Chapter 39
Jiang Jiawei's aunt is named Jiang Huali. Jiang Jiawei's grandmother had two children, one was his father and the other was his aunt. The two siblings had a very good relationship. From childhood to adulthood, Jiang Jiawei had never seen the two of them quarrel over anything.
Jiang Jiawei's uncle is from another province. He came here to work and make a living before graduating from junior high school. He has known his aunt for a long time. His uncle's father passed away a few years ago, and his mother remarried when he was very young. He has basically lost contact with other relatives in his family. Therefore, he is closer to his grandmother's family than to his own family.
My aunt has three children. The eldest is a pair of twin sons who are both in the first year of junior high school. The youngest is a girl who hasn't turned three yet.
It was a little after 4 p.m. when they got off the train. Their uncle waved to them while holding Jiale. Their two younger brothers also came and shouted for their sister, their faces turning red.
They all call Jiang Jiawei "sister," but they don't call Jiang Jiayi "brother." When they were little, they learned to speak by calling her "Yi-yi" after their grandma and the others, but now they just call her Jiayi.
Jiang Jiawei took her younger sister from her uncle's arms and affectionately pressed her cheek against his. Although they hadn't seen each other for half a year, Lin Jiale still remembered her. She cupped her face in her little hands and called her "sister" in a childish voice.
Jiang Jiawei was absolutely smitten. "Ah Le, you're so cute! Give your sister a kiss!"
The uncle happily took their luggage, saying, "Come on, let's go home. Your aunt has prepared a big meal for you."
Once in the car, Jiang Jiayi and her two younger brothers chatted excitedly, while her uncle in the driver's seat chatted with Jiang Jiawei in the back, asking if she was tired from the ride, how long she had been sitting, if she was hungry, and how her father had been doing lately.
Lin Jiale sat obediently in Jiang Jiawei's lap, a car drawing a clear line between boys and girls based on the volume of the car.
In the kitchen upstairs at Jianyao Auto Repair Shop in the suburbs of Qingsong, the sounds of pots and pans were constant, and steam was billowing out of the windows.
"Jiajia!"
"aunt!"
Auntie, holding a spatula, opened her arms and hugged Jiang Jiawei tightly as she walked in. Now that Jiang Jiawei is older, she no longer fights for a hug like she did when she was little.
Jiang Jiayi: "Auntie."
Jiang Huali patted his back, "You've grown so tall, but you're still so thin."
Lin Jianyao carried the luggage into the house, saying, "Since you're here now, you should give them both a good meal."
“You need to make sure you get some nourishment.” Jiang Huali said, glancing at her son out of the corner of her eye, and scolded, “Lin Kaiyang! It’s time for dinner, why are you drinking milk?”
"I got it for my sister and the others."
"Oh, then we'll drink it later, not now."
“Look at you, you’ve misunderstood the child again. Your aunt has such a temper. Jiajia, now that you’re back, you should have a good talk with her. Your aunt will listen to you.”
"What are you saying? Get away."
"Auntie, let me help you."
Jiang Jiawei smiled and followed Jiang Huali into the kitchen.
The three boys went straight into the room after entering.
"You've lost so much weight, you'd better eat more later." Jiang Huali touched Jiang Jiawei's cheek with some concern and pointed to the dishes in the pot, "Look, Auntie made your favorite sweet and sour pork ribs."
"I haven't lost weight, my weight is still the same." Jiang Jiawei picked up her chopsticks. "I'll try a piece."
"How is it? Is it delicious?"
Jiang Jiawei opened her mouth and fanned herself with her hand.
"Haha, did you burn yourself? Help your aunt take these dishes out."
Jiang Jiawei was carrying dishes when Lin Jiale, who had entered the kitchen at some point, followed beside her, clutching his pants and looking up at her. "Jiale, don't stand here, you'll burn yourself."
Hearing the commotion outside the kitchen, Lin Jianyao quickly called out, "Ale, come over here to Dad. Your sister is serving the dishes. Come help Dad get the cups. We'll have some drinks later."
"good."
As soon as they heard about drinking beverages, the kids would run over excitedly.
Dinner time.
The three boys ate together like they were in a battle. They finished their food in a flash because they were engrossed in playing Monopoly. They each drank a symbolic beverage and then dashed into their room.
"Eat slowly, don't worry about them."
Jiang Huali moved next to Jiang Jiawei, peeled shrimp for her, and then picked up chopsticks to put fish meat on her plate. "Fish eyes, do you want some? You loved them when you were little."
Jiang Jiawei smiled.
"Will your auntie make you a bowl of soup?"
"good."
Do you want some meat?
"I don't want to eat it, the soup is fine."
Lin Jianyao raised his glass and clinked it lightly with Jiang Jiawei's. "Look, your aunt is the happiest when you come, and Ale is happy too." He swung his leg, and Lin Jiale, sitting on his lap, grinned as if she were on a rocking horse. "Isn't that right, Ale? You like your older sister the most."
Ah Le buried his head in his father's arms.
"Are you shy?"
Jiang Jiawei was amused by her younger sister and remembered that she had brought her camera. "A-Le, I'll take a picture of you in a bit."
"Taking photos? You're taking Ah Le to take photos?" Jiang Huali placed the soup on the table. "Be careful, it's hot."
"No, I have a camera."
"A camera? Did your dad buy it for you?"
"It was lent to me by a friend."
"Which friend would lend you a camera? It must be expensive, be careful." Jiang Huali was clearly not very interested in the camera; she was more concerned about how much food Jiang Jiawei had eaten. She reached out and brushed away a stray strand of hair. "If you can't eat rice, then don't. Eat more vegetables." As she spoke, she got up and re-tied Jiang Jiawei's loose hair into a bun.
After dinner.
Jiang Jiawei offered to help Jiang Huali clean up the mess on the table, but was forcefully pushed away, with the refusal being told, "I'll do it. You go play with your younger brother and the others."
“I’m not playing with them, I’m playing with Ah Le.”
"Okay, then you can play with Ah Le."
Jiang Jiawei hugged Lin Jiale, and Lin Jianyao stood up to help his wife tidy up the table.
Jiang Jiawei said enthusiastically, "Ah Le, come here, let me take a picture of you."
While it was also a group of children, Mu Zhengxi's group wasn't so happy.
Zeng Yuan took him to a ski resort in the north. It was called a ski vacation, but it was actually a social event. Several of Mu Shaoqing's business friends brought their children to Hanyang for fun, and Zeng Yuan accompanied them. Mu Zhengxi, as the host's son, was also forced to accompany them in order to show that his family was harmonious and loving.
There were two children the same age as Mu Zhengxi, and two younger sisters who were three or four years younger. Zeng Yuan arranged for Mu Zhengxi to teach one of them to ski.
The Princess and the Pea: This won't do, that won't do.
Mu Zhengxi was constantly on the verge of giving up, but he had to endure it because of the lure of money.
Jiang Jiawei has found her ideal job—car repair—and plans to study mechanical engineering.
Mu Zhengxi vowed that he would never become a ski instructor in his life.
"Oh no, not just skiing, I don't teach anything. They're too stupid. How can there be such stupid kids?"
Jiang Jiawei laughed on the other end of the phone, sounding quite gloating.
Jiang Weichao bought her a cell phone as a reward for achieving a record-breaking sixteenth place in the final exam.
"What are you laughing at, Jiang Jiawei?" Mu Zhengxi scoffed, unable to bear seeing others happy when he was unhappy himself. "You call yourself a car mechanic? With your physique, can you even do it?"
"I can do it!"
"Really? Then take a few photos and show them to me later."
Just as Jiang Jiawei was about to speak, she was interrupted by Ale, who had run over to find her. Ale was standing by the bed holding a banana and dragging a storybook in the other hand. Jiang Jiawei picked her up and put her on the bed.
"My sister doesn't want to eat."
Ah Le enthusiastically stuffed the banana in his hand to Jiang Jiawei's mouth, saying, "Eat."
Mu Zhengxi frowned. "Who are you talking to?"
“My sister,” Jiang Jiawei replied, taking a bite of banana, and placed the phone next to Lin Jiale’s ear. “A-Le, call him brother.”
"Dede," the child mumbled incoherently, his mouth full of food.
Mu Zhengxi, who had just thought the term "brother" should be removed from the dictionary, now smiled and softened his voice, "Little friend, how old are you?"
"You said you're three years old."
"It's all broken."
"What name should I add?"
"Lin Jiale".
"Ning Jiale!"
"Sweetie, I'll buy you candy next time."
"good."
This time, Lin Jiale didn't need Jiang Jiawei to teach her; she nodded to herself after finishing her explanation.
"I'm going to read a storybook to my sister."
Mu Zhengxi pursed his lips and said in a sour tone that he didn't even realize it, "So, Jiang Jiawei really wants to be a kindergarten teacher."
"What? I'm the older sister~"
"I'm not saying goodbye anymore, bye-bye."
Jiang Jiawei hung up the phone without hesitation.
"So what if you have a younger sister? She's more important than me, huh?" Mu Zhengxi angrily stuffed his phone into his pocket. Someone knocked on the door.
Who is it?
Mu Zhengxi angrily pulled the door open forcefully.
"Brother Zhengxi!"
Close it halfway.
"What do you want from me?"
"Let's go play pool together, Auntie said you can—"
Here we go again, he's bringing up his mother again.
"I'm not going."
The door closed.
Playing billiards costs extra for training.
Jiang Jiawei stayed in Qingsong until three days before Lunar New Year's Eve. Her uncle borrowed a minivan from a friend, and the whole family went back to her grandmother's house together.
On New Year's Eve, because he went back to pay respects to his ancestors, Mu Zhengxi was able to see his parents and his father's entire family, which was a rare occasion.
Mu Zhengxi's grandparents had a total of five children. Mu Shaoqing was the third child, with an older sister and an older brother. Mu Yashan's father was the fourth child, and the fifth child was Mu Zhengxi's youngest aunt. Because she was in the navy, she was rarely seen and no one knew where she was.
After my grandfather passed away, my eldest aunt became the head of the family. My younger siblings respected and obeyed her, and they almost always listened to her instructions.
Because he grew up with Jiang Wenqing, Mu Zhengxi wasn't very familiar with his aunts and uncles, let alone their children. Although he was a member of the Mu family, he often felt like a ghost in these family gatherings.
Fortunately, Mu Yashan was there.
Mu Zhengxi choked on his cigarette and coughed violently a few times. Mu Yashan had stolen her aunt's cigarettes, which had a high nicotine content and were very spicy and strong when they entered her mouth.
The two squatting in the corner of the yard tried to imitate the adults by puffing out cigarettes awkwardly. After the first puff, Mu Zhengxi disgustedly threw the cigarette into the trash can. He glanced at it and was shocked. It has to be said that genes are really amazing. Mu Yashan smokes exactly like her father.
Mu Yashan glanced up at him, looking every bit like a big sister, much like his aunt, and asked, "Hey, did you know Mu Zhengting is back in China?"
Mu Zhengxi rolled his eyes, hands in his pockets. "I'm not blind."
He had just finished the ancestral worship ceremony, and it's not like he didn't see anyone.
“That’s not what I meant. I heard from my dad that he came back for an internship at the end of the year. It seems your dad sent him to familiarize himself with the business in Hong Kong first, and he will return to Hanyang after the Lunar New Year.”
Mu Zhengting graduated from university this year, so it's not surprising that he returned to China for an internship.
I just... came back at the end of the year.
Mu Zhengting's biological mother also returned at the end of the year.
No wonder… Mu Zhengxi curled his lips with a hint of sarcasm; he should have guessed it.
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