Chapter 173 Trivial Daily Life
the next day
Jinran got up listlessly and saw that everyone in her family was ready to go back to the village together.
Seeing that Jinran looked unwell, Shen's father asked worriedly, "Nini, did you not sleep well last night?"
Jinran shook her head without saying anything. Wan Cuifen reached out and touched her head, muttering, "No fever. Are you tired and haven't rested yet?"
Jinran forced a smile, "It's okay, let's go back and see Grandpa and Grandma, I miss them. I just had a nightmare last night."
Wang Cuifen sighed, "Did you get scared after I talked about Shen Yanhong's daughter yesterday? Don't be afraid, Nini, it's okay."
Jinran nodded.
Shen Cong and Shen Ming looked at Jin Ran with concern. Jin Ran shook her head to show that she was really fine.
Father Shen smiled and tried to lighten the mood, "We're going back on a tractor today. This is the first big-ticket item in our village, and it's not something you can easily get a ride on! We're just dropping someone off for a meeting today, so I arranged it in advance and we're hitching a ride back."
The tractor ride was really bumpy. Jinran was wrapped in a thick cotton coat and had a scarf covering her face, but she was still freezing.
It's so cold.
No, I still need to find a way to make money and buy a car!
Upon arriving at the old house, Mr. Shen shouted as he entered, "Father, Mother, look who's back!"
Grandma Shen clapped her hands with joy when she saw Jinran and the other two.
"Oh, it's Nini back! When did you get home? Are you cold? Come on, get on the kang!"
Grandpa Shen also greeted him happily from the side, "Yes, yes, come on up to the kang (heated brick bed), you must be freezing! How did you get back?"
Jinran took off her cotton-padded coat and sat down on the kang (a heated brick bed). She then said with a smile, "We came back by tractor; it was so cold. We only got home yesterday by train."
Shen Cong and Shen Ming gave up their seats on the kang (heated brick bed) to their mother and younger sister, and then they climbed onto the kang themselves, surrounding their grandparents and acting affectionately.
Grandma Shen pretended to be disgusted and pushed them away, saying, "Get away from me, these two kids are too cloying. I can't stand them."
Shen Cong pretended to be sad and said, "It's over. My grandma doesn't care about me anymore. I even bought her a down jacket and thick cotton shoes. I'm so heartbroken."
Grandpa Shen chuckled and said, "Your grandma dislikes you, but I don't mind. I adore you. Does Grandpa have that kind of respect?"
Grandma Shen glared at Grandpa Shen.
Everyone laughed.
Jinran recovered and giggled along. She then chimed in, "I only bought food, I don't know if everyone will mind?"
Grandma Shen and Grandpa Shen said in unison, "We don't mind."
Grandma Shen held Jinran's hand and said with a smile, "As long as Nini can come back, Grandma will be happy."
Jinran glanced at the two brothers smugly. See? My status as the group's darling is firmly established and will never be shaken.
Shen Cong and Shen Ming both nodded indulgently, indicating that their sister was right.
The family was having a great time. Both elderly people tried on down jackets. Jinran was really disappointed with her brothers' taste. They bought black for both men and women, and they proudly said, "We thought from the beginning that we couldn't wash these things all the time. Black is dirt-resistant, so we can wear them until they're worn out without ever having to wash them."
This really shows that lazy people have their own lazy tricks.
Grandma Chen touched the down jacket. It looked thick but felt light and airy when she put it on. She asked with great affection, "What's inside? It's so warm. I've been wearing it indoors for a while and I'm already sweating. I must be freezing outside."
Mr. Shen explained, “They said it was made of duck down, and the children bought one for me and Cuifen as well. I wanted to wear it back this time, but Cuifen wouldn’t let me. She said she was afraid I would get it dirty. Clothes are meant to be worn, so what’s there to be afraid of getting them dirty?”
Grandma Chen said, "Cuifen did the right thing. It would be a waste to give you this. You can keep it and wear it when the children get married."
"Did you really have to stretch the pole that far?" said the father.
Jinran asked with amusement, "What if we get married in the summer?"
Father Shen gritted his teeth and said, "Then I'll wear it too. I can't buy what I like with a thousand pieces of gold."
Wang Cuifen glared at the simpleton, then said to Grandma Shen, "Mom, the Lunar New Year is just a few days away. My third brother and I still have to work for a few more days. I've already prepared everything. Nini bought so many things in Beijing, and there are also gifts from Nini's boyfriend's family, mostly food. That's all the New Year's goods we need. Is there anything else we're missing? We'll bring it back on the day we come here."
Grandma Shen waved her hand and said, "We don't lack anything. The second son is having a good day today. He slaughtered a pig and gave the two of us a hindquarter and some ribs. We have meat and all that."
"Grandma, have my eldest sister and the others all come back?"
Grandma Chen shook her head. "She said something urgent happened and she missed the train back, so she won't be coming back for the New Year. Ernan and Sannan were also picked up by Danan. She said she wanted to help."
Jinran was puzzled. What was wrong? Why the rush?
The family was chatting when they heard a knock on the door. It turned out that Da Hong had heard from her father that Jin Ran was back, so she came to visit Jin Ran.
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