Chapter 209
Cui Li spoke weakly, "I don't wash diapers, not because I'm lazy, but for Laibao. I'm afraid if he doesn't take good care of himself after the confinement period and touches too much cold water, I won't even have milk. How can Laibao eat well and grow well? Look at Huandi, he grew up eating rice porridge, so thin! I don't want Laibao to be as thin as Huandi. Mom, you and Liang Nan definitely don't want that either. You must want Laibao to be healthy and plump."
Aunt Liang rolled her eyes. "When Liang Nan's previous wife gave birth to Tianxiong, she didn't take a long confinement, but she still had plenty of milk and took good care of Tianxiong! You just want to be lazy and have the whole family wait on you, and you lied and said you didn't want to be lazy!"
Cui Li shrugged and said, "I'm really not trying to be lazy. You know how Liang Nan's last wife died. If I don't take good care of myself after the confinement period and develop a chronic illness, how can I continue to give birth to grandchildren for your Liang family in the future? Don't you want grandchildren anymore, Mom?"
Cui Li's words choked Aunt Liang and also touched Liang Nan's heart.
"Okay, Mom, just go and wash the diapers. Cui Li's confinement period will only be for this month. Once she's out of the confinement period, you'll be able to relax." Liang Nan said.
Liang Nan had said so, what else could Aunt Liang say?
She reluctantly took the diaper, glared at Cui Li, and went out.
Cui Li smiled at Liang Nan with emotion, but when she lowered her eyes, she concealed the contempt in her eyes.
On the other side, Zhao Yuanyuan returned home with a nervous heart.
She hadn't expected Cui Li, a girl who had married into the city from the countryside, to be so alert. Even Liang Nan and Aunt Liang didn't suspect the money was stolen by someone else, but Cui Li suspected her.
It was obvious that Cui Li's words just now were meant for her to hear.
She usually had nothing to do and often visited people here and there. She had taken some money or snacks from several families in the compound, but none of them suspected her!
It seems that she has to be more honest in front of Cui Li to avoid getting into trouble.
"Mom—Mom—" Caixia ran in from outside.
She looked around and saw that there was no one else. She whispered to Zhao Yuan, "Mom, I want to eat toffee and egg cake."
Usually, Zhao Yuan would secretly give her snacks. Every time, Zhao Yuan would repeatedly emphasize to Caixia that she must not let anyone else know that she secretly gave her snacks, especially her family.
Over time, Caixia developed a habit. Every time she talked about this matter, she would look around first to make sure there was no one else around before telling Zhao Yuan about it.
"No more," Zhao Yuan spread his hands, "I've eaten them all."
She only stole a few candies and egg cakes from Yao Yi's room, which was not enough to last her for a long time!
Although she hadn't used the two yuan and sixty cents she had taken from Liang's shop a few days ago, she didn't have a ticket, so she couldn't buy milk candy and egg cakes even if she wanted to.
Caixia pouted in disappointment: "Hasn't anyone given you candy and egg cakes recently?"
Every time Zhao Yuan secretly gave Caixia some snacks, and Caixia asked her where they came from, Zhao Yuan would say that someone else gave them to her. Even if Caixia asked who that "someone else" was, Zhao Yuan would be vague about it.
"No one gave it to me." Zhao Yuan said.
Caixia sighed in disappointment again.
Zhao Yuan felt a little distressed when he saw his daughter like this.
The Duan family's financial situation was modest, and Old Man Duan was the one who made all the decisions, big or small. He was neither sensible nor compassionate. It could even be said that he was overbearing and unreasonable.
The food at home wasn't very good. If Zhao Yuan hadn't occasionally gone to other people's houses to pick up some food, Caixia wouldn't have been able to eat snacks like that so often.
Suddenly, a muffled "bang" sound came from the back room, followed by sounds of beating and scolding.
"You awful old woman, you actually pooped in your pants! It stinks!"
When Caixia heard Old Man Duan's scolding, she snuggled into Zhao Yuan's arms and shrank back in fear.
"Caixia, stay in the room and don't go out. Mom will go and take a look." Zhao Yuan said to Caixia.
Caixia nodded.
Zhao Yuan left the room and closed the door.
When she hurried to Old Lady Duan's room in the back room, she was lying on the ground with a chair lying beside her, and Old Man Duan was kicking her.
"It stinks! You awful old woman! You make me sick!"
Old Mrs. Duan seemed to be having another attack. She huddled on the ground with a look of fear on her face, not even trying to defend herself, as if she still had no idea what was going on.
Just as Old Man Duan was about to kick Old Lady Duan again, Zhao Yuan rushed over and protected Old Lady Duan.
"Grandpa, it seems that grandma is sick again. I'll clean her up. You can go out for a walk and play chess with everyone."
The whole room was filled with a foul smell, and Old Man Duan could no longer stand it.
He snorted, "Clean her up quickly, don't let me come back and see her still stinking!"
"I will definitely clean it up thoroughly for grandma." Zhao Yuan quickly assured.
Only then did Old Man Duan turn around and leave.
Zhao Yuan wanted to help Mrs. Duan up from the ground, but she refused. She curled up into a ball and kept repeating, "Don't hit me, don't hit me, I was wrong, I was wrong, don't hit me."
Zhao Yuan felt very distressed when he saw this.
She lifted up the clothes around Old Lady Duan's waist and took a look. There was already a blue bruise under the clothes, which was where Old Man Duan had kicked her just now.
Zhao Yuan felt more and more distressed, but he was powerless to do anything.
"Grandma, I'll apply some medicine to the blue area later." Zhao Yuan said.
Old Mrs. Duan trembled and said nothing.
At this time, Duan's mother came back from shopping. As soon as she came back, she called out: "Zhao Yuan - Zhao Yuan -"
"Mom, I'm at grandma's place—" Zhao Yuan replied.
Duan's mother came to the back room. As soon as she entered the room, she smelled a foul odor and saw Old Mrs. Duan lying on the ground.
"What's wrong?" Duan's mother asked, "I just came back and ran into Grandpa. He was in a bad mood. I greeted him but he ignored me."
"Grandma pooped in her pants, and grandpa thought it smelled bad, so he beat her." Zhao Yuan said, showing the injuries on Grandma Duan's body to Duan's mother.
Duan's mother sighed and said, "I'll clean up for grandma, you go make lunch."
"good."
Zhao Yuan went to the kitchen and saw the vegetables that Duan's mother had just bought. They were all vegetables, without any meat.
Zhao Yuan went to the back room again. Duan's mother had already helped Old Lady Duan up from the ground and was cleaning up the dirt for her.
"Mom, you only bought vegetables and no meat? We haven't eaten meat for a long time." Zhao Yuan said.
Duan's mother glared at her and said, "You're dreaming! You even want to eat meat. Where can we get the money or tickets to buy meat?"
Zhao Yuan shrank his head and said, "It's not that I want to eat. Caixia is small and growing, and grandma is old. They should eat some meat to replenish their body."
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