"Oh, you're too kind, young lady. I'm just an old man, why would I imitate city leaders by smoking cigarettes..."
When Zhou Jianjun saw the pack of Yunyan cigarettes that Ruan Miaomiao offered him, he quickly waved his hand to refuse. However, his face was already wrinkled from smiling, and his cloudy eyes narrowed with laughter.
The way he looks clearly shows he really wants it.
However, feeling that he, a farmer from the countryside, was not worthy of smoking such cigarettes, he quickly refused: "It's too wasteful for me to smoke this. You keep it and take it back for your father when you go back to Haicheng next time!"
I'll just wrap some tobacco leaves in a bag and smoke it!
Zhou Jianjun genuinely felt that only someone like Ruan Minqiang deserved such a high-class item as cigarettes.
Upon hearing Zhou Jianjun's self-deprecating words, Ruan Miaomiao immediately retorted: "Uncle Jianjun, why don't you try this cigarette and change your taste?"
Cigarettes are made for people to smoke; there's no difference between city and country cigarettes!
Zhou Jingyun also felt that her father was being a bit awkward: he clearly wanted it, but he still refused.
"Dad, you can just put it away and smoke it."
Zhou Jingyun said to Zhou Jianjun decisively, "Try it. If you like it, I'll bring you a pack next time I come back!"
As Zhou Jingyun was speaking, Ruan Miaomiao stuffed a cigarette into his arms, and taking a few steps back as if afraid he would put it back.
Hearing what the two said, Zhou Jianjun didn't refuse and laughed happily, stuffing the cigarette into his shirt pocket.
"Dinner's almost ready, where are you going?"
Seeing her husband walking out with a smile, Zhao Cuihong, who was carrying a large pot of soup, couldn't help but ask.
Without even turning his head, Zhou Jianjun stepped out of the yard: "I'm going to gather some firewood!"
"Dad, it's getting dark, where are you going to gather firewood?"
Looking at the darkening sky, Zhou Taohua asked Zhou Jianjun, puzzled.
However, Zhou Jianjun did not answer his youngest daughter's question, and walked briskly towards the center of the village.
As he walked, he chuckled to himself: How rare is it for my son's girlfriend to buy me cigarettes?
In this entire Jianshan Brigade, which father-in-law received a pack of cigarettes from his son's girlfriend?
Why doesn't he go and show off in front of those old fogies about something this important?
Behind them, at the Zhou family residence, Zhao Cuihong watched the man's retreating figure and said to Zhou Taohua, "Don't worry about him, he's busy showing off!"
Turning around, Zhao Cuihong invited everyone to sit down and eat.
When her youngest son finally came home for a meal, Zhao Cuihong specially slaughtered a chicken and stewed it with bamboo shoots she had gathered and dried herself, as well as bamboo fungus she had picked, to make a delicious soup.
The chicken soup, made from the hen that we raised ourselves by digging up insects, along with fresh ingredients from the mountain, was so delicious that it made everyone's mouths water.
"Miaomiao, drink a bowl of soup first, then I'll get you some rice!"
Zhao Cuihong tentatively asked Ruan Miaomiao, who immediately agreed.
To be honest, after running around all day, the smell of this chicken soup makes Ruan Miaomiao feel like she could eat three big bowls.
During meals, the best parts, like chicken legs and chicken feet, were always given to Ruan Miaomiao.
Ruan Miaomiao didn't like to eat alone, so she kept one chicken foot for herself and gave the other chicken foot and two chicken legs to Zhou Taohua, Zhou Dujuan, and Zhao Cuihong respectively.
This moved the three of them to tears; they all felt that Ruan Miaomiao was very thoughtful...
"Bang bang bang..."
Just as the five of them finished eating, there was a knock on the courtyard gate.
"Go see if your dad is back!"
Zhao Cuihong said something to her two daughters, and Zhou Taohua immediately got up to open the door.
But as soon as the door opened, the cheerful expression on his face was instantly replaced by anger: "What are you doing here?"
Upon hearing Zhou Taohua's tone, the people sitting in the room knew that it wasn't Zhou Jianjun who had come.
Just as I was about to get up, I saw Old Wang and his family walk in.
Li Chunmiao walked in front, followed by her two sons and daughters-in-law, while the old woman held Wang Dabao, who was only a few months old, in her arms.
The whole family squeezed into the Zhou family's courtyard and walked into the main room where they ate.
What are you doing here?
Zhao Cuihong, who had just gotten off the bench, also questioned the Wang family in a cold voice with dissatisfaction.
Zhao Cuihong and Zhou Taohua spoke in unfriendly tones, and none of the people in the main room showed any welcome. However, the Wang family acted as if they didn't see them at all.
Li Chunmiao, his old face beaming with a fawning smile, said to Zhao Cuihong, "Older sister, we were in-laws before, and now we have three children. There's no need to make such a scene!"
"Don't try to pull strings. I was blind to marry my daughter into your family. Now that she's home, our two families have nothing to do with each other anymore!"
When Zhao Cuihong thought about all the torment her daughter had suffered in the Wang family, she hated Li Chunmiao and her son to death. How could she forgive them so easily?
"Hehe, how could this not be related?"
Li Chunmiao seemed oblivious to Zhao Cuihong's displeasure; a forced smile remained on her withered, bark-like face, and her attitude was very humble.
“Sister, Da Bao is the son of Shui Xian and Da Niu. He was born after Shui Xian carried him for ten months, and Shui Xian’s blood flows in his veins. How can this blood tie be so easily severed…”
Hearing Li Chunmiao still desperately trying to establish a connection, Zhou Jingyun couldn't stand it any longer. He remained seated on the bench, motionless, and coldly swept his gaze over her before speaking sharply:
"I think you haven't been locked up enough yet!"
Upon hearing Zhou Jingyun's words, the Wang family immediately shuddered: they recalled the two weeks they had been detained in the provincial capital, and a chill ran down their spines.
Li Chunmiao glanced at Zhou Jingyun, trembling, and took a step back in fear. Her fawning expression intensified. Mustering her courage, she directly stated the purpose of her visit:
“Sister, I thought that Da Bao has half of your Zhou family blood in him. Your Yunwazi injured his manhood and can’t have children, so I was thinking that since our family is in a difficult situation right now, why don’t we send this child back to you to raise? That way, when Yunwazi gets old, there will be someone to offer incense and sacrifice for him…”
Before Li Chunmiao could finish speaking, Zhao Cuihong started cursing: "Keep dreaming! I'll raise you, and then your Wang family will take you back when you grow up?"
Unlike Daya and Erya, Wang Dabao is a boy, and the Wang family won't let him go so easily.
Upon hearing Zhao Cuihong's words, Li Chunmiao still felt there was hope and hurriedly said, "Big sister, if you don't believe me, we can directly give Dabao to you as an adopted child."
Anyway, Yunwazi will have to adopt children in the future, and no matter who she adopts, it's not as good as adopting Dabao, right?
"Da Bao is still related to you by blood, after all..."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
