Chapter 101 Brain-tonifying Soup and Tranquilizing Pills
Su Nian picked up the bowl of soup with a faint medicinal fragrance, scooped up a spoonful, blew on it gently, and slowly put it into his mouth.
The warm and delicious soup slid down her throat, and the warmth slowly spread along her esophagus, but her heart kept echoing with her mother-in-law's words "it's good for the brain" - was she complaining that she was not smart enough?
She looked up at Zhang Minghua, who was lowering his head and carefully helping her arrange a few side dishes, his eyes filled with undisguised concern.
Su Nian hesitated for a moment and whispered softly, "Mom, why did you come here suddenly today?"
"Si Yan was busy today and was tripped by a patient. I was afraid that you couldn't eat well alone, so I came to check on you." Zhang Minghua's tone was normal, and there was no clue at all.
After dinner, Zhang Minghua suggested in a gentle voice: "Don't be bored at home alone this afternoon. Come back to the old house with me and ask your father to make you your favorite sweet and sour fish."
Su Nian nodded, and a warm feeling quietly surged in her heart.
When they arrived at the old house, the old man and the old lady smiled happily when they saw their daughter-in-law and granddaughter-in-law coming back.
Su Nian chatted with her grandparents for a while, then went upstairs to take a nap.
But she was preoccupied with something and tossed and turned with no desire to sleep, so she simply got up and went downstairs to drink some water.
As soon as I reached the corner of the stairs on the first floor, I heard my mother-in-law's voice coming from the study next door. The door was ajar, and the conversation was clearly audible:
"Something happened this morning. A girl named Lu Jing, who claimed to be a former acupuncture student with A Yan, had acute gastroenteritis. A Yan brought her to Jishiditang, and she happened to run into me."
Su Nian's hand holding the armrest trembled slightly.
Who is Lu Jing?
Is she the girl who had dinner with Si Yan yesterday?
Acute gastroenteritis?
——The amount of information made her a little confused for a moment.
Zhang Minghua paused, then continued calmly, "She's quite a smart girl. Her pulse is fine, but not to the point where she absolutely needs a ride. When I asked her to negotiate the fare, she said she left in a hurry and didn't have any cash with her, having just returned to China and not yet mastered mobile payment. These days, even the old ladies selling vegetables on the street use QR codes. It's obvious she wants to go see Ah Yan again!"
She snorted lightly, and her tone turned harsh: "I have said everything I need to say. In our Si family, there must be no such messy things. Since I have married a wife, and she is pregnant, there are some lines that must be drawn clearly."
At this moment, the voice of Guo Qing from the public company rang out, with obvious displeasure: "Nonsense! How stupid is he that he can't even understand this trick?"
Now that I have said this, it cannot be clearer.
No matter how slow Su Nian was, he understood.
Her nose felt sore and she suddenly choked up - her mother-in-law had never used her strength and shrewdness on her, but this time, she used it to protect her without hesitation.
Not only was her mother-in-law supporting her and criticizing the schoolmate with ulterior motives, she also implicitly expressed her dissatisfaction with Si Yan's handling of the matter.
The phrase "specially nourish the brain" at noon, it turns out this is what it refers to!
That bowl of "brain-tonifying soup" now looked like a reassurance, a reminder and also a protection, suggesting that she should think more and not act foolishly.
The ripples of uneasiness in Su Nian's heart gradually subsided, and a warm current slowly surged up.
She silently said in her heart: "Mom, thank you."
Just as I was about to turn around and go upstairs, the study door opened with a click.
Zhang Minghua looked up and saw his daughter-in-law standing at the stairs. He was startled: "Niannian, didn't you take a break?"
"Mom, I'll come down to drink some water." Su Nian's voice was a little choked, and she couldn't help but say, "Thank you..."
Zhang Minghua immediately understood that this girl must have heard everything.
She slowed down her tone, pulled Su Nian to sit on the sofa in the living room, looked into her eyes and said softly, "Why thank me? You are my daughter-in-law, and the baby in your belly is our baby. If I don't love you, who will I love?"
She patted Su Nian's hand gently, her tone even softer. "As for Si Yan, his father will talk to him tonight. As for you, don't overthink it and take good care of the baby. Men are sometimes careless and not thoughtful enough. You have to take care of them and talk to them. Don't let your imagination run wild, okay?"
"Yeah." Su Nian responded softly.
Su Nian softly said "hmm" and was immersed in her mother-in-law's warm words when her phone suddenly rang. She took it out and saw that it was her mother calling.
"Hello, Mom?"
"Nian Nian," came my mother's cheerful voice from the other end of the line, "Uncle Chen sent over some fresh fruit, and we thought we'd send it to you. I haven't been to your new home yet, so this is a good time to get acquainted. What building and room is yours?"
Su Nian's heart skipped a beat. She was just worried about finding a suitable reason to leave the old house, and her mother's call came at the perfect time.
On the one hand, she really needed some space to digest everything she had just heard; on the other hand, it was her mother's first visit, and as a daughter, she should be present.
She looked up at her mother-in-law and said with just the right amount of apology, "Mom, my mom is going to bring me some food. It's her first time going to Jinghua Garden... I think it's better for me to go back first."
Zhang Minghua's eyes flickered slightly when he heard this.
She knew it clearly in her mind - her son would come back in the evening to be scolded, and her daughter-in-law already understood their attitude, so it would be better for her to go back and be alone now.
What's more, since the mother-in-law is visiting, it is reasonable for Su Nian to go back to receive her.
"Alright," Zhang Minghua nodded obediently, his tone gentle. "It's rare for your mother-in-law to come over, so you should go back and keep her company. I'll have Lao Chen drive you, so be careful on the road."
As she spoke, she picked up her phone and called the driver. After a few words, she made all the arrangements. Then she turned to Su Nian and said, "Go back and have a good rest. Don't think too much. Call Mom anytime if you have anything."
Su Nian nodded gratefully, and the burden in her heart seemed to be lighter.
After saying goodbye to her parents-in-law, she followed her mother-in-law to the door, where Lao Chen had already parked his car and was waiting.
Sitting in the car, Su Nian looked at the street scene rapidly receding outside the window and sighed softly.
I've been through so many emotional ups and downs today, and now I can finally take a break.
Her mother's sudden visit was like a timely life-saving straw, temporarily pulling her out of her complicated thoughts.
The car was driving smoothly. Su Nian leaned back in the seat, her mother-in-law's words still ringing in her ears: "Men are sometimes careless and you have to manage them and talk them over."
This sentence gave her courage and made her start to reflect on the way she communicates in her marriage.
Perhaps, this is indeed an opportunity for her to learn to better express her feelings and needs.
Su Nian got off the car at the gate of Jinghua Garden and agreed with her mother to meet there.
A few minutes later, a familiar car slowly drove up and stopped in front of her. The window rolled down, revealing her mother's warm smile. "Niannian, get in the car quickly. Let's go out and get some sun."
"Mom, Uncle Chen." Su Nian opened the car door and got into the back seat, giving directions. "Drive forward, it's the third building on the right."
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