Chapter 256: Lin Miao Wants to Go With You

When Xu Ning returned home, she told Xiao An and Xiao Mo that Grandpa Wang and Grandma Wang would be going to the capital with them.

Xiao Mo had also been persuading Grandpa Qi for the past couple of days. Although Grandpa Qi was reluctant to leave, Xiao Mo promised to stay by his side.

Grandpa Qi couldn’t say no to the boy, so he agreed to go to the capital with them to take a look.

Over the past few days, Xu An had been called by a few male educated youths to help them with their studies. Even a few villagers who hadn’t passed the exams came by every afternoon to listen in.

Wei Lanlan and Yang Xiaomei were leaving tomorrow, and both were busy packing their things. Xu Ning went to check in on them, and the group exchanged contact information.

Seeing Xu Ning hanging out with Wei Lanlan, Lin Miao smiled and walked over.

“Xu Zhiqing, when are you going back? We could travel together then,” Lin Miao suggested.

Xu Ning, not wanting to travel with them, smiled and replied, “I’m not sure yet. I need to wait for my husband to come back before we can decide.”

“We won’t be leaving for a few days either, so we can wait for you. That way, we can look out for each other on the way,” Lin Miao said enthusiastically, as if she were going to wait just for them.

Xu Ning smiled without saying more. After all, the train didn’t belong to her, and Lin Miao was free to leave whenever she wanted.

Besides, trains were large, and it wasn’t guaranteed they’d even sit together.

By the time Lu Xiaotang returned, it was almost the New Year. Over the past few days, Xu Ning and Xiao Mo had nearly finished packing the things they needed to take with them.

Despite Lu Xiaotang’s last visit being brief, the little ones remembered their father fondly. The three children warmly hugged and cuddled him.

That evening, Xu Ning told Lu Xiaotang about the situation with Grandma Wang.

After thinking for a moment, Lu Xiaotang said, “Tomorrow, I’ll go into town and borrow a car to load Grandpa Wang’s things. We’ll find a secluded spot where you can store them in the space house.”

Xu Ning nodded. She had the same plan in mind. Such valuable items made her uneasy, no matter where they were kept.

“We have quite a bit of stuff ourselves,” Lu Xiaotang continued. “Tomorrow, we’ll use the car to move anything that’s hard to carry. Then, we’ll put it all in the space, and we’ll just say you had someone transport it.”

Xu Ning was about to say more, but Lu Xiaotang had already pulled out a bag containing the items he’d packed.

“Don’t worry, wife. I’ve got it all figured out. Tomorrow, everything will go smoothly. It’s getting late; let’s get some sleep!” he said, reassuring her.

The next morning, when Xu Ning woke up, Lu Xiaotang had already returned with the car and was loading the things they planned to take back to the capital.

Nearby, Xiao Mo stood with Niu Niu and Pi Pi, watching the car with curiosity.

Xiao Mo asked curiously, “Brother-in-law, where are you taking all this stuff?”

Lu Xiaotang replied, “I have a friend who drives a big truck. He’s going to the capital in the next few days, so I’m asking him to help transport it.”

“Brother-in-law, is your friend’s truck big? Grandpa Qi has a lot of stuff too. If we move it all, he won’t think about coming back anymore,” Xiao Mo said thoughtfully.

Lu Xiaotang chuckled at his words and said, “It’s very big. You go ahead and help Grandpa Qi pack up. I’ll come back later to pick up another load.”

“Alright, I’m going now!” Xiao Mo said happily as he ran off towards the cowshed. The two boys eagerly wanted to tag along with their uncle, but their father held them back.

“Stay here and play. Your uncle will be back soon,” Lu Xiaotang said.

But Niu Niu wasn’t having it. “No, I want to go! I want to play at the cowshed! I want to see Great-Grandpa!” he insisted.

Pi Pi, standing beside his brother, looked at their father expectantly.

Lu Xiaotang sighed as he looked at the two boys, deciding to take them to the cowshed for a bit.

Xu Ning, who was in the kitchen having breakfast, overheard their conversation and gave a couple of coughs from inside the house.

As soon as Niu Niu and Pi Pi heard their mom’s cough, they immediately abandoned their father and rushed inside to play with Tang Tang, completely forgetting about going to the cowshed to see Great-Grandpa.

Lu Xiaotang couldn’t help but laugh, seeing how fast the boys bolted toward the house, quicker than little rabbits. His wife sure had a way of keeping them in line.

After finishing her meal, Xu Ning cleaned up the kitchen and went into the house to check on the kids. Niu Niu and Pi Pi were on the heated kang bed, playing with their little sister.

When the two boys saw their mom enter, they flashed their big, sweet smiles.

“Mom, we’ve been very good. Please don’t spank our bottoms,” they said, trying to be charming.

Xu Ning couldn’t help but feel both amused and exasperated by her sons’ words. When she spoiled them, they never seemed to remember, but after a couple of spankings, they certainly did. It was for the best—better they learned their lessons and understood the consequences.

She gently patted the two boys on their heads and smiled. “As long as you behave and listen, why would Mommy ever spank you? Stay here and play with your sister. Daddy and I are going to finish packing. In a few days, we’ll go back to see Grandpa, Grandma, and your maternal grandparents.”

Pi Pi then asked, “Mom, when we leave, does that mean we won’t come back?”

“When you’re a bit older, Mommy will bring you back to visit again, okay?” she replied with a smile.

The three little ones eagerly responded in unison, “Okay!”