"Oh, right, Mom, I have something to tell you." Lin Wanqiu put down her spoon and said casually, "My family sent me a jar of powder before, saying it's made from soybeans and millet and can supplement the baby's nutrition. I'm planning to make some for Nianxi to drink every day, is that okay?"
Grandma Shen paused for a moment, then nodded: "Alright, anything is fine as long as it makes the child better. But you have to hide it well, don't let Zhang Lan see it. That girl is envious, and if she finds out, she'll definitely make a fuss about wanting it again."
"I know, I'll hide it well." Lin Wanqiu nodded, relieved, knowing that she had passed Old Madam Shen's test.
For the next few days, Lin Wanqiu prepared formula twice a day for Nianxi, supplementing her breastfeeding. With the formula, Nianxi grew noticeably stronger, her face became rounder, her cries became louder, and her eyes became more expressive. The villagers praised Nianxi for growing so quickly and said that Lin Wanqiu knew how to take care of the child.
That morning, Lin Wanqiu had just finished preparing formula for Nianxi when she heard a knock at the door. Shen Tingzhou went to open it and saw a strange man standing there, holding an envelope and looking anxious: "Excuse me, is this Shen Tingzhou's house? I'm from a workshop in a neighboring county. I have urgent business with Comrade Lin Wanqiu."
Lin Wanqiu's heart tightened. The workshop in the neighboring county was one she and Shen Tingzhou had just opened last month, mainly producing pickles and cured meats, and business had always been good. Now, someone had suddenly come with news; something must have happened. She quickly handed Nianxi to Old Madam Shen and went to the door: "I am Lin Wanqiu. What happened?"
The man quickly handed her the envelope: "Comrade Lin, something bad has happened! Our workshop's pickles have been reported for containing 'contraband.' People from the commune have already gone to the workshop. You'd better go and take a look!"
Lin Wanqiu took the envelope, opened it, and found a note inside that read, "Pickled vegetables contain prohibited substances; the commune is strictly investigating." The handwriting was messy, clearly written in haste. Her heart sank; she knew someone was deliberately framing her—her pickled vegetables were made with legitimate ingredients and contained no "prohibited substances." This was obviously someone jealous of her business and trying to ruin her workshop.
"Tingzhou, you stay home and look after Nian'an and Nianxi. I'm going to the neighboring county to check on them." Lin Wanqiu made the decision immediately. She knew that the workshop was the result of her and Shen Tingzhou's hard work and couldn't be destroyed like this. Moreover, she had to find out the truth and clear her name.
“No, I’ll go with you.” Shen Tingzhou immediately grabbed her. “The neighboring county is so far away, I’m worried about you going alone. Mom, you stay home and look after the children. Wanqiu and I will go and be back soon.”
Grandma Shen knew the situation was urgent, so she quickly nodded and said, "Go ahead, leave the child to me, don't worry. Be careful on the road, and send word back immediately if anything happens."
Looking into Shen Tingzhou's determined eyes, Lin Wanqiu knew he was worried about her, so she stopped refusing: "Okay, let's go now." She turned to Nian'an and said, "Nian'an, Mom and Dad are going to the neighboring county on business. You stay home, listen to Grandma, and take good care of your little sister, okay?"
“Okay, Mom, don’t worry, I’ll take good care of my little sister.” Nian’an nodded vigorously, her little face full of seriousness. “Be careful on your way back, and come back soon.”
Lin Wanqiu patted his head, then glanced at Nianxi in the cradle. The little one was sleeping soundly, her mouth slightly open, as if saying goodbye. She felt a pang of reluctance, but she couldn't bring herself to do it. In the end, she picked up her daughter and followed Shen Tingzhou out of the courtyard.
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