"I brought your Dongqiang back safely," Fang Meili said with a smile, looking at Fang Meixiang. "Don't worry about me staying at home."
Fang Meixiang quickly lowered her head and ate her rice, a smile involuntarily creeping onto her lips. She ate every last grain of rice from the bottom of the bowl.
"Dongqiang, will you stay at your maternal grandmother's house tonight, or will you stay in your own room?" Fang Meixiang's mother asked.
"I'll be staying in my own room for several days."
"Where's Meixiang?" Fang Meixiang's mother asked Fang Meixiang again.
Fang Meixiang looked in the direction of her home.
"Okay, Dongqiang is back. You can go home with him and stay for a few days."
Fang Meixiang then looked at Fang Meili and pointed in the direction of home.
"You want me to stay at your place too, is that right?" Fang Meili asked.
"Yes!" Fang Meixiang nodded with a smile.
“We’re staying at your parents’ house. You’re becoming more and more sensible,” Fang Meili said with satisfaction.
“Yes, a few days ago when she found out Dongqiang was coming back, she asked me to bring the keys and go with her to do some cleaning,” Fang Meixiang’s mother added.
"Oh, then let's go over together later and see how you've tidied the room?"
"Okay," Fang Meixiang replied.
Seeing Fang Meixiang's progress, Fang Meixiang's mother's sharp eyes and brows revealed her relief.
After dinner, Fang Meixiang's mother washed the dishes and brought over the keys to Fang Meixiang's house.
Fang Meili pulled her youngest daughter along, "Come on, let's go visit Auntie's house." The group headed towards Fang Meixiang's house.
Fang Meili looked at the familiar road and thought about how she used to walk this road every day for the past two years to hug Fang Dongqiang. Now, looking at him, he was almost as tall as her.
"Meili's back? Her two kids are so big now." Villagers greeted her warmly when they met her on the road.
"Yes, Auntie, you're back," Fang Meili replied. "Tingting, Fangfang, call her Auntie."
"Grandma!" the two little girls called out in unison, their voices sweet and soft.
"Oh, how lovely! Both daughters are beautiful. Melly, how's business?"
"That's great!"
"You guys are really capable, you've even opened a shop in the city."
Fang Meixiang's original house was demolished and a new two-story building was built.
Pushing open the wooden door, I saw a wooden four-poster bed against the wall, with a table and several stools beside it. Next to it was a wooden wardrobe.
Walking to the back of the house, through a door, leads to a staircase upstairs; Fang Dongqiang's room is on the second floor.
There is another room behind the stairs that serves as a kitchen.
"Meili, you still have the wages you gave to Da Miao. We didn't cook in the kitchen since they don't cook anymore." Fang Meixiang's mother turned off the kitchen light.
"Well, you can manage the money for now. As long as they have a place to stay when they come back, that's fine. Don't make things that aren't needed now; other styles will be popular in a few years," Fang Meili said casually.
Fang Meixiang pulled over a stool, patted the surface, and said, "Okay, we're here at your house, so let's sit for a while." Fang Meili sat down with a smile.
"Tingting, I'm taking my schoolbag upstairs, do you want to come?" Fang Dongqiang called out to Tingting.
"Go." Yuan Tingting followed, and her youngest daughter, Yuan Fangfang, wanted to follow as well. Fang Meixiang's mother, worried, also wanted to go.
"Mom, it's alright. The three of them play together in the city too. Dongqiang and Tingting will keep an eye on her."
"You two keep an eye on your sister," Fang Meixiang's mother called out from the stairwell, still worried.
Fang Meili looked around the room. "It's fine. When I first brought my sister here, seeing this room really broke my heart."
"Yes, things are much better now, Meili. It's all thanks to you for keeping an eye on their family. Dongqiang is following you around and needs your guidance."
"It's convenient since we're all in the county town. Meihao also brings over some nice things for Dongqiang and us. Oh, Dongqiang's shoes are some kind of brand name, I can't say for sure, they were quite expensive, Meihao bought them."
"Yes, Meixiang is able to live the life she has now entirely thanks to you two younger sisters. Seeing her getting better and better, we are relieved." Fang Meixiang's mother's eyes reddened as she spoke.
"Sister, you must get better and better. In the future, learn to cook too, and set up a kitchen for you. We'll all come to your house for meals, and you can cook for us, okay?" Fang Meili said to Fang Meixiang as if she were coaxing a child.
Fang Meixiang looked towards the kitchen behind her, nodded vigorously, and smiled, "Okay."
“Meili, Tree Root Mother has gone mad too,” Fang Meixiang’s mother suddenly said in a low voice.
"Huh? What happened to her? What triggered her?" Fang Meili leaned over curiously.
“There are all sorts of rumors. Some say she wants to get married,” Fang Meili burst out laughing before Fang Meixiang’s mother could finish speaking. “Get married? At her age, she’s gone crazy wanting to get married. That reason is indeed a bit funny.”
"Some say that Jihong and her third brother are now doing business outside, and her daughter Huahua stays at Fangyu's house on Saturdays. They say that Huahua brought Jihong's crazy side with her."
"Nonsense, Ji Hong isn't crazy."
"Yes, after getting to know Hongren, I think she's quite nice. Fang Yu often came over to play when she was little. When Tingting was around, she helped take care of her. She's also very well-behaved. Last Mid-Autumn Festival, I cooked some dishes and wanted to serve her some rice, but I was too embarrassed to go over there. Suddenly giving her a bowl of rice felt a bit... well."
"Yes, Fang Yu is home alone, so if you can help take care of her, then do so."
"Once I find out, I definitely will."
After chatting for a while, Fang Meili went upstairs to check on Fang Dongqiang's room, which was simply furnished with a bed, a table, and a chair.
The drawer was pulled out completely and placed on the floor. Yuan Fangfang squatted down and played with the toys inside.
"Second Aunt, these are all from you. Fangfang loves playing with them now. Pick a few to take back with you."
Fang Meili squatted down and rummaged through the things in the drawer. "Dongqiang, you still kept all these toys?"
"Mm." Fang Dongqiang nodded.
“Once the house was built and ready to live in, he moved all his belongings over, one trip after another,” said Fang Meixiang’s mother.
"That's good, boys can organize their own things," Fang Meili praised.
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