Sangshen and Buling had just sat down at home and hadn't even had time to close the door when Aunt Tian from next door came over with her grandson Chen Cong:

"Knock-knock--"

"Xiao Bu, Xiao Sang, you're back?"

"Sister Xiaobu, Brother Xiaosang!"

Hearing the voice, Bu Ling turned around, quite surprised: "Aunt Tian, ​​is something wrong so late?"

Before Aunt Tian could answer, she said again, "Come in quickly, it's cold outside, come in and talk."

Grandma Tian nodded, took her grandson's hand and walked into the house. Bu Ling brought stools for the grandmother and grandson and asked them to sit down. Just as she was about to pour hot water, Grandma Tian hurriedly said, "Little Bu, don't bother, sit down quickly. I came to you because I need your help."

Bu Ling weighed the thermos in her hand; it was very light. She didn't insist and sat down opposite the grandmother and granddaughter. "Aunt Tian, ​​please speak!"

Seeing Bu Ling's actions, Sang Shen silently stood up, went outside to fetch some firewood, and started boiling water in a pot.

Aunt Tian smiled as she observed the way the young couple interacted, then looked away and got to the point: "Well, Xiao Bu, you've probably heard about my son, haven't you?"

"I've heard about it," Bu Ling said modestly. In reality, she even knew the name of Aunt Tian's daughter-in-law, and even knew how many people were in the family she later married into.

"Well, I won't hide it from you anymore. Something's happened at Congcong's mom's place, and I have to go there. Congcong will come with me. I have to leave tomorrow morning. Xiaobu, could you please keep an eye on the house for me, especially..."

Aunt Tian didn't finish her last sentence, but she pointed behind her.

Bu Ling thought it was something serious: "Hey, it's nothing, Aunt Tian, ​​don't worry, I'll definitely take good care of the house for you." If that brat dared to mess with her, she wasn't one to respect the elderly and care for the young; she would definitely let him experience the taste of the iron fist of justice.

Aunt Tian smiled gratefully, showing great trust in Bu Ling. After sitting for a short while, she decided to leave.

But Buling couldn't hold back any longer. Just as Aunt Tian was about to take her leave, she asked, seemingly casually, "Aunt Tian, ​​what happened to Congcong's mother? Is there anything I can do to help?"

Aunt Tian swallowed the farewell that was on the tip of her tongue. "She's critically ill. I was thinking of taking Congcong to see her; maybe it's..."

Bling really hadn't expected it to be because of this. "So sudden?"

"Who knows? The news I received was that she had a severe hemorrhage during childbirth and wanted to see Congcong one last time before she was about to die," Aunt Tian said coldly.

If she weren't afraid her grandson would regret it later, she would never have allowed him to have any contact with that heartless woman again.

Seeing the indifference in Aunt Tian's eyes, Bu Ling wisely refrained from asking further questions, simply saying, "Aunt Tian, ​​don't worry, I will definitely take good care of the house for you."

Grandma Tian patted her grandson's head, the coldness in her eyes fading: "Yes, thank you, Xiao Bu."

Bu Ling smiled and waved his hand. Aunt Tian stood up and said goodbye. Bu Ling didn't try to keep her any longer.

"Oh, by the way, Aunt Tian, ​​how many days are you going this time?" Bu Ling suddenly remembered this.

Aunt Tian stopped and turned around, saying, "It won't be long, just three days. We have tickets for tomorrow morning, and we'll be back the day after tomorrow night."

Bling said "Oh," and then added as a final reminder, "Be careful on the road." She figured she should say it in advance; she definitely wouldn't be able to get up tomorrow morning.

After seeing Grandma Tian and her granddaughter off, Bu Ling closed the door, and Sang Shen handed her a cup of prepared milk powder: "Lingling, drink something warm to warm yourself up."

Bling took it and warmed her hands with it first.

Sangshen poured the remaining hot water into the thermos, then sat down next to Buling with a gossipy expression: "Lingling, what's going on with Aunt Tian's daughter-in-law?"

Buling took a sip of the milk powder and asked in confusion, "Didn't I tell you?"

Mulberry shook her head, looking aggrieved: "No."

Bling wasn't guilty at all: "Maybe I forgot."

Sangshen blinked her phoenix eyes and leaned closer to her.

Bling gave in, pushing away his handsome face: "Alright, alright, I'll tell you!"

"You should know, right? Aunt Tian's son was a soldier who died in the line of duty, and her daughter-in-law remarried." (Buling)

Sangshen nodded; he knew that.

"However, when her daughter-in-law left, she had a very unpleasant falling out with Aunt Tian, ​​and they almost broke off all contact, so they haven't been in touch for years."

Before Sangshen could ask, Buling continued, "Back then, all of Tian Dama's son's savings and pension were taken away by Congcong's mother. When she left, she said that she would have no further relationship with Tian Dama and her grandson, and that those things were Congcong's way of repaying her for raising him. She also said that Congcong would not have to support her as his mother in the future."

Of course, she heard all of this from her neighbors, and it certainly has some artistic embellishment.

"Later, Congcong's mother went back to her parents' home, and within a month, she married a truck driver from the next county. She had three children in four years, and now she's probably pregnant with her fourth child, and she's lost her life in the process," Buling said sarcastically.

Sang Shen was stunned for a moment before she reacted: "Congcong is six years old this year?"

Bling nodded: "That's right!"

"Three kids in four years? No, four kids?" Sangshen asked again.

Buling took a sip of milk powder: "Yes."

"One per year?"

"Absolutely!"

In the end, Sangshen said nothing, but silently got up and poured another cup of hot water into Bling's empty cup. As he put the cup down, he said, "We only want this one child, okay?"

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