"Is the child's grandmother seriously ill? Does she need my help?" Wang Lin asked Xu Keke with concern.
"No need, her grandma said herself that she just needs to lie down and she'll be fine. It's nothing."
As the two were talking, a young woman with permed hair and fashionable clothes walked in from outside.
She walked straight over and complained to Wang Lin, "Why are you eating for so long? You said you were going to my dad's place tonight."
Wang Lin glanced at Xu Keke with a hint of panic. His glance caught the woman's attention, and she looked at Xu Keke, asking, "And who is this?"
“He’s my classmate!” Wang Lin said simply.
His evasive attitude puzzled Xu Keke. The original owner's missing memories were indeed causing some trouble.
She had initially thought the original owner of this body didn't want to trouble others, which was why she hadn't bothered Wang Lin, even though she lived in the same courtyard as her old classmate. It seems she had truly misunderstood the original owner.
"Hello! Are you Wang Lei's mother? I'm Song Qian's mother. They're sitting at the same desk now. Coincidentally, I'm also a classmate of your son, Wang Lin."
"She was Zeng..." Before the woman could finish speaking, Wang Lin interrupted her.
"Your food is ready, they're calling you."
Xu Keke turned her head and saw that the shop assistant was looking at her with a cold face.
Xu Keke quickly got up and went over.
Then Wang Lin's voice came from behind, "We're leaving first!"
Xu Keke was carefully carrying the wontons handed out from the counter. She didn't even have time to turn around, only managing a verbal response. By the time she returned with two bowls of wontons, Wang Lin's family had already vanished.
Xu Keke didn't show it on her face, but she was already making plans in her mind to see who to ask about the original owner's memories. She couldn't stay confused any longer.
When Xu Keke returned home with the two little ones, having eaten and drunk their fill, the lights were on, and Grandpa Zhao was filling a thermos on the table with water.
Seeing them arrive, he smiled and said, "Your mother said she was thirsty. Since you didn't have a stove on, I guessed you must be tired after a long day at work, so I brought you some hot water from our house."
Xu Keke put Fu Bao down. "Thank you so much. Is Zhao Di's grandma feeling better?"
That question made it sound like Grandpa Zhao and Lin Juan were family. Grandpa Zhao felt a little embarrassed, but he didn't show it on his face.
Judging from Grandpa Zhao's expression, Xu Keke knew he had something to say to her. Xu Keke asked Zhao Di to take the wontons and baked buns to Grandma.
Then, holding Fu Bao, he sat down and invited Grandpa Zhao to sit down as well.
Grandpa Zhao didn't stand on ceremony and sat down opposite Xu Keke with his water bottle.
"Even before you married into the family, your mother-in-law and I lived in this courtyard. Your mother-in-law isn't a bad person, but she's stubborn and unwilling to admit defeat. It hasn't been easy for her to raise Song Lin all these years on her own. If she hadn't been so strong-willed, she wouldn't be where she is now."
She helped you get married and took care of your grandson; it was actually a pretty good life. It's just that her temper—we've gotten used to it over the years—means she has to make all the decisions.
It's not something that can be changed overnight, so please bear with me.
Xu Keke smiled but didn't reply. These words were getting increasingly inappropriate. She could forgive him, but given Uncle Zhao's current status, saying such things was going too far.
Fortunately, he still had some self-awareness. Grandpa Zhao smiled at Xu Keke.
"Logically, it's not my place to say these things. But since we live in the same courtyard, I just want to see your family all happy and harmonious. Don't worry, I've talked to your mother-in-law, and she's agreed."
From now on, you'll be in charge of household affairs. You don't need to give her her salary anymore; she has a pension, enough to cover household expenses. She won't stop you from giving money to your parents.
I'm a young woman myself; when something happens to my family, how can a young woman not step in? Don't you think so?
Xu Keke smiled. If she were the original owner of this body, she might be moved and grateful to hear these words.
But that's not the case. She didn't want her salary; Old Zhao probably realized that too. She never intended to give it to him; it was just a favor she was doing.
However, Xu Keke still had some things to say.
“Back then, when Zhao Di’s grandmother took all my salary, wouldn’t let my child get close to me, and made me eat different food from her and my child, you could have helped me persuade her then, just like you are now.”
Grandpa Zhao chuckled, understanding the implication in Xu Keke's words. He was only offering advice now because the power dynamic had reversed. If Xu Keke were still in the weaker position, he would have remained aloof.
He couldn't deny it, so he could only smile and pretend he didn't understand, "It's not too late to advise you now, there's still a long life ahead of you."
"Yes, there's a long way to go." Xu Keke picked up Fu Bao and stood up.
"I won't keep you any longer. Grandma Zhaodi is sick today, and it's the first time Fubao has slept with me. I don't know if he'll be fussy. I need to get him to bed early."
Grandpa Zhao glanced worriedly at the inner room, then smiled at Xu Keke and said, "I won't go in. I'll tell your mother-in-law. It's getting late, you should get some rest too."
Lin Juan, in the inner room, looked at the wontons, feeling so choked up that she had no appetite. What had all this commotion amounted to? The more she thought about it, the angrier she became, until she truly felt a headache coming on and couldn't breathe.
Meanwhile, Xu Keke took Fu Bao and Zhao Di to sleep in the big bed together. Zhao Di was fine, but Fu Bao was excitedly babbling and talking non-stop.
Xu Keke hugged him and read a passage from a book. Fu Bao didn't know if he understood or not, but he nodded along.
Suddenly, I heard Fu Bao utter two words, "Mom."
At first, Xu Keke didn't notice, but Zhao Di was shocked and told her, "Mom, Fu Bao is calling for Mom."
Xu Kewei's pronunciation of Fu Bao's words was unintentional, but unexpectedly, Fu Bao suddenly stared at her with wide eyes and said, "Mama!"
The last sound was accompanied by a smacking sound, as if it had eaten something delicious.
Xu Keke was amused by him. But she didn't dare let him get too excited, so she kissed his forehead twice and quickly coaxed them both to sleep.
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