Dumplings?

Li Yunshu said, “I’ll have Sister Wang make some dumplings right away.”

Old Madam Yu said, “I don’t want to eat the dumplings made by little Wang.”

“Then which dumplings do you want, Mom? I’ll get them for you,” Li Boyan asked.

As long as his mother could eat, he was willing to run all over Beijing to bring her the dumplings.

Gu Zhenyuan: “…”

He seemed to know whose dumplings Aunt Yu wanted.

Old Madam Yu looked at Gu Zhenyuan and said, “I want to eat the dumplings you brought back last time.”

Li Yunshu frowned.

The old lady was still thinking about those dumplings from that unsanitary street stall.

“Xiao Yuan, where did you get the dumplings you took last time? I’ll send someone to buy some,” Li Boyan asked Gu Zhenyuan.

Before Gu Zhenyuan could answer, Li Yunshu said, “Those dumplings were bought by Zhenyuan at a roadside stall; it’s not very hygienic. Mom’s stomach is weak now that she’s sick; she can’t eat unclean food.”

Gu’s mother secretly rolled her eyes. “What’s not hygienic about it? Your uncle Gu and I ate there many times and never had any problems. Xiao Yan, you’re just too picky.”

Xiao Yan.

Hearing that familiar name, Li Yunshu’s expression stiffened. She had changed her name for over thirty years, but this old lady still called her Xiao Yan.

Every time Aunt Mu called her Xiao Yan, Li Yunshu felt it was a reminder that she was not really a Li family child.

“Aunt Mu, that’s because you and Uncle Gu are healthy. My mom is not well now. I won’t let them eat anything unclean or unhealthy,” Li Yunshu said with a look like she cared more than anyone about the two elders’ health.

Gu Zhenyuan said, “You can’t buy those dumplings now anyway. The stall owner had some trouble and hasn’t been setting up lately.”

Once Old Madam Yu heard this, her mood completely dropped. “Forget it, I won’t eat. You all go out; I’ll rest.”

Besides that vendor’s dumplings, she didn’t want to eat anything else.

Seeing the old lady like that, Li Boyan felt a pang of sympathy. “Xiao Yuan, do you know where the stall owner lives?”

Gu Zhenyuan nodded, “Yes, I do.”

Li Yunshu: “Second brother, are you thinking…?”

“Since you don’t trust buying dumplings at the stall and the stall hasn’t been set up, then just invite the person over to our house to make them. We can prepare the ingredients here; with everything done right under your eyes, you should feel more at ease, right?”

Li Boyan knew his sister was just too worried about their parents’ health. Sometimes she was indeed a bit too strict about their diet.

But she truly cared about the two elders. He and their eldest brother were usually busy and rarely home, so she was the closest and could take care of them more, and they couldn’t really say anything.

“…” Li Yunshu nodded, but Brother Li Boyan’s words made her feel a bit uncomfortable.

What did he mean by “you’ll feel more at ease”?

It sounded like he was blaming her for not letting their mother eat what she wanted. Wasn’t she also concerned about Mom’s health?

“Then let Zhenyuan go. He’s free anyway and knows where the person lives,” Gu’s mother quickly gave the job to her son.

Li Boyan didn’t waste words either, “Xiao Yuan, please help out with this.”

“No problem, Second Brother.”

After breakfast, Li Shuping asked her daughter Lin Xiaoyu to stay home to read and do homework, then she headed to Yard No. 18.

“Oh, Guodong’s mom is back!”

When the people in the yard saw her return, they were all shocked.

She had divorced Lin Yongnian and even signed a letter of severance with her two sons.

So why was she back now?

“Oh, I knew Guodong’s mom would come back. See, here she is,” said Old Lai with a “I told you so” look.

Xiaochun’s mom said, “Good she’s back. Let’s stop the drama and live peacefully as a family.”

Zhang Jiao, who heard someone calling “Guodong’s mom” inside, went to the door and saw Mother-in-law Li Shuping.

Was Mother-in-law going home?

“Dad, Mom’s back!”

Lin Yongnian, who was playing with his grandson, lifted his butt and sat back down, grumbling, “She’s back? So what, do we have to welcome her with a parade?”

He always knew that old lady would regret it. See, just one week had passed, and she was back.

“Who’s back?” Lin Jianshe came out of the bedroom.

“Our mom,” Zhang Jiao said with a smile.

Lin Jianshe recalled the few slaps their mom gave him, and his face hurt just thinking about it. “If she wants to go, let her go; if she wants to come back, she can come back. What kind of family is this?”

“Exactly. Divorced and cut off, yet she still comes back. What nerve,” Liu Qin said, coming out of her bedroom too.

Liu Qin hated Li Shuping with a passion.

Zhang Jiao said, “No matter what, it’s good Mom is back. Let’s not talk about the past.”

Now that Mom was back, Zhang Jiao didn’t have to get up early to cook or cook after work.

On her rare day off, she also wouldn’t have to wash the dirty clothes for her family and father-in-law.

Even though she got five yuan a month for washing father-in-law’s clothes, they were so dirty and smelly that it took a lot of water and effort to clean.

If Mom came home and resumed selling dumplings at the stall, that would be even better—all the money earned would be for everyone.

Li Shuping smiled and greeted Aunt Wang and Aunt Zhao, then said to Xiaochun’s mom, “Lin Yongnian and I are no longer a family and won’t have a good life together. But Xiaoyu and I will surely live well.”

“…You’re not back to Lin’s family?” Xiaochun’s mom frowned.

Li Shuping smiled again, “Why would I go back to Lin’s? I’m here to collect what’s owed to me.”

Zhang Jiao, who just walked over, heard this and stopped in her tracks.

Mother-in-law wasn’t here to come home—she was here to collect money!

Collect money for what?

Right, father-in-law still owed her money from the job she got for the second son.

Zhang Jiao’s eye twitched—what a letdown.

“I’m not going to talk to you anymore,” Li Shuping turned around and saw Zhang Jiao.

“Mom…” Zhang Jiao called out.

Li Shuping raised her hand to stop her. “Don’t call me that. I’m not your mom.”

She was no longer Lin Guodong’s mother, so how could she be Zhang Jiao’s mom?

That day, she saw Zhang Jiao whispering to Lin Guodong, making him sign the severance letter.

“…” Zhang Jiao’s face showed a hint of awkwardness.

Li Shuping walked past her and headed straight to the Lin family’s door.

Inside, Lin Yongnian glanced at her and coldly snorted, turning his face away.

Lin Jianshe looked down picking his nails, while Liu Qin said sharply, “Hey, who’s this? Didn’t they divorce and sever ties? Why is she at our door again?”

Li Shuping rolled her eyes, “If your eyes are blind and you can’t recognize people, go get treated so you don’t delay your illness.”

“You…” Liu Qin was speechless.

“Who cares about your Lin family door? If some people weren’t careless and sent me the money they owed when they got paid, would I need to come here to collect it?” If it wasn’t for the money owed to her, she wouldn’t come at all.

Lin Yongnian & Lin Jianshe: She’s here to collect money!

“What are you looking at? Hurry up and give me the money,” Li Shuping said, glaring at Lin Yongnian.

“…” Lin Yongnian’s face turned dark red.

He slapped the armrest of his lounge chair and got up to get the money.

They thought the old lady regretted it and wanted to come home.

Unexpectedly, she came to collect money!