Chapter 86 Chapter 86 Immersive melon eating.
As soon as the child saw his grandparents, he was reluctant to leave and insisted on saying goodbye to his brothers and sisters. His expression changed immediately. He threw himself into his grandmother's arms, put his little arms around her neck, and whispered in her ear in a sweet voice, "Grandma, where are you? Grandma, why don't you come home with us?"
As he spoke, he began to count, "One, two, three, four, five... I haven't seen grandma in so many days. My dear, I miss you so much."
With just a few words, Qian Juxiang, this eagle-like woman, was coaxed into a big cat without its claws. Her voice was so soft that it could drip with water. "Hey, grandma misses our sweet baby too. She worries every day whether you're eating well and sleeping well."
But not only Qian Juxiang couldn't resist this warm-hearted and sweet little girl, Comrade Liu Laogen was also jealous. But the old woman kept monopolizing her little granddaughter and the anxious father Liu couldn't help but snatch the baby from his wife.
"You two should have something to talk about. It's not convenient for Guaibao to be here. I'll take her out for a walk, and you two can chat slowly."
Little Fangfang has loved playing outside since she was little. Her experience of running and playing freely with her older brothers and sisters at her grandmother's house opened the door to a new world. When she heard the key words, her face lit up instantly. She rushed towards her grandfather and gestured, "Grandpa, go out and play!"
"Okay, grandpa will carry you out to play."
The grandparents and granddaughter hit it off immediately, and Qian Juxiang had no choice but to let go reluctantly. Liu Laogen immediately carried his precious granddaughter and left without looking back.
Soon, only mother and daughter were left in the main room.
Liu Suqin's trip back to her parents' home was very simple. The gifts she brought for her parents were all taken along by Qian Juxiang and the others when they went home before the New Year. Liu Suqin came here today and had no plans to stay at her parents' home. After dinner, the driver Lin Nanjiang had arranged in advance would come to pick them up. After all, her parents-in-law were living with her now, and they would only be separated for a few days during the New Year. There was no need to be too close to each other. It was better for Lin Nanjiang to stay with his family for a while. They also had tickets to return to Shenzhen on the seventh day of the New Year this year, so they would not be able to spend time together today.
So when he returned to his mother's house today, he didn't bring too many gifts, nor did he have to carry his own luggage. Lin Nanjiang only brought a few bottles of white wine as gifts for his father-in-law and two brothers-in-law. This is considered a necessity for a son-in-law.
Qian Juxiang also knew about the couple's arrangements, so she didn't make grand preparations like last year, as if to welcome distinguished guests.
When Liu Suqin's family of three entered the village, in addition to the villagers who greeted them warmly, the first family member they saw was their youngest brother Liu Ping. This kid was squatting on the flat ground next to their eldest brother's house, basking in the sun and talking to the villagers who were curious about his experiences in Shenzhen. When he found out that his sister had arrived, he didn't feel guilty about bragging, but became more excited. He dragged his brother-in-law to the center of the crowd so that he could accompany him to accept everyone's worshipful eyes.
The noise was so loud that even Brother Liu, who was at home, came over to join in the fun.
Lin Nanjiang had to give his brother-in-law some face, so he had to join them.
Liu Suqin said goodbye to them and took her daughter back to her parents' home alone.
Now that it was just the two of them, she thought that even if her father wanted to find an excuse to take Xiao Fangfang away, he wouldn't make up a random excuse. He wasn't a liar at all, so she looked at her mother curiously, "What do you want to tell me?"
"Nothing, I'm just worried about whether you're having a good time back at your in-laws' house and whether you're being bullied."
Seeing the confusion on her daughter's face, Qian Juxiang didn't wait for her to speak again and took the initiative to explain, "I know your parents-in-law are kind people and don't like to embarrass the young, but I went to Shenzhen to take care of your children and made so much money easily. Your parents-in-law didn't say anything, but it's normal for them to feel unbalanced because of this. The main thing is that every time you call, everyone can hear it, so they can't express their opinions directly. It will be different when you come back for the New Year. If they use this to make things worse in private and try to point fingers at you, you... just bear it if you can. Anyway, I'll be back in Shenzhen in a few days. Don't be angry with your son-in-law because of this."
The first half of her mother's words were full of concern. Even though she was a little worried, Liu Suqin was very happy with it. But she didn't like the second half of her words, so she just pretended not to hear it and smiled indifferently, "You are still worried about this? Don't worry, my mother-in-law doesn't care."
This was not a white lie to reassure her mother. Liu Suqin also gave an example to prove her conclusion. "For the New Year's Eve dinner at my mother-in-law's house this time, except for my second sister and her family who didn't come, my eldest and third sisters seemed to have made an appointment and brought their families back to their parents' house for the New Year's Eve dinner. When the whole family was at the table, his third sister started to express her feelings. She praised her mother-in-law for her delicious cooking, hard work, and kindness and patience in taking care of the children. She said she was a good elder that was hard to find with a lantern. None of us responded. Only her mother kept interrupting and trying to stop her, but of course she didn't stop her. After his third sister finished talking to herself, she stared at me. Nanjiang asked her why she was looking at me, and she said that she was doing it for his own good. She recommended her mother-in-law to her younger brother so that she could take care of him and Fangfang wholeheartedly and let him go about his business without any worries."
Just these few words Liu Suqin relayed had already made Qian Juxiang feel sick. What did that so-called "third sister" mean? It was fine if she didn't trust an "outsider," but was she also treating her daughter like a thief in the family? Especially since her words were implicitly trying to sow discord between her daughter and her son-in-law. Qian Juxiang couldn't stand her temper. Just as she was about to burst into a rant, Liu Suqin mentioned the reactions of her in-laws.
"Nanjiang's face darkened at the time, but his mother's was even darker. You know my mother-in-law's temper. She always greets people with a smile, and she hardly gets angry during Chinese New Year. This time, she was really angry. In front of everyone, she told her to stop thinking about these trivial things. As the mother-in-law, she didn't say anything about taking care of her granddaughter, so it was not the turn of outsiders to worry about it. Then the father-in-law who didn't care about the matter also put down his chopsticks and asked her whether her surname was Lin or Fang. His third sister was probably a little embarrassed at the time and retorted that she was a Lin girl who married into the Fang family. Her father said that if she was still surnamed Lin, she should stop being so ungrateful. If she only wanted to be a daughter-in-law of the Fang family, she should not interfere in their Lin family's affairs."
After hearing this, Qian Juxiang finally calmed down a little. She thought that her in-laws were still sensible. They didn't even tolerate their own daughter saying such things, so they probably wouldn't take outsiders' gossip to heart.
Just don't take it to heart.
But at the same time as she felt relieved, she was also even more speechless. "No, what is your third aunt thinking? Just like what the in-laws said, if she wants to take advantage of your pockets, even if she, as the elder sister, takes it personally, it's much better than pushing her mother-in-law out, right? Putting aside her relationship, what kind of person is that old woman from the Fang family?"
"No, that's his third sister. She has nothing to do with me." Liu Suqin didn't want to get involved with this person either, and hurriedly distanced herself from her. Then she smiled and said, "Then you underestimate her. She has a lot of plans."
"Ah?" Even though Qian Juxiang wanted to feel a little nervous for her daughter, looking at her smiling face, she couldn't bring herself to worry. Unconsciously, she adopted the same attitude as her daughter. "So what's her plan?"
"To put it simply, she wants her mother-in-law to take over our household affairs, and her husband to replace Quan Shengge and take over Nanjiang's business. She can do both at the same time, and then she can just stay at home and count the money."
Qian Juxiang had just been enlightened by the actions of this third sister, but after hearing the whole story, she was still stunned and stunned. After a long while, she sighed, "She really dares to think so. Her in-laws didn't spoil her, did they?"
Liu Suqin spread her hands and said, "I don't know. Before they could express their opinions, your son-in-law was already furious."
Qian Juxiang's newly brewing sense of shared hatred for the enemy was suddenly shattered, and she went back to her spectator mode. "Really? Nanjiang is such a good-tempered person, what does he look like when he gets angry?"
"He was so angry he nearly flipped the table, but he held himself back and instead grabbed his brother-in-law by the collar and started questioning him. He looked like he was ready to punch him at any moment, which scared all of us. For a moment, no one dared to stop him."
Qian Juxiang was curious, "Wasn't it his sister who started it? Why is he targeting his brother-in-law?"
"He wanted to know if the Fang family had gone crazy because they couldn't even support their wife and children. He told his brother-in-law that if he couldn't afford food, he could go out and beg, and if he couldn't support his family, he could divorce her early. He didn't have any other skills, but he could still introduce his sister to a man who could support his wife and children."
"Is this okay?" Qian Juxiang was stunned again, but after thinking about it carefully, she found that her son-in-law's logic was correct. Although his third sister always took the lead in everything, she was just thinking about getting benefits for her husband's family. Her husband and mother-in-law both had jobs and made a lot of money, but she got nothing. She didn't know what was wrong with her brain.
Fortunately, the son-in-law is not at all like his sister. He has a very good brain, clear and organized, and gets to the point. Well, in this respect, they are still quite like siblings, but their family is what their daughter said is the vested interest in this matter. Qian Juxiang simply pretended not to notice anything and began to list her son-in-law's highlights in this matter. "Nanjiang is worthy of being a boss. He has a clear mind and is smart. He knows right from wrong and is willing to rush to the front. He doesn't hesitate to confront his own sister for you. Unlike that softie from the Fang family, who always lets his wife take the lead in everything and dares not even fart himself. What kind of man is he?"
Liu Suqin thought her mother was wrong. It was true that the man was protecting her, but essentially he was doing it to defend the interests of their family. Her mother's words made it seem as if he was risking his life for the love of his beloved, which was not the same thing.
Moreover, he did not confront his own sister, he was clearly targeting brother-in-law Fang.
After all, his third sister was also born to Lin's father and mother. Parents can say whatever they want, but if Lin Nanjiang points at his own sister and scolds her, everyone can understand that it was the other party who started it first, but when they think about it afterwards, Lin's father and mother can't help but feel uncomfortable. This is not a question of favoritism. Seeing their own children in such a mess, it is impossible for parents to remain indifferent.
But Lin Nanjiang directed his attack at Brother-in-law Fang, an outsider, and the other members of the Lin family, including Lin's father and mother, could only feel happy.
Even though he didn't say anything, any discerning person could tell who the culprit was. So Lin Nanjiang let out a furious scolding, using the most venomous language possible, but the Lin family members remained silent. Only after he'd finished his outburst did the eldest brother, Lin, symbolically step forward to mediate, forcing the two men, primarily his brother-in-law, back onto their stools. Father Lin was even more ruthless, delivering a high-sounding remark: "A harmonious family brings prosperity. If there's anything a family member needs to talk it out, it's all right." Brother-in-law Fang's honest face nearly turned green with anger.
Liu Suqin was naturally very happy to see this, and for the first time she realized that her father-in-law's silence was completely different from her father's. Her father-in-law just didn't like to talk, and if he really spoke, he could curse without using a single dirty word.
No wonder my mother-in-law has such a good temper. My two sisters-in-law are still filial and respectful to her from the bottom of their hearts. There must be a wise man sitting in the house.
After Liu Suqin finished her lament, she turned the topic back to her third sister and brother-in-law. "You know what? Nanjiang scolding Brother-in-law Fang by pointing at his nose was more effective than scolding his third sister directly. At least when the parents-in-law first criticized his third sister, she was unconvinced and talked back. But when she saw the man being scolded, her eyes turned red with anger. She was so angry that she even grabbed the man's hand and wanted to go back overnight."
"Have you returned yet?"
"No, the road was too dark. We just reached the village entrance when the couple came back on their own." Knowing what her mother wanted to hear, Liu Suqin took the initiative to share, "My parents-in-law, including my brother and sister-in-law, no one in the family tried to stop her. They just watched her angrily drag the man out."
If her second sister, Lin Dongmei, were here, the other party would have chased her out to persuade them, at least to save face for the couple. Unfortunately, she and the two eldest sisters were too clever and made an appointment to go back to her parents' home for New Year's Eve dinner, but they chose to leave out her second sister's family, as if they were afraid that the other party would be there and they would not be able to take advantage of her at her parents' home.
As it turned out, the second sister was not present, and the two of them still could not take advantage of her mother's family, but instead got themselves into trouble.
"Your mother-in-law and her family had such a lively New Year's celebration." Qian Juxiang listened to the whole process and sighed unconsciously. Only then did she realize that something was wrong. This wasn't just some insignificant family. It was something happening in her daughter's in-laws' family, and it was even closely related to her. She quickly straightened her expression and said, "But you're right. Your son-in-law is clear-headed and sensible. Let him deal with it. After all, these are his parents and siblings. Even if there is a mess, they can still be affectionate afterward. But if you get involved, you will end up in trouble."
These words really touched Liu Suqin's heart, and she became more and more grateful for her foresight in establishing such a weak and helpless character in her husband's family from the very beginning.
Maybe she just had a sudden inspiration at that time, and just wanted to avoid as much trouble as possible. After all, her family in her previous life was just ordinary people, and among her brothers and sisters, their lives were neither better nor worse than others, and they were far from being targeted and plotted against.
Although the eldest and third sisters Lin had the bad habits of taking advantage of others and flattering the powerful and looking down on the weak at that time, Liu Suqin never indulged them. She would confront them directly if there was anything, and her family would not suffer any loss. Besides, she only saw them two or three times a year, so she really didn't take these two people too seriously.
She never expected that Third Sister Lin, who just had some minor problems in her heart, could be so good at causing trouble. It seemed that her family's poverty in her previous life limited her ability.
On New Year's Eve, watching Lin Nanjiang's majestic appearance, Liu Suqin not only applauded him in her heart like a seal, but also madly praised her own wit. Fortunately, she had established her character in advance, making her third sister think that she was a hopeless case. It was useless to talk to her, so she simply ignored her and went after Lin Nanjiang with all her schemes.
If she hadn't done this trick, she would have been clinging to her two aunts like a dog-skin plaster.
Even if he came after her, he still wouldn't be able to gain any advantage, but then she would be the one being harassed, how uncomfortable that would be.
Let Lin Nanjiang enjoy this blessing, after all, they are his brothers and sisters.
Liu Suqin had always thought she had done a great job, so she naturally accepted her mother's praise. She even got a little carried away, munching on sunflower seeds with a confident look on her face. "So there's no need to always be the leader. Sometimes, having a man speak up is more effective than us jumping around, don't you think?"
"You're a ghost! When is it your turn to teach me a lesson?" Qian Juxiang said angrily, "Do you think I like jumping around? Your father is such a stubborn person that he can't even get a fart out of you. Do you believe that if I don't stand up, he will be bullied by others?"
After being scolded, Liu Suqin immediately calmed down her high spirits. Her eyes became clearer. She put down the melon seeds and nodded obediently, "You are right, everything you said is right."
Given her father's mentality of considering suffering a loss as a blessing, life would certainly not be easy if her mother didn't take a tough stance.
Well, she was so arrogant that she actually dared to say such things. My mother didn't beat her with a feather duster on the spot, probably because she paid her a salary every month and got a bonus at the end of the year.
Liu Suqin reflected deeply on herself and acted as if she had honestly begged for forgiveness. As expected, Qian Juxiang didn't hold it against her. Instead, she turned around and began to show concern. "So, since you've been back, your family shouldn't be in turmoil every day, right? There must be some good people at home, right?"
"Yes, you know my second brother-in-law who came to pick us up at the train station before the New Year. He and my second sister are very nice people. My fourth brother, Lin Nanhe, is also very thoughtful. He hasn't even been working for a few months, but he's already rushing to save money to pay us back. Even though he can only pay back a small amount, it's a gesture. Besides, he even bought Fangfang a gold bracelet..."
Qian Juxiang didn't know at first that her daughter and her husband had lent money to her brother-in-law for driving lessons, but she found out after arriving in Shenzhen. They took her with them to the post office to withdraw money, saying that it was a good opportunity to teach her how to send letters and money. Living in a big city, some things may not be used, but it is better to learn as much as possible.
Qian Juxiang was a little worried at first, and she reminded her daughter privately that it was not that she should not borrow money, but there should be a limit. If she casually borrowed more than 3,000 yuan, people would think that they were stupid and had a lot of money. What if other brothers and sisters followed suit?
Her daughter told her that her brother-in-law had written an IOU in advance, and Qian Juxiang felt relieved. Taking the initiative to write an IOU meant that the other party had no intention of borrowing money and not paying it back, so she could lend the money, after all, he was her son-in-law's younger brother.
At this moment, her daughter said that her brother-in-law was slowly paying back the money. Qian Juxiang was relieved for them, but she had no other thoughts. After hearing this, she joked, "Your mother-in-law is enjoying a good life now. Although you two are far away in Shenzhen, your son-in-law and youngest son are around. Their lives are about to get better. If they know how to repay the kindness, they will definitely be filial to their parents. I'm afraid your in-laws will be smiling from ear to ear every day."
Liu Suqin also smiled and said, "I am very happy, but I also have a sweet worry. These days, matchmakers are almost knocking on my door."
Qian Juxiang was curious: "What's wrong? Are you here to matchmake for your brother-in-law?"
"Yes." Liu Suqin described to her mother the grand scene of beautiful girls from the surrounding villages asking matchmakers to come and inquire about her. At the end, she sighed, "I didn't expect it to be so lively now. When he gets a permanent job and a raise this year, I don't know how he'll be spoiled for choice."
After saying that, he met his mother's equally radiant eyes, "I almost forgot, your brother-in-law is only in his early twenties, has a stable job with a high salary, and works in this county, so he can come home from time to time. Unlike those who work away from home, their children only see their father twice a year. What a great candidate for marriage! And your cousin Xiangxiang is about the same age as him, both are young people, why don't you help to match them up, so that the good things don't go to outsiders. If they don't work out, your cousin will be eighteen this year, so they can also be a couple. At worst, we can have a wedding banquet first and then get the marriage certificate."
Liu Suqin: ...
She rejected her mother's suggestion without hesitation and would never do anything like matchmaking. Liu Suqin only painted rosy pictures for people and urged them to get married. In fact, she didn't care whether they got married or had children. As long as they made money and developed their careers, it didn't matter whether they had a partner or not.
Just like her best friend Li Hong, who is almost becoming an "old maid" in the eyes of others, Liu Suqin can also feel that the other party has been a little anxious recently. She is not anxious about not getting married, but is worried that she will not be able to find a good partner if she delays it any longer. Liu Suqin also mainly advises her to relax, that fate is not afraid of being late, and that if she improves her self-worth first, she will naturally meet a better man.
Then it is about helping good friends to build their careers. There is another reason for Li Hong's unstable mentality. She is not happy working in the photo studio. The salary is high but there is a lot of internal friction. It just so happens that Liu Suqin relies on the platform of high-end photo studios, and from time to time she encounters people who want to poach her. She has no plans to change jobs, but if the other party has good conditions, she can also recommend it to friends in need.
With her internal recommendation, Li Hong had several interviews and finally negotiated a salary and benefits agreement with a company before the New Year. It was agreed that she could start work directly after the New Year. This solved one of her problems, and she was able to return to her hometown to celebrate the New Year with ease.
She wasn't anxious about her "older" friends, let alone her younger cousins. Her mother tried to persuade her again and again, but Liu Suqin still insisted on not being a matchmaker. Qian Juxiang really couldn't do anything about her, so she finally said something helplessly, "By the way, your second brother and his family want to go to town to build a house."
This interested her, and she perked up again. "Really? Where are you planning to build it? Have you got the housing plot approved?"
It's several years ahead of time, and I hope it's still in the original location. After all, only the houses on those two streets in the town are worth some money, and I can make a small profit by renting or selling them. If it can't be on the street, it's better to be in my own village. At least the housing land in the village does not require much effort or favors, and normal applications can be approved.
Qian Juxiang shook her head. "How could it be so fast? Your second brother has this idea, but it will take a year or two to find someone to acquire the housing plot. He said now that he doesn't have much money and is worried that even if the approval is granted, he won't have the money to build a house. So it's better to wait two years, so he came to ask for my opinion first."
Liu Suqin: "It is definitely best to implement it as soon as possible. We can find a way to get the money slowly." After the homestead was approved, there was no requirement to build it immediately, so it is naturally better to do it sooner rather than later.
"That's what I said. We'll start building the house in the next two years. Your dad and I can still help with the money. In a few years, your younger brother will probably be getting married, and he'll need money everywhere. The second son said he'll write me an IOU when the time comes, so he won't delay the fourth son from getting married."
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