Hua Kai held Gu Ling's hand and said, "Gu Ling, my family is doing much better now. When I find an opportunity, I'll let you go to the city too. But don't tell your mother about this for now, otherwise she might have some other ideas. You're smart, so if anything happens at home, just come to my house. We promise to stand by you."
Gu Ling nodded repeatedly: "Sister, I'll listen to you. If I can really go to the city and not have to be married off by my mother so early, I really don't know how to thank you enough."
Hua Kai smiled and said, "We're cousins, so it's only right that we stay at each other's houses for a while after you're done with your work."
"Hmm, the last time I went to your house was when I was ten years old. I've almost forgotten what your house looks like." Gu Ling recalled what Hua Kai's house looked like, her memory was indeed a bit blurry.
At this moment, Jiang Fengxian looked at the two of them with a smile: "These two young ladies are so affectionate. It's been so long since we last met, and they're already so close. What are they whispering to each other?"
Hua Kai smiled and replied, "Grandma, you said we were whispering, so I can't tell you what we're whispering about."
Jiang Fengxian was overjoyed as she listened, and couldn't stop smiling: "Then Grandma won't ask. You all help me take this into the house, and you can come in and sit down and chat."
Hua Kai and Gu Ling quickly went over to help Jiang Fengxian serve the dishes, talking quietly as they did so.
Gu Jinzhou changed into clean clothes and entered the house: "After all, they are related by blood. Those two brats outside haven't seen each other for more than half a year. They have so much to talk about when they meet."
Jiang Fengxian laughed and said, "Don't even mention those two boys, those two girls are practically biting off their ears too."
Hua Kai put the vegetables inside the house, then came out and said to Gu Jinzhou, "Uncle, when you're not busy, could you let Gu Ling and Gu Wen stay at my house for a few days?"
Gu Jinzhou said, "Don't be like that. When these kids were eating me to death, your family was already struggling with just the few of you. Add these two on top of that, and the rice jar will be empty."
Hua Kai laughed when she heard this: "Uncle, don't worry, our rice jar is full right now, we won't run out. Besides, we're doing small business at the market now, so we can earn money. We always have meat at home, so we're never short of food."
When Gu Jinzhou heard that Hua Kai's family was doing business, he asked incredulously, "Really? Your family can make money now? That's a good thing. Your family has had such a hard time these past few years. Now that things are going well, your grandmother won't have to worry about you all the time."
Hua Kai nodded: "Yes, Uncle, you don't need to worry about my family anymore."
Fan Lianfang came in after hearing this: "This is a good thing. It's good to be able to make money. Otherwise, your grandma would always be nagging. Now we can rest assured."
Hua Kai had a pretty good impression of Fan Lianfang otherwise; she wasn't that scheming. But her problem of being a "brother-supporting demon" was a real pitfall.
However, she couldn't say too much right now. She smiled and said, "Well, my family used to cause everyone a lot of worry. This time, we can finally put everyone at ease."
Jiang Fengxian, carrying a bowl of flatbread, said, "Come inside and eat. We can talk while we eat. Today we're having a meat feast. It's cabbage and pork flatbread. Eat it while it's hot."
Everyone went inside. There were quite a few dishes today. Besides pancakes, there was stewed potatoes with meat. Although there wasn't much meat, it was still a meat dish. There was also cabbage soup, scrambled eggs, and cucumber salad.
No sensitive topics were discussed at the dinner table; they just asked Huakai about her family's trip to the market.
Hua Kai gave a general answer.
After finishing his meal, Gu Wen swallowed hard as he looked at the pineapple, then remained silent, sighing as he looked at Gu Ling.
Gu Ling sighed and remained silent.
Hua Kai sat down next to Gu Ling, and judging from the expressions of the siblings, she guessed what was going on. She whispered to Gu Ling, "What? You didn't get any and gave it all to your uncle, did you?"
Gu Ling nodded: "Pretty much, we're used to it, and my grandma can't really say anything. My mom is actually very good to my grandma, and my mom is good in every way, except for this..."
Hua Kai understood what Gu Ling meant. She stood up, picked up the pineapple, and said, "I'll go cut the pineapple for everyone. There's a trick to eating pineapple; if you're not careful, it'll sting your mouth."
Fan Lianfang quickly stopped her, saying, "That flower is so rare, it would be a waste to eat it like that. The festival is coming soon, and I might have to give it to relatives and friends."
Hua Kai smiled and said, "Auntie, this is a rare treat for you to try. My grandma is so old, it's not easy for her to eat something new, right? If this were a gift, my mom would have told us to bring canned food or milk powder, but this is specially for you to try." With that, Hua Kai took the pineapple to the kitchen.
Gu Ling followed behind her, saying, "Cousin, you're amazing! You really went and cut it?"
Hua Kai smiled and said, "You have to have a strategy to deal with some things; you can't just force it." After saying that, she asked Gu Ling to make some salt water, and then she cut up the pineapple.
Fan Lianfang sat for a while before remembering that even if there wasn't a whole pineapple, half of it would be fine to take to her parents' home. However, when she went into the kitchen, Hua Kai had already cut up a pineapple and put it in salt water, and had also cut up two apples and put them on a plate.
Fan Lianfang couldn't say anything, so she could only help carry it into the house.
While washing the kitchen knife, Hua Kai whispered to Gu Ling, "My mom also got some fabric for you and your brother to make clothes for the New Year, and some new yarn. I didn't know my aunt had this problem before, otherwise I wouldn't have let my mom get it, and we could have made clothes for you directly when you go."
Hearing about the new fabric and yarn, Gu Ling said with heartache, "I guess my brother and I won't get anything. At most, she can make a new dress for my grandma."
Hua Kai was also helpless after hearing this, after all, her aunt still cared about her maternal grandmother, this matter was really quite complicated.
She sighed, "You know, my aunt is quite filial, so why can't she let things go about her brother's affairs?"
“My dad has a leg problem, and my mom has taken good care of him over the years. She’s also very filial to my grandma, so my dad and grandma can’t really say anything to him. But my dad and grandma are also feeling very frustrated. We don’t have any money; we’ve given it all to my uncle’s family. Last time my grandma was sick, we had to borrow money to go to the village to see a doctor.” Gu Ling finally found someone to confide in, and once she started talking, she couldn’t stop.
Hua Kai was also upset by what she heard. She whispered, "Then you should be more careful in the future and guide Gu Wen's thinking more so that he doesn't end up like his aunt. That way, when you two are successful and earn money, you can save it and give your mother a living allowance regularly. If she doesn't have any extra, she won't be able to keep managing your uncle's family's affairs. If there's a problem at home, you two can come up with the money."
"Yes, thank you, Sister Huakai. I've grown up these past two years and know more about these things. The more I understand, the more frustrated I get, and I can't change anything. It's great to finally have someone to talk to and give me guidance. I feel much more at ease now." This was the first time Gu Ling had found someone who could understand her, and she felt much better after talking about it.
Hua Kai smiled at Gu Ling: "It's good that you know what's going on. I know what's going on too. I'll find a way to help you in the future, don't worry."
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