡¯re just looking after for others. If you¡¯re not in a rush, have a seat and wait; my husband should be off work and back soon.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± She didn¡¯t have to wait long before the woman came back with her husband. ¡°Comrade, I heard from my wife that you¡¯re looking to buy a property? Do you have any requirements?¡± ¡°A bit larger, preferably with a storeroom.¡± ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll take you to see some.¡± The man took Su Nian to see five or six houses. Su Nian thought they were all not big enough for a clothing store, as they seemed too small. She planned to sell men¡¯s and women¡¯s clothing while also offering some accessories and shoes. The space when combining two units seemed about right. However, among them were two adjacent storefronts, except one was only for rent, not for sale. ¡°Big Brother, I want both units. Could you help me talk to the landlord?¡± The man hesitated, ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll ask, but I can¡¯t guarantee anything.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine, I appreciate it, Big Brother.¡± ¡°No problem. Come by tomorrow then.¡± After having lunch at the store, Su Nian went out again in the afternoon to look at several more storefronts, but she still preferred the two adjacent ones from the morning. After running around outside all day, she had just stepped inside when her three children rushed to hug her. ¡°Mommy, why did you come back so late?¡± ¡°Mommy, An¡¯an missed you.¡± ¡°Mommy, Lele wants a hug; I missed Mommy.¡± Lu Xiaoting heard the children¡¯s babbling voices as soon as he arrived at the courtyard gate, his eyes filled with tenderness. ¡°Wife, I¡¯m back.¡± Susu snorted coldly, not wanting to deal with the stinky man who didn¡¯t keep his word. Lu Xiaoting scratched his head; he had only said one thing yesterday, how come his wife was still angry? After finally diverting the triplets to go play on their own, Lu Xiaoting immediately snuggled up to his fragrant and soft wife. ¡°Wife, I was wrong. Don¡¯t be mad anymore.¡± ¡°Hmph!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be mad, wife. Whatever you say goes.¡± ¡°Tsk.¡± ¡°Wife, when are you planning to leave? I should ask for leave at the station so I can go with you.¡± Susu was both shocked and delighted, ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Really. I initially disagreed only because I was concerned about you. It¡¯s chaotic on the train, but since you insist, I¡¯ll accompany you.¡± Susu immediately clung to his neck and acted coquettishly, ¡°Oh my, why are you so good to me? What good deed did I do in my past life to meet such a wonderful man like you in this one?¡± The man¡¯s wheat-colored skin showed a suspicious blush as he said sheepishly, ¡°However, I might not be able to accompany you next time.¡± ¡°That¡¯s okay, this time is enough.¡± The next day Su Nian, filled with trepidation, rushed over, already prepared for disappointment. Unexpectedly, things took a favorable turn; the landlord, fearing the property wouldn¡¯t sell, had only said it was for rent. That very afternoon, Su Nian went to the housing bureau with the landlord to transfer the ownership. The two units together cost three thousand seven hundred, a considerable increase compared to two years ago. However, the money was well spent. The two units could be combined, and each had two small storage rooms suitable for living or storing goods. For the renovation, they needed to knock down the walls to create openings about the size of three doors, paint the houses white overall, and ensure bright lighting. They also ordered customized shelves for the walls and stands for hanging clothes. After arranging everything for the new store, Susu and Lu Xiaoting left home reluctantly. The triplets thought their parents were going out for the day as usual, returning in the evening, and happily waved their little hands. The couple, together with Su Chenghe and Xiao Sun, set forth on the green train to the Capital. On the train, people carried large and small bags, and from time to time, various animal sounds could be heard. The aisle was overcrowded, and the travelers almost didn¡¯t make it through. The mix of smells and the scent of feet almost made them vomit. Chapter 137 - 137 137 How is the Daughter-in-law Pregnant ?Chapter 137: Chapter 137: How is the Daughter-in-law Pregnant Again? Chapter 137: Chapter 137: How is the Daughter-in-law Pregnant Again? Their seats happened to be a set of four, facing each other as they sat down. Suddenly, a pair of large hands landed on Susu¡¯s head, giving her a start. ¡°Comrade, please withdraw your hand.¡± Lu Xiaoting promptly lifted the man¡¯s dirty hands back to him. ¡°What the hell, it¡¯s none of your fucking business where I put my hand.¡± The man cursed and turned around, only to meet the stern, frightening face of the tall and brawny Lu Xiaoting. He immediately shut his mouth and withdrew his hand, not daring to let out so much as a breath. Susu rolled her eyes, thinking he was a coward who bullied the weak and feared the strong. ¡°Wife, let¡¯s just bear with it. Once we get to the Capital and change trains, we can sleep in bunk beds where there are fewer people.¡± Susu nodded, ¡°Mhm, sit down. Don¡¯t keep standing.¡± It was everyone¡¯s first time on a train, looking around curiously at everything. Suddenly, a sour and stinky odor wafted by, assaulting their nostrils with a vengeance. Susu felt like retching from the stench, wondering which person could be responsible for such a smell that seemed to stem from days without washing their feet. Not only Susu but even the three men were left feeling dizzy and disoriented by the smell. Su Chenghe complained, ¡°Good Lord, that foot stink is even worse than my big brother¡¯s, it¡¯s making my eyes water!¡± (Su Chengming, ¡°...¡±) Susu¡¯s shoulders shook with suppressed laughter. Was he really being that exaggerated? Later on, with the rickety movements of the green train, Susu dozed off leaning against her man. She didn¡¯t know if it was psychological or if she¡¯d just grown accustomed to the train, but Susu eventually got used to the smell. They arrived in Beijing in the middle of the night, catching an early train the next day. All the lodgings were likely closed by late night, so the group simply waited at the train station. Luckily they were dressed warmly and didn¡¯t feel too cold while waiting at the station. The train from the Capital to Yangcheng was a sleeper train; having barely slept the previous night, they began to sleep as soon as they got on the train. When Susu woke up, the various delicious food aromas in the carriage had her stomach growling. ¡°Wife, I¡¯ve bought some food. Come down and eat,¡± he said. Just as Susu was sitting up, she saw her man returning with several lunch boxes in hand. It was like they were perfectly in sync. The four of them ate their pancakes brought from home along with hot water and dishes. The person in the upper bunk seemed to be woken by their activity and got down, grabbed a lunch box, and left. After eating their fill, Su Nian leaned on the lower bunk and watched the scenery outside the window, which was unlike the bare wasteland seen from the train windows in Meng Province. The group talked about the kids back home, wondering whether they¡¯d even recognize them upon returning. Gradually, they shared tips on childcare and education, and the time flew by not without a bit of joy. In an instant, the outside world turned pitch black. As the train began to slow down and come to a stop, the noise gradually filled the carriage. Having slept poorly the night before, Su Nian decided to climb up to the middle bunk to sleep early. ¡°Comrade, wake up.¡± On the train, Susu, who slept lightly, was woken by someone and opened her eyes to face an old lady. Frowning, she asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong, old comrade?¡± ¡°Comrade, let¡¯s switch bunks. I¡¯m old and just can¡¯t get up there.¡± Instantly, Susu got up, annoyed at being woken from a sound sleep. Was it just because they saw she was a female comrade? If she couldn¡¯t climb to the upper bunk, shouldn¡¯t she ask the lower bunk? Why did she ignore the male comrade in the lower bunk and ask the only female comrade in the middle bunk? Look at her, thinking she¡¯s too good to give up her seat! ¡°Not switching.¡± ¡°Hey, you young woman, why don¡¯t you show any respect for your elders?¡± the old lady hollered, squinting her eyes. Su Nian sneered, ¡°Old lady, you woke me up from a sound sleep, and now you¡¯re acting like you¡¯re in the right. Even if it¡¯s because of your personal issue that you can¡¯t climb up there, loudness doesn¡¯t make anyone right. Besides, I¡¯ve always respected my elders and cared for the young, but with your attitude today, I¡¯m not giving in.¡± Susu kept her voice under control, making sure both she and the old lady demanding her seat could hear her. ¡°Hey, everybody, come and judge for yourselves. Is it easy for an old lady my age?¡± The old lady wailed, hitting her thigh and waking up everyone in the carriage. There was never a shortage of people who loved a commotion. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with the elderly comrade?¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah, what¡¯s going on? Let¡¯s talk this through calmly.¡± Seeing that people had gathered around, the old lady immediately began to cry, make a scene, and threaten to hang herself, all while shouting. ¡°I¡¯m an old lady, on my way to see my son¡¯s child. Who would¡¯ve thought my son only managed to snatch an upper berth. As an old woman, I can¡¯t possibly climb up there, so I thought I¡¯d switch with this young lady, as it should be easier for the youth.¡± ¡°Yes, yes, the upper berth is too high, it¡¯s really not easy to get up there.¡± ¡°Indeed, it¡¯s not easy for an old lady of her age.¡± With everyone siding with her, the old lady pointed with slanted eyes and said, ¡°But this young woman refused to switch no matter what. She even insinuated that I¡¯m useless as an old person. What bad things did I do in my last life to be scolded like this?¡± Susu... really knew how to turn black into white. Those unaware of the truth all pointed fingers at Susu for not understanding the concept of respect for the elderly. ¡°Young woman, just switch with the old comrade. The elderly have a hard time moving, what if she falls?¡± ¡°Exactly, you have elderly people in your family too. Why can¡¯t you show some empathy?¡± ... Susu was so angry she had to laugh. She looked up and saw Lu Xiaoting¡¯s furrowed brow and tugged at his hand, giving him a reassuring look that she was alright. Then, holding her belly, she pretended to be weak, pale, and drained, and slowly started climbing down. Coughing, she said, ¡°I¡¯m really sorry, old comrade. I¡¯m in such discomfort, and I was worried about the baby. I really couldn¡¯t help it just now. Please don¡¯t be mad, and don¡¯t let people curse at me and my man. I¡¯ll move aside for you, and if worse comes to worst... I¡¯ll just lie on the floor for a few days. Otherwise, I¡¯m afraid if I fall from up here, something might happen to the baby in my belly, and I...¡± Susu covered her mouth and began to sob, choking back tears, leaving onlookers filled with pity. The crowd immediately took her side. ¡°Young woman, you¡¯re really having a tough time. Don¡¯t move, we all face difficulties.¡± ¡°Yes, don¡¯t move, just lie still. Do not harm the baby in your belly.¡± ¡°The old comrade really should know better. With so many men around, she insisted on bothering a sick young woman. Didn¡¯t you see how pale she looks?¡± ¡°Really, waking everyone up in the middle of the night, almost causing us to wrongly accuse the young woman.¡± ... The old lady glared, listening to the murmur of the crowd but was at a loss for words. Susu winked at her man, and the previously stunned Lu Xiaoting instantly understood that this was his wife¡¯s version of a soft dagger. He breathed a sigh of relief, joking to himself that he¡¯d had a vasectomy at the hospital, so how could his wife be pregnant again? In the end, the middle berth across from them was swapped by Xiao Sun and the old lady, and only then did the crowd disperse. Unaware of the true story, Su Chengming and Xiao Sun were panic-stricken and anxious for days. Chapter 138 - 138 138 My 50 yuan is still here what about ?Chapter 138: Chapter 138: My 50 yuan is still here, what about yours? Chapter 138: Chapter 138: My 50 yuan is still here, what about yours? After several days and nights, the four of them finally arrived in Yangcheng in the morning. As the train traveled southward, the temperature became increasingly warm. They started out wearing cotton-padded jackets and pants, but ended up in just shirts and trousers. As soon as the train arrived at the station, they immediately felt the intense heat of Yangcheng. They were afraid of being separated by the crowd, so they tightly circled Su Nian in the middle for protection while following the throng toward the exit. ¡°My heavens, is this Yangcheng?¡± ¡°There are so many people.¡± Standing at the train station, they curiously observed the bustling crowd and the vehicles coming and going. ¡°Second sister-in-law, where are we headed?¡± Xiao Sun and the three big men stared at Susu eagerly for an answer, ¡°Let¡¯s find a guesthouse to put our things down, then go out to eat. After we¡¯ve eaten, we¡¯ll go check out the wholesale market today.¡± They found a guesthouse near the train station. ¡°Comrade, what¡¯s the price for a room?¡± ¡°It¡¯s two yuan a night for a big bunk bed room. A standard room is five yuan a night.¡± The attendant lay lazily on the desk. ¡°We¡¯ll take two standard rooms.¡± As soon as Su Nian spoke, Su and Xiao Sun quickly said, ¡°Second sister-in-law, the two of us can stay in the big room to save some money.¡± ¡°No need, it¡¯s not that much more.¡± Susu ignored them and decisively booked two adjoining standard rooms. After they put their clothes away, they stepped out, naturally carrying their valuables on them. Then, the four of them entered a roast goose restaurant, ordering the local specialty roast goose along with four bowls of soup rice. Just smelling it, their stomachs were already growling loudly. Susu had heard about the local delicacies in her previous life, like roast chicken, roast duck, roast goose, and such. She hadn¡¯t had a chance to try them before, but now that she was here, she had to taste them. ¡°Mmm, delicious.¡± ¡°Really fragrant.¡± ... After a hearty meal, it was noon and the sun was quite hot. During the meal, Su Chengming and Xiao Sun wanted to pay, but found it inconvenient to access their money on the spot and thought about going outside to get it to pay. Susu stopped them, ¡°Cheng He, Xiao Sun, no need. I brought you here to help out, I can¡¯t let you pay. Besides, I¡¯ve read in the newspapers and heard there are a lot of thieves here who are adept at snatching, even many people who stay in hotels and guesthouses get robbed clean.¡± Su Chengming and Xiao Sun were stunned, ¡°Second sister-in-law, is that true? Are there so many thieves, and nobody takes care of it?¡± ¡°Even if they want to, they can¡¯t keep up with them all. By the time you report it to the police, the thieves have long since run off with your money. It¡¯s impossible to catch them. I¡¯ve heard there are many gangs operating here, even ones that specialize in training women and children. A lot of people lower their guard when they see women and children. By the time you realize your money and belongings are gone, it¡¯s already too late. So, when you¡¯re out and about, always stay vigilant. It¡¯s not a bad thing to be cautious.¡± Lu Xiaoting nodded, ¡°Your sister-in-law is right. You guys need to be more careful. Bad people don¡¯t have ¡®I¡¯m a bad person¡¯ written on their faces.¡± ¡°Mhm, we got it.¡± Su Chenghe and Xiao Sun looked at each other with serious nods. After being well-fed and with the sun at its hottest at noon, there was no rush. They went back to the guesthouse to rest and take a nap. As soon as Su Chenghe and Xiao Sun entered their room, they immediately locked the door and propped a chair against it before they felt secure enough to lie down. Susu lay down with her man by her side and soon fell asleep. The guesthouse front desk attendant watched the four people coming and going and sneered, wondering what they were up to. Looking at their attire, they probably weren¡¯t there to stock up on goods or do business. Susu and her companions had to take two different buses after asking around before they finally reached their destination¡ªthe wholesale market. ¡°My God, it¡¯s huge.¡± ¡°So many people?¡± Lu Xiaoting was closely guarding his wife, ¡°Wife, what should we do?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s take a look around first, check out the prices and quality and all. We ought to compare goods from at least three stores. For now, let¡¯s just note down which ones give us the best deal including quality and style.¡± After saying that, the four of them strolled from one shop to another in each district. There was a lot of stuff not available back in their hometown, and some items were similar to those sold in the Department Store but at a drastically lower price. ¡°Boss, how do we pick up these clothes?¡± ¡°Depends on how much you take, of course, the more you take, the cheaper it gets. Over there, fifty pieces are between 3-6 yuan each, over a hundred pieces are between 2.5 to 5 yuan each. Over two hundred pieces, prices range from 2 to 4.5 yuan each.¡± Susu nodded, the quality seemed quite good, ¡°Alright, boss, we¡¯ll keep looking.¡± The boss didn¡¯t pay much attention to them. Every day lots of people come to ask, and quite a few don¡¯t buy. He didn¡¯t think these few people were capable of taking a big order, so he didn¡¯t care too much. As they continued browsing, they roughly noted down the stores with suitable prices and quality, some places, however, were quite expensive for just average quality goods. After walking through all the shops on one street, encountering a few of those arrogant and unresponsive shopkeepers, Susu couldn¡¯t be bothered with them and just walked away. For partnerships, you¡¯ve got to work with people you click with. You can¡¯t force it. Different sectors within the wholesale market sold different kinds of goods. Especially in the clothing sector, it was extremely crowded with throngs of people everywhere. Inside, many were carrying big and small bags or pushing carts filled with them. They were all wholesalers. ¡°Ah.¡± ¡°Ouch, sorry sorry, miss, I¡¯m really sorry, I didn¡¯t see you there. Are you alright?¡± A woman carrying a big bag quickly turned around to apologize with a strong northeastern accent. Susu smiled, ¡°It¡¯s fine, I wasn¡¯t looking either, too busy looking at both sides. I can tell from your accent, you¡¯re from the northeast, right?¡± ¡°Wow, miss, how did you know?¡± The woman scratched her head, ¡°I thought I didn¡¯t have an accent.¡± Susu couldn¡¯t help but laugh, holding her stomach, ¡°We¡¯re from Meng Province, not too far from the Three Eastern Provinces, I recognized it right away.¡± ¡°My goodness, you must have been on the train for a long time, right?¡± Susu nodded, ¡°Exactly, even now when I lie down to sleep, I feel like I¡¯m on the train, swaying back and forth.¡± ... The four of them shopped till it got dark, then went out to eat before returning. ¡°Cheng He, Xiao Sun, don¡¯t sleep too deeply. I¡¯m worried someone might try to break in through the door or windows. You¡¯ve got money on you too, so be careful.¡± ¡°They can break in through the windows?¡± Both were shocked. ¡°What¡¯s so strange about that? It¡¯s not very high up to the second floor, and the pros are very skilled at this.¡± ¡°Alright, we¡¯ll be careful.¡± Staying out meant limited facilities, so Susu could only wash her face and quickly rinse her feet. Lu Xiaoting arranged his wife¡¯s shoes before getting into bed, ¡°Wife, you sleep tight, I¡¯m usually a light sleeper when we¡¯re outside. I¡¯ll wake up at the slightest noise.¡± Susu frowned, ¡°This habit of yours is both good and bad. Once you¡¯re out, it¡¯s easy to not get enough rest.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, go to sleep, wife.¡± The next morning The first thing Su Chenghe and Xiao Sun did when they woke up was to check the money in their underwear pockets. ¡°Phew, my fifty yuan is still here. How about yours?¡± Chapter 139: 139: Damn thief, even my money is gone. Chapter 139: Chapter 139: Damn thief, even my money is gone. Xiao Sun immediately rummaged through his money, nodding with a smile, ¡°My thirty are all here too.¡± Su Chenghe nodded, ¡°But what are you bringing money for? Are you also buying some nice things for your wife and child?¡± ¡°Yep.¡± Xiao Sun nodded, ¡°I thought the clothes here would be cheap.¡± After finishing their morning wash and breakfast, they set out early for the wholesale market. Because they had to catch tomorrow¡¯s train, they had to finish buying everything today, so they could pack up their goods for tomorrow¡¯s journey. Armed with the information gathered yesterday, they headed straight for the shops Susu had finally decided were the best in terms of pricing. ¡°Good morning, boss.¡± ¡°Good morning, come on in and choose.¡± Standing aside, the three men watched as Susu personally chose the styles, eventually piecing together a total of two hundred women¡¯s tops and trousers, haggling with the owner for the best wholesale price. Then it was onto women¡¯s dresses, leather shoes, men¡¯s tops, trousers, leather shoes, as well as belts and socks. There were also electronic watches that cost just three yuan at wholesale, and some trinkets for girls, like earrings, necklaces, bracelets, hair ties, and scarves. Seeing the seven large bags on the ground, Susu worried about being watched, with the goods being too much and inconvenient to take by bus, having to transfer. In the end, Susu hired four tricycle riders, and to avoid being cheated, Susu watched over one large bag herself, while each of the three men watched over two. The tricycle riders pedaled hard, sweat visible on their bodies even from a distance. ¡°Thank you for your hard work, master.¡± Susu, feeling really embarrassed to have someone haul both goods and people, paid an extra yuan to each rider. ¡°Thank you, boss.¡± The four riders grinned happily, their skin shining black and bright under the sun. Susu tried to carry the large package with great effort, but one of the men snatched it away. ¡°Wait downstairs, wife, I¡¯ll just take it up and then come down for the rest,¡± said Lu Xiaoting as he hoisted a bag in each hand and headed upstairs. Susu didn¡¯t insist, as they were indeed very heavy. Everyone placed their goods in the room where Susu and Lu Xiaoting were staying; the floor was completely covered, making it difficult for their own to walk. ¡°Cheng He, rest a bit before you go buy food and come back. We must have someone stay here to watch the goods,¡± Su said while taking a banknote out of a pouch around her neck and handing it over to the two. ¡°Cheng, elder brother, elder sister-in-law, what do you want to eat?¡± Susu shook her head, ¡°Whatever you get is fine; your elder brother and I aren¡¯t picky. Anything¡¯s good.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± After the two left, Susu lay sprawled on the bed, her body both hot and sticky with sweat, yearning for a fragrant bath and another sleep. ¡°Do you want me to fetch you a basin of hot water so you can wipe yourself down, wife?¡± Lu Xiaoting knew his wife always liked to be clean. Susu shook her head, ¡°Never mind, I can hold on. When we go back, I can get a scrub in the public bathhouse.¡± Mainly, the shared basins in the hostel were something she really dared not use, for fear that someone might use it to wash both their face and feet, which she found quite disgusting. Yesterday, she and Lu Xiaoting had washed their faces directly under the tap in the water room, avoiding the basins altogether. ¡°Elder brother, elder sister-in-law, it was so hot, I just bought four bowls of cold noodles.¡± After the meal of cold noodles, the four of them felt a great deal cooler. Su Chenghe and Xiao Sun made another trip down to return the bowls to the noodle shop owner. Having eaten their fill, they all started to feel sleepy. Susu¡¯s head hit the pillow and within minutes, she had fallen asleep. She didn¡¯t know if she was being overly paranoid, but on her way out to buy food, Susu kept feeling as if there were a pair of invisible eyes watching her. Maybe it was a woman¡¯s sixth sense, Susu couldn¡¯t be careless, and once back, she shared her unease with the three men about feeling watched. Being unfamiliar territory and having so much merchandise, the three men instantly became vigilant. Until nightfall, nothing out of the ordinary had occurred, but the group dared not let their guard down. ¡°Stay alert at midnight and don¡¯t fall into a deep sleep,¡± Susu instructed the two men. The two men nodded, ¡°Got it, second sister-in-law.¡± Susu and Lu Xiaoting went to bed fully clothed, their hearts thumping nervously in the dark. In the middle of the night, Two sneaky figures quietly pushed open the door that was secured by a latch, being extremely careful not to make a sound. Lu Xiaoting immediately fixed his vigilant gaze on the door, hearing only a click, followed by the rustling sound of the door being slowly pushed open. Two shadows stood at the doorway, tiptoeing towards the two people on the bed. Lu Xiaoting¡¯s eyes slightly narrowed, showing no signs of panic, he restrained his tightly clenched fists. As the two men approached, in an instant, Lu Xiaoting kicked out, sending both men tumbling to the ground. ¡°Damn¡ª¡± The two men unprepared were heavily thrown onto the floor, feeling a dull pain in their chests. ¡°It¡¯s no good, let¡¯s get out of here,¡± they tried to scramble away in a roll. Naturally, Lu Xiaoting would not let two pests escape, unaware of how many people might have been stolen from. Despite being outnumbered, Lu Xiaoting remained dominant, adding a kick every time the two men tried to get up. ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°Ah¡ª¡± ¡°There¡¯s a thief¡ª¡± Awakened by the commotion, Susu let out a shrill scream that pierced the sky. At the same time, she leaped up and fiercely sat on the nearest thief. The man feeling crushed could hardly catch his breath, still trying to push off the woman who was thrashing about on top of him. Quick as a flash, Susu stepped hard, pinning the man¡¯s hands beneath her feet. Lu Xiaoting pressed the other man onto the ground with a twist of his hand. ¡°Second brother, second sister-in-law.¡± Su Chenghe, Xiao Sun, and Qian Shanshan, hearing the commotion next door and arriving late, turned on the light and hurriedly helped subdue the thief. ¡°Beat you to death, daring to steal from us.¡± ... Meanwhile, the scream from Susu had awakened the others in the neighboring rooms, and they discovered the money they had hidden on them was gone. ¡°Damn thief, my money¡¯s gone too.¡± ¡°Damn it, where¡¯s the thief? I¡¯ll kill these shameless scum.¡± The corridor gradually filled with a cacophony of cries as those who had been robbed ran out dishevelled. Confirming that the two men on the ground were the thieves, they quickly set upon them with fists and kicks, searching for their own money. ¡°Damn it, daring to steal my money, I¡¯ll beat you to death.¡± ¡°Beat these two creatures to death.¡± ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± The disturbance upstairs was quite loud, awakening the hostel staff. Still furious, the crowd lashed out at the staff with a flurry of curses. ¡°Everyone, rest assured, we will hand these two over to the police, and the police will handle everything so everyone can rest easy.¡± Following the two thieves being bound and taken away, the group expressed their gratitude to the four people before returning to their rooms. Susu had a feeling that there was still trouble brewing and watched the window uneasily. Who would have thought that not even half an hour later, two sneaky figures ran outside, looking very much like those two thieves from earlier. Susu¡¯s brow furrowed tightly, ¡°Lu Xiaoting, look quickly.¡± As Lu Xiaoting watched the two figures, he frowned, ¡°Let¡¯s leave first thing tomorrow morning.¡± Chapter 140: 140: Panicked and Flustered Chapter 140: Chapter 140: Panicked and Flustered Susu suddenly thought of something and looked at the man, ¡°Could it be...?¡± ¡°Exactly, there¡¯s a high possibility. Otherwise, why would there be consecutive thefts?¡± Lu Xiaoting frowned, fearing they were all the work of a gang. This place was just too unsafe. ¡°Cheng He, Xiao Sun, we¡¯ll enter the train station as soon as dawn breaks tomorrow.¡± ¡°Understood, Second Brother.¡± Because of this incident, Susu had lost her urge to sleep, feeling fortunate to have Lu Xiaoting with her. Otherwise, she might have already fallen prey to those people by now, and it might be even difficult to make it back home. At the same time, she was also infuriated, no wonder there were thefts every day and there were still so many thieves around; someone was obviously making it easy for them. It was unclear if this was just the work of the underlings or if there was a problem from top to bottom. Lu Xiaoting sighed and gently patted his wife, ¡°Stop thinking about it and go to sleep.¡± ... Meanwhile, inside a run-down old house. Two men with bruised noses and swollen faces ran inside, wailing like ghosts and howling like wolves. ¡°Wolf Brother, Wolf Brother, we met some tough customers today. They not only caught us and gave us a beating but also woke up everyone there. Because of that, we not only got beaten up but also had to return the money we had stolen to those people who woke up.¡± The leader, Bald, didn¡¯t say a word and just slapped each man across the face. ¡°You worthless rascals, don¡¯t disturb Wolf Brother¡¯s rest. We¡¯ll talk about this tomorrow if there¡¯s anything.¡± The two men with bruised faces hadn¡¯t expected another slap, and they sobbed as they covered their faces and shrank back. The next day, the sky was just beginning to lighten. Lu Xiaoting immediately opened his eyes, which were full of red blood vessels from the lack of rest, and gently roused the woman beside him. ¡°Wife, wake up, it¡¯s time to go.¡± ¡°Ugh~ My eyes are so sore.¡± Susu stretched and sat up with a jolt like a carp jumping. Lu Xiaoting woke up Cheng He and Xiao Sun who were in the next room. Cheng He and Xiao Sun were puzzled, ¡°Second Brother, Second Sister-in-law, isn¡¯t our train at noon? Why are we heading out so early?¡± Susu and Lu Xiaoting exchanged glances, sighed, and shared what they had witnessed last night. ¡°What?¡± The two men were instantly frightened into a cold sweat; nobody could have anticipated this. After all this time, the loss of money was a result of mutual protection, and they were filled with outrage. ¡°So all these thefts are related to them.¡± Susu shrugged, ¡°That¡¯s why your Second Brother and I suspect it¡¯s not just the two from yesterday, there must be a specialized theft gang. Just in case those two hold a grudge and go back to get people to take revenge on us, we should leave while everyone is still asleep.¡± ¡°Right, right, right, Second Sister-in-law is correct. It¡¯s the same waiting at the station anyway.¡± So, the three men each carried two huge bags and Susu shouldered one herself, and the four of them quietly left the building without waking up anyone from the inn. They headed straight for the train station, where there were hardly any people around. They passed through the security check at the station as quickly as possible and found a place to sit and wait. The four of them, who had been tense the entire way, finally breathed a sigh of relief once seated. ¡°Phew~ I was afraid those people might be waiting for us outside, but thankfully they weren¡¯t.¡± Xiao Sun wiped the sweat from his forehead, ¡°I never expected it to be so frightening here.¡± ¡°Yeah, the authorities getting mixed up with those thugs is a shame, but it¡¯s always the clueless common folk who suffer the most.¡± Even though they were angry, there wasn¡¯t much they could do. As outsiders coming to buy goods, when you¡¯re on someone else¡¯s turf, it¡¯s often wise to mind your own business. After all, this place was a mishmash of all sorts, with every kind of person imaginable. Susu sighed, not having mentioned what she had heard about in the future. She couldn¡¯t quite remember which city in the East Province it was, but she had heard that in the ¡¯90s a motor gang had appeared. They rode motorcycles to snatch people¡¯s bags, causing many to get seriously injured, and there were even direct head-on collisions, with the gang¡¯s arrogance at disturbing levels. Just thinking about it scared Susu. The four of them had skipped breakfast, and by now their stomachs were grumbling with hunger, but it was still early, and the people selling goods hadn¡¯t arrived yet. Having been kept awake by last night¡¯s commotions, they dozed off in their chairs. They waited until the crowd grew and there were vendors selling food, and each grabbed something to eat to fill their stomachs. They were so hungry that anything they ate would have tasted amazing. Meanwhile, outside the guesthouse a gang turned up, their disreputable appearance marking them as troublemakers. They confidently made their way to the second floor, and the guests who happened to be getting up to use the toilet looked at the slovenly bunch, becoming so scared that they immediately retreated to their rooms and double-locked their doors, pressing their bodies firmly against them. ¡°Oh my god, what¡¯s that group up to? They don¡¯t look decent at all.¡± ¡°This is the room, bro.¡± A man with a bruised and swollen face angrily pointed to a room with a tightly shut door. Baldy jerked his chin up, and someone with a key promptly unlocked the door. As soon as the door swung open, the group charged in. However, when they saw the empty room, the gang was dumbfounded. ¡°Damn it, those two got lucky and ran fast.¡± ¡°Bro, are we just going to let it slide?¡± Another short man with a bruised face, his anger seething, covered his face with his hand. Baldy slapped him irritably, ¡°What the hell else do you want to do? It¡¯s not like you two incompetents have any better ideas. Try to pry open a door, and you still manage to wake the people up. Bunch of idiots, go back and get yourselves some proper training.¡± The two men with beaten-up faces looked at each other, following behind, faces covered and looking utterly miserable. After the gang had left, the person listening in with ears pressed to the wall in their room let out a long sigh of relief and immediately packed up their things. ¡°This is too damn unsafe, with those lowlifes around. I¡¯m never staying at this place again.¡± Train Station The four of them sat idly, waiting until it was time to board the train to the Capital. Eyeing the lengthy ticket-checking queue, they calmly waited until the crowd thinned out before they boarded with their stuff. The platform was swarming with people, and Susu and company made a beeline for the sleeper cars. Fortunately, the sleeper section wasn¡¯t crowded, and they managed to board the train smoothly with their belongings. Only then did their hanging hearts finally settle down. ¡°Phew, I¡¯m dead tired.¡± With three men around, Su Nian collapsed onto the lower bunk, letting the trio stuff the large bags underneath. Any bags that didn¡¯t fit were piled under the small table next to the window. The car filled with chatter, and as the train slowly started moving, picking up speed gradually. After a sleepless night and an early morning waiting at the station, worrying about their belongings and not daring to sleep much, As the train got underway, each of them climbed into their own spots and tried to sleep. The rhythmic rocking of the train lulled their minds into a heavy drowsiness. Listening to the laughter and chatter nearby, they gradually fell asleep. Lu Xiaoting, lying on the lower bunk with his eyes closed, was too worried about the goods to sleep soundly. Anytime he heard footsteps approaching too close, he would instantly open his vigilant dark eyes. Chapter 141: 141: Climbing Through the Window Chapter 141: Chapter 141: Climbing Through the Window Susu slept a profound sleep, slumbering through until well past three in the afternoon. Groggy, she rubbed her eyes awake and, due to just having woken up, her brain still felt muddled and unclear. It took her a while to sit up and get her bearings. As soon as Susu was about to move, she met the man¡¯s wary, dark eyes. Seeing his eyes filled with red veins, Susu felt an overpowering distress, ¡°Rest assured and sleep, I¡¯ll watch over you.¡± The man¡¯s vigilant and sharp gaze softened in an instant upon seeing his wife, becoming tender and gentle. His voice was deep and hoarse, ¡°It¡¯s okay, I¡¯m not tired. You go back to bed and get some more sleep.¡± Susu shook her head, her attitude particularly firm, ¡°I¡¯m not sleepy now, I wouldn¡¯t be able to sleep even if I went back. You should sleep right away, and don¡¯t talk anymore.¡± Lu Xiaoting¡¯s lips curved into a handsome arc, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll listen to my wife.¡± Susu gazed at the man¡¯s stubble, which had grown slightly longer over the last few days, giving him a rugged look, but it couldn¡¯t hide his strong, handsome features. Yes, this handsome and considerate man who feels pain for his wife, he is my man, the father of my three children. Susu couldn¡¯t help herself and stealthily planted a kiss on the man¡¯s cheek. Across from her, Su Chenghe, who had groggily awakened, didn¡¯t expect to open his eyes and catch his second sister-in-law kissing his second brother, and he instantly closed his eyes again, feeling embarrassed. Ahem, the affection between my second brother and sister-in-law is really admirable. After a while, Su Chenghe slowly rubbed his eyes and pretended to have just woken up. ¡°Second sister-in-law, if you¡¯re tired, you should go to sleep. I¡¯ll keep watch.¡± Susu shook her head, realizing that she needed to use the bathroom anyway. Even in the dead of night, when everyone else was sound asleep, they still took turns standing guard, just in case. Better safe than sorry. Having someone on guard was reassuring, otherwise, losing goods worth thousands would mean all the money had gone down the drain. In the middle of the night, some people were sneaking around, trying to see what was there. As soon as a hand touched the bags, Lu Xiaoting grabbed it tightly. ¡°It hurts, it hurts...¡± The man thought his hand would break and kept begging for mercy. Lu Xiaoting continuously tightened his grip, his voice low and cold as he interrogated, ¡°Speak, what were you trying to do?¡± ¡°Ay yo yo, I was just curious, just curious, I wanted to look, I had no intention of stealing...¡± ¡°Really, really, believe me, I was just passing by this morning and got really curious seeing all these big and small packages.¡± The man winced in pain. Lu Xiaoting flung the man aside and warned coldly, ¡°There won¡¯t be a next time. If there is, I¡¯ll take you straight to the train police.¡± ¡°Yes, yes, it won¡¯t happen again.¡± The man, not caring about his nearly broken hand, scurried off as fast as he could. Lu Xiaoting leaned back against the carriage and closed his eyes once more. The next day ¡°Boxed meals, delicious, piping hot boxed meals!¡± ¡°Comrade, what do you have?¡± ¡°We have tomato and scrambled eggs, stir-fried celery, shredded potatoes with peppers...¡± ¡°Four servings of tomato and scrambled eggs, please.¡± Susu directly paid and took four servings, one for each person, with rice as the staple. Xiao Sun joked that since they had traveled to the Southern region, they¡¯ve been eating white rice at every meal which, though tasty, made them crave steamed buns even more. It must be said that they all had Northern appetites. An occasional rice meal tasted pretty good, but having it meal after meal was really not something they were used to. During the meal, the three of them learned about what had happened last night and felt both angry and speechless. Consequently, everyone¡¯s vigilance increased significantly. No matter what, they would always leave someone on watch. Especially when they were nearing a station, they feared someone might rush over, snatch their belongings, and run off. Once they got off the train, with so many people outside, it was basically very hard to catch the thief. At night, the three men took turns keeping watch, while Susu was pushed by the others to sleep soundly until dawn. During the day, Susu passed the time by admiring the scenery outside the window and reading newspapers. Su Chenghe saw this and widened his eyes in surprise, ¡°Sister-in-law, you can actually understand the newspaper? I thought you, um...¡± Susu knew what Su Chenghe meant and smiled, ¡°Isn¡¯t it just to kill time? Plus, even though I haven¡¯t even graduated from elementary school, whenever I have some time at home, I read the newspapers and learn from them. I can¡¯t say I¡¯m like my younger sister and capable of going to university, but I recognize most of the characters in the newspapers, except for some that are too complicated and uncommon.¡± ¡°Right, your sister-in-law has been reading a lot of books and old newspapers at home.¡± Lu Xiaoting nodded, personally vouching for his wife¡¯s words. ¡°Sister-in-law, you are really amazing.¡± Both men were incredibly impressed; the sister-in-law was truly remarkable. No wonder they always felt that their sister-in-law knew everything¡ªit turns out she read newspapers regularly. Susu playfully blinked, showing not a trace of guilt. No matter who asked, they got the reply that she self-educated at home¡ªafter all, no one had the evidence to prove otherwise. In this era devoid of cell phones and the internet, the slow green train chugged leisurely along. Time on the train felt particularly drawn out, with many people talking about their families to pass the time. In the blink of an eye, the speed of the train gradually slowed as it entered the Capital. Everyone curiously peered out the windows, realizing that this indeed was the Capital, where our nation¡¯s leaders resided. ¡°Oh my, is this the Capital? It¡¯s incredible.¡± ¡°It¡¯s really huge, isn¡¯t it? We¡¯ve been traveling for so long and still haven¡¯t reached the station.¡± ¡°The Capital truly lives up to its name; it looks so imposing. Did you see all those quaint little buildings?¡± ... Susu looked at the Capital, which although full of a sense of the era, was still more grand and filled with a sense of grandeur than any other city. After a lengthy shaking, the train finally arrived at the station and came to a gradual halt. The group didn¡¯t rush to queue up, opting to be the last to disembark. Susu carried the lightest big bag among them, while the other three each shouldered two. Only then did they realize the platform was quite low, and getting off with their heavy burdens amid the crowd was arduous. By the time they exited the station entrance, Susu was covered in sweat. Fearing catching a cold from the draft, the group queued up again and entered the station¡¯s interior. The place was packed with people everywhere, not a single seat in sight, so they sat directly on their bundles, not minding if their clothes got wrinkled. After quite the hassle, everyone finally managed to have their tickets checked and got off the platform. As soon as the train stopped, the doors were immediately surrounded by the crowd, revealing people squeezing through to get off. The group was flabbergasted by the sheer number of people at the entrance; they weren¡¯t even sure if they¡¯d be able to get on when the train was ready to leave. ¡°Comrade, this way, try the window; otherwise, it¡¯s impossible to get on.¡± A helpful female passenger popped her head out after hearing the commotion, and people rushed over en masse. Seeing this, others at different windows quickly opened up and helped pull people inside, and men and women, young and old, helped each other climb through the windows. Susu was lifted up to the window by Lu Xiaoting and, using her hands and feet, clambered inside. After Xiao Sun got up, the two of them passed the big bags hand-to-hand. Once finished, Lu Xiaoting was the last to skillfully climb in through the window. Chapter 142: 142 Gift Chapter 142: Chapter 142 Gift It was bitter cold, yet they managed to work up a sweat. After thanking the kind men and women who helped them, they carried their stuff and squeezed their way to their seats. It was still a four-seater, and the three men stuffed the big bundles into the overhead racks and under and around their feet. Worried about losing their belongings, they could only place their bags under their feet. With no choice, they had to step on the bags. Luckily, they were thick cloth bags, durable and dirt-resistant. Throughout the journey, the train was crowded, with people even on the aisles and under the seats. Su Nian had never seen people crawling in and out from under seats before; he had only seen it on TV before. The train carriage was filled with a mix of odors. Su Nian, who had just squeezed through the crowd, was nearly scared of being compressed, and he dared not drink much water for fear of needing the restroom. Moreover, it¡¯s worth mentioning that the train toilets were not the flushing type from the future but had a hole that dropped directly onto the tracks below. Using the restroom in the cold northern weather was dreadful, as it would freeze one¡¯s bottom. As soon as you pulled down your trousers, the cold wind whistled up fiercely, and that feeling... was simply indescribable! After one night, the four of them arrived just as dawn was breaking the next morning. All four were disheveled, with swollen legs and feet from lack of movement, carrying their heavy bundles as they walked home. There weren¡¯t many people on the streets at this hour, let alone vehicles. Luckily, their home was not too far away. ¡°Father, Father, wake up. I think I hear something outside. Go take a look.¡± Father Lu, half asleep, perked up his ears. It did sound like something, fearing a break-in, he quickly got dressed to check. As soon as he stepped outside, he saw a tall, sneaky figure seemingly about to open the door. ¡°Who¡¯s there!¡± Father Lu shouted. ¡°Dad, we¡¯re back. Hurry and get the keys to open the main door.¡± Lu Xiaoting urged his father as he turned around. They initially didn¡¯t want to wake the elderly couple, but the door was still locked. Father Lu quickly fetched the keys and opened the door; despite being mentally prepared, he was startled by the sight of the three dirty figures outside. ¡°Dad.¡± ¡°Uncle.¡± Su Chenghe and Xiao Sun helped move the stuff inside before heading back to their own homes. ¡°Back already? Are you hungry? Should mom make you some food?¡± Mrs. Lu, wrapped in her clothes. Lu Xiaoting frowned, ¡°Mom, no need, you and dad should go back to bed and rest, we¡¯re not hungry right now.¡± Susu nodded, ¡°Right, mom and dad, you should get back in bed too, don¡¯t catch a cold, we just want to sleep for now.¡± ¡°All right, then you go sleep in that room. The kids woke up early.¡± ¡°Got it, mom and dad, you go up too.¡± The two of them took off their dirty clothes and lay down in their own bed, falling asleep within minutes. As the sky grew brighter outside, the early risers for school, Tianyu and Xiao Yu, Xiao Xue, and the triplets also woke up. Mrs. Lu, worried the children¡¯s chattering would wake the sleeping couple, advised them to keep their voices down. The younger ones didn¡¯t understand, but the older ones, seeing all the big bundles on the floor, immediately asked, ¡°Grandma, are my mom and dad back?¡± ¡°Grandma, are my uncle and aunt back?¡± Mrs. Lu smiled broadly and nodded, ¡°They¡¯re catching up on sleep in the west room.¡± The three siblings smiled joyously, and the triplets clamored to find their parents. ... Susu and Lu Xiaoting were woken by their son and daughters pressing on them, and as they opened their eyes, they saw three little faces, each thinner than before. ¡°Pingping and Anan and Lele, did you miss mom and dad?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The triplets spoke in their little nasal voices, and then their little mouths puckered up and their big eyes filled with tears. Susu, not wanting to make the little ones cry, quickly changed the subject. ¡°Daddy and Mommy brought gifts for you, do you want to see them?¡± ¡°Yes, Daddy and Mommy are so nice.¡± ¡°Yes, Daddy and Mommy are the best.¡± ¡°Yes, yes, yes, I love Daddy and Mommy the most.¡± From the kitchen, Mrs. Lu poked her head out and playfully teased the three grandchildren, ¡°Don¡¯t you love grandma?¡± Little Lele, shyly burying her face in her mother¡¯s embrace, covered her giggling face, ¡°Lele loves everyone.¡± ¡°Ha ha ha...¡± All the adults were amused to the point of laughter. Susu got up and took the triplets to find the gifts, and Pingping insisted on dragging her father along. The three children each received a small backpack featuring the most popular character right now, Sun Wukong. The two brothers also got a toy train each, and Lele¡¯s was a cute, huggable, large doll. The three older kids also got backpacks; Tianyu¡¯s also had Sun Wukong on it, while the sisters Xiao Yu and Xiao Xue got pink, cartoonish ones. Additionally, their backpacks contained specially purchased stationery, as well as cars and dolls. ¡°Dear parents and little aunt, I picked out a piece of clothing for each of you from the trendy styles in the Southern regions. And shoes, one pair each.¡± ¡°Oh my, you¡¯ve included us as well, you thoughtful child,¡± Mrs. Lu chided, but she couldn¡¯t hide her happiness. Father Lu smiled broadly, comparing the clothes he held. Lu Xiaogu felt a bit embarrassed, ¡°Susu, you¡¯ve brought so far even for your aunt, always buying me things, I¡¯m almost ashamed to accept more.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, just try them on, parents and little aunt, and see if they fit.¡± ¡°They fit, they fit, how could they not?¡± The three dressed in their new clothes and shoes couldn¡¯t stay in the house any longer and immediately wanted to go out to show off, not even bothering to button up their coats. Afraid to cover up their new clothes. Worried that the two brothers would fight, Susu chose exactly identical items for the two boys. The triplets couldn¡¯t let go of their little backpacks, holding their new toys, but still clinging close to their parents. Xiao Xue stood by her sister, both with backpacks, pretending to be adults soothing children. At noon, as soon as school let out, Tianyu and his sister hurried home, not even waiting for their friends. ¡°Dad, Mom, brother, and sister, we¡¯re back!¡± ... The siblings looked at the presents on the kang, their eyes lighting up. Cheeks flushing, Xiao Yu said, ¡°Thank you, uncle and aunt.¡± Tianyu, now much more lively and confident, with none of his previously cautious demeanor, couldn¡¯t wait to wear his new backpack. ¡°Thank you, Dad and Mom. Xiao Yu and I going to school this afternoon are definitely going to cause a sensation.¡± Susu, smiling warmly, patted her eldest son¡¯s head, ¡°I¡¯m glad you like it, I also bought you some trendy stationery from the Southern regions.¡± ¡°Mom, you¡¯re the best, I really love it. Thank you for bringing it all this way.¡± ... The family¡¯s meal at noon was food that Lu Xiaoting had gone out to buy. It was also because Father Lu, Mrs. Lu, and Lu Xiaogu went out to brag to neighbors about the gifts their daughter-in-law had brought, excitedly losing track of time. Susu spooned a big scoop of egg soup for each of the triplets, ¡°Pingping, An¡¯an, and Lele, have you behaved at home? Did you cry at all?¡± ¡°No, we didn¡¯t cry.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Susu looked at the three somewhat guilty little heads. Mrs. Lu immediately exposed the little ones, ¡°The very night you left, they started crying for their parents, nearly turning the house upside down.¡± Chapter 143: 143: The Left Hand Was Injured Chapter 143: Chapter 143: The Left Hand Was Injured ¡°Every morning, as soon as they open their eyes, they start crying for Daddy and Mommy. It¡¯s only been a few days, and their little faces have already lost so much weight.¡± Susu gently stroked the triplets¡¯ heads and soothed them, ¡°Daddy and Mommy have gone to buy gifts for Pingping, An¡¯an, Lele, Brother, and elder sister.¡± Lele pouted, ¡°Lele doesn¡¯t want gifts, Lele wants Mommy.¡± ¡°Really don¡¯t want them? If you don¡¯t, I¡¯ll give them to other little...¡± Before Susu could finish, the little girl quickly hid her doll behind her, ¡°Want, want, want, Lele wants, Mommy can¡¯t give it to other kids.¡± Seeing this, Pingping and Anan immediately closed their mouths. ¡°Ha ha ha...¡± The adults were amused by the actions of the little ones, and the triplets, embarrassed by the laughter, hid in their mother¡¯s arms. That afternoon Lu Xiaoting rode the tricycle back and forth a few times, delivering four large bags to the store. Su Chenghe and Xiao Sun were also in the store helping to sort out the inventory. Susu posted a hiring notice at the entrance and started to organize and arrange how the whole store should be set up. That afternoon, Susu spent a simple drawing detailing how the two shops should be laid out. Of course, only she could understand it. Three grown men cleaned and sorted the clothes by category. While a flurry of activity ran through the store, back at home the triplets started crying for Daddy and Mommy again. ¡°Good Pingping, An¡¯an, Lele. Daddy and Mommy have gone out to work and will be back tonight.¡± ¡°Wuu wuu~ Grandma is lying.¡± The three adults were overwhelmed by the crying, worried that the triplets would hoarsen their throats, so they took some time to comfort them. Finally, after giving each child an extra piece of White Rabbit Creamy Candy, they managed to comfort them. Gu Xiaomei, who always headed home as soon as class ended, came into the house and saw the sniffling triplets. She asked quietly, ¡°Crying again?¡± Mrs. Lu leaned close to her daughter and whispered, ¡°Your second brother and sister-in-law have returned and went to the store to prepare for the opening. The little ones woke up and started fussing for Daddy and Mommy, but we just calmed them down.¡± Gu Xiaomei was startled, ¡°When did my second brother and sister-in-law come back?¡± ¡°They arrived home before dawn, exhausted and looking a mess. They slept until morning before waking up.¡± As soon as Susu entered the house, she heard the triplets¡¯ voices. ¡°Daddy, Mommy.¡± The triplets with their little mouths pursed clung to their parents and wouldn¡¯t let go, their big eyes brimming with tears. Susu teased, ¡°No one¡¯s been crying, right?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t cry, didn¡¯t cry,¡± the triplets shook their heads, denying it while the guilty expressions on their little faces were hilariously amusing. ¡°Xiaomei, you¡¯re back. Just in time. I thought this dress would look stunning on you when I first bought it.¡± Susu passed the specially reserved dress to Xiaomei. ¡°Sister-in-law, who wears dresses in the winter?¡± Lu Xiaomei was dumbfounded. ¡°Why not? I¡¯ve even bought leggings especially to wear with the dress. Trust your sister-in-law and go try it on.¡± Susu pushed her directly into the west room. Lu Xiaomei felt uncomfortable all over, tugging at her sleeve sheepishly, ¡°Can I... can I pull this off?¡± ¡°Of course, you can. It¡¯s beautiful.¡± Susu nodded vigorously, thinking to herself Xiaomei had grown even more beautiful since starting college. ¡°Looks good.¡± ¡°Really looks good.¡± ... Lu Xiaomei received unanimous praise for the clothes she wore, looking at herself in the mirror, she joyfully hooked her sister-in-law¡¯s arm and acted coquettishly. ¡°You¡¯re so nice, elder sister-in-law, I hardly recognize myself.¡± Susu raised an eyebrow, ¡°If you think elder sister-in-law is nice, then accompany her to take a bath, I feel like I¡¯m starting to smell.¡± The aunt and niece duo, along with the big man Lu Xiaoting, carrying their things, headed to the public bathhouse. The triplets, crying and fussing, clung to their mother¡¯s legs and insisted on following. Susu kissed each of their little cheeks and promised them to return as quickly as possible, then she and her husband and little aunt managed to break away. Fortunately, there weren¡¯t many people in the bathhouse at the time, and the two women quickly scrubbed and washed themselves, turning their skin red all over. After they had vigorously scrubbed each other¡¯s backs, they hurriedly dressed and came out to find that Lu Xiaoting had been waiting so long his hair was almost dry. Worried about catching a cold, the three of them immediately put on their hats, causing the hair that stuck out to freeze solid. As soon as Susu returned, the triplets glued themselves to her. They clung to their parents all the way until bedtime. That day, while Susu was organizing the shop by herself, two young female comrades came in to inquire about job openings. Susu briefly explained to them the main content of the shop¡¯s work and the salary and benefits, and the two girls expressed willingness on the spot to start work immediately. ¡°Think it over carefully when you go back. You¡¯ll need to go through a three-day training period before you can officially start working.¡± ... ¡°What¡¯s wrong with my wife?¡± Upon his return, Lu Xiaoting immediately saw his wife looking worried and hugging the children. Susu sighed, ¡°Now there are female comrades coming to the shop to apply for jobs, but I¡¯m thinking that we also need a male comrade, someone who can manage the shop and live there to keep an eye on the merchandise. Otherwise, I don¡¯t feel safe with so much stock, and Cheng He and Xiao Sun both have families, so they definitely can¡¯t be here every day.¡± ¡°My wife, shall I ask around for you? I have colleagues who retired from the military and they probably know some reliable ex-servicemen.¡± Susu¡¯s eyes lit up, ¡°That¡¯d be great, an ex-serviceman will undoubtedly have good physical skills, which is perfect for helping with some of the heavier tasks in the shop.¡± The next day, Lu Xiaoting mentioned this to his colleague. ¡°I do know an ex-serviceman who just came back, but he can¡¯t lift heavy weights because he injured his left arm, which is why he was discharged.¡± Lu Xiaoting sighed, ¡°Why don¡¯t you have him come and take a look at my wife¡¯s shop, see if it¡¯s suitable. Both sides should meet and decide.¡± ... Susu was quite pleased to hear about an ex-veteran; putting aside everything else, his skills would certainly be superior to an ordinary person¡¯s. Plus, he was someone who had genuinely contributed to the country, and if she could help him in any way, she wanted to give him a hand. Early the next morning, Susu met the ex-serviceman, a nearly six-foot tall man with a stern face who didn¡¯t seem to smile much and was quite intimidating. ¡°Hello, comrade. Are you the person introduced by Qin Public Security?¡± The man nodded, ¡°Hello, boss. I¡¯m Zhang Guoming. You¡¯ve probably heard from Old Qin about my condition; my left arm has been injured and can¡¯t lift heavy objects. If the work here¡ª¡± Susu smiled and interrupted, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m aware of that. Mostly here we handle clothes, shoes, and such, nothing too heavy. Additionally, I¡¯m currently in need of a store manager to oversee the business and the staff. The monthly base salary is 30 plus commission from clothing sales and a five yuan meal subsidy. However, I need someone to live in the small room at the back of the shop to watch over the place, to prevent any ill-intentioned people.¡± Zhang Guoming immediately nodded, ¡°I can do that. I¡¯m on my own anyway, so it doesn¡¯t matter where I live.¡± Susu was taken aback for a moment, wondering why he said that but felt too awkward to ask. ¡°Alright, then go home today and get your belongings. Come straight here tomorrow.¡± Chapter 144: 144: Clothing Store Officially Opens Chapter 144: Chapter 144: Clothing Store Officially Opens Susu only found out from her man in the evening that Zhang Guoming¡¯s parents were extremely biased, and while they used to hide it well, since Zhang Guoming had been discharged from the military due to an injury, their disdain had become quite apparent. Susu¡¯s frown was so deep that she could¡¯ve trapped a mosquito with it, genuinely puzzled as to how parents could be so biased toward their own children. Though it¡¯s true that people can¡¯t be perfectly impartial, they should at least try to be fair. Lu Xiaoting looked at his puffed-up wife and shook his head helplessly, ¡°Come on, don¡¯t be mad. Didn¡¯t Tianyu say that since he and Xiao Yu started taking their backpacks to school, a lot of their classmates have been asking where they got them?¡± Instantly proud, Susu tilted her chin up, her face wearing a ¡®I knew I had great taste, go ahead and praise me¡¯ expression. Lu Xiaoting, both crying and laughing, immediately started thinking of extravagant ways to pile on the compliments. ¡°Mommy is the best.¡± ¡°Mommy is the greatest.¡± ¡°Mommy is the prettiest.¡± The triplets followed their father¡¯s example in complimenting their mother. ¡°Hahaha... My Pingping, An¡¯an, and Lele truly have a great eye, you¡¯re absolutely right.¡± Susu, flattered by the compliments, laughed heartily and pinched the three sincerely round little faces. ¡°Teehee, I want to be as pretty as Little Aunt when I grow up,¡± Xiao Xue giggled, covering her mouth like a little kitten. Xiao Yu nodded seriously, ¡°Little Aunt is amazing, I want to learn from her.¡± Tianyu smiled broadly and nodded, ¡°Why is my mom so awesome? Her cooking is mind-blowingly delicious, she dresses well, and she¡¯s beautiful. I¡¯m proud of my mom.¡± The grown-ups immediately turned into a praise choir, spewing flattery like it was free. Susu, beaming, accepted the lavish praise from her man and children, not doubting for a second that if Little Aunt and the mother-in-law were here, they too would be counting off her virtues on their fingers. After all, the two old ladies braggadociously boasted everywhere they went, making sure all the neighbors knew her. ... Clothing Store Su Nian had opened the shop early and waited inside; soon, Zhang Guoming entered carrying a small bundle. ¡°Brother Zhang is here, I¡¯ve already tidied up inside. If you¡¯re free this afternoon, go and buy some bedding and daily necessities. I¡¯ll reimburse you.¡± Susu got up and led someone into the small room in the back with two small windows, which wasn¡¯t too dark. Inside, there was a single small bed, a simple cupboard, and a small coal stove. Zhang Guoming nodded; being a bachelor, he didn¡¯t mind where he lived. Not long after, the two young girls who came for interviews also arrived, their eyes wide as they glanced at the bright and luxurious shop front, nervously clutching the hems of their clothes, standing uneasily. Seeing the girls¡¯ discomfort, Susu hurriedly welcomed them, ¡°Yang Yu and Xiao Xia, right? Come over, don¡¯t be nervous. I¡¯ll introduce you. ¡°This is Zhang Guoming, our store manager. If you need anything, just come to me or Brother Zhang.¡± ¡°Brother Zhang, this is Yang Yu, 17 years old. She lives nearby.¡± ¡°This is Li Xiaoxia, 18 years old. She also lives nearby.¡± ¡°Hello to you, comrades Yang Yu and Xiao Xia.¡± ¡°Hello, Brother Zhang.¡± After everyone had greeted each other, Susu began showing them around the shop. ¡°This section is for men¡¯s clothing. All prices are clearly marked. Next to it, here are the men¡¯s shoes, and right next to those are the women¡¯s shoes.¡± This room here is where Brother Zhang lives; he stays in the store to help keep an eye on things. Over here is the women¡¯s section¡ªtops, pants, skirts.¡± ¡°Wow, they sell skirts even in the dead of winter? Isn¡¯t it too cold? Will people actually buy them?¡± Although only one person asked, all three had the same doubt. ¡°That¡¯s a good question.¡± Susu walked over and picked up a pair of black leggings, ¡°These are called leggings, designed to be worn underneath to shape the legs and match with skirts.¡± ¡°Can you really fit into something this small?¡± Susu smiled and directly stretched the leggings horizontally with both hands, ¡°Don¡¯t be fooled by their thin appearance; they are very elastic.¡± Susu glanced at the two girls, then took two pairs of leggings and two different types of skirts and handed them to them. ¡°You two try these on later, consider them as work uniforms for the store.¡± The two young girls immediately reacted as if they were handed hot potatoes, shaking their heads repeatedly, insisting it wasn¡¯t necessary to waste clothes on them. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, this is essentially using you two to showcase our store¡¯s clothes and attract customers. Later, I¡¯ll also give Brother Zhang a set as a work uniform. Wear them with confidence. Every season when new stock comes in, I¡¯ll provide you each with a set of work uniforms.¡± The two girls looked at each other and finally accepted them at ease. After showing everyone around the store, Susu led them to the warehouse to get familiar with how to arrange the merchandise by category and number. At the same time, she explained how to quickly and efficiently find clothes when there are customers. Of course, for convenience, there are custom-made wooden cabinets under the corresponding racks to properly arrange the clothes. ¡°You guys take a break and have some water, digest all this information, and in a bit, I¡¯ll teach you how to register everything. This will be used to calculate your wages and check the inventory in the future.¡± Susu then helped them organize some clothes that needed to be placed in the cabinets outside. ¡°Our service attitude must be good; we absolutely cannot act like the old supply and marketing co-op salespeople who looked down their noses at people. The biggest taboo in business is ignoring customers and frequently changing faces. Think about it from our own perspective; you wouldn¡¯t want to buy something and have to deal with someone¡¯s attitude or be bossed around. It¡¯s uncomfortable for anyone. Of course, there are always some customers who deliberately come to make trouble; such people are strictly not to be entertained. If there¡¯s an issue, come to me.¡± All three nodded simultaneously, ¡°Yes, we understand.¡± After several days of training, and during the training period, a banner announcing the opening date and a week-long promotional event were hung outside the store. Many people who passed by would stare curiously at the exceptionally bright and seemingly expensive shop. On the first day of opening, including Susu, all four were dressed sharply and energetically. Zhang Guoming wore an outfit that exuded an upright and imposing aura. The two young girls both wore braided pigtails, one wore a floral dress with a close-fitting sweater underneath. The other wore a sweater tucked into a dress on the lower half of her body. Susu was dressed in a long dress with a high-necked sweater underneath, and the three women immediately attracted a lot of attention. ¡°Comrade, I saw outside that there¡¯s a promotion going on these few days, everything at a 20% discount, and for shopping over thirty yuan, you get an extra scarf, is that true?¡± Three young women entered. Susu stood up to greet them, smiling, ¡°Of course, but only during the opening week. Please, come in and have a look; you can try on any clothes you like.¡± ¡°We can try them on?¡± The three young women were stunned. ¡°Of course, how else would you know if they fit?¡± Chapter 145: 145: Clothing Store Opening Event Chapter 145: Chapter 145: Clothing Store Opening Event ¡°Oh my gosh, this is just too good. You can¡¯t even try things on at the Department Store, and sometimes you also have to put up with the salesclerks¡¯ nagging.¡± ¡°Exactly, every time I go, buying clothes should be a happy occasion, but I end up getting lectured.¡± Susu¡¯s smile, showing eight neat teeth, remained unchanged as she beckoned, ¡°Yang Yu, come over and take the customers inside to have a look.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Yang Yu swallowed nervously, pinched herself, and then approached with a smile. ¡°Ladies, please come inside. Feel free to try on anything you like.¡± The group of women looked at each other, pleasantly surprised, and followed her inside. People love a crowd. Seeing the activity here, many others curiously made their way over as well. In no time, the store was packed. Su Chenghe and Xiao Sun had also arrived early to help. They worked on commission like everyone else, taking five percent of each sale. Although neither of them had undergone any training, both were seasoned sales professionals. The store had conveniently pre-labeled all items with their prices. They just needed to be careful not to let anyone steal anything. It¡¯s not that there were definitely thieves; it was just a precaution. ¡°Oh my, this piece of clothing costs 15 yuan? That¡¯s expensive.¡± A woman complained, frowning. ¡°Comrade, all our garments are fashionable styles directly from the big city of Yangcheng, and the quality is guaranteed. There¡¯s nothing wrong with us women scrimping and saving for our kids and husbands, and then treating ourselves to some nice clothes,¡± Susu said with a smile. The woman gritted her teeth and stomped her foot, ¡°You¡¯re right. I¡¯ve been slaving away for this family, living frugally, and turned myself into an ugly duckling. It¡¯s just a piece of clothing, why can¡¯t I wear it?¡± ¡°Yeah, sister, in the end, we women skimp and save only to be scorned by men for becoming ugly ducklings. What¡¯s the point? It¡¯s better to spend the money on ourselves. Plus, our store is offering a 20% discount today. The piece of clothing you¡¯re looking at will be 12 yuan after the discount, a direct saving of three yuan.¡± ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll take it. Get me a new one.¡± Susu quickly fetched a new piece, packed it up, recorded the sale, and handed over the change to the lady. ¡°Here¡¯s your change, sister. We welcome you back any time.¡± ¡°Hey, your shop might be a bit pricey, but the service is really nice. I¡¯ll go home and spread the word to the neighbors.¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯d be so kind of you, sister. If you bring someone with you next time, I¡¯ll directly give you a silk scarf, a gift we only offer with a single purchase over thirty. I¡¯ll pay out of my own pocket to give it to you.¡± ¡°That¡¯s great. You can count on me; I¡¯ll bring people over right away.¡± The lady left with a smile, hurrying off. Susu turned to a man with a smile in his dark eyes and blinked in surprise, ¡°When did you get here?¡± ¡°Cough, I arrived when you were talking about the ugly duckling,¡± Lu Xiaoting said with a plaintive look at his wife. Susu let out a dry laugh, ¡°Hey, I was just going along with what the lady said. It¡¯s all sales talk; you can¡¯t take it seriously, or I¡¯ll have to complain to mother-in-law.¡± Lu Xiaoting couldn¡¯t help but laugh and cry¡ªso it was all his fault, inside and out? If Mrs. Lu knew what her son was thinking, she would definitely nod vigorously, as if pounding garlic. Of course, it¡¯d be his fault. ¡°I brought some food over, guessing you guys would be busy today,¡± Lu Xiaoting motioned to the net bag he was holding. Susu nodded, ¡°Okay, go and have a seat. We¡¯ll join you soon.¡± Susu checked her wristwatch and realized it was already noon. After the last customer left, everyone could finally sit down for a break. Xiao Sun tilted his head back and gulped down a pot of water, ¡°This whole morning¡¯s been busy. Seems like everyone¡¯s got money to spend, throwing around tens and tens. I¡¯d probably hesitate to spend, still prefer to save and have the old tailor make it cheaper. Though, I would buy something for my wife and child.¡± Susu found it amusing; this one was really quite considerate of his wife. ¡°Brother Zhang, how are Yang Yu and Xiao Xia doing? Are they adjusting well to the morning shift?¡± ¡°Doing okay,¡± Brother Zhang nodded. ¡°Sister Su, we were a bit embarrassed at first, but as we served more people, we gradually got used to it.¡± ¡°Yes, now when people come, I dare to go up and serve them directly, and I offer suggestions to the customers based on their body shape and preferences.¡± The two girls¡¯ faces were flushed with excitement. Susu nodded, ¡°Good, after you¡¯ve finished eating, find a place to take a break. We have a tough battle to face this afternoon.¡± ¡°Yes, we understand, Sister Su.¡± ¡°Did you come directly here or did you go home first?¡± ¡°I came straight here.¡± Lu Xiaoting shook his head, casually putting away the lunch boxes, ¡°The three little ones were fussing to come along this morning. If I had gone back, they would¡¯ve surely kicked up a fuss looking for their mother. Better to wait until after work to go back.¡± Susu smiled and shook her head; the triplets were restless at home, having gotten used to coming to the store with her the past few days. With the opening of the store, it definitely wouldn¡¯t be manageable if the kids weren¡¯t watched closely... Susu didn¡¯t want to take the risk, naturally, she didn¡¯t dare bring the children with her to the store. In the afternoon, quite a few people heard from friends and relatives that this clothing store had pretty clothes and was running promotions. Spending over thirty would even get you a silk scarf, so lots of women came in groups. Looking at the wide array of clothes, shoes, and various beautiful accessories in the store, they couldn¡¯t help but stop and browse. Susu and the others in the store began another round of busy work. ¡°Comrade, do you also have watches here?¡± A woman pointed at the watches inside the display case and asked. Xiao Sun quickly took out a watch, ¡°Comrade, you have really good taste, these are the fashionable electronic watches from Yangcheng. They¡¯re cheaper and more fashionable than the ordinary watches we had before. Would you like to try one on?¡± ¡°Can I really try it on?¡± The woman was somewhat surprised. ¡°Yes, you can. We can only know if you like it by trying it on.¡± Xiao Sun said while handing the watch to the woman. The young woman was thrilled as she put it on, immediately calling her sister-in-law who was looking at clothes to help see how it looked on her. ¡°It looks good, how much is this watch? Is it expensive?¡± ¡°This is an electronic watch, priced uniformly at 15 yuan.¡± ¡°My, that¡¯s quite a bit cheaper than the ones in the Department Store. Let me try it on too.¡± Xiao Sun watched the two of them try on the electronic watches with a smile, while keeping an eye on other customers selecting items at the counter. In the end, both the sisters-in-law each bought one, attracting other customers to follow suit and leading to several sales. ¡°Big sister, big sister, I brought our neighbors over. They took a liking to the clothes I bought this morning, so I figured I¡¯d bring them over to take a look.¡± The speaker was the same elder sister who had come in the morning. Susu greeted the group with a beaming smile, ¡°Please feel free to look around, comrades. You are welcome to try anything you like. Today, all our products in the store are twenty percent off.¡± ¡°Great, great.¡± A few women whispered to each other, ¡°Why are these sales clerks so nice?¡± ¡°They¡¯re opening their doors for business, not like those people in the Department Store, who look down their noses at us.¡± The elder sister who made purchases in the morning pursed her lips. Chapter 146: 146: It seems that being vain knows no age. Chapter 146: Chapter 146: It seems that being vain knows no age. ¡°Look at the clothes, while they¡¯re having a discount, my clothes were 15, now they¡¯re 12, straight away saving three dollars. We¡¯re always scrimping and saving, buying a pretty outfit to treat ourselves is well-deserved.¡± ¡°Niu Niu¡¯s Mother is right, let¡¯s have a quick look.¡± Several women nodded and began to browse the pretty clothes, but the more they looked, the more dazzled they felt. At this moment, Susu came out just in time to recommend some options, and in the end, the women together spent over fifty. Susu gave Niu Niu¡¯s Mother a look, and before long, Niu Niu¡¯s Mother had walked away and then come back. ¡°How did it go, comrade?¡± ¡°Sister, we just spent a total of 53 dollars, I¡¯ll pay out of my own pocket to give you two silk scarves.¡± ¡°Oh my, thank you, comrade. I¡¯ll go home and spread the word for you.¡± ... The week-long opening event saw many regular customers bringing relatives, friends, and neighbors, and it was usually busy from morning till night. With Susu¡¯s previous tactics, the staff learned from her and started giving away scarves to attract people; many came with acquaintances, and soon, there weren¡¯t many scarves left. It just so happened to be the weekend, and Tianyu and Xiao Yu came to help as well. ¡°Comrade, do you have Sun Wukong backpacks?¡± a young woman in work attire asked, leading a boy about ten years old. ¡°Yes, right this way.¡± ¡°Yang Tianyu?¡± ¡°Li Hao?¡± The two boys grinned and gathered together, and the adults then realized that the kids were classmates. ¡°Oh, comrade, you have no idea, my kid saw your kid¡¯s backpack and made a fuss about wanting one too, so here I am, buying it as soon as I got off work.¡± Susu remembered her oldest son mentioning that his schoolmates were all envious of his and his sister¡¯s backpacks and even promoted their family¡¯s clothing store. Thinking of her eldest son and niece¡¯s enthusiastic promotions, Susu smiled and said, ¡°We just finished an event, but since the kids are classmates of our Tianyu and Xiao Yu, I¡¯ll make an exception and give you the opening discount today¡ª20% off.¡± ¡°That¡¯s really kind of you, thanks a lot, comrade.¡± ... One morning, the cartoon backpacks sold out directly, and many who came late couldn¡¯t buy any, leaving children crying and adults upset enough to scold. Those adults who missed out on the backpacks ended up picking clothes, and the expressions of the parents and children varied distinctly, amusingly so. The child who got spanked and didn¡¯t get the desired small backpack sulked with a tear-stained face. The woman who bought beautiful clothes, after scolding her son, grinned from ear to ear. After the opening event, the foot traffic in the store decreased significantly, and Xiao Sun and Su Chenghe went back to selling marinated goods. The store wasn¡¯t busy, so Susu rode the tricycle to the store with the triplets. ¡°Mom, have a seat.¡± Pingping held a small stool, gesturing for his mom to sit. Anan, not to be outdone, also wanted to move a stool and scurried about searching for one. Lele, the little girl, stood with her hands behind her back, tilting her head back and gazing dreamily at the pretty accessories. ¡°Sister Su, Pingping and Anan and Lele are so well-behaved, not causing any trouble at all,¡± Yang Yu commented. ¡°Yes, my nephew was such a handful at their age, always getting dirty and causing chaos.¡± Susu smiled and shook her head, ¡°They¡¯re not familiar yet; once they are, they¡¯ll start acting up. But it¡¯s normal for kids to be a bit mischievous.¡± Li Xiaoxia had previously been unemployed, staying at home helping her sister-in-law with the children. She was busy as a dog both at home and outside, and her sister-in-law would disdainfully accuse her of living off others without earning. Yang Yu was more or less in the same boat; the two little aunts often talked privately, and now that they were working, their families stopped constantly berating them at home. Watching the two little aunts complain about their homes and sister-in-laws, Susu felt sympathetic. ¡°Do you guys talk about your salaries with your family?¡± The two girls looked at each other and shook their heads. ¡°No, we just tell them the basic salary is 20 with a meal allowance, so we estimate around thirty or forty a month.¡± Susu nodded, ¡°You¡¯re still young and don¡¯t understand. Do you know there¡¯s a term called ¡®getting rich silently¡¯? It means no matter how much money you make, keep your mouth shut about it to others and act like you¡¯re broke.¡± ¡°Why? Isn¡¯t having money something that makes people envious?¡± ¡°It¡¯s good enough if you know you have money. Keep the money in your own hands and buy whatever you want to buy. You can give your family ten dollars a month for food expenses and save the rest for yourself.¡± Susu didn¡¯t want to see two families that favored sons over daughters, relying on their daughters to financially support their sons. But if they didn¡¯t listen to her advice, there was nothing she could do. Yang Yu and Li Xiaoxia nodded, ¡°Thank you, Sister Su.¡± In the midst of their conversation, they hadn¡¯t heard the bustling noises of the triplets, and Su Nian jumped up in fright. My God, what kind of trouble are these three little ones stirring up now? If the kids suddenly go quiet and stop talking, they¡¯re definitely up to no good. Susu stood up and immediately saw Pingping lying on the counter, covering her small mouth and giggling. Little An¡¯an was sitting on Zhang Guoming¡¯s shoulders at that moment, laughing and looking incredibly happy. ¡°An¡¯an, come down and don¡¯t ride on uncle¡¯s neck.¡± Little An¡¯an pouted her small lips, ¡°Okay, I know, Mommy.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, I lifted her up myself,¡± Zhang Guoming said, and Susu didn¡¯t insist on the child getting down but just reminded her to behave and not to bully uncle. ¡°Lele? Little fairy Lele, where are you going...¡± Susu looked up and saw An¡¯an, who had somehow found a stool and, with her head full of accessories, was sitting contentedly on a high stool, admiring herself in the mirror. The old mother couldn¡¯t help but laugh and cry, hurrying to take the stuff off her daughter¡¯s head, leaving only two little butterfly bow clips in her hair. ¡°Lele, be good, those are for selling in the store, you can¡¯t mess with them. Mom will put two butterfly bows for you to wear.¡± Little Lele, with a pretty butterfly bow on each side, held her mother¡¯s hand and looked in the mirror. ¡°Hee hee, thank you, Mommy.¡± Susu rubbed her forehead, it seems being vain isn¡¯t limited by age. ... On the way home, the two brothers curiously stared at the butterfly bow hair clips on their sister¡¯s head. Lele carefully touched the hair clip with her chubby hand, ¡°Brother, does it look good?¡± ¡°It looks beautiful! Sister is the prettiest.¡± The exaggerated tone of the brothers made Little Lele cover her mouth and giggle her eyes shut. Once at home, Susu saw the two little ones bouncing along behind and laughed. ¡°So tell me, what mischief are you two thinking of causing now?¡± Pingping, ¡°Mommy, sister¡¯s clips are pretty.¡± Anan, ¡°Mommy, brother and I want to play too.¡± Susu chuckled and ruffled the two boys¡¯ smooth heads, ¡°Those are for girls. Boys have hair that¡¯s too short to clip anything in it. Do you want to drink milk?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The two brothers were immediately distracted and forgot all about wanting the hair clips. Susu talked about the morning¡¯s events, both Mrs. Lu and Little Aunt laughing heartily with the three little ones. Drinking milk contentedly, the triplets blinked their big eyes, completely puzzled.