The new courtyard we applied for on the island was a two-story house with five bedrooms and white-painted brick and tile walls. This was quite luxurious in 1968.
Before Qiao Yu left the city, the local area had already become a mess. There were beatings everywhere, parents and children were separated, and people were killing their own relatives for the sake of justice. There were reports everywhere and cries of grief.
The troops were peaceful as if they were in a paradise.
Qiao Yu picked up the little goldfish and weighed it. "Yo, our little goldfish has grown fat again."
The little goldfish inherited her skin color, fair, and chubby, like a glutinous rice ball. Not only did her brothers at home love her and spend all their pocket money on her, she also walked around with her head held high outside and was loved by everyone.
How can I not love you?
In this age when no one is well fed, the little goldfish looks like a lucky doll. Even the most decent people cannot do anything mean to it, let alone family members.
Mother Zhou always took the little goldfish with her wherever she went.
In the past two years, Qiao Yu bought her some cold cream and took her to practice Ba Duan Jin when Little Goldfish was one year old. Not only has Zhou's mother looked much younger, but even her hair has grown a lot more.
Where is the style of a country old lady? None of her clothes are old, they are all worn without patches.
They said they were here to take care of Qiao Yu during her confinement and raise the baby, but Zhou's mother herself felt that it was no different from enjoying herself.
The little goldfish had two pigtails. When she got angry, her cheeks puffed up and she tilted her head, so that the pigtails hit Qiao Yu's face.
"Ignore Mom!"
Qiao Yu and Zhou's mother smiled at each other.
I think it's childish and cute.
Zhou's mother: "Hasn't he been clamoring to see his mother these days? Why did he ignore her when she came?"
"Mom said I was fat!"
"Are you fat?"
"I'm not fat!"
Qiao Yu smiled and pinched the little goldfish's cheek while walking into the house, "Okay, okay, the little goldfish is not fat, the little goldfish is blessed!"
The little goldfish looked at its mother and its cheeks puffed up even more.
"What's the matter?" Qiao Yu asked.
"Mom scolds people! Ignore Mom!"
"Is it insulting to say you are blessed?"
"Mom is bad."
Qiao Yu didn't know whether to laugh or cry. He met the black grape-like eyes of his dear girl and lost his temper. "Okay, okay, mom is bad and bullied the little goldfish. Punish mom!"
As she spoke, she held the little goldfish in one hand and slapped her cheek with the other.
The little goldfish rushed to stop him, "No more beatings, no more punishments."
"That's enough? You're not angry anymore?"
"Mom is still bad!"
"Well, Mom is a bad person and has never been a good person. Is the little goldfish still angry?"
"…No more children."
The main thing is that children can’t find how to fight back.
After all, Qiao Yu is a seasoned crafty person who can fool anyone, let alone a two-year-old child.
Zhou Wen and Dawei prepared lunch, as Old Zhou had not returned yet.
While eating, Qiao Yu mentioned the matter of Widow Huang.
Zhou's mother: "This is too evil. Fortunately, you can tell the truth and expose their conspiracy. Otherwise, you would be blamed, right?"
"That's right. Mom, let's go to the city less often in the future. The world outside is in chaos now. If you need anything, just buy it at the supply and marketing cooperative on the island. If you really need something, I'll go down to the island every month to check."
Zhou's mother: "Is there any problem with the military kid?"
"Him? No one cares about him... Never mind. I'll call him after dinner and give him some instructions."
After dinner, seeing that Zhou's mother was hesitant to speak, Qiao Yu said, "Mom, just tell me what you want to say."
Zhou's mother had no choice but to say, "I've been here for a few years, and my eldest son's wife is pregnant, so he wants me to go back. What do you think?"
Qiao Yu showed no expression. He let Little Goldfish follow Xiaoyong back to the house to play. Then his eyes fell on Zhou's mother. "Mom, if you want to go back, go back. I'm not tying you down. It's just a matter of one sentence. You don't need to be so scared and look at my expression.
But if you have a hard time going back, you're always welcome to come over here.
You should have the custom of the eldest son taking care of the elderly, but what era is it now? Which son do you think is more comfortable to live with and who do you want to take care of in your old age?
You see, we have children at home, so taking care of them in old age is not a problem. You don’t have to worry about anything extra, and you don’t have to do any housework. The most you have to do is look after the children…”
Qiao Yu cited many advantages of his own home before helping Zhou's mother pack up.
When Old Zhou came back in the evening, he found that the atmosphere was not right. Qiao Yu did not mention that Zhou's mother was leaving, but only talked about the widow Huang's family.
Old Zhou nodded, "That Feng Lei is the little goldfish who is said to be the reincarnation of Grandma Wang."
Qiao Yu was stunned and slammed the table in anger, "Is there still such a thing?!"
"It's karma."
Qiao Yu gritted his teeth, "If I had known that this rumor was spread by the Feng family, I would have caught those two old men too!"
Old Zhou coughed lightly, and seeing that the children and Zhou's mother thought that Chang Qiaoyu was rude, he said nothing more.
After closing the door and throwing the little goldfish to Zhou's mother, Qiao Yu told her about her mother.
"What do you think?"
Lao Zhou was puzzled: "What do I think?"
"Your mother! Do you want your mother to live with us?"
Old Zhou laughed, "You are indeed a different daughter-in-law. Others are looking forward to their mother-in-law splitting up and living somewhere else, but you are thinking of living with your mother-in-law?"
"Your mother is different." Qiao Yu rolled his eyes. "She changed her bad habits brought from the countryside as soon as I said something. She is not like other old ladies who don't listen to others and always bully their daughters-in-law. When she is here, I can get along with my sisters and someone will take care of the little goldfish. When she is not here, I have to be distracted by the little goldfish."
Lao Zhou didn't speak for a long time.
Qiao Yu poked his arm and said, "I'm talking to you."
Old Zhou held her waist and said, "If mom wants to go back, let her go back. You can write to her from time to time to ask about her situation and express your hope that she will come back. Little Goldfish misses her. I guarantee that she will not stay for long and will pack up and come back."
Qiao Yu's eyes lit up, "Sure, Lao Zhou, follow me and learn. You've already learned it badly."
Old Zhou snorted, "You are indeed bad."
The old man is older than me in bed.
But could Qiao Yu not mention it?
As soon as she mentioned it, Old Zhou would do his best to serve her, allowing her to understand and feel the greatest joy of being a woman.
Thanks to my brother-in-law for the gift.
"Okay, it's getting late, go to bed."
"Well, if my late husband were still alive, we would definitely chat for a while longer... um."
All languages are in the fish and water.
…
When hearing that Zhou's mother was leaving, the one who couldn't accept it the most was Little Goldfish.
The little goldfish hung its fleshy arms and legs on Zhou's mother's legs, crying loudly, "Grandma, don't go... Wuwuwu, is the little goldfish bad? Is the little goldfish as bad as mommy, and made grandma angry and run away? Wuwuwu..."
Qiao Yu was amused by this childishness.
"You little brat, who made you mad? You can be mad as much as you want, I won't be mad!"
The little goldfish turned around and confronted Qiao Yu: "You are angry! I saw it!"
"When? Be specific! Don't give me a false alarm!"
"You think the food grandma cooked is not tasty!"
"You're talking nonsense! I eat what's placed on the table. I've never complained about the cooking skills of the person who cooked! I said this myself!"
"You do! You bring extra food home from the state-owned hotel every day! That denies your cooking skills!"
"Hey, if you say so, then my adoption of your brothers means I deny your origins? If I praise your brothers for being outstanding, then I am belittling you as a little idiot who has no knowledge or skills?!"
The little goldfish's eyes instantly turned into juicy poached eggs.
Or the kind that's bubbling and boiling in the water.
"Granny! Mommy bullies me!" She couldn't win the argument with her mother!