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Wang Minggui looked somewhat aggrievedly at Wang Zhenguo, then turned to Zhu Qiyu, “Grandma, look at your son. He’s not obedient. You should discipline him. My grandmother says unruly children need discipline.”
Seeing his young cousin’s expression, Mingyuan couldn’t help but grin. This little guy sure knows how to seek help. Not bad. He wondered if Zhu Qiyu could handle this situation.
Feeling sorry for her beloved grandson, Zhu Qiyu gently scolded her son, “You troublemaker. What’s wrong with what the child said? You, as an adult, are not even as obedient as your child. You should learn from your son. Minggui is good. Grandma scolded him already; don’t feel wronged.”
Upon seeing his grandson leading Zuo Yu over, Wang Deshan quickly invited them inside to sit, but Zuo Yu politely declined. He had nothing to say to the Wang family, especially the old lady before him, whom he found irritating. It was better not to force a conversation.
“Grandpa Wang, no thanks. We just came to let Minggui say goodbye. He’s sleeping with us tonight. Minggui was worried you might be concerned, so he wanted to inform you,” Zuo Yu explained courteously.
Ma Fenqing knew that her son was fond of the people from Third Brother’s family, so she lifted her son and advised, “Minggui, when you go over, be good and obedient. Don’t cause trouble for your elder siblings. Mom will get you some clean clothes. If they get dirty, bring them back home for Mom to wash.”
After instructing her son, she asked Mingyuan and the others to wait outside for a moment while she went inside to fetch the clothes. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to invite Mingyuan in; she understood how the children from Third Brother’s family viewed her husband, so she didn’t want to put Mingyuan in an awkward position. Wang Zhenguo glanced at Mingyuan but didn’t say anything, returning to the house in a huff.
Ma Fenqing packed a set of clothes for her son and handed it to Mingyuan, saying, “Mingyuan, please take good care of Minggui. The little guy adores you all.”
Mingyuan nodded with a smile, but upon noticing Ma Fenqing’s earlier expression, he couldn’t help but feel a bit concerned. “Aunt, are you okay? My little uncle, he…”
Ma Fenqing shook her head with a smile. “Your uncle has been this way for a long time. I’ve gotten used to it. Well, what more can we do? We have to keep going for your brother’s sake. Let’s not talk about him. By the way, how long will you two be staying at home? Aren’t you both taking the university entrance exams this year? Have you received your acceptance letters yet?”
Mingyuan shook his head with a smile. “Not yet, but I think it will be soon. Oh, Aunt, we’re probably heading back in the next couple of days to await our acceptance letters. Remember last time I promised my brother to take him to the city for fun? If we leave, we would like to take him with us. We’ll bring Minggui back when it’s time for him to return. Don’t worry. Even if we can’t bring him back personally, I’ll make sure Minglin takes care of it.”
Handing the child over to Third Brother’s family, Ma Fenqing had no concerns. “Mingyuan, thank you for taking care of them. Minggui, listen to your brother, behave well, and come back early if you miss home.”
Mingyuan helped carry the package, while Minggui held Zuo Yu’s hand as they slowly made their way back. However, after the recent events, the little one seemed somewhat unhappy.
“Brother, is my mom okay now?”
Mingyuan simply reached out to pat his little brother’s head. “Don’t worry too much, little one. Just be happy and grow up carefree. The rest is for the adults to handle, and we can’t control everything.”
Mingyuan trusted that Ma Fenqing could handle things. Despite Wang Zhenguo’s behavior, he believed in Ma Fenqing’s family’s support, especially if he dared mistreat her. He wouldn’t be spared by her eldest brother.
“Little brother, tonight I’ll start teaching you how to use a dictionary. In the future, when you have time, practice reading characters in the dictionary,” Zuo Yu said.
Wang Minggui nodded, “Okay, once I learn, I’ll be able to write you letters.”
On their way back, Zhang Lan noticed that her young nephew seemed a bit unhappy and pulled him aside to ask the reason.
Upon learning about the couple’s argument, she couldn’t help but sigh, “What is Wang Zhenguo up to? He has a bright and clever child but can’t seem to live a peaceful life. It’s really beyond words.”
Mingyuan snorted, “With his character, it’s no wonder my aunt was deceived in the beginning. How many people who know the truth would be willing to marry him?”
Wang Juan returned from the kitchen and overheard the conversation between her son and mother. She shook her head, “Sister-in-law, there’s not much we can do about our little nephew. I’ve heard some unpleasant rumors circulating outside. Perhaps only that family is still in the dark.”
Upon hearing this, Zhang Lan and the others felt uneasy. “Sister-in-law, could it be that Wang Zhenguo has done something else?”
Wang Juan’s expression darkened as she spoke, “Some rumors have been circulating about Wang Zhenguo being overly friendly with a female comrade. Whether it’s true or not, we can’t say for sure. We don’t have any evidence, so it’s not easy to address this matter in his presence. Your older brother and I are considering finding the right time to talk to him. He’s mature, has a good job, and wonderful children. Some people might never reach his level in their lifetime.”
Zhang Lan sighed, “I fear some people’s insatiable greed might lead to their downfall. Whether it’s true or not, it’s important to consider Ma Fenqing and her son’s well-being. Let’s try to advise him, regardless of the truth.”
The next day, early in the morning, Wang Qian urged Zhang Lan and the others to get ready. “Mom, let’s take a family photo today. It’s been so many years, and we’ve never taken a family portrait. Even though Big Brother isn’t here this time, let’s take one now. Next time, when he’s back, we can take another.”
The idea of taking a family photo delighted Wang Zhenhe and the rest. After so many years, they hadn’t thought of capturing a picture with their children. They decided to do it before the children got married. Otherwise, they feared they might not remember how their children looked in their youth when they grew old.
“Honey, let’s go take the photo. Wei Guo, are you coming too?” Wang Zhenhe asked.
Zhang Weiguo quickly shook his head, “Brother-in-law, you go ahead and take the photo. We’ll wait for Big Sister to arrive at home. Go and come back quickly.”
Zhang Weiguo was eager to spend some alone time with Bai Jianing. He was more than ready for them to head out for the family photo. Wang Zhenhe took his young nephew along with Zuo Yu, considering him a part of their family. Zuo Yu didn’t refuse; he welcomed the chance to have a photo with the beautiful ladies, looking forward to the opportunity to take a photo with Wang Qian and the others, possibly to ward off future love interests – a great plan indeed.
Mingyuan, embracing Zuo Yu and noticing his mischievous smile, couldn’t help but wonder, “Bro, what devious thoughts are you cooking up now?”
Startled by Mingyuan’s sudden embrace, Zuo Yu blinked rapidly. “What could I possibly be scheming? I want to take a photo with Qianqian and Xuan Er. You should join too. We can show off when we go to school later. Look at how beautiful our two girls are. I bet many will envy you at school.”
Zuo Yu’s words were a mix of truth and jest, and Mingyuan wasn’t entirely convinced he was revealing his true intentions. It seemed like Zuo Yu was speaking in half-truths and leaving the rest to the imagination.
Glancing at Zuo Yu, Mingyuan remarked, “Zuo Yu, I have a feeling you have ulterior motives. You wouldn’t take my sister’s photo to school to show off, would you? Even if you do, it wouldn’t be very effective. Oh, I get it now. You’re not causing trouble with girls at school, are you?”
Mingyuan bluntly pointed out Zuo Yu’s intentions, who proudly lifted his head, “So what if I am? My sister is so beautiful. If I show her off, it’s to make those ignorant people give up. Otherwise, they keep buzzing around me like flies, making a fuss. It’s driving me crazy.”
Mingyuan gave him a light punch, “You are shameless. Unable to handle your own problems, you use my sister as a shield. Let me tell you, next time I see my older brothers, I’ll report you. You can’t even handle such small matters. I overestimated you.”
Seeing the disappointment on Mingyuan’s face, Zuo Yu quickly put his arm around his shoulder.
“Little brother, everyone is so serious all the time. Let’s not be too stern. When you bring out Qianqian’s photo, they’ll be ashamed to death. Let me tell you, our sister is truly exceptional. She’s sure to leave an impression,” Zuo Yu remarked, considering how his sister’s beauty could outshine others.
Zuo Yu pondered, wishing the school wasn’t so far away. Otherwise, he would have loved to show off Qianqian. He felt a bit disadvantaged not being able to flaunt his beautiful sister at school.
“Oh, Mingyuan, when our sister goes for registration, make sure both of our brothers go with her. With them around, no one would dare to have ill intentions towards our sister. You know, many guys going to help out during a college student’s first registration have different motives. Be careful,” Zuo Yu advised, hinting at his own experiences without explicitly mentioning them.
Mingyuan gave him a sideways glance, “Zuo Yu, I bet you’ve done the same. Otherwise, you wouldn’t have so many girls flocking around you.”
The family chatted as they walked and soon arrived at the photography studio in the commune. The studio consisted of three small, low buildings, not very spacious but sufficient for taking photographs.
They started with a family portrait, followed by a group photo including Zuo Yu and Minggui. Zhang Lan and her husband also took two photos together, as they hadn’t taken any since their marriage.
Upon learning that only black and white photos were available, Wang Qian couldn’t help but sigh. She hoped to buy a colored one in the future to take more photos with her family. For now, they had to make do with black and white.
However, black and white photos had their advantages. They could make someone with freckles look stunning by applying a bit of makeup in black and white photos.
After the formal photos, they had some casual group shots. Zuo Yu didn’t miss this opportunity and took photos with each person individually.