After dinner, Hua Li washed the dishes, while Luo Yan and Xiao Xiu turned on the TV to watch cartoons.
After Hua Li finished her work and wiped her hands clean, the cartoon ended. She saw Xiao Xiu take out a book to teach Luo Yan to read, so Hua Li went over and watched with her.
Luo Yan can read, so she doesn't need to learn.
Xiao Xiu caught Luo Yan, who was turning to run away, and poked her finger at the books spread out on the coffee table, her little face serious.
"How can a child not study hard?" Teacher Xiaoxiu was very angry.
Luo Yan pitifully begged Hua Li for help, but this time Hua Li sided with Xiao Xiu.
Hua Li picked up Luo Yan and gently coaxed her.
"Since we have nothing else to do, it's good to learn to read. How about Mommy plays with Yan Yan?"
No, Luo Yan refused.
Refusal is ineffective, take a short break and use your fingers to spell out the pinyin, then pat Hua Li.
Hua Li graduated from junior high school and could read, but due to the limited teaching resources of the school, her foundation was not solid. Fortunately, she still remembered the pinyin.
"Damn it, I've lost my hand..."
Hua Li read it aloud, and Luo Yan had to read it along with her.
Luo Yan rolled her eyes so hard they almost reached the sky.
If she could speak in complete sentences, she would definitely explain to this long novel what 'odd changes and even remains the same, sign depends on quadrant' means.
After Luo Yan's strong protests—that is, after she struggled to break free from Hua Li's embrace and ran to the master bedroom to close the door—Luo Yan was finally freed from the torment.
Hua Li comforted the dejected Xiao Xiu.
“Yanyan doesn’t want to learn from Auntie, let’s continue.”
Hearing Hua Li reading aloud outside the door, Luo Yan suddenly remembered something...
Hua Li will be starting work the day after tomorrow, and the first day of work is the easiest time to make mistakes and get bullied, so she has to stay with the inexperienced Hua Li.
But she has to go to kindergarten, and Hua Li definitely won't agree to let her go to work with her.
what to do?
Crying and making a fuss definitely won't work; not only Mom, but even Xiaoxiu wouldn't agree.
Pretending to be sick? No way. If things go wrong, Hua Li might stay home to take care of her instead of going to work, which would be a waste of effort.
"I've got it!" Luo Yan's eyes lit up as she came up with a great idea.
Hua Li pushed open the door and kissed Luo Yan, who was sitting on the bed in a daze.
"Sweetie, your big brother Xiu wants to play with building blocks with you, do you want to come?"
When Chen Yuanshan brought Xiao Xiu back, he said it was a return gift from Sun Bailing—a whole bunch of things, including food, useful items, and quite a few toys…
Xiao Xiu was very interested in building blocks, so Hua Li took them out for Xiao Xiu, but Xiao Xiu refused to move them, clearly waiting for Luo Yan.
Luo Yan, the building blocks are alright, at least they don't hurt her ears.
The Chu family...
When Chu Jianguo returned home and saw that Liu Jingqiu was still there, he sat down on the sofa with a cold attitude.
Seeing her husband's dark expression, Li Mingzhu brought over a cup of freshly brewed tea and placed it in front of Chu Tonghai, offering a smile and words of comfort.
“Jingqiu’s rented courtyard hasn’t been cleaned up yet, so she’ll have to stay here for a few more days. Even if you’re still angry with Jingqiu, Tongtong is still so young. We can’t let such a young child suffer along with her.”
Chu Tonghai picked up his teacup, took a sip of tea, and snorted heavily through his nose.
Li Mingzhu knew that Chu Tonghai had agreed, so she quickly gave Liu Jingqiu a wink.
"Thank you, Dad..." Liu Jingqiu said, her voice choked with emotion.
Chu Tonghai frowned. "I had someone investigate. Luo Yan didn't take Tongtong's jade pendant at all, and you did hit Luo Yan."
No one is perfect. I allow you to make mistakes, but I will never tolerate defaming someone's reputation or bullying a baby.
Liu Jingqiu lowered her head and kept shedding tears, and Li Mingzhu couldn't help but comfort her again.
"I asked Tongtong, and the jade pendant was indeed lost after Luo Yan came to kindergarten."
As for the claim that Jingqiu hit the child, that's utter nonsense. Jingqiu simply loves children; perhaps she wasn't careful enough when playing with them, and the child, feeling pain, thought Jingqiu was hitting her.
Chu Tonghai's sharp eyes swept over Li Mingzhu, who was trying to defend Liu Jingqiu.
"A doting mother often spoils her son; this is absolutely true."
Feeling embarrassed by her husband's loss of face, Li Mingzhu felt awkward.
Seeing Liu Jingqiu still standing to the side, Chu Tonghai asked with a cold face.
"How old were you when you were adopted by the Liu family? Which village were your original adoptive parents from?"
Liu Jingqiu had anticipated this and answered fluently.
"I was adopted by the Liu family when I was four years old. My original adoptive parents were from Liuwan Village, Tongxian County."
"What's your surname and given name?"
Liu Jingqiu was stunned for a moment, and then tears streamed down her face.
“My adoptive parents were killed by bandits. I was so scared that I developed a high fever. After I recovered, I didn’t remember many things. I really can’t remember what my adoptive parents’ names were.”
Li Mingzhu took a handkerchief to wipe Liu Jingqiu's tears and said, "Chu Tonghai."
“Jingqiu was just over four years old at the time. She suffered a huge change and became seriously ill, so it’s normal that she doesn’t remember.”
Chu Tonghai sneered and didn't ask any further questions.
Bang!
Chu Jianguo pushed the door open angrily and glared at Liu Jingqiu.
"You've completely disgraced the Chu family..."
The husband was still giving her a sour look, and now the son was here? Li Mingzhu protected Liu Jingqiu.
"How can you, as the older brother, talk to your younger sister like that?"
Chu Jianguo angrily slammed his fist against the wall.
"She, Liu Jingqiu, abused other people's children and even went to the Revolutionary Committee to falsely accuse them, but they turned the tables and sued her instead."
Her boss asked her to go to the other person's house to apologize, and that should have been the end of it. But she insisted on causing trouble, spreading rumors and slander, and even getting the neighbor involved to bully the other person's baby...
Now look what's happened. Everyone knows about it, and an apology letter with her full name on it is posted on the bulletin board. I'm so 'glorious' that I'm too ashamed to show my face.
"Is that so?" Chu Tonghai's gaze toward Liu Jingqiu grew even more hostile.
"No..."
Liu Jingqiu clutched her chest, her expression pained.
“I didn’t cause any trouble. It was all because of Wu Cuihua. She and Hua Li don’t get along. She pulled me aside and started gossiping with me. I tried to get away, but she wouldn’t let me leave.”
I had no idea that Hua Li's daughter was home alone and was bullied by Wu Cuihua's third son. When Hua Li came back, she insisted that I was slandering her and that I had bullied her child.
I was speechless and had no choice but to write an apology letter.
I know I didn't handle this matter well and it had a bad impact on my family, so I wrote Liu Jingqiu, not Chu Jingqiu.
I know Dad has had a tough time, and my brothers are so successful; they shouldn't be affected by me. I'll move out right now and promise I won't bring shame to the family.
After saying that, Liu Jingqiu ran back to her room crying and took out her handbag to start packing clothes into it.
Upon seeing this, An Xiaotong burst into tears, crying, "Grandpa and Grandma, I'm scared!"
Li Mingzhu glared reproachfully at the reckless Chu Jianguo, then quickly followed him into the house and picked up An Xiaotong.
After listening to Liu Jingqiu's words, Chu Jianguo remembered that the apology letter did indeed have Liu Jingqiu's name on it. Seeing that Liu Jingqiu was really going to move out, he couldn't help but regret that he had been too impulsive.
Liu Jingqiu packed her things, picked up her bag, and left with An Xiaotong by the hand. Chu Tonghai sat on the sofa, unmoved, while Li Mingzhu chased after her, begging Liu Jingqiu to stay.
As Liu Jingqiu passed by Chu Jianguo, her wrist was suddenly grabbed.
"It's my fault, brother, don't go..."
Liu Jingqiu shook off Chu Jianguo's hand but was grabbed again. Chu Jianguo softened his voice.
“It’s too late. It’s not safe for you to take the child alone. Mom and I will take you there tomorrow.”
Chu Tonghai watched as his wife and eldest son escorted Liu Jingqiu and her daughter back to their room, his eyes filled with a deep, unsettling light…
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