Aunt Wu smiled and said, "Sheâs just trying to test you. Since sheâs testing you, it means sheâs considering accepting you." There wasnât much to it, just a reminder to say that Ye Qing isnât easy to deal with.
"Got it, itâs not easy being someoneâs daughter-in-law, especially someone like me from the countryside. Itâs even harder to marry into a family like the Mei Family. Aunt Wu, youâve been with the Mei Family longer than I have, so Iâll need your advice often." Ye Qing knew how to leverage everyone, and she wouldnât overlook even a nanny.
"Alright, if anythingâs off, Iâll let you know."
... "Hey old man, look, Ye Qing is coming out with a woman. Could that be her mother-in-law?" Not far from the compound, the Li Familyâs elderly couple wandered around before planning to find a guesthouse, unexpectedly encountering Ye Qing coming out.
Mr. Li Liang watched from afar, seeing the two of them walk arm in arm, closely and intimately, and commented, "...It could be."
"What should we do now? Should we go up to them?"
"No, you fool, if we go now, itâll embarrass not just us, but Ye Qing too. Sheâll definitely resent us later."
"So we just stand here and watch?"
"Letâs wait and see." Mr. Li Liang took a drag of his cigarette, even at their age, sneaking around just to get a glimpse of their child, and they followed them into the market.
"See that? Weâre getting more familiar with their lives, weâre close to seeing the child."
"True, letâs leave it here today. With Ye Qing around, weâre not in a position to make connections." Li Liangâs mother thought they could strike up a conversation with Ye Qingâs mother-in-law at the market later, trying to know about their family.
"Alright, letâs go."
....
"Xiao Wan, thereâs been snow everywhere in the country these days. Has Han Yi said when heâll be back?" Lin Wan took Little Star to her momâs house. After staying for two days, Liang Hongmei looked at the sky outside, a bit worried about her son-in-law far in the Capital City.
"Mom, thereâs no news lately, but Han Yi should be back soon. He might call me these days."
"Itâs almost New Year, you guys shouldnât have to prepare anything this year. Youâre pregnant, and Iâm not at ease. Just celebrate here with us."
"Mom, Iâm fine, itâs only a few months in. I can manage by myself, and Ai Yi is still here, he wonât let me exert myself."
"Ah, you, always thinking about Han Yi. By the way, your brotherâs workplace sent welfare gifts recently, lots of dried fruits, theyâre on the cabinet in the living room. Eat more of them. Theyâre said to help with brain development, good for the child."
"Grandma, all the good stuff goes to my brother, so does that mean Tuantuan and I wonât get anything?"
"Oh, my little Xingxing is jealous of your brother. Come, Grandma will make meatballs and fried chicken for you, okay?"
"Yes, yes, I want fried chicken."
"Yum yum. Eat." Tuantuan doesnât understand anything now, just follows Little Star, copying everything, while he might not eat fried chicken, he can eat more of the meatballs.
"Mom, your fried chicken is great, we could totally open a window at the restaurant to sell it, just like the grilled lamb or shrimp." Lin Wan took the dried fruits her mom mentioned, catching up with Xingxing and Tuantuan, shelling them while talking.
"Thinking of promoting it, just in time for New Yearâs, do some marketing, itâll definitely sell well. Iâm calculating the cost these days, contacting a chicken farm."
"Yeah, the price for a chicken is two yuan, each chickenâs only about a kilo."
"Iâm thinking of using chickens from the mountain, those should be the best. So Iâm looking for a supplier." Liang Hongmei thought the taste of these fried chickens was great, the quality was key.
"Mom, youâre getting better and better at business now, Iâm rooting for you. Mom, I want fried chicken too." Lin Wan laughed and joined the two kids in competing for food.
"Mom is so bad, so bad, stealing Xingxingsâs fried chicken."
"I didnât steal, Iâm having Grandma make it for me."
"Whoâs your grandma?" Little Star was momentarily confused.
Lin Wan watched the two little ones, laughing and playing along. There wasnât any trouble lately, so she was able to fool around with the kids.
Sure enough, by the afternoon, a cold rain started outside, Lin Wan had thought it would snow. What a disappointment.
...
Meanwhile, an incident happened at the Mei Family. Mei Shuping received a call from the unit, saying her son Han Yi was injured.
This threw the Mei Family into chaos. Mei Shuping and Mei Langqing were the first to know, and by the time they arrived, the surgery was already done. In the ward, there were commanding officers and leaders present.