CHAPTER 391: CHAPTER 391 SINCERITY

Shen Yixiang came home from work in the evening and saw Shen Yiguang at home, showing a look of surprise and delight on her face. "Bro, you’re back!"

Shen Yiguang glanced at her and replied indifferently, not matching her enthusiasm, "I come back every day."

Shen Yixiang smiled awkwardly. "I was just joking with you, bro. Is the watermelon soaking in the well water brought back by you?"

Shen Yiguang hummed in affirmation.

"That’s great. I haven’t had watermelon in a long time." Shen Yixiang’s face lit up with genuine happiness, even shining with excitement, as she inquired further, "Bro, where did you get this watermelon? I didn’t see any for sale outside. Are there only two left?"

"Yixiang, you really can’t keep your mouth shut even when eating. That’s all that’s left. Your sister-in-law’s classmate came over this morning, and we cut three. If I hadn’t thought of you returning, we would have eaten them all. Where else could there be any?"

Shen Yixiang’s face showed a hint of annoyance. She had not come home at noon because she hadn’t finished her work and had just bought two steamed buns outside the factory to eat.

Zhang Minghua came out of the living room and couldn’t help asking, "Is Yixiang going to give it away?"

Shen Yixiang paused, glanced at Shen Yiguang, and nodded. "Bro, I heard that Lu Haijun’s mother is visiting, do you think I could send her a watermelon?"

Shen Yiguang scoffed, "I’ve never heard of an unmarried girl rushing to give gifts to the man’s family. Shen Yixiang, are you out of your mind?"

Shen Yixiang’s face turned slightly red as she shuffled her feet. "Well, there’s no need to be so formal. His mother and sister have come all this way. It’s only proper for me to bring something when I visit them, right?" She said this without daring to look at her brother’s face, instead turning to Zhang Minghua to seek her opinion.

Zhang Minghua sighed. Truth be told, what Shen Yixiang was doing was correct. Once a relationship was established, it was customary for the younger generation to bring gifts when visiting either party’s parents. But seeing her son-in-law’s displeased face, she didn’t want to take Shen Yixiang’s side at the expense of her son-in-law’s dignity, so she said, "We don’t know about this yet, let’s wait and see. We don’t even know if their mother wants to meet us, right? Besides, your suitor hasn’t officially visited the family. Although your parents aren’t here, your eldest brother acts as a father. He, as an elder brother, should formally visit, which shows sincerity and integrity. People his age should know this, even if they haven’t done it themselves, they have seen others do it, right? If he doesn’t know, you need to remind him. You shouldn’t be upset with your brother for getting angry."

Shen Yixiang awkwardly admitted her mistake and said to Zhang Minghua, "Auntie, it’s not that he doesn’t want to visit; it’s just that my brother, my brother doesn’t like him much." She snuck another peek at Shen Yiguang.

Shen Yiguang only laughed in response.

Zhang Minghua quickly interjected, "You haven’t tried, so how can you know you don’t like it? Not even once? And if it doesn’t work, why not try a second time? Since you know your brother doesn’t like him much, you should have the man show some sincerity, not just hide behind you, estimating this and that."

Shen Yixiang bowed her head, approached Shen Yiguang, and said, "Bro, I, I didn’t know. I’ll talk to him about it and have him come visit you as soon as possible."

Shen Yiguang snorted, turned his face to read the newspaper, and didn’t say whether he agreed or disagreed.

Shen Yixiang turned back to look at Zhang Minghua.

Zhang Minghua smiled at her. "I think I heard Lele crying. I’m going to check on him." With that, she went into Yang PeiMin’s room.

Yang PeiMin saw Zhang Minghua enter, having heard the conversation outside, and couldn’t help asking, "Mother, what’s going on outside? Hasn’t it been settled?"

Zhang Minghua whispered, "Your little sister-in-law really is too naive. It’s fine if she meets someone good, but if she encounters someone bad, she’ll just have to suffer."

Yang PeiMin raised an eyebrow.

Zhang Minghua continued, "You, as her sister-in-law, just give her advice when you can, but if she doesn’t listen, let it be. Don’t get too involved. When things are good, you’re all good, but when they’re bad, you’ll be the one who gets the complaints."

Yang PeiMin nodded.

"Mother, I want to wash my hair tonight."

"The day before yesterday, wasn’t my hair washed already? Why do I have to wash it again?"

"My head itches, I can’t stand it anymore."

"Just endure it for a couple of days and you’ll get used to it."

"Mom, I really want to wash my hair, just like last time, can you boil some ginger water for me to use? After washing it, I’ll dry it immediately, I guarantee there won’t be a problem."

"Why do you love causing trouble so much, it’s like I still have two kids to look after? Your son listens way better than you do."

In the end, Zhang Minghua gave in, calling for Yang Peiying to come in and, by the way, to collect the diapers from outside.

She called out twice but didn’t hear any response.

"Your sister, I don’t know where she ran off to, she doesn’t realize how much there is to do at home."

"She might have gone to the bathroom; she just stepped away for a bit."

"Alright, you keep an eye on Lele, I’ll go have a look," Zhang Minghua said as she walked out.

After Zhang Minghua left, Shen Yiguang came in, bringing her a cup of hot milk, "Here’s something warm, you haven’t eaten yet, have this to fill you up for now."

These days, someone from the family would go out every now and then to buy fresh milk.

Yang PeiMin, who had been drinking lots of milky soups during this ’leopard period,’ hadn’t been drinking much milk. Seeing Shen Yiguang’s gesture, she couldn’t help but ask, "What’s happening outside? Has everyone gone on strike? Is dinner being pushed back or what?"

Shen Yiguang put the milk on the small table by her bed and took her son from her arms before saying, "Yingzi went out, and Yixiang is cooking."

"What did she go out for?" Yang PeiMin was curious, as Yang Peiying was usually not one to go out much, staying home all the time except for grocery shopping.

"A neighbor asked her for some help."

"Lin Shuangmei?"

Shen Yiguang nodded, "It should be her."

He gestured for her to drink the milk, while he started playing with their son by lifting him up.

Yang PeiMin finished drinking the milk and jumped in fright at his movements, "Shen Yiguang, be careful you don’t drop him, playing like this with such a small baby? His neck is still soft, be careful you don’t hurt him!"

Shen Yiguang slightly embarrassedly put the child back down, then simply left him lying on the bed, opting not to hold him anymore.

Yang PeiMin was not pleased, "Hey, is that how a father behaves? When we didn’t have him, you kept talking about it all the time, and now you’re already tired of him?"

Shen Yiguang protested his innocence, "Wife, you can’t keep holding a boy all the time; it’s not good for his character development."

"Be careful if my mom hears you saying that, she won’t allow anyone to dislike her precious grandson."

As they were talking, Zhang Minghua’s scolding voice came from outside.

Both people in the room stopped talking and listened carefully; it sounded like she was scolding Yang Peiying, so Yang PeiMin asked Shen Yiguang to go outside and see what was happening.