Chapter 45 Chapter 45 This is exactly what they wanted: a glorious return home...
His money was indeed very good. The journey that usually took nearly three hours was shortened to just over two hours this time, and the car was parked steadily in front of the familiar house.
When we first got in the car, Fangfang was in good spirits. She was still sitting in the passenger seat looking around, as if she could never get tired of looking.
But as the car drove out of the city, there was darkness in the view except for the headlights, and the van was also shaking. The little guy fell asleep in his mother's arms without knowing it, and even snored from his nose.
Lin Nanjiang, who had been chatting with the driver all the way, immediately ended the topic when he heard the familiar snoring, which made the driver feel embarrassed to speak loudly. The second half of the journey was so quiet that Liu Suqin was a little drowsy when she got off the car.
However, as soon as she opened the car door, she immediately woke up, not because the cold wind was refreshing enough, but because there was a large group of people standing in front of her husband's house.
In the dim light of the electric lights and car lights, Liu Suqin could see the smiling faces full of joy.
This is exactly what Lin Nanjiang and Lin Quansheng wanted: returning home in glory!
As soon as they saw the scene at their doorstep, the slight sleepiness they felt due to the bumpy ride in the car instantly disappeared. They couldn't wait to push the door open and get out of the car. As they were surrounded by the crowd, they immediately entered into enthusiastic business mode.
Liu Suqin was a bit slow to react, but she wasn't ignored. Lin's mother and her two sisters-in-law came towards her with a clear purpose. One of them stepped forward to support her hand as she carried the child out of the car, while another one lagged behind to help hold the door. Lin's mother's eyes fell directly on the little ball in her arms. "You've been sitting in the car all day. Are you tired? Did Fangfang make any noise on the way?"
"Mom, sister-in-law and sister-in-law, why are you still awake so late?" Liu Suqin greeted politely, and helped the little one who was lying in her arms, breathing deeply, to change her position. She held her horizontally in her arms, completely revealing her well-nourished, fair and rosy little face. "Fangfang was very excited about changing cars all the way. She didn't cry or make a fuss. She just fell asleep because she was tired before we even got home."
Mother Lin was just about to say that the child was asleep, so she would stop bothering him and just take him back to bed and put him down. There was plenty of time to get to know the grandparents, uncles and other elders.
But when he saw his granddaughter's face, which was more juicy than a peeled lychee, he suddenly changed his tone and said, "So white! Oh, this child is sleeping so soundly. Third daughter-in-law, let me hold her for a while. You go to the main hall and eat something to fill your stomach first."
Seeing the joy in Lin's mother's eyes, Liu Suqin paused and wondered if her mother-in-law was such a loving and doting grandmother?
In her memory, although Mother Lin appeared impartial and was considered a kind old woman in the children's hearts, as her daughter-in-law, she could still see that the old lady loved and cared about her grandchildren the most, especially the children's eldest cousin, who was simply the old lady's life.
However, before his parents-in-law passed away, his younger brother-in-law's wife gave birth to their youngest son. The second child born to Liu Suqin was once the old lady's youngest grandson. So the son may have received such a doting look, but the daughter Fangfang has never had it.
The old lady treated all her granddaughters equally, showing some concern but not being very close to them.
Her mind was in turmoil, but Liu Suqin's expression returned to normal in a second. She readily extended her hands and handed the child over, her tone becoming more intimate. "This girl eats and sleeps well, and has built up a lot of fat. She's very comfortable to hold. Just hold her for a while, but don't tire yourself out by holding her all the time. Alas, it's also because we came back too late. If Fangfang could see her grandparents and uncles at home, I wonder how they would welcome her. I wonder how happy she would be."
No matter what caused Lin's mother's change, the child's grandmother would never harm her own granddaughter.
In her previous life, she was a new mother and knew nothing. It was Lin's mother who delivered Fangfang, bathed her, and changed her diapers. She never treated her with disrespect just because she was a girl.
Seeing the third daughter-in-law's words and actions full of trust in her, Mother Lin was even more satisfied. She hurriedly picked up her granddaughter, who was still clean and even smelled of milk after a whole day of driving. Her smile was almost flying to the sky, "It's better to be lively. Lively children will be smart and promising when they grow up."
Mrs. Lin also smiled and greeted Liu Suqin, asking her if she was tired and hungry from the journey. She kept the food warm on the kitchen stove for them. "I only knew that you were taking the train today and were not sure if you would be back tonight, so you decided to stay in the city for one night. Anyway, there was nothing to do, so I kept the food warm on the stove. I didn't expect you to get home so soon."
The sedan chair was carried by people, and Liu Suqin smiled affectionately, "It's not as comfortable as living at home outside. There happened to be a van soliciting passengers outside the station, so we hurried back."
Mother Lin's eyes remained glued to her adorable granddaughter's face, but she also didn't miss the pleasantries exchanged by her daughters-in-law. She agreed, "Of course, home is better. Your room is always cleaned and ventilated. It was sunny the past two days, and the bedding has been washed and dried. I guarantee you'll sleep comfortably."
When Liu Suqin heard that all the bedding had been washed and dried, she felt more at ease. "Thank you, Mom and my elder and second sisters-in-law."
The mother-in-law and the daughter-in-law couldn't stop talking about the children and family matters. Unlike Lin Nanjiang's side, there seemed to be a lot of people, but in fact they greeted each other in just a few words. Lin Nanjiang asked his brothers to help move the luggage into the car, paid the driver, and then a large group of people went to the main hall of the Lin family.
Liu Suqin and her mother-in-law and sisters-in-law exchanged greetings while following the main group until they entered the house. The two sisters-in-law then went to the kitchen to serve the food with swift movements.
In the countryside, the meals at the end of the year are always richer than at other times of the year. After all, after a year of hard work, the harvest is pretty good, and everyone doesn’t want to let themselves down too much.
The Lin family knew early in the morning that Lin Nanjiang and his family of three would be coming back today, so they made more thorough preparations. They bought pork and fried eggs. After all, food would not go bad in the coldest days of winter. If they didn't go home today, they could eat it tomorrow and it wouldn't be a waste.
However, the feast was very limited. After all, it was not the New Year yet, so there was no fish or meat. The eldest and second sisters-in-law of the Lin family quickly put the food on the table, along with three sets of bowls and chopsticks.
Mother Lin still held her granddaughter tightly in her arms, standing in front of the dining table and calling out, "Stop chatting for now, Third Brother, Third Brother's wife, and Quansheng. You three have been traveling all day, so come to the table and have some hot food to warm yourself up."
Lin Quansheng lived behind them and had heard the noise and rushed over. He said that he had also prepared food at home and wanted to take Lin Quansheng back to his house to eat.
But the hospitality of the old Lin family was hard to refuse, and the dishes and chopsticks were already on the table. Lin Quansheng had been familiar with this place since he was a child, and he took the white rice served by Mrs. Lin and sat down next to Lin Nanjiang naturally.
Seeing this, his parents had no choice but to stay and listen to the stories about the big city with everyone else.
The dining table in the old Lin family was not big. Liu Suqin and the other three sat down to eat, enjoying the rare treatment of VIPs. There was only one long wooden bench left occupied by Lin's father and mother. The others could only stand around or find a bench or chair to sit and listen to the fun.
Even so, no one in the room left halfway, and the atmosphere became more and more lively.
When Liu Suqin finished her meal and looked up, she was almost shocked. The small tile-roofed farmhouse was packed with people. Most of the villagers, especially the young people, did not sleep in the middle of the night and all came to join in the fun.
She suddenly remembered an idiom - the streets are deserted.
Lin Nanjiang and Lin Quansheng, who were the center of attention, were even more radiant, and their voices were so loud that it sounded like they had drunk fake alcohol.
However, Liu Suqin sat nearby and listened for a while, and found that no matter how flattered the two men were, no matter how they talked about the world and boasted without thinking, they did not reveal a single word about the key inside information such as their own ways of making money and income.
When someone asked him a direct question, Lin Nanjiang could always change the subject with ease. He still looked down-to-earth and honest, but in fact he was very good at Tai Chi.
Liu Suqin felt relieved and decided not to disturb their rare highlight moment.
After she had eaten and drunk her fill, she continued to sit and chat with the people who came to talk to her for a while as a way to digest the food, and then she prepared to take her daughter to bed.
Mother Lin avoided the hand she extended, stood up holding her fat granddaughter, told the eldest and second daughters-in-law to boil water and wash dishes, and then personally led the mother and daughter back to the room to settle down.
From Lin's mother's perspective, the third daughter-in-law was still a new daughter-in-law. She had been married to the Lin family for almost three years and gave birth to a fair and tender granddaughter who was especially lovable. However, she had only lived at home when they first got married, which was less than a month at most. Now she had not been home for two years. It was reasonable for her as a mother-in-law to be more enthusiastic and considerate, so she personally accompanied her back to the room to clean up.
The old Lin family has no rules for dividing the family after marriage, or most of the villagers are penniless and have nothing to divide when the family is divided. The parents' task is to find a wife for their son. When their son has grandchildren and the house is no longer spacious, they will apply for homesteads and move out.
The housing plot in the village is free. If you have the conditions, you can build a better house. If you don’t have the conditions, you can just build a mud house and live in it. Parents can help if they can.
Once you move out, it's like splitting up the family.
Lin Nanjiang's two older brothers got married early and lived with Lin's father and mother for many years before they saved some money and built tiled houses and moved out one after another.
When it was Lin Nanjiang's turn, he was lucky to have caught up with good times. His elder and second brothers had separated from the family business, and his parents could only help take care of the children and did not need to pay much money. His three sisters got married one after another, and they could only bring gifts home. In addition, he had been working outside for many years and would regularly hand over his salary to the family. As his parents had more money, they simply prepared a wedding house for the two youngest children in advance, and the couple completed their task ahead of time.
Of course, the "wedding house" given by Lin's father and mother was really just a place to sleep, a 50-square-meter single room with a kitchen, toilet, bathroom, bedroom, etc. It looked quite decent from the outside with red bricks and black tiles, but it was completely an adobe house inside. On rainy days, you might even step on mud at home.
Even a house like this is considered to be in good condition in the village. When Liu Suqin got married, her parents gave her a few quilts and some furniture as a dowry. Together with the tables, chairs, beds and cabinets bought by the Lin family themselves, the house was kept clean and tidy.
The house had not been occupied for more than two years, but because it was right next to Lin's father and mother, Lin's mother often helped them open the door to ventilate and dry the bedding and sheets. When Liu Suqin stepped into the "old house" in her memory, she found it quite clean and bright. When she got close to the bed, she could smell the scent of sunshine, and sleepiness instantly came over her.
But it was not time to go to bed yet, so Liu Suqin asked Lin's mother to put the child on the bed. She then put down the travel bag she had picked up and searched for the little one's pajamas, towel and diapers from it.
Mother Lin knew that Fangfang had to be washed and changed into clean clothes before going to bed, so she turned around and went back to get the thermos and washbasin. She personally mixed warm water to wipe her granddaughter's body, changed her into soft cotton pajamas, and then carried her soft little body into the fluffy bed that had been sun-dried.
The movements were smooth and flowing, and the little guy was soundly sleeping throughout the whole process without even frowning.
Finally, Lin's mother took out a big red envelope from her bosom and stuffed it under her pillow, then gently stroked her granddaughter's black hair. "Our Fangfang is two years old after the Chinese New Year, and this is her first time meeting her grandparents. I hope she grows up safely and healthily."
Liu Suqin thought it was a close call. The elderly were used to counting the age based on the lunar calendar, so the child was one year old when he was born. Fortunately, her daughter was born after the Lunar New Year. If she was born before the Lunar New Year, she would be three years old if rounded up.
Of course, she could see that her mother-in-law had different attitudes in her two lives, but adding icing on the cake was better than doing nothing. At least the love in the child's grandmother's eyes at this moment was not fake, so why should she hold a grudge against the past?
So, no matter how caring Lin's mother was, Liu Suqin accepted it all. After she finished expressing her love for her granddaughter, she took out a box from her bag and said, "Mom, I'm sorry for your expense, but it's hard for us to refuse grandma's kindness to her. This is also a small gift from us as her son and daughter-in-law, so please don't be polite."
When Lin's mother saw the gold chain, her eyes widened. She said a few polite words and happily accepted the gift.
Liu Suqin had already spent all the money and didn't mind a more perfect process. She personally put the gold chain on her mother-in-law and said with a smile, "Nanjiang also bought a watch for Dad. He will put it on himself tomorrow."
Mother Lin's rough hands kept stroking the glittering golden chain, demonstrating with her actions what it meant to be unable to let go of something. However, she subconsciously grumbled, "Why spend so much money? It's not even worth eating or drinking. Don't spend money like this in the future. The child is still young, and you should save more money."
Liu Suqin listened to her mother-in-law's words with good temper. Besides, she listened to the child's father. Seeing that her son was still the boss at home, Lin's mother was even more delighted. Then she looked at the third son's wife, who was married and had a child, but her face was even more beautiful than when she was a girl. She stopped complaining and said with a smile, "There are guests all over the house outside. The third son and his family are really flattered. I don't know how long they will chat until midnight. Don't worry about that kid. Accompany Fangfang to rest early."
Seeing Lin's mother get up to leave, Liu Suqin just walked with her for two steps and asked if there was any hot water left.
"You want to wash up, right? There's hot water boiling in the pot. I'll bring it to you when it's ready."
Liu Suqin said that when the hot water was ready, she could call her and she would get it herself. Lin's mother agreed verbally, but she was so happy that she got gold jewelry for the first time in her life. She wore the golden chain to the main hall and was pulled by many villagers to envy and compliment her. This was the peak of her life.
At this moment, Lin's mother was extremely pleased with the third brother and his wife who made her so proud. The third brother's wife just wanted some hot water to wash, so of course she would satisfy him, all of it!
Mother Lin grabbed her youngest son who was jumping around in the main room and asked him to bring a full bucket of hot water to his third sister-in-law.
Liu Suqin naturally accepted all the offers. There was plenty of hot water, so she washed her whole body happily, changed into pajamas, and returned to bed. She hugged her daughter who was like a little stove, and soon fell asleep unconscious.
As for when Lin Nanjiang returned to his room to sleep, she had no recollection of it. She slept until dawn, and when she opened her eyes she found a big hand tightly holding her waist.
The girl sleeping inside didn't know how long she had been awake. When Liu Suqin opened her eyes, she saw the little one holding her father's big hands and playing happily.
Lying in the familiar old house from her previous life, with her familiar husband and children beside her, it seemed as if the two lives were reunited for the first time. However, Liu Suqin's mood at this moment was completely different. Her heart was filled with happiness, the corners of her mouth curled up slightly, and she couldn't help but reach out to touch her daughter's soft little face.
Lin Nanjiang, who had been sound asleep despite his daughter playing with his fingers, was surprised by her small hand reaching out. He murmured sleepily, "Wife, what time is it?"
"I don't know, but your daughter was awake for a while and didn't want to get up so she let go of my hand. I have to take her to get her diaper changed."
Upon hearing this, Lin Nanjiang not only didn't let go, but instead held her tighter, burying his head in her neck and rubbing it. But before her patience ran out, he let go. With a somersault, he picked up his frightened daughter, who only knew how to look up at him blankly, and walked away. "We traveled all day yesterday. You should sleep a little longer. I'll go change your daughter's diaper."
The child's father took the baby out and never came back. Liu Suqin lay in bed alone for ten minutes. Although it was quiet and comfortable, the longer she lay there, the clearer her mind became. She finally climbed out of the warm bed, wrapped herself in autumn clothes and a down jacket, and went out.
In the main room next door, Lin Nanjiang was washing his face with hot water. His daughter was dressed warmly and sitting on her second aunt's lap, drinking milk from a bottle.
Fangfang is not yet one year old, but Liu Suqin has been consciously reducing the frequency of breastfeeding in the past two months, mainly because her own milk supply is becoming increasingly insufficient.
The staple food of the little one nowadays is milk powder and various food porridges, and his mother’s milk can only be regarded as a small dessert after meals.
As an experienced milk drinker, she was now lifting her little feet, holding the bottle with her chubby paws and eating slowly.
Aunt Lin held the chubby girl in her arms and still had her hands free to tie a small bun on her head.
A group of little kids gathered in front of the aunt and niece. Some of them were impressed by how white and cute the little sister was. Some of them were curious about what the milk the little sister drank tasted like. Another little kid said dangerously, "Mom, this little sister has big eyes and is cuter than a doll. Can you bring her home?"
Before Lin Nanjiang could even wipe his face, he turned around and cursed with a tearful look, "You're planning to steal my daughter right in front of your uncle, you're a real guts kid."
The little boy was very brave. Not only was he not afraid, but he made a face at Lin Nanjiang and said, "I'll just carry you on my back when I steal it. Lululu."
Aunt Lin patted her son and said, "Take the little sister home. What about your third uncle and aunt?"
The boy thought for a moment and immediately came up with an idea, "Let my third uncle have another child, or let my mother give birth to a sister as compensation to my third uncle."
The childish talk caused laughter in the room. Liu Suqin passed by and couldn't help but pat the little guy on the head, "You are really a clever little ghost."
After saying that, he walked past them and prepared to go inside to wash up.
Seeing his wife, Lin Nanjiang stopped arguing with his nephew and followed her. "Why don't you sleep a little longer? You need to brush your teeth, right? The well water we just drew is very cold. I'll add some warm water for you before you brush your teeth."
Liu Suqin was squatting under the eaves rinsing her mouth, while Lin Nanjiang was fetching water and handing out towels beside her. He was very busy. Fortunately, Lin's father and mother were not around, and the others were attracted by the little boy who spoke boldly. No one paid attention to them, otherwise Boss Lin's newly established tall image would be labeled as a henpecked man.
In the countryside nowadays, it is not a good reputation for a man to be afraid of his wife. It is basically equivalent to being a loser. He will be ridiculed and despised wherever he goes. No matter how much money he makes, others can negate all his efforts by saying, "You are still controlled by your wife. What can you achieve in this life?"
This is also the reason why Liu Suqin has turned a blind eye to Lin Nanjiang's words and deeds in front of others since she returned to her hometown, and pretended to be a docile and obedient young wife.
It is better to have less trouble than more. He will be gone after the New Year anyway. As long as he doesn't go too far, Liu Suqin can turn a blind eye.
Unfortunately, she tried so hard to help Lin Nanjiang consolidate his image, but the person involved was desperately trying to hinder him. When no one was paying attention, Liu Suqin couldn't help but glare at him, "Are you so free?"
Lin Nanjiang stupidly asked back, "What else?"
The second sister helps them take good care of their daughter. What else can he do besides taking care of his wife?
Liu Suqin took a breath and asked, "Have you eaten yet?"
"Not yet." Lin Nanjiang finally found something important to do. "There's sweet potato porridge on the stove. I'll go get two bowls."
When Liu Suqin finished washing her face and went over, two large bowls of porridge and a small dish of fermented tofu were already on the table.
Aunt Lin smiled at her and said, "Suqin, go eat quickly. I didn't know you guys wanted side dishes with your porridge. We only have fermented bean curd at home. Make do with this for now. I'll ask my mom to stir-fry some minced meat and snow vegetables later. It's delicious with both porridge and rice."
Liu Suqin also smiled and said, "Don't bother with that. Mom's pickled tofu is delicious. We were all craving it when we were outside."
Mother Lin came back from washing clothes by the river and just happened to hear what she was saying. She immediately smiled and said, "Really? I'll make a few more jars in the next two days. You can take them over and enjoy them slowly."
After dinner, the couple didn't have to touch the dishes or anything. Lin's mother hurriedly drove everyone away. Just then, a group of young people came to call Lin Nanjiang to go to the village to play cards. Lin Quansheng was also with them. He was dragged away reluctantly, and Liu Suqin moved a bench to chat with Lin Ergu.
In her previous life, she was most familiar with this second aunt, because Second Aunt Lin was married nearby, in the next village, and it only took twenty minutes to walk back to her parents' home. She was also a warm-hearted person, and no matter what big or small things happened in her parents' home, she would run back as soon as possible.
So Liu Suqin was not surprised at all when she saw Lin Ergu appear at home early in the morning and help take care of the children so familiarly.
Seeing her approach, Aunt Lin didn't return the child to her. She just smiled and said, "I heard you were back, so I rushed over early this morning. As soon as I walked in, my mother pulled me away. I heard how well Fangfang was raised, how smart and beautiful she was. I thought she was exaggerating, but I didn't expect her words to be too conservative..."
-----------------------
The author has something to say: Sorry, my dears, I have run out of manuscripts, and I will be running naked from now on. I will basically update at night = =
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
