Xia Wenyue didn’t want Xia Mian to make a bad impression in front of the Ning siblings by seeming disrespectful to an elder, so she spoke instead, “Mom, that would be great. Come and help me.”
“You know, although me and my husband have set up our independent household, both of us are busy and don’t have time to look after the kids. My mother-in-law always treats our three girls harshly. They are too young to stand up to elders and just have to bear it. It really breaks my heart.”
“I don’t need your help with anything major, as Huimei and Huilan can handle most of the chores. My youngest Huizhu is already seven and no longer needs much attention, so you don’t have to do much, just keep an eye on things.”
“My mother-in-law cares a lot about appearances. If she dares to mistreat my children again, a word from you will surely keep her in line.”
“I’ve been married and out of the house for nearly twenty years, it’s time I pay my filial duty to you.” Xia Wenyue smiled at Grandma Xia.
Grandma Xia didn’t meet Xia Wenyue’s eyes. Although her voice turned lower, she still insisted, “Other relatives can help your situation, but it’s different for Mianmian and Xiao Feng. They’re so far away in Yan City, and since they are both going to school, someone needs to look after their eating and other daily needs, especially Xiao Feng… he needs to be dropped off and picked up from kindergarten…”
Xia Wenyue’s eyes turned cold, but her tone remained affectional, “If you put it that way, we do need someone to look after them. But Mom, you are too old. It might end up being the kids taking care of you, and we didn’t need such trouble, did we?”
Grandma Xia wanted to say more, but Xia Wenyue cut her off, “That’s settled then. I have an idea in mind, I’ll discuss it with you all once I’ve thought it through. But Mom, I definitely cannot allow you to go with the kids. You are too old already!”
Eldest Aunt-in-law took the opportunity to intervene, “Wenyue thinks things through. Well, the food is ready, so let’s eat now! Dr. Ning must be tired from driving this far.”
“Second great-aunt!” Qiangqiang suddenly burst in like a gust of wind, “Aunt Huimei is here! Aunt Huilan and Huizhu too!”
As soon as he finished speaking, three girls, clearly sisters by their similar facial features, entered. “Mom,” the oldest Huimei was twenty. Her long hair was braided simply, and her face was full of worry as she entered the room, holding the hand of a pony-tailed little girl around seven or eight years old, also with red eyes.
“Mom, grandma is bad!” the little girl cried immediately when she saw Xia Wenyue.
“Huizhu, come to mom,” Xia Wenyue, distressed and worried, took her daughter into her arms and asked, “What happened? Why have you come here?”
The middle child Huilan was fifteen. Unlike her sisters, she had short, bobbed hair, and her temper was as fiery as Xia Wenyue. “It’s grandma! She wanted to marry off eldest sister and even brought people to block our house!” Huilan quickly spoke up.
Xia Wenyue’s expression changed drastically. “What’s going on?” She inquired. She herself had been married off early and suffered greatly—by no account would she allow her children to repeat her ordeal.
“It’s that bastard Hao Youtou who’s been harassing my sister. Didn’t you refuse him before? His family must have heard you were not around, so they brought lots of nice things to grandma’s house, and she was elated.” Huilan angrily explained.
Huimei was worried, “Mom, the Hao family is the richest in Ming County. If grandma…”
Xia Wenyue firmly stated, “Even if the richest man in the world comes, Mom will never let them get what they want!”
Then she asked again, “How did you get here?”
“We took the bus,” Huilan said. “Grandma wanted to lock my sister at home and stop her from going to work, so we fled quickly.”
Xia Wenyue praised her middle daughter with a smile, “Ah, our Huilan is so clever. You girls must be hungry, eat something first, Mom will contact your dad.”
Eldest Aunt-in-law quickly went with her daughter-in-law to prepare more food for the girls.
Seeing that the uncle’s house was bustling, Xia Mian took the Ning siblings back to her own home to settle in. Anyway, her and Xiao Feng’s move to Yan City was already decided, and right now the Mao sisters’ situation might be more urgent.
Xia Mian’s house consisted of two small buildings: she, Ning Shaoyun, Chenchen, and Xiao Feng slept in the main building, while the detached room was given to Ning Shaobai.
At this time, Xia Mian was very thankful to Xia Wenyue for keeping the house clean every day, otherwise she might have been embarrassed today.
Thinking of Xia Wenyue, Xia Mian felt worried again.
After Ning Shaoyun fell asleep, Xia Mian quietly slipped out to find Xia Wenyue. She found her with her three daughters, sitting in a corner of Eldest Uncle Xia’s yard. Xia Wenyue was playing with the youngest, Mao Huizhu, who giggled in her arms while Mao Huilan babbled something to Xia Wenyue, who affectionately tapped her on the head.
If not for the worry in Mao Huimei’s eyes, they might be mistaken as a carefree family without trouble.
But the two younger ones probably really had no worries, as Xia Wenyue had shielded them from it all.
Xia Mian quietly left.
…
In the evening, everyone gathered in the eldest uncle’s house for a lively dinner. Qiangqiang, knowing that his family wouldn’t scold him no matter what he did today, was having a blast.
Xia Hai couldn’t believe his eyes when the kids returned home—the neat and tidy Chenchen and Xiao Feng were now as muddy as monkeys, following the equally dirty Qiangqiang. Seeing his son turning the well-mannered little young master Chenchen into such a state, Xia Hai exploded on the spot, “Qiangqiang, you rascal, what did you take your little brother and friend to do?!”
Without regard for the guests present, he was so furious that he started looking for a stick to beat his troublemaker son.
Faced with Ning Shaoyun’s astonished expression, Xia Hai was so embarrassed he wished he could disappear, “I’m so sorry, I, I’m going to give this rascal a good beating!”
Ning Shaoyun quickly intervened, laughing, “I’m just surprised by your Qiangqiang’s influence. My child is usually very reserved, so to see him having this much fun is wonderful; I should actually thank Qiangqiang.”
Xia Hai, knowing she was helping him save face, blushed even more but had to let Qiangqiang off for now, his eyes warning him silently.
Qiangqiang, ducking his neck, narrowly escaped trouble. He was happy to escape a beating today and didn’t care about tomorrow. After making a face at his dad, he then smiled at Ning Shaoyun, “Thank you, beautiful auntie!”
Ning Shaoyun was amused by his energetic demeanor.
Xia He apparently also thought it was embarrassing. With a grab, he hoisted the boy up by the back of his neck and threw him into the large basin in the yard used for washing, furiously scolding, “Troubles day in and day out! Can’t you give us a break for even one day!”
“You’re wild enough on your own, why do you have to drag your brothers into it?!”
Qiangqiang didn’t care. After being stripped of his clothes, he even splashed his furious dad in the face with water, infuriating Xia He who then smacked his bare bottom a few times.
Chenchen had never seen such a scene and was stunned. Xiao Feng chuckled, but he felt a bit embarrassed when he saw Xia Mian, “Auntie.”
Xia Mian smiled and patted his little head, “Auntie will get a couple of basins for you guys, let’s all take a bath.”
Chenchen also peeked at Ning Shaoyun, “Mom, Xiao Feng and I went to catch loaches.”
Ning Shaoyun smiled, “Did you catch any?”
“We did!” Chenchen’s face lit up when he saw his mom wasn’t angry, “They were so slippery, always slipping away—but we caught two bottles! Brother Qiangqiang caught the most. We’ll eat them tonight!”
Meanwhile, Xia Chuan went to heat some bath water, and Xia Mian brought two large laundry basins from the house. After adjusting the water temperature, she said to Chenchen and Xiao Feng, “Come on, boys, let’s wash up. One basin for each.”
< Previous | TOC | Advanced TOC | Next >
Translator’s Note:
I have added a new novel, Three Years After Falling Off A Cliff. This is a historical romance novel similar to Greetings Ninth Uncle, by the same author of Eight Treasures Trousseau and To Be a Virtuous Wife. This is a replacement novel for Daughter of the Dao and Devil Venerable and will follow the same schedule (Monday and Wednesday). Hope you will enjoy it!
Wants more chapters?
Click this page for the status of sponsored chapters.
Click this page for advanced chapters TOC.