Fang Yan picked up Xiaoyuzai and came to Zhu Xiuhua's rescue. "Today is the first time Grandma has met Xiaoyuzai. Grandma originally wanted to give Xiaoyuzai a gift, but there are too many things to do today, and Grandma is too busy to prepare a small gift. Can Xiaoyuzai forgive Grandma?"
“Sure,” Little Fish’s childish voice was full of confidence, and he reached out his little hand to pat Zhu Xiuhua’s shoulder. “Grandma, it’s okay, Little Fish won’t be angry.”
Then she tilted her little head and asked Fang Yan in a clear voice, "Mommy, is Little Fish going to give Grandma a little gift?"
"Hmm... For family members or friends you like, you can give them a small gift to show your affection. As for whether or not to give your grandmother a small gift, Little Fish can decide for himself."
Fang Yan didn't make the decision for him directly, but thought for a moment and explained it to him.
"Grandma is Mom's mom. Little Fish likes Grandma and wants to give her a little gift."
The little fish struggled gently for a moment, indicating that it wanted to go down.
Fang Yan put him on the ground, and the little guy took off running into the house in a flash.
"That's wonderful! Our little fish is such a good boy!"
Zhu Xiuhua watched Xiaoyuzai's retreating figure, her eyes welling up with tears.
Ever since her daughter got married, she has been kept at home doing chores or in the fields by Old Mrs. Fang and her family for various reasons.
Over the years, she hasn't had time to visit her daughter.
Even when her daughter gave birth, she could only secretly send her a pound of glutinous rice and half a pound of brown sugar.
She had no money, and Old Mrs. Fang was too controlling of the things in the house.
This pound of glutinous rice and half a pound of brown sugar were obtained by Zhu Xiuhua and Fang Jie from the day the original owner got married. They used every spare moment during the busy farming season to go to the rice fields that other people had harvested and decided they didn't want, picking up rice ears, beans, and other things, piecing them together, and secretly trading them with others.
There's a saying here that cooking glutinous rice with brown sugar is good for postpartum women.
"Mom is really useless."
Thinking about how I had been enslaved like an animal for so many years because of someone's scheme, and how I had missed out on so many things, even my grandson, whom I was seeing for the first time today.
Zhu Xiuhua couldn't help but murmur again.
Everything that happened today made her realize how utterly useless she was.
Fang Yan hugged her, "Mom, you're not useless, you're just too honest and kind. Don't say things like that again."
Little Fish is still young and has limited comprehension. If you say these things to him every day, he will think you are useless. How can you expect him to respect you in the future?
Besides, we need to set a positive and optimistic example for him, don't you think?
Upon realizing that her words would have a negative impact on her grandson, Zhu Xiuhua immediately said, "Then I won't say it anymore."
Do you really need so much to raise a child?
Fang Jie remembered this and secretly told himself that he had to be careful in front of his nephew in the future, so as not to lead the little guy astray.
"Third Aunt." Chu Chun came out of the kitchen and saw Fang Jie and Zhu Xiuhua. She stood there awkwardly.
Fang Yan introduced Zhu Xiuhua to her, "This is my mother. She and my brother will be living with me for the time being. You can just call her Auntie."
"Auntie," Chu Chun called out awkwardly.
That evening, Chu Chun and her brother did not stay for dinner.
Knowing Chu Chun's personality, she's too introverted. If I let her stay, she probably wouldn't dare to eat freely, just like at noon.
Fang Yan didn't insist that they stay. She cut a plate of meat for them, picked some tender vegetable seedlings from the yard, and gave Chu Xia some noodles. She put the noodles in Chu Xia's hand, but said to Chu Chun, "Go back and make some noodles for yourselves. This is the easiest way."
Seeing Chu Chun secretly glancing at Zhu Xiuhua with a hesitant expression, Fang Yan knew what she was worried about, so she asked Zhu Xiuhua to prepare dinner in the kitchen while she saw Chu Chun and her brother to the door.
Before Chu Chun could ask anything, Fang Yan spoke first, "Chu Chun, although my mother and brother are staying here temporarily, I will have a lot of work to do before the New Year, so I will need your help."
Hearing this, Chu Chun secretly breathed a sigh of relief, all her worries were put aside. She was still thinking about how to earn enough money from Fang Yan before the New Year to cover Chu Xia's tuition and living expenses for next year, as well as her own expenses for the next one or two days before going to Shang City.
Seeing that Zhu Xiuhua had also arrived, she worried that Fang Yan would no longer need her help.
"Third Aunt, can't your other aunt help you too?"
Chu Chun asked in confusion.
Fang Yan explained, “As you can see, my mother’s health is not good and she needs to recuperate for a while. I will be very busy before the New Year, with a lot of pork to process every day. You have helped me for so long and know my work habits. We have also developed a tacit understanding. You can handle many things perfectly without me having to tell you. You are irreplaceable to me. Before I go to join the army, I will need your help every time I need to process an order.”
Children who are insecure, sensitive, and introverted are especially afraid of being abandoned. They need affirmation, recognition, and a sense of security that they are needed more than others.
Chu Chun finally relaxed her slightly furrowed brows and smiled happily, a little embarrassed by the praise. "Third Aunt, I'm not... not as good as you say."
“You are great,” Fang Yan patted her shoulder. “In the future, no matter how much people deliberately belittle you, you must tell yourself that you are great, that you are irreplaceable. A person can be without money, but they cannot be without self-confidence.”
"Yes, Third Aunt, I've got it." Chu Chun nodded.
Chu Xia chimed in from the side, "Third Aunt, I'll remember that too."
Fang Yan didn't have time to teach the two of them separately. Most of the time, as long as she didn't talk about anything personal about gender, she would talk to Tang Xia in front of him so that he could listen too.
From now on, they will have to walk their own path; there is very little she can do to help.
After they walked away, Fang Yan turned back to the kitchen, only to find Zhu Xiuhua staring blankly at the meat and fish on the stove.
Hearing footsteps, she looked up at Fang Yan, "Yan Yan, there are so many, what are we going to do with them?"
In the Fang family, although Grandma Fang and Uncle Fang would eat meat and fish, they would only cook a little bit each time, and if they did, only the two of them could eat it.
Of course, occasionally, when Uncle Fang was in a good mood, he would give the Fang family's matron a little bit of minced meat.
As for Zhu Xiuhua and Fang Jie, it was a no-brainer.
Zhu Xiuhua had never cooked so much meat or such a big fish before, and she didn't know where to begin.
"Mom, you help me start the fire, I'll do it."
Fang Yan rolled up her sleeves and began to cook dinner...
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