Chapter 38 Celebrating the Leap Month
"My parents said they want us to go together to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival during the leap month," Brother Qin said.
"They called you, not me," said Sister-in-law Qin. "I'm not going. You can go if you want. I went last time, but this time, they didn't call me."
"Then we're going." Brother Qin thought he still needed to go back and spend the Mid-Autumn Festival with his parents. It was rare for so many things to happen during the leap month of August, and Brother Qin also planned to take the children over to make his parents happy.
Fortunately, the family property was divided before Qin's sister-in-law's family was reported; otherwise, at this point, Qin's brother would have been too embarrassed to ask for a share of the property, and Qin's sister-in-law probably wouldn't have dared to either. Qin's sister-in-law was worried that her family would pressure her brother to divorce her, so she wouldn't have dared to say anything.
Brother Qin and Sister-in-law Qin shared the same opinion on this point, and thankfully the matter was resolved beforehand. It would be a lie to say that Brother Qin didn't covet his parents' inheritance; of course, he hoped to inherit more. As the eldest son, he certainly deserved a larger share. If he inherited less, what would others think of him? They would think he was unfilial, which was why his parents hadn't given him a larger share.
Mr. and Mrs. Qin did not see their eldest sister-in-law arrive; they only saw their eldest brother arrive with the child. Mrs. Qin asked, "Where is your wife?"
"She had something to do and couldn't come, so she asked us to come and keep you company." Brother Qin couldn't say that his wife was being stubborn and wouldn't come; she only agreed to come after his parents called her.
At this point, Brother Qin doesn't expect his parents to give his wife this face.
"What could possibly happen on Mid-Autumn Festival?" Qin's mother asked. "If we don't spend Mid-Autumn Festival together, where will she go?"
“Mom, you don’t need to worry about it. She’ll always find a place to eat during the holidays,” Brother Qin said. “When we go back later, we’ll bring her some food so she can eat with us during the leap month.”
"Alright then." Qin's mother didn't want to say anything more about her sister-in-law's situation. They hadn't even done anything else yet, and her sister-in-law was already throwing a tantrum. Qin's mother was the mother-in-law, and she couldn't back down too much. "If she doesn't want to come, then she doesn't have to."
Qin's sister-in-law had originally planned to live alone, but then she decided to go to the Tian family's house. When she arrived at the Tian family's door, she overheard what the family members were saying.
“Your sister is completely useless. Even if you ask her father-in-law for help, he can’t help her.”
"She's married now, and she's only thinking about herself."
"She doesn't care about whether Dad lives or dies, nor does she care about the lives of us brothers and sisters."
"And another thing, she stole five chickens from her younger brother and sister-in-law. People say that the six chickens ended up in our stomachs, but that's not true. One was given to my parents, one to my sister-in-law, and one was for her own consumption. There were also two chickens left."
...
The Tian family siblings all hoped that Sister-in-law Qin would continue to support the family, and some even dreamed of inheriting their father's job. However, since their father's job was gone, the rest of them couldn't inherit it, which naturally made them unhappy.
Hearing those words, Sister-in-law Qin simply decided not to go in. She was already married, and a married daughter is like water spilled from a cup; how could she possibly return to her parents' home alone for the Mid-Autumn Festival? She figured if she went in, those people would just make her spend the Mid-Autumn Festival at the Qin family's house.
In 1976, there was a leap August, so there were two Mid-Autumn Festivals. There was also a Mid-Autumn Festival in September and October of the Gregorian calendar, and the Mid-Autumn Festival was again a few days after National Day.
When Sister-in-law Qin left, she didn't encounter any members of the Tian family at the door. She did run into some familiar faces on the road, and although they greeted her, she didn't respond.
Once upon a time, Qin Da
My sister-in-law was so proud of herself, acting like she was something special. Her family valued her highly; they all thought she had married into a good family, that she could help them, and that she had a pretty high status in her own family.
Now that this has happened, she can't help her father get his job back, and these people are talking about her behind her back.
Sister-in-law Qin felt extremely heartbroken. It was one thing for others to talk about her, but why were her own family members criticizing her? She had sacrificed so much for her family; it wasn't that she hadn't done her job well. And yet, everyone was talking about her for not handling one thing perfectly. Was it easy for her?
No one cares how she's doing in her husband's family. They look down on her now and their attitude towards her is not as good as before.
Just the fact that she coveted the chicken that Song Fenglan was using for postpartum care made Sister-in-law Qin a target of public criticism, not to mention that her uncle was a spy.
As Sister-in-law Qin walked along the road, she couldn't help but wrap her arms around her head. Even though it wasn't particularly cold at this time, she felt extremely cold, both physically and emotionally.
At this moment, Song Fenglan and her family of three were at home, having prepared a lot of delicious food. Song Fenglan didn't invite Professor Su and his wife over; this was a formal Mid-Autumn Festival celebration for the three of them. They hadn't properly celebrated it at other times in September, so it was better to celebrate together as family this time. If they wanted to invite Professor Su and his wife, they could invite them in the future.
Looking at the pastries his mother had made, Qin Zihang wondered why there were so many delicious things to eat today.
"There's so much delicious food!" Qin Zihang said. "Mom, is someone having a birthday party?"
"It's not my birthday, it's the Mid-Autumn Festival," Song Fenglan explained.
"Mid-Autumn Festival?" Qin Zihang asked in confusion, "Is the Mid-Autumn Festival all about eating lots and lots of things?"
"On this day of family reunion, eat more," Song Fenglan said. "Aren't you happy to have so much good food?"
"Happy, happy." Qin Zihang nodded. "Especially happy."
“You were so small before, you don’t remember.” Song Fenglan thought about how the child was originally very small, weighing just over four pounds at birth, such a tiny little bundle. Now, the child has grown a little, but is still very small. “This time, Daddy is with you.”
"Didn't Dad spend time with me before?" Qin Zihang asked.
“Your father used to be very busy,” Song Fenglan said. “You’re still too young to remember. Now that your father is here, it’s the same.”
Song Fenglan and Qin Yizhou divided the work: Song Fenglan made the pastries, and Qin Yizhou cooked the dishes. Song Fenglan made extra pastries and gave some to the neighbors nearby, as well as to Professor Su and his wife.
During the Mid-Autumn Festival, everyone should have a happy time.
Before dinner, Song Fenglan and Qin Zihang made lanterns together. They should have finished the lanterns a few days earlier, but they didn't have time then and had to wait until now.
"Mom, is that a little rabbit on this?" Qin Zihang asked, seeing the pattern her mother had drawn on the lantern paper.
“Yes,” Song Fenglan said, “make a few different ones.”
Song Fenglan looked at her son, who was squatting beside her, and said, "Get a small stool and sit down."
“Mom is sitting, I don’t need to sit,” Qin Zihang said.
This time, Song Fenglan made two more simple lanterns. Zhang Xiaohu often comes over, and if he sees Qin Zihang playing with lanterns, he'll probably stare longingly at them. Since Zhang Xiaohu is protective of Qin Zihang, Song Fenglan is naturally happy to treat him better.
As for whether Zhang Xiaohu liked reading or not, Song Fenglan didn't care. She never thought that her child would become silly if he played with Zhang Xiaohu.
No, it depends on the child themselves, not on others.
It's a good thing for children to have playmates. Song Fenglan doesn't have many requirements for her children's playmates, as long as they have good character.
After the family of three finished their meal, they sat in the yard, where some pastries were laid out on a small table.
"It's still a little bright outside, when will it get dark?" Qin Zihang asked. "I'm already thinking about playing with lanterns."
“You can order it now.” Song Fenglan nodded.
Qin Yizhou went to light the lantern for Qin Zihang. Just as the lantern was lit, Qin Zihang called out to the neighbor, "Brother Xiaohu, come quick!"
Song Fenglan chuckled; her son really enjoyed playing with Zhang Xiaohu.
“You can also let your little tiger brother’s brother come over,” Song Fenglan said.
"Little Tiger, your brother is coming too!" Qin Zihang called out again.
“You can call him Brother Wen,” Song Fenglan said.
"Brother Wen, come here!" Qin Zihang shouted loudly, "My mother made lanterns for us."
Qin Zihang knows how to share; he didn't insist on carrying the lantern alone.
“I’m coming,” Zhang Xiaohu replied.
Zhang Xiaohu turned around and urged his brother, "Brother, hurry up, hurry up, don't dawdle."
"Alright," Zhang Wen said.
Zhang Xiaohu didn't wait for his brother any longer; he ran to the next room first. He saw three lanterns of different shapes and circled the lantern in Qin Zihang's hand twice.
"Can we play with lanterns at this time of year?" Zhang Xiaohu asked. "Aren't we supposed to play with them after the New Year?"
"You can play now." Qin Zihang didn't know why Zhang Xiaohu said he would play after the New Year. What he knew was that his mother was making it for him to play with now, so he could play with it now.
Qin Yizhou lit a lantern and handed it to Zhang Xiaohu, who looked at it curiously.
"It's beautiful," Zhang Xiaohu said.
Zhang Wen arrived quickly, followed by Fatty Sister-in-law.
The adults have to come and keep an eye on the child; it's not appropriate to leave Qin Yizhou and his wife to watch over the child.
"Such exquisite lanterns?" The plump woman looked at the lanterns. "Did you make these, sister-in-law?"
“I paint,” Song Fenglan said. “I work with bamboo strips and frames…”
"I glued it on," Qin Zihang quickly replied, adding that he had also helped with it.
"Hangbao is amazing." The chubby woman gave a thumbs up.
"Little Tiger Brother, Wen Brother, lantern, lantern," Qin Zihang said.
Zhang Wen also took the lantern with the lit candle, feeling a warmth in his heart. At home, it wasn't that his parents treated him badly, but he was a bit older, and his mother rarely bought him toys. His younger brother, on the other hand, often asked to play with them. His parents occasionally bought toys for Zhang Xiaohu, so Zhang Wen played with very few of them.
Song Fenglan and her husband would occasionally take care of Zhang Wen, remembering that Zhang Wen was the eldest son in other people's families.
Zhang Wen was very happy; the uncle and aunt next door were so kind.
Recently, Zhang Wen hasn't had as many pastries as Zhang Xiaohu at Song Fenglan's house, but he's still eating more than he used to at home. Zhang Wen doesn't feel that Song Fenglan and her husband value Zhang Xiaohu more; he feels valued as well, even though he doesn't always come over like his younger brother Zhang Xiaohu, and his uncle and aunt still remember him.
"Aren't you going to thank your uncle and aunt?" said the plump woman.
"Thank you, Uncle. Thank you, Aunt." Zhang Wen and Zhang Xiaohu said in unison.
"Go ahead and play," Song Fenglan said. "Play at home for a bit. Xiao Hu and Xiao Wen, take the lanterns back later. When you light them, you have to blow out the candles. Don't just leave them lying around."
Song Fenglan was worried that the children wouldn't understand and might leave lanterns with unblown candles lying around, which could cause a fire.
“I’m looking after them,” the plump woman said with a smile. “You’re the one who cares about them the most. Even we parents don’t do as well as you do.”
The plump woman noticed that her two children were smiling more and had gained weight; they had eaten quite a bit of food from Song Fenglan's house. Feeling embarrassed, she sometimes brought over some of the vegetables she grew herself.
Fan Yani and Yue Hongwei arrived, bringing some oranges with them. Their family received Song Fenglan's gift.
The pastries that were sent were exquisite and tasted wonderful. Fan Yani wondered if Qin Yizhou had saved the world in his past life to have such a good wife. No, perhaps it was because Qin Yizhou had done many good deeds in this life.
"Sister-in-law Fenglan, Sister-in-law Pang," Fan Yani said with a smile, "you two should try these oranges, they're quite sweet."
"Sit down, everyone." Song Fenglan was about to go to the room to get a stool when Qin Yizhou pressed her down.
"I'll go get a chair," Yue Hongwei said. "I can manage to move a chair."
Yue Hongwei felt awkward asking Qin Yizhou to move the chairs; he figured he could do it himself. Qin Yizhou, however, got up and went with Yue Hongwei to move the chairs. Fan Yani looked at the lanterns in the three children's hands and thought they were quite exquisite and beautiful.
Fan Yani wanted to play with the lantern, but as an adult, she couldn't possibly compete with a child. She just sat aside and watched.
"Have something to eat," Song Fenglan said, as various kinds of pastries were laid out on the table.
"Sister-in-law Fenglan, you really know how to soothe children," Fan Yani exclaimed. "I need to learn more from you and strive to be a good mother like you in the future. It's not bad to be like Sister-in-law Pang."
“I think you want to be with Fenglan. Not to mention you, I also want to be with Fenglan,” said the plump woman. “Your sister-in-law Fenglan is really great.”
“Of course, who wouldn’t want that?” Fan Yani said.
“You guys are good too.” Song Fenglan looked at Fan Yani, and she thought Fan Yani was indeed good.
Fan Yani was originally a child bride, but not anymore. When Song Fenglan was with Fan Yani, she saw the figure of a woman from the future.
Song Fenglan knew that Fan Yani was most likely a time-traveling heroine, but she didn't tell Fan Yani that she herself was a time traveler. Song Fenglan was a reincarnation, initially without memories of her past life, which she only regained later. Song Fenglan was more like a woman of this era than Fan Yani, and there was no need to discuss such private matters.
Fan Yani picked up a pastry from the table. This pastry was truly delicious, much better than the ones she had bought in her previous life. Fan Yani thought that the pastries she had bought were all inexpensive, not particularly high-end. Song Fenglan's pastry-making skills were simply too good.
"Sister-in-law Fenglan, your cooking skills are good enough to be a head chef." Fan Yani gave a thumbs up.
"How could that be? My mom used to always criticize me, saying I wasn't good enough, that I couldn't control the heat properly, and that my pastries were still lacking." Song Fenglan recalled those things from the past. She didn't want to learn these things back then, but her mother insisted that she learn them.
When her parents were sent to a farm, Song Fenglan thought about how she should have studied more back then. She tried her best to learn more.
"That's it? It's still not quite there?" Fan Yani exclaimed in surprise. "I don't even know how far I am from it. Auntie's standards are really high."
“It’s not that my mom is good at it, it’s that she really does it very well,” Song Fenglan said. “My aunt is also quite good at making pastries.”
Aunt Yu was born to a concubine, so she wasn't bad in terms of education. Both Song's mother and Aunt Yu studied, it was just a matter of degree.
“Your whole family is amazing,” Fan Yani said. “If it were me, I would steam some rice cakes and make some bowl-shaped rice cakes. I just need rice flour, some water, some sugar, and steam it.”
Despite saying that, Fan Yani was actually quite capable; her cooking skills weren't too bad. However, she was always rather modest in front of people like Song Fenglan, preferring to praise others' work.
“You’re just being modest,” Song Fenglan said.
“No need to be modest, what’s there to be modest about?” said the plump woman. “Xiao Hu says every day that my cooking is not good, and that I don’t make pastries for him. Xiao Hu comes here all the time, and I don’t know how much food he has eaten from Feng Lan’s house. I feel embarrassed.”
“A little child,” Song Fenglan said.
“A boy eats quite a lot,” said the plump woman. “And you also gave Xiaowen a lot to eat, so that’s even more.”
Watching Song Fenglan and Fatty Sister-in-law talk like this, Fan Yani felt that their relationship was really good, and that was nice. These people were all very simple and honest, without so many hidden agendas. Fan Yani liked people like Song Fenglan and Fatty Sister-in-law; they were straightforward and uncomplicated.
At the Qin family home in the capital, Sister-in-law Qin did not come for dinner. Brother Qin ate with his parents and children. Brother Qin did not talk much about his wife at the dinner table. After dinner, he did not rush to take his children home, but instead accompanied his parents to enjoy the moon.
Seeing that her eldest son and his child weren't in a hurry to go back, Qin's mother naturally wouldn't urge them to hurry up. Of course, she hoped her eldest son and his family could stay a little longer. Before, when her eldest son's family lived in the house, it was lively and bustling. After they moved out, the house became much quieter, and Qin's mother didn't like this quiet house.
However, Qin's mother couldn't suggest that her eldest son move back into his own room, as her husband would never agree. Qin's mother still had to consider her husband's opinion.
"Eat more," Qin's mother said. "But the mooncakes this year don't taste very good."
Qin's mother bought these mooncakes from outside, and she always felt that they tasted much worse than before. If the mooncakes tasted better, she might have eaten a few more bites.
"When you go back, take a few more mooncakes with you. Your father and I can't eat that many," Qin's mother said. "Besides the ones we bought ourselves, there are also gifts from others. We have plenty."
"Okay, I'll take it back in a bit," Brother Qin said. "Mom, if you need anything, just call us anytime."
"I'll definitely call you if anything happens," Qin's mother said.
“Since we live so close, if it’s inconvenient for you to call us, you can have someone else come and call us,” Brother Qin said.
Brother Qin wanted to move back immediately, but he couldn't say so. They had only moved out of their room recently, so they had to wait until their parents' anger subsided before they could discuss other things.
Now, Brother Qin is acting as if he cares about his parents.
"Did Yizhou call?" Brother Qin asked.
"I called a couple of days ago," Qin's mother said.
"Didn't you make a phone call today?" Brother Qin asked.
“They didn’t make the call,” Qin’s mother said. “They did have a telephone installed, but it was installed by Fenglan’s workplace, and the call charges were paid by Fenglan’s workplace.”
Qin Yizhou directly told his mother that even if they had a phone at home, they shouldn't call unnecessarily; phone calls are expensive, and they should be careful. Qin Yizhou was already benefiting from his wife Song Fenglan's services, so it would be inappropriate for him to use the phone for free all the time.
Qin's mother could only express her understanding, but in her heart she wondered if her youngest son and daughter-in-law had a problem with her. She didn't dare ask aloud; how could anyone else possibly answer such a question?
"Don't call when there's nothing to do. Just call every now and then to let them know they're safe, that's enough," Qin's mother said.
"They live in the southern part of the city, not in the capital. If we lived closer, we could walk there without even having to call," Brother Qin said.
"It's inconvenient," Qin's mother said.
With her youngest son not around and her eldest son having moved out of his room, Qin's mother felt very lost.
Brother Qin stopped there, letting his parents know that he was there for them, and that Qin Yizhou couldn't always be by their side. Brother Qin had his own agenda; since his parents were going to give them the house and a large portion of their assets, he wanted to get those things as soon as possible.
The parents wrote a written agreement, but it's still possible to go back on your word in this kind of situation.
What Brother Qin needs to do is make his parents feel that he is much better than Qin Yizhou. Qin Yizhou is not good at being filial to his parents, but he, as the older brother, can.
Qin's father didn't say much; he sat quietly to the side.
After a while, Brother Qin took the two children back, along with some food.
When Brother Qin and the others returned home, Sister-in-law Qin was sitting in the living room, eating several oranges from the fruit plate. The oranges were rather sour and not very sweet, but Sister-in-law Qin ate them all.
Sister-in-law Qin didn't cook. She remembered what she'd heard when she visited her parents, and seeing her empty house again, she had no appetite for cooking. Eat, eat, eat—what was there to eat? She was all alone; why should she cook? Something else would suffice.
"This is what Mom asked me to bring you to eat; it's still warm," Brother Qin said. "Steamed dumplings and some meat."
"Did she ask you to bring it, or did you bring it yourself?" Sister-in-law Qin asked.
"Mom asked why you didn't go over, and I said you had something to do. She told me to bring you some food," Brother Qin said. "She was the one who asked, so how could I possibly offer to bring you food? Have you eaten yet?"
"I've already eaten!" Sister-in-law Qin said, not very happily.
Brother Qin looked at the orange peels on the table. "Did you eat all the oranges?"
"Can't I even eat a few oranges?" Sister-in-law Qin said irritably.
“Yes, yes, you can eat it,” Brother Qin said. “There are also mooncakes. Didn’t you used to really like these sesame mooncakes? Mom specially brought these because she said you like them.”
Sister-in-law Qin's eyes reddened as she looked at the food on the table.
To be honest, Mr. and Mrs. Qin were quite good to Mrs. Qin. Even though she made such a big mistake, Mr. Qin only asked Mr. Qin's older brother to move out of his room. Mrs. Qin is now demanding a share of the property, and Mr. and Mrs. Qin have even called Qin Yizhou.
Qin's parents clearly valued Qin's eldest son's family more and didn't care as much about Qin Yizhou's family. It was Qin's sister-in-law who got stuck on this idea, insisting that Qin's parents favored Qin Yizhou and his wife.
"Eat up." Brother Qin took out one of the mooncakes and stuffed it into Sister-in-law Qin's hand. He saw his wife sitting there alone and figured she had probably been sitting there alone for a long time.
It wasn't that Brother Qin had a problem with his father-in-law, but rather that he didn't think his wife's family would allow her to spend the Mid-Autumn Festival there. His father-in-law had lost his job, and neither Brother Qin nor his father had offered any help. Sister-in-law Qin was very unhappy, not to mention the Tian family.
Sister-in-law Qin took a bite of the mooncake, and tears fell from her eyes.
The Song family had a very happy Mid-Autumn Festival this year. If there was any regret, it was that Song Fenglan was not by their side.
Song's mother knew that if Song Fenglan hadn't gone to Nancheng and become a researcher, their family wouldn't have been exonerated so quickly, and they wouldn't have been able to spend the Mid-Autumn Festival at home so soon.
"It's getting cold." Sister-in-law Song knew that everyone was thinking of Song Fenglan.
Sister-in-law Song was the wife Brother Song married on the farm. Sister-in-law Song and Song Fenglan had never met, but Song Fenglan had sent them many things over the years. Sister-in-law Song knew perfectly well how much they had benefited. Others might think that Song Fenglan was enjoying herself in the city, but no, Song Fenglan had to work hard to support them; the pressure on Song Fenglan was immense.
Sister-in-law Song is not Sister-in-law Qin; she can sense Song Fenglan's kindness.
"I plan to knit a few sweaters for Fenglan," said Sister-in-law Song. "It's much more convenient for us to buy things in the capital."
Sister-in-law Song didn't know what Nancheng was like; she only knew that the capital was better than Nancheng.
"I wonder if Fenglan will be back by then," said Sister-in-law Song. "If she is back, we should prepare some things for her and put them in her house. Even if she comes back, she will still need clothes in the south of the city, and she will need to have some clean clothes to change into. The clothes we had before may not be enough."
Mother Song looked at Sister-in-law Song, who wasn't just putting on an act; she genuinely thought Song Fenglan was a good person.
“The children asked when their aunt would come back, as they haven’t seen her yet,” said Sister-in-law Song. “I told them their aunt hasn’t come back yet, and that she’s working hard.”
"Let's prepare some things," said Song's mother.
"Mom, don't worry, leave this little thing to us," said Sister-in-law Song. "We'll clean up the house and plant some flowers and plants in the yard. We'll also replace the curtains in the house that need replacing."
Sister-in-law Song thought about how dirty some of the curtains were. Those houses had originally been designated by the government as office space or for other people to live in. Now they'd been vacated, but some things inside were unusable. Sister-in-law Song didn't know what those things had been like before, but she knew they needed to be replaced.
Women in the countryside are generally quite frugal. When Sister-in-law Song saw those things, she wasn't thinking about whether they were still usable. What she was thinking was that those things were old and needed to be replaced. She couldn't let her sister-in-law do so much for them, and then not do things properly. That would be bullying. They still had to do things properly.
"Is the Qin family really going to prepare a house for Fenglan and the others?" Sister-in-law Song asked.
“They prepare theirs, we prepare ours,” said Song’s mother.
“That’s true,” said Sister-in-law Song. “We’ll prepare our own, so they won’t have anything to say later. We’ll leave each other alone, each preparing our own house and its contents.”
Sister-in-law Song wondered if Sister-in-law Qin would think that the Song family had prepared all the nice furniture for the renovations, and if so, Sister-in-law Song would object. Sister-in-law Song felt that Sister-in-law Qin was being unreasonable, unwilling to even put on a show of politeness.
Anyway, Sister-in-law Song was determined to do these things well. If it weren't for Dr. Lin, Qin Yizhou's uncle, her child would have given up long ago. Ultimately, it was because Song Fenglan got married. Sister-in-law Song didn't know the circumstances under which Song Fenglan got married, or what had happened in between. She didn't know.
Sister-in-law Song did not approach Sister-in-law Qin, nor did she speak much with the Qin family.
But given the Qin family's past actions, the Song family shouldn't say much to those people. Qin Yizhou may be good, but that doesn't mean the entire Qin family is good.
After moon-viewing, Zhang Xiaohu and his brother took lanterns and went home with their parents.
Back home, Sister-in-law Pang couldn't help but say, "Fenglan is so thoughtful; she made lanterns for both children."
The panda one was really difficult to make, and Song Fenglan didn't have enough time to make it. Now, with the simple lantern, Song Fenglan and Qin Yizhou made it together.
"That's good." Zhang Chenghai nodded.
The plump woman whispered, "Didn't Fenglan send pastries to our families? She also sent some to Gao Xiuxiu's family. Gao Xiuxiu said she's pregnant and can't eat just anything, and her daughter is still young, so she can't eat just anything either. She said she'd give the pastries to her mother-in-law and her husband so it wouldn't be a waste. Gao Xiuxiu said that in front of Fenglan, does she think Fenglan would give pregnant women things that aren't suitable for them?"
Fatty Sister felt that Gao Xiuxiu had gone too far, and that Song Fenglan shouldn't have sent food to Gao Xiuxiu.
Actually, Song Fenglan hadn't originally planned to give it to Gao Xiuxiu. But when Gao Xiuxiu saw Song Fenglan giving food to Fatty's family, she blurted out that Song Fenglan should also give some to their family.
Others overheard Gao Xiuxiu's words, and Song Fenglan thought for a moment before deciding to send some pastries to Gao Xiuxiu's family. After delivering them, Gao Xiuxiu said those things again, and Song Fenglan really wanted to take the pastries back, but Gao Xiuxiu held onto them tightly.
Song Fenglan didn't say anything else; if Gao Xiuxiu didn't want to eat, then she shouldn't.
At first, when Song Fenglan first moved in, she didn't think Gao Xiuxiu was like this. Everything changed after Gao Xiuxiu became pregnant. Perhaps Gao Xiuxiu was like this before, but Song Fenglan didn't have much contact with her, which is why she didn't notice.
"You really say that?" Zhang Chenghai asked in surprise.
“I was in the yard at the time, and Gao Xiuxiu was talking at their door,” the fat woman said. “Gao Xiuxiu didn’t even let Fenglan into the house. Gao Xiuxiu is pregnant, and she thinks she’s carrying a golden nugget.”
It's not that people have to go into Gao Xiuxiu's house; delivering things to the door is perfectly normal. It's just that Gao Xiuxiu shouldn't have said those things. If she was going to say those things, she should have simply refused the pastries. Since she accepted the pastries, and someone in the house could eat them, she shouldn't have said anything.
“Gao Xiuxiu saw Fenglan give our family some things, and she's been keeping an eye on them,” said the plump woman. “We'll see if she gives birth to a boy or a girl this time.”
Fatty hoped that Gao Xiuxiu would give birth to a girl, but she also thought that it was better for a woman to give birth to a son. Given the Fang family's situation, Fang Xudong and Grandma Fang were both waiting for Gao Xiuxiu to give birth to a son.
“That is indeed excessive,” Zhang Chenghai said.
"If Gao Xiuxiu weren't pregnant, I really would have said something," the plump woman said. "How can someone be so shameless? Gao Xiuxiu is carrying her husband's child, not someone else's. Does she have to expect everyone to treat her so well?"
Fatty Sister-in-law really couldn't understand Gao Xiuxiu. She wasn't even this smug when she was pregnant herself. Fatty Sister-in-law did a lot of work during her pregnancy, and she still had to do things during her postpartum period. She didn't think she was working hard at all. It's her own family's business; if she didn't do it herself, no one else would do it for her.
Song Fenglan didn't say much about Gao Xiuxiu at home; she didn't plan to send her anything anymore. Gao Xiuxiu was really taking advantage of her pregnancy to say things she shouldn't have.
"There's still some food left; we'll save it for tomorrow," Song Fenglan said.
Qin Yizhou tidied up the things outside and brought them inside; the table and chairs were already set up. Qin Zihang's lantern had been blown out, but he still wanted to hang it inside the room. The lantern was hung next to the window, a certain distance from the bed, because Qin Yizhou and his wife were worried that their son might accidentally touch it at night. The lantern also had a long stick attached, and they were afraid the stick might poke the child, especially in the eye.
"You did these things when you were in the capital?" Qin Yizhou asked.
“I’ve done some, but not much,” Song Fenglan said. “My aunt’s family has quite a few people, so if we’re going to do something, we’ll have to do a lot.”
Although Song Fenglan and her husband made some pastries to give to their neighbors, it felt different from making them at Aunt Yu's house. One said they were making them at home, taking charge, while the other was living under someone else's roof, making them at a relative's house.
“Didn’t you see how happy Zihang is? He loves his home,” Song Fenglan said.
"And you?" Qin Yizhou asked.
“Of course I love my own home,” Song Fenglan replied.
Qin Yizhou hugged Song Fenglan tightly, saying, "I'm very happy today."
They spent the Mid-Autumn Festival together as a family, and it felt very heartwarming.
Previously, Li Hui had spent the Mid-Autumn Festival at Shi Guilan's house, and Shi Guilan had invited her to join them. Now, Li Hui and her husband were spending the Mid-Autumn Festival alone. It wasn't exactly lonely, but Li Hui felt a chill in her heart.
Guo Peng liked Li Hui very much. He even bought some delicious food to take home, but Li Hui didn't enjoy it.
While Song Fenglan and the others were enjoying the moon in the courtyard, Li Hui and her husband passed by. They saw them, but there was no way they would go in. Given their relationship with Song Fenglan's family, it was simply inappropriate for them to be together.
While others celebrated the Mid-Autumn Festival in a lively and festive manner, Li Hui and her husband did not celebrate it in such a lively way.
Actually, most families are similar to Li Hui and her husband's; they have children, and the more children, the more lively it is. Some families only get to eat more during festivals, which makes both children and adults very happy.
Li Hui slept with her back to Guo Peng, and Guo Peng didn't say anything. Li Hui didn't love Guo Peng, so Guo Peng could only try to win her over little by little.
Early in the morning, Song's mother delivered some things to Aunt Yu's house. She had sent some things before the Mid-Autumn Festival. These things were food given to the Song family by others. The Song family naturally did not want them, but they could not refuse a few mooncakes, so they accepted them.
The Song family couldn't eat that much, so Song's mother packed it up and sent it to Aunt Yu.
"If your family doesn't like it, you can give it away," Song's mother said, not minding.
"Your family can keep it for yourselves," Aunt Yu said.
“We’ve kept some at home,” said Song’s mother. “The two children at home really like to eat these things, and they’ve eaten too much of them. They need to eat in moderation, and they can’t eat too much at once.”
Thinking of her grandchildren, who had grown up on a farm and never enjoyed a good life, Song's mother felt that now that they had come to the capital, they were eager to eat and dress well. She also asked her sister-in-law to take extra care of her grandchildren and not let them develop a bad personality.
"Thank you so much, sister," Aunt Yu said. "This much food is enough for our family to eat for many days."
"This stuff can't be kept for too long," said Song's mother.
"Okay." Aunt Yu nodded.
"Eat something yourself too," said Song's mother. Aunt Yu looked a little thin, and Song's mother thought that Aunt Yu wasn't having a good time in her husband's family.
When Song's mother returned to the capital, she would visit Aunt Yu whenever she had time, inviting her to her home for a chat. She wanted the Jiang family to know that Aunt Yu had family to rely on. She wanted to show that Aunt Yu could live well even without the Jiang family.
"I ate, I ate. I ate the things you brought, sister," Aunt Yu said, though she ate very little, leaving most of it for her grandchildren. Even her husband ate more than she did. "You've all brought quite a lot of things lately."
“These things were given to our family by someone else. I’m glad you don’t mind,” said Song’s mother.
"Auntie." Jiang Yufei came to her parents' house, wondering if they would have any good things there.
When Jiang Yufei was very young, Song's mother often sent gifts to Aunt Yu, especially around holidays. Jiang Yufei remembered some things from her childhood, so she came to visit her parents.
"Wow, Auntie, did you send all these things?" Jiang Yufei looked at the things on the table. "Auntie, you didn't even send me any gifts."
“You are the junior.” Song’s mother saw the greed in Jiang Yufei’s eyes. Jiang Yufei had made things difficult for Song Fenglan, so Song’s mother could not possibly like Jiang Yufei. “The things have been delivered, I’ll go back first.”
Song's mother was too lazy to talk to Jiang Yufei, and she didn't particularly want to talk to the rest of the Jiang family either. Even though the rest of the Jiang family hadn't done anything too outrageous, and were considered alright, Song's mother knew that it was Aunt Yu who was taking the blame. Aunt Yu was thin, while the rest of the Jiang family were relatively plump.
"I'll see you off." Aunt Yu stood up.
Aunt Yu escorted Song's mother to the door, where Song's mother stopped.
“I’m your sister, you can talk to me if you have something to say,” said Song’s mother. “Things are different now than before.”
"Yes." Aunt Yu nodded. "Sister, I'm doing well, I'm doing alright."
Aunt Yu was satisfied with her husband's family. Other families might divorce their wives and kick their daughters-in-law out. Aunt Yu wasn't kicked out; she stayed with her husband's family for all those years. You can't have it all; you have to be content with what you have.
Song's mother gently patted Aunt Yu's arm, but she didn't say anything bad about Jiang Yufei.
After seeing Song's mother off, Aunt Yu returned to the living room and saw Jiang Yufei taking those things out of the bag and sorting them into different piles.
"What are you doing..." Aunt Yu frowned.
“It’s sweet, and eating too much of it can cause cavities,” Jiang Yufei said. “You can’t eat that much either, so I’ll take some back for your grandchildren to try.”
Jiang Yufei looked at the items, wondering which ones were the most delicious and expensive. She wanted the more expensive ones, so she looked through them and placed the branded items in front of her.
"Take less." Aunt Yu was worried that her daughter-in-law would be unhappy if she saw her daughter taking so many things.
“This was a gift from my aunt.” Jiang Yufei knew what Aunt Yu was worried about, so she deliberately said, “Mom, you’re afraid of my sister-in-law, but I’m not. She’s my aunt, not hers.”
Just then, Jiang Yufei's sister-in-law stood at the living room door. She had just returned and heard what was said.
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