Li Guizhi came out with the dishes and saw her daughter showing off her eccentric hobby again. "Alright, come and serve the dishes, let's eat!"
Dafu quickly put the clothes down, "Hey! Coming, coming!"
After saying that, he jumped up as if fleeing for his life and went to the kitchen to help.
After the meal, Zhong Yuan and Da Fu each gave Jiang Xiaoli a red envelope before leaving, saying, "Happy New Year, Xiaoli!"
Jiang Xiaoli happily accepted the red envelope, and Li Guizhi couldn't help but laugh at her, "Little money-grubber!"
Suddenly the phone rang, and Jiang Xiaoli answered, "Hello."
Soon, Li Guizhi saw the smile disappear from her daughter's face and her expression turn cold.
After hanging up the phone, she asked, "Xiao Li, what's wrong?"
Jiang Xiaoli said unhappily, "Grandpa and Uncle have all gone to the old house and are making a scene! Aunt Wang called and told us not to go back this afternoon."
The mother and daughter had originally planned to visit their old neighbors at the old house.
Li Guizhi rubbed her temples. "Before we went to Lucheng, I specifically wired them money and gave them extra money for the New Year. What are they trying to do!"
Jiang Xiaoli pouted and looked at her mother, "Shall we go back to the old house?"
Li Guizhi gritted her teeth, "Go back! Why shouldn't we go back! We haven't done anything wrong!"
The mother and daughter took the gifts they had prepared and took a taxi back to their old house.
From afar, I could see a group of people gathered in front of my house.
Zhao Lan was slapping her thigh and shouting, "Li Guizhi is so unfilial! During the New Year, she didn't even come to see me and her father! What a terrible thing!"
Her shouts were melodious and varied, like a theatrical performance. The onlookers remained silent, clearly tired of hearing her repeat the same few lines over and over.
Xie Zhaodi, with her sharp eyes, was the first to spot the mother and daughter outside the crowd, and she nudged Li Fengnian with her elbow.
Li Fengnian looked in the direction she was pointing her chin, and his face immediately showed displeasure. "Big sister, you actually came back? Do you know how long we've been waiting for you?"
His shout instantly silenced the surroundings, and the onlookers made way for the mother and daughter.
Li Guizhi led her daughter to her front door. "Mom, what are you doing?"
When Zhao Lan saw her daughter return, she raised her voice, "What am I making a fuss about? You didn't even come home for the New Year, and you didn't tell us you moved. Do you even respect your father and me?"
Li Guizhi pulled her aside slightly and opened the gate to the old house. "If I hadn't left you here at the beginning of the year, besides your old age allowance, I would have given you an extra 500 yuan as a New Year's gift. How much did my brother and sister give me?"
Zhao Lan was about to wail again when Li Guoqing grabbed her and said, "Don't embarrass yourself, let's go inside and talk!"
Once they were all inside the courtyard, Li Guizhi apologized to the neighbors who had come to join in, saying, "I'm so sorry to have bothered you during the New Year."
The neighbors all waved their hands with smiles, "It's alright, it's alright, Guizhi, you take care of your family matters first, we'll catch up later!"
Li Guizhi led her daughter back to the main room, where Xie Zhaodi was complaining, "Oh dear, it's so cold in here, just like outside!"
Li Guizhi chuckled softly, then turned to look at Li Guoqing, "Dad, what do you mean by this?"
Li Guoqing slammed his hand on the table, and a cloud of dust instantly rose into the air.
"Guizhi, what's wrong with you? You just say you're not coming home and then you just won't? You really don't plan to acknowledge me and your mother anymore?"
Li Guizhi took out a handkerchief to wipe the stools for herself and her daughter before sitting down. "Dad, I already said last time that we'll just go through the motions. I've never missed a month of giving you and Mom your monthly allowance."
Li Guoqing coughed twice, "You are my daughter! Do you think giving some money is fulfilling your filial duty?"
"Then I won't give it to you?" Li Guizhi looked at him with amusement.
Zhao Lan quickly interjected, "No way!"
Li Guoqing sighed heavily. "Guizhi, I know you suffered some grievances a few years ago, but your life is better now, isn't it? Why are you holding such a grudge?"
Li Guizhi waved her hand, "Don't talk about holding grudges. It's not that bad. I just feel that I got through so many difficult years ago, and you all ignored me. Now I'm even better able to live a good life."
Li Fengnian couldn't help but ask, "Big sister, you're doing so well now, buying houses whenever you want, moving whenever you want, why aren't you willing to help out your family?"
Li Guizhi looked at her brother with amusement. "Brother, I remember it very clearly. It was the first year that Weimin was gone. I brought Xiaoli home for the New Year. My sister-in-law told me personally that I should come home less often in the future because there was no place for my daughter and me at home. You may have forgotten, but I will not forget."
Li Fengnian slapped Xie Zhaodi, "What nonsense are you spouting?"
"Hehe, brother, you don't need to blame everything on women. This isn't an isolated incident. You, Dad, Mom, and little sister, you're all like this. Otherwise, I wouldn't feel so heartbroken."
She paused for two seconds, turned to look at Li Guoqing, and said, "Dad, I'll say it again today: I will give you and Mom your retirement money, and I will also give you extra money for holidays. That's all."
Li Guoqing suddenly started coughing violently, and Zhao Lan quickly came over and patted his back to help him catch his breath.
"You wretched woman! Would you be happy if you drove me and your father to our deaths?!"
Xie Zhaodi immediately spoke up sarcastically, "Yes, little sister, Dad is usually fine at home, but look at him, he's coughing and catching a cold as soon as he comes here."
Li Guizhi ignored her and asked Li Guoqing, "Dad, if you really feel unwell and my brother and the others can't take care of you, I'll take you to the hospital."
Upon hearing her words, Li Guoqing stopped coughing. "Guizhi, how can you be so heartless now?"
Li Guizhi just lowered her head and remained silent, and the room suddenly became quiet.
After a few minutes, Li Guoqing spoke up, "Fine, my words don't matter anymore. I just want you to do me a favor."
Li Guizhi looked up and asked, "What is it?"
“Hey, Tingting and Yaoyang are both of marriageable age. You should get your nephew and niece jobs and houses sorted out. We two old folks won’t need you to take care of us anymore,” Li Guoqing said slowly.
Jiang Xiaoli, who was listening from the side, couldn't help but give her grandfather a thumbs up; he really had a clever plan.
Even after securing jobs and housing for these two individuals, they continue to approach my mother demanding retirement benefits. Even if we go to court, my mother won't win.
When Li Guizhi heard his request, she sneered, "Dad, you've come to the wrong person. I don't have that ability."
Li Tingting, who had been listening for so long, finally couldn't hold back any longer. "Auntie! We've all inquired, and the 'Jiang Li Ji' food factory is yours! If you don't want to arrange jobs for me and Yaoyang, you can't even come up with a better excuse!"
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