Chapter 707: Qian Niang's Meaning

After I finished speaking, Qian Niang also let out a sigh.

She wiped her tears with a handkerchief.

Er Hai, Mother, I know it's too hard for you to be involved in this. Li Ming is again such a bastard.

He even blames you.

Mother, you're also angry,

But what can I do? He's flesh that fell from my body, the son I raised.

These days I've been thinking of letting Xiao Shitou drive me to Xin Cheng.

I will personally look for Li Ming.

I'll go talk to him.

See if he can give me some face; stop asking about Xiao Long's affairs and let them handle things freely.

If it works, great; if not, we'll see later.

Some things are like that; rushing to ask only brings trouble.

If you say too much, who knows what Li Ming will think of you.

Now his mind is no longer what it used to be.

Since the incident, he's not a leader anymore, and he can't bear it inside.

Everything tends to go to extremes.

Being a leader just brings harm; if Li Ming weren't a leader, there wouldn't be so many problems.

Er Hai, Mother admires you most; you can just say you don't want the Da Heng Group's huge business and it's gone.

If you put that on Li Ming, he'd go crazy; there's no way he could bear it.

Actually, a man must be able to take up and let go.

Li Ming can't take up or let go; what can he achieve? Er Hai, I ask you,

Is it appropriate for me to go talk to Li Ming about Xiao Long's affairs? Mother, I have no idea now, nor any way.

Give me an idea.

Qian Niang asked me, but I suddenly had no idea.

Qian Niang going to Li Ming about Xiao Long's affairs is both right and wrong.

Right, as a mother, how could she not ask about such things?

Wrong, because asking too much could backfire; Li Ming might cause an even bigger commotion.

Then Xiao Long couldn't bear it, and the two of them would clash.

What should I say?

I hesitated a moment,

"Mother, my idea is to handle it coldly for now. You going to Li Ming to talk about Xiao Long's affairs is not wrong."

But have you thought about it?

If you ask too much,

Li Ming will jump even higher, and might not even give you face—what then?

Mother, you just said, when a son grows up, he's not under the mother's control.

Li Ming is over forty; you said it—will he listen to you?

"My advice is that you can only pretend not to hear or see."

After Qian Niang heard me finish, she let out a long sigh.

Tears fell again.

"Er Hai, I'm really worried sick. This obedient child Xiao Long, and Fang Rui is also well-behaved."

But how could she have such a family?

Li Ming, as a father, what he says is also right; who doesn't want their child to do well?

To find a child from a normal family to marry?

But what can we do now? Xiao Long has already developed such deep feelings for Fang Rui.

They can't be separated.

Li Ming wants to ask again, but Xiao Long won't listen to him.

"Mother, you're really worried sick."

Qian Niang's tears make me feel heartbroken, but I don't know how to comfort her.

Between this father and son, who's right or wrong, I can't say.

The two of us mothers can only have one crying and the other smoking and sighing.

After a while, Qian Niang's emotions calmed,

"Er Hai, Mother, crying in front of you makes me feel much better."

"What you said just now is right; I'll listen to you, Mother won't ask anymore."

Mother also can't ask.

Li Ming also doesn't listen to me; what's the use of me saying anything, it just annoys him.

As for Xiao Long and Fang Rui, whether they make it or not, let them be.

If I ask too much, people will dislike it.

How much longer can I live?

"Alright, having you keep me company is fine. Will you eat dinner at home tonight?" Qian Niang said, stood up, and asked me.

"I've been eating at home these days," I said.

"That's good, I'll go make soup for you. My newly pressed soy cakes make a great soup. Ru Meng even had two bowls." Qian Niang said, then pulled open the room's door.

I also stood up and followed Qian Niang out to the living room.

Xiao Shitou was playing with his phone,

Ru Meng was playing with her tablet.

The times are advancing, but our children only have electronic toys for company.

I was in the living room, poured a cup of water,

and drank it.

Home is a place where people can relax.

I lay back on the sofa,

I want to relax properly for a bit,

The trip to Huaihai, I'm exhausted.

I lay on the sofa and actually fell asleep slowly.

After a while, Qiao Jie rushed in energetically.

Seeing me inside the house,

she called out, "Jianqiang, you're back, you weren't supposed to go to Huaihai?"

I opened my eyes,

looking at Qiao Jie,

Qiao Jie had dyed her hair black and put on makeup.

She instantly looked much younger.

"The Huaihai matter is settled. Qiao Jie, what are you busy with? Any village events?" I asked Qiao Jie.

"You don't know, the county is currently holding a joint celebration, comforting the village's elders and children.

I happen to be free, so I'm in the village helping them.

Sometimes during performances, I also join in to make up the numbers.

"Jianqiang, you don't know, it's so much fun." Qiao Jie said while sitting down beside me.

She picked up her teacup and started drinking.

At this moment Qian Niang asked, "Qiao Jie, will you be eating at home tonight? I'll cook soup."

"Qian Niang, I'm not eating at home; the village provides meals. You have nothing to do tonight, come watch our performance. Today we're performing Liuqin opera." Qiao Jie said.

"Liuqin opera, I haven't heard it in years. This Liuqin is colloquially called 'pulling soul melody'; back when people worked collectively, the commune would organize performances and sing this opera.

"Can you sing it?" Qian Niang asked Qiao Jie.

"We can sing; the higher-ups sent someone called 'intangible heritage' to teach us. We've been learning for several days." Qiao Jie laughed.

"Auntie, what's 'intangible heritage'? It's an intangible cultural heritage inheritor." Ru Meng corrected Qiao Jie.

"You're right, I didn't quite understand either; there are too many words. Ru Meng, come with Auntie to watch the performance tonight." Qiao Jie invited Ru Meng.

"I'm not going; I'd rather play with my tablet, it's more interesting." Ru Meng shook her head.

"Ru Meng, since your Brother Little Dragon bought you that tablet, you've never let it rest. How is that okay,

In the past, when we worked in the team, even the livestock got a breather.

you're using it like that, do you want to wear that thing out to death?" Qian Niang said to Ru Meng.

Ru Meng heard Qian Niang say about her,

immediately said, "Grandma, what era is this, still talking about livestock? This is a tablet computer. You don't understand.

It won't die from overuse.

The countryside is boring; once it gets dark, you can't see anyone.

What would I do if I didn't play with the tablet?"

I immediately said, "Ru Meng, Xiao Shitou, you both stop playing. Put those things down.

Tonight we'll watch the performance together. If you don't go out, how will you know there's no one outside?

Ru Meng, the countryside also has its own fun.

Mom, tonight we'll watch Qiao Jie's performance together."

Qian Niang happily replied, "Great, I'll go make soup now."

Qiao Jie laughed, "Jianqiang, we better agree: if my performance is bad later, don't mock me."

"Don't worry, Xiao Shitou, give your aunt the clothes to try on. I bought them in Zaocheng." I said.

Xiao Shitou took out from his bag the clothes he bought for Qiao Jie.

Qiao Jie took them, her face instantly turned red,

"Jianqiang, you bought me clothes; it's been years since this last happened…."

"Alright, the kids are here, let's try them on, see if they fit." I didn't want Qiao Jie to say too much.

"Eh." Qiao Jie took the clothes and immediately put them on to try.

Xiao Shitou looked,

and said, "My aunt looks pretty in them."

"It's Auntie." Ru Meng corrected.

"Aunt or auntie, either is fine, as long as you can call me. Jianqiang, do you think they fit?" Qiao Jie said, then deliberately showed them off to me.