"Sister-in-law Liang, your Junzi is already so grown up, soon he’ll be marrying. Aren’t you afraid he’ll have opinions when you suddenly give him a younger sibling?" This aunt speaking was about the sa age as my foster mother. She had perd her hair in the latest style. Her tone wasn’t great; Lin Wan guessed she might be at odds with her foster mom.
"Our Junzi is not as petty as your kid. He’s thrilled we’re giving him a younger sibling. He’s coming back tomorrow." After Liang Qian finished speaking, she greeted Granny Qin and took Lin Wan away.
After walking a bit further, Liang Qian said to Lin Wan, "That was Granny Qin, Captain Qin’s mom from the compound. Captain Qin is in his thirties now. His wife ran off early in their marriage, leaving him with a seven or eight-year-old son. He might have lost heart with won; he’s been at the unit all these years and hasn’t searched again. But his mom is always eager to find a partner for him, while her son stubbornly stays at the unit. Ah, such is the heart of parents. Their son is promising, but the marriage situation is quite distressing. The other woman, she’s Xie Zhitao, the wife of Director Yang from the compound. She’s my elder sister-in-law’s younger sister, and we’ve been at odds since we were young. Every ti we et, we argue. When you see her, don’t pay her too much attention."
"I got it, foster mom," Lin Wan smiled. Foster mom’s elder sister-in-law is i Shuping’s wife, isn’t she?
Liang Qian took Lin Wan to the nearby market to buy a lot of groceries.
Tonight, foster dad was coming back. Liang Qian intended to make so good dishes for him and Ah Hui to have a drink, and make dumplings tomorrow when Junzi returns.
In the evening, Lin Wan took charge in the kitchen, preparing cherry blossom shrimp with bok choy, Zhen fruit minced at, fresh veggie fried eggs, soy sauce pork ribs, and a sweet soup for Uncle i.
As i Shuqing stepped into the room, he caught the aroma and laughed heartily, "This New Year with Xiao Wan here, I’m in for a treat."
"Mom."
"Isn’t Junzi coming back tomorrow?" Liang Qian was delighted to see her tall son behind i Shuqing.
"Well, now that the siblings are here, I had to co back early and et them." i Lang Jun said with a smile toward the living room’s Lin Yinghui.
Lin Yinghui stepped up to shake hands with i Lang Jun, "Hello, Big Brother."
Then he hurriedly called out to his foster dad behind him.
"Alright, alright, let’s have a good al today." i Shuqing was pleased with the cheerful atmosphere at ho.
"You think about eating as soon as you enter. Go wash up! Ah Hui was just wondering why you hadn’t returned yet, bored and wandering in the room."
"Ah Hui, let Junzi take you around tomorrow. There’s plenty to see in the Capital City."
"Foster dad, I’m staying ho with foster mom tomorrow to make things. It’s almost New Year, and we need to prepare so food for the holiday."
"I can prepare the food myself."
"Hello, little sister."
"Hello, Brother Junzi."
In fact, all three knew each other. That year when i Shuqing was ill, Lin Yinghui initially delivered als frequently, and later, when i Lang Jun ordered from the shop, Lin Wan also beca acquainted.
"We are one family now. In fact, we are quite fatefully connected, especially Lin. She’s got quite a knack for counting money."
Lin Wan hadn’t expected i Lang Jun to have a humorous side; he could tease as well as foster dad.
"Where’s Little Star? My niece, let see her." i Lang Jun put his arm around Lin Yinghui and looked around the room, asking eagerly.
"The child is too small, we didn’t bring her this ti."
"What? My granddaughter’s not here? How can a family reunion be missing my granddaughter? Tomorrow, I’ll ask Xiao Liu to drive over and bring your mom and Little Star here. Wasn’t it agreed on the phone that the whole family would co?" i Shuqing, upon hearing Little Star wasn’t here, knew Liang Hongi was definitely at ho with the child.
"Alright, don’t create problems for no reason. Hongi’s alone with the child, needing milk formula; without hot water on the road, it’s an issue. What if the child gets sick after being tossed around?" Liang Qian glared at i Shuqing, disapproving of his impulsive nature.
i Shuqing fell silent after Liang Qian’s scolding. He insisted on taking his two sons for a visit around the compound to show off a little.
His son had just returned and hadn’t even had a chance to wash hands yet, before he dragged them out. Liang Qian was annoyed, but she had no way around it.
"Dinner’s almost ready, don’t stay outside too long."
"Got it, got it," i Shuqing waved without looking back, leading his two sons outside.
"Brother Hui, tomorrow one of my buddies is getting married. I’ll take you to see so of my friends. Conveniently, you can et a few who work in the Governnt’s speech office."
"Sure, I’m free tomorrow."
"Yes, Ah Hui should et more people. Next ti you go to S City, I’ll take you around the military base; knowing people there will make things easier." i Shuqing spoke cryptically, and Lin Yinghui understood.
Having more friends makes things easier; friends can help you travel the world. Social connections are always crucial.
i Shuqing took them for a stroll around the compound, encountering several people returning from the unit.
i Lang Jun was often at the unit; however, i Shuqing had only moved back here a little over a year ago. In his youth, he also lived in this compound, and apart from the old folks here, there weren’t many familiar faces.
He wasn’t familiar with i Shuqing’s son either. Today, bringing out two young n all of a sudden, it’s inevitable he would be questioned.
"My sons, my eldest Junzi and youngest Ah Hui. Haha, I also have a daughter, helping her mom cook at ho." Mr. i said, causing i Lang Jun to smile awkwardly.
His father, fierce in the military, was just a silly old man at ho.
Loves to show off; others boast about how capable or wealthy they are, but him, he boasts about the number of sons and daughters.
Ah, a lifeti of prestige all spent in the unit; in other matters, he’s just a dunce.
Of course, i Lang Jun only grumbled about this secretly. He wouldn’t dare say it in front of his dad, else he’d be kicked aside.
Won gathered together to chat about won’s topics, while n chatted about n’s topics.
When i Shuqing and crew returned, Lin Wan had already set the table.
A rare family reunion with an extra pair of children. Seizing the mont, Lin Wan took out the gifts prepared for foster dad and Brother Junzi.
i Shuqing, usually unable to drink in the unit, was quite a tea connoisseur, not to ntion this purple clay teapot.
"Xiao Qian, our Junzi isn’t as thoughtful as a daughter, indeed. No wonder people say daughters are like warm little jackets, it does make sense."
"Dad, alright, alright, nobody is as smooth-talking as you, acting like sons aren’t good, only daughters are thoughtful, right?"
"Get outta here, I didn’t say that."
"Big Brother, we prepared gifts for you too." Lin Yinghui said bashfully, having grown up without a male elder around, unsure how to interact closely. Even though he was a bit nervous, he envied the father-son relationship of i Lang Jun and i Shuqing. "I have sothing for you too!"
Lin Wan smiled, cautiously taking out a very small, sharp-looking army knife. "It’s an overseas item, only the blade is there; the handle needs to be assembled."
i Lang Jun’s eyes lit up at the sight, knowing imdiately it was a treasure.
"Brother Hui, Xiao Wan, thank you both, you’ve gone to a lot of trouble."
"It’s our duty, we are family now."
"Yes, we’re family from now on."
i Shuqing’s record of never getting drunk was broken today, after drinking three bottles of high-proof liquor with Lin Yinghui and i Lang Jun.
Liang Qian and Lin Wan served one person after another, and after half an hour, they managed to get everyone settled in their rooms.
Once her chores were done, Lin Wan hurried to her room with a basin of hot water. Unfortunately, all her undergarnts had turned soggy.
Lin Wan changed her clothes and went to the bathroom to wash them right away.
"Xiao Wan, why aren’t you asleep yet?" Liang Qian couldn’t rest assured about the two sons upstairs and ca out in her pajamas to check.
"Foster mom, I’m washing my clothes now, I’ll sleep soon."
"Why wash them yourself? Put your dirty clothes in the room; I’ll wash them tomorrow. We don’t hand wash at ho. In sumr, Junzi got a washing machine from outside, it’s convenient and hands-free." Liang Qian perked up at the ntion of the washing machine and led her to the outside courtyard’s small room, where Lin Wan finally understood it was a laundry room.
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