"If you let him co back now, all the hardship he’s endured for the past half month will be in vain. Coming back will lead to a retaliatory rebound, worse than before. Mom, do you have enough money?"
"What money? We still have enough for living expenses." Jia Xiufang didn’t quite get it.
"I an, do you have enough money to cover any trouble your son might get into in the future? If he breaks soone’s leg, we compensate with 20,000; if soone breaks your son’s leg and runs without paying, you still have to cover the dical expenses yourself..."
"Chen Xiaoqian! Are you hoping your brother won’t get better?"
"I’m just stating the facts. If he cos out now, he’s bound to cause trouble. You must stay firm and not soften your stance! How did you promise before? No matter how hard it gets for him, you have to endure it."
"Then what should I do? He’s been calling and crying." Jia Xiufang couldn’t stand seeing her two children suffer. Her son’s desperate plea made her feel like her heart was being torn to pieces.
"Unplug the phone line. In half a month, your son will be more settled when he gets out."
Qian hung up Jia Xiufang’s call, thought for a mont, and then made a call to the boss of the studio where her brother was.
"Qian! Any instructions? Just say the word!" The studio boss, Mr Li, treated Qian with great respect. This woman, being acquainted with Xu, was definitely not an ordinary person.
"How has my brother been doing recently?"
"He’s a bit fed up, whining every day about wanting to go ho. I’ve been following your instructions; when he ntions going ho, I just scare him. This morning, he stayed in the bathroom for ages, and his eyes were all red - so, sister, what should I do next?"
"Add so chicken legs to his als, buy so nice snacks, have the restaurant simr so soup for him every day. Also, get him eye drops for eye strain and take him to the bathhouse at night for a bath and cupping therapy; all those expenses go on my tab."
Mr Li didn’t quite get it and asked cautiously, "Sister, what do you an?"
"Don’t mistreat him in daily life. Gaming is exhausting, and he’s still growing. Provide good food and drinks, and take him for a cupping therapy foot massage once a week. But at work, you must be strict. Do as I say: scare him when he wants to run, scare him if he doesn’t want to work. If he complains about gaming and says he’s fed up, then—"
"Scare him? Yes, yes, I’ve got it, sister. You don’t need to pay separately; your brother has been playing gas really well here and has acquired lots of great gear. It’s enough. Please put in a good word with Xu for ."
"I know, and I won’t let you lose out for helping ."
Qian hung up the phone, estimating that in another ten days or so, her spoiled brother, eager to mix with society, would probably realize the downsides of gaming. By then, this scatterbrained kid might cause her less trouble and settle down at school for a few years.
During the National Day holiday, when the school had a few days off, Qian didn’t go straight ho but instead bought so food and took a bus to the countryside.
She was going to visit her grandmother.
Although Jia Xiufang and Chen Lin were now divorced, the news hadn’t spread, and Chen Lin didn’t dare to tell his aging mother about it.
Qian grew up by her grandmother’s side and still had a bond with her. Even though her parents divorced, this familial relationship couldn’t be abandoned.
Grandma lived alone in the countryside, still quite spry, keeping to her three small mud-brick houses. Her sons wanted her to move to the city, but she refused, claiming she wasn’t used to it. Jia Xiufang and her sisters-in-law would co over when they had ti to do laundry and so farm work, and during holidays they’d bring the old lady to the city.
Seeing Qian co over made the elderly lady really happy.
Among her many grandchildren, only this one knew how to co back and visit.
Behind Grandma’s yard, so peanuts were growing but not yet pulled up. Qian wore a traditional rural smock, her head wrapped in a scarf, helping the old lady pull peanuts.
"Grandma, you’re so old now, why are you still planting these?"
"As long as I’m able, I’ll plant so. You all live in the city, and the oil you buy isn’t good. Once I finish, I’ll deliver to each of you. Qian’er, why didn’t your mom co over?"
"She’s busy with business at the shop." In truth, Jia Xiufang didn’t know how to co over, as being divorced was rather awkward.
The grandmother and granddaughter chatted while doing farm work. Watching her grandmother’s small fra working slowly made Qian feel a bit sad.
This old lady was really stubborn, clinging to the village and refusing to leave. As she aged, her heart wasn’t in the best condition. In her last life, she had been angered to death by her mother. Seeing her grandmother again always filled Qian with unspeakable sorrow.
"Grandma, just move to the city, go to my fourth uncle’s house. My fourth aunt is so good, not like my eldest and second uncles. Our family can also pitch in a bit."
Though her mother was divorced, Qian could not let Jia Xiufang care for her grandmother, which would be awkward for both sides. But as a granddaughter, she was willing and able to support her own grandmother in other ways.
"When I’m too old to move, I’ll definitely go to the city, but for now, while I can, I won’t. No need to cause trouble for you. Old folks are always a bother wherever they go."
"As long as I’m around, who dares to bother you? Grandma, sit here and rest. I’ll fetch so water for you to drink."
Qian pressed her grandma down in the backyard and went to the front yard to fetch water. The water tank was on the steps, giving her a good view. Suddenly, she saw a group of people walking towards them, with the leading figure looking familiar.
Squinting for a closer look, wasn’t that Qu Xue?
Seeing her approach, Qian felt uneasy.
Qu Xue’s hotown wasn’t in this village. Why was she leading a group over here? Surely, it wasn’t for anything good.
Qian couldn’t afford to delay. She threw down the water dipper and dashed straight to the backyard.
Her grandmother just saw Qian darting over in a hurry.
"What’s wrong, Qian’er?"
"Grandma, my stomach hurts. You need to take to the clinic quickly."
Qian hurried her grandma out from the backyard.
"What? How co it hurts all of a sudden?"
"Don’t know, maybe it’s appendicitis. Hurry, Grandma, don’t delay." Qian feared that if they tarried, Qu Xue would block the door.
She wasn’t afraid of a confrontation, but her grandma’s frail health couldn’t handle the shock; she had to get her grandmother out of there first.
"Then let get so money and lock the door first."
"Grandma, you’re slow. Let do it." Qian left her grandma in the backyard and darted to the front yard. At this point, Qu Xue had already brought people over. She even tied a white band on her head, clearly signaling they were up to no good.
Qian was less than ten ters away from her; she gave Qu Xue a slight smile, then slid the front yard door latch closed and, right in front of Qu Xue’s eyes, dashed back, latching the back door and sprinting out with her grandma.
It was a seamless operation.
Qu Xue had brought people to make a scene and demand an explanation.
After Chen Lin’s divorce, Qu Xue could no longer hide the fact she wasn’t pregnant. Eager to claim the brick house Chen Lin was assigned, her hope was dashed because Chen Lin only had that one house and certainly wasn’t going to give it to her.
In a fit of rage, Qu Xue had gathered people to confront the old lady and demand an explanation, but she was unlucky eting Qian here.
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