When they arrived home, Li Guizhi was serving the last dish.
Xu Feng added two more sets of bowls and chopsticks and said with a smile, "I thought you were eating out and wouldn't be coming back to eat!"
Xiao Jincheng washed his hands and sat down next to his wife. "How could that be? Why would I be fooling around with them while taking Xiaolizi with me?"
"You know you're always fooling around, huh?" Xu Feng couldn't help but pinch the soft flesh on his waist.
Xiao Jincheng begged for mercy repeatedly, "Ouch, ouch, I won't mess around anymore!"
Xiao Muyu looked at her parents speechlessly, "Dad, Mom, please tone it down a bit!"
Jiang Xiaoli put a chicken leg in her bowl. "Uncle Xiao and Aunt Xiao have a good relationship. What do you know? Eat your food!"
Xiao Muyu rolled her eyes at her, "You talk like you know everything!"
"Tsk tsk tsk, anyway, I know way more than you." Jiang Xiaoli smacked her lips and retorted.
Li Guizhi raised her chopsticks and tapped her on the head, saying, "You tell me what you know?"
She instantly realized what was happening, grabbed her bowl and chopsticks, and desperately hid next to Xiao Muyu, pleading, "Mommy, have mercy! I don't understand, I don't understand!"
Xiao Muyu mischievously dodged, "Auntie, beat her up!"
Xu Feng laughed until tears streamed down her face. "Sister-in-law, do you think my little one looks a lot like your Xiao Li?"
Li Guizhi stopped and couldn't help but laugh out loud, "Two rascals, one big and one small!"
Jiang Xiaoli returned to her seat. "Hehe, Mom, Auntie, you don't understand. Only people with thick skin like Uncle Xiao can get along well!"
Xiao Jincheng strongly supported his ally, saying, "Little Pear is right!"
After dinner, Xiao Muyu urged that she wanted to go home. "The midterm exam is next Wednesday. I spent the whole day out today. I want to go home and study for a while."
After seeing the Xiao family of three off, Jiang Xiaoli fetched water to wash the dishes, but Li Guizhi stopped her, saying, "Why don't you go back and study too? Midterm exams are coming up soon."
She held onto the bowl tightly, saying, "You can rest now. All the knowledge is in my head, so don't worry."
Hearing her say that, Li Guizhi stopped insisting and then said, "Today, your Aunt Xu, Xiaoyu, and I went to buy everything we need for the new house. We'll have the appliances delivered to the house in the next couple of days, and then we'll tidy up the house. When do you want to move in?"
She didn't stop washing the dishes. "I'm available anytime. How about we pick an auspicious day or something?"
“We’re not going to be so formal. How about next weekend? Let Xiao Zong invite Pumpkin and the others over, and we can have a meal together as a housewarming party.”
They spoke of the devil, and he appeared.
Zong Jia knocked on the courtyard gate and came in. "Godmother, Little Pear, are you moving?"
Li Guizhi smiled and explained to him, "Not only us, but your house is great too! I bought you a set of household items today. You can add whatever appliances you want and move in."
Seeing that he was so moved he didn't know what to say, Jiang Xiaoli wet her hands and flicked them on his face. "Alright, alright, I'll make you cry some tears. If you're moved, just cry. Don't be shy."
"What are you doing!" Li Guizhi pulled her daughter aside and handed Zong Jiayu a handkerchief. "Xiao Zong, quickly wipe your face. This child is really too naughty!"
"It's nothing, Little Pear was just teasing me." Zong Jiayu took the handkerchief and wiped her face. "Godmother, how much did you spend on your shopping? I'll give you the money."
Li Guizhi waved her hand, "No need, no need, it's not much money! You've had a hard time on your own too. I've noticed you've lost weight from working so hard at the factory lately. Come over for dinner after we move, okay?"
Jiang Xiaoli took the washed pots and pans to the kitchen and put them away. "When are you planning to move?"
"I'll have Zhong Yuan come and look at some home appliances for me these next couple of days, how about this weekend? I just heard you guys are also going this weekend," Zong Jiayu replied.
She nodded, "Okay, it's settled then. Let's invite Brother Gua and the others over for a meal this weekend."
Li Guizhi asked, "Xiao Zong, your family doesn't have any objections to you moving out, right?"
Zong Jia chuckled self-deprecatingly, "Godmother, I moved out right after my birthday and I'm living near the steamed bun shop now."
"Oh!" Li Guizhi sighed. "It's alright. We'll live close by from now on. Come over whenever you have time. I'll always have food for you."
Jiang Xiaoli teased her mother, "These next few months will be tough, Mom has to go to night school!"
Zong Jiayu smiled and ruffled her hair. "I know."
"Hey, stop touching my head!" She slapped away his hand that was groping her. "You've messed up my hair, how annoying!"
Zong Jiayu wasn't angry even after being scolded; he just pulled out a map of China.
"Come and give me your advice. I've come up with two plans with Uncle Wei for the next step of promotion: one is Shanxi and Henan provinces, and the other is Sichuan and Hubei provinces. You can make a decision."
Jiang Xiaoli was about to ask if Shancheng had been overlooked when she looked at the map and remembered that Shancheng wasn't a municipality yet! She swallowed her question and looked at the map carefully.
"Sichuan and Hubei provinces are too large, so let's promote it in Shanxi and Henan provinces first, where our supply pressure will be less."
Zong Jia nodded. "That's what I was thinking too. Okay, then I'll make arrangements like that tomorrow, and have them set off the day after tomorrow."
Jiang Xiaoli carefully instructed, "Increase the amount of stock, pay attention to transportation safety, and also remind the sales staff who are on business trips to pay attention to their personal safety."
"Don't worry, Uncle Wei and I have repeatedly emphasized these points to them."
After finishing their business, Zong Jiayu told her, "I had Nan Gua ask Han Xue, and she will officially start working at the food factory tomorrow."
Jiang Xiaoli gave him a "I knew it!" look. "Give her some good training. I think she's pretty good, but there's no need to give her any special treatment. Just do everything according to your standards."
"Okay, I'll be going now. You should get some rest." Zong Jiayu folded the map, put it away, and said goodbye.
Li Guizhi watched his departing figure and said, "Xiao Zong is also a pitiful child. He is only 18 years old and has to live alone. It's true that having a stepmother makes you like a stepfather."
Jiang Xiaoli put her arm around her shoulder and comforted her, "Mom, sometimes the best solution is to stay away from people you don't get along with as soon as possible. Living together will only bring more trouble, don't you think?"
Upon hearing her daughter's words, Li Guizhi couldn't help but think of her own family.
She was silent for a while, then sighed softly, "You're right. Some relatives are just not meant to be. It's better to stay as far away as possible. I'll send your grandparents their retirement money for this month tomorrow."
Jiang Xiaoli didn't expect her unintentional words to make her mother sad. "Mom, some family members can't be chosen, but some family members can be chosen. Don't worry, I will definitely choose a son-in-law for you who is even more filial than me!"
Li Guizhi patted her lightly, "You're still a young girl, stop talking about these things all the time. I won't stop you when you get older!"
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