Xia Liang wasn't allowed to get out of bed and move around much until the baby was a month old. She took a nice, hot bath and felt like she'd lost ten pounds. Today she wanted to go home; the New Year was just around the corner, and she needed to discuss the upcoming business with her brother.
After breakfast, Xia Liang told her in-laws and then took her baby out. While she was pregnant, Xia Liang had wanted to make a baby carrier like those in Southwest China, thinking it would free up her hands and be more convenient. So she made one herself, but had never used it before because the baby was too small to go out much. Today, she wrapped the baby in a blanket, secured it with the carrier, held it to her chest, and tied the straps. This way, her hands wouldn't be restricted, and she could carry the things she was going to prepare for her parents' home. Actually, Xia Liang didn't want to prepare anything; her family had everything they needed. Her brother could buy whatever they wanted, and her father had his own job, so she didn't need to buy anything for him. However, she often gave her mother money. She knew that a housewife working at home without income felt insecure, and she didn't want her mother to have that problem.
Before I even stepped out of the compound, I saw a young woman walking towards me with a little boy who looked to be about two years old. The young woman was quite pretty, but her eyes darted around, giving the impression of a calculating person. Xia Liang didn't recognize her and was about to walk away when the young woman spoke up: "You must be from the Gu family, right? Where are you headed?" Seeing that she recognized her, Xia Liang had no choice but to stop and greet her: "Yes, and who are you, sister-in-law?" The woman chuckled: "I'm from the Zhang family up ahead. I've been married here for two or three years, just like you, we're both from the countryside." This woman was Liu Xiaoli. After giving her job to her younger brother, her family didn't arrange any work for her. Unexpectedly, her brother was fired after only two months of work for stealing public property. If it weren't for the fact that his brother-in-law's family was influential, they were prepared to send him to jail. But Liu Xiaoli's family didn't know when to stop. After ruining her job, they came to Liu Xiaoli, asking her to ask her in-laws for a job. Liu Xiaoli, not being very bright, actually listened to her family and went back to her in-laws' house to ask for a job. The Zhang family, of course, refused. Others might not know the inside story, but they certainly did. Liu Xiaoli's younger brother was caught stealing and got fired. If it weren't for family reasons, he wouldn't still be living a carefree life at home; he would have been in trouble long ago. Now, Zhang's mother didn't dare to persuade her husband anymore. Seeing that her in-laws wouldn't agree, Liu Xiaoli insisted on taking her son back to her parents' home. Zhang's mother was frightened. She didn't care if her daughter-in-law went back on her own, but she couldn't take her grandson. She tried to stop her, but her son, Zhang Yuan, said, "Do as you please, stay as long as you want." Zhang Yuan knew his mother-in-law's family's nature very well; they were the ones who always took advantage of others, and no one else could even think about taking advantage of them, not even their own daughter. He thought Liu Xiaoli had money, and even if they went to the countryside, she and her son wouldn't go hungry. But Liu Xiaoli wasn't thinking clearly; in her heart, her brother was more important than her son, and in the end, all the money went to her brother. So, Liu Xiaoli was left with no choice but to take her son back to her parents' home. At first, her family, including Liu Xiaoli herself, thought the Zhang family wouldn't stay long, so they let her daughter and grandson stay. Initially, Liu Xiaoli had some money and would often buy meat and candy for the family. Logically, she, her son, and her family should have shared the meat and candy, but her mother said her younger brother had suffered a lot since childhood, so in the end, the meat went to her brother. Even her son, Zhang Xiaohu, couldn't get a piece of candy; his grandmother locked it in the cupboard for his uncle. When they had money, Liu's family didn't object, but after Liu Xiaoli had stayed home for almost two months and the money was gone, the Zhang family still hadn't come to pick her up. Her parents and brother started verbally abusing her. With the New Year approaching, Liu Xiaoli's parents thought that since the mother and son would be eating for free at home, they might as well send her back to her husband's family to make a scene. Whether she got a job or not, at least they would send New Year's gifts! So today, Liu Xiaoli just returned from her parents' home. Xia Liang didn't understand what she meant, so she didn't respond. Seeing that Xia Liang didn't speak, Liu Xiaoli looked at her with an expression that said, "We're all the same kind of people. Your job was found for you by your in-laws, right?" Xia Liang looked at her like she was crazy and didn't want to talk to her anymore, so she said, "I have something to do, so I'll go first. I won't talk to you anymore." After saying that, Xia Liang walked past her and was about to leave when Liu Xiaoli's mother-in-law came back from outside. Seeing Xia Liang, she greeted her with a smile, "Xia Liang, where are you going? You're carrying so many things." Xia Liang smiled and politely replied, "Aunt Peng, I'm going back to my parents' home. My mother-in-law prepared some New Year's gifts for my parents' home, but my parents-in-law are both busy lately, so I went by myself. Aunt Peng, you're busy, so I'll go first." Zhang's mother smiled and nodded, watching Xia Liang leave. Turning around, she saw her daughter-in-law and grandson standing not far ahead. She rushed over, exclaiming, "My dear grandson, I've missed you so much!" She tried to pull Zhang Xiaohu into her arms, but Liu Xiaoli pulled her son aside and said harshly, "If you want to hold your grandson, you'll have to arrange a job for my brother first." Hearing this absurd statement, Xia Liang couldn't help but turn around to see who was saying this. Unexpectedly, Liu Xiaoli pointed at Xia Liang and said, "Arrange someone like her." Xia Liang was speechless; what bad luck!
Once home, Xia Liang put her things down and started chatting with her mother. Xiao Xinran, who was already sitting still, saw the baby Xia Liang was holding and curiously crawled over to get a better look. Xia Liang pushed Yunxi closer to her, saying, "Xinran, do you want to see your little sister?" Xiao Xinran tried to reach out and touch her sister, but Xia Liang stopped her, saying, "Your sister is still small. Wait until you're both older before you play together." Xiao Xinran was a little unhappy about being avoided and kept calling out, "Grandma, Grandma!" Zhao Danxiang picked up her granddaughter and asked, "What's wrong, little one?" Unexpectedly, Xiao Xinran pointed at Yunxi in Xia Liang's arms and said, "Want, want." Xia Liang and Zhao Danxiang couldn't help but burst into laughter. This little rascal was acting strangely, constantly pulling her grandmother's hand towards the baby in Xia Liang's arms, wondering why her grandmother wasn't giving her the baby and why she was laughing. Zhao Danxiang picked up her granddaughter and kissed her on the cheek, saying, "Sweetie, your little sister is still too young to play with you. When she's older, Auntie will bring her to play with you." But Xiaoxinran, who was not even a year old, couldn't understand and pouted, looking like she was about to cry.
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