Chapter 84.2 

Inside the Su family’s house.

Su Xiaoxiao gave both the chicken and pork to Li Yufeng and said, “Mom, you can cook whatever you like tonight.”

Li Yufeng looked at the room full of things and felt a bit distressed. “Did you empty everything from Han family’s house? What will you, Han Cheng, and the children eat when you go back?”

Li Yufeng knows that Han Cheng is a good person, but she didn’t want to give him the impression that their daughter will always bring something from the Han family and give it to her mother’s house. She empathized with him. If both daughters-in-law moved their household items to their parents’ homes like this, she would have objections too. In her opinion, a married daughter should prioritize her own family. They weren’t so poor that they couldn’t afford it.

Su Xiaoxiao nudged Li Yufeng and said “Mom, this is my year-end bonus from work, and we bought the chicken and pork in town. It’s a rare occasion to celebrate a prosperous year. Han Cheng and I both have salaries, and we’re doing well. Don’t worry about it.”

In fact, the school also sent Su Xiaoxiao a year-end bonus, but that one had already been eaten even before she came back here.

Li Yufeng shook her head and rested her head in her hand. “Be careful and watch the doorstep. You’re a mother now, stay steady for me!”

Su Xiaoxiao linked her arm with Li Yufeng. “I’ve been a mother for a long time. I have three sons.”

“Alright, you stay inside your room and behave, Chunying will come over to help,” Li Yufeng said.

Han Cheng took out cookies and candy for the children to eat, and Zhang Chunying also sneaked a candy while listening to Li Yufeng calling her. She didn’t forget to grab one more candy and replied, “Yes, I’m coming right away.”

Zhang Chunying walked out of the room happily. She really likes her sister-in-law’s family. She used to envy her eldest brother-in-law and his wife because they could afford to buy anything for their Dabao while her son, Xiaobao, could only wear old clothes and shoes that were passed down by Dabao.

But now she didn’t envy them anymore. After all, her sister-in-law, brother-in-law (Han Cheng), and the children all liked her Xiaobao. They will never forget Xiaobao’s share when they have something good.

Su Weimin and Su Zhenhua saw the three children for the first time and found them quite remarkable. Their own child, Xiaobao, was already handsome enough, and there was no second one like him in the whole village. However, due to the exposure to sun and rain in the countryside, his skin had become somewhat darker. In contrast, the three children in Han Cheng’s family were like the wealth-scattering disciples under the seat of Guanyin, the Goddess of Mercy, with each one being fairer and more charming than the other.

Especially the youngest, named Xiao Doubao, with big eyes, rosy lips, and white teeth. He was even more beautiful and well-behaved than a little girl. His two older brothers were playing Chinese checkers with Xiaobao, who didn’t know how to play this game yet. So he sat there quietly with a candy in his mouth, watching his brothers play without causing any trouble.

“Xiaoxiao, your children are really well-behaved.” Xiaobao was already considered quite well-behaved compared to the other children in the village, but when his eldest son came back, there would inevitably be conflicts. Su Weimin was initially skeptical when he heard what Li Yufeng had said. How could three boys not cause trouble every day? He was worried about how hard his daughter, the stepmother, would have to work.

Today, he finally saw it with his own eyes and could finally believe it. These children really played together without making a fuss, and when they played Chinese checkers, they didn’t argue or fight. If they made a mistake, they discussed it calmly without raising their voices. Even Xiaobao, who had a loud voice, had become much quieter.

Xiaobao didn’t know how to play, but the other two patiently taught him. Xiao Doubao even put candy in Xiaobao’s mouth. Su Weimin couldn’t help but marvel at how well these children got along. They hadn’t spent much time together, yet their bond was already so strong. Xiaobao had been quite down when he first came back from there.

Su Xiaoxiao sat next to Han Cheng, looked at the children, and nodded. “They have always been this well-behaved.”

“Xiaoxiao has taught them well,” Han Cheng said.

Su Weimin was even more satisfied and said a few words. Su Xiaoxiao pulled Han Cheng aside and asked him to take their luggage back to her room.

Since they had come back here without any notice, Li Yufeng hadn’t prepared anything. However, she had a habit of regularly cleaning Su Xiaoxiao’s room, so the bedding was also cleaned and aired regularly. She had thought they might come back for the New Year, so she had already washed and aired the bedding in advance, and it was still clean and fresh.

Su Xiaoxiao’s room didn’t have much stuff, but it was very clean and tidy. She sat by the bed, leaning against it, and reached back to massage her lower back.

Han Cheng took her hand and helped her massage it. “Did sitting in the car for so long tire you out? Lie down for a while, I’ll tidy it up.”

Su Xiaoxiao pulled him down and leaned against his chest. “You’ve been driving, and you must be tired too. Let’s lie down together, and Mom will come to call us when it’s time to eat.”

Han Cheng hugged her and said, “Is that okay? Maybe I should go out and chat with them?”

Su Xiaoxiao shook her head and said, “Be good. You stay here and rest.”

Han Cheng couldn’t resist her, and he was indeed tired, so he decided to rest with her.

………..

In the kitchen, Li Yufeng and Zhang Chunying, the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, were also chatting.

“Mom, our brother-in-law is really nice, and he’s really good to our little sister and the kids,” Zhang Chunying said as she added firewood to the stove.

Li Yufeng stirred the pork in the pot and couldn’t stop smiling. “Of course he’s very good. Didn’t I tell you earlier?”

Zhang Chunying replied, “Hearing about it is one thing, but seeing it for myself is another. Just look at our brother-in-law; he has eyes just like they’re glued to his sister-in-law, and he dotes on her so much.”

Li Yufeng’s smile grew even broader. “Don’t gossip about it outside. We know it ourselves. They are good to Xiao Bao, and the children are also excellent. As for Zhuzi, they also treat him like he is their own child. You must treat the children equally and not favor one over the other.”

Zhang Chunying nodded and said “I understand. I have a sense of propriety in this regard.”

Li Yufeng: “Keep an eye on the fire, and when the sauce thickens, scoop it up. I’ve added a lot of cabbage; try to place the cabbage and vermicelli at the bottom so we won’t have trouble finding the meat when eating. I’ll go inside and check on Xiaoxiao.”

Zhang Chunying: “I understand, Mother.”

Li Yufeng couldn’t help but add, “Don’t sneak a bite; we’ll eat together later.”

Zhang Chunying blushed for a moment. Her mother-in-law was right, she was planning to sneak a bite. “I’m not sneaking; I just wanted to taste the flavor.”

“Han Cheng is watching; don’t embarrass yourself. When has our home ever deprived you of a meal?”

This daughter-in-law had her quirks but was diligent and had a good heart. She had a habit of being a bit greedy due to growing up with many siblings who often left her with little to eat. Li Yufeng usually turned a blind eye to it, but with Han Cheng around, she didn’t want to embarrass Xiaoxiao.

“I understand, Mother.”

Zhang Chunying always felt she had married well. She came from a large and poor family, and without Su Zhenhua insisting on marrying her, she would never have married the son of the production team leader. After coming here, she had a son, and although her husband was a bit soft-spoken, he listened to her. Her father-in-law was easygoing, and her mother-in-law treated her well. Her son was obedient and clever. Her younger sister-in-law had also married well, and she had no complaints. She only wished to have another daughter.

The Su family is different from other families. While most families cherished sons, in the Su family, Su Xiaoxiao was the most treasured, like the apple of their eye.

However, after giving birth to her son, she hadn’t been able to conceive again, and this has been Zhang Chunying’s worry ever since.

Lost in thought, Zhang Chunying heard bubbling from the pot and hurriedly lifted the lid. The aroma of pork stew with cabbage and vermicelli filled the air. Usually, she could eat three big bowls of it, but now, for some reason, just smelling it makes her feel nauseous.

It wasn’t just a feeling; the acid in her stomach surged, and she couldn’t help but throw the lid away and rush outside to vomit up all the biscuits and sugar she had just eaten.

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end of bonus chapter!