Although "recruiting a child" is a feudal superstition, Xu Liqin's mother still believes it! After Zhou Jiasheng left, Xu's mother kept muttering to Xu Liqin, asking her to take her nephew to live with her.
Xu Liqin knew that Zhao Guohui disliked her being too involved with her family. Furthermore, her nephew, Xu Xudong, was about the same age as Zhou Jiasheng, but he was a dirty, unhygienic child. Xu Liqin's sister-in-law, Wu Dani, was also a bit of a mess. Xu Liqin didn't like interacting with her sister-in-law, and consequently, she didn't like her nephew, Xu Xudong, very much.
Xu Liqin didn't want Xu's mother to force Xu Xudong to come and live with her, so she had to tell Xu's mother that Zhou Jiasheng would be back in a few days.
Although Mother Xu was dissatisfied, she didn't dare force Xu Liqin. Her son-in-law, Zhao Guohui, was not someone to be trifled with; everyone in the Xu family was afraid of him. Xu Liqin's father was also a troublemaker, and even Mother Xu couldn't stand up to Zhao Guohui.
Xu Liqin refused her mother's request and had to find a solution from Zhao Guohui.
Xu Liqin was embarrassed to say that she was praying for a child, so she told Zhao Guohui that she hadn't seen Zhou Jiasheng for several days and missed the child very much.
To be honest, Zhao Guohui wasn't used to Zhou Jiasheng leaving. He thought his sister was already busy making fish balls every day, so bringing Zhou Jiasheng to live with him would give her some relief. After Xu Liqin said that, Zhao Guohui quickly asked Zhao Yunxiang to bring Zhou Jiasheng to his house to stay for a while.
Zhao Yunxiang knew her brother's good intentions and didn't refuse. Zhou Jiasheng was a boy, and at this age, he was in the prime of his mischievousness. Living in Zhoujia Village, Zhao Yunxiang was afraid that her son would be bullied by Zhou Jiaqin and his friends, so she had kept him at home for the past few days, preventing him from running around the village.
Zhao Yunxiang couldn't bear to see her usually lively son looking listless these days. Zhou Jiasheng had met many other children while attending school in town, so if she could send him to town for a few days, he wouldn't be so bored.
Zhou Jiasheng had just stayed at Zhao Guohui's house for a day when Zhou Zhixin came back. Zhou Zhixin didn't go home much in the year, so Zhao Guohui couldn't keep Zhou Jiasheng at home anymore and always asked Jiasheng to go home and spend time with his father.
Zhao Guohui disliked his brother-in-law Zhou Zhixin. In the years since Zhao Yunxiang married Zhou Zhixin, Zhou Zhixin had rarely been home. However, out of filial piety, Zhou Zhixin left Zhao Yunxiang at home to take care of his parents, even though she was supposed to be with the army. This made Zhao Guohui even more dissatisfied with Zhou Zhixin.
Wu Jinfeng deliberately reported Zhao Yunxiang for speculation, which intensified Zhao Guohui's anger. However, Zhao Guohui was a shrewd man. He would not confront Zhou Zhixin until Zhao Yunxiang and the Zhou family had fallen out, so as not to embarrass his sister.
When Zhou Jiasheng saw Zhou Zhixin and Zhao Yunxiang, he cheered and threw himself into Zhou Zhixin's arms. Although life at his uncle's house was more fun than in Zhoujia Village, Zhou Jiasheng still missed his family.
Zhou Jiasheng is older than Zhou Yuanyuan, and his attachment to Zhou Zhixin is far greater than hers. Having a father who is a soldier has always been a source of pride for Zhou Jiasheng.
After not seeing her brother for a day, Zhou Yuanyuan felt like she had been apart for ages. This morning's events were particularly tumultuous, and Zhou Yuanyuan had a lot to say to her brother.
When Zhao Yunxiang came to deliver the fish balls, Xu Liqin already knew about Zhou Zhixin's return. As his brother-in-law, Zhao Guohui always had to welcome his brother-in-law back from a long journey.
Xu Liqin is a person with good sense and she is not stingy. Zhao Yunxiang is Zhao Guohui's only sister. For the sake of Zhao Guohui's face, Xu Liqin will also treat Zhao Yunxiang's family well.
Without Zhao Guohui's instructions, Xu Liqin quickly switched shifts with another salesperson at the same counter. Shortly after Zhao Guohui and the others returned home, Xu Liqin had already bought the vegetables.
Zhou Yuanyuan pulled Zhou Jiasheng aside and whispered, Zhao Guohui pretended nothing happened and chatted with Zhou Zhixin about this and that, while Zhao Yunxiang followed his sister-in-law Xu Liqin to the kitchen to help wash the vegetables.
It was almost noon, and Zhao Guohui told Zhao Yunxiang and the others to eat before returning to Zhaojiagou. Otherwise, even if Zhao Yunxiang and the other four had bicycles, they wouldn't be back until evening. The adults could endure the hunger, but the two children couldn't.
"Sister, when my brother-in-law comes back this time, is he going to pick you and your son up to join the army?" Xu Liqin chatted with Zhao Yunxiang while cutting the meat skillfully.
If it weren't for the Zhou family's old woman's mischief, Zhao Yunxiang and her children would have followed Zhou Zhixin to City N to enjoy a better life. In those days, urban household registration was a prestigious status. Zhao Yunxiang and her husband delayed their two children's future in order to show filial piety to the elderly. To be honest, Xu Liqin did not agree with Zhao Yunxiang and her husband's actions.
"I don't know! Your brother-in-law just got home this morning." Zhao Yunxiang shook her head. She hadn't spoken to Zhou Zhixin since he came home. Zhao Yunxiang was a down-to-earth person who didn't talk nonsense. She didn't know Zhou Zhixin's thoughts, so she couldn't answer her sister-in-law's question.
In the yard, Zhou Jiasheng heard Zhou Yuanyuan mumbling about what happened at home. Her little face turned red with anger and her fists were clenched tightly.
I didn't expect grandma to be so bad, she deserved to be arrested by the police! Zhou Jiasheng felt a little relieved when he heard the result of the incident.
Zhou Jiasheng felt a little guilty. He ran to his uncle's house for fun and failed to protect his mother and sister.
"Brother, you should do this later..." Zhou Yuanyuan leaned over and gave Zhou Jiasheng some advice.
"Yeah, yeah." Zhou Jiasheng nodded, a look of admiration in his eyes. As expected of his sister! Yuanyuan was so smart that she could come up with such a good idea.
After dinner, Zhao Yunxiang was about to say goodbye with the children when Zhou Jiasheng suddenly tilted his body and yelled that his stomach hurt.
"What's wrong? Did he eat too much?" Zhao Yunxiang was surprised. At lunch, Zhou Jiasheng ate two full bowls of rice and a few pieces of braised pork. Zhao Yunxiang suspected that the child had indigestion. Didn't you see Zhou Jiasheng jumping up and down before eating, so energetic?
"I feel a little bloated and uncomfortable. I just ate two bowls of rice and five pieces of meat." Zhou Jiasheng held his stomach, made a bitter face, and said pitifully.
"Why are you so greedy, kid?" Zhao Yunxiang was furious. When Zhou Zhixin wasn't home, Zhou Jiasheng had always been a good kid. Since he was three, Zhao Yunxiang didn't need to worry about his meals, and he'd even play with his younger sister whenever he had time.
Why did this little guy become so troublesome as soon as Zhixin came home today? Zhao Yunxiang was a little annoyed.
Zhou Jiasheng winked at Zhou Yuanyuan secretly. Zhou Yuanyuan almost couldn't hold back her laughter and had to turn her head away.
Zhou Zhixin drank half a bowl of wine and ate two large bowls of white rice for lunch. After he was full, he was dozing off in his chair, his head nodding.
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