"Oh, Xiao Guan, don't worry. You can leave him with us. He gets along well with Jian Dong, and he's all grown up now, so we don't need to worry about him."
Aunt Tian waved her hand, thinking that Guan Lian was being too polite. She knew Guan Lian's situation well; things definitely wouldn't be easy to get done, and she would probably have to wait until after the New Year to come back.
“Why don’t we let Xiao Liang come and stay at our house? He can sleep in the same room as Jian Dong. If you can’t make it back in time, he can spend the New Year with us. Xiao Qing and An An will also come over. It will be lively at home, so don’t worry.”
Whether you're herding one sheep or a flock, it's all the same, and Xiao Liang is much less of a worry than Jian Dong.
Guan Lian's eyes reddened slightly. They had only known each other for a few months, but Aunt Tian's enthusiasm was beyond her expectations. She had helped her in various ways before, and now that she knew that she was going back alone, she directly asked Xiao Liang to stay at her place.
"...Thank you, Aunt Tian. You've done me a huge favor. I wouldn't have felt comfortable leaving this child here alone."
The child refused to go back with her, saying that he could take care of himself on his own, but it was the New Year, and Guan Lian couldn't bear to let him spend the New Year alone.
"You've said thank you so many times already, don't worry."
"Let me be frank with you, if the child isn't willing right now, don't force him. Maybe he'll understand how good a mother is when he's older."
Aunt Tian clapped her hands, brushing the crumbs off.
"But if the child is willing to come back with you, and your ex-husband and ex-mother-in-law won't let him leave, don't even think about reasoning with them. Just send people to their door and snatch the child away. If that doesn't work, beat them up. After you're done beating them up, come over here. If they dare to come, we'll be waiting for them!"
"……good"
Before leaving, Guan Lian insisted on leaving behind grain coupons and money, which Aunt Tian naturally refused.
"No, that's too formal. Take the money away right now."
“Auntie, please accept it. I’ll be gone for several days. He won’t feel at ease staying here if you don’t accept the money.”
An'an peeked into the kitchen doorway, overheard the conversation inside, and secretly slipped back into the room. Liu Jiandong was playing cards with Chen Junliang on the kang (heated brick bed). His older brother's factory was about to close for the holidays, so they could finally have a table together.
"Didn't I tell you to go find your great-aunt?"
Why did she come back again? She doesn't know how to play, and she just keeps whining in this room all day long. Liu Jiandong complained and handed her a plate containing the hazelnuts they had peeled. An'an picked up the plate and started eating them right there on the edge of the kang (heated brick bed).
However, while she was eating, she kept staring at Chen Junliang with her big, round eyes, thinking that she was being very discreet. Liu Jiandong, who was leaning against the kang, put down the cards and thought that the girl's eyes were so bright that he wondered if she was planning to do something bad again.
"Ahem, go find your third aunt. It's no fun here. Your uncle and your brother Xiaoliang peeled a plate of hazelnuts for you. Don't forget about them after you eat them."
An'an pouted in dissatisfaction; she wasn't going to cause any trouble.
"Uncle, let's buy firecrackers for the New Year and blow up cow dung!"
"..."
“Brother Xiaoliang is here too. Dad said he’ll give me a big red envelope this year, so I’m treating you all.”
She had heard other children in the village say that during the New Year, they would stuff firecrackers into cow dung and then compete to see who could make the firecracker explode the highest.
Liu Jiandong lay on the kang (a heated brick bed) and covered his eyes with his hands. He never had a moment's free time as long as he was with this girl. Now she was saying she was going to fry cow dung, and if he got his clothes dirty, his mother would be the one to beat him.
An'an was still counting on her fingers, planning what to do. She was very happy that her brother Xiao Liang wouldn't be going back to Aunt Guan's house for the New Year. She wished she could have more playmates.
Chen Junliang took a piece of fruit candy from the table and put it in her hand. It wasn't a hard fruit candy; it was soft and very sticky. Song Qing usually didn't let An'an eat too much of it.
She had been eyeing this fruit candy for a long time, but her uncle and her brother Liang deliberately teased her by placing the fruit candy in a spot where she could see it but couldn't reach it.
Now that he had the candy, he didn't bother to talk. He quickly unwrapped it and stuffed it into his mouth. The candy was sticky, and he was so quiet that he couldn't speak for a long time.
Liu Jiandong snorted. Her little mouth was getting more and more talkative; she was chattering away all day long, leaving him no chance to get a word in edgewise.
"She'll start nagging you again after she finishes the candy."
Chen Junliang smiled, seemingly unconcerned. He had actually prepared himself for a long time before telling his mother that he wouldn't go back with her. Before he spoke, he was worried and afraid that his mother would be hurt.
But after he spoke, he felt much more relaxed; that was his true feeling.
His mother agreed, but worried that he would be too lonely by himself, so she asked him to spend the New Year at Jiandong's house.
Chen Junliang was initially reluctant. He had a very good impression of Jiandong's family and knew they were very hospitable, but the thought of spending the New Year alone in someone else's home always made him hesitate.
He'd rather be alone than get involved in other people's fun.
But An'an and Liu Jiandong quickly dispelled his hesitation; they were both very happy that he could come.
"...Uncle is bad"
An'an grinned as she finished chewing the candy, then suddenly snorted, looked at Liu Jiandong, and immediately ran out after speaking.
Liu Jiandong: "..."
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