Chapter 901: The Best Actor

"Go on, you unlucky child, what are you saying~"

Qin Huairu scolded him with a pout, took a damp towel, and walked over to her daughter to wipe the faces of the big one and the small one.

"Eat your meal quietly at home, and do your homework properly when you're finished. Are you not planning to go out and play tomorrow?"

"And you!"

Seeing her son looking at her stubbornly with his big, chubby face, she reached out and flicked Banggeng on the forehead, lecturing him: "How many months has it been since school started, and how many times has the teacher come to find me?"

"Our teacher just has too much time on her hands~"

Banggeng pouted, unconvinced and indignant: "There are plenty of people who don't do their homework, why do you have to keep staring at me alone!"

"Don't be ungrateful!"

Seeing her son getting more and more out of line, Qin Huairu scolded him while pinching his cheek.

"The teacher is concerned about you; she thinks you're still a talent worth molding and doesn't want to give up on you. How can you be so ungrateful?"

"That's not it at all!"

Banggeng had long been immune to his mother's little punishments; as long as it didn't break any bones, he didn't care.

At this moment, he stiffened his neck and curled his lip, saying disdainfully: "Our teacher is just a snob. She only targeted me after seeing that you're a cadre. She's just trying to curry favor with you and get a favor in return."

"Hmph!"

Seeing his mother stunned by his words, he said with a face full of smugness: "If that's the case, I'd rather she didn't bother with me."

"Hey! Is your skin itching for a beating?"

Qin Huairu was truly taken aback by her son's words. It took her a long while to come to her senses, wondering when Banggeng had acquired this kind of worldly cynicism.

"I'm telling you, even if your teacher has that thought, it's still for your own good. You're not studying properly and you think you're in the right, is that it!"

"Wait until I take a stick to you, then you'll be obedient. Three days without a beating, and you're already climbing the roof to tear off the tiles—I think that's what you are!"

"This child! How can you think like that~"

Jia Zhangshi also chimed in from the side: "She's taking care of you for your mother's sake. You should study even harder to bring some face to your mother, shouldn't you?!"

"Don't mind him, he's destined to be a scrap collector or a street sweeper in the future."

Qin Huairu scolded him and tidied herself up in front of the mirror.

Seeing Banggeng sitting there with his neck stiff and eyes glaring, she advised the two younger ones: "Daughter, we won't learn from your brother. We must study hard, and when we grow up, we'll take the university entrance exam, just like your Sister-in-law Yafang in the front courtyard—become a teacher, a university teacher."

"Okay."

Huaihua was a child who followed along; whatever her mother said, she agreed to, though she had no concept of what a university teacher was.

Xiaodang was already sensible. Seeing her mother finally shift the attention she had long placed on her brother onto her, she said very earnestly: "Mom, when I grow up, I'll be a doctor, just like Aunt Gu Ning."

"Just you?"

Banggeng saw his mother using his two younger sisters to irritate him, and he curled his lip disdainfully: "Aunt Aunt Xiao Ning is over 1.7 meters tall; a little shrimp like you wouldn't even be able to reach the operating table!"

"I'm still growing!"

Xiaodang shouted back, unconvinced, her words full of grievance, nearly bursting into tears from anger.

Qin Huairu glared at her son, touched her daughter's hair, and asked with a smile: "Why just like your Aunt Aunt Xiao Ning? Isn't your Grandpa Li a doctor? Isn't Uncle Xuecai a doctor?"

"That~..."

Xiaodang shyly avoided her mother's gaze and said bashfully: "Aunt Aunt Xiao Ning is prettier."

"Pfft! ~"

Banggeng started being disdainful again, but before he could finish his words, his mother pinched his mouth shut.

"Ouch~~~"

Banggeng was a rascal who knew how to push his luck. Following his mother's strength, he hugged her arm and pleaded: "Mom~ just let me go~ I promise I'll do my homework properly when I get back."

"Don't try that on me."

Qin Huairu knew her son's mouth too well; he forgot what he said as soon as he finished, but he was certainly good at eating.

Even though his grandmother was signaling her with her eyes to take Banggeng along, she didn't bring him.

"If I don't see your homework finished when I get back, see how I deal with you!"

"Ah~~~"

Seeing his mother really leave, Banggeng knew he couldn't go to the front courtyard. He wailed in a duck-like voice, and the food on the table no longer seemed appetizing.

Nonsense, their family's food was okay when they were improving their diet, but compared to when there was something going on in the front courtyard, how could it possibly compare?

"Meat~ I want to eat meat~ I want to eat meat~"

"This child, stop shouting~"

Jia Zhangshi scolded him while tidying up her handiwork, muttering: "Perhaps they are eating vegetarian too, just like our family."

"..."

Banggeng looked at his grandmother speechlessly, his mouth pouting all the way to the Southern Heaven Gate: "Grandma, it's fine if you fool the neighbors, but why are you even lying to your own grandson!"

After speaking, he pushed the stewed winter melon on the table and looked at his grandmother, asking: "Do you think Wu Shu would serve this to welcome Uncle Guodong back from a business trip?"

"Stop lying to a child!"

Banggeng looked as if he had suffered a great grievance, hugging his arms and pouting: "If that were really the case, it would be great. I could go out and watch the fun in a while—Wu Shu beating Uncle Guodong three times!"

"Giggle giggle~"

Xiaodang and Huaihua, sitting on the side holding their rice bowls, were also amused by their brother's words. The two children's laughter was crisp, and the room was suddenly very lively.

Life has a hundred flavors; one needs to face it with a smile.

The Li family was truly lively today. Li Xuewu's family of three, along with the old lady and Li Xuewen, who had already been "released after serving his sentence"—although Li Shun and the third brother were on the mountain and Li Xue was still in Yangcheng, compared to the usual quiet, it was enough to make Liu Yin very happy.

The happiest, of course, was Li Shu. After being held by her grandmother, she was held by her great-grandfather; after being held by her great-grandfather, she was held by her eldest uncle. She was busy dealing with them while listening to the people in the room talking, her big eyes barely able to keep up.

"Take~ take~ take."

She was a social butterfly; the more people there were in the family, the happier and more excited she was, and the more she dared to play.

Seeing her third aunt heating wine for her great-grandfather, she became anxious. She grabbed the wine pot with her small hands to signal that she wanted to taste it.

Ji Yuxiu teased her on purpose, using the tip of a chopstick to touch the wine and then touching it to her lips, smiling as she waited for her reaction.

Li Shu pursed her lips and licked them, her big eyes widening suddenly, followed by a small frown.

But just as everyone was laughing at her little expression, she laughed too, pointing her small hand at the wine pot, her gaze looking just like a little drunkard.

"Hahahaha."

Everyone in the room couldn't stop laughing. Liu Yin scolded her third daughter-in-law, laughing and saying what would happen if a little drunkard appeared in the family in the future!

Ji Yuxiu gestured to Li Xuewu, who was sitting next to the great-grandfather, and laughed: "One big drunkard, one little drunkard, hahaha~"

"If you put it that way, I really have to drink a little with the great-grandfather."

Li Xuewu smiled and tapped his daughter's small hand, signaling her to put it down; one person in the family who could drink was enough.

Li Shu rolled her eyes in defiance, struggled out of her eldest uncle's arms, and got onto the kang, her little legs scrambling as she ran toward the dining table, looking exactly like someone who wanted wine.

"Hey! Hahahaha."

Ji Yuxiu had to bear the consequences of her own actions. She laughed and grabbed Li Shu's clothes from behind, pulling her back in one go.

"You'd better spare your little aunt. If you really start craving wine from me, your father is going to scold me."

"It's fine, you just need to be responsible for buying the wine."

Li Xuewu teased her with a smile: "If she really takes after me, your monthly salary won't be enough for anything else."

"Look, how ruthless your father is. How would your little aunt dare to provoke you?"

Ji Yuxiu's relationship with Li Xuecai had been settled, and everyone in the family treated her as one of their own, teasing Li Shu by calling her 'Third Aunt'.

But Ji Yuxiu was a young girl after all, so how could she be embarrassed? Thus, she always referred to herself as 'Little Aunt'.

"Say it, Little Aunt, be good~"

"Hmm~~~"

Li Shu didn't want to talk now; she wanted to drink. Being teased by her third aunt, her little head swayed left and right, but she wouldn't respond.

Ji Yuxiu was very patient, teaching Li Shu to say 'Little Aunt' over and over again.

"Hiya~"

Li Shu didn't know what was wrong, but being teased by Ji Yuxiu to talk, she let out a sigh out of the blue, and everyone looking at her laughed again.

Ji Yuxiu was also amused to the point of laughter. She tickled Li Shu and scolded: "I haven't said I'm tired yet, but you've started to find me annoying!"

"Ouch!"

Li Shu couldn't win against this third aunt and had to look for foreign aid. Seeing her grandmother enter the room, she quickly stretched out her small hands to be held.

Grandma is good; Grandma won't force her to talk, and Grandma finds her delicious things~

"Grandma! Grandma!"

This little girl was smart; it wasn't that she couldn't talk, but that she didn't want to.

"What is this, this is just a little calf!"

Liu Yin tapped Li Shu's small hand and laughed: "The more you press her head, the less she'll give you water."

After speaking, the eldest granddaughter didn't forget to lecture her son: "Same temperament as her father, both stubborn."

"This is truly a great injustice."

Li Xuewu laughed and joked in defiance: "Ask around in this courtyard, who doesn't know that I've been an obedient child since I was little, with the least temper."

"Oh my~ what have I just heard!"

Li Xuewen was amused, looking at his younger brother, truly not knowing what else to say.

"That's right!"

Ji Yuxiu stood on the side and teased: "I've only been here for a few days, and I've already heard my second brother's heroic deeds to the full. Isn't that right, Second Brother?"

After speaking, she bounced Li Shu and said: "Whoever doesn't praise my second brother, I have to praise him, after all, I'm the youngest."

"Hahaha~"

The room became lively again. The old lady sat at the head of the kang, covering her mouth and laughing, no longer feeling listless as she had in the afternoon.

A family reunion, endless joy; one could tell from the expressions of the old lady and the great-grandfather that they were content and happy to see their children and grandchildren joyful.

Perhaps because of Li Xuewen's return, the face of the eldest daughter-in-law, Zhao Yafang, was also full of smiles.

It was just that when talking about her father and the third brother in the midst of laughter, it inevitably caused her mother, Liu Yin, to mutter a few words.

"Still have to wait."

Li Xuewu could hear the probing in his mother's words, and he could also see the gazes cast by his eldest brother and sister-in-law.

One knows one's own family's affairs; the eldest brother's side was easy to handle, after all, he wasn't working at the school, so it wouldn't easily affect him.

He was now also running back and forth between home and the First Detention Center, and the car he bought for his wife was finally being put to use.

There was no point at the school; the elementary school students had resumed classes to study, but there was still no news from the university side.

Even if there was, it was bad news.

Li Xuewen was a lazy person; he didn't want to get involved in those sordid affairs.

If Zhao Yafang went, perhaps she could really make a name for herself.

Him?

The whole family knew he wasn't suitable. Now, being at the First Detention Center was not only comfortable for him, but the family was also at ease with him there.

Therefore, Li Xuewu didn't say anything. He was also working there, and from time to time, he could go to the steel mill to look around and serve as a consultant or something.

In terms of physics, the eldest brother was very talented. Li Xuewu didn't understand what he was specifically researching.

Really, if we were talking about products, he had some insight.

But researching technology from a theoretical standpoint and then turning that technology into a commodity adapted to society and the market—he really wasn't good at that.

Introducing the eldest brother to the steel mill was also in the hope that he could draw inferences about other cases, which would be beneficial to the steel mill and also of great benefit to himself.

Conversely, talking about his father and the third brother, Li Xuewu also weighed his words, explaining the general situation under the attention of his mother, the old lady, and others.

Different from the arrangements for the eldest brother, his father had left with a mission from the Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital.

It wasn't appropriate for him to come back now, and it would be easy for people to find leverage against him.

But he would also be labeled with some accusations, which could be cleared sooner or later.

If people really caught evidence of him neglecting his duties, that would truly not be worth it.

As for the third brother, actually, Li Xuewu didn't need to say anything; Ji Yuxiu didn't want him to come down either.

It wasn't that their relationship was bad, but that she also hoped Li Xuecai would learn real skills from his father-in-law.

With Li Xuecai's personality—lively yet introverted, introverted yet moody—if he didn't temper his temperament, how could he sit firmly in the chair of a Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioner?

She didn't hope for Li Xuecai to be on the mountain, but to be by his father's side.

Although it had always been said that the conditions on the mountain weren't bad, how could the gap between the city and the countryside be described as merely obvious?

His father had three sons; if the eldest and second couldn't fulfill their filial duties before him, who else could it be if not him?

Don't look at Ji Yuxiu as young; she had been away from her parents since she was little, and her personality was spoiled but not weak, and she was very sensible.

After Li Xuewu finished explaining, she chimed in from the side to persuade her mother-in-law and the old lady.

Although Liu Yin was still a bit anxious, her son had persuaded her, and her younger son's wife was saying the same thing, so she could only nod.

The old lady also nodded slowly, saying: "The old saying goes, the son of a thousand gold should not sit under the eaves; there's no need to take it to heart."

She was also concerned about her eldest son, but she still said firmly: "You should also go and see him from time to time, so you can set your mind at ease."

"What do I have to set my mind at ease about?"

Liu Yin was still being stubborn with the old lady at this moment: "I'm just afraid that the two of them are careless, and something unexpected might happen."

"Hi~ could they starve to death?"

The old lady was soft-hearted but hard-mouthed. If she didn't say that, wouldn't Liu Yin be anxious to the point of getting angry?

"You're worried and getting angry now; perhaps the two of them are eating well on the mountain."

"Enough, if the food is ready, let's eat."

The old lady clapped her hands and asked Ji Yuxiu to hand Li Shu to her, allowing her granddaughter-in-law to go and get busy.

Zhao Yafang and Gu Ning's bellies were both big, and they couldn't easily bend over, so family gatherings gradually became Ji Yuxiu getting busy with her mother-in-law alone.

She was good at talking, and facing the politeness of her eldest sister-in-law, she shouted with a smile, asking Zhao Yafang to be practical.

Zhao Yafang was also teasing her on purpose, asking what was practical.

Ji Yuxiu carried the dishes while suggesting: "They sell everything in that supply and marketing cooperative; do I still need to lead you there to see what's practical~"

"Good, I'm not afraid of needing things, I'm only afraid of having nowhere to find them."

Zhao Yafang nudged Li Xuewen and said: "Did you hear that? Go to the supply and marketing cooperative tomorrow and buy more good things for your sister-in-law."

"What's good?"

Li Xuewen stood in the room and said with a smile: "I think the good things are all in the bookstore. I'll go to the bookstore to look around later."

"Is that for me~"

Ji Yuxiu scolded: "Look at you two, not sincere at all!"

She said to Zhao Yafang with a smile: "Sister-in-law, you knew Eldest Brother had no money in his hands, that's why you let him go."

"Eldest Brother is good, he thinks what he likes is what I like. Isn't this just teasing me!"

"Who says I have no money?!"

Before Ji Yuxiu could finish complaining, Li Xuewen took out two yuan and three jiao from his pocket in all seriousness and said earnestly: "Look, the five yuan your sister-in-law gave me last month, there's still this much left."

"Don't think it's too little, Eldest Brother will share half with you."

He pretended to be very loyal and teased: "When the time comes, whatever you want to buy, we'll buy it!"

"Ouch~~~"

Ji Yuxiu couldn't stop laughing and scolded: "Sharing half of two yuan and three jiao, what kind of sincerity is this~"

After speaking, she looked at Li Xuewu and said: "Second Brother, you can't learn from Eldest Brother and Sister-in-law! You have to be more generous!"

"Good!"

Li Xuewu smiled and said to Gu Ning: "Didn't you hear what the sister-in-law said? Hurry up and be more generous!"

"Ah~~~ why is everyone like this~"

Ji Yuxiu covered her face and scolded with dissatisfaction: "How come you had the same idea as Eldest Sister-in-law~"

"Are you saying I have no money like Eldest Brother~?"

Gu Ning smiled and joined in, teasing: "I have my own salary."

"Really?"

Ji Yuxiu opened her fingers, looked at Gu Ning, and asked: "Doesn't Second Brother spend your money?"

"Joke!"

Li Xuewu stood up, looked at Ji Yuxiu, and said: "Can a real man spend his wife's money?"

"Ahem~"

Eldest Brother looked at him with another gaze and asked: "You're talking about me, right~"

"Hahaha~"

Everyone in the room laughed out loud again, because Eldest Brother was now "exiled," and his salary had been stopped.

Li Xuewu said he couldn't spend his wife's salary; wasn't he talking about him?

The brothers gathered together, talking and laughing; wasn't that just for the sake of liveliness?

Li Xuewu had eaten half his meal at home, and was then called over to the side room to eat the other half.

Accompanying his family was because he hadn't had time to see his mother after returning from his business trip, and eating at home was also to let his mother see him.

Coming to the side room was because his brothers also missed him, especially Shen Guodong, who had lost quite a bit of weight after not seeing him for half a month.

Chen Xiaoyan didn't think there was anything bad about him losing weight; according to her personality, she also felt that Shen Guodong should exercise more.

This exercise didn't refer to his body, but to his level of business.

In the past, when Old Biaozi was at home, Li Xuewu handed over all the major matters to him to handle. Shen Guodong was guarding the home, and didn't feel he was needed.

Now the recycling station's business was booming, and he was really needed; now he was a bit overwhelmed.

But Li Xuewu chatted with Second Uncle and the other boys, asked Chen Xiaoyan and the others in the shop, and felt it was okay.

Although Shen Guodong said he was flustered, who was born a business expert? It was all about training.

Now, taking advantage of the fact that the recycling station's scale was still small, it was just right for people and the business to grow together.

You just need to savor it; those veteran entrepreneurs all grew up little by little with their enterprises.

They would make mistakes in the process of growth, even fatal ones, but they would certainly gain something and have harvests.

Li Xuewu had confidence that he wouldn't let him ruin the recycling station, and even if it did fail, the brothers would have been trained, and he had plenty of ways to make money in his head.

Save the people and lose the land, the people and land will both be saved; save the land and lose the people, the people and land will both be lost.

Isn't that what life is like? Who doesn't have three or five confidants, brothers, and friends? If you really live as a lonely person, what's the point of having this wealth and glory?

Living a second life, he didn't care much about money; this wasn't bragging.

If he liked money, he could have many channels to cash in.

But once the money was in his hands, what could he do? While making money, what was lost? Isn't that a loss in life?

"Xuewu."

While eating in the side room, Fei Shanying called Li Xuewu and said: "Third Aunt actually always wanted to thank you. Look, we mother and son are still troubling you..."

"Why bring this up?"

Li Xuewu smiled and looked at the children eating at the kang table, his gaze sweeping over Shen Guodong and the others; clearly, Third Aunt had something on her mind.

Fei Shanying had already finished eating. At this moment, she sat on the edge of the kang, looking at Li Xuewu at the floor table, feeling a bit embarrassed as she said: "Actually, our home isn't too far from here, we can manage."

"Third Aunt, didn't I tell you already?"

Shen Guodong took over the conversation and advised: "When Third Uncle left, he gave instructions. He was afraid you wouldn't be willing, so he told Wu Ge. Otherwise, wouldn't he be worried about you?"

While speaking, he got up and went to the edge of the kang to add rice for himself, emphasizing: "If you're really this polite, I won't have the face to see Third Uncle."

While speaking, he looked at Li Xuewu at the floor table behind him and said: "Not to mention Wu Ge here, I'll have complaints, and when Biaozi comes back, he might get anxious with me."

"Sigh~ I'm not just..."

Fei Shanying looked at Li Xuewu, her tone becoming a bit low as she said: "Xuewu's family came back and didn't have a place..."

"Hi~ you're still worried about this."

Li Xuewu smiled and said: "It's cold now, I don't even come back once a month."

"Wait until Aunt Xiao Ning gives birth; I'm afraid I won't be back for a year or two. You're just helping me watch the house."

He was also comforting Fei Shanying, knowing that Third Aunt felt bad in her heart.

"This house, if no one lives in it for a long time, it won't be good."

Shen Guodong walked back to the dining table and said to Fei Shanying: "Just treat it as helping us. Besides, you're not idle; with you at home, I feel much more at ease."

"Look at you two~"

Fei Shanying laughed, her hand resting on her belly as she said: "You've said it so well that I don't know what to say."

"Looking at you all, I'm envious."

Qin Huairu also put down her rice bowl at this moment, held up her wine glass to toast Li Xuewu and the others, and said: "Having a group of like-minded people fighting together is such a happy thing in life."

"You are also a happy person."

Li Xuewu smiled and looked at her, then gestured toward Chen Xiaoyan and the others at the kang table, saying: "Everyone, let's be happy together!"

"Good~~~"

Everyone cheered loudly, celebrating tonight's reunion and also celebrating the current unity.

Seeing Sha Zhu smiled and drank the wine hard; he finally got a chance, as he had been under constraints at home recently.

Diliya's control over him was increasing; not only did she not let him smoke, but she also didn't let him drink.

The reason was very simple: people only drink when they go out to socialize; what kind of social engagements could Seeing Sha Zhu have?

Seeing Sha Zhu also felt aggrieved in his heart; in the past, when he wasn't married, he missed a wife, and now that he had a wife, he had to be constrained. What was this wife for?

Just to constrain him?

"Ahem~"

Forget it! He drank secretly; he hadn't said a word this whole time, very afraid of being seen by Diliya.

But, he was still seen, and the prompt had already arrived.

Seeing Sha Zhu hadn't resisted, but Diliya, this wife, was a bit special.

People say what they say, but she would never yell at you. If you don't listen, she just ignores you.

You just think about it: a grown man, and your wife ignores you; how uncomfortable must that be?

Those who say it's not uncomfortable are all bachelors; don't join in the fun. Whoever is married knows this feeling.

If you call it cold violence, it might not count, after all, you were the one who made the mistake first.

But if you say it's not, Seeing Sha Zhu, who could flip a pig with his physique, was really afraid of this.

Use force?

Don't even mention that the brother-in-law always wanted to kill him; he couldn't bear to look at his wife who had given birth to his children.

He was a rascal, but not a bastard.

Li Xuewu saw him put down his wine glass and knew what it meant. He smiled and looked at him, and was about to take back his raised glass, but was bumped by Yushui's glass.

"I toast you."

"Why?"

"What do you mean why?"

Yushui saw Li Xuewu hesitating, glared, and said: "Thank you, thank you for fulfilling me."

"When did this happen!"

Before Li Xuewu could speak, Seeing Sha Zhu was stunned first, looking at his sister in surprise.

What fulfillment! Speak clearly! How come he didn't know about this!

He had been guarding against everything, yet he still hadn't guarded against this!

"None of your business!"

Yushui downed the wine in her glass in one gulp, making it so Li Xuewu couldn't not drink.

Watching Seeing Sha Zhu in a daze, Qin Huairu glared at him and explained cleverly: "It's just about the workshop."

After speaking, she looked at Yushui again and said: "It's not worth it; he's just ordering you around, and you're still thanking him."

"Sometimes being used is a good thing."

Yushui had also drunk quite a bit today; her eyes were starting to get blurry, and her speech was starting to become incoherent.

Seeing Sha Zhu was now just in a daze, not knowing how to react.

Qin Huairu patted Yushui on the back and said: "Is the workshop having difficulties? Tell Sister Qin."

Yushui smiled, shook her head slightly, and said: "It's fine, what could happen in the workshop? It's actually quite good for training people."

She said this and looked at Li Xuewu again, saying earnestly: "I came to the right place; I should have been doing business long ago."

"As long as you like it."

Li Xuewu smiled slightly and nodded: "I hope to see the day you are commended and rewarded."

"Hehe~"

Yushui propped her elbows on the table, looked at him with a light smile, and said: "You used to be a political commissar, right? Why do you talk like that?"

"This is a pity to talk about."

Li Xuewu smiled and said: "I really lack such qualifications."

"Pfft~"

The beer in Shen Guodong's mouth had already sprayed out; he understood what Wu Ge meant, and he felt he was no longer pure.

He Yu Shui looked at Shen Guodong's reaction in a daze, and only then did she know what was going on.

"Bad guy!"

She scolded angrily, her face flushed, her eyes squinting as if she wanted to bite someone.

Li Xuewu was just teasing her; seeing her like this, he didn't tease her anymore.

The wine table here had been going on for a long time; the great-grandfather had finished eating at home and came over to chat for a while.

When everyone dispersed from the table, it was already past nine o'clock, and there were still many things left unsaid.

Fei Shanying's meaning was that she wanted Li Xuewu and Gu Ning to take the children to live in the back courtyard, while she took the children to Yu Li's place to make do for the night.

How could Li Xuewu let her be troubled? Actually, the family had already prepared two rooms and two kangs for accommodation; how could there not be enough space to sleep?

It was just making do for the night; living in one room, everyone could still chat.

Besides, Ji Yuxiu was heating the kang every day; it was convenient to go and live there.

Li Xuewu was living at home with Gu Ning, in the same room as his mother and the old lady. Li Shu was excited today and hadn't slept yet.

Especially with the bedding laid out on the big kang, the whole family sleeping together, Li Shu liked this atmosphere.

Starting from the great-grandmother at the head of the kang, she crawled and crossed over one adult after another to her father at the end of the kang, and then crawled back.

If she ran into her father grabbing her, it was even more fun, rolling and crawling, it was truly joyful.

The old lady at the head of the kang turned off the light and scared Li Shu into hiding in her quilt before she stopped this great demon king.

Just before going to sleep at night, the family chatted for a while across the living room between the north and south rooms.

It wasn't until someone yawned and someone snored that it finally became quiet.

When they woke up again, it was already the rooster announcing the dawn and the sun rising in the east.

Li Shu had been very noisy last night, and she couldn't get up in the morning; her battery was severely depleted, and no matter how they called her, she wouldn't get up, just sleeping.

Li Xuewu smiled and teased her, but she just pushed her father's hand away, turned over, and continued to sleep with her butt pouting.

Washing up in the morning was a bit cold, because Li Xuewu stood in the courtyard with a toothbrush mug to brush his teeth.

There were too many people in the room; you wash your face, he brushes his teeth, and there were people lighting fires to cook and coax children; it wasn't noisy enough.

He would rather be a bit cold than come out to hide for some quiet.

Just as he was rinsing his mouth, he saw Third Uncle walking in from the hanging flower gate with a head full of official business.

Perhaps seeing him standing in the courtyard, Yan Fugui was startled, and then his expression became awkward, not knowing whether he should say hello or not.

But he didn't expect Li Xuewu to say hello first: "Working the night shift, Third Uncle?"

"What night shift~"

Yan Fugui knew his place and didn't dare to provoke Li Xuewu. He lifted the two crucian carp in his hand and explained: "Where would I get these from working a shift?"

"Night fishing? Good heavens!"

Li Xuewu said with slight surprise: "Your body is quite capable. Hobbies are a good thing, but you have to take it easy; there's going to be a white-haired wind tonight."

"Sigh~ I know~"

Yan Fugui sighed, shook his head, and carried his spoils toward his home.

He hadn't caught anything all night last night; these two fish were borrowed from someone else. Either he caught fish and gave them back, or he gave them money.

Saying they were borrowed, that was still him begging bitterly, saying his daughter-in-law had no milk to feed the child, and needed this crucian carp soup.

People saw he was pitiful and came here to guard for him in the middle of the night.

You say it's the middle of the night, but he also had to have time during the day. He hadn't even mentioned that his own head had had a blood vessel burst.

He didn't say it; begging people was already shameful enough, and selling misery would make it even more shameful to live.

Meeting Li Xuewu today, in the past, he might have rambled about this, complained about others, and complained about this; anyway, there was always something to say.

But look at him today, sighing and groaning, greeting him a couple of times before going home.

It wasn't anything else; he himself felt that life was meaningless and that people looked down on him.

People, life is just about a spirit; if the spirit is gone, look at this person as if they are about to die.

Wilted and drooping, who knows what kind of serious illness he has.

With his body, freezing outside for a night, it was already a miracle that he could walk back himself today.

Night fishing is also about ability and level.

What ability?

The ability to protect oneself, not catching fish but getting oneself involved; which is more and which is less?

What level?

The level of fishing; running out for a night and bringing back a bucket of water, isn't that just asking for trouble?

Li Xuewu used night fishing to mock him; wasn't that just saying he had done something wrong in his conduct?

"Why bother with him?"

Liu Yin called out to Li Xuewu from the room, her gaze glancing over at the opposite door, seeing the same glance.

No need to ask, it must be Third Aunt; she always peeked at people secretly like this now, as if everyone was talking bad about her family.

Liu Yin never went out to talk about people's family affairs; if she talked about it at home, it was also to warn the younger ones not to provoke them.

It's really not worth talking about their family; everyone in this courtyard has a heart like a bright mirror; does it need people to say it?

Li Xuewu rinsed his toothbrush and said to his mother: "It's fine, say hello when you meet, don't feel like we did something wrong, why be so guilty."

"Just you have many tricks."

Liu Yin didn't know her son? As soon as he spoke, she understood; it turned out to be this.

After scolding her son, she asked again: "Aunt Xiao Ning said she's going back in a while? Why so busy?"

"I was just thinking of telling you."

Li Xuewu glanced into the room and whispered to his mother about the matter the couple had discussed the day before yesterday.

The eldest sister-in-law called Ji Yuxiu back from the east courtyard. Seeing the mother and son talking, she was about to hide, but saw Li Xuewu beckoning.

"What's wrong?"

"You say it."

Liu Yin was also embarrassed to speak; she felt gratified that her son was sensible and knew how to take care of the old lady's emotions.

On the other hand, she was embarrassed to "scheme" against the old lady together with her son and daughter-in-law.

As a daughter-in-law, she had never turned red-faced or quarreled with the old lady in her whole life.

You say the relationship is like mother and daughter, that's what's said in words, but for a mother-in-law and daughter-in-law to reach this point, it's rare.

Anyway, Liu Yin had never lied to the old lady, let alone coaxed the old lady to do anything.

Now that her son mentioned it, from her son's perspective, it was indeed appropriate to handle it this way.

But for her, she couldn't get over it in her heart. In front of her eldest daughter-in-law, it was even more difficult to speak.

Ah, in front of her daughter-in-law, she, as a daughter-in-law, and her son were coaxing her own mother-in-law; how would her daughter-in-law treat her in the future!

Anyway, she couldn't say it, even though her son's reason was very correct.

Zhao Yafang looked confused, and Ji Yuxiu, following behind, was the same, thinking something had happened.

Li Xuewu saw his eldest sister-in-law come, and had an idea in his heart.

While explaining the cause of the matter, he stared at his eldest sister-in-law, waiting for the final plan he was about to say.

Unexpectedly, Zhao Yafang just heard the beginning and pulled Ji Yuxiu to go back to the east courtyard to wash her face.

What's there to wash? Both of their faces had just been washed and were clean; they were deliberately hiding.

Li Xuewu said with a smile: "If you don't help, I can only make it difficult for Mom."

"You really are Mom's good son!"

Zhao Yafang knew she was confused; seeing the mother and son discussing things, what was there to be curious about.

If she hadn't stood her ground out of curiosity, this matter wouldn't have fallen on her.

She was originally there to provide an assist, but didn't expect to be the main attacker.

Zhao Yafang knew Li Xuewu was kind-hearted and also for the old lady's own good.

If this matter were on her, she would also have to do it this way. She and Li Xuewu were both smart people, and their thoughts and ideas were the same.

But it was just that it wasn't her who took the lead in doing this.

Just say, the old lady was over sixty; what couldn't she see clearly, what didn't she understand.

Especially these family matters, the little ones being naughty, the old lady had a heart like a bright mirror.

If she really asked her to speak, she would be embarrassed in front of the old lady, and how could she open her heart in the future.

"This favor is owed to me."

Zhao Yafang knew she couldn't escape; she was the eldest daughter-in-law, and she couldn't let Li Xuewu make things difficult for her mother-in-law.

Actually, she also knew that even if she didn't say it, her mother-in-law wouldn't be too embarrassed, at most she would lower her head in front of the old lady.

But she was a daughter-in-law; how could she let her mother-in-law lower her head?

So, being forced onto the stage, it had to be her.

She came, but she wasn't happy in her heart, and had to owe Li Xuewu a favor to be returned later.

What?

Could she ask Li Xuewu for a house or land?

No, they were family; she needed it, and Li Xuewu wouldn't need her to mention it.

What she meant was that in the future, when she encountered a difficult problem like Li Xuewu's today, he would have to come forward to solve it.

Li Xuewu didn't think this deal was a loss, nodded in agreement, kept thanking her, and kept saying Sister-in-law had worked hard.

Ji Yuxiu had also just woken up and hadn't heard much; she didn't know how the business had been negotiated.

What the heck, what were they talking about?

Until they entered the room, the dining table was placed on the kang, everyone washed their hands to eat, and they didn't mention this matter.

Until after breakfast, Li Xuewu came back from the side room, and the eldest sister-in-law mentioned to Li Xuewu about the old lady staying at home.

"Look, my month is getting bigger, and Li Xue and Yuxiu have to go to work; Mom is a bit too busy alone."

Zhao Yafang was truly a good actor, discussing with Li Xuewu in a very gentle tone: "Someone else is living in the back courtyard who is about the same month as me; don't you want to think about it?"

"What do you mean?"

Li Xuewu's acting was at the best actor level; he didn't play dumb or act stunned at this moment, being natural was best.

With his cleverness, and the old lady's understanding of him, playing dumb would only expose himself.

"Let Grandma live at home?"

"I'm just saying."

Zhao Yafang also understood Li Xuewu's rhythm; seeing him attack, she took a step back, her gaze looking toward the old lady.

The old lady was also stunned at this moment, not knowing what was going on, why they were talking about her affairs.

Looking at the second grandson and second granddaughter-in-law she had been with for a few months, and then looking at the eldest granddaughter-in-law who had long been scheduled to come back to serve her, the old lady was also confused.

"My meaning is to see the old lady's; in the future, the weather will get colder and colder, and it will be even harder to walk back and forth. I'm hoping the old lady will stay at home."

"Sister-in-law, what's there to say about this?"

Li Xuewu certainly couldn't show a difficult expression, just following his eldest sister-in-law's words: "Everywhere is home; if she's my grandma, isn't she your grandma too?"

"I'm saying so too~"

Liu Yin knew it was time for her to speak, pulled the old lady's hand, and said: "The eldest daughter-in-law is about to reach her month; if you are not at home, I don't have a bottom in my heart."

Alright, the words were laid out; it just depended on how the old lady would come down. ===== CHAPTER 902 =====