Chapter 117

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Protagonist:

Lin Xiyu

"What a coincidence."

The female cousin promised Wang Fan not to expose him, and vaguely muddled through with a sentence: "By chance, someone on Qinglong Back Street wanted to rent out a place; when we went, that person had just registered at the housing agency and hadn't left yet, so we ran into them."

"Both houses belong to his family?"

Aunt Da said in disbelief: "Rent is only 100 yuan a month, and there's such a good thing?"

"You don't even look at who went to negotiate."

The female cousin felt a bit smug: "I'm the sales champion who closed ten renovation contracts in a month; with my eloquence, 100 yuan is too high for him. If it weren't for that guy Wang Fan dragging his feet, 80 yuan would be fine."

"Keep bragging."

Aunt Da glanced at her sideways: "Your mother is sitting right here watching you brag."

"When can we move in?"

The maternal aunt listened with shining eyes and couldn't help but interject.

"Around the end of the month."

The female cousin counted on her fingers and calculated the days: "Those two houses are bare shells; the toilet and kitchen haven't been renovated and can't be used yet. Counting the lighting installation and wiring, half a month should be enough."

"We have to renovate it ourselves?"

The maternal aunt's heart trembled: "How much would that cost?"

"You don't need to worry about the renovation."

The female cousin had a completely indifferent look on her face: "Don't forget what I do for a living; we're in the renovation business. Could this little thing stump us? The materials are ready-made; we can just transfer a few people from elsewhere."

"Hmph."

Aunt Da laughed in anger: "Listen to yourselves. You've only been at it for how long? Made a little money and now you look down on people. In front of your grandmother, you dare call yourself 'Sister'? You're itching for a beating, aren't you? Looking for a spanking?"

"I guess so..."

Grandmother smiled with pursed lips, her eyes full of love.

"Grandma, don't believe what my mother says."

The female cousin threw herself forward, hugging Grandmother's arm and acting coquettish: "I might look down on others, but I wouldn't dare look down on you. You are my most beloved, beloved, beloved grandmother. In my heart, you are the best grandmother in the world; no one can compare to you."

"This girl is just a talker, all talk and no action..."

Grandmother smiled and poked her forehead: "Grandma is so good, yet I haven't seen you give your salary to honor your grandmother. Xiyu still knew to earn money and buy Grandma a small pair of scissors. You, as her sister, what did you buy?"

"Hehe."

The female cousin's ears turned red, and she thickened her skin to defend herself: "I wasn't thinking that; I wanted to give Grandma a surprise. There will definitely be a gift, it's just a matter of sooner or later."

"That's for the best."

Grandmother glanced at her and smiled meaningfully: "Don't think you can fool Grandma. Grandma keeps an account for you. From childhood to adulthood, all your expenses for eating, drinking, and using the toilet at Grandma's place are recorded in a little notebook, clear as day. If you don't be filial, I'll deduct it from your dowry. Grandma is saving up for herself. Once you're all married off and Grandma doesn't have to worry about you, Grandma will go to Beijing City for a trip, walk around for your grandfather, take a look, and fulfill his lifelong wish."

"Going to Beijing isn't that hard."

The female cousin spoke grandly: "Once I save enough money, I'll go with you."

"Haven't you already earned 2,000?"

Aunt Da teased her with a smile: "2,000 is enough. You don't have to wait until later; you can go now."

"Ah, go now?"

The female cousin looked away guiltily: "I've spent all my money and haven't saved much."

"You spent all 2,000 yuan?"

Aunt Da's expression changed upon hearing this: "What did you do? Spent so much money."

"Leilei."

Grandmother looked worried: "You're not still in touch with that high school classmate of yours, are you? Did you give all the money to him to spend?"

The female cousin hung her head and said nothing.

"Say something."

Aunt Da was so anxious her voice changed.

"No."

The female cousin didn't admit it, quickly changed her mind, and found a good excuse for herself: "I haven't been in touch with him for a long time. I spent the money to buy a shop. I asked Liu Ye to watch for me; if there's a suitable shop, I'll snap it up first and pay a deposit. My money wasn't enough, so I borrowed some from him. Of the money I earn each month, I only keep 500 yuan for myself, and the rest goes to paying off the debt."

"Is that so..."

Aunt Da believed her words, patted her chest, and let out a long turbid breath.

Grandmother furrowed her brows, looked at her faintly, and a trace of worry flashed in her eyes.

"What about Maternal Aunt?"

The female cousin was frightened by Grandmother's gaze and changed the subject herself: "Why haven't I seen Maternal Aunt? Where did she go? Did you discuss it? Is she getting a divorce?"

"Divorce isn't such an easy thing."

Aunt Da sighed: "Even if she really wants a divorce, making a scene at the Civil Affairs Bureau requires a divorce cooling-off period. I told her to go back and pack her things. You can't live at Grandma's house. Let her and Xiao Yi live at our place. You and your brother aren't here, and your father has gone to the countryside to perform. I'm the only one at home. If they come, it'll also be good company for me."

"It's fine for Maternal Aunt to live at our place."

The female cousin deeply agreed with the decision of the elder female adult: "With you, her sister, to comfort her and talk to her more, it's better than her brooding alone."

"Sigh."

Grandmother's eyes dimmed, and she sighed deeply: "My two daughters, not a single one is easy to worry about."

"Mom..."

Aunt Da saw that Mother and the others had finished speaking, lifted her eyelids, glanced at Grandma's expression, and tentatively interjected: "I also have something I want to say to you."

"What else do you have?"

Grandma's eyelid twitched, and she inexplicably felt a bit panicked.

"My mother came to see me this morning."

Aunt Da hemmed and hawed, a bit embarrassed to speak: "She said..."

"Said what?"

Aunt Da was impatient by nature and couldn't wait to ask.

"She asked me..."

Aunt Da said something shocking: "Do you want to adopt a child?"

"Adopt a child?"

Aunt Da and Grandma looked at each other, both seeing an indescribable shock in the other's eyes.

"We're moving soon."

Female Cousin frowned slightly, a bit dissatisfied: "At this critical juncture, adopt what child? Aren't you and Uncle going to work at the Hotel? Food and lodging are at the Hotel, who will watch the child?"

"Besides, aren't you taking Traditional Chinese Medicine? It's not like it can't be cured. You've waited so many years, and suddenly you want to adopt a child—what trouble are you stirring up now? Could it be that without a child, your mother will try to get you to divorce?"

—

"Leilei."

Grandma's face sank, and she sternly scolded: "Is that how you speak to Aunt Da? Her mother's family causing a scene at our house was a long time ago; you're not allowed to mention it again."

"I just feel I can't understand it."

Female Cousin muttered softly: "What's wrong with not having children? Why must one have children? Not having children is so much easier—earn your own money and spend it yourself. I don't want to have children in the future."

"Go to County West Lane and see if Xiyu and them are done?"

Aunt Da rubbed her brow with a headache and shooed the person out: "On your way back, buy some shaobing. We're not cooking dinner tonight; just make a tomato egg soup, and eating shaobing will do."

"Fine."

Female Cousin didn't want to stay home anyway, readily agreed, lifted the curtain, and ran out.

—

Qingquan Ju * Lunan Lu Cuisine Restaurant.

The wrap party had ended, and the Program Group drank heartily, getting thoroughly drunk.

Xu Yi was greedy for taste, tried some baijiu, and felt dizzy, a bit tipsy.

Little Fairy had been holding back a breath, feeling that Guben had stolen his Sister, and taking advantage of the alcohol, he complained.

"Brother Bin, you promised to take me to see Planes. When are we going? I've been waiting almost a month. You haven't kept your promise. If you don't take me soon, I won't let Sister be with you. I'll say bad things about you in front of Sister every day and give you eye drops..."

"Xiao Yi."

Lin Xiyu saw he had taken a few sips of alcohol, his cheeks flushed red, and she smiled and scolded: "What are you saying? Drink two sips of cat urine, and you don't even know your own surname."

"It's fine; Little Fairy is quite cute when drunk."

Guben was always self-disciplined and was the only sober man present who hadn't been plied with drink.

"I just want to go see Planes."

Xu Yi pulled his small voice and wailed: "Brother Bin also promised to take me to the Barracks to play. I want to go to the Barracks. When I grow up, I want to be a Soldier and become the most formidable Soldier King."

"Hmph."

Guben found it amusing and smiled, teasing: "Sure, Little Darling has quite the ambition."

"I'm not a Little Darling."

Xu Yi pouted unhappily: "I'm already Eight years old; I'm not a Little Darling."

"Okay, okay, you're not; you're a little man. Is that alright?"

Guben smiled and coaxed him: "Tomorrow we'll go to the West Suburbs to see Planes."

"You're really taking him?"

Lin Xiyu looked surprised.

"Filming is over; it's time to go."

Guben had his own thoughts and smiled meaningfully: "Eldest Brother called me the day before yesterday, asking when I'm going home to visit Grandpa and Grandma. I might as well take this opportunity to go back and let them meet you too."

"I'm going too?"

Lin Xiyu's heart trembled.

"If you don't go, who will they meet?"

Guben smiled and said: "Am I supposed to point at the Television and tell them, 'Look for yourselves, that pretty little girl in the Documentary is your future Granddaughter-in-law'?"

"What Granddaughter-in-law."

Lin Xiyu blushed: "It's not even certain yet; don't talk nonsense."

"Grandma has already agreed; don't you want to give me a title?"

Guben pinched her cheek, feigning displeasure: "The ring was bought for nothing. You ungrateful little white-eyed wolf."

"Going to your grandfather's house is definitely different from being at my own home."

Lin Xiyu pulled her hand away, panicking inside: "Your family are Elite Cadres; I'm afraid I can't measure up."

"Even Sixth Grandpa has met you; what else is there to fear?"

Guben saw her Tension and smiled to comfort her: "My grandparents aren't flood and ferocious beasts; they won't eat you."

"I'm still afraid."

Lin Xiyu took a deep breath to calm her Tension: "It's too sudden; I have no mental preparation at all."

"Just treat it as going to the Barracks to play, and happen to run into them."

Guben thought for a moment, then said: "Let Wu Meng, Li Liang, and them all go; more people means more liveliness. My grandparents are very easygoing people; you'll know once you meet them."

"Can they really accept me?"

What Lin Xiyu cared about most was still the gap in status.

"Your father is a Martyr; my grandfather most appreciates soldiers with backbone."

Guben was confident: "Whether by emotion or reason, he won't dislike you; on the contrary, because you are a Martyr's daughter, he'll think more highly of you."

"I'm still riding on my father's coattails."

A hint of bitterness flashed through Lin Xiyu's eyes: "Just as Xu Jie said, growing up eating human blood steamed buns by stepping on my father's corpse."

"Xiyu, don't say that..."

Guben painedly embraced her: "Your father sacrificed for the country's great cause; that is the highest honor. If he were still alive, he wouldn't want to see you mistreat yourself because of others' gossip."

"I really envy people who have fathers."

Lin Xiyu's eyes turned red: "Xu Jie is so hateful, yet I still envy her. No matter how bad she is, she has a father pampering her; she's a child spoiled by her father's pampering."

"From now on, I'll pamper you."

Guben put force into his arms, holding her tighter: "I'll take on your father's share of love, replacing him, and pamper you doubly."

"If you pamper me like this, aren't you afraid of spoiling me?"

Lin Xiyu was moved in her heart, tears blurring her eyes.

Guben's eyes shone with pampering: "As long as you turn bad, just don't mistreat me."

"Tsk tsk."

Wu Meng listened on the side with sour teeth: "You two can stop it already; don't keep embracing and hugging, acting as if I don't exist?"

"You can hug if you want."

Lin Xiyu pointed at Li Liang, glaring at her with both shyness and annoyance: "Then isn't there a ready-made one?"

"Don't mention him; he's making me furious."

Wu Meng complained with puffed cheeks: "This guy, grew a 1.88-meter big frame for nothing, but his alcohol tolerance is so shallow; he falls after one cup. He's so heavy, how am I supposed to drag him back?"

"Don't ride the bicycle anymore."

Guben helped his childhood friend up from the table: "The Program Group has a car; later I'll have the driver take everyone home one by one."

"That works."

Wu Meng breathed a sigh of relief: "Just leave his broken car here; it's a 28-inch heavy-duty bicycle, I couldn't ride it even if I wanted to."

"Let's go too."

Lin Xiyu glanced at her watch: "It's past 3 o'clock; we should go home too."

"I'll help the driver take people home."

Guben put Li Liang's arm over his shoulder, dragging the person out as he walked: "You take Xiao Yi back first; don't forget to tell Grandma that we're going to see the plane tomorrow."

"Really going?"

Lin Xiyu hesitated a little.

"Meet at Daming Lake South Gate at 9 AM."

Guben gave her no chance to refuse: "We'll ride bicycles there together."

"Fine."

Wu Meng was very happy and agreed readily.

"Since she said fine, then it's fine."

Lin Xiyu helplessly glared at her, sighing in resignation.

"Hehe."

Wu Meng provocatively raised her eyebrows at Guben, with a hint of challenge.

As if saying, Look, to persuade Xiyu, you still have to rely on me.

Guben blinked, ignoring her smug little expression.

"Hey, this person..."

Wu Meng was unwilling to be ignored and was about to tease him again when Guben's one sentence shut her up.

"How about this: I won't take care of Li Liang anymore; you take him back yourself."

Wu Meng wilted and decisively closed her mouth.

—

Guben helped the Program Group's people onto the car and sent them each to their own homes.

Lin Xiyu watched the car leave, and just as she was about to take her younger brother home, she saw her female cousin strolling over alone from the direction of Grandma's house.

"Sister Leilei, it's so hot; where are you going?"

"My mom sent me to buy shaobing."

Her female cousin's eyes lit up when she saw her, and she ran over with small quick steps: "By the way, to see if you're done?"