Chapter 272: Nineties: Spring Water Family Chapter 272: Choice, Life's Crossroads

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Protagonist:

Lin Xiyu

Lin Xiyu was a bit worried about this son's temperament; whenever she saw Anan sitting there spacing out by himself, she couldn't help but go over specifically to tease him.

Anan liked Mommy, liked her extraordinarily obviously.

When others teased him, at most he'd gift a smiling face; when Mommy teased him, he'd stretch out his little arms, letting Mommy hold him.

——

The bamboo mats were laid, the bedding was laid, the babies played and laughed freely under the pomegranate tree, their giggling little milk-voices drifting into ears, making the adults' brows unconsciously relax and their moods turn pleasant.

"You rest first, I'll go check on Hu Nainai."

Lin Xiyu kept the Intangible Cultural Heritage matter in mind, eager to go share her joy with Hu Nainai, as well as Junior Brother and Junior Sister.

"I'll go out with you."

Guben also had his own matters to attend to.

"Where are you going?"

Lin Xiyu's eyes revealed surprise.

"Ban Shan Street."

Guben had his own plan: "I'll go to the new house first, and by the way meet the nanny, have her clean the rooms in advance, then after dinner tonight send Grandpa Liu back."

"The nanny's already been hired?"

Lin Xiyu's eyes revealed surprise.

"Pre-booked one through a housekeeping company."

Guben nodded, accompanied her to the courtyard doorway, and straddled the electric bike.

"Your speed is really fast."

Lin Xiyu admired his work efficiency immensely.

"Get on, I'll give you a ride over."

Guben pointed a finger at the rear seat, intending to give her a lift.

"Not on the way, I'll walk myself."

Lin Xiyu recalled him riding a bicycle with Qu Peng last time, and couldn't help wanting to laugh.

"You're lighter than Qu Peng, can carry you."

Guben evidently thought the same as her, the corner of his mouth also curving up slightly.

Lin Xiyu coquettishly complained: "The whole way there is stone slab road, it'll bump you to death, don't......"

"Come on."

Guben continued teasing her: "I'll ride slowly, you hug my waist, then it won't bump badly."

"Forget it."

Lin Xiyu wouldn't fall for his trick: "There are so many tourists in the alley, how bad if someone sees."

Guben didn't mind: "Old husband old wife, what's there to fear?"

"You hurry up and go, don't dawdle."

Lin Xiyu held back laughter, pushing and shoving him to chase him off.

"Really not sitting?"

Guben was a little regretful.

Rare to have a bit of romance, taking his wife around Qu Shui Ting Street for a circle, yet wife still unwilling.

Forget it, he'd better hurry to the new home and tidy the house, Grandpa Liu is still waiting to move in.

A whole Old Beijing siheyuan!

Just thinking about it is beautiful!

Just for this, he must serve the old man well.

With the old man giving the kids backing, let's see who dares bully them in the future.

Xixi and Lele are the old man's palm treasures, heart-flesh, no one can compare.

——

When Lin Xiyu arrived at Hu Nainai's house, the three Junior Brothers and Junior Sisters had already all arrived.

Hu Nainai heard the good news, wiping tears while laughing very happily.

"Once rated an Intangible Cultural Heritage Inheritor, there'll be subsidies."

Lin Xiyu was genuinely happy for Hu Nainai: "Heard it's over two thousand yuan a month; from now on, people who eat by their craft will also have something to look forward to."

"Two thousand ah."

Li Ang smacked his lips a few times, feeling very uncomfortable inside: "More than I earn doing odd jobs; compared to Hu Nainai, this disciple of hers has really mixed poorly, lost face for her old self."

"We can also apply for Inheritor."

Zhang Jie was still a university student, heart pure, without so many twists and turns; whatever she thought in her heart, she said directly.

"Inheritor, how could it be that easy to apply for?"

Li Ang smiled bitterly: "Conditions are extremely strict, usually requiring 15+ years of practice, proficient mastery of the core techniques of the declared item, also recognized representativeness and influence in a specific field, actively carrying out inheritance activities, cultivating successors, participating in public welfare promotion......"

"Not to mention other things, just the 15 years of practice screens out a huge batch of people."

Wang Lei also shook his head with difficulty: "Persisting unswervingly at one thing for ten years is hard enough, let alone 15, and every place has policies, Inheritors must stay locally to develop, contribute to local public welfare undertakings."

"Ah?"

Zhang Jie was a bit bewildered: "Must stay local, then after I graduate I can't go to Shenzhen either."

"No."

Li Ang rudely poured a basin of cold water on her: "Don't think so beautifully, wanting the best of both worlds, earning money in Shenzhen yet still wanting to occupy a Jinan quota, how is that possible?"

"I wasn't thinking of getting the best of both worlds."

Zhang Jie was retorted at until her face turned red, very embarrassed: "Just saying casually, even if I said wrong, no need to say it so unpleasantly, right?"

"Stop, both of you stop talking."

Wang Lei, fearing disturbing Hu Nainai's rest, made a pause gesture, signaling the two not to keep arguing.

"Xiyu ah, come here, Grandma has words to say to you......."

Hu Nainai lay on the bed, hearing this, tremulously reached out a hand to Lin Xiyu.

"Coming."

Lin Xiyu hurried over, grasped her hand.

"Xiyu ah."

Hu Nainai's eye rims reddened: "Grandma knows, she won't live much longer, being able to hold on with a breath until now is already Heaven's gift."

"Hu Nainai, don't say that......"

Lin Xiyu saw Hu Nainai had the meaning of giving final words, nose soured, tears flowed down uncontrollably.

"Don't interrupt, listen to me......"

Hu Nainai weakly gasped a breath, almost using all her body's strength, gripped her hand tight: "Grandma now has no other worries, only one wish, our paper-cutting art, must be passed down."

"Mhm mhm......"

Lin Xiyu choked up and nodded hard.

"Grandma's most favored disciple is you......"

Hu Nainai's eyes revealed expectation: "You and Xiao Ang, Xiao Lei, Xiao Jie, are all good kids, after Grandma dies, this art's inheritance will rely on you all."

"We will definitely persist, won't let you down."

Lin Xiyu couldn't bear to let Hu Nainai down, holding back tears made the promise.

"With your these words, Grandma is at ease."

Hu Nainai smiled reassuredly, tightly gripping her hand, also in this moment lost support, limp and soft drooped down.

"Hu Nainai?!"

Lin Xiyu frightened face greatly changed.

"Grandma fine, just a bit tired."

Hu Nainai weakly almost couldn't open eyes.

"Grandma, you rest well, tomorrow I'll come see you again."

Lin Xiyu didn't want to disturb Hu Nainai rest, and with junior brothers and sisters stood up to take leave, just before walking out the door, again by some impulse turned back to look once.

"Go."

Hu Nainai lightly waved hand, kindly looked at them one last eye, wearily closed eyes,

Lin Xiyu stopped footsteps, had a moment of stunned.

Don't know why, heart suddenly felt empty hollow, eyes sore, wanting to shed tears.

At this moment, she still didn't know, this would be her seeing Hu Nainai's last time.

That very evening, this kind old person, then one sleep not rise, peacefully left the world.

——

Hu Nainai passed away, Lin Xiyu truly saddened a long stretch of time, as long as saw that painting she old person before death used lifetime heart-blood carved out Quancheng Fengyu Tu, eyes would sore, wanting to shed tears.

On Guben's suggestion, she donated this painting to Mass Art Museum, letting more folk culture lovers, while appreciating fine work, remember this old person who for paper-cutting art devoted a lifetime.

Time in healing and curing quietly passed, blink reached mid-April, just when she barely accepted Hu Nainai already gone fact, wanted to rally spirit, prepare for applying Intangible Cultural Heritage Inheritor, a call from Shanghai, again broke peaceful life, in her heart stirred up not small waves.

——

Wangfu Pool, Old House.

Family taking advantage weather good, sat in yard basking sun chatting laughing.

Lin Xiyu sat under pomegranate tree paper-cutting, Xixi crawled over from bamboo mat, clung to mom, wanting mom accompany her play.

"Xixi good, don't fuss."

Lin Xiyu fearing poke hurt daughter, hurriedly put down scissors.

Nanny Liu Jie chased over, wanted take Xixi away, Xixi unwilling, in her arms continuously cried howled arched.

Lin Xiyu heart softened, reached out took daughter over.

Xixi immediately stopped crying, stepping on mom's legs happily bounced high.

Lin Xiyu laugh-cry, could only hold steady her, let her on self frolic.

"Xixi still closest to mom."

Liu Jie pretended jealous appearance, sourly said: "I also from small raised her big, now good, hold not even let hold."

"Daughter not close to mom, close to who?"

Grandma Gu watched amused, self-mocking: "Compared to birth mom, this Great-Grandmother also has to step aside, let alone outsider."

"Lele different, closest to dad."

Guben holding heart-tip darling little daughter, took opportunity showed off a bit.

"Hee hee."

Lele understood, grinning little mouth hee-hee laughed happily.

"Come on, Lele, give me a kiss."

Guben got excited, pointing at his own cheek, letting his daughter kiss him.

Lele understood his meaning, and truly gave a smack on his face, leaving a face full of saliva bubbles.

"See that?"

Guben was even more smug: "This is the proof, no rebuttal allowed."

"Alright already, you."

Lin Xiyu couldn't stand his smug look, rudely striking at him: "If you've got the ability, make Anan kiss you too. If you can persuade your son, you win."

"Uh."

Guben was embarrassed, subconsciously glancing at Anan.

Anan happened to lift his eyelids at this moment, looking over at him.

Father and son stared at each other for several seconds.

He just wanted to try communicating with his precious son, when he saw Anan disdainfully avert his gaze.

"Hahaha."

Lin Xiyu had long anticipated it would be like this, laughing very happily.

——

"Buzz buzz."

Just as she was laughing happily, her mobile phone trembled slightly, the incoming call prompt showing a long-lost familiar number.

"The Principal? What does he want with me?"

Seeing clearly it was the Principal of the Secondary Vocational School where she used to work, she couldn't help but freeze, hesitating for a good while before answering the call.

"Xiyu ah, I have a piece of good news to tell you......."

After two years, the Principal was still the same as in her memory, speaking to her very enthusiastically, as if nothing had changed, yet making one feel familiar yet strangely distant.

"Is that so? Alright alright, I'll consider it, and give you a reply as soon as possible."

Lin Xiyu heard his purpose clearly, her mood quite complex as she hung up the phone.

"What did your Principal want with you?"

Grandma Gu saw her expression wasn't right, looking over with some worry.

"The Principal said......"

Lin Xiyu didn't hide it: "The Civil Aviation Shanghai Secondary Vocational School upgraded to a Vocational College, built a branch campus in Pudong, urgently needs English teachers with professional standards, asking if I'm willing to return to teach."

"Vocational College?"

Grandma Gu's eyes revealed surprise: "Isn't that a junior college then? You've become a university teacher too."

"Yes."

Lin Xiyu sighed faintly: "This truly is an unexpected piece of good news."

"Do you want to go back?"

Guben saw her struggle, probing.

"I don't know."

Lin Xiyu's thoughts were a bit chaotic.

If Grandma Hu hadn't passed away, she might have agreed without hesitation.

However, worldly matters, there are no ifs......

"This is a lifetime matter, you must think clearly."

Grandma Gu truly thought for her: "A university teacher and a secondary vocational teacher are not the same. Not to mention better benefits and treatment, your status and position are also a grade higher. Missing this opportunity would truly be too regrettable."

"I understand."

Lin Xiyu smiled bitterly: "That's why I didn't directly refuse, spoke frankly, said I would consider it......."

"What's there to consider?"

Grandma Gu spoke bluntly: "In my opinion, a university teacher is much better than running a Training Class. Good benefits with security. In the past, this was the golden rice bowl everyone envied......"

"Let her make her own decision."

Guben, a devoted wife-spoiler, stated his position: "Our family doesn't lack the little money she earns. Even if she doesn't work it's fine, I can support them."

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

Grandma Gu finished speaking, also a bit regretful, patching up: "Of course, whether to go back or not depends entirely on your own wishes. I was just speaking casually, don't take it too seriously."

"I never thought......"

Lin Xiyu smiled self-mockingly: "That I would also have a day of becoming a university teacher."

"This choice is quite difficult."

Grandma Gu was anxious for her: "You think it over yourself. You must think clearly, lest you regret it in the future."

"Mm."

Lin Xiyu held her fragrant soft daughter tighter, sinking into contemplation.

——

That afternoon, Qinglong Back Street.

"Grandma, from now on I won't leave, I'll stay in Jinan to accompany you, okay?"

Lin Xiyu, on the pretext of going out for a stroll to digest, came alone to Grandma's house.

"Grandma is old, how many more years can she live?"

Grandma saw she had worries on her mind, probing to persuade: "You must not be foolish, delaying your own future."

"I'm not being foolish."

Lin Xiyu leaned against her maternal grandmother's shoulder and acted coquettishly: "I just don't want to be that far away from Grandma, I want to be able to see you anytime."

"Is it that something happened at your unit again?"

The old lady was old but not muddle-headed; how could she not see through her little scheme: "Counting the days, two years is almost up, right? You can't stay on leave without pay forever, there has to be an explanation. If you keep not going back, the leader won't agree either."

"I really won't go back to the Marketing Department, I've stayed there enough."

Lin Xiyu felt vexed the moment she thought of that distressing environment; two years later she still couldn't let it go.

"If you're not going back, where do you want to go?"

The old lady knitted her eyebrows as she looked at her, very worried for her.

"I don't want to go anywhere......"

Lin Xiyu rubbed against her old lady's shoulder again and acted coquettishly: "I just want to stay in Jinan and keep you company."

"Whatever you have to say, just say it directly."

The old lady laughed and scolded: "Don't make Grandma anxious. Grandma isn't the same as when she was young; she can't take stimulation."

"Grandma......"

Lin Xiyu stopped acting coquettishly, put on a suffering face and feigned grievance: "You also think running a training class isn't a proper job, don't you?"