Chapter 1022

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Protagonist:

Li Xiulan

"Big Brother, put your mind at ease. Whatever the misunderstanding, sit down and talk it out properly."

Li Xiulan advised Li Yaozu.

But Li Yaozu stopped speaking.

After sitting at Li Yaozu's place for a while, Li Xiulan stood up, saying she wanted to go sit at her second brother's house.

Li Yaozu didn't say anything.

Only when Li Xiulan stood up to leave did he say one sentence:

"Later, call your second brother and their whole family over here to eat."

Li Xiulan was stunned for a moment, then smiled with delight:

"Good, I'll call them over later!"

When it comes down to it, they're still blood brothers.

Li Yaozu also wanted to repair the relationship with his second brother's family, but over these years there was never a mediator to help reconcile, and as the eldest brother he couldn't bring himself to lower his pride and go before his second brother to speak nice words.

So the relationship grew more and more distant, and misunderstandings piled up more and more.

Li Xiulan carried another two bags of fresh pork and fruit, and arrived at her second brother's home.

"Second Brother, Happy New Year!"

Li Xiulan greeted with a smile.

"Little Sister, how come you came without giving any advance notice? My two sons, they've all gone to visit relatives, there's only me at home!"

Li Jiahao wore a face full of smiles.

His little sister bringing a whole family to visit made him very happy.

"Second Brother, this is for you, take it and put it away!"

Li Xiulan handed over the pork and fruit.

"Alright, when you leave later I'll give you some return gifts too!"

Li Jiahao didn't stand on ceremony at all, just accepted them directly.

"Are both of these your daughters-in-law?"

Li Jiahao looked at Du Xiaojuan and Li Jianjia.

Li Xiulan introduced with a smile:

"This is my eldest son's wife, this is my youngest son's wife!"

"Second Uncle, Happy New Year!"

Du Xiaojuan and Li Jianjia greeted with smiles.

Li Jiahao laughed:

"They're truly fresh and lovely. This girl is even pregnant, congratulations! By the way, where's Erhai's wife? How come she didn't come?"

Wang Erhai was a bit embarrassed:

"She went back to her hometown."

Wang Changgen spoke up at this point:

"This Erhai brat, the one he married before got divorced, now he's found a new one, not married yet, who knows how it'll turn out!"

Li Jiahao laughed heartily:

"Never mind how it is, as long as he likes her himself that's fine!"

Du Xiaojuan asked at this moment:

"Second Uncle, have your sons had babies?"

Li Jiahao laughed:

"Both my sons have had babies, one had two kids, one had three kids!"

Du Xiaojuan praised with a smile:

"Then you truly have blessings to enjoy, many children many blessings!"

Then she took out the red envelopes prepared in advance:

"These red envelopes represent the three brothers Dashan and them, we won't give them separately one by one, the three brothers together give to the children! Five children, five red envelopes, one each, you hold onto them for them, later when they return from visiting relatives, just pass them on!"

Li Jiahao smiled until his mouth couldn't close:

"This little girl, how come she's so sensible, truly a good person!"

Li Jiahao opened one red envelope to look, inside each was two hundred yuan, and he smiled even more happily.

Li Xiulan said at this point:

"Second Brother, since there's only you at home, why not go eat at Big Brother's house together at noon today."

But Li Jiahao hesitated:

"Better not go, me and your Big Brother don't get along!"

Li Xiulan then said:

"Whatever conflicts, we'll lay them out and it's done. We're all not young anymore, each day passes one less day, no need to make things this stiff!"

Wang Changgen chimed in at this moment:

"Exactly! You didn't come for my new house housewarming, I didn't blame you two, you two brothers, what big deal is it, is there a need to be like this?"

Wang Zhanggen spoke as if he were being generous.

But in reality, when he came, he was muttering that he didn't want to come, just because Li Yaozu and Li Jiahao didn't attend his new house fire.

"Brother-in-law, when you had your new house fire, I was still working at the factory, and near the Spring Festival the higher-ups don't lightly approve leave; I also had no choice!"

Li Jiahao said this.

Now he works as a security guard at a chemical plant nearby, his salary isn't high, only two thousand eight a month, but at least it counts as having some security, so he doesn't have to rely on his sons to send money home for every little thing.

His two sons, and their wives, all work in a big city, and they've brought their families along; the kids weren't sent back to the hometown, and he knows they all have it hard too.

"I'm not blaming you either, don't say these things, let's just go eat at your eldest brother's house at noon!"

Wang Zhanggen spoke in a tone that brooked no refusal.

Li Jiahao, however, hesitated:

"I'm afraid if I go, they won't welcome me either!"

Li Xiulan said:

"It was eldest brother who had me come call you to eat at his house, how could they not welcome you!"

"Really?" Li Jiahao was stunned.

"Of course it's real! Why would I deceive you!" Li Xiulan said with absolute certainty.

"Alright, then we'll go together in a bit!"

Li Xiulan's whole family sat at her second brother's house for most of the day; seeing it was almost lunch time, she brought her second brother along and went to her eldest brother's house.

Everyone went inside together.

Li Jiahao saw his eldest brother, and couldn't help feeling a bit awkward.

He wanted to greet him, but couldn't get the words out.

It was still his eldest brother who called out first:

"Second brother, sit here, we'll have a drink in a bit!"

Li Jiahao didn't say anything, just nodded:

"Okay, okay!"

This noon meal, a whole big family, lively and bustling.

Even more lively than the New Year's Eve dinner.

Li Yaozu's wife, son, daughter-in-law, and two children.

Li Xiulan's whole family.

Plus Li Jiahao.

Everyone gathered around one table, eating quite happily.

As for the past conflicts between Li Yaozu and Li Jiahao, no one mentioned them, no one spoke of them.

Li Xiulan didn't go mediate, didn't make anyone apologize, didn't make anyone explain.

So many years of accumulated grievances, the brothers' enmity was surely long since tangled and complex, hard to untangle who was right and who was wrong.

So let the past be the past.

Everyone being able to eat a meal together just shows things are developing in a good direction.

After eating, they chatted a while longer.

Around three in the afternoon, Li Xiulan's family said goodbye and left.

As for what the relationship between Li Yaozu and Li Jiahao would be like in the future, Li Xiulan couldn't interfere too much either.

What she could do was only this much.

On the way back, Li Xiulan and Wang Zhanggen rode in Wang Dashan's car.

Wang Xiaohua and Li Jianjia went to ride in Wang Erhai's car.

Li Xiulan suddenly asked Du Xiaojuan:

"Xiao Juan, want to go visit your maternal home?"

Du Xiaojuan couldn't help but freeze:

"Uh, better not..."

Wang Zhanggen, however, said:

"How can you not go? To speak of it, you and Dashan have been married so many years, we still haven't made a trip to your hometown! How about the day after tomorrow, the fourth day of the New Year, everyone goes together to your place!"

Du Xiaojuan didn't know what to say.

She could only look at Wang Dashan with a pleading gaze.

Wang Dashan hurriedly smoothed things over:

"Dad, really no need to go, Xiao Juan's dad and mom went traveling with her younger brother for the New Year this year! If we go to her hometown, we won't find them either!"

Wang Zhanggen half-believed, half-doubted:

"It's the big New Year, what travel?"

Du Xiaojuan hurriedly said:

"Now it's popular to travel for the New Year!"