Zhou Xiaolan didn't dare to argue with Tian Guihua. She nervously clenched her hands together, lowered her head, and looked like she had been bullied.
Seeing her shivering, Hua Xiangyun shivered. Tian Guihua immediately grabbed her hand nervously, "You're shivering, how cold must you be!"
Don't bother with those pointless people here, go inside and warm up.
As he spoke, he pushed Hua Xiangyun inside, turned around, and said to the neighbors, "In this cold weather, everyone should stay indoors to keep warm."
"In this freezing weather, if you want to watch others have fun, you should at least take care of your health. It wouldn't be worth catching a cold and then having to take medicine."
As Tian Guihua spoke, she glanced at Zhou Xiaolan, who was the one in charge of this commotion.
Faced with Zhou Xiaolan and Tian Guihua, everyone knew without a doubt which to choose.
Immediately someone laughed and said, "Sister Tian, you're right. It's interesting to watch some people perform, but the weather is really cold."
I have a lot of things to take care of at home, let's talk about it another time.
"We'll have to wait until the weather gets warmer. In this freezing weather, I don't have the refined tastes you all have."
Tian Guihua glanced at Zhou Xiaolan, who was still stunned, snorted coldly, and turned around to close the courtyard gate.
She didn't forget to call out loudly into the yard, "Little darling, go to your room and warm up first. I'll make you a cup of milk."
Zhou Xiaolan, "..."
Inside the courtyard, Tian Guihua wasn't just talking; Hua Xiangyun had just taken off her coat and wrapped herself in a quilt on the kang (a heated brick bed) when Tian Guihua came in with a cup of freshly prepared milk.
"You silly child, if you see her again, don't stand there and suffer in the cold with her."
If no one is home, go hide at Grandma Li's house across the street.
In Tian Guihua's opinion, her little darling was just too kind, which is why he was blocked at the door and had to ask for help to get out of the predicament.
Hua Xiangyun covered the cup with her hand and nodded obediently. She now had someone to rely on and wouldn't let herself suffer.
She could have easily pushed Zhou Xiaolan away, but she was surrounded by old neighbors who had watched her grow up, and she had to maintain this image of being pampered by her whole family and having no scruples.
"I didn't stay outside for long. She blocked my way and said some nonsensical things. I was afraid I might hurt her and cause trouble for my family." Hua Xiangyun finished speaking and took a sip of milk. The milky aroma immediately filled her mouth, so comforting!
Tian Guihua and her daughter-in-law then remembered Hua Xiangyun's extraordinary strength. "Yes, we need to control it a bit."
If this happens again, let's not confront each other. Your mother and I are both home.
Xun Liangfen, now an adult, has seen more of the world. "But if anyone bullies you, we shouldn't be afraid. We should stand up for you when necessary, so that others won't think you're easy to bully."
"If someone gets seriously injured, don't worry, you still have your family."
Hua Xiangyun felt a bit more favorably toward Xun Liangfen because of these words, and asked again, "But it's never good to hurt someone."
“You silly child,” Xun Liangfen once again regretted her neglect of her family over the years, “Your parents certainly don’t want you to get hurt between you and others.”
Besides, our child isn't the type to fight. If you hurt someone, it's definitely because the other person started it. We'll reason with her then.
Hua Xiangyun, “…” This is such a double standard, but I like it very much.
Receiving an approving look from her mother-in-law, Xun Liangfen spent most of the day holed up in Hua Xiangyun's room, telling her about her experiences and observations over the years.
Zhou Xiaolan returned home dejectedly. Her parents had gone to work, and only her younger brother, Zhou Xiaojun, sat at home, fiddling with some junk he had found somewhere.
"Where have you been all day? Hurry up and cook dinner, Mom and Dad will be back soon," Zhou Xiaojun said without looking up.
Looking at the messy table, Zhou Xiaolan felt a surge of anger rising in her chest. "You've brought back all this messy stuff again. The house isn't that big, and with all that junk, we can barely turn around."
"You're meddling too much," Zhou Xiaojun said impatiently. "It's not even on your bed, yet you're making such a fuss."
Zhou Xiaolan: "I'm your older sister, can't I say anything to you?"
"Sister?" Zhou Xiaojun dropped what he was holding, stood up and looked at her coldly. "If you weren't my sister, I would have beaten you up long ago."
Look at all the bad things you've done! You've caused so much trouble at home, and I haven't eaten meat for almost half a month.
Grandma was right. What's the point of a good-for-nothing studying so much? Sending him to the countryside early would at least allow them to send some grain back home every year.
When Zhou Xiaolan heard him mention Grandma Zhou, she trembled slightly. The old lady had always favored boys over girls, and with the New Year just around the corner, she knew she wouldn't have a good year.
No, she has to think of a way to move out of the house quickly.
Last year, that old woman wanted to marry her off and collect a dowry. She finally managed to persuade Bai Ailian, and the matter was prevented from happening thanks to her intervention.
But what about this year? Who knows, that old woman might be up to something again, so she has to be careful.
Thinking of Hua Xiangyun's indifference towards him just now, he felt a surge of resentment.
If only she were dead, then Second Brother Hua would come back, and she could find a way to marry into the Hua family. Then all these difficulties would simply disappear.
The thought that the damned person was still alive, and that she still had to appease him, made Zhou Xiaolan's face darken even more.
Zhou Xiaojun misunderstood, saying, "Don't give me that look. Only someone with your mouth knows how to coax Mom."
Don't forget the stupid things you did before, causing such a huge loss to the family. Do you think your parents will still let you get away with it?
Zhou Xiaolan suddenly looked up at him, "Did Mom and Dad say something?"
This is also what Zhou Xiaolan feels most unbalanced about. Zhou Xiaojun knows about everything in the family, big or small, but he avoids her from many things.
"What could be wrong? It's just that your parents are worried that you'll suffer too much in the countryside, so they've been busy finding you a place to live these past few days," Zhou Xiaojun said gloatingly. Anyway, this matter couldn't be kept secret for long, so it didn't matter whether they told them sooner or later.
Zhou Xiaolan's face stiffened. "Didn't we agree that after I graduate from high school, maybe a factory will hire me and I won't have to go to the countryside..."
"Oh, you really have wild ideas. How long has it been since our county has hired workers? Even if we did, do you think you'd get a chance?"
Zhou Xiaojun's contemptuous tone, coupled with the sarcasm in his words, prevented Zhou Xiaolan from cursing him, no matter how angry she was.
"Do you know who Mom and Dad found?" Zhou Xiaolan still had a glimmer of hope in her heart. She knew all the families in the neighborhood who could arrange marriages for their children.
"Want to know?" Zhou Xiaojun refused to tell her. "I'll finish this chores at home first, and then I'll decide whether to tell you or not depending on my mood."
Zhou Xiaolan, "..."
At that moment, she suddenly recalled the scene of Tian Guihua leading Hua Xiangyun into the room.
Returning home from outside, Hua Xiangyun received meticulous care, while she had to face her younger brother's sarcastic remarks and couldn't even fight back.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
