Chapter 98

“Niuniu.”

Lu Huaijing seemed to love Niuniu very much. As soon as he entered, he picked her up.

Niuniu giggled and looked curiously at Tang Wan and Tang Zhou with her big eyes.

“The little girl misses you.”

Lu Huai’li smiled at Niuniu, then said to Tang Wan and Tang Zhou, “Third sister-in-law, have a seat. The food will be ready soon.”

She said this while pouring a cup of sugar water for Tang Wan and Tang Zhou.

“Isn’t your husband eating at home?”

Tang Wan sat for a while and didn’t see Lu Huai’li’s husband coming back, so she curiously asked.

Lu Huai’li shook her head with a smile, “He’s busy with something at the army these past few days.”

“He’s busy with his own thing, we’ll eat ours.”

Lu Huaijing played with Niuniu for a while, then put her back in the stroller.

Tang Wan saw Niuniu’s teeth when she smiled, and couldn’t help but ask:

“How old is Niuniu?”

“She’s just turned one.”

Lu Huai’li talked about Niuniu with a smile on her face, chattering non-stop, “She still can’t talk, and she’s not very steady on her feet yet.”

“There’s no rush, she’ll get there slowly.”

Tang Wan looked at Niuniu enviously, suddenly finding children quite cute.

As soon as this thought crossed her mind, she heard a sharp voice from next door.

“Eat, eat, eat, are you a starving ghost?”

The voice sounded strangely familiar, was it Cheng Xiaoyue?

Perhaps sensing her surprise, Lu Huai’li rolled her eyes and said angrily,

“You’re not mistaken, it’s Cheng Xiaoyue. She lives next door to us!”

Tang Wan: …

What a small world.

Tang Wan couldn’t help but get up and look outside. She saw Cheng Xiaoyue cooking noodles in the hallway.

The portion wasn’t big, it didn’t look like she was cooking for three people.

Behind her, stood two children, one about seven or eight years old, the other five or six.

The two girls were dressed in tattered clothes and glared at Cheng Xiaoyue.

Cheng Xiaoyue seemed to feel their gaze. She turned her head and glared at them fiercely.

“What are you looking at? It’s not for you, go eat yours.”

The two children had separate buns, enough to keep them from starving. This was Cheng Xiaoyue’s principle.

The older girl, Duan Guihua, looked coldly at Cheng Xiaoyue until her noodles were cooked.

As soon as Cheng Xiaoyue picked up the noodles, before she could eat them, Duan Guihua snatched them away.

“Ah, let go!”

Cheng Xiaoyue jumped up in anger, wanting to grab the noodles back. The younger Duan Guizhi stepped forward and bit her arm fiercely.

“Ah, you little brat, let go of me!”

Cheng Xiaoyue gasped in pain. Duan Guihua, who had run farther away, slurped the noodles. She had already eaten most of them.

She handed the noodles to little Duan Guizhi, then glared fiercely at Cheng Xiaoyue and said:

“This was bought with my father’s hard-earned money, you can’t hog it all!”

“You little brat!”

Cheng Xiaoyue took off her shoe and wanted to beat them, but the two girls had already run down the stairs.

Tang Wan couldn’t help but laugh. It takes a villain to subdue a villain.

Perhaps sensing her gaze, Cheng Xiaoyue turned her head abruptly and met Tang Wan’s smiling eyes.

“Are you laughing at me?”

Cheng Xiaoyue’s hateful gaze fell on Tang Wan. She should have known this would happen.

It was to flatter Lu Huai’li that she got to know Old Duan next door.

“I didn’t say that.”

Tang Wan thought to herself, you said it yourself. Perhaps she was afraid that Cheng Xiaoyue would make things difficult for her.

Lu Huaijing also came out. He stood behind Tang Wan and directly made Cheng Xiaoyue cry.

How pitiful she was.

Cheng Xiaoyue turned around angrily and went into the house. Lu Huai’li couldn’t help but say:

“Lao Duan is very busy, and there’s no one at home to take care of the two children, so they’re very clever. Cheng Xiaoyue wants to control them or bully them, she’s still too young.”

“This is the path she chose.”

Tang Wan remembered that her brother was going to send her back, but Cheng Xiaoyue, in order to stay, was willing to marry a divorced man.

She couldn’t blame anyone else for that.

“Third brother, help me watch Niuniu, I’m going to cook.”

Lu Huai’li carried the prepared ingredients to the hallway. Every household had a coal stove that could be carried outside.

Tang Wan quickly stepped forward and said enthusiastically, “Lili, let me help you.”

“No, Third sister-in-law, you rest. I’m quick.”

The longer Lu Huai’li interacted with Tang Wan, the better she liked her.

The two of them chatted and laughed. This harmonious scene fell into Cheng Xiaoyue’s eyes next door.

She squeezed her palm tightly, why?

When she was trying so hard to please Lu Huai’li, Lu Huai’li never gave her a good look.

What was she better than Tang Wan?

The more she thought about it, the angrier she got. Cheng Xiaoyue’s lustful gaze fell on Lu Huaijing again. He was holding Niuniu and coaxing her.

Tang Zhou was teasing Niuniu, making her laugh. This harmonious scene made Cheng Xiaoyue’s heart ache.

For lunch, Lu Huai’li made braised fish, stir-fried beans with meat, stir-fried cabbage, and a separate steamed egg for Niuniu.

These few dishes were considered a particularly generous treat in this era. Lu Huaijing nodded in satisfaction.

During the meal, Lu Huai’li fed Niuniu first. There wasn’t enough food, so she planned to let Tang Wan and the others eat first.

Tang Wan saw her little thought and used the serving chopsticks to put some food into her bowl.

“Lili, don’t just feed the child, eat some yourself. Otherwise, the food will get cold.”

“Thank you, Third sister-in-law.”

Lu Huai’li’s eyes welled up. Besides her mother, Third sister-in-law was the first person to notice this.

No wonder her third brother liked her so much. If she were a man, she would also like such a gentle woman.

“Mom…”

Niuniu suddenly called out “mom,” making Lu Huai’li cry with excitement.

“Third brother, did you hear that? Niuniu called me!”

“I heard it.”

Tang Zhou smiled shyly, “Little sister is so cute.”

“You can’t call her little sister. She has to call you uncle.”

Tang Wan reminded Tang Zhou with a smile, making Tang Zhou open his mouth in shock, his face full of disbelief.

Perhaps her smile was too dazzling. Lu Huai’li couldn’t help but say, “Third sister-in-law, if you like, you should have a baby with Third brother soon.”

“No rush, no rush.”

Tang Wan’s cheeks flushed red from being teased. Lu Huaijing glared at Lu Huai’li angrily.

“Stop teasing her. Your sister-in-law is shy.”

Everyone chatted and laughed. The meal was a happy one for both host and guest. When they were leaving, Lu Huai’li wanted to see them off, but Tang Wan stopped her.

“Don’t bother, Niuniu is not safe at home alone.”

“Okay.”

Lu Huai’li’s lips curved slightly. She turned and met Cheng Xiaoyue’s resentful gaze. She warned her:

“My third brother and sister-in-law are married, and you’re also married. You better behave yourself.”

“Cut it out.”

Cheng Xiaoyue snorted coldly and slammed the door shut. She was unhappy, so everyone else should be unhappy too.

Tang Wan didn’t know any of this. When they returned to their small courtyard, Lu Huaijing’s guard, Xiao Du, was pacing anxiously at the door.

“Xiao Du.”

Lu Huaijing frowned, thinking that something had happened at the army. However, Xiao Du glanced discreetly at Tang Wan and Tang Zhou.

Then he lowered his voice and said, “Mrs. Qin broke her leg while working in the brigade.”