Back home, Xu Lai couldn't help but feel a little confused. She asked her grandmother, "Wasn't Grandma Jiang next door taken away by her daughter to live out her days a long time ago? I remember she wasn't in the village anymore when I was in junior high school."
Grandma took a sip of soup before saying, "She came back just over two months ago. She said that as people get older, they should return to their roots. Your Aunt Yingqiu had to send her back. However, her grandson also came back. It just so happens that their group's branch office is here, so he can take care of the old lady."
Xu Lai thought for a moment, but she had never heard of the neighbor's grandson. She was too lazy to think about it, and assumed that the grandson was probably already married.
In the evening, Zhao Qingyun drove home. His grandmother had called him earlier that day to tell him not to bring any soup, as she had already enjoyed a delicious bowl.
Zhao Qingyun found it strange. As soon as he got out of the car, the old woman pulled him into the house, saying, "Grandma, don't rush, let me take a break."
Grandma Jiang brought the hot soup and several stir-fried dishes to the table: "Let's eat."
Zhao Qingyun took a sip of the soup; it was indeed delicious. He asked, "Grandma, where did you get this soup?"
The old man said mysteriously, "Guess?"
Zhao Qingyun buried her head in her food and said, "I won't guess. Do you think I'm a child?"
Grandma Jiang gave up and told the truth: "I haven't seen the Xu family's granddaughter next door for many years. Oh my, she's so beautiful. I wonder if she has a boyfriend."
Zhao Qingyun choked on a mouthful of soup, tore off a piece of paper and said, "Grandma, stop trying to set me up with random people. I'm not in a hurry right now."
Grandma Jiang couldn't help but say to him, "You're almost thirty years old, aren't you worried? You should start paying more attention."
Zhao Qingyun: "Alright, so you're saying that your own grandson was bought off with just a bowl of soup for someone you only met today?"
Grandma Jiang laughed: "Get lost, what nonsense are you talking about? After you finish drinking, wash the bowl and take it to them."
Zhao Qingyun delivered the bowl to the door, but no one seemed to be home. He knocked on the door, but there was no response. He pushed open the gate to the yard and stood in the yard, saying, "Hello, I'm the grandson of the neighbor. Thank you for the soup. The bowl is clean and I've put it on the table."
Xu Lai was on the phone upstairs when she heard someone talking. She replied, "Just put it anywhere."
Zhao Qingyun felt the voice sounded somewhat familiar, but didn't think much of it, put down the bowl and went back.
Xu Lai was just contacting a renovation company because she felt her old house needed some repairs.
Grandpa and Grandma went to visit other people's homes after dinner. They didn't return until Xu Lai finished taking a shower.
It was past 10 p.m. when she was already in bed resting. Suddenly, she saw a mouse dart past her bedroom door, and Xu Lai screamed in fright.
Grandpa rushed upstairs immediately: "What happened? What happened?"
Xu Lai stood on the bed and said, "There was a mouse just now, a really big one."
Grandpa glanced around and saw that there was a room on the second floor where grain was stored; the rats must have come from there.
After a while, the rat started rustling again, and Xu Lai screamed again, "How disgusting! How can there be such a disgusting creature as a rat?"
Grandpa finally stepped on the mouse and gestured for Xu Lai to step on it. He then brought over a stick, but Xu Lai shook her head, saying, "Grandpa, I don't dare."
"It's alright, don't worry, it won't run away," Grandpa reassured him.
Xu Lai stepped on it with some doubt, but the mouse was still moving under her slipper. Xu Lai almost vomited and shouted, "Grandpa, hurry, come and save me, I really can't take it anymore."
In the end, she threw away those slippers and put on a new pair.
What Xu Lai didn't know was that Zhao Qingyun, who lived just two walls away from her, couldn't fall asleep and tossed and turned. He had just managed to drift off to sleep when he was woken up by a scream from next door.
Then came a flurry of noise. Zhao Qingyun sat up irritably and listened quietly to the commotion.
Upon hearing the cry of "Grandpa, please save me!", he laughed and said, "Even the Calabash Brothers weren't as good at calling for help as she is."
When Zhao Qingyun woke up the next day, she was clearly tired. Grandma Jiang saw her and asked, "Did you stay up late last night?"
Zhao Qingyun pointed to the next room: "The fairy you were talking about kept squeaking for most of the night because of a mouse."
Grandma Jiang was stunned for a moment before realizing who he was talking about. She slapped him on the back and said, "You're so talkative. It's normal for a girl to be afraid of mice."
Zhao Qingyun smiled and grabbed his car keys, heading to work. As he passed his neighbor's house, the door was wide open. He saw a woman's back and heard her say, "Grandpa and Grandma, breakfast is ready."
Before she could turn around, Zhao Qingyun had already turned her head, and the car disappeared through the doorway.
After finishing her meal, Xu Lai rode her electric scooter to town. Her package hadn't arrived yet; she was going to talk to her boss about the renovation today.
Xu Lai explained her idea: "Here's what I want to do: paint all the walls, and decorate the rest of the walls if necessary, otherwise leave them as they are."
The boss made arrangements quickly; in the afternoon, someone brought cement and lime to the door.
Xu Lai temporarily moved into Xu Yan's room, and will move in after her room is painted.
Because the renovations were also being done during the day, Xu Lai bought some fruit to apologize and took it next door: "Grandma Jiang, I'm so sorry, our house is being renovated these days, so we might disturb you during the day."
Grandma Jiang said it was no problem: "What does it matter? It's fine. You can take the fruit home and eat it."
Xu Lai insisted that she accept it: "Grandma Jiang, I bought this especially for you. I'm going back now."
When Zhao Qingyun came home from get off work, he saw the old lady eating cherry tomatoes, with a box of cherries next to her. Zhao Qingyun said with some surprise, "Have you struck it rich lately? You're buying so much fruit."
Grandma Jiang said with a smile, "This was given by Xiao Lai. She said she was doing renovations during the day and didn't want to bother me, so she insisted on bringing fruit over."
Zhao Qingyun picked up a cherry tomato, and the sweet and sour juice burst in his mouth. He frowned and said, "It's a bit sour."
Grandma Jiang laughed gleefully: "Is it for you? Go ahead and eat it, it's sour now, isn't it?"
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