Chapter 207

·

·

·

Protagonist:

Lin Xiyu

"Forget it, I'll do it."

Guben glanced at the snow on the treetops, sighed resignedly.

He was tall, so he didn't need to climb the tree; he came under the treetops and leaped up.

"Uncle, go for it..."

Xiao Ruirui perked up, clapping her little hands to cheer him on.

Guben tried twice and caught the branch bearing pomegranates.

"Don't let go, I'll pick them."

Snow fell patteringly, Lin Xiyu ran over happily, picked the pomegranate, and nimbly dodged away.

Guben looked at her speechlessly and let go of his hand.

"Whoosh..."

The branch shook violently, another wave of snow fell, drenching him from head to toe.

"Hee hee."

"Hahaha."

Lin Xiyu and Xiao Ruirui found it amusing, one big and one small, their movements remarkably consistent, covering their mouths and laughing heartily.

"You two are laughing quite happily?"

Guben stood under the tree and smiled meaningfully.

"Uh."

Lin Xiyu stopped laughing and warily stepped back.

However, it was too late.

Guben tugged the branch hard several times, and snow from the whole tree blew over with the wind, drenching her and Xiao Ruirui's heads and faces.

All three became snowmen.

Now it was fair.

Guben calmly brushed the snow off himself, carrying his luggage into the house.

Lin Xiyu held up the pomegranate, looking windswept and disheveled.

"Ptooey ptooey."

Xiao Ruirui was also stunned, spat out the snow foam in her mouth, glanced at her uncle, then at her aunt, and very loyally chose to stay in the yard.

—

The old house had no heating, relying solely on coal briquettes for warmth, and the room was somewhat chilly.

Lin Xiyu worried Xiao Ruirui would freeze, so she burned the stove vigorously and put a down vest over his cotton-padded jacket.

"A boy doesn't need to wear so much."

Guben had his own child-rearing experience: "If you let him run a few more laps in the yard, he won't be cold at all."

"How old is he? A little child of three or four..."

Lin Xiyu smiled and scolded: "You think he's like you, an iron man, not even wearing autumn pants in such cold weather."

"I'm serious..."

Guben deliberately bickered with her: "Don't raise him based on your own upbringing; raising girls and raising boys is different."

"You just say..."

Lin Xiyu laughed in anger: "How exactly is it different?"

"Ruirui, come, go play soccer with Uncle..."

Guben found a soccer ball in the house and used his foot to demonstrate for Xiao Ruirui.

"Playing soccer."

Xiao Ruirui was indeed very happy, toddling behind him and running out of the house.

One big and one small, two men played soccer in the yard, playing very happily; Lin Xiyu smiled helplessly and went into the kitchen alone.

The kitchen had ready-made vegetables, meat, eggs, and fruits; Zhao Yuncheng had thought it through and bought everything complete.

For Guben's health, she had stewed a pot of health soup as usual and steamed a bowl of egg cake separately for Xiao Ruirui.

"Bang!"

"Crash..."

While she was busy in the kitchen, a sharp noise suddenly came from the yard, sounding like glass shattering.

When she came out of the kitchen to look, she indeed saw a window in the living room wide open, with glass shattered all over the ground.

"Who kicked this?!"

After a few seconds of silence, a high-pitched River East Lion's Roar rang out in the small courtyard.

—

The glass was broken, and buying new ones wouldn't be in time, so Lin Xiyu could only use paper to patch up the window for now.

She had learned paper-cutting from Hu Nainai for several years; although not as exquisite as an old craftsman's skill, cutting a common pattern looked quite decent.

The old house had ready-made red paper; cutting a "Double Happiness" character and pasting it on the window, red flowers on a white background, looked very festive.

"Ruirui, is it pretty? Auntie's hands are very dexterous, right?"

Guben encouraged Xiao Ruirui to clap for her: "Such a beautiful big red double-happiness character—only your aunt could cut something like that."

"Stop talking back."

Lin Xiyu gave him a white eye: "If it weren't for you taking him to play soccer, would the glass have broken?"

"It's raising a child."

Guben said righteously: "Breaking a few pieces of glass is perfectly normal; otherwise, the old house wouldn't have ready-made red paper. It's all from when I broke glass as a child, and Grandma patched the windows with the leftovers."

"You still dare to say that?"

Lin Xiyu laughed in anger: "If your grandma hears this, she'll knock you again."

Guben's gaze showed disappointment: "Grandma wouldn't hit me; she can't bear to."

Lin Xiyu stopped smiling and asked tentatively: "Haven't you called your grandma to tell her you're back?"

"I was originally thinking that after Grandpa's matters are taken care of, I'd make a trip to Guangzhou..."

Guben rubbed his brow with a headache: "It seems now it'll have to be delayed again; I have to get past the mother-in-law hurdle first."

"My mom's side isn't in a hurry."

Lin Xiyu got angry just thinking about her mother: "She doesn't agree, so don't rush forward so eagerly. Anyway, we've already taken the proper path in our marriage, and we've even gotten the marriage certificate. What can she do? At worst, we go our separate ways, and not seeing each other is even more carefree."

"I'll listen to my wife..."

Guben smiled good-naturedly and buttered her up: "In our family, you have the final say. Ruirui and I both answer to you. Whatever you tell us to do, we do it. We dare not disobey in the slightest..."

"Enough, stop talking back."

Lin Xiyu laughed and scolded: "Hurry up, go to the kitchen and bring the pot over. It's time to eat. If we don't eat soon, the soup will get cold."

"As you command!"

Guben made a gesture indicating he'd received the order and strode off to the kitchen on his long legs.

"Ruirui..."

Lin Xiyu took the opportunity to squat down and coax the little cutie: "Tell Auntie, who kicked the glass?"

Xiao Ruirui's gaze darted around, and he glanced toward the kitchen.

"I knew it was your uncle..."

Lin Xiyu's mouth corner curled slightly, revealing a triumphant smile.

"Achoo."

Guben was in the kitchen when he suddenly felt a chill down his back and a bad premonition welled up.

Soon, his premonition came true.

Before going to sleep at night, Lin Xiyu deliberately used the excuse that Ruirui was small, had just arrived in a strange environment, and was restless sleeping alone, to drive him out of the bedroom.

A certain uncle looked at his little nephew with deep resentment.

A resentful discarded-wife face that made onlookers unable to hold back their laughter.

Lin Xiyu endured and endured, but still couldn't hold back. She closed the door and laughed until she bent double.

—

The area around Qu Shui Ting Street had become a tourist district, with visitors increasing day by day.

Furong Street was even more a place of dense crowds; tourists coming here to sample the food came in an endless stream.

Every time Lin Xiyu returned home for the New Year, she would visit Hu Nainai's home, and this year was no exception.

Hu Nainai's home was in Yongquan Hutong, not far from Furong Street.

The next morning, she took Xiao Ruirui out, strolled around Furong Street, bought some pastries that elderly people liked to eat, and sent them over to Hu Nainai.

"This child is truly handsome, even better-looking than my granddaughter."

Hu Nainai saw Xiao Ruirui and was overjoyed. She grabbed a large handful of milk candies and stuffed them into his clothes pocket.

Xiao Ruirui's clothes pocket was stuffed bulging, like a little hamster.

"Ruirui, thank Grandma."

Lin Xiyu found it amusing and patted his head affectionately.

"Thank Grandma."

Under the teaching of his parents, Xiao Ruirui was no longer shy like before. Hearing Auntie tell him to thank her, he indeed piped up in a soft, childish voice and said thank you.

A sweet "Grandma" made Hu Nainai delighted beyond measure. She picked up a box of soft-packaged orange juice from the tea table, inserted a straw, and stuffed it into his mouth.

Xiao Ruirui really liked drinking orange juice. He held the straw in his mouth and slurped it with great enjoyment.

Lin Xiyu let the little fairy play on his own. While Hu Nainai was happy, she steered the topic to her old lady's proudest masterpiece, Quan Shui Culture Paper Cutting.

When talking about paper cutting, Hu Nainai indeed became interested. She took out the Pearl Spring paper-cutting pattern she had just finished cutting to show her.

The pattern on the paper cutting was ingeniously conceived and lifelike.

The most amazing thing was that the scenery on the left and right sides was completely different. The three characters "Pearl Spring" in the upper left corner seemed like living water drawn with a paintbrush, shaped like a clear spring, trickling and flowing.

"So pretty."

Lin Xiyu sincerely praised: "How did you do this? The scenery on the left and right is completely different. One piece of paper cut out the illusion of a landscape painting."

"This is Grandma's own unique skill..."

Hu Nainai smiled with narrowed eyes and threw out bait: "Want to learn? Grandma can teach you."

"Want to."

Lin Xiyu gave very strong support.

"Bring the scissors."

Hu Nainai became spirited and gave a live demonstration.

Lin Xiyu promptly presented the scissors and red paper.

Xiao Ruirui was also very interested in paper cutting. He stared with big eyes at Hu Nainai cutting paper, not blinking, very serious.

——

Hu Nainai was indeed a veteran artisan with superb skill; a piece of Pearl Spring's distinctive paper-cutting was finished in less than fifteen minutes.

Her practiced, effortless technique made Lin Xiyu exclaim in wonder.

"Learned it?"

Seeing her watching intently, Hu Nainai smiled with extra kindness and warmth.

"Uh."

Lin Xiyu felt awkward and spoke the truth: "No."

"It's too complex; watching it made my eyes dazzle, and I couldn't remember it even after one look."

Seeing little Ruirui staring at her with big, glossy eyes, her ears turned red, and she explained a bit more awkwardly.

"This pattern is a bit more complex; otherwise, it's an original specialty."

Hu Nainai understood and gave her face by smoothing things over for her.

"Hu Nainai, I haven't congratulated you yet."

Lin Xiyu smiled gratefully: "Quan Shui Culture Paper Cutting was selected as the most Jinan-characteristic folk culture; this is a great joy and must be celebrated. How about this: I'll treat, we'll set a table at Minghu Building, invite all the junior brothers and sisters, and everyone will have fun together."

"No need, why spend that money?"

Hu Nainai waved her hand and declined with a smile: "You have the heart, and Grandma is already very happy. Grandma wants nothing, only that this craft be passed down. As long as you think of it from time to time and cut a few sheets, not letting the skill go to waste, Grandma will be satisfied."

"I have cut some......."

Lin Xiyu quickly confessed: "Yesterday I cut another one and put it on the window—a big red double-happiness character, needless to say, how festive it was."

"Mm-hmm."

Little Ruirui understood, nodded her little head, and bore witness for her.

"Ruirui is so good."

Lin Xiyu found it amusing, bent down, picked him up, and kissed his pink cheek.

The little fellow's ears visibly turned red, his gaze drifted, and he was too shy to meet her eyes.

"Eh......"

Lin Xiyu found it funny and couldn't help teasing him: "Why are Ruirui's ears red? Could it be shyness? So young and already knows men and women are different, can't let a girl kiss you?"

Little Ruirui's ears grew redder; no matter how she teased him, he refused to speak.

"This child looks smart just by looking at him......"

Hu Nainai also found it amusing and laughed while teasing: "He must take after his uncle; study hard in the future, and he could also become a Provincial Top Scholar."

"Hu Nainai......"

Lin Xiyu's eyes showed surprise: "You guessed it? Ruirui is whose nephew."

"Grandma's old eyes aren't dim."

Hu Nainai pretended to be displeased and glared at her: "No need to guess; it's written all over your face."

"You're truly amazing."

Lin Xiyu gave an awkward laugh: "More accurate than a fortune-teller."

"Does this need divination?"

Hu Nainai revealed the truth in one sentence: "If he hadn't come back, could you be this happy? Every time you came before, you had a mournful face; Grandma felt distressed seeing you."

"No way."

Lin Xiyu deliberately acted cute: "I came here to learn the craft; how dare I have a mournful face? I'm afraid you'd stab me with scissors."

Hu Nainai laughed in exasperation: "Grandma aches for you and can't wait; how could I bear to stab you?"

"Hu Nainai......"

Lin Xiyu acted coquettish and hugged her: "Thank you for always caring about me. You guessed right; I'm really happy, really, really, really happy......"

"It would be good if he came back."

Hu Nainai comforted her with great kindness, patting her shoulder affectionately: "Grandma can see you smile happily again; I'm truly gratified, happier than our paper-cutting being selected as the most distinctive folk culture."

"Hu Nainai....."

Lin Xiyu was moved to tears: "Guben has something to do and went out; he's not home. Another day I'll bring him to see you......"

"Okay."

Hu Nainai smiled with gratification: "You can come anytime; Grandma is always free and waiting for you at home."

"Mm."

Lin Xiyu was happy and gave Hu Nainai a sweet smile in return.

——

Guben went to Dongmen Small Commodity Wholesale Market in the morning and bought a piece of glass of suitable size.

Installing glass required putty, so he bought some putty and nails, and carried the glass home under his arm.

"That person looks quite familiar; is he Gu Lao's grandson?"

"He does look a bit like him. His family's gate has been locked for five years; is someone back again?"

"Time flies; in a blink, Gu Lao has been dead for five years."

"I don't know if his wife is back. She was a capable woman who could dance, relied on her outstanding looks, married a good man, became an official's wife, and few neighbors could meet her eyes......"

"I don't know. Another day I'll go take a look. If the grandson is back, she'll probably be back too."

"Look at what? What's there to look at? Aren't you afraid of being implicated? His family's reputation isn't good now; it's better not to visit......"

——

From Lao Dongmen back to Wangfu Pool West Street, along the way people kept glancing at him slyly, and idle gossip reached his ears on the wind, inevitably making him somewhat annoyed.

"Whose family has a bad reputation?"

"What business is it of yours?"

"If you don't want to come knocking, then don't—who's begging you to come?!"

Wu Meng's sharp voice rang out from behind, leaving the group of matrons speechless.

"Hmph."

Guben turned and saw it was her, unable to help laughing out loud: "I wondered who it was, so sharp-tongued—turns out it's our dumb cute one."

Wu Meng rolled her eyes at him in annoyance: "I'm about to die of anger just listening, and you're in the mood to joke? From now on, if those gossipy matrons spout nonsense again, tell me, and I'll curse them back for you..."