Huang Minghao walked over and reached out to take Tangtang, but Jiang Shuya took a step back because she thought he smelled too much of smoke.
The mother-in-law tilted her head and noticed that her son's attitude towards Jiang Shuya was somewhat subtle. She was surprised to find that her son seemed to have taken Jiang Shuya's words to heart.
Could it be that her son really likes her, doesn't want to divorce her, and wants to continue the marriage? Now that her son is gradually getting closer to Jiang Shuya, she should be happy, but the thought that her daughter-in-law doesn't allow her to go to the mahjong parlor makes her heart tighten and her scalp tingle.
She would rather have someone like-minded to play cards with. Now, whether it's people at the door or relatives at home, they all say that this daughter-in-law is more capable than her, and she can't be happy at all.
Thinking back to when her son brought her home, his polite and delicate manner made her feel that he was easy to manipulate. She even thought about playing cards with him and going down the same path of depravity as him.
Huang Minghao, standing a meter away from Jiang Shuya, broke the silence: "Tangtang is frightened. The elders said that if you ask an older person to call her name a couple of times tonight, she'll come back to her senses. We're going to Grandma's house anyway, so I'll ask her to call Tangtang name a couple of times."
Upon hearing this, Jiang Shuya's heart tightened, because not long ago she had personally said, "I will never set foot in Huang Minghao's maternal grandparents' house again."
Perhaps sensing Jiang Shuya's worry, Huang Minghao looked up and approached; "Don't worry about what you said before, Tangtang is the priority. This time, Grandma personally instructed that you go over; she will personally bring Zhang Qing to apologize to you."
Jiang Shuya looked up, her face full of disbelief. Seeing Huang Minghao's confident gaze, her doubts dissipated considerably. In truth, she didn't want any apology. As long as she could bring Tangtang back to her senses, she could bear this little grievance.
The three adults quickly took Tangtang in Huang Minghao's car and soon arrived at Donghong Village. The car belonged to Liu Kai and had been frequently used by Huang Minghao recently. Did Zhang Qing have no complaints at all? Thinking this, Jiang Shuya pinched her thigh hard. What did this have to do with her? She was just meddling in other people's business.
In a lively courtyard in Donghong Village, a family was happily gathered around an elderly woman in military uniform, exchanging various blessings. When Jiang Shuya arrived, she saw all the members of her mother-in-law's Li clan from near and far. She didn't recognize many of them, only a handful. Instead of joining in the lively atmosphere, she sat down alone on a bamboo chair under the loquat tree in the courtyard, holding Tangtang.
At this moment, Zhang Qing came out of her grandmother's room, holding a packet of red paper in her hand. It was unclear what was inside. She glanced at Jiang Shuya, who was slender and pregnant, and walked expressionlessly into the group of people.
The voices of several granddaughters could be heard from inside; Huang Minghao's older and younger cousins were among them, and Huang Minghao was also there. The eldest cousin's voice came from the crowd: "Haohao, we've all bought gifts for Grandpa, even his granddaughter-in-law Zhang Qing bought one! What did you prepare?"
Huang Minghao scratched his head awkwardly, when he heard another cousin say something.
"No wonder Grandpa and Grandma like Zhang Qing so much; she's so thoughtful. She not only bought one for Grandpa, but also prepared one for Grandma."
My older cousin nodded in agreement, then glanced at her younger cousin beside her; "Hey Hao Hao, you just casually showed up like that, aren't you going to feel guilty about getting your red envelope later?"
After speaking, the older cousin looked at Jiang Shuya, who was not far away, with a disdainful expression.
Huang Minghao realized his older cousin's unfriendly attitude and immediately became unhappy.
"Don't look at her. Xiaoya is my wife. She doesn't know the ins and outs of this. If you have any complaints, take them out on me."
To his surprise, his older cousin gave him a deep, loving look.
"Haohao, you know what I mean. I'm not trying to be mean, but we're cousins, grown up together. I just said one thing to you and you're defending her like this? Does she not plan to associate with us anymore? You saw her hit me last time; she struck first. Are you blind?"
Huang Minghao scoffed coldly; "Why don't you ask yourself if you can stand saying those sarcastic and mean things, and having such a vicious face?"
My older cousin had long forgotten what inappropriate words she had said, only that she said fiercely;
"If it weren't for my aunt constantly belittling Jiang Shuya's disgraceful behavior in front of my dad, I wouldn't have bothered standing up for your mother."
After saying that, he stormed off. Zhang Qing was sitting next to his grandparents, talking about something. His vivid and humorous words made the two old people laugh heartily and nod in agreement. At this time, Huang Minghao was called over by Liu Kai to play cards, saying that there was a table of three that was short one player.
Huang Minghao was hesitating when he was interrupted by a man with a camera hanging on his arm. The man looked at the crowd and waved loudly.
"Come on, let's take a family photo. Listen to me arrange the positions: the elderly sit in the middle, and the taller ones stand at the back."
Upon hearing this, Huang Minghao came to Jiang Shuya's side;
"Xiaoya, let's take a family photo together."
Jiang Shuya frowned;
"I don't want to go, we've already..."
Huang Minghao quickly interrupted;
"It's just a photo, it won't have any impact. No matter what, you're Tangtang's mother, and you used to be my woman, Huang Minghao's woman."
Without saying a word, he grabbed Jiang Shuya with one hand and took Tangtang with the other, half-pushing her to the front of all the members of the Li family.
No one was too surprised, as they all knew that the quiet, beautiful girl was Huang Minghao's wife. They all lined up and stood properly, while Huang Minghao naturally put his arm around Jiang Shuya and held Tangtang in one arm, both facing the photographer's lens.
Jiang Shuya's heart was in turmoil, and she felt particularly awkward in this atmosphere. Fortunately, no one paid much attention to her, and the photos were quickly completed, which relieved her.
After taking the photos, Jiang Shuya sat at the banquet, absentmindedly eating the dishes that Huang Minghao had piled high in her bowl, like a small mountain.
Huang Minghao didn't care about her strange state at all. He continued to serve her food with a gentle attitude and told her with great interest where the dishes came from.
However, Jiang Shuya felt no joy whatsoever, nor did she care to guess what Huang Minghao was thinking. At this moment, she wished time would pass faster, even faster, so that as soon as it got dark, Huang Minghao's grandmother would finish the exorcism for Tangtang, and she would leave immediately.
Finally, the end of the ceremony arrived. Grandpa sat in the living room of the main house, smiling broadly as his grandchildren came forward to kowtow to him.
Jiang Shuya thought to herself that since she was already there, there was no harm in going through the motions. Besides, this man was an elderly man over 80 years old, a veteran of the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea who had contributed to the country. The old man had his own aura and treated every grandson and granddaughter equally. After accepting the kneeling and bowing, he distributed the red envelopes in his hand to his grandsons and granddaughters one by one.
Grandma's wrinkled, smiling face, along with her mother-in-law, carried Tangtang into the inner room. Jiang Shuya stood outside, and after a moment, she vaguely heard shouts coming from the inner room, the shouts sounding like a summoning of a spirit.
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