"You’re Xu Mumu’s partner, right? You look really handso." Looking at Yin Yang, Lin Juan felt so admiration. She hadn’t seen anyone as good-looking as him.
"Yes, third aunt. Hello, I’m Yin Yang, Mumu’s partner." Yin Yang behaved warmly and courteously. Although the relationship between this third uncle’s family and Xu Mumu’s family wasn’t very good, the etiquette he learned from childhood didn’t allow him to act impolitely.
"You’re such a polite young man. Where are you from? I wasn’t expecting you’d co to visit even during sumr break." Lin Juan scrutinized Yin Yang up and down. She hadn’t seen clothes like his in the county, not to ntion the watch, which looked quite exquisite and obviously expensive.
That brat Xu Mumu, who would’ve thought she could find such a wealthy partner? Lin Juan felt extrely envious.
But envy was useless; she didn’t have a daughter.
"Why is third aunt asking so many questions?" Xu Mumu looked at Lin Juan indifferently, not liking this third aunt at all.
"I’m rely concerned for you. After all, I’m your elder. Is this how you talk to ?" Lin Juan was a bit displeased, setting herself up as the elder.
"That’s really unnecessary. How have I been speaking with third aunt? There’s nothing rude about it, right?" Xu Mumu smiled gently at Lin Juan.
"You..." Lin Juan looked at Xu Mumu, involuntarily taking a step back, feeling a bit intimidated by Xu Mumu’s deanor.
Xu Mumu pursed her lips, glancing at Lin Juan.
"My hotown is over in Lan City." Yin Yang said casually with a smile.
"Lan City, huh? Lan City seems pretty far from here, right?" Xu Jiang was quite surprised. He had heard of Lan City.
"Yes, it’s quite far." Yin Yang replied coolly. It takes two or three days by train to get here, about the sa as traveling from here to the Imperial City.
"Far, so what? Yin Yang bought a house next to ours in the provincial capital and will live with us after getting married." Madam Chen said proudly, satisfied with this future grandson-in-law, as were those from the main family.
Lin Juan felt incredibly sour inside. How did such a golden catch end up with Xu Mumu? He could easily afford to buy a house, suggesting that his family wasn’t short on money.
"Yin Yang, why does your family want you to live here with us in the future?" Lin Juan suddenly thought of Madam Chen’s words. According to them, Yin Yang and the others weren’t planning to go back to Lan City, instead choosing to live here?
"I only have my grandfather. It doesn’t make a difference where I live. I find it nice here. Once my grandfather retires in a few years, we’ll settle here directly." Yin Yang said gently.
Lin Juan’s face went rigid. Yin Yang’s grandfather, everyone in the brigade knew about him; she’d heard too. After being politically rehabilitated, he’s a professor at Hua University. Although she wasn’t sure what being a professor entailed, he definitely wasn’t insignificant. He was invited back by leaders from the Imperial City.
Thinking about this made Lin Juan even more bitter. She struggled to take care of her family, having found a sowhat manageable Xu Jiang, yet life was getting increasingly difficult.
And the main family’s situation? They used to be far worse off, but now they seem more successful, even Li Caixia has a job now.
Thinking about jobs makes her anxious. With the educated youths returning to the city, the pressure increased, and the family managed to change her job. However, as more educated youths returned, she lost the competitive edge, unable to match their cultural knowledge. Combined with the factory’s poor performance, they laid off staff, and she was among those let go.
With Xu Jiang’s ager salary, supporting the entire family is a real struggle.
Watching the Old Xu family’s brothers nowadays do well, she was consud with jealousy, but she dared not show it.
She had to maintain her urban pride, at least in front of people from the second and fourth rooms.
"Yin Yang is really considerate, so living together makes it easier for the two families to look after each other." Madam Chen said joyfully. Even though she knew about Yin Yang’s plans long ago, she was still delighted every ti, especially when she could brag to Lin Juan. Madam Chen’s expression showed she adored Yin Yang like he was her most favored grandson.
After praising Yin Yang, Madam Chen also praised the grandchildren, even Xu Wan received a complint or two.
Lin Juan widened her eyes in shock. Did she hear wrong, or was Madam Chen out of her mind? Praising those two from the second room seed absurd.
Compared to the shock of the third room couple, Xu He was really moved. Did his mother finally see their worth? She actually cared for them, even showing so appreciation for his two daughters.
Xu Mumu glanced at the thoroughly moved second uncle and second aunt, then at the slightly twisted expression of Xu Xue, feeling a bit amused.
Xu Xue felt absolutely furious, vexed by her parents’ reaction every ti. Whenever Madam Chen and the others expressed a hint of goodwill toward the second room, her parents were so moved that they practically offered up their sincerity.
After the Chen couple returned, the good food mostly went into the mouths of the old couple and Xu Mingfeng, the child.
Repeatedly telling herself not to be upset, that nothing was worth getting worked up about; they wouldn’t stay long anyway.
Still, it infuriated her; the old couple treated the second room like servants.
Despite her reluctance, she wouldn’t voice it. She had expressed it many tis before, convinced her grandparents brainwashed her parents too well, making them rotate around the old couple.
Whenever she brought it up, she’d endure a scolding, leaving her sick of hearing it. They wanted to be filial and forced her and her sister to be filial too, but why?
Xu Xue’s gaze fell upon the obedient and quiet Xu Wan. Xu Wan was well-behaved, but upon hearing her grandmother praise her, she couldn’t hide her delight, her cute face showing a shy smile.
Looking at her family’s expressions, Xu Xue beca angry, thinking they were so easily won over by a few words. The people from the main house were poisonous and she’d make sure her family stayed away from them in the future.
What Xu Xue thought to herself was unknown to Xu Mumu, but seeing Xu Xue unhappy, Xu Mumu quietly enjoyed watching her expression change. It was truly amusing.
"Actually, our Dongbao is also well-behaved and sensible." Lin Juan would never admit her son was worse than others. Though, indeed, Dongbao was slightly less capable than the other kids. If Dongbao could study with Xu Mumu, he would undoubtedly surpass Xu Minglei and the others.
"Heh heh." Madam Chen sneered, glancing at the antisocial Dongbao in the yard with so disdain. She was inford of Dongbao’s poor academic performance from other grandchildren. While the grandchildren were successful, Dongbao was both foolish and lazy. Madam Chen now preferred children with good grades.
User Comments
0 comments from readers