Chapter 242

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Protagonist:

Lin Xiyu

"It's my fault."

Guben apologized with a very sincere attitude: "I shouldn't have kept hiding it from her......"

"Little Bin, you go back first."

Maternal Grandmother doted on her maternal granddaughter; although she didn't know the full story, in her heart she still sided with her: "Xiyu is angry right now and doesn't want to go back. Just let her stay with me for two days; it'll be fine once she figures things out on her own."

"Alright then."

Guben feared angering Maternal Grandmother and didn't dare explain further; he could only go along with the old lady's wishes, putting on a smiling face and leaving with an embarrassed retreat.

——

Wangfu Pool West Street.

"What? Xiyu went back to her natal home? What happened? Did you two fight?"

Grandma Gu had picked up Ruirui from school and was originally in a very pleasant mood, but the moment she heard her granddaughter-in-law had returned to her natal home, her face instantly changed.

"Why did Aunt go back to her natal home? When is she coming back? Did Uncle make her angry?"

Ruirui was also stunned; a look of rare panic and helplessness appeared on his handsome little face.

"Sigh."

Guben smiled bitterly; helpless, he could only recount the whole story truthfully.

"This matter is your fault......"

Grandma Gu didn't wait for him to finish; she grabbed him and headed outside: "Come on, go with me again, explain things clearly to Xiyu."

"Grandma......"

Guben's eyes revealed shock: "You're going too?"

"I'm not going......"

Grandma Gu glared at him in annoyance: "Can you coax Xiyu back?"

"I'm going too."

Ruirui, afraid of being left behind, didn't even put down his schoolbag and trotted along after them.

"Don't go adding to the chaos."

Guben didn't want the child to watch the spectacle.

"No way, I'm going."

Ruirui, wise beyond his years, found his own reason: "Aunt dotes on me the most; as long as I cry, Aunt will definitely soften up. Uncle can't persuade Aunt back, but maybe I can......"

"Let Ruirui go."

Grandma Gu and Ruirui were of one mind: "Xiyu is soft-hearted; children easily move her heart, better than you shamelessly forcing your way in."

"Hehe."

Hearing Great-Grandmother's words, Ruirui was like he'd received an imperial sword; he made a face at his uncle, even more pleased with himself.

——

Qinglong Back Street.

"Aiyo, Old Father-in-law, how come you came in person?"

Maternal Grandmother, seeing it was Grandma Gu who had come personally, was both surprised and delighted, and hurriedly ushered her inside.

"Old Sister, we haven't seen each other in a long time; I came to see you."

Grandma Gu smiled like a spring breeze, making it hard for anyone not to feel close to her.

"Is this your little great-grandson?"

Maternal Grandmother lowered her head to glance at the young boy following beside Grandma Gu and immediately guessed his identity.

"Yes."

Grandma Gu pulled Ruirui over, using the child to build rapport: "Ruirui, hurry and greet her; this is also your Great-Grandmother."

"Great-Grandmother, hello."

Ruirui blinked his dark, bright eyes and called out very obediently.

"Aiya, good."

Maternal Grandmother was happy to hear it; she grabbed a handful of candy from the tea table and stuffed it into his hand.

"Grandma Gu, hello."

Nana had also returned from school this time; seeing Grandma Gu, she greeted her very politely.

"Aiya, this is your little granddaughter, right?"

Grandma Gu had come with a purpose and spoke beautifully: "So well-mannered; one look and you can tell Old Sister you know how to raise children, educating them so well."

"This child has been obedient since little......."

Maternal Grandmother listened even more happily; the corners of her eyes crinkled with smiles.

"Old Sister, this time I've come to apologize to you."

Grandma Gu took the opportunity to state her purpose: "I only just found out; Little Bin came back once after his mother passed away. Who knows what this child was thinking; he returned to the country but didn't tell anyone, didn't even see Xiyu. No wonder Xiyu is angry. She waited for him so long and didn't get a single explanation; he just left without a word. This matter, no matter who it happened to, anyone would have complaints......"

"Sigh."

Maternal Grandmother stopped smiling; giving her face, she couldn't keep complaining and could only sigh softly.

"Old Sister, this matter still depends on you; help persuade them a few more sentences."

Grandma Gu lowered her posture and pleaded with a smile, "Xiyu is a filial child; the person she's closest to is you. Whatever you say, she'll definitely listen."

"I want to persuade her too, but this girl..."

Grandma smiled helplessly, "As soon as she came back she locked herself in her room, refusing to come out no matter what. I'm also willing but unable."

"Ruirui, aren't you looking for Auntie..."

Seeing Grandma's tone soften, Grandma Gu sneakily signaled Ruirui with her eyes, "Auntie's right in the room. Why don't you hurry up and take the award certificate your school issued over to Auntie..."

"Mm-hmm."

Ruirui understood her elder's meaning, took out a certificate from her schoolbag, and in front of everyone ran to the bedroom door, beginning a brilliant performance.

"Auntie, open the door. I'm Ruirui. In our school's English speech contest, I got first place. The teacher praised my English and even said they want to invite Auntie to school to teach the classmates English learning experience."

"Auntie, can you go to school? Our classmates all want to meet you. They all think I'm so awesome, speaking such fluent English. I told them my English was all taught by Auntie. Auntie is the truly amazing one — not just English, German rolls off your tongue too..."

"Auntie, do you agree or not? Our teacher is waiting for your reply. He said no matter when Auntie has time is fine, we welcome you anytime..."

"Auntie, are you in the room? Did you hear what Ruirui said? Can you say a sentence to Ruirui?"

"Auntie, are you okay? You're not sick, are you? Open the door, okay? Ruirui can't hear your voice and is so worried..."

"Auntie, please, open the door. You wouldn't not want Ruirui anymore, would you? Ruirui is so scared, wuwuwu..."

——

The little youth chattered on endlessly, changing faces like flipping a book — from high spirits to choking sobs in just an instant.

His hoarse little voice made even Grandma unable to bear it; she couldn't sit still on the sofa and wanted to go comfort him.

"Old Sister, don't interfere. Let him cry."

Grandma Gu pressed her down with one hand, giving her elder a "you understand" look.

Grandma smiled helplessly and could only sit back down embarrassedly.

Facts proved Grandma Gu had gambled right.

No woman could be so heartless as not to be moved by a child's hoarse crying. Ruirui hadn't cried long before the bedroom door creaked open from inside, revealing a narrow crack.

"Auntie!"

Ruirui instantly beamed with joy and happily rushed inside.

That cry of "Auntie" was tender and lingering, more intimate than her own birth mother.

Guben's eye corners couldn't help but twitch.

This kid is too damn talented. With acting this superb, he could go win an Oscar statuette.

——

"Auntie, look at my certificate. It says here: English Speech Contest First Prize."

"My classmates are all so envious. They say I have good fortune, having such a great Auntie."

"Our class teacher also said, hearing my spoken pronunciation, you know how high Auntie's level is. Pure British accent, not a drop of water mixed in, very very very good..."

——

"This kid has a future..."

Ruirui entered the bedroom, even more excited beyond measure, holding out her certificate to Lin Xiyu like a treasure, praising Auntie to the skies.

That little mouth of his was so sweet that even Grandma had to admit she'd misjudged before.

How is this a child with a withdrawn personality from a young age?!

He's clearly a drama spirit through and through!

The whole Old Chen family put together can't match his silver tongue.

"Hahaha..."

Grandma Gu, hearing Grandma's fair assessment, laughed until she couldn't close her mouth.

——

"Auntie, stop being angry with Uncle, okay? Come home with us. Ruirui misses Auntie, doesn't want to be separated from Auntie."

In the bedroom, Ruirui's brilliant performance continued. Lin Xiyu didn't say a word, and he seamlessly transitioned from the certificate to the topic of Uncle all by himself.

His little eyes were pitiful, like an abandoned puppy.

Since it concerned himself, Guben also pricked up his ears, listening seriously to the movement inside.

Hearing his nephew say Auntie shouldn't be angry with Uncle anymore, his brows relaxed. He just wanted to praise him, "This kid wasn't raised for nothing," when he immediately heard the next words.

"If Auntie's still angry, then let Uncle kneel on a washboard. Lots of our classmates say so — their dads make mistakes and come home to kneel on washboards, and the kind with the serrated side facing up..."

Guben: "......."

Which family's nephew pits his uncle like this?!

Can we not?!

——

"Kneel on a washboard?"

Grandma Gu found it funny and chimed in from outside the door.

"Yes!"

Ruirui answered smoothly, coordinating perfectly with her elder.

"Old Father-in-law, where's your family's washboard?"

Grandma Gu rose from the sofa, making a move to fetch the washboard.

Guben looked at his own grandma quite speechlessly.

"Forget it. Our family doesn't have this tradition."

Grandma wouldn't really make him kneel; she turned around and spoke up for him.

"No kneeling won't do."

Grandma Gu feigned dissatisfaction as she scolded: "He did wrong himself, drove such a good wife back to her parents' home, and if I don't punish her, I can't even bear to watch......"

"Little Bin is, all things considered, a good child......"

Grandma smiled helplessly, just about to say a few good words for her son-in-law, when she saw her little granddaughter Nana come running from the back yard at a trot, and sure enough she brought back a washboard.

Grandma: "......."

This was a bit embarrassing.

The child was too honest, leaving her not knowing what to say.

——

The washboard was brought, the ready-made prop was there, not kneeling would be unjustifiable.

"Wife, I was wrong, forgive me."

Guben's mouth corners twitched violently a few times, and sure enough, in front of the whole family, he knelt before the bedroom door.

"Xiyu......"

Grandma couldn't bear to watch, and smoothed things over for him: "This matter has been past for so long, don't torment yourself anymore, the more you think the more it tortures, Little Bin was wrong but it's understandable, give him a chance, let him properly explain to you."

"Yes, Xiyu......."

Grandma Gu also chimed in to persuade: "A couple living together, quarrel at the bedhead and make up at the bedfoot, you have anger in your heart, don't keep it bottled up making yourself suffer, hit or scold as you please, if you can't bring yourself to do it, Grandma will hit for you......"

Inside the bedroom it was quiet as before, without any movement.

Grandma Gu steeled her heart, actually walked up to her grandson, raised her arm, and gave him a fierce beating on the head and face.

"Slap slap slap......"

The crisp loud sound of slaps, in the quiet little house, sounded especially sharp.

"Ow ow ow, Grandma, you're really hitting......"

Guben covered his head with his hands, matching her rhythm, begging for mercy miserably.

"Retch."

From inside the bedroom came a sudden strange sound, like someone with an upset stomach wanting to vomit.

"Wife......"

Guben's face changed, he stopped pretending, sprang up from the ground in one bound, and rushed into the room.

"What's wrong with Xiyu?"

Grandma worried about her maternal granddaughter, her movements not slow either, following into the bedroom, her little feet actually walking at a hundred-meter sprint speed.

"Retch......"

Answering them was the sound of Lin Xiyu covering her mouth and retching up another mouthful of sour fluid.

"What's wrong with Xiyu? Why does she want to vomit? Did she eat something bad and upset her stomach?"

Grandma Gu also came in, a face full of anxiety.

"No......"

Lin Xiyu also didn't know why she wanted to vomit, just wanted to say a sentence of no, and another mouthful of sour fluid welled out.

"Stomach uncomfortable, hurry to the hospital."

At this moment, everyone mistakenly thought she had an upset stomach, not a single one thought of pregnancy.

"I'll accompany you to the hospital."

Guben heart-ached for his wife, stepped forward in a few strides, wanting to help her up from the bed.

"It's nothing major, no need to go."

Lin Xiyu harbored resistance, forcefully broke free of his arm.

"Stomach pain isn't a small matter, still better to let a doctor take a look."

Grandma Gu thought, just right to give her grandson a chance to ease the two's relationship, kept pushing to send them to the hospital.

"How about I have your female cousin come back......"

Grandma and she were of one mind, also chimed in to persuade: "Have her accompany you to the hospital?"

"No need to trouble female cousin......"

Lin Xiyu didn't want such a big fuss, to alarm so many people again.

"Auntie, do you have a little baby?"

A group of adults were pulling and tugging, when a clear child's voice suddenly rang out, like a muffled thunder striking everyone's heart.

Pregnant?!

Because of Lin Xiyu's many years without conceiving, the word pregnancy was like a taboo, the whole family deliberately avoided it, not daring to mention it before her.

Inside the bedroom there was a moment of silence.

The adults' moods were all very complex, no one spoke up at this time.

"Shouldn't be, at noon I ate noodles with a bit extra vinegar, stomach is a bit acid......"

Lin Xiyu herself also didn't think it was pregnancy, bitterly smiling tugged at her mouth corner.

"Wife, did your period come this month?"

Guben and her thoughts were clearly not on the same frequency, hearing the three words little baby, his breathing even became heavy.

"No, I think?"

Lin Xiyu ever since uterine injury, her period had always been irregular, therefore Guben's abrupt question truly left her a bit stunned.

"Regardless of whether it is or not, let's go to the hospital for a check first."

Guben tentatively persuaded, and reached out his hand again, wanting to help her up.

"Already said no need, why insist on going?"

Lin Xiyu was a bit irritable, fundamentally didn't believe she would be pregnant.

Guben didn't dare provoke her at this time, and looked back at Maternal Grandmother with great helplessness.

"Xiao Bin, how about this..."

Maternal Grandmother was very experienced with this sort of thing: "You go to the pharmacy and buy a test strip."

"Okay."

Guben moved very quickly, turned and went out the door, and before long returned having bought a pregnancy test strip.