“This is your aunt,” Grandma Su said.
"Oh, Auntie," Su Qiang and Su Xiao greeted her in unison.
"Yes, yes." The woman seemed rather soft-hearted, standing there awkwardly with a timid and hesitant demeanor.
Since his aunt had committed a crime, his uncle had to marry someone new, which is understandable.
But how did she end up here?
Su Xiao calmly observed her surroundings and discovered that the door to her room was open. She was furious; she knew without a doubt that someone had moved in.
"Grandpa and Grandma, this is my maternal uncle, fourth uncle, second cousin, and cousin sister from my maternal grandparents' family." Su Qiang had already begun introducing the Tian family to his grandparents.
"The Tian family?" Grandpa Su was surprised, as if he hadn't expected the Tian family to come looking for him, after all, there had been no news of them for more than ten or twenty years.
"Uncle, Uncle."
"Grandpa Su, Grandma Su."
Tian Rongyao and his group called for reinforcements.
"Hey, come inside, let's talk inside." Grandpa Su also came to his senses, beckoned people inside, and instructed Grandma Su, "Old woman, quickly go and boil brown sugar eggs."
"Okay." Grandma Su nodded and gave the woman by the well a look, and the woman immediately went to the kitchen.
Upon seeing this, Tian Rongyao quickly declined, saying, "No need, no need, we're not hungry."
"Yes, yes. It's my nephew's first time visiting, so yes. Let's go inside and talk." Grandpa Su led the group into the main room.
Su Xiao went straight to her room. Grandma Su saw her in the yard but didn't say anything. Her eyes flickered, and it was unclear what she was thinking.
Upon arriving at the door, the interior was immediately visible. Looking at the house full of household items, Su Xiao felt uneasy. She threw her luggage at the doorway and looked at Grandma Su.
The two women locked eyes, and Su Xiao said directly, "Grandma, you're not going to give me an explanation?"
Grandma Su said expressionlessly, "You've been gone for over a year, and the house has been so quiet and lonely. Now, your uncle has remarried and brought two children with him. Since the house isn't big enough, your uncle and aunt have moved in to make it easier for them to take care of us old folks."
Su Xiao looked at the courtyard and didn't know what to say for a moment, then gave a self-deprecating laugh.
This home and this courtyard have almost completely changed, but they have gained a more lively and welcoming atmosphere.
When we brought my grandparents over, we had a secret plan: we wanted them to take good care of the house.
However, my grandparents are getting old, and they do need someone to take care of them.
Forget it, the house belongs to Su's parents, so it's time for Su Qiang to take over. I'll ask him what he wants to do later.
Inside the main room, Tian Rongyao and Grandpa Su had a pleasant conversation. They talked about Su's parents, and their eyes welled up with tears several times.
The new aunt was quite efficient; she quickly brought over seven bowls of brown sugar and egg soup.
Su Xiao didn't stand on ceremony and sat down on the steps in the courtyard to eat, ignoring the formalities inside the house.
After a long train journey, she was tired and hungry.
After finishing the eggs, Su Xiao took the opportunity to pull Su Qiang out and told him about the house being occupied.
"We definitely can't fit everyone at home, so let's go to a hotel in town and book three rooms as soon as possible."
Su Qiang hadn't thought that far ahead and nodded in agreement.
“Take your uncle and the others to a room to rest first. Your sister-in-law and I still need to go to the Huang family. It was my oversight; I was only thinking about bringing them home first.”
Su Qiang felt a little guilty; all that back and forth had been so exhausting.
"Brother, don't overthink it. Nobody expected this." Su Xiao herself hadn't thought that far ahead, so this was the only way she could comfort him.
"Alright, that's enough for now." Su Qiang smiled broadly.
Looking at her brother like this, Su Xiao finally felt all the lingering resentment in her heart disappear completely.
Yes, why bother with so much? Time has passed, and her current state of mind is completely different from when she first came into this world.
Back in the main room, Su Xiao said, "Uncle, let me take you to the hotel to settle in first. Grandpa, we'll go to a restaurant together tonight, so you and Grandma don't need to cook. Aunt, invite Uncle to come along."
Su Xiao's words surprised and delighted Grandpa and Grandma Su, and also left them with a sense of unease.
Su Xiao led Tian Rongyao and the others to the hotel to settle their luggage, while Su Qiang took Huang Feiyan back to the Huang family home.
Grandpa and Grandma Su stood at the door, watching the group of people leave, feeling somewhat melancholy.
"Old woman, do you think the children will hold a grudge against us?" Grandpa Su frowned slightly, feeling uneasy.
When their eldest son approached them to come and live with them, they initially hesitated. But it's easy to invite someone in, but hard to send them away. Su Qiang was in the army and wouldn't come back for more than a year. In time, the house would definitely belong to their eldest son.
However, the eldest brother kept coming back to pester her, and his newlywed wife was a good person who quietly came over to help with the housework.
Human hearts are made of flesh and blood; whether someone is close or distant, it's ultimately their fault.
"They won't," Grandma Su said confidently.
If we were to complain, things would have already escalated. Kids are generally good-natured, sigh...
Su Qiang and Huang Feiyan arrived at the Huang family home, where the Huang family members were already waiting.
The two were about to have a tough fight at the Huang family's house, but they were already mentally prepared and not afraid. In the end, it would just be a wrangling match, and they would have to pay money to avoid trouble.
When the two walked out hand in hand, they felt much lighter, as if a heavy weight had been lifted from their hearts.
Huang Feiyan glanced back at the gate. "Brother Qiangzi, from now on, you're all I have."
Su Qiang gently embraced her, "With me here, there's nothing to fear. Besides, you don't only have me; you also have Xiaoxiao and our baby. Let's have more children, and then the baby can get married and have more children, generation after generation, until we're old and full of descendants..."
Upon hearing the word "baby," Huang Feiyan immediately felt embarrassed and buried her head in his arms. Listening to him describe the future, she couldn't help but dream about it, and after a while, her cheeks flushed red...
"Stop talking, it's not even a done deal yet. Let's go."
Releasing Su Qiang, Huang Feiyan grabbed his sleeve and walked away with her head down.
Su Qiang quickly grabbed her hand, following her step, his gaze involuntarily shifting to her lower abdomen, and said expectantly, "How did it disappear like that? I've been trying every day, maybe it's already..."
"Oh dear, I told you to stop talking!" Huang Feiyan said impatiently, glaring at him playfully and threatening him to shut up.
Unfortunately, that one glance, though charming and alluring, had no power to harm.
"Alright, alright, I won't say anything more." Su Qiang looked at her with a happy smile and said, "Words are unreliable, just watch my actions."
"Hmph..." Huang Feiyan pouted and refused to look at him, but the smile on her lips lingered for a long time.
Hand in hand, the two walked out of the alley in the afterglow of the setting sun. They vowed to grow old together and walk hand in hand on the long road ahead.
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