Chapter 26.2

After giving her the candy, Qin Zhengye raised an eyebrow at Xu Jiaojiao with a mischievous grin.

Surprised, Xu Jiaojiao sucked on the candy, her mouth filling with the faint taste of orange. She shot him an annoyed look but couldn’t help smiling.

“Come here, Daddy’s got you,” Qin Zhengye said, lifting Qin Jiashu off Xu Jiaojiao’s lap.

Qin Jiashu was thin and light, but the mini bus was cramped. Sitting alone was tiring enough, having a child on her lap would have made her legs ache quickly.

Qin Jiashu, still working on his candied hawthorn, sat on Qin Zhengye’s lap with his cheeks puffed out.

The bus rattled for an hour, during which Qin Tiesheng, in the front seat, cried and sobbed incessantly.

Xu Jiaojiao admitted she felt a little guilty for being unmoved by Qin Tiesheng’s tears.

But when she remembered Qin Jiashu’s delighted expression as he hugged her leg and declared he wasn’t a “little savage,” Qin Tiesheng’s wails almost sounded like music to her ears.

What can I say? I’m just fiercely protective of my own!

“Mommy, he cries so much…” Qin Jiashu leaned over from Qin Zhengye’s lap to whisper in Xu Jiaojiao’s ear.

Xu Jiaojiao was charmed by her son’s cuteness. Not all kids are brats, she thought. My little darling is perfect.

After getting off the bus, Qin Zhengye carried the luggage while Xu Jiaojiao and Qin Jiashu walked easily.

Beside them, Qin Muchi held Qin Tiesheng, who had cried himself to sleep. All were residents of Qinjia Village and had happened to ride the same bus, so they naturally walked together after disembarking.

Xu Jiaojiao had previously found this mountain path quite long, but today—perhaps because she was in a good mood—the walk didn’t feel tiring at all.

“See you later,” Qin Zhengye said to Qin Muchi at the village entrance before they parted ways, each heading home.

As Qin Jiashu and Xu Jiaojiao continued walking, the child occasionally glanced back. Only after Qin Muchi and his son disappeared from view at the fork in the road did Qin Jiashu let out a loud “Hmph!”

Xu Jiaojiao smiled and asked, “Xiao Shu, who are you hmph-ing at?”

“I’m hmph-ing at the crybaby!” Qin Jiashu declared without hesitation. “Mommy, do you know who the crybaby is?”

“Of course.”

“Hehe.” The child grinned. “Mommy, can we go to town again tomorrow?” Qin Jiashu looked up at Xu Jiaojiao with hopeful eyes.

He wanted to eat meat and candied hawthorns every day.

“No, dear. Tomorrow, Mommy and Daddy are going to Grandpa and Grandma’s house, and you’re coming too,” Xu Jiaojiao replied, shaking her head.

“Grandpa and Grandma’s house?” Qin Jiashu asked, surprised.

“That’s right.”

Qin Jiashu thought of Grandpa, who made him clothes, Grandma, who wiped his face, and Uncle, who taught him to ride a bicycle. The child’s mood brightened at the thought.

“All right then!”

“Xiao Shu, do you like Grandpa and Grandma?”

“Yes! Grandpa and Grandma are good,” the child replied cheerfully.

“Isn’t there someone sitting at the gate of our compound?” Xu Jiaojiao asked, patting Xiao Shu’s head as she glanced toward the Compound’s entrance.

Qin Zhengye and Qin Jiashu followed her gaze and naturally spotted the figure perched on the Zhiqing Compound’s threshold.

“It’s Grandfather!” Qin Jiashu’s eyes lit up.

Xu Jiaojiao raised an eyebrow in surprise. As the family approached, she realized it truly was Father Qin.

“Zhengye! I heard villagers say you were back from the army on leave. I thought they were gossiping, but you really did come home!”

Father Qin, clad in a patched gray jacket, squatted outside the Zhiqing residence. When he saw Qin Zhengye in his green military uniform, he immediately flashed a servile smile.

“Grandfather,” Qin Jiashu greeted him as usual.

Though Xu Jiaojiao deeply disliked Father Qin, she remembered how Xiao Shu had survived during the original owner’s neglect, relying on the old man’s occasional secret gifts of small sweet potatoes and potatoes. She reminded herself that as a daughter-in-law, she should at least offer basic courtesy.

“Hey!” Father Qin nodded dismissively at Xiao Shu, as always.

After his perfunctory nod, Father Qin lowered his head and deliberately corrected Qin Jiashu’s form of address. “Xiao Shu, haven’t I told you before? You should call me Grandpa.”

Qin Jiashu, being young, didn’t fully understand kinship terms. He had simply followed Qin Baogui’s example, vaguely calling Father Qin “Grandfather.”

Xu Jiaojiao, who had just convinced herself to overlook the man’s behavior for the sake of family harmony, couldn’t help rolling her eyes when Father Qin corrected Qin Jiashu.

This old man is definitely off his rocker! she thought. Yes, in Nan Province, grandchildren typically call their paternal grandfathers “Grandfather.” But in the village, all children, whether related or not, address elderly men as “Grandfather.”

Qin Jiashu was his maternal grandson and technically should call him “Grandpa.” But the child didn’t understand these nuances. Father Qin should have been pleased with the familiar “Grandfather,” which sounded more affectionate.

Yet here he was, suddenly correcting Qin Jiashu’s term of address, right in front of Qin Zhengye. What was he trying to accomplish? Was this some deliberate attempt to be unpleasant?

Xu Jiaojiao reached out and patted Qin Jiashu’s head. “Silly boy,” she said, “he’s Qin Baogui’s grandfather, not yours. From now on, you shouldn’t call him ‘Grandfather’ anymore, understand?”

“Xiao Shu calls him Grandpa? But isn’t Grandpa Mom’s father?” the child asked Xu Jiaojiao, puzzled.

“Xiao Shu doesn’t need to call him anything. Just stay away from him. Mom told you, some illnesses are contagious. Like treating a stepson as your own flesh and blood—that’s a terrible disease, incurable. Xiao Shu can’t catch that, understand?” Xu Jiaojiao’s words dripped with sarcasm, aimed squarely at Father Qin. Her mockery was merciless. She then led the child home.

Qin Zhengye, overhearing Xu Jiaojiao’s veiled insults toward his father, couldn’t help but smile.

“You… you truly are an ill-mannered hussy! How could the Qin family have taken in such a daughter-in-law? Sigh!” Father Qin’s face flushed crimson as he let out a heavy sigh.

Xu Jiaojiao paid no attention to his ranting—just impotent fury.

Seeing Xu Jiaojiao completely disregard him, Father Qin turned to Qin Zhengye. “Look at what she’s become!”

He glared at his son, exasperated. “I told you not to marry her! But you wouldn’t listen. Gui Xiang’s niece was so much better. You rejected her to bring this troublemaker into our family, turning our home into a mess.”

“To make such a scene that we had to split the family, making us the laughingstock of the village—it’s utterly shameful!”

“Ashamed? Wasn’t it Zhao Guixiang who insisted on the split?” Qin Zhengye retorted.

What’s this old man up to, suddenly putting on this act? Trying to play the victim with me?

“Is that what she told you? Did she try to pin the blame on us, claiming we were heartless for forcing them to live at the Zhiqing Compound?”

“Isn’t that the truth?” Qin Zhengye countered. “You barely finished the wedding feast before rushing to split the family. Who else would the villagers laugh at?”

“…” Father Qin fell silent, his argument faltering.

“Sigh, son, let me explain properly. The split was your wife’s doing. She’s no good. We had no choice but to divide the family. Don’t listen to her lies.”

“She’s no good? And you are? Is Zhao Guixiang the one who’s no good?”

Qin Zhengye finished his mockery and silently watched his father’s performance. The old man hadn’t changed in decades, still using the same tired tricks.

“Standing here won’t solve anything. Zhengye, come home with me. We can talk properly. The Zhiqing Compound isn’t the place for this.” Father Qin reached for Qin Zhengye’s arm.

“Looks like I’ve been too lenient with you,” Qin Zhengye said coldly, pushing away Father Qin’s hand and distastefully brushing off his military uniform sleeve.

“Zhengye, I know you joined the army and have made something of yourself, but I’m still your father. I wouldn’t harm you,” Father Qin said, his face etched with pain.

“Just spit out what you want. Stop beating around the bush and dragging in irrelevant nonsense. And don’t you dare smear my wife or throw dirt on her,” Qin Zhengye snapped.

He knew Qin Yongchang’s true nature well. Their relationship had never been one of filial piety and mutual respect, where reasonable conversation was possible.

“Fine, if that’s how you want it, I’ll say it right here,” Father Qin said with a sigh of resignation.

“When you joined the army, I, as your father, contributed both money and effort. Now that I’m old and ailing, you, as my son, have a duty to support me.”

“I know you’re a high-ranking officer and can’t personally care for me, and I wouldn’t want to burden you. But you must send twenty yuan home every month.”

So, it was about money after all!

“Before, I had no family of my own. Now I have a wife and son to support. I can’t afford to send you money,” Qin Zhengye retorted irritably.

“Xiao Shu isn’t even your own son. Just raise him casually. As for your wife, do you have any idea how wasteful she is? You left her plenty of money and ration coupons when you returned to the army after the wedding banquet, didn’t you?”

“And you’re complaining that Gui Xiang isn’t taking good care of Xiao Shu? As if she’s any better!” Father Qin pointed at the Educated Youth Compound, his voice seething with anger.

“She’s using your money to buy clothes and a watch at the Supply and Marketing Cooperative, and she’s eating at the State-Run Restaurant every other day—always meat or fish. She spends like water. You send your military allowance home to her, but she hasn’t spent a single penny on Xiao Shu.”

Father Qin’s dissatisfaction grew with each word. “With you away, she’s living at the Zhiqing residence. Who knows if she’s secretly using your money to support some man? The old bachelors in the village all say she’s restless, batting her eyes at every man she sees. She’ll probably make you a cuckold sooner or later.”

“And Xiao Shu… you saw how starved he was. If I hadn’t secretly given him a couple of sweet potatoes, he might have died of hunger.” Father Qin’s resentment was palpable, his voice gaining confidence as he spoke.

Qin Zhengye scoffed, “My allowance is mine to spend as I please. I have eyes to see how she treats Xiao Shu—I don’t need you to tell me.”

“As his father-in-law, you’re old enough to know better than to run to your son and gossip about his wife like some old woman. Qin Yongchang, you’re truly regressing with age,” Qin Zhengye said, his tone dripping with disdain.

Sometimes, he even doubted if this man was truly his father.

“You’d rather believe that scheming woman than your own father? You’ve gone soft in the head from being a soldier!” Father Qin stomped his foot in anger.

“I’m doing this for your own good, worried you’ll be deceived by her. That woman looks untrustworthy—aren’t you afraid of being cuckolded?” Father Qin insisted, convinced he was offering sound advice.

Qin Zhengye ignored his father, shouldering the sack and striding into the courtyard.

“If you refuse to listen and insist on being foolish, that’s your problem. Just keep sending me my monthly allowance,” Father Qin called after him, trying to grab his arm.

Qin Zhengye deftly dodged the attempt and stepped inside the gate.

“Get lost. Go as far away as you can,” Qin Zhengye growled, barely restraining himself from shoving the old man.

The longer Father Qin spent with Zhao Guixiang, the less human he seemed.

Bang!

Qin Zhengye slammed the courtyard gate shut, turned, and carried the sack into the main room.

Xu Jiaojiao brought Qin Jiashu home and went to the kitchen to fill a washbasin with hot water from the thermos.

Qin Jiashu still had sticky candy glaze from his candied hawthorns on his face. Xu Jiaojiao gently wiped it off.

Outside, Father Qin was speaking loudly. Xu Jiaojiao and Qin Jiashu, standing by the washstand, could hear every word clearly.

Xu Jiaojiao knew that sooner or later someone would tell Qin Zhengye about the original owner’s misdeeds.

But she never expected that person to be Father Qin. Weren’t gossips usually women? How could Father Qin be so peculiar?

“Did you hear everything he said in his fit of anger?” Qin Zhengye asked Xu Jiaojiao.

The distance from the Educated Youth Compound to the gate was short, and the old man’s voice carried easily.

Xu Jiaojiao nodded.

“Don’t worry about it. I trust you,” Qin Zhengye reassured her, making his position clear.

Xu Jiaojiao remained silent for a moment before finally deciding to confess the original owner’s actions herself. “Actually, a small part of what he said is true.”