After Jiang Nuan agreed, Xie took out a worn-out food box and put the dumplings inside.
"Mom, let's go, the dumplings will break if we're late."
"Okay, okay."
Silently following behind Xie, Jiang Nuan felt incredibly guilty, unsure how to face her future in-laws.
After leaving the hospital, taking advantage of Jiang Nuan's inattention, Xie quickly scanned the surroundings and, finding no one, grabbed Jiang Nuan's hand.
He even feigned innocence, explaining, "The roads in the village are uneven, so I'm helping my mother so she won't fall."
This half-hearted excuse made Jiang Nuan's teeth ache.
Seeing the little girl's pleading eyes, he couldn't bear to refuse her.
Whatever, do whatever you want!
Jiang Nuan didn't refuse, and Xie Shi was as happy as a little mouse that had stolen oil, covering her mouth and giggling.
“You,” Jiang Nuan shook her head helplessly, “is this really worth all this trouble?”
“It’s worth it,” Xie nodded emphatically. “When I was a girl, I longed to be like Xiaohua next door, able to cling to my mother’s arm and act coquettishly. But I was a girl, and my own mother disliked me intensely. She looked at me like I was a fly, and she loathed me. Let alone pulling her arm, if I got too close, she would chase me away with a stick.”
Xie spoke very calmly, having completely let go of the past, but Jiang Nuan felt heartbroken listening to her.
How heartbroken must the little girl have been, being treated like a fly by her own mother since she was a child.
She's not even as good as a helpless orphan like her.
After a long silence, Jiang Nuan made a promise, "Your mother may not care, but I do. I will cherish you from now on."
“Mother~” Xie said sweetly, “Your daughter-in-law took those words seriously.”
A hint of cautious pleading was hidden in her expectant eyes.
"I always keep my word, don't be afraid," Jiang Nuan reassured her in a deep voice.
She's not a saint, nor does she have that much power, but she's never stingy with the love in her heart, making those around her live happier lives.
Moreover, she could empathize with that.
As a child, she also longed for her parents and wanted to have loving parents like other children.
Although she is now past the age of lacking love, she still remembers that feeling clearly.
"Mother, I will definitely remember these words."
The mother-in-law and daughter-in-law talked as they walked, and soon arrived at their destination.
The two elders of the Huang family followed their eldest son. After the family divided their property, the second elder Huang took his children and built a new house to live separately.
"Second son's wife, how is your grandmother?" Jiang Nuan, standing at the door, hesitated to go in.
After thinking for a moment, Xie's expression was indescribable. She paused for a moment and then said, "Grandma is very good to Mother."
She added in her heart that she was only good to her mother. In her grandmother's eyes, these people were probably not even worth as much as the weeds in the field, and were completely ignored.
"That's good," Jiang Nuan breathed a sigh of relief and cheered up as she knocked on the door.
Three loud bangs followed, and a voice came from inside the courtyard, "Who is it?"
"Auntie, it's me. My mother and I are bringing dumplings to Grandpa and Grandma," Xie replied crisply, her face tense, no longer the sweet and gentle girl she had been just moments before.
It was clear that she was just as nervous as Jiang Nuan.
"Second sister-in-law!" a joyful voice called out, "Father, Mother, Ya Ya is here."
Ya Ya, this incredibly rustic name almost made Jiang Nuan lose her balance and fall.
After saying that, Sister-in-law Huang hurriedly ran to the door to open it. When she saw Jiang Nuan, she immediately pulled her in, saying, "Yaya, come in quickly."
Seeing Xie Shi carrying a food box being ignored, Jiang Nuan quickly grabbed her hand and went inside together.
"Sister-in-law, we made dumplings at home today, and I brought some over for my parents to try."
"Yaya, your family rarely eats meat, you should keep it for yourself, why send it over?" Sister-in-law Huang looked at Jiang Nuan disapprovingly. "You are already weak, this little bit of meat is not enough to nourish you, why send it over? If your parents want to eat meat, I will ask your older brother to buy it."
Sister-in-law Huang understood very well. Her husband was the village chief, so at least he had some income and his family was better off than Jiang Nuan's. As long as her family could take care of the elderly, that would be enough.
"Sister-in-law, how can I eat if my parents aren't eating?" Jiang Nuan said, blushing as she spoke.
She was an orphan since childhood and was used to being alone. If her daughter-in-law hadn't mentioned it, she really wouldn't have thought about being filial to her elders.
However, she developed a habit of speaking to people in a way that suited them from a young age, and she could easily come up with sweet words without thinking.
"You're always like this. I'll let it go this time, but you can't do it again next time." Sister-in-law Huang gave Jiang Nuan a coquettish look, her eyes brimming with undisguised laughter.
He took the food box from Madam Xie and led the two to the hall.
In the hall, Huang's family had already set out the meal, which was much better than Jiang Nuan's family's. There was thick porridge, a dish of pickled vegetables, and two boiled eggs in front of the two elders.
The bowl was full of congee, which showed that they hadn't started eating yet.
"Mom and Dad, I brought you some dumplings." Feeling the gentle and loving gaze of her parents, Jiang Nuan relaxed.
"You silly girl, why are you doing this again? You always send us two old folks the best things you can get. You're not in good health, you should keep them for yourself to nourish your body," Old Mrs. Huang said with a laugh.
"Mother, even though I am physically weak, I cannot be unfilial to you."
“Old woman, don’t try to persuade her,” Old Huang said cheerfully. “When has this girl ever been like this? Even if she agrees now, she’ll still send the gifts later. Our child is filial to us, we should be happy.”
“Mother, Father is right,” Sister-in-law Huang interjected. “If you don’t accept Yaya’s things, she’ll definitely throw a tantrum. Do you remember last time she sat on the ground and rolled around in a rage because of this? It took me a long time to coax her.”
After Sister-in-law Huang finished speaking, the two elders burst into hearty and joyful laughter. The others also wanted to laugh, but because Jiang Nuan was an elder, they held it in, though their faces turned bright red.
"Sister-in-law, please stop talking," she said, feeling ashamed even though she knew she hadn't done it. "You all eat, the family is waiting for dinner. I'll go back now."
After saying that, he ignored everyone's reaction and grabbed Xie Shi and ran away.
In their hasty escape, the food box was left behind.
"Eldest daughter-in-law," Old Mrs. Huang looked at her sister-in-law with resentment, "you've made Yaya run away with shame."
Sister-in-law Huang covered her mouth and laughed, "It's my fault, daughter-in-law. Next time Yaya comes, I won't mention it again."
"Alright, the food's getting cold, hurry up and eat," said Old Man Huang, the patriarch. "Yaya brought quite a few dumplings, your mother and I will only need one bowl each, and you can share the rest."
Two bowls of dumplings—not too many, not too few—were enough for the whole family to enjoy. Although the Huang family was relatively well-off, they could only afford meat once or twice a month. This noon, the Huang family ate with great relish.
Stepping outside and being exposed to the cold wind, the deep, persistent blush on Jiang Nuan's face faded slightly.
With a stern face, he instructed Xie Shi, "Second daughter-in-law, pretend you didn't hear what happened today, and don't let them know."
"I will, don't worry, Mother, your daughter-in-law won't say a word," Xie replied sweetly.
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