Chapter 55

As soon as those words were spoken, all the aunties standing nearby fell silent. They all turned their gazes to Niu Xianhua.

Niu Xianhua, who had been publicly slapped in the face, immediately had a complex expression. She was both jealous and ashamed.

Xia Qingning heard the shout and walked out of the courtyard. She turned her head and saw a group of women watching and Li Ershu rushing over.

“Qingning, quickly call your mother out to help carry the things.” Li Ershu urged Xia Qingning.

“Second Uncle, my mother isn’t home. I’ll go carry them.” Xia Qingning said as she was about to go out.

“Those are all dozens of kilograms. You’ve been weak since you were little. How can you carry them with your thin arms and legs?” Li Ershu quickly stopped her. Then he suddenly turned to the women standing nearby and asked with a smile:

“Are you all free? Why don’t you come and help carry them?”

Niu Xianhua had just been slapped in the face, and now he was asking her to help her rival carry things. She was furious. Her face darkened, and she asked unhappily:

“Which eye of yours saw us free?”

“I’ll go, I’ll go.” Jinhua Auntie, who was standing nearby, quickly stepped forward and said.

Seeing her go, the other aunties thought that as neighbors, helping out was a small favor. So they followed her.

Niu Xianhua was left standing there awkwardly, neither leaving nor staying.

Soon, everyone was carrying large and small packages into the courtyard.

Pork, eggs, oil, rice, flour, sugar… they almost filled the entire courtyard.

The last aunt to enter, whether intentionally or unintentionally, put down the oil in her hand and said to Niu Xianhua:

“Xianhua, these things Xia’s son-in-law sent are really more valuable than the potatoes and sweet potatoes your daughter sent.”

Niu Xianhua was speechless for a moment. After a long pause, she said:

“It’s just some rice and flour. They only send it once every three years. What’s so great about that?”

Xia Qingning, who had just turned around to go back to the house, heard this. She didn’t say anything and continued to go inside. When she came out again, she was already carrying a bag.

Seeing Xia Qingning come out, her fair and delicate face, her light blue top, and her stylish skirt, an aunt couldn’t help but praise:

“This Qingning girl is beautiful and dresses well. We can’t buy those clothes and skirts in our town.”

Niu Xianhua glanced at Xia Qingning. Seeing that she was indeed dressed well, she felt jealous, but she couldn’t help but belittle her:

“She’s dressed up so well, but she doesn’t buy her mother or brother a single piece of clothing. Look at Guo Yumei and her two sons. What do they wear? Their clothes are patched up. If you give them a stick, they can go begging.”

Xia Qingning, who was walking over, heard this again. She still didn’t say anything. She started to give candy to the aunties who had helped, saying as she gave it out:

“Thank you all for helping today. Thank you for taking care of my family. Please continue to look after us.”

The colorful fruit candies, wrapped in plastic, made a clattering sound when touched, a clear and pleasant sound. Xia Qingning was very generous, giving everyone a handful. When she got to Niu Xianhua, she looked at the bag and said apologetically:

“Sorry, Xianhua Auntie, there’s no more candy. I’ll bring you some next time I come back.”

Niu Xianhua had already stretched out her hand to take the candy. When she heard Xia Qingning say this, she could only withdraw her hand dejectedly.

Then Xia Qingning looked at the woman next to her and said:

“Auntie, I remember you used to make clothes for people, right?”

“Yes, I still do it now.” The woman said as she put the candy in her bag.

“I’m afraid the clothes I bought won’t fit, so I bought some fabric. Please help my mother and brother make a few pieces. I’ll pay you for your work.”

“Okay, okay.” The woman quickly nodded in agreement.

At that time, most people in the countryside wore “re-spun cloth,” which was made by tearing old fabric into pieces and weaving it again. The fabric was very rough.

Looking at the fabric Xia Qingning took out of the bag, the aunt’s eyes lit up. She praised:

“This cotton fabric looks so nice in color. It’s so soft to the touch. It’s really good stuff.” Then she turned to Niu Xianhua:

“Xianhua, you touch it too.”

Niu Xianhua was completely embarrassed now. How could she touch it? If she did, what would she say? That it was more comfortable than the fabric of her clothes?

Not wanting to stay there and continue to be humiliated, she said that she had something to do at home and left in a hurry.

After the things were carried in, everyone had also received candy. Seeing that there was nothing else to do, they happily went home.

At this time, Guo Yumei was walking home with her youngest son, Xia Qingcao. The boy was twelve or thirteen years old, carrying a large bundle of grass on his back. His small body was bent under the weight. Guo Yumei had told him several times that she would carry it, but he stubbornly refused.

Guo Yumei couldn’t do anything about her son, so she could only follow him, saying as she walked:

“Didn’t you keep hoping for your sister to come back? Now that she’s back, why are you still sulking?”

“Who’s hoping for her to come back?” The little boy looked angry and his tone was harsh:

“She doesn’t want us anymore. I don’t want her to come back.”

Guo Yumei knew that her son was being stubborn. She smiled and exposed him:

“You’re still being stubborn. You were raised by your sister. You’ve always depended on her. Who was crying secretly under the covers when she left last time?”

“It wasn’t me.” Xia Qingcao said forcefully. He deliberately quickened his pace, obviously not wanting to listen to Guo Yumei anymore.

Guo Yumei also quickened her pace to catch up with her son, trying to comfort him:

“It’s not easy for your sister to live in the city. She has us in her heart…”

“If it’s not easy, she should come back.” Xia Qingcao interrupted Guo Yumei, saying loudly.

Seeing that she couldn’t reason with her son and that he was even shouting at her, Guo Yumei was also unhappy. She raised her voice and asked:

“Come back to do what? Starve to death? Or are you going to support her?”

“I’ll support her!” The boy said unconvinced. Although he was still putting on a brave face, his momentum had clearly weakened.

The half-grown boy’s cheeks were puffed out with anger, making him look a little cute.

Guo Yumei looked at her son and suddenly burst out laughing:

“You just said you didn’t want her, you didn’t hope for her to come back, and now you say you’ll support her. Aren’t you contradicting yourself?”

Xia Qingcao was exposed and was very unhappy. He ignored her, carrying the grass, and walked forward quickly.

They finally returned home. Xia Qingning came out to greet them. Looking at the boy in front of her, she saw that he was barefoot, his rolled-up pants were covered in mud, his face was tanned red, and he was carrying a large bundle of green grass on his back. His small body was bent very low, as if he would collapse under the weight at any moment.

For some reason, Xia Qingning suddenly felt a pang of heartache. She called his name:

“Qingcao.”

Then she walked over, wanting to help him take the basket off his back.

But the boy deliberately avoided her hand. He didn’t answer, he didn’t look at her, and he went straight to the side, put down the basket, and started feeding the rabbits in the cage.

“This child.” Guo Yumei wanted to continue to ease the relationship between them. She said:

“Qingcao, come inside. Your sister left you a fried egg.” Then she was about to go inside. When she turned her head, she saw many things in the courtyard, rice, flour, oil, everything.

She was about to ask Xia Qingning what was going on when she saw Lu Jingzhe and Xia Qing Shu walk in. Lu Jingzhe was carrying a bag of flour in his hand. Recalling his question to her son about whether there was a car, she understood that these things were all bought by him.

Xia Qingning, who was standing beside them, looked at Xia Qing Shu who was walking in. She noticed that his walking posture was not quite right. She quickly asked Guo Yumei who was beside her:

“I remember my brother’s right foot was injured. Why is his left foot…”

Xia Qingcao, who had been looking a little more relaxed, suddenly became even more angry when he heard this. He looked at Xia Qingning and shouted:

“You dare ask? It’s all because of you!”