Chapter 96: My Aunt (Not Related by Blood)
Ning Tang turned her head to look at Wang Yingying, her little face full of good-natured teasing.
She lowered her voice and said, "My grandparents said that recently my second brother has been missing after get off work. They don't know what he's doing outside, and he often comes back by climbing over the wall in the middle of the night."
"Yingying...did your second brother come looking for you?"
Wang Yingying was stunned, and the tips of her ears instantly turned bright red: "Don't talk nonsense, he was just passing by!"
"I remember your home is in the south of the city, so how does this count as just passing through?"
Ning Tang's thinking was simple.
Anyway, Xu Qiaoyan is already divorced and is now single. He has a good job, and his looks and family background are also top-notch.
Moreover, he and Wang Yingying were classmates, and there was a history between them.
Ning Tang had a good relationship with Wang Yingying, who was also a colleague in the same department. If Wang Yingying really became her sister-in-law, Ning Tang would be very supportive.
Wang Yingying was speechless when asked the question.
Unable to resist, she retorted in a low voice, "Well, maybe he went to the south of the city on business. Don't always try to pin this on me..."
Despite saying that, Wang Yingying couldn't help but think about how she often saw Xu Qiaoyan near the hospital when she finished her night shifts late and rode her bicycle home in the early morning.
Ning Tang couldn't help but laugh when she saw Wang Yingying's insincere expression.
"Okay, okay, I was too talkative."
"But then again, my second brother may seem cold, but he's actually quite thoughtful."
“Last time when I had severe morning sickness, he specially asked a colleague to bring me some candied fruit from out of town to relieve the nausea. He even prepared a fatherhood handbook for Xu Qiaofeng. He was very thoughtful.”
Ning Tang paused deliberately, glancing at Wang Yingying's evasive eyes and shy face out of the corner of her eye. She chuckled to herself and continued.
"Besides, he hasn't gotten close to any other girls since his divorce, so if you..."
"Tangtang!" Wang Yingying quickly interrupted her.
Because of nervousness and shyness, my voice was a little shaky, completely different from usual.
"I'll go to the ward to see if anyone needs help. You and Xu Qiaofeng should go home and have dinner."
After saying that, Wang Yingying practically fled.
His legs moved so fast it was as if a man-eating wolfhound was chasing him.
Watching Wang Yingying's hurried departure, Ning Tang couldn't help but wink at Xu Qiaofeng.
She exuded gentleness during her pregnancy, but now she seems as playful and radiant as a young girl.
His Adam's apple bobbed as Xu Qiaofeng reached out and ruffled her hair, a smile playing in his deep eyes.
Perhaps it was because he was used to having a cold face, so his sudden smile seemed a bit strange.
Like the wolf grandmother who wanted to eat Little Red Riding Hood.
"Don't take today's events to heart. Even if something really happens to Lu Niannian, it's her own fault, and it has nothing to do with us," Xu Qiaofeng comforted her in a deep voice.
"Moreover, you don't need to worry about Zhou Hairong. When we get back, I will personally call your dean to explain."
Ning Tang looked up at him.
Xu Qiaofeng was very tall; even looking up, one could only see his delicate chin.
Noticing that the little girl in front of him was looking at him, Xu Qiaofeng leaned down slightly and met Ning Tang's gaze.
He frowned and said in a deep voice, "If you have any thoughts, you can speak up. I respect your opinion."
Ning Tang looked into Xu Qiaofeng's eyes, which were so close to hers, and her heart skipped a beat.
The slight annoyance that had arisen because of Lu Niannian vanished instantly.
She reached out and gently took Xu Qiaofeng's little finger, her voice softening: "I don't have any ideas, you can arrange everything."
Ning Tang wouldn't force herself to stay strong at a time like this.
Regardless of whether Lu Niannian gets into trouble or not, the conflict between her and Zhou Hairong has definitely come to fruition today.
There's no guarantee that Zhou Hairong won't make things difficult for her at work, so it's best to be cautious and let the dean know in advance.
Xu Qiaofeng felt the hand that was making a mess and gently beckoned it back: "Don't worry, I won't let you suffer any grievances in the department."
"We've already wasted a lot of time, let's hurry home for dinner so that Grandpa and Grandma won't worry again."
"Okay, let Grandma try the pastries that the supply and marketing cooperative just made."
——
The two walked home together.
The weather is getting slightly cooler now, and the sun is setting much earlier than before.
It was already half dark by around 5:30.
Xu Qiaofeng and Ning Tang arrived home at six o'clock, neither too early nor too late, just as Aunt Zhang had brought out all the food.
At the dinner table, Grandpa Xu unusually broke the silence.
He coughed lightly, and seeing everyone looking over, he opened his mouth and said, "Qiaolan, Qiaoyan, Qiaofeng, all three of you need to ask for leave from your work tomorrow and come with me to the train station to pick someone up."
"Who is Grandpa? Our unit is currently at its busiest time..." the eldest brother, Xu Qiaolan, muttered softly.
Before he could finish speaking, Grandpa Xu glared at him fiercely.
"It's your aunt!"
Everyone was stunned when they heard it was a stranger.
Grandpa Xu's son and daughter-in-law died in an accident while on a mission.
Ding Xinmiao was the mother of the three Xu brothers.
After the incident, the Ding family lost contact with the Xu family. Ding's parents, being elderly and unable to bear the pain of losing their daughter, adopted a little girl from an orphanage.
The little girl's name is Ding Zixin. She just turned 18 this year and is Xu Qiaofeng's aunt, who is not related to them by blood.
The reason for coming to the Xu family this time is that Ding Zixin has been in poor health since childhood and wanted to come to the big city for medical treatment.
The atmosphere at the dinner table instantly fell silent.
Ning Tang quietly raised her eyes and looked at Xu Qiaofeng beside her.
The man's brows were furrowed, and his long, slender fingers, resting on the chopsticks, were tapping them absentmindedly.
Judging from his appearance, he clearly hadn't expected such a young aunt to suddenly appear.
Even... younger than him, just turned 18.
As the eldest brother, Xu Qiaolan reacted immediately. He opened his mouth, wanting to explain again how urgent the work matter was.
He had barely opened his mouth when his wife, Su Ying, pulled him back to his senses.
He gestured to him with his eyes to shut up.
At this moment, Grandma Xu also put down her chopsticks, and her usually gentle tone became serious.
"Since Zi Xin is coming, we should definitely greet her in person."
"No matter what, it was our Xu family who owed the Ding family back then. Zixin is in poor health, and coming to the city for medical treatment is a big deal. No matter how busy you are with work, you have to bring her back and settle her in first."
With his wife playing the good cop, Grandpa Xu's expression softened slightly, and he pointed at Xu Qiaoyan:
"Your workplace is close to the train station, so go there early tomorrow to wait for her. Don't let Zixin panic in an unfamiliar city."
"Qiaofeng, your team has a car, you can go tomorrow too. As for Qiaolan, as the eldest brother, you should know your place."
The three brothers exchanged glances, and remembering their grandparents' poor health, they nodded in agreement.
Ning Tang and Su Ying at the dinner table exchanged a quick glance.
On such an important day, it would be inappropriate for the two of them, as granddaughters-in-law of the Xu family, not to attend.
So the two of them stood up together and said they would also ask for leave to pick up Ding Zixin.
Grandpa Xu was overjoyed and served food to each of the younger generation.
Ning Tang breathed a sigh of relief as she watched the family atmosphere return to normal.
Although the arrival of this aunt was indeed very sudden, it could even be described as shocking.
But as long as everyone is happy and harmonious, it's fine.
After finishing the meal.
Su Ying and Ning Tang went to the study to call their bosses. They briefly explained their reasons for requesting leave.
Upon hearing that it was related to Commander Xu, the leaders dared not refuse to grant leave, and even asked if they needed to come for a few more days.
After everything was taken care of, Ning Tang washed up and went back to her bedroom on the second floor to rest.
We need to get up early to go to the train station tomorrow. She's pregnant and sleepy, so she should go to bed early so as not to inconvenience others.
The three Xu brothers were gathered together at this moment, and the atmosphere was somewhat tense.
Finally, Xu Qiaolan spoke first: "Second and third children, you two were still young when your parents had the accident, so you may not have had such a deep affection for your maternal grandparents' home, but this time it's different."
"Especially the third brother, when your aunt comes, you need to put away your grumpy face and stop acting like someone owes you money all the time."
Upon hearing this, Xu Qiaofeng's face darkened even more, turning as black as the bottom of a pot.
Seeing his younger brother's discomfiture, Xu Qiaoyan, who was standing nearby, laughed.
"Big brother, when have you ever seen the third brother smile? He's always harboring deep hatred for his sister-in-law. He seems much better now that she's married into the family."
Xu Qiaoyan sighed, looking very regretful: "It's a pity that such a delicate girl like my sister-in-law is stuck with a man like Qiaofeng, whose face is harder than a stinking rock in a latrine!"
Xu Qiaofeng was not angry despite being mocked.
Instead, he leisurely crossed his long legs and leaned back on the sofa, his wild face exuding a charming languor.
He sneered, "That's still better than you two useless men."
"You've been taking traditional Chinese medicine for so long, why aren't you getting better?"
"Big brother, if you ask me, don't rush. At worst, when Tangtang and I have a child, we can give it to you and second brother to take care of us in our old age."
After saying that, Xu Qiaofeng acted as if he hadn't seen the murderous looks on his two brothers' faces and slowly turned and walked away.
Xu Qiaolan and Xu Qiaoyan looked at each other in bewilderment.
Their eyes met, and they both saw the hurt in each other's eyes.
Xu Qiaolan pretended to be indifferent and got up to return to her bedroom.
At this moment, Su Ying was changing into her pajamas, which her colleague had brought back from a dance performance abroad.
The purple tulle style is very pretty and charming.
Wearing it, her figure became even more graceful.
Su Ying always felt that someone was watching her in the room. When she turned around, she met Xu Qiaolan's eyes, which looked like a dog that hadn't seen a bone in eight hundred years.
"What are you doing...?"
Su Ying placed her hands defensively in front of her chest.
The moment the words left her lips, Xu Qiaolan let out a howl and pounced forward.
——
The next morning.
Just as dawn was breaking, Ning Tang was gently awakened by Xu Qiaoyan.
She rubbed her eyes and sat up, only to see that he had already prepared the clothes and warmed them with a hot water bottle so they wouldn't irritate her skin.
"Have a piece of candy in your mouth first. We don't have time for breakfast. I'll take you to the state-run restaurant when we get to the train station."
"good."
I quickly finished washing up.
When the two arrived downstairs, Xu Qiaolan and Su Ying were already waiting.
Su Ying took out a cloth from her bag and said with a smile, "Tangtang, come here quickly, I boiled some eggs for you to eat on the way."
"Thank you, sister-in-law."
Ning Tang smiled sweetly and obediently, and took out the candy that Xu Qiaofeng had given her earlier and shared it with Su Ying.
Soon, we arrived at the train station.
There were many people outside the station, packed together in dense crowds.
Everyone was concerned that Ning Tang was pregnant, so they asked Su Ying to stay and wait with her outside.
Xu Qiaofeng waited with his two older brothers for almost half an hour, sweating profusely, but they still hadn't seen anyone.
He was still worried that Ning Tang hadn't eaten breakfast, so he turned around and left without thinking.
"Sister-in-law, I'll take you and Tangtang to the restaurant next door for dinner. Let my eldest and second brothers wait for us."
Su Ying nodded. She had low blood sugar, and even after eating candy, she felt dizzy after being hungry all morning.
Actually, Ning Tang ate two eggs in the car earlier and wasn't hungry yet, but seeing the two of them, she didn't say anything and followed them.
There were hardly any people in the state-run restaurant early in the morning.
The waiter inside was sitting by the window, and when he saw someone coming, he lazily greeted them.
Xu Qiaofeng went to select the dishes and returned shortly afterward with a tray.
Two bowls of millet porridge, a dish of pickled vegetables, three steamed buns, and chicken noodle soup. They even specially ordered two bowls of steamed egg custard.
He pushed the sponge cake to the other side, saying, "Sister-in-law, Tangtang, it's still hot, you two eat it slowly."
The three of them lowered their heads and began to eat.
In less than twenty minutes, the food on the table was cleaned up.
When they returned, Ding Zixin had not yet arrived.
Xu Qiaoyan spends most of his time doing research in the lab, so his physical condition isn't very good. After being out in the sun for so long, he's already starting to suffer from heatstroke.
He wiped the sweat from his forehead and couldn't help but say sarcastically, "She's not taking the night train, is she? If so, I wouldn't wait even if Grandpa beats me to death."
"Shut up, or Grandpa will really beat you to death if he hears you."
They waited until the afternoon, but Ding Zixin still hadn't appeared.
Fortunately, Xu Qiaofeng drove over, so Ning Tang and Su Ying could sit inside and rest.
Several more hours passed.
Just when everyone was about to lose patience, a girl wearing the most fashionable flared skirt at the moment came out.
Everyone noticed her immediately.
The reason is simple: she looks very much like Ding Xinmiao, almost like they were made from the same mold.
The only difference was that she was very proud; Xu Qiaolan's memory of her mother was that of a gentle and virtuous woman.
But perhaps this is also why Ding Zixin was adopted – seeing the object reminded her of her loved one.
Ding Zixin walked over slowly, wearing little lambskin shoes.
He looked Xu Qiaofeng and the others up and down, his expression showing some disdain.
"You are my eldest nephews?"
"They all look like they just crawled out of a river, tsk tsk tsk..."
Xu Qiaolan stopped in her tracks as she was about to step forward, her expression turning somewhat indifferent.
He originally thought that Ding Zixin, his nominal aunt, was young and traveling alone, so he wanted to be more considerate.
But that disdainful tone made it impossible for him to be enthusiastic.
Xu Qiaoyan, already in a bad mood due to heatstroke, pulled his face even tighter upon hearing this and sneered, "Nonsense, how could I not sweat while waiting for someone all day?"
"Hey, what's wrong with you, my dear nephew? Did I ask you to wait for me? You were willing to wait, yet you're complaining. You have no respect for your elders at all!"
Seeing that the two were about to start arguing, Xu Qiaolan quickly stopped them.
When Ning Tang saw that Ding Zixin had arrived, she got out of the car with Su Ying.
Ding Zixin pursed her lips, shook the small leather bag in her hand, and stared at Ning Tang without blinking.
He looked around and said:
"Is this my third nephew's wife? Pregnant and still out and about, aren't you afraid of tiring yourself and the baby?"
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