Chapter 19 Chapter 19 The silly father who loves his daughter.
Although the person who would help him take care of his wife and children had been decided, Lin Nanjiang, who had rested for almost twenty days, was already extremely hungry and thirsty. He wanted to carry his snack stall to the night market immediately. However, when Aunt Zhang came to work early the next day, he still stayed at home quietly and secretly observed her performance.
It seemed as if if he didn't personally confirm Aunt Zhang's work attitude, his wife and children would become the bullied little cabbages.
Facts have proved that Lin Nanjiang's worries are completely unnecessary. He was afraid that his wife and children would be wronged in places where he couldn't see them, and Aunt Zhang was also worried that they would be difficult to serve.
In their view, Aunt Zhang helps her son manage the rent of a building, and she herself also receives dividends in the village. She has no worries about food and clothing, and she works purely out of personal interest.
But in Aunt Zhang's own mind, she has never worked in her life, and only knows how to beg for money. It's okay that her husband has a bad temper and is stingy, but at least he didn't really let them and their son starve. Unfortunately, she has no home when she is old. The only thing she thinks of now is her son. He himself is working in other places and is also wandering. He will get married and have children in the future. Aunt Zhang doesn't want to cause trouble for the past. Secondly, she is in Shenzhen after all, and people come here to work. Even if she is an old woman, she can earn a living with her hands and feet. She was thinking about finding a construction site to cook for people after the New Year, or collecting garbage after that. Suddenly, she learned that Xiao Liu, the tenant at the east end of the village, had just given birth to a child and wanted to recruit people to help. This news was not only a life-saving straw, but also timely rain.
Aunt Zhang has been doing waitressing work at home all her life. Not only is this job suitable for her major, but she also gets paid. She really needs this job.
As employers, Lin Nanjiang and Liu Suqin thought that if this aunt was not suitable, they could find someone else. However, Aunt Zhang had no confidence that she could find a better job than this one. As she had fallen into the situation of being separated from her husband and children, she always felt that she was unlucky and would be considered unlucky when looking for a job. It was a rare opportunity for her to meet Xiao Lin and Xiao Liu, two young people from other places who did not care about this and were willing to let her come to their home to try. Aunt Zhang felt very lucky. If she missed this opportunity, she would never have this chance again. So the next morning, she dressed neatly and came to work.
She came too early. Liu Suqin and her husband had not yet gotten up. Aunt Zhang did not knock on the door, but just stood silently in the yard waiting. Lin Quansheng got up as usual to prepare breakfast. While brushing his teeth, he opened the door and suddenly saw the strange aunt standing in the yard. He was almost scared.
After figuring out the other party's identity and purpose, Lin Quansheng pulled out a stool and said, "Aunt Zhang, right? Please sit down for a moment. I'll wash my face and go next door to call them. They're awake now, but they haven't gotten out of bed yet..."
After hearing the last sentence, Aunt Zhang swallowed the words she wanted to refuse and continued to stand there stiffly.
Sure enough, Lin Quansheng knocked on the door for only two seconds before Lin Nanjiang came out with his coat on. "Aunt Zhang, I'm sorry to have made you stand outside for so long. Have you eaten? If not, wait a moment. We'll go get breakfast..."
"It's okay, it's okay. I came too early." Aunt Zhang said hurriedly, "What are you having for breakfast? I'll make it."
Lin Nanjiang didn't hesitate and led her directly to the cooking area. The ingredients were piled up in Lin Quansheng's room. He introduced the pots and pans to Aunt Zhang and said, "If you can't find anything, just call us anytime. If you don't have anything at home, you can ask me to buy it for you."
Lin Quansheng interrupted, "If you need anything, just call me directly."
Lin Quansheng was the happiest one when the family hired an aunt. Not only did she help him share the work, but his cooking skills were also limited. He only knew how to make two breakfasts: porridge or noodles. Occasionally, when Lin Nanjiang wanted to change the taste, he would make wontons by himself, but he was definitely not as good as Aunt Zhang, who had been cooking for half her life.
Aunt Zhang dared to recommend herself and actively apply for this job. Of course, she is quite capable. She is good at cooking home-cooked meals and has a rich supply of ingredients at home. She used her special skills and quickly prepared a table full of sumptuous breakfast. The local specialties such as vegetable and lean meat porridge, steamed pork ribs with taro, fried shrimp and dates, and radish cake were served on the table. Liu Suqin was stunned.
She had just gotten up, dressed, and was feeding Fangfang when Aunt Zhang had already prepared such a table? Even with Lin Nanjiang and Lin Quansheng helping her, this efficiency was astonishing.
Facing her amazement, Aunt Zhang humbly said, "You go and have dinner too. I'll take care of Fangfang."
Liu Suqin has been here for more than half a year and has become familiar with the aunties in the village. She has also chatted with Aunt Zhang and others before, so Aunt Zhang feels more at ease in front of her and is about to hold the baby.
But she was still a step too late. Lin Nanjiang had already picked up his chubby daughter in his arms. "Fangfang, are you full? Mom and Dad are about to have dinner too."
After teasing the little guy for a while, he sat on the stool with one hand in his arms, picked up the chopsticks with his right hand and started to eat heartily, which made Aunt Zhang stunned.
It would be fine if Xiaolin and Dalin helped her skillfully in the kitchen, considering that they were in the same line of work, it wasn't surprising that they knew how to do housework, but why was a grown man so skilled at holding a baby?
You have to know that the man in her family has lived for most of his life, but he can't even hold a soy sauce bottle. The other men in the village are not much better. Anyway, washing clothes, cooking and taking care of children are women's jobs, and it has nothing to do with them, men. Xiaolin is really a weirdo who is willing to do everything. But the other people are used to it, which makes her feel out of place. Aunt Zhang was stunned and at a loss, "You guys eat first. You just changed the diaper, right? Then I'll go wash the diaper..."
Aunt Zhang had no idea that the situation in Liu Suqin's hometown was not much better. The men were destined to be the bosses. This guy in her family was simply her PUA, oh no, he was just well educated.
Although Lin Quansheng didn't blink at the moment, he was also surprised to see his good friend being taught a lesson at first. However, after living together for a long time, he was like the frog boiled in warm water. He gradually got used to this scene and greeted Aunt Zhang, "Don't worry about it. Let's eat first. The food will not taste good if it gets cold."
Liu Suqin even personally moved a stool to greet Aunt Zhang, "Fangfang's diapers don't need to be washed. Just change them when they get dirty. Let's eat together."
Aunt Zhang had never refused anything in her life. Even though she was stiff, she still accepted the enthusiastic invitation and sat down. She finished her bowl of porridge and ate it with great concentration. Listening to everyone praising the rich, nutritious and delicious breakfast, she gradually relaxed and began to join in the conversation. "The radish cake should be cooled thoroughly and then fried on low heat until golden brown. It tastes better that way, but we didn't have time this morning so we didn't fry it..."
"Really? It can be fried?" Lin Nanjiang and Lin Quansheng exclaimed almost in unison. They were both big eaters, and their favorite dish on the table was the crispy fried shrimp balls, which were tender inside. They ate one by one with warm porridge, and they basically devoured the entire plate. When they heard that radish cake could be eaten this way, they immediately requested, "Let's try the fried radish cake next time, please."
Aunt Zhang was very motivated and kept saying good things.
Liu Suqin was breastfeeding and had to be careful about her diet. She only ate two shrimp balls and then stopped. Now she was enjoying the soft and tasty taro under the spareribs. Aunt Zhang looked at her and said, "In addition to radish cake, I can also make taro cake, taro pancake, and taro with sand."
"Can you also make anti-sand taro? I heard it's a bit difficult." Liu Suqin's eyes lit up.
Aunt Zhang pursed her lips and said, "I'd like to make it for you next time. This dish was my son's favorite when he was little. Back then, our family was poor and we couldn't afford meat, so I would make this to appease him during festivals."
Liu Suqin could see that Aunt Zhang was extremely insecure. It was also true that when someone goes through such a huge change in their old age, a big change in temperament is considered the least of their worries. She could only offer a few words of praise, "That's great! We've got you here to help us. We're all in for a treat."
Lin Nanjiang and Lin Quansheng, who were full and satisfied, also agreed. This breakfast was the most luxurious one they had ever had. At this moment, they were extremely satisfied with the clever and skillful Aunt Zhang.
Aunt Zhang was so confused by the coaxing that when she came to her senses, Lin Quansheng had already taken his niece from his good friend's arms and was teasing her as usual. Lin Nanjiang stood up and cleared the dishes. She hurried after him, "Boss Lin, let me do it, I'll wash the dishes."
"Let's go together." Lin Nanjiang didn't refuse, but just smiled and said, "Aunt Zhang, don't call me boss anymore. Call me Xiao Lin from now on."
"Well..." Aunt Zhang hesitated a little. Seeing this, Lin Nanjiang added, "The other one can be called Dalin, and my wife can be called Xiaoliu or Suqin."
Aunt Zhang actually thought it was strange to keep calling him boss, but when she saw that he really didn't care about these things, she nodded in relief and said, "Okay."
Lin Nanjiang and Aunt Zhang divided the work, one boiled water, cleaned the chopping board and mopped the floor, and the other washed dishes and pots. They quickly cleaned up the kitchen. He said goodbye and went back next door to play with the children.
After breakfast every day, Fangfang is the most energetic. The three adults are used to interacting with her at this time. Although the little one cannot laugh out loud yet, she can already look at them with her black eyes open, and occasionally grin, as if she is being amused. Liu Suqin and the others find it very interesting and begin to enjoy this interaction. They take turns to amuse the child at fixed times. Even Liu Suqin, who considers herself experienced, cannot escape the attack of the cute baby and gradually becomes addicted to raising her.
Although Lin Nanjiang told Aunt Zhang when he left that there was nothing to do at the moment and asked her to rest and prepare lunch later, Aunt Zhang was busy. While her employer was too busy to take care of her, she took a rag and wiped the kitchen until it was shiny. Then she wiped the room where Lin Quansheng lived, then their room, and finally even the corridor was mopped clean.
Lin Nanjiang and his wife had just done a thorough cleaning before the New Year. Men are not that meticulous after all. Liu Suqin adheres to the principle that whoever does the most work gets the most work, and doesn't express any opinions. As long as it's acceptable, it's fine. So when Lin Quansheng and Lin Nanjiang came back from buying groceries, he was stunned to see that the room he lived in was also brand new, with every corner cleaned spotlessly.
They spent a long time at the market today, asking around for information on prices after the New Year. They then went to familiar stalls to greet each other and resume restocking, renegotiating the purchase price. They were out for over an hour before returning. Lin Quansheng tiptoed into the kitchen to put his things away, then couldn't wait to go next door to find Liu Suqin and her husband and exclaim, "This month's salary of less than 300 yuan is so worth it! Aunt Zhang not only cooks delicious food, but she also mops the floor better than anyone else and even folds the clothes I had piled at the foot of the bed. Compared to now, my previous place looked like a doghouse."
Liu Suqin was not surprised, because she had been staying at home and saw with her own eyes how Aunt Zhang cleaned every corner. Not only could she not stop her, but Aunt Zhang found several clothes that had only been worn once and were not planned to be washed and took them away to wash and dry.
At that time, Aunt Zhang was enthusiastically looking for work for herself, and she kept chattering that she wanted to find good weather to help them take apart, wash and dry the quilts on the two beds, and also to wash the baby under the sun.
She said it was too troublesome, but her inner thoughts were actually similar to Lin Quansheng's. She also felt that hiring this aunt was worth it. As long as Aunt Zhang kept up this working attitude, let alone 260 per month, even if she could double or triple the salary, Liu Suqin would be willing!
At this time, she remembered a joke she saw on the Internet in her previous life about a divorce where the couple didn't fight over the property but over the aunt. She couldn't help but tell it to the two of them, which made Lin Nanjiang and Lin Quansheng laugh.
In this way, Aunt Zhang received unanimous praise from the three people and was successfully hired. Lin Nanjiang finally settled down and packed up his things and went back to work the next day.
Speaking of which, this year they have a new hungry money-eating beast, and they also hired an aunt, which instantly increased the expenses. Including rent, daily food and drink, and Aunt Zhang's salary, the monthly fixed expenses are actually close to two thousand!
Just over half a year ago, he couldn't even imagine such expenses. Even a thousand a month, let alone two,000, would have completely crushed Lin Nanjiang. But now, with nearly two hundred thousand in his savings account and confidence in his earning power, Lin Nanjiang wasn't too worried about this "astronomical expense."
However, as the head of the family, he also feels that the burden on his shoulders is getting heavier and heavier. The desire to make money will not be relieved by having money, but he will only want more.
Because he wants his wife and children to continue to enjoy such living conditions, or for their family to live better and better, he cannot be satisfied with the status quo and needs to work harder to make money.
So in the new year, Lin Nanjiang continued to set up his stall in full swing. Even if he encountered difficult customers who were deliberately looking for trouble and making trouble, he would swallow his anger and treat the other party like a grandson, and wait until he got home in the evening to complain to his wife.
Ever since he and Lin Quansheng started getting up early and going to bed late, Liu Suqin also resumed her previous habit of taking a two-hour nap at night and then getting up to greet those who came home late after working hard.
During the Chinese New Year, their family bought some furniture and appliances, including hair dryers, rice cookers, electric pressure cookers, etc. This way, even if Lin Nanjiang took the pots and pans out to set up a stall, when they came back from closing the stall in the middle of the night, there would still be hot rice in the rice cooker at home, and another pressure cooker would often heat up various nutritious soups for them.
No matter how late they get home, there is always a light waiting for them, and hot meals and hot soup to eat, which unknowingly soothes the fatigue of the day.
Liu Suqin gave birth smoothly and recovered well during the confinement period. She was able to walk around when she was discharged from the hospital and stayed in bed for half a month. Although she is not out of confinement yet, she can still get up and serve meals and soup to Lin Nanjiang and others by wrapping herself in a cotton coat, scarf and hat.
After Lin Nanjiang had eaten and drunk his fill, he quickly cleaned himself up and couldn't wait to get close to his precious daughter whom he hadn't seen for a day. Liu Suqin had also sorted out the accounts for the day and shared her gains with him with a smile on her face. At this moment, even if he had suffered a great injustice outside, all his worries had disappeared.
After the Lunar New Year, Liu Suqin never urged Lin Nanjiang to go out and earn money again. Instead, when he was about to start working, she advised him to rest at home. But when Lin Nanjiang officially started working, she was also happy from the bottom of her heart. She counted the money over and over again, muttering softly, "It's almost the same as we expected. It's just the end of the first month of the year, and business is far from what it was before the Lunar New Year. But adding up the morning and evening, we still make a few hundred dollars, which is also very good. Thank you for your hard work."
Lin Nanjiang didn't dare to wake the sleeping little one. He just kissed her milky little face, touched her hands and feet, and reluctantly withdrew his hands. He walked up to his wife and smiled softly, "It's not hard at all. As long as I can make money, I'm willing to do anything."
Perhaps she had gotten used to coaxing children recently. Seeing him staring down at her with his eyes sparkling, a typical gesture of seeking praise, Liu Suqin unexpectedly raised her hand and stroked the side of his face, saying softly, "You've done very well. Keep it up, and our business will get better and better."
Lin Nanjiang felt a pang of tingling in his heart at this action. He then looked at his wife standing under the light. Her gentle and beautiful face seemed to emit a faint glow, which made him excited. He couldn't help but grab her hand and kiss it gently on his lips, looking at her with hope on his face, "Suqin..."
Having been married for a lifetime, how could Liu Suqin not understand this look? Before anything could go wrong, she pushed him away with a blushing face, "What are you thinking about? I'm still in confinement after my baby's birth. And even after I'm done with my baby, the doctor said it's best to wait two months before having sex."
"Okay, then I'm going to sleep." Lin Nanjiang let go with regret and didn't pester her any further. Mainly because he was afraid that his thoughts would be aroused and he wouldn't be able to relieve them. In the end, he would be the one who felt uncomfortable. He simply climbed onto the bed next to his sweet and soft daughter, smelling the milky scent on her body, while trying to calm down and fall asleep early.
Seeing him leave so decisively, Liu Suqin suddenly felt a little unbalanced. Thinking of his beer belly, loose skin and thinning hair, she felt a little sorry for herself. They had to be separated at the age when his complexion was the best and he was physically strong, and he didn't enjoy his young body. She couldn't let herself be wronged again in this life. She should reward herself after the confinement period, provided that family planning products were prepared.
She still wanted the two children from her previous life, so she had to take the necessary measures. Otherwise, if something unexpected happened and Butterfly lost her second child, she would have no place to cry.
Liu Suqin had a beautiful idea, but unfortunately plans could not keep up with changes. She had to stay in confinement for longer and longer periods of time, and it seemed that her confinement would be delayed indefinitely.
Because what she said came true.
Lin Nanjiang's business was getting better and better. By the time their daughter was one month old, their income had broken the previous year's record. The most they made in one day was even 2,500 yuan.
Although this is a normal phenomenon caused by the return to work after the New Year, with the influx of wave after wave of migrant workers, the entire town is almost overcrowded. Not only their family, but all the businesses on the entire street are basically making a lot of money.
But no one would complain about having too much money, especially since this kind of popularity is time-sensitive. Lin Nanjiang and the others naturally have no distractions and are wholeheartedly trying to catch this wave of wealth.
Making money is the biggest thing in the world. Liu Suqin was not idle at home either. She led Aunt Zhang to provide logistical support, helping them with laundry and meals, and trying not to let the two of them worry about things other than business. The full moon banquet of little Fangfang also had to give way to it. In the end, it was postponed for more than a month. If it was any later, they could have held the hundred-day banquet directly.
However, because Aunt Zhang was so capable, Liu Suqin's so-called logistical work only remained at the level of talking. She told Aunt Zhang which dishes to prepare today, and she took care of all the specific work by herself. She didn't even have to wash the onions.
Aunt Zhang was so busy running around, going to the street to deliver meals several times a day, and coming back to hug Fangfang and tease her with full energy. Even a young person like Liu Suqin was amazed by her energy. Then when paying the salary, they decided to give Aunt Zhang a bonus of several dozen yuan to make it an even number. Aunt Zhang was so happy that she worked even harder.
Of course, that’s all in the past.
Liu Suqin was directing Aunt Zhang to work at home, and she had nothing to do herself, just like she was in confinement. She lay in bed taking care of the child in the morning. When the sun was strong in the afternoon and Aunt Zhang came back after delivering the meal, they took the child to the yard to bask in the sun and chatted with Aunt Chen about gossip. The three women also got together to play Landlord. Aunt Chen also contributed her old cradle, which she washed and dried, and covered with a soft blanket. Then she could put the little one next to her to bask in the sun and take a nap, and they could play by themselves without worry.
They closed the stall when the sun was no longer so warm. Liu Suqin took her daughter back to bed, while Aunt Zhang and Aunt Chen also went back home to prepare dinner.
Such days were too leisurely and comfortable. For the first time in her two lives, Liu Suqin discovered that confinement could be comfortable. If their business could be so booming every day, she would even be willing to stay at home for the rest of her life.
Unfortunately, the rush of people returning home only lasted for more than a month. No matter how reluctant they were, business gradually returned to its usual level. Lin Nanjiang, who was obsessed with making money, quickly accepted the reality and began to arrange his eldest daughter's full moon banquet.
Although the family of three left their hometown, they still have some friends from the same hometown around them. For example, Li Hong and others continued to work in Shenzhen this year. They came to visit Liu Suqin and the children early in the morning with gifts. They were also accompanied by fellow villagers who brought things from their hometown to help Liu Suqin and her family.
The couple did not go back home for the New Year, but they asked someone to bring back a big red envelope before the New Year. In addition to the happy occasion of having a new baby, Liu Suqin's parents and husband's family were not stingy this time. They packed up a lot of bacon, sausages, pickled vegetables, and asked someone to bring them, as well as the necessary small clothes, shoes, and quilts. People already carried a lot of luggage when they went out, and they had to help them carry all these big and small bags of things. Liu Suqin and Lin Nanjiang felt very sorry, but it was not appropriate to give them money directly, so they discussed treating everyone to a good meal when the baby was one month old.
These fellow villagers and friends from the factory, together with Aunt Zhang and the landlord couple, filled up the table and it was very lively.
It's obvious that their residence cannot accommodate so many people, and he didn't want to tire himself out, so Lin Nanjiang took charge of everything. He booked a large private room in a high-end restaurant in town and ordered all the fresh chicken, duck, fish, meat and seafood in the restaurant. The scale was higher than that of other people's wedding banquets, which shows how much he values his daughter.
Liu Suqin did not complain about his reckless spending, not because her family was wealthy, but because she now realized that if a man did not give birth to a child after ten months of pregnancy, then don't expect him to love the child naturally. He will only truly love the child who grew up by his side and whom he poured his heart and soul into.
It was as if Lin Nanjiang was used to taking care of his daughter by himself all his life. Whenever he was at home, he would hug his daughter, kiss her for a while, make milk powder for her and change her diapers without any help. He gradually became the kind of silly father who would miss his child if he didn't see his child for a few hours.
Fangfang had diarrhea a few days ago, which resulted in her not eating much milk. Her chubby little face became a little thinner. This guy came back from work in the middle of the night, and instead of taking the time to go to bed, he sat by the bed and wiped his tears while watching his sleeping daughter, saying that his daughter had become thinner and suffered, as if she was some kind of vicious stepmother.
Even though Liu Suqin complained in her heart that he was too boastful, she had to admit that Lin Nanjiang really loved his daughter deeply this time.
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