Chapter 24 Chapter 24 [VIP]
When he entered the door, Qiao Wangnan was holding a box of cakes and a few bottles of milk.
They were all specially sent to the Hai family.
During the Chinese New Year, Qiao Wangnan gave gifts to many people in the village, and of course the Hai family was not left out.
You shouldn't hit someone who smiles at you. Qiao Wangnan gave him a gift so politely that Wang Xichun naturally didn't turn his face away.
However, when he heard that Qiao Jiaxin and Liu Shuqin were going to live with him, the smile on his face hesitated as he took the things he brought. "Moving to your house?"
Not only Wang Xichun, but Qiao Jiaxin was also stunned.
Move to my third uncle's house?
Why haven’t I heard grandma talk about this?
Qiao Wangnan: "Yes, our house is big, enough for each of us to have our own room."
Wang Xichun asked again: "Aren't you busy with work?"
Qiao Wangnan said calmly, "We can find a nanny who can come home and cook for them when she's free. She doesn't have to do any housework, we already have a part-time worker."
"Once my mom moves in, I won't have to do anything. I can just sit back and enjoy life."
In the kitchen, Liu Shuqin was stirring the batter in the bowl. Although she had a faint smile on her face, she did not respond to Qiao Wangnan's words.
No matter what he said outside, it seemed like I had tacitly agreed that he would be the one to arrange my life in the future.
The smile on Wang Xichun's face completely disappeared, leaving only forced politeness.
But she still didn't give up and continued to ask Liu Shuqin: "Aunt, do you really want to move there?"
Sprinkling a few peppercorns into the batter, Liu Shuqin said casually, "Well, my son is filial and wants me to live with him, so I'll go. I'm old now, so won't I have to rely on my children to take care of me in the future?"
Wang Xichun: ???
It’s over, it’s over, my old aunt has softened her heart again.
At the beginning, she and Qiao Jiaxin were "driven" back with nothing.
Now that the village is being demolished and she has a house and money, her sons who once drove her away suddenly come to her.
It's easy to tell with a little thought that their motives must be impure. Isn't it just to continue to plunder things from her?
Moving in together, what's the difference between this and a sheep walking into a tiger's mouth?
He will suck it all away until nothing is left!
Did they go to the city today to see a Chinese doctor or to buy her a bowl of magic potion?
How come the old aunt, who had finally come to her senses, was deceived by her son's sweet words?
Qiao Wangnan: "Mom, we don't have to cook for lunch. I'll drive you and Jiaxin to a restaurant in the city later, okay?"
"I don't want to ride in the car anymore. I just want to vomit." Liu Shuqin felt dizzy when she thought of the gasoline smell in the car. "You can go to the restaurant and order some dishes to bring back. We won't have to go through all the trouble."
Arriving at the kitchen door, Qiao Wangnan asked again, "Would you like a stewed chicken? Boiled shrimp? Or a dish of three fresh delicacies?"
Liu Shuqin: "Cut half a pound of braised beef, and some roasted spareribs."
"There are only three of us, and we eat so much..."
Qiao Wangnan just muttered a few words, and Liu Shuqin only glanced at him, and he immediately straightened his attitude: "Eat! As long as my mother has an appetite, I'll buy whatever she wants to eat!"
That's right, that's how it should be.
Liu Shuqin smiled slightly...
After Qiao Wangnan left, Qiao Jiaxin and Wang Xichun hurried to the kitchen to confirm whether she was really brainwashed.
Qiao Jiaxin: "Grandma, do we really want to move to my third uncle's house?"
Wang Xichun: "Yes, auntie, you have to think it over carefully!"
Liu Shuqin added hot water to the batter little by little, stirring it quickly with her chopsticks, and replied calmly, "I've made up my mind. I'm going to live in his house from now on."
Liu Shuqin is neither soft-hearted nor blind.
Of course she knew that the reason her sons were so filial was because of the house and money she had.
But there is a saying: I'm not afraid of thieves stealing, I'm afraid of thieves thinking about it.
The more you try to prevent them from smelling the stench of money, the easier it will be to drive them crazy. It would be better to just agree to their request and live with them, which would also make them less cunning.
On the other hand, living with Qiao Wangnan can save me a lot of worries.
Just as he said, he would hire a nanny and a cleaner, and he and his granddaughter would not have to do anything after they left, just enjoy themselves.
She saved on rent, water and electricity, and someone took care of her eating, drinking, defecating and urinating every day. Why would she refuse?
More importantly... he owed it to himself.
Liu Shuqin raised them with great difficulty, and they deserve to provide for her in her old age.
Why should I live with my granddaughter and let them be the boss?
They should also experience what it feels like to take care of and serve others.
It is only natural for a son to support his mother!
Seeing that Liu Shuqin knew what was going on, Wang Xichun finally felt relieved. "Then you have to be careful after you move in, don't let anyone plot against you."
Looking at the batter in the basin, Liu Shuqin said in a spider-like tone, "Oh, who knows who will plot against whom by then."
——
On New Year’s Eve, Qiao Wangnan came with his wife and children for dinner.
"Happy New Year, Mom!"
"Grandma, all the best!"
Qiao Wangnan's son is named Qiao Yunfeng.
, I am a freshman in high school this year.
Because Qiao Wangnan and Yang Li were busy with work and often not at home, they found a private boarding school for Qiao Yunfeng, which charged four to five thousand yuan in tuition per year.
When we were young, we had a very good relationship. Every time I went to my grandparents' house with my parents, I would take Qiao Jiaxin to play in the yard. But when we grew up,
Qiao Yunfeng was raised by Yang Lijiao, and has the arrogance of a "local rich man" in his bones.
When Liu Shuqin brought him a drink, he would casually say "thank you".
But when he looked at the dilapidated environment of the old house and the floor that could not be cleaned no matter how hard he mopped and washed, he subconsciously felt that the drink was not clean either, so he put it on the table next to him.
"Why are you here so early?" Liu Shuqin asked.
Qiao Wangnan took the initiative to sit closer and massage her legs. "We have New Year's Eve dinner tonight. I don't have much to do at home anyway, so I thought Xiaoli and I would come early so you don't have to work anymore."
Busy?
Liu Shuqin had no intention of being busy.
Today is New Year's Eve, but it is a great opportunity for them to show off in front of me.
She is a "rich woman" now, how can a rich woman be busy during the New Year?
Yang Li followed suit, plaiting her sleeves and symbolically moving the cups of water on the table. "Mom, what do you want to eat? I'll go get it ready. Wangnan brought you some bird's nest, I'll go make it for you first."
Liu Shuqin didn't mince words with them. "Let's make some shrimp. Then buy a chicken and a fish and see how the pork elbow tastes. If the pork elbow doesn't taste good, buy some pork ribs and stew it."
"middle!"
Qiao Wangnan got up and went to the kitchen to prepare, but when he saw the dishes that had not been washed at noon in the kitchen sink, and only leftovers in the kitchen cabinet, he realized that the dishes Liu Shuqin ordered were actually for him to buy.
So, as soon as Qiao Wangnan finished washing his hands, he put his sleeves down again and turned to walk out. "I guess the butcher shop won't be open during Chinese New Year. I'll drive to the city to buy some."
Almost an hour after Qiao Wangnan left, Qiao Wangxi and his family arrived.
"Happy New Year, Mom!"
"Happy New Year, Grandma!"
Qiao Wangxi and his family of four were carrying a lot of things in their hands. Unlike Qiao Wangnan, who bought most of the things from shopping malls, most of them were homemade meatballs, fried food, and some egg cakes bought from bakeries.
Not only that, he had already prepared to show off his cooking skills on New Year's Eve, so he brought a lot of fresh meat and vegetables and planned to make a pot of dumplings himself.
Yang Li: "Sister-in-law, can I help you?"
Liu Yanfang: "No, no, just sit and watch TV. Your brother and I can handle this job."
As soon as the couple entered the door, they went straight to the kitchen. The two sons also sat on both sides of Liu Shuqin. Their warm and hardworking demeanor immediately surpassed Qiao Wangnan's family.
Sitting awkwardly in the outer hall watching TV made the mother and son seem less sensible.
However, Yang Li did not give up completely and kept peeling melon seeds and nuts for Liu Shuqin.
"Mom, this black and white TV must be tiring for your eyes, right?" Yang Li asked with concern when she saw that Liu Shuqin's eyes were a little sleepy.
Yang Li added, "After the New Year, when you move into my house, I'll ask Wangnan to install a 36-inch color TV in your room. It's good for your eyes."
Liu Shuqin didn't hear clearly what she said, she just raised the corner of her lip and said "hmm" to deal with it.
She originally wanted to take a nap after dinner, but so many people came to her house at once, and after chatting for a while and eating some snacks, she felt even more sleepy now.
Liu Shuqin yawned and said, "You can watch here first. I'm going to take a nap."
Yang Li: "Yes."
After saying that, Liu Shuqin stood up and went back to her room on her own.
It's quite strange to say, when Liu Shuqin was watching TV outside with her grandchildren, she was so sleepy that she couldn't open her eyes. But as soon as she returned to the house and lay down, she immediately became energetic, and her eyes became as big as copper bells.
It seems that I am really getting older. I don’t like the hustle and bustle as much as before. The more people are around, the more tired I feel.
Well, it may also be because the excitement is too fake, so pretending to enjoy it will drain your energy.
I ate too many nuts just now, so my mouth is a little dry.
So after lying down for about ten minutes, Liu Shuqin got up and prepared to find some dried chrysanthemums to make some chrysanthemum tea.
When she came out of the house, Liu Shuqin looked at Qiao Jiaxin who was sitting on the wooden sofa watching TV.
She was just like herself just now, so sleepy that she kept yawning, but she was too embarrassed to go back to the house, so she could only watch Transformers, which she was not interested in, with a few cousins.
After working for a long time, Liu Yanfang had already kneaded the dough for making dumplings. When Liu Shuqin walked into the kitchen, Qiao Wangxi was sitting on a small stool in front of the stove, stirring the meat filling and preparing to make dumplings.
"Mom, what do you want to get?" Seeing Liu Shuqin looking into the kitchen cabinet, Qiao Wangxi asked.
Liu Shuqin: "My throat is a little dry, let me make some chrysanthemum tea."
Qiao Wangxi picked up the thermos and shook it, then picked up the kettle to get some water. "The water is a little cold. Let's boil some water later."
I took a look at the dumpling fillings in the basin. One was filled with leeks and eggs, and the other was filled with chopped meat and vermicelli.
Liu Shuqin used to always like to use these two fillings when making dumplings because her sons liked them.
But since she moved back to Jicheng Village, she has never made these two fillings again.
She doesn't like to eat.
She likes to eat cabbage, vermicelli and meat fillings and fennel and meat fillings.
"It's stuffed with leeks." Liu Shuqin said casually.
Seeing some disappointment in her eyes, Qiao Wangxi quickly took out the small half bowl of shrimp soaking in the sink and said, "There are shrimps. I will put them in when I make dumplings later."
It is called shrimp meat, but it is actually shrimp that is not chopped that finely.
It was the New Year, and Qiao Wangxi was generous for once, but not that generous.
After all, shrimps are expensive, and it is not easy for him to buy such a big half-pound one.
The wires pulled in from the kitchen had low voltage, so the water boiled slowly. It took a long time before I could faintly hear the sound of the water gradually heating up.
While waiting for the water to boil, Liu Shuqin did not go out, but just stood in the kitchen waiting.
Qiao Wangxi was also very considerate. He stood up and offered her the stool. "Mom, sit here."
Liu Shuqin said "hmm" and pulled the stool over and sat down.
"You roll out the dumpling wrappers, right?"
"You should roll it out, mine is too thick."
Qiao Wangxi and his wife stood on one side and one side, one rolling the dough and the other making dumplings, busy in front of the stove in tacit understanding.
It is said that the life of a couple will become more and more dull as time goes by, but Liu Shuqin saw that their life was still the same as when they first got married.
Qiao Wangxi has been introverted since childhood and not very good at speaking. He was already in his teens and still had no partner.
It was Qiao Wensheng who found such a daughter-in-law through an introduction from someone.
Liu Yanfang's family lives in an urban village and their conditions are decent, but she has two younger brothers, so her parents don't love her very much and don't help her much after she gets married.
Fortunately, she is a down-to-earth and hardworking person. After marrying Qiao Wangxi, she has no complaints even though she has always lived in poverty.
One is honest and capable, the other is thrifty and manages the household well. They are truly a perfect match, and their feelings gradually develop.
But Liu Shuqin never expected that even such a precious virtue would become distorted one day.
Stingy, mean, petty, calculating...
This is what the couple looks like now.
"Make fewer dumplings. I've made a lot of dough, so you won't be able to make many."
"Let's soak some more vermicelli later. I don't think there are too many."
"Don't sprinkle so much flour. It's cold, and the dumplings won't stick."
"Sprinkle some flour and the dumpling soup will be thick and delicious."
Liu Shuqin: ...
In the past, she thought there was nothing wrong with being stingy. After all, one had to save some money for the children when making a living.
It was not until she realized that Qiao Wangxi was sucking her blood to feed his children while ignoring her, his elderly mother, that she discovered that his stinginess was also based on different people.
Seeing Liu Shuqin lost in thought, Qiao Wangxi took the initiative to talk about the topic: "Mom, do these dumplings I made look familiar to you?"
Qiao Wangxi rarely cooks when he comes home, and Liu Shuqin almost forgot when he last made dumplings.
However, when she saw the dumplings made by Qiao Wangxi, she recognized them at a glance.
"Yeah, it's the same as your sister's."
Everyone has their own techniques for making dumplings.
I remember when they were making dumplings as children, she taught Qiao Fenglai to use both hands together to pinch the dumplings hard, and finally make a beautiful "dough ingot".
Qiao Wensheng taught us how to make dumplings by pinching them from one side to the other little by little, making them very flat and standard semi-circular dumplings.
As for Qiao Fenglai, she always pinches the middle first and then gathers the two sides inward. The dumplings she makes look like a plump peacock with its tail spread out.
Unfortunately, her daughter was unable to learn her technique.
The dumplings made by Qiao Jiaxin are all chubby "dough ingots" just like herself.
I really didn't expect that Qiao Wangxi would wrap it the same way as Qiao Fenglai.
"When we were little, my sister would lead us in making dumplings," Qiao Wangxi said, his hands moving without stopping as he recalled the past. "Among my brothers, my sister and I were the only ones who made the same dumplings."
Liu Shuqin didn't say anything, but just raised the corner of her lips slightly.
What's the point of wrapping them the same? People's personalities are completely different.
After packing several more, Qiao Wangxi pretended to be casual and asked, "Mom, after the New Year, are you and Jiaxin going to move in with the third child?"
He must have heard Yang Li talking about buying a TV in the kitchen just now.
But Liu Shuqin didn't intend to hide it from him.
"Yeah." Stroking the ceramic cup in her hand, she said calmly, "Our village will be demolished after the New Year. The third brother said renting a house is too troublesome, and his place is bigger, so he let us live there."
When they heard that they were going to move to Qiao Wangnan's house, the expressions on Qiao Wangxi and Liu Yanfang's faces froze at the same time.
Move to his house? Doesn't that mean Qiao Wangnan will take care of her in her old age?
She is over sixty years old now. To put it bluntly, how many more years can she let them take care of her?
When she passes away, the house and money will naturally fall into the pockets of the couple...
Make a small contribution to achieve great results and start a new journey.
Wow, this couple has really made a lot of calculations!
More importantly, he had not even discussed with his brothers beforehand about wanting to take his old mother away.
What does this mean? Execute first and report later?
Qiao Wangnan did this obviously to take the initiative and completely seize the old lady's property for himself.
You are unkind and I am unjust.
Qiao Wangxi is not a fool. Among his brothers, his conditions are not good, but he is not to the extent that he can turn a blind eye to the family fortune of millions, and he will not watch others eat meat while he cannot even taste the meat crumbs.
"Mom, the third brother's place is really good. They've made a lot of money in the past few years, so they can probably find someone to take care of you. But..."
Qiao Wangxi slowed down the pace of making dumplings and said earnestly, "No matter how good the people outside are, can they be as good as our own family? Can outsiders understand your taste, your physical condition, and take care of you like their own mother? Don't you think so?"
Looking at the dumpling with little meat filling in his hand, Liu Shuqin did not answer him.
Outsiders will not take care of her like their own mother, but there is a saying that goes, "The customer is God." As long as the money is in place, why should I be afraid that they will not take care of me like "God"?
As for her children, no matter how much money she gives them, she is afraid that she will never be able to raise them well.
Liu Shuqin of course understood what he meant. He just wanted her to live with him.
However, Liu Shuqin did not say it clearly, but wanted to hear what better "conditions" he could offer than Qiao Wangnan.
"That's true." Liu Shuqin nodded in agreement with his words.
Seeing Liu Shuqin interrupting, Qiao Wangxi quickly added, "Look, you're old now, and you can't live without someone around you. The third brother and his wife are often not at home, and Jiaxin is still young. I'm worried about the two of you living here."
"really."
"How about you move in with me? We can live together."
After going around in circles, Qiao Wangxi finally got to the point: "Look, Yanfang and I go home every day. If you need anything done, you can tell us. It's more convenient for family members to get things done."
"Yes," Liu Yanfang continued, "Wangxi and I can cook for you every day. Even if our cooking skills aren't as good as others, it's to your liking, right?"
Liu Yanfang and Qiao Wangxi live in an urban village in Yu City. It is the house of Liu Yanfang's parents.
The house is a one-story building with a yard, but they don’t live there alone. They live with another tenant.
I heard that it was Liu Yanfang's parents' idea. After all, it was embarrassing enough to live in her parents' house. Renting out half of it could also earn more rent.
Gulp gulp...
The water in the kettle began to bubble.
Pour water into the cup, watching the shrunken chrysanthemums quickly absorb the water, and the wrinkled petals gradually become lively. Liu Shuqin frowned in embarrassment and said, "Your house doesn't have that many rooms. Where will Jiaxin and I live if we go there?"
"We can talk to the tenants and ask them to move out after the New Year," Liu Yanfang said. "Then when the rooms on the first floor are free, you can just live there."
Liu Shuqin: "What about Xiaolong and Xiaopeng? If we move there, won't it interfere with their studies?"
"hold up?"
Qiao Wangxi pretended to be stern and said, "What's more important, studying or your health? If you really have the ability, you can still learn even if you make trouble."
"You don't have to worry about them bothering you. I'll definitely explain everything to them. They're very sensible now, and if you need anything done, you can just ask them to do it."
Compared with Qiao Wangnan, the conditions offered by Qiao Wangxi were not attractive at all.
Compared to the filial piety he promised, real money is more reliable.
But Liu Shuqin did not refuse.
"That's fine," Liu Shuqin said calmly, blowing the chrysanthemums floating on the water. "Actually, I'm not picky. I can live anywhere. The most important thing is that you two brothers agree on it. When the third brother comes back, you can talk to him and see what he says."
Adults make choices, and older people only let adults choose.
Qiao Wangxi said in embarrassment: "If we discuss it, the third brother will definitely not agree."
Who would be willing to share the fat in their hands with others?
"You decide. As long as you ask, the Third Brother can't go against your will."
He is still like this, unwilling to do anything, but wanting to have everything his way.
There is no such cheap thing in the world.
To reassure Liu Shuqin, Liu Yanfang continued, "Don't people always say there's no business without dishonesty? The Third Brothers make a lot of money, but this...don't you think? Living with them, you have to be a little cautious."
"People should still be with honest people. That way you can feel at ease and live a comfortable life."
As she said that, she patted the flour off her hands and wanted to go to the kitchen cupboard to get some honey to pour for her.
As a result, when she walked to the kitchen door, she turned around and saw a pair of sharp eyes staring at her outside the half-open door.
It’s Yang Li.
The moment their eyes met, Liu Yanfang paused guiltily, but she didn't mean to avoid it.
Although it is shameful to speak ill of others behind their backs, she was not wrong.
Business people are always cunning, aren't they?
Besides, they all wanted to take the old lady into their own home to take care of her and fulfill their obligations as children.
Yang Li didn't stay at the door for long. She just stayed for a while and then left.
After coming over with the honey jar, Liu Yanfang did not continue the topic. Instead, she gave Qiao Wangxi a look, indicating that he had ears and should wait for a more suitable opportunity to talk about it.
Snap! Snap! Snap!
Outside the yard, a string of loud firecrackers temporarily interrupted the awkwardness in the house.
In the days leading up to the Chinese New Year, you can always hear the sound of children in the village setting off firecrackers. Today is New Year's Eve, and even more people are coming out to set off firecrackers.
"Xiaopeng? You love to set off firecrackers, right? Let your sister take you to buy some."
The grudges between adults have nothing to do with the children. Liu Shuqin still hopes that the younger generation can have a better relationship with Qiao Jiaxin.
As soon as they heard about setting off firecrackers, the eyes of the children in the room suddenly lit up.
“Hit!”
"Let's go! Let's buy some cannons!"
Although firecrackers can be set off in the city, there are only a few types. The community always emphasizes safety, and every year there are people in red armbands strolling back and forth in the streets.
So the firecrackers you can buy, except for barrels of fireworks, are very small: Black Whirlwind Li Kui, Red Spider, and girls' favorite, Zi Lihua, are not very interesting to set off.
Unlike in the village, where you can set off more "exciting" firecrackers like double-bang explosions, thunder bombs, and kicks, no one will care even if you use a gun barrel as thick as your wrist.
Qiao Jiaxin was just feeling bored watching TV. Going out to set off fireworks? Sounds like a good idea.
I led a few cousins to the firecracker stall at the entrance of the village, and saw two familiar figures choosing from afar.
They are my elder uncle and younger uncle.
One of them put his hands behind his back and glanced at the colorful packaging with a lack of interest, while the other bent over and put the selected firecrackers into a plastic bag one by one.
Looking at their backs, they don't look like two brothers, but more like a father and son.
Zhang Dongmei and Du Juan, who played the role of "old mother", sat on the electric tricycle nearby and chatted quietly with the New Year's goods and gifts for Liu Shuqin.
"uncle!"
"Uncle!"
He ran towards the two of them quickly. The children of the Qiao family heard that he was calling them, but in fact he was only calling Qiao Wangbei.
Because they get along better with their unruly younger uncle than with their stern and serious older uncle.
Seeing that there was one less person behind the tricycle, Qiao Weilong casually asked, "Uncle, where is my brother?"
Qiao Wangdong explained: "I went on an internship with a teacher from school and will be back after the Chinese New Year."
Qiao Wangdong is the most promising among the older generation of the Qiao family.
Similarly, Qiao Wangdong’s son, Qiao Ziyan, is currently the child with the best academic performance and has gone the furthest in the family.
Qiao Ziyan is a senior this year and will graduate in a few months.
A few years ago, I heard Zhang Dongmei say that he was going to take the postgraduate entrance examination after graduating from university, but I don’t know how his preparations were going.
"How much of your winter vacation homework have you done?"
Mentioning Qiao Ziyan, Qiao Wangdong subconsciously brought up studying. "Even during the Lunar New Year, we can't delay doing homework. If we always wait until the last day to do it, we'll definitely be anxious and won't remember much..."
“…”
The children were silent.
No one wants to hear such a depressing topic during the Chinese New Year, let alone in front of a fireworks stall.
Qiao Wangbei: "How much is it in total?"
"Nine."
When they heard that Qiao Wangbei was about to pay, the children rushed to his side, saying "Happy New Year, Uncle" and "Uncle is the best", trying to coax him to buy more.
Since his nephews were so sweet, Qiao Wangbei naturally would not refuse, so he asked the boss to bring a few red plastic bags for them to choose from.
Looking at the dazzling array of firecrackers, firecrackers, and fireworks tubes, they kept exclaiming "Wow" one after another, just like bumpkins who had never seen the world.
One box after another, stuffed into the bag as if going to the vegetable market.
Qiao Jiaxin originally wanted to take a few bunches of pear blossoms, but after thinking about it, she put them back.
"Boss, how much are these fireworks?"
Walking to the back of the stall, Qiao Wangbei gently kicked the one-meter square firework and asked.
"Fifteen," the owner said enthusiastically, seeing that he was interested in the stall's treasure. "It has thirty-five gongs in total, and there are many different designs. It's very beautiful."
Qiao Wangbei carefully examined the fireworks packaging, then turned to Qiao Jiaxin and asked, "Jiaxin, what do you think?"
Qiao Jiaxin: ???
Qiao Wangbei: "When it's eleven o'clock, let's put this in the yard, how about that?"
Wow, this purchase gave me the biggest one as a gift.
How generous!
Not at all like the one I remember.
"What do you think?" Qiao Wangbei asked the other children again.
"OK!"
“This is sure to be beautiful!”
"Buy it, buy it! I've never seen fireworks this big!"
After reaching a consensus, Qiao Wangbei naturally came to Qiao Wangdong's side and touched his arm: "Brother, pay."
Qiao Wangdong: ???
The moment Qiao Wangbei asked him to pay, Qiao Wangdong's cerebellum shrank a little.
Wasn't he going to buy fireworks for the kids? Why did he have to pay for it himself?
That's right, he has very little money in his pocket. Even when he comes back to celebrate the New Year, he has to hitchhike. How could he be so generous as to buy such expensive fireworks for his children?
Qiao Wangdong wanted to refuse, but his muddy feet had already made the fireworks dirty, and it was Chinese New Year...
So no matter how reluctant Qiao Wangdong was, he still took out his wallet from his pocket and paid for the big firework for him.
After paying, Qiao Wangdong gave him a dirty look and said angrily, "Buy it yourself next time. If you don't have money, don't buy it."
Qiao Wangbei has always been thick-skinned. He pretended not to hear anything and walked to the fireworks, calling the children to come over and carry the fireworks back.
When Liu Shuqin saw the huge fireworks when she got home, she was surprised and asked, "Why did you buy such a big one?"
"It's a rare opportunity to celebrate the New Year in our old house, so let's just treat it as a celebration." Qiao Wangbei took the initiative to walk to Liu Shuqin's side and hold her arm. He then said, "These fireworks are so beautiful. As long as you enjoy watching them, it's worth any money!"
Qiao Wangdong:!!!
This is clearly what I paid for!
At five o'clock in the afternoon, the sky gradually darkened.
After Qiao Wangnan came back from the city with meat and vegetables, the whole family started busy preparing for tonight's New Year's Eve dinner.
It's a rare year that she doesn't have to be so tired, and Liu Shuqin can finally enjoy being an "old lady".
"Mom, try some of the shrimp my sister-in-law just fried."
Qiao Wangbei hurried out of the kitchen, holding a bowl filled with two freshly fried prawns.
Liu Shuqin: "Dinner hasn't even started yet, why are you already eating?"
"I'm worried you're hungry," Qiao Wangbei said as he sat beside her and peeled shrimp for her. "Old people can't go hungry, or they'll have stomach problems."
Huh? Now you know that being hungry is bad for your stomach?
The other brothers were helping in the kitchen, but Qiao Wangbei would quickly take out whatever was freshly cooked for Liu Shuqin to taste, and then go back to give them suggestions based on what Liu Shuqin said.
Even the eunuchs around Cixi at that time were not as capable of taking advantage of the power of others as he was.
"Mom, look at you. You've only been living in the village for a short time, and you've already lost weight."
Liu Shuqin stopped chewing, turned her head and looked at him with a strange look.
thin?
She gained six or seven pounds after she came back. How did she lose weight?
Even if you tell lies with your eyes open, you can't be so blind.
Continuing to rub Liu Shuqin's arm, Qiao Wangbei said, "Well, after all, you haven't been back for more than ten years. It's normal that you are not used to living here. Why don't you move back to my place after the New Year? Let Du Juan and I take good care of you."
Liu Shuqin finally understood.
Not only does he lie with his eyes open, but the two holes under his eyebrows can also fart.
take care of?
If she had not been cheated out of her house by the couple and had not been "taken care of" harshly, she would not have brought Qiao Jiaxin back to live in the village.
It was Chinese New Year, and Liu Shuqin didn't want to scold him. She just rejected him and said, "Forget it. After the Chinese New Year, your first and third brothers both want to take me to live with them. You don't have to worry about me and Jiaxin. Just take care of yourself."
"They're going to take you to live with them?"
At that moment, Qiao Wangbei's eyes were filled with surprise and regret.
I regretted speaking up too late...
Compared with his two older brothers, he had no competitiveness.
One can contribute money, the other can contribute labor, but what about me? At best, I can vent my anger.
He also wanted to be filial to his old mother, so that even if his mother did not give him all her property in the future, he would have to give her a piece of his mind.
But it’s too late to say it now. There are two competitors ahead of me, so I’m afraid I don’t have much chance.
What should I do...
"Clean up, it's time to eat!"
After working hard for an entire afternoon, I finally prepared all the meals.
Liu Shuqin asked Qiao Wangbei to help her walk to the dining table made of two wooden tables. Looking at the eleven dishes laid out on the table, she couldn't help but sigh.
She had never had such a sumptuous New Year's Eve dinner at home in her life.
Chicken, duck, fish, river shrimp and seafood, everything is available.
Eleven dishes, thirteen people, sitting around the dining table, eating and watching the Spring Festival Gala on TV. This is exactly the same scene that Liu Shuqin once dreamed of.
It's a pity that the old man is no longer around. If only he could enjoy the filial piety of his sons, even if it's fake...
"Come, let's clink our hands and wish everyone a smooth, healthy, and safe new year!"
Ding~
The sound of glasses clinking was crisp and pleasant, and then everyone's chopsticks moved between different plates.
"Can I say a few words?"
The eldest son is the head of the family.
Qiao Wensheng was gone, and Qiao Wangdong, who was sitting next to Liu Shuqin, stood up and took the responsibility of speaking in person.
"It has not been easy for us all in the past year. Thank you all for your hard work!"
"Although there may be some minor unpleasantness, we are a family and any gloom will soon dissipate."
Qiao Wangdong spoke a lot of high-sounding words, which made everyone feel embarrassed, but they could only force a smile.
It was not until the end that the most important purpose of this speech was stated:
"...It's like this. Mom is old, and Jiaxin is in her prime for school. The old house will also be demolished after the Chinese New Year."
"Here's what I thought. After the New Year, I'll bring Mom and Jiaxin to live with us. After all, I'm the eldest in the family, and it's only natural for Dongmei and I to take care of them, don't you think?"
Qiao Wangxi: ???
Qiao Wangnan:???
Qiao Wangbei:???
Right?
It's bullshit!
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