Chapter 19: Does She Not Take Me Seriously?

Chen Manman carefully recalled in her mind — this seemed to be the original owner’s younger aunt and cousin?

The book gave little description of the younger aunt; it only mentioned that she had married into the county town, and her husband worked as a laborer at the cotton purchasing station. He only came back to visit the elderly during holidays.

Chen Manman tentatively spoke, “You’re my younger aunt?”

“Oh! Manman! You’re going to the county to buy something?” Chen Shufang glanced at the bulging front basket of Manman’s bicycle, where a corner of some pork belly peeked out. Her eyes lit up — what was Manman planning? So many good things!

Manman noticed Chen Shufang’s expression and said, “Yes, I went to the county to buy some things. Younger aunt, what brings you here?”

“Oh, it’s just been a long time since I visited your grandparents! Xiao Zhi is on vacation, so I brought him back to see them,” Chen Shufang said as she patted the boy beside her. “Xiao Zhi, this is your second uncle’s cousin Manman, say hello!”

The boy, about eleven or twelve, was dressed neatly and looked decent, but when he looked at Manman, disdain flashed in his eyes. “Mom, is this your poor country relative?”

Chen Shufang was a bit embarrassed. “What are you saying! This is your sister Manman, say hello!”

Reluctantly, Xu Zhi said, “Sister Manman.” Then he glanced aside and said, “Mom! Are we leaving or not? Aren’t we going to grandma’s to ask for money?”

Chen Manman: “…” She was ready to hit someone! Her own Dahu and Erhu were way cuter!

Chen Shufang looked apologetic toward Manman. “Manman, Xiao Zhi hasn’t come back for a long time and is a little shy. By the way, this bike?” Her eyes lit up unconsciously.

Manman: “…” Since when did being arrogant count as being shy?

Manman was really speechless and didn’t want to bother. “Younger aunt, I’m worried about Dahu and Erhu at home, so I have to hurry back!” Saying this, she mounted her bike and rode off quickly.

“Hey! You kid, Manman! Why didn’t you stop and let your aunt ride your bike…” Chen Shufang shouted, watching Manman ride away, frustrated.

“Mom! That’s your poor relative? Does she even have 300 yuan? But that bike’s pretty good, Mom! I want that bike!” Xu Zhi threw a tantrum.

“Xiao Zhi! Mom’s going to your grandma’s to say the bike must be yours! But you have to listen to mom and behave when you get there,” Chen Shufang said earnestly.

Xiao Zhi had gotten into a fight at school and broken another kid’s arm. The other kid’s father was the deputy factory manager where her husband worked. If they couldn’t come up with 300 yuan this time, her husband might lose his job.

“Hmph!” Xiao Zhi frowned but said nothing more, quietly following Chen Shufang.

Chen Manman sped away on her bike. She had to hurry home to tell Grandma — these visitors were not here for goodwill. She could already foresee what kind of scene might come next!

“Grandma!” Back home, Manman put down her bike and rushed into her grandparents’ room without even unpacking.

“Manman, you’re back,” Grandma Chen said, sitting cross-legged on the kang, sewing. Dahu and Erhu were playing on the kang as well.

“Grandma, younger aunt and Xiao Zhi are coming. They should arrive soon! They said they want to borrow money. You better be prepared!” Manman briefly explained what had happened without going into detail.

“What? Your younger aunt?” Grandma Chen was quite pleased. Back then, her youngest daughter insisted on marrying a city man. After carefully choosing, she picked Xu Fang. Grandma thought Xu Fang was weak and useless, just flattering her youngest daughter with words, but the daughter was determined.

Later, the youngest daughter was so desperate she tried to commit suicide several times to force the old couple to give her 200 yuan as dowry.

You have to understand that 200 yuan was unimaginable money for a rural family back then. In the end, the old couple had to ask their two sons to scrape together the money.

That was one thing, but the youngest daughter only came back during holidays, and the son-in-law was rarely seen. The grandson was only brought back once as a child.

Still, hearing that the youngest daughter was coming back, Grandma Chen was happy. After all, she was her child.

“Your younger aunt and Xiao Zhi are coming together?”

Manman saw her grandma’s expression and wanted to say: don’t get your hopes up too much!

“Yes, the two are carrying a bag of biscuits and some eggs on their way back to the village. I was in a hurry to tell you, so I didn’t go with them.”

Upon hearing this, Grandma Chen quickly got up. “I’ll go to the village entrance to wait. Now that I live in a state-built house, I don’t want your younger aunt to get lost.” Her tone was urgent.

Manman: “…” What could she say?

“Grandma! Don’t rush. They’ll still take some time!” Manman felt helpless, sensing her dad might be the big sucker this time.

“No, I have to go to the village entrance,” the old lady insisted, putting on shoes and heading out hastily.

After Grandma Chen left, Manman carried Dahu and Erhu back to her room and told the kids to stay and play inside—nowhere else.

If those troublesome kids came, and she wasn’t careful, what if they bullied her two sons?

Manman also put away all the valuables in the room, including what she had just brought back from the county, into her spatial storage.

It wasn’t that she was petty; it was just that after that encounter, Manman really disliked the attitude. She was averse to trouble—if they came to take her stuff, would she give in or fight back?

After tidying up, Manman went to the kitchen to prepare some mung bean soup to bring to her father and the others, and to report the news.

In this scorching heat, heatstroke was easy to get.

While she was setting up firewood and washing mung beans, she suddenly heard her younger aunt’s voice from the courtyard: “Mom, if your second sister-in-law treats you badly, I’ll tell my second brother!” Her tone was very arrogant.

Manman: “…” Tell your second brother? Why don’t you just tell your mom!

Oh! She nearly forgot—her mom was her own grandma! Sigh.

Manman was so tired of dealing with all these distant aunts and uncles, especially the difficult ones.

So she ignored them and focused on cooking.

“Mom, why don’t I see Manman? Let me tell you, just now on the road, that little girl acted so high and mighty toward me, like her nose is too good for us!”

“Mom, that little brat bought a whole cartload of food, including a big chunk of pork belly. I saw it all! She doesn’t know how to show respect to me, her aunt!”

“I’ve been here half a day and haven’t seen that damn girl. Mom, maybe Manman doesn’t even take me seriously.” Chen Shufang was venting in the courtyard.

Grandma Chen was a bit embarrassed, “Alright, enough. Tell me, what’s the matter with you coming back this time?” She knew this youngest daughter well—never doing something without reason or benefit.

“Mom! It’s just been so long since I saw you! Xiao Zhi’s on holiday, so I thought to bring your grandson to see you. What, Mom, don’t you welcome me?”

Chen Shufang, at her age, acting coquettish and shy like a child—thankfully Manman didn’t see it, or she’d have thrown up last night’s meal!