Chapter 258

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Protagonist:

Lin Xiyu

"I'm going to..."

Guben laughed in exasperation: "So I'm getting the lowest treatment? That's too unfair. Why do they all get to eat meat, but we have to eat vegetarian just because we went there?"

"You all went."

Fu Zheng continued with a black-bellied grin: "Xiyu and the babies are different from you. They eat meat. Only you alone have to eat vegetarian."

"Why?"

Guben looked completely bewildered: "Is there gender discrimination over there too?"

"Absolutely!"

Fu Zheng held back a laugh: "Our base is entirely men. A bunch of big old men staring at each other all day. We got sick of looking at each other ages ago. Who'd be willing to look at you again?"

Guben: "..."

Rarely had he been roasted by Eldest Brother until he lost his temper.

"Hahaha."

Lin Xiyu found it funny and couldn't help laughing out loud.

"Hehe."

Grandma had finished eating and was dozing on the sofa. Hearing this, she was also amused by the brothers' exchange.

"Grandma Jing..."

Fu Zheng looked embarrassed: "Sorry about that, disturbing your rest."

"It's fine."

Grandma answered smoothly: "My ears are deaf. I couldn't hear clearly."

Fu Zheng: "..."

Can't hear clearly, but you're laughing this happily?!

"That's called great wisdom."

Guben took the opportunity to flatter Grandma.

"Grandma, you must be tired? Let me help you back to your room to rest."

Lin Xiyu cooperated with him seamlessly, also speaking up at just the right moment, showing the considerate filial piety of a maternal granddaughter.

"I'm not sleepy. I'll go check on the babies again."

Grandma was thinking of the little babies and didn't want to sleep.

"Alright, I'll help you over."

Lin Xiyu supported Grandma up from the sofa and went to her own bedroom.

The living room fell quiet. The brothers tacitly didn't make another sound.

After a long while, a faint sigh drifted from the inner room — Grandma Gu.

——

The four babies needed at least two nannies to watch them at night.

Guben cleared out the book desk and rattan chairs from the couple's bedroom, crammed in two single folding beds plus the cribs, and it was still packed full.

The bedroom couldn't fit everyone. He, the father, had to reluctantly squeeze onto a bed with Eldest Brother in the guest room.

Little Lele was frail from birth and he had personally cared for her since she was born. Back home, suddenly separated from his daughter, a father's heart hanging by a thread, he found it very hard to adapt.

Any time the babies cried at night, his eyes snapped open instantly. He sprang from bed like a reanimated corpse, threw on clothes, and ran next door.

Fu Zheng was a pilot, long used to emergency assemblies in the unit. The slightest sound would jolt him awake, legs swinging out of bed.

Guben woke, and he woke too. Tossed and turned several times in one night. Neither brother slept well.

"You as a father... truly dedicated enough..."

Early the next morning, Guben came back from changing his daughter's diaper next door for the umpteenth time. Fu Zheng rubbed his temples with a headache, looking rather at a loss for words.

"My girl is precious."

Guben was concerned about Eldest Brother's feelings, didn't want him triggered into grief again, thinking of his late wife. He didn't explicitly say Lele also had congenital heart disease.

"Heh, that 'my girl' of yours rolls off the tongue so smoothly..."

Fu Zheng heard his authentic Shandong accent and couldn't help laughing.

"My dad, my mom, my grandpa, my grandma, my girl, my son, my wife..."

Guben deliberately teased him, running through every form of address in Shandong dialect: "Don't you think our Shandong dialect sounds especially heartwarming? Like eating a Shandong big steamed bun — the more you chew, the more flavor, the more you eat, the sweeter."

"I think you sounded most heartwarming when you said 'my wife'..."

Fu Zheng teased with a grin: "The smile at the corner of your mouth — couldn't suppress it even if you tried."

"You guessed right."

Guben chuckled, lay back comfortably on the bed, planning to catch a second sleep.

"You sleep. I'll go check if Ruirui's awake."

Seeing him close his drowsy eyes about to snore, Fu Zheng didn't want to disturb him further. He changed clothes and walked out the door.

——

"Up this early? Rare day off, why not sleep a bit more?"

Grandma Gu was already up, brushing her teeth at the sink. Hearing the door close, she turned her head and gave him a sidelong glance.

"I'm used to it, in the unit we also have to get up early......"

Seeing Grandma Gu looking kind and amiable, with no intention of blaming him, Fu Zheng felt a bit overwhelmed by the unexpected favor.

"When do you plan to leave?"

Grandma Gu finished brushing her teeth, took some cold water in her tooth mug to rinse her mouth.

"Three days from now."

Fu Zheng hurriedly picked up the towel from the basin and handed it over, his attitude very respectful.

"Is three days enough?"

Grandma Gu took the towel and gave him another sideways glance: "Since when is handling transfer procedures that easy?"

"Should be enough, right?"

Seeing Grandma Gu's expression was off, a definitive sentence about to leave Fu Zheng's mouth forcibly turned into an uncertain question.

"Ruirui is going with you, I have no reason to stop her."

Grandma Gu finished wiping her mouth, threw the towel into the washbasin, picked it up and walked off: "You handle it yourself, stay as many days as you want, anyway you've all grown up, your wings have hardened, this home to you is just like an inn, come when you want, leave when you want."

Fu Zheng: "..."

Two drops of cold sweat dripped onto the back of his head.

Happy too early, turns out Grandma still hasn't cooled down.

That towel just now, handed over for nothing.

——

Mid-October, the temperature neither cold nor hot, precisely the best season of the year.

Grandma Gu took advantage of the good weather and had the nannies bring the four babies out to sit in the yard and sunbathe.

Maternal Grandmother also liked the babies, let Lin Xiyu support her, and also came under the pomegranate tree to chat with Grandma Gu.

"Old Sister, sorry for making a joke of you."

Grandma Gu thought of Ruirui leaving, unwilling from the bottom of her heart, and sighed softly again.

"What joke is there......"

Maternal Grandmother didn't play deaf this time, smiled and comforted her: "Every family is the same, at our age the grandchildren are all grown, wanting to keep them all tied to our side is impossible, if there's someone who often comes home to visit, keeps us company chatting, so we won't be lonely alone, that counts as perfect."

"Old Sister, you're still the open-minded one."

Grandma Gu smiled sheepishly: "I can't do it, temper too fiery, one sentence not to my liking, can't help but want to lose my temper."

"You're blessed......"

Maternal Grandmother saw clearly: "When young you had Grandpa Qinjiayi doting on you, when old you have Grandson filial to you, that's how such a temperament was raised."

"That's true......"

Grandma Gu's eyes showed nostalgia: "My old man treated me truly well, all his life never let me suffer."

Maternal Grandmother continued praising: "Xiao Bin is also a good child, so filial to you."

Grandma Gu nodded: "Xiao Bin is indeed very good, I'm very content."

"Contentment is good, one look and you're someone who enjoys blessings, just looking at your hands tells it."

Maternal Grandmother held out her own hand for her to see: "Look at my hands, how rough, once winter comes they crack, rubbing oil doesn't help, yours are different, maintained so well, fine skin and white flesh, one look and you've never done rough work, a wealthy madam's hands."

"What wealthy madam, you put it like that and I'm a bit embarrassed."

Grandma Gu glanced at Maternal Grandmother's hands, then at her own, rubbed them together a few times with a bit of guilt.

"What's there to be embarrassed about......"

Maternal Grandmother kept coaxing: "If I had a pair of hands like yours, I'd show them off every day, put a ring on every finger, all different styles."

"Hahaha."

"Old Madam, you're really funny."

All three nannies listened and were amused, laughing until they couldn't close their mouths.

Lin Xiyu also laughed happily along.

Guben brought four bottles of radish water in baby bottles for the babies to drink, and casually knocked on her forehead once: "What are you stupidly laughing for? Grandma's hinting at you, hurry up and buy ten rings, put one on each of her fingers."

"Deal, buy tomorrow, today won't work......"

Lin Xiyu laughed in agreement, took the chance to get up from the horse stool, stuffed Lele to him: "I have to hurry and organize the application materials for Intangible Cultural Heritage, submit them early."

"You go be busy."

Maternal Grandmother watched the couple's intimate interaction, eyes smiling: "Don't listen to Xiao Bin coaxing you, Grandma was just joking, not really wanting rings."

"Rings must be bought......"

Lin Xiyu answered very smoothly: "After I finish writing the application materials, we'll go to Qilu Gold Shop, and conveniently buy back the small silver locks for the babies you're giving them."

"Look at you, this girl, how calculating."

Maternal Grandmother laughed and scolded: "Using the pretext of buying me rings to make me pay, to buy gifts for her own kids."

"Hahaha."

Grandma Gu listened and was amused, laughing until she couldn't close her mouth.

"Hehe."

Lin Xiyu justified herself: "I just don't want you to worry and exert effort, what's one more trip."

"Hurry up and go write materials."

Maternal Grandmother laughed and shooed her: "Grandma said she'd buy silver locks for the babies, she definitely will, no need for you to think about it all day."

"You continue chatting, I'll go write materials."

Lin Xiyu gave an awkward smile, oiled the soles of her feet, and scurried off.

——

Fu Zheng finished the transfer paperwork for his son and, on the way, bought two identical Sony Ericsson mobile phones.

This model was the hit of the year, combining photo-taking, calling, and music playback in one.

He bought this phone precisely for its photo-taking function.

In '05 QQ could already send photos instantly; with these two new phones, whenever Grandma Gu missed Ruirui, she could have him take a picture and send it over, and they could stay in touch at any time.

——

"Oh my, mobile phones these days are really high-tech, they even have this function......."

After returning home, Grandma Gu saw the new phones and was indeed delighted beyond measure, her resentment toward her eldest grandson lessening considerably.

Fu Zheng seized the chance to teach her how to use QQ; sending photos was no difficult matter, Grandma Gu was eager to learn and caught on at once, trying it out a few times herself and quickly mastering the knack.

"With this phone, you can contact Ruirui whenever you want."

Fu Zheng was very glad of his decision; being able to coax Grandma into happiness with a phone was worth every penny.

"Is there a time difference between XJ and Jinan?"

Grandma Gu was old but not muddle-headed; one sentence hit the nail on the head.

"There is......"

Fu Zheng laughed awkwardly: "Almost forgot about this — although XJ uses Beijing Time just like Jinan, daily routines still differ; elementary school starts at 10 a. m. and ends at 7 p. m., so Grandma, if you want to reach Ruirui, any time outside school hours works......"

"10 a. m. to 7 p. m.?"

Grandma Gu nodded: "Good, I'll remember."

"Grandma, do you want to practice a bit more? I'll keep you company for a few messages?"

Fu Zheng quietly let out a breath of relief and continued coaxing the old lady.

"Forget you."

Grandma Gu stopped smiling and gave him a disdainful sidelong glance: "If I practice it'll be with Ruirui; what's there to talk about with you?"

Fu Zheng: "......"

——

Ruirui transferred schools, leaving Jinan to go to XJ with his father.

His close little friends all came after school to see him off.

"Ruirui, this is a peace knot I braided myself, for you."

Niuniu gave Ruirui the multicolored rope bracelet she had braided.

"Thanks."

Ruirui took it happily and put it on his wrist.

"Is XJ far? Will you come back?"

Niuniu was a little girl, delicate of mind; seeing him accept it, her small face flushed red, very happy.

"I'll come back......"

Ruirui didn't think much, saying as a matter of course: "When school breaks I'll come back, and then we'll play together again."

"Okay."

Niuniu was about to answer when the other friends jumped in first.

"Li Ziang, don't just talk to the girl, we're here too."

"We came to see you off too, you only talk to her and leave us hanging, that's not cool."

"Exactly, we're the good buddies, not like this......"

Boys joke and roughhouse more freely; one boy took the chance to throw an arm over Ruirui's shoulder and pull him close.

Niuniu was shoved to the side by the gang of boys, a bit disappointed.

"When did I ignore you guys?"

Ruirui's attention was drawn by the boys; he didn't notice her subtle change of expression.

"Come on, let's go play soccer."

"This is the last time before you leave, we have to decide a winner, see which of us is better."

"Bring it on, who's afraid of who!"

"One goal decides it."

"Deal!"

"Let's go, let's go play soccer."

The boys laughed and jostled noisily, herding Ruirui out of the yard.

Niuniu was left far behind alone, stunned in place for a good long while before she made up her mind and ran after them.

——

"Tsk tsk, this Ruirui, nerves too thick — the little girl likes him and he doesn't even notice."

The bedroom window was wide open; Lin Xiyu listened through the screen to every sound at the front gate.

Niuniu's fleeting disappointment before she left didn't escape her eyes either.

"Ruirui didn't notice, but his aunt did — instead of writing materials you're here eavesdropping?"

Guben was inside coaxing the child; hearing this he smiled helplessly, picking Lele up from the crib.

"Hey hey, I'm just curious......"

Lin Xiyu laughed awkwardly: "Kids their age — can there really be puppy love?"

"Why not?"

Guben teased his darling daughter, joking: "Aren't we the precedent? We grew up and it worked out, became husband and wife."

"Puppy love?"

Lin Xiyu's delicate brows furrowed slightly as she deliberately pretended not to understand: "How would I know? When did we ever have a childhood-sweetheart past?"