Cheng Su was quite surprised with her old mother’s easygoing nature. When Cheng Su ntioned performing a ritual, it didn’t feel odd; people in the countryside were just like that, turning to gods and spirits at the first sign of trouble.
What he didn’t tell Cheng Su was that Mother Qi had privately asked him if Cheng Su had spoken ill of her to Xiao Qi. Naturally, he said no, but he still found it odd that the child steadfastly refused to be held by the old mother.
Performing a ritual wasn’t a bad idea.
Qi Taiguo looked at his son and said, "If, as Sister-in-law Song said, Xiao Qi saw sothing dirty, a ritual might help. But if he’s rejecting his grandma, it could be troubleso!"
Qi Xiaoqi clutched his little hands, tilting his head as if looking at Qi Taiguo, or maybe sowhere else.
"What kind of trouble?"
"Like I said before, who’ll look after the child?" Qi Taiguo said, "Now that the Mid-Autumn Festival has passed, you’ll start school in half a month, right? No matter how light your courses, you’ll have to commute between two places. Soone has to look after the child. Can your mother do it endlessly? Leaving your father alone back ho makes uneasy."
Cheng Su chuckled, "I’ve already talked to my parents about this."
"Oh?"
"Cheng Zhi didn’t get into college and plans to go into business with my third uncle. My dad is ho alone, just taking care of a few acres of land with nothing much to do. If he gets bored, he could co over to stay and help my mom with the child. When he’s fed up with staying, he could go back to the countryside for a few days." Cheng Su eyed him, "What do you think?"
"If your father is willing, it sounds fine." Qi Taiguo said.
"Doesn’t it feel unfair? Letting the maternal grandparents take care, but not the paternal ones? Don’t you have any thoughts on that?" Cheng Su said with a half-smile.
Qi Taiguo was montarily taken aback, "What thoughts could I have? You don’t have the ti, and the child must be taken care of. You can’t just drop out of school, and the business needs managing. Besides, it’s not that we’re not letting my parents take care; it’s that my mom’s leg isn’t healed yet. Even if we let her take care, she couldn’t."
As he spoke, he realized Cheng Su’s petty jealousy and continued, "You don’t think I’d have a problem with the maternal grandparents taking care, do you?"
"How do we know what goes on in a man’s mind? Who knows if you’re worried about your parents being estranged from the child?" Cheng Su muttered.
"Nonsense! As long as it’s good for the child, anyone can take care. You won, always so petty." Qi Taiguo put on a stern face, "I wouldn’t overthink it. I’d just pick the solution that’s best for the child and most comprehensive."
Cheng Su gave an awkward smile, "I was just talking."
Qi Taiguo rolled his eyes at her, then looked at Qi Xiaoqi and said, "This little guy better get used to my mom too. We can’t rely solely on the maternal grandparents; that’d be too tiring. They’re not obligated to look after our child, just offering a helping hand. If this little guy cares for them, then he should know what to do."
Qi Xiaoqi blinked and matched his father’s gaze.
Cheng Su chided him, "You really think he’s an adult? Talking to him is useless!"
"He might understand!" Qi Taiguo said with a sly smile as he glanced at his son and suddenly asked, "Has he been fed?"
"Yes."
Hearing this, he stood up, reaching out to hold the child, and Qi Xiaoqi opened his mouth to shout. Cheng Su held him back and asked, "What are you doing?"
"Tonight let him sleep with Grandma!" Qi Taiguo gave her an ambiguous look.
Cheng Su was montarily taken aback, then blushed and spat at him.
Qi Taiguo chuckled mischievously.
Qi Xiaoqi stopped his impending shout and silently stared at the canopy, figuring that it’d be better to sleep with Grandma. Spare him from being corrupted by these two.
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