Chapter 297: First Encounter

Although Wang Minggui was unfamiliar with Wang Zhenhe’s family, his grandma and mother had spoken highly of Third Uncle’s family, so he gazed up carefully and asked, “Third Uncle, my mom said you’re good people. Can I come play with the good people at your house in the future?”

Wang Zhenhe and his wife couldn’t resist the innocence of the child. Despite adult complexities, children were innocent. “Of course, Minggui, if you want to come play, feel free to visit. However, once your older siblings start school, they won’t be home during the day. You’re welcome to come over these days,” Wang Zhenhe replied.

Zhang Lan brought out candies and pastries for the children to enjoy. Minggui solemnly said, “Third Aunt, my grandma said not to eat other people’s things.”

Ma Fenqing’s mother, Hong Shufen, had put in a lot of effort to correct her grandson’s habit of eating without discretion. Her efforts had paid off.

With a gentle smile, Zhang Lan patted the child’s cheek, “Minggui, I’m your Third Aunt, and he’s your Third Uncle. We are family, so you can eat these. If your grandma were here, she would agree too.”

After a moment of thought, Minggui understood and started eating the treats in a composed manner, unlike other rural children who might devour everything eagerly. Zhang Lan attributed this to the Ma family’s good upbringing and the fact that the child hadn’t been deprived of good food.

Wang Zhenhe brought out a plate of fruits, a luxury rarely enjoyed in the countryside due to cost concerns. Seeing so many fruits he hadn’t tried before, Minggui was tempted. Seeking permission, he asked, “Third Uncle, can I have some?”

Smiling, Zhang Lan nodded and fed him a piece of mango. Minggui,  ate the fruit eagerly, occasionally offering some to Zhang Lan too.

It was Minggui’s first time trying mango, and he savored each bite. Impressed, Wang Zhenhe remarked, “This child is well cared for by his grandma. It’s a good thing she’s looking after him properly. If he had been raised by the old lady, he might have turned out just like Wang Zhenguo.”

Seeing the child with fruit juice all over his mouth, Wang Xuan handed him a handkerchief to clean up. Minggui responded with a big smile, saying, “Thank you, big sister.”

The behavior of the young nephew brought comfort to everyone present. Finally, a rare flower had blossomed in the old courtyard. “Minggui, will you be leaving after the New Year?” Wang Qian asked with genuine concern, fearing that the efforts made by the child’s grandmother might go to waste if he returned to Zhu Qiyu’s care.

Minggui nodded as he ate, “Yes, my mom wants me to go back. Even though I miss them, my mom said she will come visit me when she has time. She mentioned that when I grow a bit older and understand things better, she will bring me back to live here.”

While preparing dumplings, Zhang Lan involved Minggui in the process, allowing him to join in the fun. The child demonstrated his skills by making dumplings, showing diligence and care. Although the appearance of the dumplings wasn’t perfect, for a child his age, he did exceptionally well.

“Do you help out like this at your grandma’s house too?” Zhang Lan asked curiously, wondering how Hong Shufen had managed to educate this child so well.

Minggui nodded, “Yes, I help out when grandma cooks. She says children should be diligent so that adults will like them. Besides, my older cousin at Uncle’s house also helps with work. Every time we help, grandma rewards us with delicious treats. If you have any tasks at home, I can help too, and you can reward me with fruit,” he added with enthusiasm.

The little one’s final words brought laughter to everyone, “Minggui, even if you don’t work, third Uncle will still reward you with fruit, because our Minggui is a sensible and good child. When you leave, I’ll pack some for you to take home and enjoy.”

As dinner approached, Wang Minggui had to head back home. Originally, Zhang Lan had intended to invite him to dinner, but the child earnestly explained, “My mom wants me to go back and have dinner with grandpa. She says grandpa is lonely by himself. I don’t really know what lonely means, but grandpa is nice to me. However, when grandma smiles, I feel a bit scared.”

Children are often perceptive, and Zhu Qiyu’s smile could be overwhelming for most. While she might genuinely care for her grandson, her excessive affection could make him feel uncomfortable and strange – a situation even Zhu Qiyu might not have anticipated.

Zhang Lan packed a bundle of goodies for Mingyuan to take home, and the polite child thanked her graciously.

After seeing off the young nephew, Zhang Lan couldn’t help but sigh, “Finally, a good child has emerged in the old courtyard. If he had stayed with his grandma, even a good child like him might have turned bad, probably worse than his father.”

Wang Zhenhe agreed, “Indeed, Ma Fenqing is fortunate that her child has been raised so well. Otherwise, she would have faced consequences. It must have been difficult for her to make the tough decision to send her child away.”

Every mother wishes to be with her child, but Ma Fenqing likely realized that Zhu Qiyu couldn’t raise a good child, leading her to make the painful decision to let him go.

As Mingyuan led his young cousin back towards the old courtyard, he promised, “Brother, I’ll come to play with you tomorrow.” Minggui expressed his reluctance to part ways.

“Sure, if you’re free tomorrow, come over to play. I’ll take you out for the New Year visits. Carry a small bag with you because there won’t be enough space for all the candies,” Mingyuan advised his young cousin, beginning to share his experiences.

Ma Fenqing had finished making dumplings at home but hadn’t seen her son return yet. Worried, she went out to look for him. Just as she stepped out, she saw Mingyuan leading her son back, knowing that he had been playing at his Third Uncle’s house, which eased her concerns.

“Mingyuan, have you eaten yet? How about coming over to Auntie’s for a bite?” This was the first time Ma Fenqing had initiated a conversation with her brother-in-law’s children. Initially influenced by her in-laws’ opinions, she had some reservations about her brother-in-law and sister-in-law. Over the years, even without anyone saying it, she understood the situation. She felt regret for not fostering a good relationship with her sister-in-law and her family earlier.

Mingyuan didn’t have strong feelings toward Ma Fenqing. While she wasn’t a bad person, he couldn’t say much about her yet. He decided to reserve judgment for the future. However, he acknowledged that she seemed to be good at child-rearing.

Smiling at Ma Fenqing, Mingyuan politely declined, “Thank you, Auntie, but my mom has already prepared something. Oh, and make sure your son comes over early tomorrow to join us for some fun. Here, this is what my mom packed for him to eat.” He handed over the bag to Ma Fenqing.

The unexpected acceptance and play between Ma Fenqing’s son and his Third Uncle’s children both surprised and touched her. It was a bittersweet moment, knowing that her son was finally being embraced by his cousins. With these older siblings looking out for him as he grew up, she felt reassured that he would be in good hands.

“Thank you, Mingyuan. I’ll have Minggui come over early tomorrow. Son, say goodbye to your brother,” Ma Fenqing expressed her gratitude as they parted ways.

Minggui waved to Mingyuan, “Brother, don’t forget to play with me. I’ll head home now.”

Watching the mother and son walk away, Mingyuan felt that Ma Fenqing wasn’t so difficult to get along with at that moment.

After dinner, Zhang Lan reminded everyone not to stay up too late as they had an early start the next day. Around ten o’clock, the firecrackers began to echo, with Wang Zhenhe setting off magic bullets. Mingyuan, Mingcheng, and the others lit firecrackers outside, while Wang Qian and the rest watched from the window. The firecrackers continued for a while, with occasional bursts from Mingcheng and Mingyuan.

“This year’s firecrackers are the best, brother,” Mingyuan exclaimed excitedly, looking at the still crackling firecrackers on the ground.

“Indeed, this year has been profitable for our family. Dad is happy. Let’s set off more firecrackers to show respect to the God of Wealth and ask for blessings for prosperity in the coming year,” Mingcheng responded.

On the first day of the Lunar New Year, as Mingyuan and Mingcheng returned from their workout, Wang Minggui arrived dressed neatly with a small backpack. He greeted everyone with New Year wishes, then obediently let Wang Zhenhe lift him onto the kang to sit.

“Have you eaten, Minggui? Why did you come so early?” Wang Zhenhe chuckled as he looked at his young nephew, impressed by the early start the child had.

Glancing at the dumplings on the table and then at Wang Zhenhe, the child hesitated but eventually spoke up with a hint of uncertainty.

“Uncle, I was afraid of being late and missing out on playing with my brother, so I didn’t have my meal and came straight here. My mom packed some biscuits for me in my bag, saying I could have them if I got hungry,” Minggui truthfully explained.

Wang Zhenhe gently patted the child’s head, feeling a pang of concern. “Minggui, you should eat with your brother and sister. We can’t have you going to visit on an empty stomach.”

Taking off the child’s backpack and setting him down at the dining table, Wang Xuan brought over a set of utensils. “Little brother, do you need help with eating, or can you manage on your own?”

Minggui shyly replied, “I can eat by myself. Grandma says good kids eat on their own.”

With confidence, he picked up the chopsticks and started eating, showing no signs of struggling. Everyone found it amusing to watch the child eat so independently. Zhang Lan served him dumplings in a separate bowl for easier handling.

“Wow, I found a coin in my meal,” Minggui exclaimed joyfully.

Wang Minggui joyfully exclaimed as he found a coin in his meal, soon followed by others discovering items in their food. Zhang Lan cleaned the coin that Minggui found and placed it in his pocket as a memento.

“Minggui, this is for you to keep as a souvenir. You’ll earn big money in the future too,” Zhang Lan said, presenting him with this rather unusual gift. The child happily accepted the special token, knowing it was found while dining at his third Uncle’s house, intending to cherish it.

“Third Aunt, the dumplings you made are delicious. They are much tastier than what my mom and grandma make. I’ve never had such tasty dumplings before. Can I come back to eat them in the future?” Minggui inquired, expressing his appreciation for the meal.