Chapter 18. Xiaoyin's parent-teacher conference, Nie Qingqing went, hmph...
Nie Qingqing pulled the reluctant Song Zhao to the door, shushed him, and told him to keep quiet.
One second she was laughing, the next second the door opened and she started yelling at him: "I really can't believe it! You always seem so honest, but you dared to help Director Yu cover for me behind my back! Have you ever considered my relationship with Shumei? We're neighbors across the street, how am I supposed to see her?"
Nie Qingqing cursed, and He Shumei was too embarrassed to confront her, but she didn't want to leave either, so she stood at the door, fuming.
Seeing that she was getting really angry, Nie Qingqing swung the towel at Song Zhao again and yelled, "Who are you waiting to see make a fool of themselves? Go and bring the children back right now!"
Song Zhao, being rather untimely, asked her, "How am I supposed to pick up three children by myself?"
Nie Qingqing wanted to laugh to herself; he was clever, he did it on purpose.
She continued yelling, "What's wrong with your brain? You can't carry three kids on a bicycle, can't you take the bus?"
Factory Director Yu was much more cunning than Song Zhao in this regard. He pulled Song Zhao downstairs and said, "Why are you arguing with your wife at a time like this?"
Song Zhao retorted angrily, "What exactly did you say about me in front of your wife? Why did you drag me into your argument?"
Yu Zhengmin bowed and apologized: "My wife went to the hospital and found an acquaintance who helped her calculate the days when she is most likely to conceive. When she heard that, it happened to overlap with the days when I was trying to avoid having children, so she came back to make a scene and said that I didn't want to have a child with her."
Song Zhao said disdainfully, "You deserve it. I told you long ago that if they found out, you'd be in big trouble. How could you lie to your own wife?"
Yu Zhengmin: "I've already been scolded, so please stop scolding me. When things got heated, she asked me who else knew, and I was out of my mind. I blurted out that only you knew, and that's why I took it out on you."
Song Zhao laughed angrily and said "Fine" twice: "From now on, don't follow me anymore, and don't mention your family's mess to me again!"
Factory Director Yu stepped forward, putting his arm around Song Zhao's shoulder: "Song Zhao, how come you're not as magnanimous as your wife? Look how quickly she reacted, she immediately calmed down half of my wife's anger. I was even counting on her to persuade my wife, 'Come on, come on, why take the bus? I'll help you pick up the kids.'"
Song Zhao said irritably, "Are you really stupid or just pretending? My wife is up there trying to persuade your wife. When she comes down, you go home and coax your wife."
...
Nie Qingqing was across the hall advising He Shumei, fetching a basin of water for her to wash her face, and saying, "Men are all like that. They look honest, but they're all cunning. They think they can hide from you, but when they can't, they just hide. They have no idea that we just want them to realize their mistakes."
He Shumei pressed a wet towel against her face, gripped the towel and twisted it as if she were grabbing Factory Director Yu, venting her anger.
“Exactly. He should have talked to me properly. He wanted two years of peace and quiet and wanted to postpone having children. It’s not like I disagreed. What’s the point of living like this if he keeps it a secret and plays petty tricks? I even made him go see a traditional Chinese medicine doctor. It’s so embarrassing.”
Nie Qingqing laughed: "What do you mean by embarrassing? You don't need it now, but you will in a few years. Grandpa Liu doesn't have a formula for having a boy, but he has a secret formula for making men stronger. Many people are asking for it. I asked my mother to keep it for me."
He Shumei couldn't help but laugh: "You have such a good attitude. Talking to you for a while has made me feel much better. I just need Yu Zhengmin's opinion now: should we have the child or not?"
Nie Qingqing stopped joking: "I think Director Yu is willing. We mediators all say that if someone is willing to live together, there's no need to persuade them; if they're not, persuasion is useless. You need to think about it and find a balance so that he appreciates your generosity. Arguing until he's disheartened is not worth it."
He Shumei nodded: "I know, I was just angry and wanted to vent. Now I'm more clear-headed. I'll talk to him properly in a bit."
Nie Qingqing said, "You need to know when to be careful and not let him think you're so easy to fool. If you know how to handle it, you'll definitely succeed."
...
After being persuaded, Nie Qingqing hurriedly ran to the bicycle shed, where Song Zhao was waiting for her.
She smiled and said, "I knew you understood what I meant and were waiting for me here."
Song Zhao looked up at the upstairs window and could still faintly hear the angry voice of Factory Director Yu's wife. He asked, "Have you calmed her down? It sounds like they're still arguing."
Nie Qingqing said, "How can we forgive him so easily? There will definitely be some trouble. He Shumei is just angry. After washing her face and calming down, she is still reasonable. If Director Yu goes home and coaxes her and makes a vow, everything should be fine."
Song Zhao sighed helplessly, "Being their neighbor is really tiring."
Nie Qingqing said, "Compared to the conflict in Sister Xiao's family, this is nothing. Sister Xiao's family is doing well now, which shows how important it is to marry a suitable wife, right?"
Song Zhao agreed: "I don't know about other people, but you are very important to me."
Nie Qingqing laughed and said, "You really know how to sweet-talk people."
Song Zhao asked, "Really? I never knew that was just a way of coaxing people."
Both of them were very happy, and they rode their bikes slower and slower. Nie Qingqing's bike was wobbling, and she couldn't keep riding so close together, or she would fall off: "Either go faster or go slower, or you'll squeeze me."
Song Zhao squeezed the brakes and slowed down to the back: "Then I'll follow behind you."
"Why?" Nie Qingqing asked.
"Seeing you makes me happy," Song Zhao said.
Nie Qingqing was secretly pleased. Who said he couldn't talk? He knew how to make people happy.
...
The next day, the family went out for a walk and ran into He Shumei, who was also going out with a big smile. Nie Qingqing walked ahead of her and quietly asked, "Have you settled things regarding your child?"
He Shumei said, "We've reached an agreement. We've agreed to let things take their course. He promised not to lie to me again, so let's trust him one more time."
Xiaoyin admired her greatly: "Aunt Qingqing can get along well with anyone."
Tangyuan chimed in, "Except for my dad."
Song Zhao was taken aback for a moment, then realized that Tangyuan was referring to his biological father: "Why doesn't your biological father believe me?"
Tangyuan said, "He can't stand any of Mom's good points. Everyone will like Mom if she leaves him, so it's his problem, right?"
Song Zhao patted his head and praised him sternly, "You're the smartest one in the family."
Tangyuan proudly declared, "Dad, you're the only one who can see how smart I am, so you're the smartest one too!"
...
School has started, and Xiao Yuan has successfully entered first grade, in the same class as Tang Yuan. This is great, as we won't have to pick him up and drop him off at two different places anymore.
Only a month into the new semester, Xiao Yuan is already able to help Tang Yuan with her homework.
Nie Qingqing watched for a while, her head aching. She said to Song Zhao, "If the two of us had to do this tutoring, we'd be exhausted. Xiao Yuan is much better; Tangyuan can understand what he's saying. I listened for a bit just now. If it were me, I'd either get so angry I'd faint, or I'd beat him until he cried."
Song Zhao had never had this kind of trouble before, and said with a smile, "Some children are late bloomers. Tangyuan is only in first grade. He is very smart. We should encourage him and not discourage him."
...
Today is Saturday, and there are no classes in the afternoon. Before sending the children to school this morning, Nie Qingqing said, "I'll go to school to pick up Xiaoyin and Xiaoyuan at noon and take them to Yunli's place. Yunli is four months pregnant now, right? The pregnancy should be stable."
Song Zhao didn't say anything, silently packing the change of clothes Xiao Yuan had brought. He just didn't like hearing about his ex-wife.
Xiao Yunli is now the center of attention, while Qingqing is busy taking care of everything, which makes him feel uneasy.
Nie Qingqing understood his thoughts; in fact, she was secretly pleased with Song Zhao's dissatisfaction with his ex-wife.
Tangyuan was also tidying up her toothbrush cup and even found her navy uniform, looking very happy.
Nie Qingqing asked, "Tangyuan, why are you collecting the clothes?"
Tangyuan: "Mom, I also want to go to Aunt Yunli's house to play."
Nie Qingqing spoke to Tangyuan in a straightforward manner, as she had always been since childhood: "First, not everyone likes other people's children. Second, Aunt Yunli is pregnant and prefers quiet. You're too naughty, so don't bother her."
Tangyuan was upset: "How am I supposed to do my homework this weekend? I don't know how to do it."
Nie Qingqing tapped his head: "Use your brain to think. You're only in first grade. Xiao Yuan is so smart, he might skip a grade. Don't expect him to always be there to help you with your problems. You have to study hard on your own."
Tangyuan thought about it and realized that the teacher said Xiaoyuan was smart and would skip a grade in the future, so she quickly gave up the idea of daydreaming in class.
...
Xiaoyin and Xiaoyuan would visit their biological mothers every weekend, as arranged beforehand. Nie Qingqing would take them there on Saturday afternoons as agreed, and then pick them up on Sunday afternoons to have dinner in Huazhi Lane before going home together.
Tangyuan was making a racket at home all morning. Nie Qingqing woke up early, but as soon as she went out, she was hit with Tangyuan calling "Mommy, Mommy" until her head ached, so she stayed in bed and closed her eyes to rest.
Hearing the door open suddenly, Tangyuan urged Song Zhao, who was sitting at the desk, to go and see: "Tangyuan, the door's open! Who's here? Go and see."
Upon hearing the voice, Song Zhao stood up and said, "It's Xiaoyin and Xiaoyuan, the children are back."
It's only eight o'clock. Why are you back so early? I wonder if Yunli is causing some trouble?
Nie Qingqing quickly got up and ran out. Sure enough, there were two children. She peeked downstairs and saw Ji Chengtian's back.
"Why didn't you stay an extra half day this week?" Nie Qingqing asked.
Xiao Yuan was quite happy to be back soon, saying, "Mom wasn't feeling well, so she told us not to go for the next few weeks until she's better."
Xiaoyin added, "Mom had severe morning sickness, was in a bad mood, and was easily angered. Grandma Xu was afraid to make a sound when she walked, and Uncle Ji even stopped doing his business to stay home and take care of her. Mom was annoyed by everything, so we came back first."
So that's how it is. When Nie Qingqing was pregnant with Tangyuan, she didn't have any symptoms at all. She ate and drank as usual. Just because she didn't have any doesn't mean others didn't. When she was giving birth, she saw several women in the hospital trying to save their pregnancies, and some even had severe symptoms that prevented them from even smelling cooking fumes. It's normal, and we should understand.
She comforted the two children, saying, "This is normal. It will pass after this stage. Let's go again in two months. We'll have lunch at Grandma's house."
Tangyuan couldn't sit still: "Mom, let's go now. Take your homework with you and do it there. The yard over there is big and breezy, it's comfortable."
"Okay, let's go now. Tanggao will definitely be happy. We can also buy some meat and a fish on the way. What else would you like to eat?"
Xiao Yuan thought for a moment and said, "I want to eat fragrant pan-fried dumplings."
Nie Qingqing laughed: "You really know how to eat. Then let's buy some pork belly, with both fat and lean meat, so that the dumplings made from it will taste better when pan-fried."
...
Upon arriving at Huazhi Lane, Nie Qingqing explained that Yunli was experiencing irritability during her pregnancy, and that the two children would not be going to visit each other on weekends for the next month or two.
Tang Guizhi was overjoyed. She took the meat and vegetables and busied herself chopping the filling and making dumplings.
Tanggao took out two bows and asked Xiaoyin to choose one: "Sister, I bought two bows, one for each of us. Which color do you want?"
Xiaoyin was combing her hair and braiding it, so she didn't have time to look at it: "Anything is fine, you choose first."
Tanggao objected: "Sister is the eldest, so of course she should choose first."
Xiaoyin laughed, glanced at it twice, and pointed to the blue one: "Then I'll take the blue one."
Tanggao was very happy: "I knew my sister would choose blue. I like pink. I'm so smart!"
...
For the next two months, Xiaoyin and Xiaoyuan didn't visit their biological mother. Suddenly, they received a call from her, saying that Xiaoyin's mid-term parent-teacher conference was coming up and they hoped Nie Qingqing would attend in place of Song Zhao, and that she should also inform Xiao Yunli.
Nie Qingqing had no problem going, but she worried: "I'm a stepmother, is it appropriate for me to go?"
Song Zhao said, "Logically, the biological parents should go. Yun Li cares a lot about Xiao Yin's studies. This is the first parent-teacher meeting before entering junior high school, so she wants to be involved. But I don't want to go to the Ji family. If you're willing, I'd appreciate it if you could go."
Nie Qingqing asked Song Xiaoyin, "If the teachers and parents see my age, they'll know I'm not your biological mother. What am I supposed to say if they ask?"
Song Xiaoyin didn't think it was inappropriate and said, "Aunt Qingqing, you can just say that you are my stepmother. I will be proud when others ask. If Dad goes and Mom asks, they will not be able to say more than a few words and will get angry with each other. You are the most suitable to go."
Nie Qingqing was willing to make the trip so that Song Zhao wouldn't have to meet his ex-wife. She smiled and said, "Since you're all willing, then I'll go."
...
At the parent-teacher conference, the mother of a classmate at the next table looked at Nie Qingqing and thought she was too young, only about twenty-three or twenty-four years old. She didn't seem like the mother of a junior high school student, so she asked, "You're so young, you really don't look like you have a junior high school daughter."
Nie Qingqing explained generously, "I'm the stepmother. The child's parents couldn't come because of something, so I came instead."
A parent at the next table sighed, "You must have it tough. Actually, you didn't have to come to this parent-teacher meeting. Look, there are several empty seats; people couldn't make it because of other commitments."
Nie Qingqing said, "This is a remarried family. Since it's needed, I'll come. Let's be more tolerant of each other. The teacher is here, so let's listen to what the teacher has to say."
...
After the parent-teacher meeting, Nie Qingqing hummed a little tune as she returned to Huazhi Lane.
Seeing how happy she was, Tang Guizhi asked, "Did the teacher praise Xiaoyin?"
Nie Qingqing: "Of course, Xiaoyin is like her father, smart. She got first place in the class in the midterm exams. She drew a picture during break, and the teacher came to complain to me and asked us parents to discipline her."
"What did you say?" Tang Guizhi's heart clenched. In the eyes of parents, they should listen to what the teacher says. Tang Guizhi was afraid that her child would talk back to the teacher, which would make things difficult for the child.
"Mom, I'm not that stupid. Of course I'll agree."
Tang Guizhi was relieved, but then she immediately became worried: "I'm afraid Xiaoyin's biological mother will object. The child loves to draw, and I see that the flowers, birds, fish and insects she draws are just like the real thing. It would be such a pity if she couldn't draw them anymore."
Nie Qingqing wouldn't stop Xiaoyin from drawing: "Xiaoyin is with her father, so Yunli can offer suggestions, but she can't make the decision."
Tang Guizhi: "Xiao Yuan is with her, you should think about it carefully."
Nie Qingqing: "Okay, I understand."
She brought dried apricots and pickled spicy fish that she had sun-dried at home: "It's not good to go empty-handed, so I'll bring something."
Tang Guizhi advised, "They won't even look at these things you're bringing. You should buy some fruit and pastries on the way."
Nie Qingqing said, "I don't need to please anyone. These were all made by my family. It's a token of their appreciation. Even if they don't like them, they wouldn't dare throw them away in front of me, would they?"
...
At Ji Chengtian's house, Xiao Yunli smelled the dried fish and looked at the color of the red chili flakes. She frowned and said, "It smells okay, but it looks too greasy. Let my mom try it. She loves to eat these. Yours must be pretty good."
To give Nie Qingqing face, she took a dried apricot and ate it. She liked it and ate another one.
"Narita bought me a lot of dried fruit, but they all tasted artificial. Yours tastes good, without any unpleasant smell. Eating one helps to suppress the sourness, and it makes me feel much better."
Nie Qingqing said, "These are dried apricots that my sister-in-law dried herself. She knows how to make these. If you like them, I'll bring you some more next time."
...
When Nie Qingqing arrived, her daughter-in-law seemed to be in better spirits. Xu Lingzhi was pleased to see this and took away the dried fish to prevent it from bothering her daughter-in-law.
She tried a small dried fish herself; it was spicy and delicious, and she loved it. She whispered to her son, "Sour for a boy, spicy for a girl. Yunli's baby might really be a boy."
Ji Chengtian laughed and said, "Mom, you're here again. I love both my son and daughter. Stop saying that. Pack the things you brought back for Tangyuan's mother."
...
Xiao Yunli ate several dried apricots to suppress the acidity in her stomach and felt much better. She sighed, "My pregnancy reaction is really bad this time. Why is this baby so fussy?"
Nie Qingqing comforted her, "Don't sigh. The baby can sense it. Be happy. The baby's fussiness means he's full of energy. He'll be fine in a couple of months."
"She really knows how to talk," Xiao Yunli thought, finally understanding why Nie Qingqing and Song Zhao could stay together. "What pot has what lid? They're a perfect match."
She asked about Xiaoyin's parent-teacher conference: "What should we say about Xiaoyin's parent-teacher conference?"
Nie Qingqing praised her, "Xiaoyin got first place in all subjects in the midterm exam. She is so outstanding. The teacher only praised her for her strengths, and mentioned one thing: that she draws during breaks. The teacher told us parents to keep an eye on her."
Xiao Yunli was furious when she heard this: "She has loved drawing since she was little. I have told her so many times, but it is no use. This child is getting more and more outrageous. How can she draw at school?"
Nie Qingqing followed her words: "That's right. No matter what, you can't draw at school. Children are prone to rebellion when they get older. You can't hit or scold them. I think Xiaoyin is a very principled child. Why don't we make an agreement with her that as long as her grades don't drop, she can keep her hobby? Otherwise, it will be troublesome if she becomes stubborn and stops learning."
Xiao Yunli thought about her own rebellious nature since childhood. Her daughter's personality was like hers; she was still rebellious and wanted a divorce even at thirty, and no one could persuade her otherwise.
"Then please talk to her for me. As long as it doesn't affect her studies, I'll hire an art teacher for her and send her to study systematically on weekends. I don't want her to waste time drawing randomly on her own."
"That's wonderful!" Nie Qingqing kept praising, "You're so thoughtful. Xiaoyin is with her father, so we'll pay for the teacher. I'll take care of it as soon as I get back."
Xiao Yunli didn't argue: "Okay, I'll listen to you. You talk to Xiaoyin nicely and tell her that she can't draw anymore once she goes to high school."
Nie Qingqing agreed: "I will definitely pass on your message."
Whether or not Xiaoyin continues drawing is her own decision.
...
After she finished speaking, she said goodbye and was about to leave when Xu Lingzhi brought over several packages of dried goods that her family sold: "These are sold at home, not bought specifically for anyone. Don't be shy, take some back and try them."
When Nie Qingqing saw that the packaging listed dried scallops and sea cucumbers, which were not cheap, she quickly declined, saying, "My family doesn't know how to make these, so let's not bring them."
Xu Lingzhi insisted that she take it with her: "Why are you being so polite? If you hadn't been so good to Yunli's two children, would she have been able to focus on her pregnancy? I've written down the recipe on a piece of paper. Take it back with you. Xiaoyuan and Xiaoyin need to eat it too. If you don't take it, I'll really get angry. Also, the dried fish you brought is very appetizing. I won't be polite with you. I'll bring another bottle next time I come."
...
On the day of the parent-teacher conference, Song Zhao went to his mother-in-law's house after get off work and ate stir-fried sea cucumber with scallions. He only took one bite and then put it down.
Nie Qingqing picked up another piece. It was delicious! Why wasn't he eating any more?
"I followed Aunt Xu's instructions and it turned out great. I'm enjoying it. Why aren't you eating anymore?"
Song Zhao: "I think it's just so-so, you guys eat."
The glutinous rice balls tasted pretty good, so why didn't Dad like them? He picked up one more and then another, saying they were really delicious: "Grandma, this sea cucumber is delicious. Grandma Xu is so generous."
Xiaoyin only tried one before picking up a spare rib, declaring, "Spare ribs are still the best."
Nie Qingqing was puzzled: "You two have equally picky tastes. You don't even like such good food. Xiao Yuan, eat more."
Xiao Yuan nodded repeatedly: "I love to eat it too."
...
After dinner, Tang Guizhi pulled Nie Qingqing into the kitchen and asked, "Are you really clueless or just pretending? It's not that they don't like the food, it's that they're preoccupied and unhappy."
Nie Qingqing didn't understand: "Why are you unhappy? I'm happy to receive gifts from others, they're just petty."
Tang Guizhi laughed and said, "You've been holding parent-teacher meetings, sending dried apricots, and even persuading Xiaoyin's mother to let her continue painting. The children know what's going on. They're upset for you, and you're still criticizing them."
Nie Qingqing thought about it and realized she had wronged them. She smiled sweetly and said, "I didn't think that much about it. It was all for the good of this family."
...
At the end of the month, when she received her salary, Song Zhao only gave Nie Qingqing eighty yuan. Fifty yuan of that was for her mother's salary and living expenses. What did Song Zhao need to do that required a hundred yuan?
Nie Qingqing wasn't forbidding him from using money; he earned most of the family's money, but he had to ask for it.
"Song Zhao, what did you do with a hundred yuan? Did you lend it to someone?"
Song Zhao took out a large bag of dried sea cucumbers from his bag: "I bought some things. You all love to eat sea cucumbers, so I bought a bag. We don't need anyone to give them to us; we can afford to eat them ourselves."
Nie Qingqing couldn't help but punch him several times. She was furious. Sea cucumbers are such expensive things, it's okay to try them once in a while, who would eat them as a meal?
"Spending a hundred yuan on sea cucumbers, how can you even make a living?"
Nie Qingqing hit and scolded, "From now on, if you spend more than twenty yuan, you must tell me, and you are not allowed to buy it next month."
Song Zhao agreed and hugged her, saying, "I'll listen to you. I bought this bag. Tell Mom not to worry about the cost and to make a lot more tonight."
...
Song Zhao hadn't finished eating the sea cucumbers he bought when He Shumei from across the street needed to see Nie Qingqing. Early in the morning, she stopped them during their work hours and told Song Zhao to go first.
"Director Song, please take the child and go downstairs first. I have some women's matters to discuss with Qingqing."
Song Zhao nodded, picked up the curious Tangyuan, and told him not to leave him there to eavesdrop.
Factory Director Yu was nervous. He hadn't noticed anything unusual about his wife last night.
"Meimei, if you feel unwell, be sure to tell me. Don't hide it from me."
He Shumei rolled her eyes at him and laughed, "What are you guessing? Why don't you help take Tangyuan and Xiaoyuan to school, and I'll talk to Qingqing a bit more."
Factory Director Yu took Tangyuan from Song Zhao's arms and then took Xiaoyuan's hand: "Tangyuan, Xiaoyuan, your Aunt Meimei wants to have a private talk with your mother. Come on, Uncle will take you to school."
-----------------------
Author's Note: A small red envelope will be dropped in this chapter.
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