Chapter 5 I Don't Want to Be Called Zhao Di
On the second floor of the tenement building, in the rightmost house, Liu Xiulian returned from selling vegetables and saw her daughter-in-law Cheng Ping mending clothes for her grandson Niu Niu. A smile appeared on her face.
I mentioned to my daughter-in-law that I seemed to have seen her sister at the market today.
Cheng Ping paused for a moment, then continued patching the holes.
Liu Xiulian didn't quite believe her daughter-in-law could really ignore her sister from her own family, as she seemed completely unconcerned.
With that said, she took her vegetable basket and washbasin and went to the communal kitchen outside to pick and wash vegetables, while chatting with her neighbors about gossip.
Although she didn't know what had caused the conflict between the two sisters, her daughter-in-law hadn't visited her younger sister for almost a month.
This was truly unusual, but Liu Xiulian didn't believe her daughter-in-law, who had a sharp tongue but a soft heart, could really abandon her own sister.
Sure enough, not long after, her daughter-in-law came out of the house with Da Ni and Er Ni.
"Mom, I'm going out for a bit. Remember to call Niu Niu back later and don't let him run around with Shuanzi and the others."
Liu Xiulian responded and watched as the three women went downstairs and walked away. Aunt Sun, who was standing nearby, said, "Your daughter-in-law went to see her sister again? Look at all these bags and packages. You have such a good temper. If it were my daughter-in-law, I would have made her go back to her parents' home!"
"Why are you constantly subsidizing your sister like this? What kind of logic is that? Are you abandoning this family to go live with your own sister?"
These words expressed even more righteous indignation and outrage than those spoken by Liu Xiulian herself!
Liu Xiulian smiled and defended her daughter-in-law: "It's a good thing that Xiaoping and her sister have a good relationship. What's wrong with that? Our family isn't short of food!"
As she spoke, Liu Xiulian sighed, "Xiaoping didn't mind Jianhua's situation and was willing to marry into our family. I treated Xiaoping like my own daughter. She is like a younger sister to Jianhua."
When Yan Jianhua was mentioned, others praised him as an outstanding child, but his health held him back, expressing their regret.
They all condemned the incompetent doctor who treated Yan Jianhua, saying that a perfectly fine young man had been crippled and his life was ruined.
Liu Xiulian had heard such words many times. If it were a few years ago, she might not have been as calm as she is now. Her son had married a good daughter-in-law and given the Yan family two good granddaughters and a good grandson. She was content with her life now.
If a person doesn't learn to be content, God will surely make him lose something so that he can learn the lesson of not being greedy.
Xiaoping is capable and doesn't look down on Jianhua. The young couple lives a good life. Although her in-laws are from the countryside, they are capable. Xiaoping's grandfather is a veteran who went through the Long March. Her husband, Yan Jigang, usually admires his grandfather the most.
Liu Xiulian didn't want to go against her husband's wishes. Besides, Xiaoping's younger sister married into a family in Beijing, and her husband said that her husband's family was very influential in the capital.
Liu Xiulian would no longer stop her daughter-in-law from sending things to her younger sister; sometimes she would even give her daughter-in-law things to take with her.
However, there was no need to say these things to these gossipy women. Liu Xiulian was calm and composed, with a kind face and a good temper. After picking the vegetables, she got up to wash them.
I don't know if my daughter-in-law will come back for lunch, and she didn't even leave a definite answer before she left.
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what to do?
Heh, of course we're returning what we took from the original owner!
Cheng Cheng inwardly grumbled, but outwardly remained nonchalant, grasping the other person's hand in return and appearing even more worried than the other person.
"Manman, why don't you return the things first, so you can shut my sister up!"
“You know my older sister has a strong temper. If she can’t see anything, she’ll definitely come looking for you, and then things will get out of hand…”
Cheng Cheng stopped at the right moment, leaving plenty of room for imagination and guiding the other person to think along the lines she had suggested.
Ding Manman immediately shuddered, but little did she know that something even worse was yet to come.
"Manman, I'm so sorry. Last time my mom, my sister-in-law, and my other two sisters-in-law came over, they found out I borrowed your clothes and gave me a really bad scolding!"
Cheng Cheng went all out; if she was going to act, she was going to go all the way. She pinched her thigh hard, and the pain brought tears to her eyes.
Ouch, that hurts!
If she can't get the money back, her heart will ache even more!
"They questioned me about other things, found out that you borrowed money from me, and even found out about my account books. I couldn't withstand the pressure and told them."
"They asked, and you just told them?!"
Ding Manman stood up abruptly, her face as black as the bottom of a pot, pointing at her with a feeling of disappointment and frustration.
"How could you tell them that? Couldn't you have just made up a few lies to get by?"
You're so stupid!
Ding Manman was so angry that her chest heaved, and she swallowed back the last sentence.
Sister Cheng often visits Cheng Cheng and knows that she cleans Cheng Cheng's house and does her laundry. She is not surprised that Sister Cheng noticed that Cheng Cheng has fewer clothes.
But how could Cheng Cheng be so stupid as to tell her mother and sister-in-law the truth? Didn't she know that a lie would have gotten to the bottom of it?!
She's stupid herself, and she dragged her down with her!
Cheng Cheng naturally noticed her expression and knew what she was thinking without needing to say anything. In Ding Manman's mind, the original owner was a conceited yet insecure, easily fooled, silly girl and a sucker.
Just wait, now is not the time to turn against each other. Cheng Cheng pretended not to see it, her face full of apology and regret.
“I’m so sorry, Manman… Waaah, my mom was so mean. She was going to bring my older sister, sister-in-law and second sister-in-law to find you. It took me a lot of effort to persuade them to stay.”
Upon hearing that Cheng Cheng's mother was coming to find her, Ding Manman immediately showed panic on her face. Knowing that Cheng Cheng had stopped them, she couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.
She sat down in a panic, clutching her chest, her eyes filled with confusion.
Cheng Cheng waited for a while, and when she still didn't mention returning the clothes and money, she started to shoo her away.
She made a rather large movement, raising her wrist to check her watch, and said, "Manman, it's getting late. My older sister might be on her way. You should hurry up, or it will be troublesome if you run into her."
Upon hearing this, Ding Manman immediately got up to leave.
Cheng Cheng called her again, "Manman, my older sister is coming soon and she'll ask me for clothes and money. What should I do?"
On the surface, they wore an innocent and pitiful expression, speaking with such conviction that they truly didn't know what to do.
Ding Manman paused, then immediately stepped back, grasped her hand tightly, and instructed, "I'll find the clothes when I get back and bring them over in a few days."
"Cheng Cheng, you must persuade your older sister not to come to my house. I will return the money to you as soon as possible."
"Remember this, you absolutely must persuade your older sister not to come looking for me!"
Cheng Cheng looked worried and nodded in agreement. She added, "Manman, I will do my best, but you know my older sister's temper. I don't know if I can persuade her."
"Yes, it's possible! It definitely is!"
Ding Manman spoke with absolute certainty, it was unclear whether she was trying to persuade Cheng Cheng or speaking to herself.
After instructing Cheng Cheng on how to deal with her older sister, Ding Manman hurriedly left.
She walked very fast, as if a dog was chasing her!
Cheng Cheng watched the other person's back, raised an eyebrow, and her delicate and bright face was filled with two words - arrogance!
You little rascal!
I can't handle you, huh!
She closed the door without hesitation. This time, she bolted the gate to prevent uninvited guests from swaggering in.
However, those words she just said were all meant to entice Ding Manman. She and her older sister hadn't reconciled at all, and hadn't seen each other for almost a month, not to mention how her mother and sister-in-law found out.
Sigh, how can I make up with my older sister?
Cheng Cheng was in a dilemma. Actually, this whole thing was the fault of the original owner of the body saying the wrong thing and hurting her older sister's feelings.
The two sisters argued because of Ding Manman. The original owner of this body was genuinely good to Ding Manman, as if she had truly saved her life!
Not only did she stand firmly on Ding Manman's side and defend Ding Manman in front of her older sister, but she also accused her older sister of meddling in other people's business and said that it was none of her business!
The two started arguing. Cheng Ping didn't tolerate the original owner's behavior and slapped her to wake her up and make her open her eyes to see what kind of life her own daughter was living!
The original owner of this body had never cared much about her daughter. After hearing her older sister's accusations, she got angry and blurted out sarcastic remarks, directly mocking her older sister for marrying a cripple!
In fact, the original owner regretted it as soon as she said it, but words spoken are like water spilled, there's no way to take them back.
Cheng Ping left in disappointment.
Cheng Cheng sighed three times, frowning as she pondered how to handle the situation. An apology was necessary, but how could she get her older sister's forgiveness?
Cheng Cheng was at a loss for what to do and couldn't come up with a good solution.
Okay, let's go to the bedroom and see what the little guy is doing.
"Xiaoxiao, my darling, what are you doing?"
As soon as Xiao Lingxiao heard his mother's voice, he pounced on Cheng Cheng's lap like a little cannonball.
Cheng Cheng sensed something was wrong and immediately squatted down.
"My little Xiaoxiao..."
Xiao Lingxiao's eyes were red, and his nose was also red. Large tears fell from his eyes.
"Xiaoxiao, baby, what's wrong? Don't cry, don't cry!"
Cheng Cheng frantically wiped away the little guy's tears, her back breaking out in a thin layer of sweat from her anxiety.
Although she was anxious and didn't know what was wrong with Xiaoxiao or why she suddenly cried, her tone remained gentle.
"Little Xiaoxiao, tell Mommy what's wrong?"
Little Lingxiao looked at his mother with teary eyes, saying nothing, but buried his head in his mother's arms and hugged her tightly.
"Mommy~"
Cheng Cheng hugged her, stroking the little one's back again and again, telling her, "Mommy is here, don't cry, don't cry, Mommy is here!"
Little Lingxiao hugged his mother's neck tightly, burying his face in her neck, and hot tears flowed into Cheng Cheng's collar.
It was so hot it made her heart skip a beat!
After a long while, Xiao Lingxiao finally sobbed, "Mom, I don't want to be called Zhao Di."
At that moment, Cheng Cheng felt like killing Ding Manman!
"Okay, okay, I won't call you that. You're Mommy's Xiaoxiao, not some Zhaodi!"
"Mom, I like it when you call me Xiaoxiao baby."
"Then from now on, Mommy will call you Xiaoxiao Baby every day, Xiaoxiao Baby, Xiaoxiao Baby..."
Every time Cheng Cheng calls out "Xiao Xiao Baby", Xiao Ling Xiao responds, and he never tires of it!
It seemed that only in this way could Xiao Lingxiao repeatedly verify that his mother was indeed the mother from yesterday, and had not changed back.
A note from the author:
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Good night~ See you tomorrow
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