Chapter 46

After muttering this, Sun Sun Yanyan finally remembered the real business: "Dad, Mom wants you to buy a jug of oil to take back. I'll watch the shop for you, and you can pick up the child on your way back."

Her daughter, Song Song Ziyi, was currently in the senior class of kindergarten, but since today was Saturday, she had gone to a nearby interest class to learn chess.

Song Song Dafang felt his anger rising—raising sons and daughters are all debts!

The son and daughter were raised, but now that they were old, they hadn't enjoyed any blessings.

Not only did they have to support their son's family of three, but they also had to pay the granddaughter's tuition, pick her up, cook, wash dishes, and do laundry...

Just look, his shrewd daughter-in-law wouldn't spend a single cent of her own money on daily expenses, and she was even waiting for him to go buy a jug of oil.

Truly a life of being a lifelong servant!

He was filled with deep resentment, but when he arrived at the entrance of the interest class with the oil jug and waited for his granddaughter, the little girl ran over happily with a big bow in her hair, her voice bright and sweet:

"Grandpa!"

"Hey!"

Song Song Dafang instantly forgot his previous unhappiness, feeling only that it was as sweet as honey.

After the family returned to the residential complex behind the shop and opened the door, Mao Li, who was cooking in the kitchen, had already rushed out, complaining as she did so:

"You old man, I told you to buy a jug of oil, and you only just got back now. We're waiting to put it in the pot!"

She then looked at the small basket of vegetables he was carrying, fresh and tender. She couldn't help but wonder: "What did you buy again?"

She took it over and looked: "Oh my, this is Chinese milk vetch. We haven't eaten this in decades. It's perfect for a quick stir-fry at noon."

Song Song Dafang quickly said: "Tantan brought it over this morning with Qiaoqiao. She said she's been selling vegetables at the riverside market lately."

"What?"

Mao Li was startled out of the blue.

"Selling vegetables? Isn't Tantan working in Ningcheng? Why did she come back to sell vegetables?"

Sun Sun Yanyan had already changed her shoes and squeezed over, glancing at the vegetables: "This stuff isn't worth much. It won't taste good once it's not fresh anymore, and bringing so much... it's embarrassing to even give to neighbors."

Seeing Song Song Dafang's face darken further, Mao Li knew he disliked what his daughter-in-law said and quickly added: "It's the thought that counts. Let's stir-fry it for lunch while it's fresh."

Song Song Dafang snorted coldly and took his granddaughter to watch TV.

Meanwhile, the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law were picking vegetables together affectionately, chatting as they did so:

"Mom, Tantan drove a beat-up little pickup truck today, saying she wants to stay in her hometown to farm. These vegetables are just what they had left over after selling."

"Oh my!" Mao Li really hadn't expected this: "She's staying in her hometown to farm? As a girl, working in Ningcheng sounds relaxed and gives face. Now that she's back in her hometown, what will she do about finding a partner later?"

"Exactly."

Sun Sun Yanyan sighed with a serious air:

"You say Tantan has a fool for a brother, so her marriage prospects weren't great to begin with, and now she's gone back to her hometown. Who would want to marry a girl who farms?"

"Sigh, I was actually planning to introduce her to a young man I met recently. His family has a house and a car, and the whole family is capable!"

"After all, Tantan is truly pretty, and she looks even better now that she's back! Her skin is snow-white and translucent; youth is a wonderful thing. I think even the stars on TV can't compare."

Mao Li also sighed: "Yes, both children in your Third Uncle's family are good-looking."

"If you come across someone suitable, you should still introduce them. We're all relatives."

"If you ask me, their family has had it hard. Look at your dad, he was enterprising and capable when he was young, which is how he earned some family foundation in our city, so at least they don't have to worry about food and drink now."

"As for your uncle and the others, they insisted on being stuck in their hometown when they were young. They weren't careful when having children either. Look at Qiaoqiao, such a good young man, how did he end up a fool?"

"They've worked hard for half their lives, but their vision is poor and their horizons are too narrow. Now they're still guarding their hometown, and the money in their pockets probably isn't even enough for a down payment."

As they talked, the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law found more and more to discuss. Sun Sun Yanyan thought for a moment:

"How old is Qiaoqiao this year?"

"Eighteen, maybe?" Mao Li couldn't quite remember.

Sun Sun Yanyan pondered for a moment: "If you ask me, with Qiaoqiao's condition, they need to find him a wife quickly. With a wife to look after him, my uncle and the others could go out to work and earn more money, which would save them from worrying about their old age."

"After all, with Qiaoqiao like this, they can't count on him for their old age."

"That's true," Mao Li felt that her daughter-in-law had really hit the nail on the head:

"I've said before, they have to carry on the family line, right? Qiaoqiao is such a fine young man; if he marries a wife and has a son, maybe that grandson will be fine?"

"While your Third Uncle and the others are still young, if they raise a grandson, their family will have something to rely on in the future."

Song Song Dafang happened to be opening the refrigerator to get something, and hearing this, he glared at them:

"What kind of talk is this? Song Sancheng stays at home to take care of our parents for us, saving us so much trouble, and you're still meddling behind their backs!"

Sun Sun Yanyan curled her lip but didn't retort.

But the mother-in-law, Mao Li, was unhappy:

"What meddling! We're doing it for his own good. With Qiaoqiao like this, if they don't have a grandson, what will they do when they get old? Don't let it be that after you've served your parents, you have to serve your brother too!"

Song Song Dafang glared at her too:

"With Qiaoqiao like this, how can he marry a wife? Besides, what if the child born also has brain problems? How do you expect their family to live?"

"This..."

Mao Li was also stumped by the question.

Sun Sun Yanyan quickly said: "How can it be so absolute? First find a wife to take care of him; don't look for those shrewd girls, just someone a bit foolish and honest who can live a simple life."

"And about having children, medicine is so advanced now; you can see if there are problems during pregnancy, and if there are, just don't have it."

"Dad, don't be angry, my mom is just concerned for you."

"Grandpa and Grandma are in the hometown; we'll inevitably have to spend money and effort later. If the younger uncle's life is good, we'll also be more relaxed."

"If he becomes a burden for retirement later, you certainly won't stand idly by, Dad."

"Isn't this just fearing that you'll have a heavy burden, Dad?"

Song Song Dafang paused, but in the end, he said nothing, just closed the refrigerator door and walked heavily back to the living room.

By noon, their son Song Song Xuehai returned from work, and the family hurriedly busied themselves with serving the dishes.

A plate of green vegetables on the table seemed unfamiliar, and Song Song Xuehai couldn't help but ask: "What is this?"

"I know, I know!"

Sun Nu Song Song Ziyi said: "Grandpa said this was brought by Brother Qiaoqiao."

Song Song Xuehai laughed at her: "I told you, don't call him brother, you should call him uncle."

However, his daughter ignored him and just clumsily stretched her chopsticks forward: "I want to eat the vegetables Brother Qiaoqiao brought."

The fresh, tender green vegetables were stir-fried with minced garlic, and at this moment, they were emitting an alluring fragrance on the dining table.

Song Song Ziyi took a bite, and then couldn't wait to reach out with her chopsticks again:

"The vegetables Brother Qiaoqiao brought are so delicious, the best in the world!"

"You child, how many things have you even eaten?" Song Song Dafang glanced at her, then followed suit and picked up a chopstickful.

Once it entered his mouth, the taste seemed extraordinarily different.

By the time the whole family came to their senses, the plate was already empty.

Song Song Ziyi watched from the side, stunned, and suddenly started crying: "I want more, I'm not full!"

Mao Li hurriedly cleaned up the plate: "Don't cry, don't cry, Grandma will go make some right now, there's plenty more."

Sun Sun Yanyan also came over, still wanting more: "Mom, why don't you stir-fry the rest? It really tastes quite good."

She thought for a moment and added: "Otherwise, Mom, when you go buy vegetables tomorrow, why don't you go to the big riverside market and take a look? It's family business; it wouldn't be right not to support it."