The next day was the second day of the Lunar New Year, and Xu's mother was going to visit her parents' home. She started preparing early in the morning, bringing a lot of cigarettes and alcohol, mostly unopened ones that Zhao Qingyun had sent over before.
Xu Lai didn't really want to go. Putting aside the fact that she had no feelings for that place, she just found her aunt very annoying.
But after all, they are elders, and Xu Lai's maternal grandmother is still alive, so she has to go and visit them no matter what.
Today, my maternal grandmother's family set up a few tables for a New Year's feast, so there's no need to host any more guests later.
Xu Lai parked the car and heard a burst of firecrackers, right next to her side door. She pulled her hand back from the handlebars.
Xu's mother had already gotten out of the car from the other side. Seeing that she was still not moving and facing everyone's gaze, she couldn't help but say, "What is that brat doing in the car? What's with the airs?"
Then someone asked, "Is your daughter still single?"
Xu's mother said with a smile, "She met a boyfriend this year, and they're getting along very well."
She got out of the car after the firecrackers finished. Some men looked at her car carefully and commented, "It must have cost over 200,000 yuan. It's just so-so."
Xu Lai pretended not to hear and glanced around at them, but didn't see any luxury cars parked there. Maybe they were just overconfident.
She first went to the room to greet her grandmother and gave her a red envelope containing two thousand yuan. The old lady refused to accept it, but Xu Lai stuffed it into her pocket, saying, "Take it, Grandma. I'm earning quite a bit now, so I still have this much money."
Xu Lai then instructed, "Please put it away carefully, so my aunt doesn't see it."
Zhou Li always used the guise of safekeeping to keep her grandmother's money tightly in her hands, only providing her with one meal a day, and never allowing her to get any other supplements.
Xu Lai chatted with her grandmother for a while, then helped her out. Tea was already being served, and Xu Lai found a seat.
As luck would have it, the next second, someone sat down next to her, and that person was holding their stomach. Xu Lai looked up and saw that it was Yu Qing.
She picked up a handful of sunflower seeds and, while cracking them open, said, "Cousin, I heard you found a boyfriend, and he's quite a catch."
Xu Lai picked up her cup and took a sip of tea. There were too many tea leaves in it, making it slightly astringent. She chuckled and said, "Where did you hear such exaggerated rumors?"
Yu Qing smiled and said, "His words are more effective than our efforts over half a day."
Xu Lai found her words very strange. What had Zhao Qingyun done to make them know? Otherwise, why would they say such things?
Just as she was about to ask, Yu Qing got up and left, saying, "Sister, let's play mahjong together after dinner."
At noon, someone removed the tea trays and began preparing to serve the dishes, which were cooked by Zhou Li.
They served the banquet one dish at a time. Xu Lai was already full after the sixth dish, so she didn't touch the rest.
After the last dish was served, Zhou Li came out of the kitchen, and everyone praised, "The dishes were cooked well today."
She laughed and said, "Oh dear, it's all just random cooking, as long as you like it."
After the meal, everyone sat together and chatted. There was a large brazier in the middle, and tea was served on the table.
Xu Lai planned to sit for a while, then find an excuse to go home.
Someone started talking, "Ugh, it's so frustrating. My son is taking the high school entrance exam this fall, and I don't even know if he'll get into the top high school."
Someone chimed in, "What score can he get now?"
The person said, "You're still a dozen or twenty points short of the top high school cutoff."
Then someone else said, "Isn't Xiao Hang from No. 1 Middle School? She just got in through connections. You can ask Sister Li about it and see what kind of connections she used."
Xu Lai was puzzled. She remembered that her cousin's grades were average, and he only got into a vocational high school. Moreover, Zhou Li had considered paying him to get in, but the amount of money deterred her. How come he suddenly had money this year?
Yu Qing said with a smile, "This is all thanks to Xu Lai."
Xu Lai was a little confused when she was suddenly mentioned. "What does this have to do with me? I didn't do anything."
Yu Qing took her hand and said, "Don't be modest. With a rich and powerful boyfriend like that, are you afraid of not being presentable?"
Xu Lai pulled her hand back and said, "Whether I introduce my boyfriend or not is none of your business. Why are you so concerned?"
Just then, Zhou Li and Xu's mother finished washing the dishes and came out of the kitchen. They heard the conversation. Xu's mother wanted to shut Yu Qing up, but it was too far away.
Yu Qing chuckled: "If it weren't for his help, how could Xiao Hang have gone to study at No. 1 Middle School? Just one word from him saved our family at least 100,000 yuan."
Xu Lai's fake smile froze, her lips tightened, and she asked incredulously, "What did you say?"
Xu's mother stepped in to smooth things over: "Alright, alright, it's nothing."
Xu Lai glared at her, "Repeat that for me."
Yu Qing stood up. "What's wrong! I told you, it's just asking you to help out a little, is it really that big of a deal!"
Xu Lai slapped her across the face. "Didn't I tell you not to involve me in your family's affairs?"
Yu Qing, clutching her belly, was so angry she could barely stand. "Mom, look at her! I'm pregnant, and she actually hit me!"
Seeing this, Xu's mother slapped Xu Lai across the face and yelled, "Xu Lai! You better watch yourself! Don't you have any sense of propriety? Qingqing is pregnant! How could you hit her like that!"
Xu Lai chuckled. "Listen to yourself, isn't that hilarious? I can't lay a hand on you, so you can hit me, right?"
The onlookers couldn't stand it anymore. "That's enough, Fangzi, why are you hitting the child?"
Xu's mother turned her face away. In her haste, she hit her own daughter, and she looked ashamed.
Xu Lai walked up to Zhou Li. Before she could react, Zhou Li shouted, "What are you going to do?"
Xu Lai slapped her across the face. "I used to tolerate you because of my grandma and my mom. We had already moved on from the medical bill issue, but I didn't expect you to be so ungrateful."
Zhou Li's eyes widened. "You little brat, how dare you hit an elder? Did your grandma not teach you what respect is when you were little...?"
Xu Lai slapped the other side of his face. "You dare say a word against my grandma? You can't stand me, can you? You always ruin my relationships."
Xu's mother rushed over to stop her, "Xu Lai, that's enough! How could I have given birth to such an unfilial daughter like you?"
Hearing this, Xu Lai couldn't help but shed tears. She looked up and said, "You've always been like this, never standing on my side."
She drove straight home, leaving her grandparents wondering why she was back so early.
Xu Lai's face was expressionless. She walked straight to the kitchen and came out with a kitchen knife in her hand.
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