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With Wang Minggui in Wang Zhenhai’s arms, he didn’t forget to call out to the two of them, “Third Uncle, Sister, hurry up, we’re almost leaving you behind.”
The two of them quickened their pace to catch up, smiling as they asked, “Minggui, why the rush to eat? Are you hungry?”
The little guy looked a bit embarrassed, glancing around before lowering his head. “Brothers and Sisters haven’t been back for a long time.”
Seeing the forlorn look on his young nephew’s face, even Wang Zhenhai felt a pang of sympathy. “Minggui, now that your brother and sister are back, we’ll have a big meal tonight. You can sleep with your brother Mingyuan tonight.”
Turning to his third brother, he remarked, “Brother, look at this lonely child. Having more kids at home gives them company. Minggui is all alone without anyone to play with. It’s heartbreaking to see him like this. When it comes to my grandson, he’ll truly be a treasure.”
Wang Minggui insisted on walking himself, wanting to hold his sister’s hand. Wang Zhenhai set his nephew down, and Wang Qian ran ahead with the little one, holding his hand.
“Little brother, if Sister goes to school in the future, you should learn more words at home. That way, you can write letters to your brother and sister. How does that sound?” Wang Qian suggested, hoping for the best for her young brother.
Without bias, she genuinely hoped her little brother would succeed. Wang Minggui nodded while holding his sister’s hand. “Okay, I’ll ask Mom and Grandpa to teach me more writing. Then I’ll write you letters, Sister. But what if I miss you, what should I do?”
Wang Qian patted her little brother’s head. “Don’t worry. Tomorrow, we’ll take a photo together. Whenever you miss us, you can look at the picture.”
Suddenly remembering that their family had yet to take a photo together, Wang Qian made a mental note to ensure they took one tomorrow. Even though their eldest brother wasn’t back yet, they would make sure to include him next time.
For dinner, Zhang Lan prepared a sumptuous meal, including cured pork bones from the pig slaughtered during the New Year, paired with fresh beans from the garden. The aroma of the stewed pork bones and beans filled the house, making everyone’s mouths water, including Bai Jianing.
Each person at the table received their share of the meal, with everyone having enough to eat without anyone needing to share.
Zuo Yu happily gnawed on a piece of meat from the bone, exclaiming, “Aunt, this is so delicious! I’ll definitely come back next year for more. Where else can you find such tasty food?”
Wang Mingshan’s wife took a bite of the meat but suddenly felt unwell in the stomach, quickly rushing out onto the street. Leaning against the wall, she vomited for a while. Wang Juan and Wang Mingshan, concerned, followed her outside. However, seeing the state of their daughter-in-law, Wang Juan chuckled and playfully tapped her son.
“Young man, go help your wife. Looks like you’re going to be a dad soon,” Wang Juan teased.
Initially puzzled, Wang Mingshan eventually caught on, seeing his mom’s mischievous smile.
“Mom, you’re serious? I’m going to be a dad! Haha, that’s amazing,” he exclaimed, thrilled at the news.
The ecstatic young man hurried over to support his wife, Liu Hong, asking, “Liu Hong, how are you feeling? Do you need me to take you to the hospital?”
Liu Hong, feeling a bit shy, glanced at her husband. “It’s okay, I just need to vomit. I’ll be fine.”
Wang Juan remarked, “Tomorrow, Mom will accompany you to the clinic to get a check-up. Let the doctor examine you and see if you’re pregnant. Hehe, looks like we have good news in our family. Mingshan, help your wife back inside for dinner. Since she can’t eat meat, we’ll have some light vegetable dishes. Your aunt has prepared plenty of those.”
With a joyful demeanor, Wang Juan led her son and daughter-in-law back to their seats. Zhang Lan raised an inquisitive eyebrow at her.
Wang Juan cheerfully announced to everyone, “Nothing major, just taking Liu Hong for a check-up tomorrow to see if she’s pregnant. Looks like we might have another reason to celebrate soon.”
As everyone nibbled on their bones, they offered their congratulations. Wang Minggui, after changing clothes, asked, “Sister-in-law, are you going to have a baby? Can I play with the little one in the future?”
Liu Hong smiled, patting her young nephew’s head. “Yes, in the future, there will be someone to play with you, Minggui.”
Delighted, Wang Minggui smiled at Liu Hong and continued eating the bone Zhang Lan had given him. “Third Aunt, I can handle this myself. Please eat more; being hungry is uncomfortable.”
The child’s innocent words made everyone laugh. “Bro, let’s have a toast. Your family is about to have a new member; it’s a joyous occasion!”
Liu Hong shared her bone with Minggui, Zuo Yu, and Bai Jianing, knowing these three were enjoying the meal the most.
As children have small appetites, Wang Minggui felt full after nibbling on two pieces. After wiping his hands clean, he sipped juice and occasionally tasted some vegetables. “Auntie, I’ll tell my mom that I’m sleeping at your house tonight. Uncle said my brother will cuddle me to sleep.”
Zhang Lan nodded, realizing the child had a fondness for their family. “Minggui, have your brother accompany you home later. Make sure to inform your mom, so she doesn’t worry.”
Mingyuan and Zuo Yu also finished their meals quickly, resolving the contents of their bowls. “Aunt, I’ll go with Mingyuan to take Minggui home and maybe stroll around a bit. Enjoy your meal, everyone,” Zuo Yu suggested.
Zuo Yu wanted to ensure Mingyuan didn’t run into any issues with Wang Zhenguo, so he finished quickly to accompany him. He found Minggui to be a good kid, but his father was another story, leaving a strong impression on him.
“Brother Zuo Yu, thank you for accompanying me home,” Minggui expressed his gratitude, showing his appreciation for the company as they walked back together. Zuo Yu affectionately patted the child’s head.
“Minggui, in the future, you should learn from your brothers Mingyuan and Mingcheng. We must strive to be honorable and respectable men, not bullies who mistreat our loved ones,” Zuo Yu advised earnestly.
Although Minggui didn’t fully grasp the deeper meaning in Zuo Yu’s words, he understood the importance of learning from his older brothers.
“Yes, my mom also told me to learn from my brothers. I will be a good person and not a bad one. I really dislike bad people; they are the worst,” Minggui responded, determined to follow the right path.
Zuo Yu knew the child didn’t quite comprehend the full extent of his advice yet, but striving to be a good person was the main goal, steering clear of following in his unfortunate father’s footsteps.
However, before they reached the entrance of the Wang household, Mingyuan could already hear the sound of arguments coming from the yard. It was evident that Wang Zhenguo and Ma Fenqing were quarreling.
Hearing his parents arguing, Minggui tightened his grip on Mingyuan’s hand, feeling scared. “Brother, my dad and mom are arguing. What should I do? Will my dad mistreat my mom?”
Ma Fenqing sneered, “Wang Zhenguo, tell me, who did you lend your money to? I will ask them for it tomorrow.”
Feeling a bit flustered by Ma Fenqing’s question, Wang Zhenguo tried to deflect, saying unconvincingly, “Why are you, a woman, asking for money? He said he would return it to me in a while. Stop nagging. When I see him, I will naturally ask for it back.”
“Don’t lend money to others and end up in a bad situation.”
Zhu Qiyu interjected, advising, “Fenqing, both of you are public figures. You should maintain a united front with your husband in public. Otherwise, he won’t have a good reputation among friends. I’ll keep an eye on this matter and make sure the money is returned. We are not wealthy; we can’t afford to lend money like this. Zhenguo, listen carefully and make sure to get the money back soon. You are frivolous with finances, not good at managing. Is this how Mom taught you?”
Zhu Qiyu also felt the weight of the situation regarding the money but hesitated to delve too deeply in front of her daughter-in-law.
Wang Zhenguo took Zhu Qiyu’s hand, smiling, “Mom, I understand. I will definitely retrieve the money and give it back to my wife.”
Mingyuan and Zuo Yu entered with Wang Minggui, who timidly asked, “Dad, are you two arguing? I’m a bit scared. Can you please not argue?”
Seeing his son return, Ma Fenqing quickly put on a smile and reassured him, “Son, Mom and Dad are not arguing. We are just sorting out some matters. The household accounts are not adding up, so Mom and Dad are discussing it. Everything is fine, don’t be afraid.”
Feeling relieved after hearing this, Wang Minggui turned to Wang Zhenguo, “Dad, you’re not allowed to mistreat Mom. You should listen to Mom like I do. If she’s right, I always listen to her. You should behave well and not make Mom upset.”
Surprised to be reprimanded by his six-year-old, Wang Zhenguo looked a bit displeased. “Little guy, stay out of adult matters. Just focus on yourself.”