After Zhao Jingyu led the group away, Yang Yuelan came in carrying a stack of quilts and blankets, saying they were congratulatory gifts from everyone.
Although Yang Yuelan had a smile on her face, her eyes were red, as if she had been crying.
Xu Qingning raised her eyebrows slightly.
Is something the matter?
Zhao Lei, holding a notebook and pencil, followed Xu Qingning in and said expressionlessly, "Sister-in-law, this is the account I kept for you. The blankets and sheets we collected today need to be returned."
"I understand." Xu Qingning took the ledger and glanced at the pile of colorful congratulatory gifts. "Thank you, Mom. Thank you, Sister."
Gifts are a matter of reciprocity.
She would return it when the family had their wedding; she understood how to do that.
"No need to be so polite with us, it's just a small favor." Zhao Lei leaned against the desk, arms crossed, and said, "Jing Yu is leaving tomorrow, and you'll be all alone at home. Why don't you go to work? If you want to go to the cotton mill, I can ask around for you."
"Whether I go to work or not is a family matter between me and Zhao Jingyu, it's none of your business." Xu Qingning's face immediately turned cold. "Sister, you'd be better off worrying about your own life."
Although Zhao Lei also works in the city, she dresses no differently from Wu Xiufang and Zhou Chunyan.
She wasn't judging people by their appearance, but she felt that the workers' mental outlook shouldn't be like Zhao Lei's.
My mother-in-law is a good mother-in-law, but why is my husband's older sister like this? She doesn't tolerate these kinds of bad habits.
“My third son’s wife just got married, we can talk about going back to work later. There’s still Jingyu, isn’t there?” Yang Yuelan sat down on the edge of the bed and said to Zhao Lei, “Tomorrow I’ll go back to my hometown to pack up and come stay with her for a while. I’m worried about her living alone.”
"Mom, when my husband went to work in a third-tier city, he was gone for more than half a year, and you didn't even ask him. Now you know to come and keep your daughter-in-law company?" Zhao Lei sneered. "Sure enough, in your eyes, I'm not even as good as an outsider."
“She’s not an outsider, she’s your sister-in-law. Besides, you were living with your mother-in-law back then, there were so many people in the house, why would I need to stay with you?” Yang Yuelan said, her eyes reddening again. “Leilei, I know you hate and resent me, but now that things have come to this, I can’t make it up to you. If you still care about our mother-daughter relationship, then don’t hold onto that little bit of stuff in the mahogany box. That was left to Jingyu by your grandmother, and I can’t give it to you two to share privately.”
Xu Qingning's heart stirred slightly upon hearing this.
How did Zhao Lei know that Yang Yuelan gave her gold jewelry? Yang Yuelan certainly wouldn't tell; she's not crazy, and she wouldn't reveal a single detail.
She didn't even tell Zhao Jingyu.
"I know I shouldn't have come today. You are the family, what am I?" Zhao Lei stood up angrily. "Mom, it's not that I insist you give me a share, but you kept such a big thing from me. You don't treat me like your daughter at all."
“Leilei, why would I tell you something that has nothing to do with you?” Yang Yuelan said earnestly. “There are too many people in the family, and you are both the younger and older sister-in-law. The more you know, the easier it is for you to get involved in trouble.”
"Mom, do you think we won't know just because you don't tell us?" Zhao Lei got angrier and angrier. She turned to leave, but stopped at the door and said, "Jing Yu is in such a hurry to get married because his wife is pregnant. And you don't need to hide the gold jewelry in the mahogany box anymore. My two sisters-in-law know about it. That's what her family said."
After saying that, she pushed open the door and went out: "I'm going to the guesthouse, I won't be eating at home."
Yang Yuelan could only sigh.
Xu Qingning thought Zhao Lei was a clueless person who liked to meddle in her family's affairs; she was simply crazy.
She couldn't complain about Zhao Lei in front of Yang Yuelan, after all, they were mother and daughter, and they wouldn't hold a grudge after arguing. But she also couldn't pretend she didn't hear: "Mom, I'm sorry that our matter has put you in a difficult position."
"It's none of your business." Yang Yuelan forced a smile, the wrinkles at the corners of her eyes seeming to show signs of age. She patted Xu Qingning's hand, "Let's eat first, we can talk about it after we finish eating."
"Okay, let's eat." Xu Qingning put on her shoes, got out of bed, and offered to help serve the food.
She observed over the past two days that Zhao Jingyu's relationship with his parents was not good because of the unresolved issue of being sent away as a child.
Zhao Jingyu was like a rebellious child, indifferent to the elderly couple, rarely responding to them, and never even calling them "Mom and Dad".
The elderly couple also felt indebted to him, and they spoke to him very cautiously.
Yang Yuelan's kindness towards her was simply a case of loving someone because of their love for them.
There is no blood relation between a mother-in-law and daughter-in-law; the key is getting along. Although she cannot help resolve the conflict between her mother-in-law and sister-in-law.
But she has a sweet tongue and a thick skin, so she can still comfort her mother-in-law.
Yang Yuelan cooked her some white porridge, boiled eggs, and served her some meat, urging her to eat more: "I'll go back tomorrow afternoon and come back the day after tomorrow. I'll steam some buns for you when I leave, so you can heat them up and eat them yourself."
"Mom, you don't need to steam buns for me, I can eat at the cafeteria." Xu Qingning just didn't have a good appetite and wasn't that fussy. "If you can't get away, you don't need to rush over."
"I've already talked to your dad." Yang Yuelan put all the meat from the plate into Xu Qingning's bowl. "I'm fine as long as you don't mind."
“Mom, I’m happy for you to come and live with me. How could I possibly look down on you?” Xu Qingning looked at the meat in her bowl, deeply moved. “I just feel like I’m troubling you too much.”
“We’re all family, don’t worry about it being a hassle.” Yang Yuelan was very pleased to hear this. “Your father and I are worried about you being home alone, and Jingyu is definitely worried too. I’ll take care of you, so we can all rest assured.”
After finishing her meal, Yang Yuelan began tidying up the house.
After cleaning up the pots and pans, I took a rag and wiped the glass, the wardrobe, and the desk, wiping them back and forth.
Xu Qingning was stunned. "No way, this mother-in-law is too diligent! She's so lazy..."
Before ten o'clock, Zhao Jingyu and Zhao Futang returned from the guesthouse. The father and son entered the house one after the other without saying a word.
When Yang Yuelan saw the father and son return, she stopped tidying up and went to the next room without saying a word.
As usual, Zhao Jingyu took a basin to the yard to wash up before returning to his room, taking off his shoes, and getting into bed.
Xu Qingning slept too much during the day and ate a lot for dinner, so she felt a bit full and not sleepy.
She was thinking about what Zhao Lei had said, that her family had told her about her pregnancy and the gold jewelry. Without asking, she knew it must have been Tang Wenya who said it.
Tang Wenya, being a smart aleck, said she believed the pregnancy, but how did she know about the gold jewelry?
After thinking it over, she realized it must have been Tang Wenya's system that said it. She remembered that Tang Wenya's system had the ability to predict the plot in the book.
This is equivalent to Tang Wenya installing a surveillance camera in her house, constantly observing her every move. It's so disgusting, this can't go on.
Since she can't use the system, then let the system become useless and turn into a junk system.
How can she do that?
"What are you thinking about?" Zhao Jingyu asked, seeing her tossing and turning, not speaking or greeting him.
The woman was hot and cold towards him.
“Your mother gave me the mahogany box that your grandmother left behind. Inside was a gold bracelet, a gold necklace, and a few pieces of jade.” Xu Qingning simply told him all this. “Your two sisters-in-law and older sister all know about it. Your older sister is very unhappy and even had a few words with your mother. If your two sisters-in-law ask about it tomorrow, you should be prepared.”
These things in their family have nothing to do with her.
She didn't want to get involved either.
"I understand." Zhao Jingyu listened and didn't ask how they knew. He just said calmly, "Keep it safe. If they ask, I'll tell them."
Xu Qingning gave an "oh" and continued thinking about the system.
As she thought about it, her eyelids began to droop, and she soon fell into a deep sleep.
In the darkness, a large hand reached out and pulled her into its embrace, involuntarily touching her belly.
He's leaving tomorrow, and when he comes back, the child might already be born.
He's going to be a father.
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