Chapter 33: How Did You Get So Fat?

If Qiu Yinuo knew what they were thinking, she would’ve been furious.

All that fat she had been desperately trying to shed—turned out, others saw it as a sign she had been living in luxury.

Thanks to the original owner’s memories, she successfully found her way home.

Looking at the familiar yet unfamiliar mudbrick house, Qiu Yinuo’s eyes welled up with tears.

This house…

It was damn poor.

She had thought her in-laws already lived modestly enough, but she hadn’t expected her own family to be even more impoverished.

Living in a place this dark and cramped for long… it was enough to make anyone depressed.

“Sister Yinuo, the front door is locked. Auntie might not be home.”

“It’s New Year’s Day by the solar calendar. They’re probably at my grandma’s place.”

“Should we go there and look for them?” From the way she spoke, it didn’t seem like she was close with her grandparents. She wasn’t sure whether they’d welcome her—especially since she’d brought someone along.

“No need. The news of me coming back will probably reach them soon enough. They’ll come back on their own.”

She had no intention of seeking trouble by going to her grandparents’ house.

Sure enough, they hadn’t been standing long when a familiar figure approached from afar.

“You little brat! You’re back and didn’t even say a word?”

Cheng Hongying rushed forward, taking Erbao from He Ziqing’s arms, her face wrinkled up with joy. “Quick, let Grandma take a good look at my dear Dabao!”

“That’s Erbao,” Yinuo corrected.

Cheng Hongying’s smile froze for two seconds, but she quickly replaced it with an affectionate one.

“Oh, so it’s Grandma’s little Erbao! Honestly, what kind of mother are you? Coming back with the boys in this freezing weather—you’re not afraid they’ll catch a cold?”

He Ziqing opened her mouth, wanting to explain, but Qiu Yinuo beat her to it.

“You’re the one who insisted I come back. Now that I have, you’re already nagging me.”

Since her grandsons were back, Cheng Hongying couldn’t be bothered to argue. She pulled out a key from her pocket.

“Come on, Qingqing, let’s go inside and warm up. You two must be frozen after that long trip.”

“We’re okay. Moving around helps,” she replied.

Cheng Hongying lit the fire under the brick bed. As soon as she lifted the curtain, a wave of warm air greeted them.

“Quick, put the boys on the kang bed so they can warm up. Their little noses are red from the cold.”

They set their heavy bags on the ground. Nothing in the house had changed—if anything, the furniture looked even more worn out.

Qiu Yinuo looked around, and soon realized someone was watching her. She turned just as Qiu Qianjin stepped through the curtain.

He was a boy of about seventeen or eighteen, still with a youthful face, eyes clear and bright. His features weren’t stunning, but they had a quiet charm. There was a rebelliousness in his slightly upturned brows—typical of his age.

“Holy crap, Qiu Yinuo, how did you get so fat?”

That familiar face stung her eyes. The last time she’d seen it was over twenty years ago.

Her eldest brother had just started high school and needed to live on campus. When she found out, she hid in her room and cried.

It wasn’t until he patted her little head and promised to come home every weekend that she finally let him go.

Big Brother, Nono really, really missed you.

She blinked, and in that instant, tears burst forth like a flood breaking through a dam, uncontrollable and unstoppable.

Qiu Yinuo’s sudden outburst of tears startled Qiu Qianjin.

Cheng Hongying shot a glare at her son. “If you don’t know how to talk properly, then shut your mouth.”

She grumbled under her breath, “That girl, I don’t know why she’s so sensitive about her weight.”

Actually, Qiu Qianjin wanted to step forward and comfort his sister, but remembering that she didn’t seem to like him very much, he hesitated and pulled back.

He instinctively looked to his mother for help, eyes silently pleading: Save me, please save me!

Cheng Hongying quickly changed the subject. “Right, did you bring the fish back?”

Just thinking about how her son risked danger to catch fish, only for them not to eat any and for her sister-in-law to benefit instead, made her heart ache.

“I brought it back.”

Cheng Hongying: As expected of my son.

Qiu Qianjin held up the large fish in his hand and said cheerfully, “Sis, you go lie on the kang and warm up. I’ll cook for you.”

He Ziqing stood up as well. “I’ll help.”

Only then did Qiu Qianjin notice the unfamiliar face in the room and froze. “Who are you?”

“She’s a distant cousin on your brother-in-law’s side,” Qiu Yinuo explained. “She came to help take care of the kids. Her name is He Ziqing—get along with her.”

Qiu Qianjin patted his chest and promised, “If you’re my brother-in-law’s cousin, you’re my cousin too. We’re family.”

Qiu Yinuo muttered, “Qingqing’s older than you.”

“Then she’s my cousin-sister.”

Faced with Qiu Qianjin’s overly friendly attitude, He Ziqing relaxed and dropped her initial stiffness.

“Don’t worry, sis,” Qiu Qianjin grinned. “I promise I won’t bully her.”

“I’m more worried you’ll get beaten up. If you do, don’t expect me to help you.”

Was that really necessary?

Still, since his sister had just returned, he couldn’t risk making her mad at a time like this.

Cheng Hongying turned to her daughter. “Niu’er, do you still have enough milk these days?”

“Not much. Barely enough to fill one baby.”

“Qianjin, go boil some water. We’ll make some formula for the little ones. They’ve been smacking their lips this whole time—they’re probably starving.”

Qianjin hadn’t even gotten a good look at his nephews yet. He leaned in curiously, stretching his neck to peek—only to be glared back by his mother.

“The babies are hungry, and you just want to stare? What kind of uncle are you?”

At that, he hurried off obediently.

When his father was still alive, his mother treated him more gently. She would only scold him when his father wasn’t around. But now that his father was gone, she had completely let loose—scolding loudly and whenever she pleased.

Once the room was quiet and it was just mother and daughter, Cheng Hongying asked,
“Why did you suddenly come back? Something happened at home, didn’t it?”

She really is my mom—always hits the mark right away.

But Qiu Yinuo didn’t want to talk about it.

“I just thought since you don’t have much to do in winter, I’d bring the kids back for you to keep busy with.”

Cheng Hongying was speechless. Never seen a child so infuriating.

But she couldn’t get a clear answer out of her daughter anyway, so she let it go and turned to shower affection on her grandsons.

She kissed Dabao, then Erbao, delighting in them both. “Look at you, giving birth to such good-looking babies. You really know how to pick ‘em.”

“Oh right—now that you’re back, go visit your grandparents tomorrow. No matter what, they’re still your elders. Take Dabao and Erbao with you to show them.”

If you want to live peacefully in the village, you can’t slack on filial duties.

“Alright.”

Seeing her daughter agree so easily, Cheng Hongying grew suspicious. “You’re being weird today.”

“Since when is listening to you weird?”

Before long, He Ziqing returned carrying a basin of warm water. “Sister Yinuo, come wipe off first.”

Qiu Yinuo wrung out a towel, wiped her chest, and began nursing Erbao.

Cheng Hongying curled her lips. “What, went to the city once and picked up all these fussy habits?”

“If it’s going into the baby’s mouth, it better be clean.”