The chubby little girl, already fair-skinned, wore a red dress and had her hair tied in a high ponytail, looking like a little red radish spirit.
When she smiles, her bright white teeth gleam, and occasionally she can't help but drool, which she quickly sucks back up halfway through. She's incredibly cute.
The old lady held her granddaughter, her heart filled with sweetness and tenderness. She cherished her like a precious gem, not even feeling the discomfort of her presence.
She gently patted her granddaughter's chubby back and whispered, "What mischief are you up to now?"
Jiayin hugged her grandmother's neck and vigorously smeared saliva on her grandmother's face, twisting and turning like a giant caterpillar.
"Grandma, Fu Niu has money. Uncle will give it to her, Aunt will give it to her, and Fu Niu will be the boss!"
Seeing his mother nearly fall over from being rubbed and teased by his daughter, Li Laosi snatched his daughter into his arms and pricked her with his rough stubble, making her giggle and dodge. "Do you still dare to mess with your grandma?"
"I won't do it again, I won't do it again!" Jiayin shrank her neck, blinked her big eyes, and quickly begged for mercy.
My dad's beard is practically the most powerful weapon in the world, it's like a steel wool pad!
Hearing the commotion inside, Tao Hongying peeked out from the kitchen and saw what was going on.
She ran over with a shovel to rescue her daughter, and then brandished the shovel to dig up Li Laosi.
"Are you stupid? Why would you prick a perfectly healthy child? Your daughter's face is so delicate, it can't withstand your rough treatment!"
Li Laosi was so frightened that he covered his head and ran away. No matter how strong he was, he could never beat his wife. If his wife got angry, he would lose his head.
Seeing her father run away with his head in his hands, Jiayin clapped her hands happily and turned around to give her mother two big kisses on the face.
"Mom is the best! Fu Niu loves Mom the most!"
Tao Hongying felt as sweet as if she had eaten honey as her daughter kissed and coaxed her with her soft little mouth.
"Play nicely with your grandma and don't make her angry. Grandma is old, and you've gained a good 30 pounds, so you shouldn't bother her too much."
"Okay, Fu Niu will be good. Fu Niu is a filial and good child!" Jia Yin quickly and honestly promised, her obedient and cute appearance making her irresistible.
Tao Hongying kissed her daughter on the forehead again before hurrying back to cook. The oil in the pan was still hot; she needed to stew the chicken and mushrooms beforehand.
Jiayin climbed back into her grandmother's arms and whispered in her smiling grandmother's ear, "Grandma, I have money. I'll buy a shop and go see my older brother!"
The little girl's warm breath tickled the old lady's ear, making her tilt her head and laugh, but inwardly she sighed.
The only one in the family who was in school was her eldest grandson, and he was such a sensible and hardworking child that she naturally wanted to take care of him nearby. She also trusted that her third son's family would definitely run the shop well.
But the family really can't afford it now. The eldest grandson's tuition is paid monthly; if it were paid annually, the family would have already gone into debt.
Now we need to buy a shop, which costs eighty taels in rent. Adding some supplies will bring the total to ninety or one hundred taels, which is far too much.
She knew her granddaughter had money.
But the whole family consists of fathers, brothers, and elders, all of whom are capable of working, and it's not appropriate to always spend the little girl's money.
If this happens repeatedly over time, it can lead to a habit of asking for favors, which can not only diminish the family's spirit but also easily cause conflicts.
"Let Grandma think about it carefully. This is not a small matter, and it can't be decided just like that."
"Okay," Jiayin pouted, her chubby fingers strung together, her fair face full of disappointment.
At this moment, Master Wang arrived on horseback with his attendant Wang Fu. Old Lady Li was delighted and invited him into the house.
"You must be tired after riding all this way. Have some water first. Doctor Zhang is in the village. I'll take you there in a bit and help you get acquainted with the place. You can just go to the village next time."
Grandma Li poured tea for her son, her eyes filled with loving kindness.
Master Wang was truly thirsty. He downed his tea in one gulp and said, "I didn't tell my family about seeking medical treatment, so I'm in a hurry to get going..."
Grandma Li quickly picked up Jiayin and stood up, saying, "Let's go back to the village."
Jiayin didn't want to tire her grandmother out, and she didn't want to walk, so she stretched out her little hand to Master Wang and called out in her childish voice, "Uncle, hold me!"
Master Wang instinctively reached out and hugged the chubby girl, then realized that the child was really not shy around strangers.
Jiayin had just been observing this uncle. People say that the dragon has nine sons, each different from the other.
She wouldn't have believed it if her grandmother and second uncle hadn't been so certain.
My second uncle is shrewd and cunning, my third uncle is honest and simple, and my father is rough, bold, and brave.
But this uncle was completely different; he was a handsome middle-aged man.
“Uncle is different, Uncle is handsome, Fu Niu likes Uncle!” Jia Yin kissed Master Wang on the cheek and hugged his neck tightly.
In her past life, she was a sucker for good looks, and she would drool over handsome men but still have to be careful.
In this life, she's still a child, free to take advantage of others—no, to indulge in unrestrained appreciation.
Master Wang blushed at the enthusiastic young girl's antics, which made Old Lady Li laugh so hard she bent over, and she didn't forget to explain to her son.
"This is the fourth son's precious daughter, named Fu Niu. You also have two sons? Then this girl is the only girl in our Li family. Don't underestimate her just because she's small; she's very clever."
Thinking of his mischievous son and his soft, sweet niece nestled in his arms, Master Wang smiled.
"Girls are good, they're delicate and cute, too many boys will only cause trouble."
"That's right, the fourth brother was waiting for you just now, but he poked Fu Niu with his beard and his wife chased him away with a shovel."
As Grandma Li chattered on, she led her son toward the village, with Wang Fu following behind, leading his horse, his heart pounding with excitement.
He couldn't explain why, but he just felt that this old man was more at ease and happier than before.
The family, young and old, quickly arrived at the gate of the Li family's courtyard. Li Laosi, carrying a hoe, came out from inside and, just as they were walking towards each other, said, "Mother, you're back."
Grandma Li quickly pulled him forward, "Fourth brother, this is your eldest brother, don't you recognize him?"
Li Laosi carefully examined the body for a long time. When his elder brother left home, he was about the same age as Jia An and Jia Xi. Even if he had some impression of him, it had been erased by more than ten years.
My memories are mostly of the village children mocking me, the fights I got into, my second and third brothers shouldering the burden of the family's livelihood, and my mother's secret cries at night.
Therefore, he couldn't suddenly become affectionate towards his elder brother whom he hadn't seen for many years. He could only bow and say, "Master Wang, please come inside."
Old Mrs. Li was stunned for a moment, feeling sad, but she didn't force her youngest son.
Master Wang breathed a slight sigh of relief, though he admitted he felt uneasy.
It was as if there was a thin layer of paper separating him from the Li family. He knew they should be his family, but the separation of more than ten years and his lost memories made it awkward.
If Li Laosi were particularly close to him, he really wouldn't know how to deal with it.
So he smiled and nodded to Li Laosi, saying, "Laosi, your daughter is really good. I had two sons and longed for a daughter, but unfortunately I didn't have that blessing."
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