Chapter 35 You didn't call my name, you've mistaken me for someone else...
After entering high school, Song Xiaoyin had her own troubles. Everything was fine for her if she stayed in her hometown, except that while other parents had their parents attend parent-teacher conferences, she had her grandfather.
Grandpa used to ignore them. Now that Dad and Aunt Qingqing aren't around, Grandpa took the initiative to come and attend the parent-teacher conference for her, hoping to make her feel less upset. Actually, she wasn't upset at all; it didn't matter if no one attended the parent-teacher conference.
High school is different from junior high. The school cracks down hard on early relationships. The class monitor reported the love letters in her desk to the teacher. She didn't know when she had put them there.
Grandpa has already spoken with the teacher and dealt with it, so there's nothing wrong with the matter. But some people have started spreading rumors that her parents don't care about her, only took her younger brother, and left her here because they don't like her. Then some classmates started pointing fingers and saying things like, "What's the use of good grades? Her parents won't like it anyway." She's getting annoyed by hearing these things so often.
After the final exams, she ranked fourth in her class, improving by one place from last time. Today she will receive her grades and attend the parent-teacher meeting; the parents will arrive shortly.
My deskmate ranked third in her class, which is amazing. She comes from a very happy family. Her parents take turns coming to the parent-teacher conference, and my deskmate always asks her, "Is your grandfather coming to the conference again this time?"
Song Xiaoyin had explained several times that her parents were very good to her, but they lived too far away and were too busy to come. She didn't want to explain anymore.
She hummed in response.
The homeroom teacher arrived, and the class meetings were always concise and clear. Her favorite teacher was her current high school homeroom teacher.
The homeroom teacher, beaming with joy, announced: "Classmates, I have some good news to share. Song Xiaoyin's parents came to her parent-teacher meeting and noticed that the school library didn't have many books, and many were old and damaged. They decided to donate three hundred brand-new extracurricular books. Let's give them a round of applause and thank Song Xiaoyin's parents!"
Three hundred books! Song Xiaoyin knew the price of the books. Her father earned a high salary of six hundred yuan a month, and it would take him two months to make up the difference. It must have been Aunt Qingqing's idea. Was it her who came?
Amidst enthusiastic applause, Song Xiaoyin was very excited and quickly asked the teacher, "Is it my dad or my mom who came?"
The teacher was very pleased: "They've all come. Your parents care about you a lot. Now no one will gossip about your parents not wanting you. Don't overthink it. Focus on your studies."
Her deskmate looked on with envy: "Song Xiaoyin, I believe your parents love you very much. You are so lucky."
Xiaoyin blushed slightly; yes, she was truly happy.
...
Song Xiaoyin stayed behind until the parents came in. She saw her father and Aunt Qingqing. She had already guessed that it was her grandfather who had told them about this little thing. He actually came all this way back for such a trivial matter. Wasn't that because he cared about her?
She went up to them, unable to hide her excitement: "Dad, Aunt Qingqing, I'm so happy about your surprise visit."
Looking at his daughter, whom he hadn't seen for half a year and who seemed almost estranged, Song Zhao felt guilty. As his child grew up, he really needed to pay more attention to her psychological development. Just because he hadn't paid attention to it didn't mean it wasn't important to her. He was truly grateful that Qingqing had brought him back.
Nie Qingqing said proudly, "Aren't you happy? Your dad really only came back because he had a parent-teacher conference for you. I came with him to visit relatives."
Song Zhaocai wouldn't let her say that: "No, Dad originally thought there was no need to come back, but it was your Aunt Qingqing who yelled at me that made me realize I had to come back."
Song Xiaoyin blushed with excitement and couldn't help but hug Nie Qingqing's arm, resting her head on her shoulder: "I know, of course I know, Dad wouldn't think about these things, thank you."
This was the first time Nie Qingqing had ever been so affectionate. She touched her hair, feeling very happy.
...
Song Xiaoyin's deskmate also stayed behind to see her parents. She linked arms with Xiaoyin and couldn't help but turn back to look again, asking incredulously, "How come your mother looks so young?"
In high school, only her teachers knew about Song Xiaoyin's situation. Suddenly, she didn't want to explain anymore. Aunt Qingqing married her father, so she was also considered her mother.
She said proudly, "Our family loves each other very much. My mother has a broad mind, which makes her look young. Look at my father, doesn't he look young too?"
Her deskmate only asked about her father's age, then nodded and said, "My dad is only five years older than your dad. They don't look like they're the same age. Your parents must love each other very much."
Song Xiaoyin was very confident about this: "Yes, the happiest thing for Dad is finding Mom. You go back first, I'll wait for Mom and Dad and go back with them."
...
Tang Gao also had a day off today. After busily selecting the things to take with her, she said to Tang Guizhi, "Grandma, have we bought our tickets yet? Let's leave tomorrow."
Tang Guizhi wasn't in a hurry: "We'll buy tickets as soon as Xiaoyin comes back. We can buy them anytime, it's a two-month summer vacation, why the rush?"
How could Tang Gao not be anxious? She had been waiting for half a year. She had a feeling that someone was at the door. She turned around and saw that her sister Xiaoyin, aunt, and uncle had all returned. She jumped up and ran, rushing into Nie Qingqing's arms: "Aunt, I missed you so much! Why are you all back?"
Nie Qingqing could no longer carry her. She compared their heights and was amazed to find that she was even taller than Tangyuan.
She smiled and said, "Your uncle is back for Xiaoyin's parent-teacher conference, and I'm back to pick you up. Aren't you happy?"
Tanggao grabbed her hand and started to walk outside: "Of course I'm happy! Let's go buy train tickets."
Nie Qingqing quickly said, "I bought the ticket when I got off the train. It's for tomorrow afternoon."
Tanggao let out a "whoop!" and exclaimed, "Why do we have to wait another day?"
Nie Qingqing: "You've come all this way, so you should visit your relatives."
Hearing the noise, Tang Guizhi jogged out of the house. Seeing her daughter and son-in-law, she was overjoyed: "Why are you back?"
Nie Qingqing asked, "Mom, just tell me, are you happy that we're back?"
Tang Guizhi scolded, "Kaixin, wasn't it because I was afraid you'd be delayed at work? Now that you're back, I'm not going to say anything more. You can go visit your relatives now. I'll tell your brother and sister-in-law to come back for dinner early tonight."
...
Nie Qingqing and Song Zhao took Xiaoyin's sweet cakes to visit their mother-in-law and had lunch there.
My sister-in-law is about to give birth and is resting at home. The young couple's small appliance business, which they partnered with, should have been very profitable in the first half of the year. They were particularly enthusiastic. He Suwen quietly showed Song Zhao three fingers, which meant they had earned three thousand yuan in the first half of the year, which was quite good. Song Zhao then turned around and told Nie Qingqing.
Nie Qingqing wasn't envious: "Chengdong works very hard. Mom said his shop is open until 9 pm every day. His hard work pays off, which is great. A family needs everyone to be well so that it can become more and more harmonious."
That makes sense. If everything is fine, no one will feel superior, and everyone can get along peacefully. Isn't that great?
After lunch, it was time to leave, but He Suwen was reluctant to part with him and suddenly began to rely on her eldest son: "Can't you stay here a little longer?"
Song Zhao was taken aback. His mother had never said such a thing before. He said, "I still need to go to Dad's place. There are some things I need to talk to him about."
Nie Qingqing said, "Mom, if you don't mind, we can come back for lunch tomorrow, and then we can go directly to the station from here."
My sister-in-law quickly said, "It's no trouble at all. We have a housekeeper. We'll give her a separate red envelope and ask her to cook a meal. It's rare for the house to be so lively. Mom will be happy that you're all home."
My sister-in-law is good at talking. This house, where He Suwen lives, was originally Song Zhao's half.
They had already reached the intersection, but He Suwen was still standing at the door looking around. Nie Qingqing tugged at Song Zhao and said, "Wave and say hello to your mother."
Song Zhao felt a pang in his heart. He hated his mother for divorcing his father during their time of great hardship, but now that he was older, he couldn't bring himself to hate her. If it were him, he would have taken the initiative to make Qingqing divorce her father and sever ties.
He turned around, waved, and saw his mother rubbing her eyes. After thinking about it carefully, he realized that his parents and siblings were already quite good. Why dwell on those things? Wouldn't it be better to be happy?
...
I spent more than two hours at my father-in-law's place in the afternoon. We had talked about Aunt Ling's situation on the phone before, and we discussed the division of the inheritance when we met.
Song Mingli looked at Song Zhao: "Qingqing handles all these family matters so well, which is why I called her about Xiaoyin's matter."
Song Zhao was convinced: "I only realized how important a parent-teacher meeting is to Xiaoyin after I came back. If I hadn't come back, the child would have a lifelong regret that could never be made up for."
Seeing that he understood, Song Mingli said, "It's not your fault. When I was your age, I also thought that children's things were not a big deal and that there would always be a chance to make up for them later. But children grow up, and by the time you really want to make up for them, it will be too late. I don't want you to regret these things when you reach my age."
Song Mingli told Xiaoyin, "From now on, your father will go to the school for each end-of-term parent-teacher meeting, and your grandfather will go at other times if needed."
Xiaoyin nodded hurriedly. In the past, she would have sensibly said that she didn't need it, but now she felt that she did need it.
...
After leaving Song Zhao's father's place, Nie Qingqing told Song Zhao to take Xiaoyin and Tanggao back to Huazhi Lane first: "I'm going to find Shumei. I'll be back in half a day, she must be getting impatient."
Song Zhao said, "We're setting off together tomorrow, do we really have to go?"
Nie Qingqing: "Of course, seeing each other today and seeing each other tomorrow are very different. You go home first and help pack your things. I'll go back early."
...
He Shumei had been waiting at home for most of the day, and Nie Qingqing finally arrived. She was overjoyed and showed Nie Qingqing the four large bags she had packed: "Yu Zhengmin said that everything is prepared over there. My mom wants to bring everything. Look, my mom and I can't carry all this stuff. Song Zhao will definitely complain again."
Nie Qingqing joked, "You want him to do hard labor, but you can't even say a word? Yu Zhengmin lives a very simple life. He said he's prepared, but he'll definitely need to buy more. Take him with you; you'll all find them useful."
He Shumei's mother liked Nie Qingqing's words very much, and made room for them, saying, "You two chat, I'll take the kids downstairs for some fresh air."
As soon as her mother left, He Shumei's smile turned into a bitter one.
Nie Qingqing noticed this and asked, "Why are you worried about going there to reunite with your family?"
He Shumei said, "Yu Zhengmin's daughter was fired and asked him for connections, saying she wanted to do small appliance business like Song Zhao's brother. How could Yu Zhengmin have such connections? This is tantamount to forcing him to beg Song Zhao. I didn't agree. I said that the two families have a good relationship and we shouldn't trouble them. I told him to think about it. If we have the same source of goods, wouldn't he be stealing Song Zhao's brother's business? We can't do this."
Indeed, given Song Zhao's personality, if Yu Zhengmin asks, Song Zhao will give it to him, but he will think that Yu Zhengmin is no longer a good person, and the relationship will fade.
Nie Qingqing put her arm around her: "I know you can't bear to part with our relationship. So what other way can you two find to make his eldest daughter happy?"
That's why she and Nie Qingqing have a good relationship; she understands her best.
He Shumei said, "I was comparing myself to you, and my mother also advised me that a stepmother shouldn't be too harsh. She's not related to me by blood, but she's still Yu Zhengmin's daughter. It's only natural for him to want to help his daughter. In the end, we discussed it and decided that Yu Zhengmin would give his daughter eighty yuan a month from his salary until his granddaughter graduates from high school. If she gets into university, he will cover half of her tuition."
Nie Qingqing advised her, "Just give it to him. She's Yu Zhengmin's own daughter. He'll be upset, and it will affect your family's life."
Yes, He Shumei understood, which is why she compromised. She raised an eyebrow and continued, "Do you know why his daughter was fired?"
Nie Qingqing shook her head: "Her factory is doing quite well, and she's already a workshop team leader. Why is that?"
He Shumei scoffed: "She got pregnant and went to another city to give birth. Both of them lost their jobs, so she wanted to start a small business. If she wants to do it herself, she should do it herself. She wants my family to help her choose goods, purchase them, and find long-distance buses to transport them. Think about it, how could I possibly trouble my brother and Zhigao? To be selfish, she made such a fuss when I got married, I didn't want to help either."
Nie Qingqing was very surprised: "Her child is only a few months older than Douding."
He Shumei: "I really don't know what she's comparing. She's Yu Zhengmin's child, and she'll be able to share in Yu Zhengmin's money just like Douding. I'll just earn my own money. She can't possibly take mine, can she? This time, I went there with my brother and his family to do wholesale business. My brother said he'd give me a 20% share, which is more than I'd earn working outside. I've already made a deal with Yu Zhengmin. We won't pay to raise his daughter's child, which was born in violation of the one-child policy. They chose to have it, so they have to raise it themselves."
"Absolutely," Nie Qingqing agreed with her plans for the future: "It's better to have what others have than to have it yourself. The same applies to couples. Your idea is great."
It's good, but then she'll have to live with her brother: "I work with my brother, so I can't be your neighbor, otherwise it'll be too far to get to and from get off work."
Nie Qingqing said, "What's there to be afraid of? You can come over this weekend, or I can go to your place, or we can go to Lehan's hotel together. There are plenty of ways to meet."
...
When my brother and sister-in-law returned in the evening, they had been working hard at Mr. Yan's place and hadn't disappointed him. They had also reaped a lot of rewards themselves.
Nie Weibin insisted on having a drink with Song Zhao, saying, "I only need to manage the workshop production, which is much easier than running the shop before. I've made several good friends in the workshop, and life is getting better and better."
That's right. If you don't have to open your own shop, you don't have to manage every aspect of it.
Zheng Fanghui was grateful to her aunt and said to Nie Qingqing, "You were right. The pastry shop was transformed into Mr. Yan's chain of pastry shops. Two pastry shops opened on that street. Mr. Yan was in no hurry and outlasted them in a few months. If it were your brother and me, we would be worried to death."
Nie Qingqing: "Mr. Yan dared to give you important positions because he could tell you had no ambition."
Nie Qingqing had thought about it before. There is no business without competition, and going to Mr. Yan's place is a good option for her brother and sister-in-law.
Tanggao didn't like hearing this and interrupted, asking, "Auntie, you must have had a lot of interesting things happen in the past six months, right?"
Nie Qingqing laughed and said, "There are many more. Our neighbors across the hall have twins, a boy and a girl. Tangyuan calls them Dalin and Xiaolin. I also know a sister named Lehan who runs a hotel. Her seafood noodles are especially delicious. Tangyuan will definitely take you to try them. When we get there, Tangyuan will tell you about them."
Tanggao couldn't wait any longer: "Great! I can't wait!"
...
Many people went on this trip, and He Shumei's mother went along to help her take care of the children. They bought all six berths in one sleeper carriage. The five adults and Xiaoting bought full-price tickets, Tanggao bought half-price tickets, and Douding's baby didn't need a ticket.
The sleeper compartment was full of family members, so we were very comfortable. We chatted and laughed along the way, took a nap, and soon arrived at our destination.
Yu Zhengmin picked up He Shumei, his mother-in-law, and the child, and they agreed to rest for two days first, and then go to Lehan's hotel for dinner together on the weekend.
After three days away, Nie Qingqing was worried about Tangyuan and Xiaoyuan. The two children were really great; they were doing very well at home, and their food, clothing, shelter, and transportation were no longer a concern for the adults.
Xiao Yuan misses her older sister and stands in front of her grinning foolishly, while Tang Yuan, holding her grandmother's arm, chatters on and on about her.
"Grandma, we live on the seventh floor now. There's an elevator, and it only takes about ten seconds to get home. It's not tiring at all."
It was Tang Gao's first time riding an elevator, and she was incredibly excited. Looking around, she tugged at Xiao Yin's sleeve and said, "Sister, you must go to a big city to broaden your horizons."
Xiaoyin smiled without saying a word; she already had a goal in mind: where she would go to take the exam.
The empty room in the house has been cleaned up. A new set of bunk beds, the same size as those in Tangyuan and Xiaoyuan's room, has been added. It's enough for them. Just after it was cleaned up, Mrs. Liang from across the street came over to visit and get to know the twins who had come back from their extracurricular classes. They chatted for a few minutes and then went back.
Nie Qingqing and Song Zhao only took three days off. The car arrived at the station early in the morning, and they still had time to go to work.
Before leaving, she gave Tang Guizhi some money: "Mom, don't cook today. Take the children out to eat and have a good rest afterward."
...
Xiaoyin, Tangyuan, Tanggao, and Xiaoyuan, the four children, reunited and chattered away at home. The three-bedroom apartment couldn't keep them cooped up, and since it was summer vacation, they made plans to go out and play the very next day.
Mrs. Liang, who lives across the street, was willing to let the twins play with them. Xiaoyin went out for a day and spent most of the next day doing her homework at home. Mrs. Liang really liked the quiet and pretty Xiaoyin and took the initiative to invite her to her home to play.
Xiaoyin saw the twins' paintings and found common ground in them. She painted portraits of the twins, which amazed Dalin and Xiaolin.
Lin Xiangwan said, "Xiaoyin, you draw so well. Teacher Wen said I have no talent and can only make up for it with hard work. But after seeing your painting, I can't say that anymore."
Mrs. Liang used to study art, but she had neglected it. However, her classmate is now quite famous, and she greatly admires Xiaoyin's talent. After Nie Qingqing got off work, Mrs. Liang took the initiative to ask:
"I just found out that your Xiaoyin has been studying art. The teacher who teaches Xiang An and Xiang Wan is my former art classmate. She's quite well-known. If your family is willing, you can let Xiaoying go during the summer vacation too."
Mrs. Liang has such high standards, so of course Nie Qingqing is willing to accept any of the teachers she chooses.
She thanked her profusely, saying, "Xiaoyin is taking short-term classes. If the teacher is willing to accept her, we are willing to pay double the tuition."
Mrs. Liang agreed: "Double isn't necessary. I'll have the child take Xiaoyin's painting over and ask the teacher if they'll accept it."
...
Such a good teacher must have high standards for students, right? Nie Qingqing was even more anxious than Xiaoyin. Xiaoyin was also anxious. She had never met such a famous teacher before and didn't know if she would be willing to take her as a short-term student.
The next day, the twins brought back good news: "The teacher is looking forward to it and wants Xiaoyin to go tomorrow."
Xiaoyin was overjoyed and went with the twins the next day. The twins came back first. The adults were at work, so only the children and Tang Guizhi were at home.
Tangyuan immediately became worried: "You're back, but where's my sister?"
Dalin said, "The teacher praised Xiaoyin for her high talent and asked her to stay behind to provide guidance. Xiaoyin said she brought money for food and transportation and would come back by herself in the afternoon."
Tangyuan said proudly, "This is our older sister, she's amazing! We're playing chess, you two come join us."
Da Lin and Xiao Lin looked at their mother. Mrs. Liang nodded. Her two children were very good. It was just that they had been raised in a stifling manner during the years they lived with their husbands. Now that they had come to have cheerful little friends, it would be good for them to play together.
...
Xiaoyin came back around 4 p.m., extremely happy. She said the teacher was very good, had guided her on some techniques she didn't know before, praised her talent, and hoped she would keep it up.
After Nie Qingqing and Song Zhao got off work, Xiaoyin immediately approached them to discuss: "My teacher said that if I'm willing, I can practice in her studio every day during the summer vacation from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Aunt Qingqing, is that okay?"
Nie Qingqing had no objections. She asked, "With this arrangement, will there still be time to do summer homework?"
Xiaoyin nodded repeatedly: "Yes, I write from six in the morning to nine, and when I get back in the evening, I write from five to nine. That's enough time."
In Nie Qingqing's opinion, it was really too hard. Xiaoyin probably felt that doing what she liked was not hard.
...
Xiaoyin didn't expect to have such a pleasant surprise this time. She went to paint every day and received unreserved guidance from her teacher. Often, she would only come back when her teacher urged her to.
She wanted to thank Da Lin and Xiao Lin's mother, Tang Guizhi, for cooking a pot of chicken soup. Although it wasn't cooked over a wood-fired stove, the soup, simmered in an earthenware pot, was still very fragrant.
Nie Qingqing delivered it to Mrs. Liang across the street, feeling quite embarrassed: "My mother thinks this is a good thing. That's how it is back in our hometown. Only close relatives would give each other chicken soup they've cooked themselves."
It smells really good, and the chicken is so tender it falls off the bone. It must have been simmering over a fire for several hours to be ready.
Mrs. Liang immediately gave both twins a bowl of water. The children's expressions didn't lie. They handed over the empty bowls and said they wanted another bowl, which put Nie Qingqing at ease.
She sincerely thanked them: "Thank you so much for what happened to Xiaoyin."
Mrs. Liang felt a little smug, and also marveled at how sincere Nie Qingqing was for her stepdaughter; no wonder Song Zhao was also sincere towards her.
She declined the credit, saying, "Xiaoyin impressed the teacher with her talent and hard work. I just acted as a go-between. You should thank the teacher properly later."
Nie Qingqing said, "The teacher should definitely thank you, and you should also thank me for this favor."
...
After drinking the chicken soup, the two kids skipped dinner and did their homework under the desk lamp.
Mrs. Liang took out her old sketchbook and flipped through the pages with reminiscence, muttering to herself, "I never imagined that Nie Qingqing would treat her stepdaughter so well. If I hadn't lived across the hall and seen it with my own eyes, I wouldn't have believed it."
Dalin said, "Aunt Qingqing is good to Sister Xiaoyin, and Sister Xiaoyin is good to her too. She helps Aunt Qingqing take care of her two younger brothers."
Mrs. Liang sighed, "That's not necessarily true. Sometimes, if someone isn't your biological child, no matter how much you raise them, you'll never truly bond with them."
Xiaolin retorted, "Even biological children can become enemies. It has nothing to do with whether they are biologically related or not; it has to do with the person."
Mrs. Liang was quite surprised: "When did you two become so knowledgeable?"
Xiaolin pouted: "We're going into fifth grade soon, we're not little kids anymore."
...
Over the weekend, Nie Qingqing had arranged to have dinner with He Shumei at the Lehan Hotel. Grateful for Mrs. Liang's help, she brought along Da Lin and Xiao Lin, who were also looking forward to going.
Tonight, including the toddler, there are seven children. The adults chatted about adult things, and the children chatted about children's things. It was lively and bustling. After dinner, they even went upstairs to the suite to watch TV.
Gu Lehan said that the hotel's morning tea was the highlight, and she wanted to leave a few children there for the night. After they had breakfast, she would take them back.
Nie Qingqing's family has four children, but Shumei's child is too young and needs to be taken back. Dalin and Xiaolin want to stay and are looking longingly at Nie Qingqing.
Nie Qingqing didn't dare to make the decision herself, and said, "I'll call your mother."
Mrs. Liang was indeed worried, so she and Song Zhao had no choice but to take the disappointed twins home. The two children were sullen and didn't say a word the whole way.
After Nie Qingqing delivered them to their home, she said to Song Zhao, "We were all so happy, but this last thing has made the children unhappy."
Song Zhao said, "Mrs. Liang has changed a lot since before. Before, she was unwilling to let the twins go out. If they stayed overnight, I wouldn't feel at ease unless Xiaoyin and her mother were watching over them."
That's true, Mrs. Liang and Gu Lehan don't know each other after all.
...
Back home, Xiaolin's eyes were red from holding back her anger. She snapped at Mrs. Liang, "We just wanted to stay a little longer. What's wrong with staying one night?"
Mrs. Liang was still aggrieved: "I was worried about you. How could I let you spend the night outside?"
Xiaolin couldn't help but vent: "We're like your pets, we have no freedom at all."
The older brother, Dalin, scolded, "Wanwan, you can't talk to Mom like that. Mom has changed a lot. Before, she would follow us even when we went downstairs."
Xiaolin thought about it and realized that it was true; her mother had become much more open-minded than before.
She lowered her head and admitted her mistake: "Mom, I'm sorry. If there's another chance like this next time, could you let us play outside with everyone?"
Mrs. Liang was truly touched and, not wanting her child to be disappointed, quickly said, "Alright, but it has to be with Qingqing's family. I really don't trust them to go with anyone else."
Xiaolin immediately perked up: "Thank you, Mom! You really are different from before!"
Isn't it the same? Mrs. Liang had insomnia last night, and the children praised her, which is rare for them.
...
With summer vacation halfway over, Yunli wanted to invite Xiaoyin and Xiaoyuan to stay with her for a few days.
Nie Qingqing wanted to refuse, but Tang Guizhi persuaded her, "It's not right to not go even once during a two-month summer vacation. With Yunli's personality, she won't stay for more than three or five days before she has to come back."
Xiaoyin didn't want to miss her painting class, so she said she would go after school so she could take one less day off.
Tangyuan found an opportunity to speak to Xiaoyin alone: "Sister, when you go over there, keep an eye on Xiaoyuan and your little brother, especially when they are alone together."
Xiaoyin asked in confusion, "Can't you just say it directly?"
"No way," Tangyuan said. "You can't even tell Xiaoyuan about me tattling on you."
Xiaoyin kept it in mind.
...
Tang Guizhi took Xiaoyuan to the art studio in the afternoon to wait for Xiaoyin, and then sent the two children to Yunli's place. Unexpectedly, they only stayed one night and the two children returned the next day.
It's the weekend. Tangyuan, Tanggao, and the twins from across the street went to the amusement park. Song Zhao took them. Nie Qingqing was taking a nap at home. When she heard the door open, she jumped up in surprise and ran to the living room.
Upon seeing that it was two children returning, she exclaimed incredulously, "Why did you only stay for one day this time?"
Xiao Yuan was very upset: "My sister hit me and my brother, and the atmosphere at home was terrible, so my mother made us come back."
Nie Qingqing guessed that Yun Li's youngest son had hit Xiao Yuan again, and Xiao Yin saw it, so she quickly asked, "What happened?"
Xiaoyin was furious: "The little brother can't even walk properly, but his mind is bigger than his height. He hit Xiaoyuan, so I went up and slapped each of them. Xiaoyuan didn't cry, but the little brother was howling and rolling on the ground. He really knows how to be rude, so I hit him a little more."
"Mom asked me why I hit my younger brothers. I said it was Grandpa who taught me to. When Dad and Uncle were little, they would quarrel and Grandpa would slap each of them, regardless of age. My younger brothers had stopped making a fuss after I hit them, but Mom told me to reflect on my mistakes. She said if I didn't recognize my mistakes, I shouldn't go anymore. What mistakes could I admit? Fine, I won't go then. It'll be good if I don't have to suffer for the next few holidays! She thinks I can't teach my brothers well, then she'll teach them herself!"
...
Nie Qingqing was overjoyed. Xiao Yuan got slapped by his sister, but it was worth it. It seems he won't have to go for a long time. If he doesn't go, he won't be treated unfairly!
She was so happy, but she didn't dare show it. She said, "Tangyuan and the others are at the amusement park. Let's go too. You've already asked the teacher for leave. Have a good day."
With Xiaoyin and Xiaoyuan joining in, the children had even more fun.
Nie Qingqing said smugly to Song Zhao, "Yun Li and Xiao Yuan Xiaoyin had a fight, and I'm actually happy about it. Don't tell anyone, or they'll say I'm a really bad stepmother."
Song Zhao laughed even more happily: "You finally can't bear to see Yun Li anymore, that's great. She has Ji Chengtian, let him spoil her. We won't spoil her."
Nie Qingqing sighed, "Xiaoyin is really good at teaching her younger siblings. Tangyuan, Xiaoyuan, and Tanggao, and now even Dalin and Xiaolin, all respect her and follow her around like little shadows. But Yunli doesn't appreciate it."
Song Zhao said, "We agreed not to mention her. The pirate ship is available now, let's go play on that."
...
Summer vacation is almost over, and Xiaoyin and Tanggao are going back home. The children are reluctant to part with them, and Nie Qingqing is even more reluctant.
With so many children at home, she and Song Zhao were at work, and it was all Mom who cooked for them. It was very hard for her.
She cautiously asked Song Zhao, "I want to buy my mom some gold jewelry. The styles here are nicer than the ones back home. Do you think I can give it to her? It'll cost quite a bit."
Song Zhao said angrily, "Qingqing, you should make the decisions about this yourself. Asking me is too formal. I'm really a little angry."
Nie Qingqing felt relieved and quickly coaxed, "It costs a lot of money, and it's for my mom. To be frank, my mom might leave these things to my brother and Tanggao in the future. I'm just afraid you'll get angry."
Song Zhao said, "Go buy one, buy yourself a big gold bracelet, you'll definitely look good wearing it."
Nie Qingqing felt very happy and took her mother to the largest gold shop in Shenzhen to choose a style.
Tang Guizhi refused: "It's so expensive, I'm not buying it. Don't waste your money."
Nie Qingqing wanted to buy it: "Mom, this is gold, a heirloom. Consider it as saving up for Tanggao's dowry. I'll buy it too. I'll save up for Xiaoyin this year, for Tangyuan next year, and for Xiaoyuan the year after. We'll buy them all."
With this in mind, Tang Guizhi agreed. She had a sense of justice; to maintain family harmony, everyone had to be treated equally. The things her daughter bought for her, she would divide equally among Xiaoyin and her three siblings in the future.
There were many people in the jewelry store, but only one person kept staring at her and her mother.
After confirming repeatedly, Nie Qingqing turned her back and whispered, "Mom, that auntie bought a gold necklace and has been watching us."
Tang Guizhi had already seen it: "Let's buy our own things, ignore it."
Nie Qingqing was very afraid that someone was spying on her. She had bought gold, so she would circle around several times to make sure no one was following her before leaving.
After choosing the necklace, ring, and earrings, she took the receipt to pay. When she came back and saw the woman, she went up to her mother and asked, "Are you Guizhi?"
Tang Guizhi shook her head: "Big sister, you're not calling my name, you've mistaken me for someone else."
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