Chapter 281: Nineties: Spring Water Family Chapter 281: Dabao Can Call Mama Now

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Protagonist:

Lin Xiyu

"Everything Grandma needed to say has already been said."

Grandma's eyes showed affection: "What comes next depends on you yourself."

"No way."

Lin Xiyu hugged her arm and acted spoiled: "Grandma, don't leave, just stay here and live. With you guiding me, I won't take any detours."

"Distant fragrance, near stench......"

Grandma knew perfectly well in her heart: "If Grandma stays too long, always nagging at you, you'll get annoyed."

"I never would......"

Lin Xiyu subconsciously denied it.

"Alright alright, the banquet is about to start, let's go out too."

Grandma didn't give her a chance to keep pestering, opened the door herself, and walked out.

——

"I'm late, I'll punish myself with three cups."

Female Cousin brought the cake, arriving a bit late.

The cake was custom-made, five tiers top to bottom, with the smiling birthday star and an extra-large longevity peach sitting on the very top.

"Leilei's here."

"This cake is great!"

"Impressive!"

"Of course, look who bought it. I custom-ordered it a week in advance, and all the patterns on top were designed by me personally."

Female Cousin has a lively personality; the moment she arrived, the atmosphere instantly rose.

"Everyone's here, let's begin."

"Kids, stop playing, time to eat."

The adults chatted and laughed as they came to the dining table and sat down; the babies each sat in a high chair, happily sitting at the table joining the fun.

"Old Father-in-law, come sit here."

Grandma smiled and waved at Grandpa Gu, inviting her to sit in the main seat.

Grandpa Gu smiled and declined: "Today is Old Sister's birthday, you're the birthday star, you should sit in the main seat."

"Between us two, no need to be polite."

Grandma insisted on letting her sit: "You're the host, we're the guests. Xiao Bin and Xiyu are filial, inviting our whole big family over as guests, we're already very grateful."

"This is just what they should do......"

Grandpa Gu took it for granted: "You're the elder, they should be filial to you."

"This seat belongs to you, it wouldn't be right if you didn't sit......"

"Normally I don't stand on ceremony; if you tell me to sit I'll sit. But today's different — it's your birthday. Me sitting in the main seat wouldn't look proper......"

The two elders kept deferring to each other; all the juniors stayed silent, treating it as entertainment.

"Today I'm hosting, listen to me."

Finally Guben couldn't stand watching anymore and made the decision for the two elders: "Grandma, don't be polite. Today's your birthday, you sit in the main seat first. Next time our family's Old Lady has a birthday, we'll invite you all over and celebrate her longevity together."

"We'll come, definitely come."

Da Yifu laughed heartily: "Just for you two being this filial, this face must be given. Our whole family will come."

"You just want to come freeload food and drink."

Aunt Da laughed and teased him: "Don't put it so nicely."

"Hahaha."

The whole family was amused by Aunt Da's rare humor, laughing very happily.

"Hee hee."

Dabao also joined in the fun, picking up his little spoon with his small hand and knocking hard on the little bowl in front of him.

The little porcelain bowl wasn't light to knock; after just a few knocks a crack sound was heard, and it shattered.

"Oh my, my little ancestor."

Grandpa Gu was angry and laughing; fearing her precious darling would be poked by the broken porcelain, she no longer bothered to decline and hurried over to pick him up.

"Can't let them sit on chairs, hold one each, watch them well."

Grandma also directed that the chairs be removed.

"I'll hold, I'll hold."

Female Cousin reacted fastest, grabbing Xixi first and carrying her off.

Guben looked at her quite speechlessly, just about to hold Lele, but was intercepted by his mother-in-law.

Chen Xiulan picked up Lele, calling her heart-and-liver treasure, her face beaming with smiles.

Lele was fairly close to her own maternal grandmother, letting her hold her without any intention to resist.

Guben embarrassedly withdrew his hand and turned his gaze to Anan.

Anan met his eyes for one second, then reached out her little arms, wanting Mom to hold her.

Lin Xiyu happily picked up her son.

Guben: "......."

——

"Xiao Bin, don't worry about the kids today......"

Da Yifu found it amusing, seized the opportunity, and called him over: "Come come come, over here, us men sit together and have a few drinks."

"Haven't had a drink with Xiao Bin in a long time......."

Uncle also cheerfully joined in the fun: "Liu Jian isn't here, Brother-in-law and I represent, expressing gratitude to you and Xiyu."

"I can't drink, I still have to go to the newly opened Training Class in the afternoon....."

Guben didn't want to drink with the two of them from the bottom of his heart, just wanted to decline, but was forcefully dragged over by Uncle.

"Don't just drink by yourselves......"

Sister laughed and stirred things up: "Don't forget who the real birthday star is."

"Come come come, everyone raise a glass together, together toast the birthday star......"

Da Yifu reacted extremely fast, immediately following with a shout, raising his glass first.

"Happy Birthday!"

The whole family, led by him, wished longevity in unison.

"Good good good......"

Maternal Grandmother was in high spirits, smiling so wide her mouth wouldn't close.

——

"Xiyu ah......"

Auntie, hearing about the Training Class, was tempted, and taking advantage of the mealtime gap, sidled up to Lin Xiyu: "Does your newly opened Training Class still need people? Can I find some work there?"

"Can your body handle it?"

Lin Xiyu was greatly surprised: "Work isn't tiring? Staying home and being taken care of is so much better ah."

"Staying cooped up at home all the time isn't right either."

Auntie smiled self-deprecatingly: "I'm just someone with a hardworking fate, can't stay idle."

"It hasn't been that long since your surgery......"

Lin Xiyu had concerns: "A major surgery like yours removing the uterus, no matter what, you need to recuperate for two or three years before you can fully recover ah."

"Doesn't need that long."

Auntie tried to explain: "The doctor also said, chemo effect is very good, as long as I persist in taking medicine, if there's no recurrence after five years then it's fine."

"I think you should still recuperate more."

Lin Xiyu didn't dare decide alone, subconsciously glanced toward where Uncle was sitting.

Uncle was currently pulling Guben to drink, didn't notice the movement here.

"You don't need to look at your Uncle."

Auntie used her hand to block her view: "This matter I can decide myself, no need to ask him."

"Uncle works at a Decoration Company, he must earn quite a bit of money right?"

Lin Xiyu gave an embarrassed laugh, changed the subject to cover her embarrassment.

Subconscious implication, he alone supports the family isn't that enough, Auntie doesn't need to go out and work hard anymore.

"He's not some business backbone, how much money can he earn?"

Auntie naturally heard her meaning, sighed somewhat helplessly: "If it weren't for Leilei looking at the fact he's her real Uncle, not mistreating him, letting him be in charge of purchasing materials, getting a bit of kickback, a month tight as it is only five thousand yuan or so."

Five thousand is not little!

Lin Xiyu just wanted to say she herself runs a Training Class, a month is also only five thousand yuan, thinking they still have to raise a child, support Nana's schooling, the words about to blurt out, were forcibly swallowed back.

"I also know I can't teach, going to the Training Class wouldn't be of much use......"

Auntie's eyes showed guilt: "As long as you can arrange a gatekeeping, cleaning job for me, earning a thousand or so yuan a month, I'll be satisfied."

"How can that do?"

Lin Xiyu's emotions were slightly agitated: "You're my real Auntie, how can I let you clean ah?"

"If not cleaning, I don't know anything else."

Auntie's brow and eyes were desolate: "Thinking about it now, really a bit regretful, if I had studied more when in school, had a formal job, wouldn't have to worry about money at this age."

"Alright then."

Lin Xiyu couldn't bear to watch, thought a bit, still agreed: "I'll remember this matter, when there's definite news, I'll tell you."

"Trouble you."

Auntie was grateful to the utmost.

"What trouble."

Lin Xiyu spoke very beautifully: "New store opening, exactly when people are needed, whoever does it isn't the same, rather than benefiting outsiders, better to use family, Wu Meng and I have negotiated, from now on all female employees, you coming to work for us is also within reasonable recruitment scope, won't cause any gossip."

"You only hire women ah?"

Auntie's eyes lit up, curiosity aroused by her words.

"That's right."

Lin Xiyu didn't wait for her to ask further, said it herself: "As women, we naturally should take more care of our fellow sisters la."

"It's really great you can do this."

Auntie deeply felt: "Women finding work is really too hard, otherwise I wouldn't have been without a stable job since being laid off, previously doing Telephone Booth didn't earn much money, barely selling Clothes at Small Commodities Market had some surplus, this one illness, the little savings accumulated, emptied out again."

"Sigh."

Lin Xiyu felt bad in her heart, also followed with a deep sigh.

"Not saying anymore, Guben is looking for you."

Maternal Aunt saw Guben suddenly turn his head and glance at the two of them, and subconsciously pushed Lin Xiyu with her hand.

Lin Xiyu looked in the direction of the sound, and sure enough saw Guben raise his wine glass and shake it at her.

"What are you joking about? I can't drink alcohol."

"Not asking you to drink. It's our turn to offer a toast to Maternal Grandmother."

The couple looked at each other, both understanding the deep meaning in the other's eyes.

"Babies, let's go offer a toast."

Lin Xiyu picked up her wine glass, held Anan, and stood up.

Guben took the opportunity to snatch his daughter back from the child's aunt; with the children as a shield, he, as the father, didn't have to be forced to drink anymore.

"Hey hey, you..."

Female Cousin didn't pay attention for a moment, and Xixi was snatched away.

The child's aunt was very unhappy, her gaze toward a certain brother-in-law quite unkind.

Guben ignored her, carried his daughter around half a circle around the wine table, and conveniently picked up Lele as well, holding one in each arm; that posture was truly a bit eye-catching.

"Hey, he's getting into it..."

Female Cousin felt even more sour in her heart, just wanted to mock him a couple of sentences, but was glared back by her own birth mother with a fierce gaze.

"If you like children, why don't you give birth yourself? What are you fighting with others for?"

Aunt Da was also very dissatisfied with her own daughter.

Relatives and friends' sons and daughters, once they reached a suitable age, all got married; only their family had raised a 33-year-old old maiden who couldn't be married off, making her, as the mother, also lose face.

"Even if I want to give birth..."

Female Cousin muttered unconvinced: "It also takes a person who can give birth to make it work."

Aunt Da was even more angry: "Can't you find a suitable person to marry?"

"The Matchmaker God doesn't favor me, I have no way either. Can't very well take a red thread and tie it on my own foot, right?"

Female Cousin answered very smoothly; seeing Aunt Da still staring at her dissatisfied, a thought struck her, and she started acting silly again.

She bounced up from the chair, put her palms together, faced the birthday star on the cake, and bowed deeply: "Heaven spirits, earth spirits, gods and bodhisattvas quickly manifest, bestow a handsome guy on me."

There was a moment of silence at the banquet; the whole family stared at her dumbfounded.

"You just make trouble for yourself."

Aunt Da laughed from anger, at a loss for words at her nonsensical behavior.

"Don't keep pressing her."

Da Yifu came back to his senses and also laughed: "Look how you've pressured the daughter, she's practically becoming a charlatan."

"Hahaha."

The whole family was amused by Da Yifu's witty tone, laughing until they couldn't close their mouths.

——

"Yiya ya."

At the other end of the wine table, Dabao saw Dad holding a younger sister in each arm, enviously struggled out of Grandpa Gu's embrace, and reached out his hands toward Mom.

"Pingping also wants Mom to hold him?"

Lin Xiyu's face showed difficulty, but she couldn't bear to refuse her son, and glared resentfully at the instigator.

All the fault of the child's father, suddenly pulling this stunt.

The weight of two sons and two daughters isn't the same; especially Dabao, his little body sturdy like a calf, that weight, holding one makes the arms sore and numb, let alone holding two together.

"Yaya, Ma, Ma."

Dabao saw Mom didn't want to hold her, anxious and kept babbling; the last two words sounded quite a bit like the homophone for Mom.

"Aiyo, look at our Pingping so anxious he can even speak now."

Grandpa Gu found it funny, picked up the great-grandson, smacked a kiss on his little cheek.

"Ma, Ma..."

Pingping thought he got encouragement, and shouted Mom even more energetically.

He couldn't say it continuously; the words popped out one by one, the first syllable drawn out longer, the second slightly shorter, sounding exceptionally soft and adorable.

"Pingping can really say Mama now?"

"Baby, call one more time?"

"Call Mama."

The whole family listened happily, vying to tease him.

"Mama, Mama, Mama..."

Dabao also got excited, called Mama non-stop.

"Ai, good son."

Lin Xiyu's heart felt like it was struck by an electric current, numb and tingling, a unique flavor.

"Mama, Mama..."

Dabao got Mom's response, even happier, excitedly reached out hands toward Mom again.

Lin Xiyu didn't hesitate this time, walked quickly a few steps, and picked up her son.

"Hehe."

Dabao was happy, squeezed away his younger brother, and seized Mom's embrace.

Two sons pressing on her arms heavy and solid; Lin Xiyu had no leisure to mind Dabao's willful little thoughts; not long after she couldn't hold on, and cast a pleading look at Guben.

Guben returned her a helpless look.

It wasn't that he didn't want to help her; it was that the little one was too difficult to manage; even if he wanted to hold her, Anan might not be willing.

So he wouldn't be thick-skinned and compete with his wife for the child's affection.

Lin Xiyu: "..."

——

"Anan, come, Great-Grandmother will hold you."

At the critical moment, Grandmother was still reliable, actively stepping in to rescue her maternal grandchild.

Anan was much more obedient than her brother; she glanced at Mom, then at Great-Grandmother, and reached out her little arms toward Great-Grandmother.

"Good treasure."

Grandmother took Anan into her arms, holding her close and calling her heart-and-liver treasure.

"Babies, time to offer a toast to Great-Grandmother."

As Head of the Family, Guben finally found his sense of presence, bringing the four kids to offer a toast to the birthday elder; that feeling, it was indescribably tsundere.

"Grandmother..."

Lin Xiyu very supportively played along, also raising her wine cup: "On behalf of the babies, I wish you blessings, longevity, and health, a long life of a hundred years, each year younger than the last..."

"Good, good, good..."

Grandmother was so happy her eyebrows curved and eyes smiled.