Chapter 120

Lu Zhen received the new clothes and was very happy, eager to change into them.

Everyone watching thought they looked good, the size was just right, and the child appeared lively.

Lu Jianguo smiled at Shi Tingyu and said, “You’ve made the effort, sister-in-law.”

“As long as the child looks good in them,” Shi Tingyu was also very satisfied with how Lu Zhen looked in his new clothes.

Qin Ping adjusted Lu Zhen’s clothes and looked at him lovingly, but couldn’t help saying, “These clothes are indeed nice. It would be even better if they were a bit bigger. Children grow so fast; they could wear them for a couple more years.”

Shi Tingyu paused for a moment, realizing she had forgotten about this. When buying clothes, she hadn’t considered these factors, despite being well-off. She wanted the clothes to fit well for the child.

In the original world, she was an orphan and had never worn well-fitting clothes.

She once heard a classmate from a poor family say that they had never worn well-fitting clothes since childhood. When their parents bought clothes, they always bought them larger, so by the time the clothes fit, they were old and worn out, completely losing the excitement of wearing new clothes.

Mother Lu stepped forward and looked at Lu Zhen with a face full of affection, “I must say, Xiao Yu has good taste. This outfit looks so lively on our Xiao Zhen.”

Saying this, she looked at Qin Ping, “You know, you’re too frugal in daily life. We work at the textile factory and get fabric coupons every year, and we can also get a lot of defective cloth. You and Eldest Brother have only one child, Xiao Zhen, yet you can’t afford to get him well-fitting clothes?”

Lu Zhen fondly touched his clothes and said to Qin Ping, “Mom, I like these clothes. They fit well and are comfortable. The ones you made before were a bit big, not as good as what Aunt bought.”

Lu Zhen had no awareness that his words might hurt his mother. He simply felt these clothes were comfortable and well-fitting.

Normally, many of his clothes were altered by his mother several times, taken in and then let out as he grew, so he could wear a piece of clothing for a long time.

Qin Ping realized her words might have been inappropriate. It was a kindness for someone to buy clothes, and they had no obligation to do so. Her previous remark was indeed unsuitable.

She gave an awkward smile and said to Shi Tingyu, “Sister-in-law, don’t take my words to heart. The clothes you bought really look good. I just thought that if they were a bit bigger, Xiao Zhen could wear them for a couple more years. It would be a pity if he outgrew them quickly.”

Shi Tingyu smiled lightly, “It’s fine. This is the first time I, as his aunt, bought clothes for Xiao Zhen, so I wanted to get something nice. From now on, Xiao Zhen’s clothes will still be mainly handled by you. It’s up to you to decide what he wears.”

Lu Weiguo understood his elder sister-in-law’s feelings. Due to the family’s preference for sons over daughters in the past, she had developed some timidity and low self-esteem. She feared that with a new daughter-in-law in the family, her status might not be the same as before. She had endured a lack of attention in her maiden home and was afraid of experiencing that again.

Since marrying into the Lu family, her life had been much better than in her maiden home. Even though she and her husband had moved out to live independently after marriage, she still cared a lot about her status in the family.

However, she didn’t have any malicious intentions.

He said to Qin Ping, “The clothes are just a small token of our care. As long as Xiao Zhen likes them, it’s good. It’s the New Year, so let the child be happy.”

Lu Jianguo also added, “Mom is right. Our family can afford it. In the future, make sure to get well-fitting clothes for Xiao Zhen.”

Qin Ping smiled awkwardly and agreed.

She was used to following whatever her husband said, so when Lu Jianguo spoke, she didn’t argue.

Shi Tingyu raised an eyebrow but didn’t continue the topic.

Qin Ping was someone who could be seen through at a glance, and Shi Tingyu wasn’t worried that she would cause any trouble.

In the future, we’ll only see each other during holidays and festivals. If we get along, that’s good; if not, as long as we can maintain basic politeness, that’s fine.

Moreover, with Lu Jianguo around, Qin Ping, the elder sister-in-law, won’t be able to cause any trouble.

Shi Tingyu remembered that she had brought scarves and leather shoes for Lu Jianguo and his wife, so she asked Lu Weiguo to go to the house and fetch them.

Lu Jianguo was surprised, “There’s something for us too?”

“Yes, I got a pair of leather shoes for you and a wool scarf for sister-in-law,” Shi Tingyu said with a smile.

Lu Weiguo brought the items over, handing the scarf to Shi Tingyu and the shoes to his brother.

Shi Tingyu took the scarf, opened it, and draped it around Qin Ping’s neck, finding it quite attractive.

The wool scarf was camel-colored and could be paired well with various outfits.

Qin Ping’s eyes lit up at the sight of the scarf.

Currently, many scarves on the market were bright red, which she liked but felt was too flashy. She wasn’t newly married anymore, so even if she liked it, she didn’t feel comfortable wearing it. Seeing the scarf Shi Tingyu gave her made her very happy.

The color might not look special, but she wasn’t afraid of people talking when she wore it out.

When she finally put the scarf around her neck, she felt the difference—it was soft, warm, and thick, with excellent quality.

She went to the southern room to look in the mirror and found that the color surprisingly complemented her skin tone, making her look fairer.

At this moment, she truly appreciated her sister-in-law’s skill in picking things. Everything she bought looked fashionable.

After all, she had returned from abroad.

Lu Jianguo was also happily trying on the shoes. Wearing the black leather shoes, he couldn’t wait to walk around outside.

When Qin Ping returned to the main room, Mother Lu saw the scarf on her daughter-in-law and praised Shi Tingyu generously.

Nowadays, many families couldn’t afford much. Giving some candy to the children was considered good. Her daughter-in-law not only bought clothes for Xiao Zhen but also got things for the elder brother and sister-in-law.

If she didn’t genuinely care about Lu Weiguo, she wouldn’t have thought so much about his nephew and siblings.

In the winter, everyone went to bed early since there was no television. After chatting for a while, Lu Jianguo and his wife took Lu Zhen and prepared to leave.

Lu Zhen reluctantly petted Lijian’s head and looked up at Shi Tingyu, “Aunt, can I play with it again tomorrow?”

Ever since he saw the picture book, he had been completely fascinated by Zhuifeng.

He thought Zhuifeng was the most amazing dog.

“Of course you can,” Shi Tingyu said. “Go home and sleep well, and you’ll see it again tomorrow.”

Xiao Zhen was visibly happier this time and didn’t seem as reluctant to leave as before.

On the way back, Lu Jianguo was still smiling.

After settling the child to sleep, he turned serious and said to Qin Ping, “Wife, I didn’t say anything earlier because of Xiao Zhen, but we need to talk.”

Qin Ping felt a jolt in her heart, “Talk about what?”

Knowing his wife’s temperament, Lu Jianguo didn’t scold her but explained things patiently.

“Our sister-in-law bought clothes for Xiao Zhen. You can see they aren’t cheap and fit perfectly. It shows they care about us.”

Qin Ping lowered her head, pursing her lips without saying a word.