"Perhaps the family matters have been resolved. Wasn't Jia Zhangshi arrested?"
"Hey, you didn't know, did you? Jia Zhangshi came back at noon today, and she actually started cooking. It's like the sun rose in the west." The third uncle's gossipy nature could keep you entertained all day. He then looked Wang Shouren up and down: "I remember you used to only be close to Qin Huairu in the courtyard, right? How come you just nod when you see her now?"
"Hey, don't tease me. I'm a grown man now. If I still follow Sister Qin around, that would be immature. I'm not that idiot, Sha Zhu." Wang Shouren rolled his eyes and silently added in his mind, "Isn't it better to make a fortune quietly?"
Qin Huairu pushed open the door with cheerful steps.
As soon as she pushed open the door, she froze.
The room was decorated in black and white, and in the center of the room was a black and white photograph.
It was her deceased husband, Jia Dongxu. Jia Zhangshi had decorated her home like a mourning hall.
Upon seeing the photo, her heart skipped a beat.
She didn't even notice the food that was already prepared on the table.
“Daughter-in-law, today you told me that no matter what, you will stay in the Jia family, right? I don’t have any power, but now I’m asking you for a favor. Kneel down and swear to Dongxu that you will not remarry and will not leave the Jia family.”
Qin Huairu was startled by Jia Zhangshi's voice again. She said with some agitation, "Mom! What are you doing! Can't we just live a normal life?"
"Tsk." This time, Madam Jia didn't cry or shout. Instead, she said to the three little ones standing to the side, "I heard you. Your mother has changed her mind. She doesn't want to take you with her anymore. She wants to leave."
Upon hearing Jia Zhangshi's words, Banggeng and Xiaodang both burst into tears. When Xiaohua saw her older siblings crying, she also started wailing loudly.
The little rascal, Banggeng, cried the loudest: "Mom! Mom! Don't you want us anymore? Mom!"
The room was filled with the sound of weeping, which reached the courtyard, but the neighbors were busy with their own things and no one came to inquire about the news.
There's a rule in the hospital: don't pry into what other people are doing behind closed doors.
The fact that Jia Zhangshi closed the door meant that things might get serious today.
People outside have already started talking about it (gossiping).
"Do you think Jia Zhangshi can still control that young wife this time?"
"I think it's difficult. They've already gone to the Women's Federation. No matter how powerful Jia Zhangshi is, can she be more powerful than the Women's Federation?"
Several old women gathered together and chattered about the Jia family's situation.
Inside the house, Qin Huairu, with tears in her eyes, held her child, her almond-shaped eyes filled with anger: "Mom! How could you say such things in front of the child!"
"Mom didn't mean anything by it. Mom just wants to live a good life, to live a good life with Banggeng. If you really have nothing to hide, today, look at this photo and swear an oath. Then this matter will be over, and we, mother and son, can continue to live a good life. If you really don't want to, then pack your bags and leave."
"Mom, Mom, don't go, don't go!" Banggeng hugged Qin Huairu's leg and cried loudly.
"Mom won't leave, Mom won't leave..." A tear rolled down her cheek.
————
It's Chinese New Year, and most factories are closed for the holiday.
In this courtyard, most of the families work at the steel rolling mill, and during the Lunar New Year period, the air is filled with all sorts of compliments.
Snowflakes drifted down from the sky, not large, but they added a lot of charm to the winter day, making the New Year's celebrations burn even brighter.
"Hey, you're making dumplings at home today? This meat is quite fatty, isn't it?"
"Haha, you're not bad either. I saw your room the other day..."
"Oh my, you can't say that."
"Alright, alright, then you can stop staring at the meat in my hand."
This is what happened when the third uncle tried to sneak a free meal at the gate but failed and was scared away instead. These days, if you can make a meal of dumplings with cabbage and pork for the New Year, that's considered a big celebration. The third uncle's holiday started earlier than others. From the time the factory closed for the holiday, he didn't do anything else but stand guard at the gate, watching this person and that person, always managing to sneak a little meat from someone.
During the Lunar New Year, it's rare to find someone who's stingy.
The old man is always the most generous, giving out the most things. There might even be meat occasionally.
The worst-case scenario is like what just happened, where he gets a beating from a bear, but that's nothing to Third Uncle's thick skin.
"Hey, I say, you little rascal, why didn't you even prepare any New Year's goods?" The third uncle looked at Wang Shouren, who was swaying and had nothing in his hands, and pouted in dissatisfaction.
"I'm fine as long as I'm full, my family isn't hungry, I don't care about those things." Wang Shouren waved his hand casually, stopped joking with the third uncle, and went to his room.
The old man sighed as he watched Wang Shouren's retreating figure.
"Uncle, why are you sighing during the New Year?" A clear voice came from behind.
The old man turned his head and his eyes lit up. Oh, it's Lou Xiao'e.
Seeing that the Third Uncle was staring intently at what she was holding, Lou Xiao'e smiled, took out a portion from it, and handed it to the Third Uncle: "Here, Third Uncle, you've worked hard this year."
"Oh, thank you, thank you. Lou Xiao'e, you have a conscience, unlike those other brats." The third uncle was overjoyed.
He takes advantage of others without ever considering what they have; he only cares about what they offer and whether they are willing to give it.
If you give it to me, then you're my good friend, Yan Bugui. If you don't, that's fine too; just consider it a joke. That's one of the good things about him—he doesn't get angry easily. Of course, if someone goes too far like Sha Zhu, then I, Yan Bugui, will remember it.
"You still haven't said why you sighed just now," Lou Xiao'e said with a slight smile, changing the subject.
"Isn't this Wang Shouren? It's New Year's Eve, and he just strolled back. That kid, ever since that incident, he's completely changed. I invited him to my house for dinner tonight, but he wouldn't come. Sigh, all alone on New Year's Day." The third uncle shook his head: "I wonder what he's thinking."
Lou Xiao'e's eyes flickered slightly.
Alone? Not necessarily.
However, thinking about her own situation, she couldn't help but sigh inwardly. How much better off could she be?
Xu Damao usually doesn't spend the Spring Festival in the courtyard. His parents originally lived there too, but after Lou Xiao'e moved in, the old couple moved away, leaving Lou Xiao'e and Xu Damao behind. When Xu Damao goes back home for the Spring Festival, Lou Xiao'e usually doesn't go back with him.
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