Chapter 124 Not Wanting to Add More Burden
Shen Xuewei nodded, showing no sign of resistance.
After all, the Chen family was run by the maternal grandparents, so her opinions were useless.
She had just taken a bite with her chopsticks when she noticed the old woman beside her and quickly asked:
"If they give up Grandma's bed for them to stay in, where will Grandma stay?"
Grandma Xi gestured towards her second maternal grandfather's house next door, "She'll be staying at your second maternal grandfather's house for a few months. Once the house is built, she'll move directly into the new house, so don't worry."
Shen Xuewei continued eating without asking any more questions.
Before going to bed at night, she packed up her things and put them under her grandmother's bed.
I packed a big bag of winter clothes, planning to take them to my aunt's house on Sunday.
The next day, she discovered that her grandmother had also cleaned up her aunt's room.
The items were packed into bags and placed in the storage room on the second floor.
"Grandma, do I have to give up my aunt's room too? She'll be angry if she finds out; she doesn't like other people sleeping in her room."
Grandma Xi sighed, "Your grandfather is in a hurry to move in before the New Year, but your second uncle is insisting on having it renovated before moving in, saying it will look better that way."
"Time is tight, so your grandfather hired seven or eight people, plus two relatives who will come to help. There isn't enough room at home, so we'll have to squeeze into her room, which will be just enough."
“I’ve already told her. If she comes back in the next few months, she’ll stay at your second aunt’s house, just like you.”
Shen Xuewei shut her mouth.
Well... that's fine, as long as her aunt knows.
Otherwise, she was really afraid that when her aunt came back and saw that her room was a mess, she would throw a tantrum.
After lunch on Sunday, Chen Fangli specially rode her bicycle from Fuxing Village to the Chen family home to pick up Shen Xuewei and take her to the Chu family home.
Shen Xuewei's clothes were packed into a burlap sack and placed on the drying ground.
She arrived just as the construction workers, who had chartered a van, also arrived.
Grandpa Chen got off the car first, followed by seven or eight people, chatting and laughing.
Upon arriving at the Chen family's gate, they greeted the Chen family members who were drying their food in the yard.
Shen Xuewei was carrying only a schoolbag; everything else was being carried by Chen Fangli, who was preparing to leave.
A middle-aged man, around fifty years old, pointed at Shen Xuewei and said:
"Oh my, Sister Xi, this must be the daughter of your eldest daughter who married far away. She's grown up so much."
Grandma Xi replied with a smile, "Yes, my eldest daughter has been married for more than ten years, and this is her second child."
The man looked Shen Xuewei up and down. "I must say, apart from her eyes, this child looks a lot like Amin."
According to her father's relatives, Shen Xuewei's eyes are inherited from her grandmother, who had big eyes.
Shen Xuewei had never met her grandmother. Not to mention her, even her father probably didn't remember what her grandmother looked like.
Shen Xuewei's maternal grandparents had many children, but her paternal grandparents had even more.
Her father, Shen Jiaying, was the youngest child in the family, the ninth in line.
When he was born, his eldest brother was already twenty-five years old, and his son was three or four years older than Shen Jiaying.
Those were impoverished times, and Shen Jiaying's birth made the already difficult life of the Shen family even worse.
Grandma Shen is old and has no milk left. There are so many mouths to feed in the family, and there isn't much food left.
After giving birth to Shen Jiaying, she managed to raise him for a few days, but eventually, she couldn't raise him anymore and had to give him away.
Shen Jiaying was sent to live with his adoptive parents for three or four years. His adoptive parents then had their own son, so Shen Jiaying was sent back to the Shen family.
The Shen family wasn't wealthy, but since they had sent the person back, they had no choice but to keep them at home.
After Grandpa and Grandma Shen passed away, Shen Jiaying was about thirteen or fourteen years old and had finished primary school.
Unable to afford school and with his older siblings unwilling to support him, he went out to work and make a living, which led him to where he is today.
Shen Xuewei rarely heard her father mention her grandparents from a young age.
The few times he mentioned it were when he was drunk, filled with resentment and bitterness.
Shen Xuewei smiled politely at the group and then walked past them with Chen Fangli.
Suddenly, the man reached out and touched Shen Xuewei's cheek, laughing, "This child looks just like Amin. She'll be quite a beauty when she grows up. Any young man who marries her will be lucky."
A rough hand suddenly slapped her face, and she was stunned for a moment.
Chen Fangli freed her hands and anxiously pulled her away, saying, "She has to go to school today, so we have to go now."
The two quickly walked several steps, leaving the others behind.
Chen Fangli walked to the bicycle, put the things in her hand at her feet, and rubbed the spot where Shen Xuewei had just been touched by that person twice.
She turned her head and glared at the man's back, cursing inwardly: That old bastard!
After catching her breath, she instructed, "Weiwei, don't talk to him when you see him in the future, okay?"
Shen Xuewei nodded somberly, "Understood, Second Aunt."
She propped up the bicycle, let Shen Xuewei sit on the back seat, placed the burlap sack in Shen Xuewei's arms and let her hold it, then rode the bicycle with Shen Xuewei towards the Chu family.
On the way, Shen Xuewei kept a sullen face and didn't say a word.
Chen Fangli turned around and glanced at her, a hint of worry in her eyes.
Thinking of that person, she felt an overwhelming nausea and hatred that almost overflowed.
"Weiwei, before the new house is built, you must not go back to your maternal grandmother's house. Just stay at your second aunt's house and play with De'an and his friends in the village. Do you remember what your second aunt said?"
Shen Xuewei leaned against her back and said, "I know, Second Aunt, I will definitely be good."
Upon hearing this, Chen Fangli breathed a slight sigh of relief.
The two arrived at Fuxing Village, and after riding their bicycles along the dirt road, they stopped in front of the Chu family's house.
Chen Fangli put the things in Shen Xuewei's room.
Shen Xuewei looked left and right, "Where did De'an go?"
While rummaging through her pockets, Chen Fangli said, "Who knows where he went? He's hardly ever home except to eat. He's probably out playing with some kid in the village. Just ignore him."
She counted out five ten-yuan bills and gave them to Shen Xuewei. "Didn't your grandparents give you your living expenses just now? Here, your auntie will give you this. If you don't have enough to eat at school, remember to tell your auntie, and your auntie will give you a few more yuan every week."
Shen Xuewei looked at the money she was offered, took two steps back, and refused to accept it no matter what.
"No need, Auntie. I have money. My second aunt gave me a red envelope before, and I still have a lot of money. You can keep it for yourself."
Her second aunt had already been good enough to her, and Shen Xuewei felt embarrassed to take any more of her money.
Chen Fangli did not go out to work and was far less well-off than Chen Fangyang and Chen Fanglan.
Her income comes from farming and selling grain, as well as from doing odd jobs nearby.
Fifty yuan was not an easy sum for her to earn.
Shen Xuewei's stay at her place was already causing her trouble, and she didn't want to add any more burden to her.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com