This child is so ugly, his face is just like his mother's. Although he is still young and we can't see anything else, I feel a strong sense of disappointment.
Although Jingxiang is not as good-looking as Jingze, he is still a decent-looking boy. How could he not resemble his son at all?
"Aifen, doesn't your eldest grandson look strong and healthy?"
Hu Aifen nodded. "He's quite robust, but I can't see where he resembles Jingxiang."
Her words immediately brought tears to Ma Li's eyes as she sat on the bed.
Liu Jingxiang didn't think much of what his mother said, but when he saw his wife crying, he frowned and glanced at his mother.
Seeing the young couple's expressions, Shen Xiuting was overjoyed. What she wanted most was for their family to be discordant. She had raised her child for almost twenty years in vain; how could she expect them to be of one mind? What would she do when she got old?
Hu Aifen felt a pang of unease looking at her crying second daughter-in-law.
“Ma Li, is what Mom said wrong? Please forgive me if I’m wrong. I’m not educated and I don’t know what you don’t like to hear.”
Ma Li was still wiping away her tears. Hu Aifen was too lazy to pay attention to them anymore and bent down to hug the child.
No matter how ugly he is, he's still my grandson.
But before she could pick him up, Ma Li suddenly shouted, "Wait a minute, have you washed your hands?"
Hu Aifen suppressed her anger and straightened up. "Jingxiang, take me to wash my hands."
Liu Jingxiang also felt his wife was making a fuss over nothing, so he led Hu Aifen to wash her hands. Once in the bathroom, he exclaimed, "Mom!"
Hu Aifen waved her hand, took the soap, and carefully washed her hands twice. She ignored her second son and went back to her room.
Standing by the bed, she held out her hand. "I washed my hands twice with soap. Do you like it?"
What Ma Li hated most was their questioning of whether something was "normal" or not. However, seeing her husband's disapproving expression, she suppressed her dissatisfaction.
"Mom, I'm worried that the child is too young."
Hu Aifen bent down and picked up the child. She examined him carefully. His eyebrows resembled those of her second child. Because the child was still asleep, her eyes were not visible, but judging from the outline, they were slightly triangular with droopy corners.
However, the child was quite sensible; at least he didn't cry or make a fuss.
"Mom, put Liu Chongyu down, he should be waking up soon."
Hu Aifen didn't want to be disliked, so she gently placed the child on the bed.
"It's good that he's awake. We should let his grandfather and uncle see him too."
"Mom, it's so cold outside, you can't take the child outside."
"So that means his grandfather and uncle can't see anymore?" Hu Aifen raised an eyebrow at Ma Li.
"We can wait until after the postpartum period to see."
"Okay, we'll have plenty of time to meet in the future, so there's no rush."
Ma Li's heart skipped a beat. Were they not leaving? Did they want to stay here?
Shen Xiuting shared the same thought. This wouldn't do; she didn't need her nephews to support her in her old age, and with them getting involved, she feared all her hard work of the past ten years would be for nothing.
"Aifen, don't you and Aimin need to go back?"
“Going back? Grandma said you should all move back. Second Uncle can retire now, and Jingxiang doesn’t have a job yet. It would be nice if you all moved back, and the whole family could be together.”
"Wouldn't that mean we could see each other every day?"
Hu Aifen certainly knew what Shen Xiuting feared most. The more afraid you are, the more she would threaten you with that, making you always fan the flames.
Shen Xiuting was startled. She was most afraid of her mother-in-law, the old lady. Even though Liu Changhong usually listened to her, he didn't dare to say a word in his mother's opinion.
“Aifen, your second uncle still has a year before he retires.” Shen Xiuting was still struggling.
"It's alright, Second Aunt. Grandma said that if it really doesn't work out, my husband and I can stay here. Firstly, to help take care of the child, since he's my eldest grandson. Secondly, we'll wait for you to go back together."
The old family house has been renovated, and it's quite spacious for our whole family to live together. Also, I think Grandma is just getting old and misses my second uncle.
"Hehe, I'll tell your second uncle when I get back. I'm going downstairs to buy groceries; you three can stay for dinner."
Hu Aifen smiled when she saw Shen Xiuting's unnatural expression.
"Okay, but Jingze doesn't have time, so my wife and I will stay here."
"That's true. Your grandmother must have pulled a lot of strings to get Jingze such a good job, right?"
Hu Aifen finally understood why the two brothers' relationship had soured; it was all the old hag's doing. She decided she couldn't let her get away with it.
"Sigh! Second wife, you don't know, Jingze's success isn't due to Grandma's connections at all. Grandma's men are all useless now, they can't help with anything. In fact, they haven't visited Grandma since those years of famine."
As for Jingze's job, it was because his friends helped him. Besides, Jingze is very talented and hardworking; otherwise, how could he have gotten such a good job?
While Hu Aifen was speaking, Liu Jingxiang was listening nearby. In the past, his mistress and wife always said that the family didn't care about him and that all the good things went to his older brother. It turns out that wasn't entirely true.
Hu Aifen glanced at her second son discreetly, "But Grandma has contacted Jingze's friend. She's the one who built houses for our village. She agreed to help Jingxiang find a better job if he goes back."
Liu Jingxiang was very dismissive. If he was capable, why would he need to find connections? It has to be said that Liu Changhong had failed in educating Liu Jingxiang; he hadn't taught him any tact or diplomacy.
"Hehe, what's so good about that place? It's too cold there, nothing compares to Haishi. As for Jingxiang's job, let his second uncle and father-in-law ask around for him."
“Second wife, this is not right of you. You’ve been away for so many years without ever being able to show filial piety to your grandmother. Now that you don’t have to work anymore, you still want to stay outside?”
"I did not mean that."
"So what do you mean? Besides, my Jingxiang is capable, why would he need someone else to help him pull strings? And also, my Jingxiang isn't looking for a son-in-law. If the family is capable, they shouldn't trouble his father-in-law."
After listening to his mother's words, Liu Jingxiang felt much better. It turned out that his parents understood him best.
"Aifen, you're exaggerating. Let's wait until your second uncle comes back to discuss it. I'm going to buy groceries." Shen Xiuting said and left.
Watching Shen Xiuting leave, Hu Aifen glanced at her sleeping grandson and thought the child was quite well-behaved.
"This child is well-behaved, just like Jingxiang was when he was little. He doesn't cry or make a fuss, and he's especially considerate of his mother."
After Hu Aifen finished speaking, she went to the door, picked up her purse, and took out the tiger-head shoes and tiger-head hat that her mother-in-law had made for the child, placing them on the bedside table.
“Jingxiang, Mali, this was made by your grandma for the children. It’s all new and has been washed after it was made.”
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