CHAPTER 971: CHAPTER 655: SHAMELESS

This Chapter is dedicated to you, Baba. Initially, I planned for an update yesterday, but after reading your message, I’ll make it up with this one.

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Thinking about what Chuxia said, it made sense, so Fat Auntie didn’t refuse any longer, picked up a bundle of buns, and headed out. Luo Xiaoqiong quickly followed her outside, "Mom, I’ll go with you." She said this while snatching the buns from her mother’s hands. Fat Auntie glared at her, "Do you think your mom is that incapable?"

Luo Xiaoqiong chuckled ingratiatingly, "No, no, it’s just that I’m thinking of maintaining your authority, Mom. If I’m not home, it’s fine, but when I am, you should hold yourself like the Secretary’s Wife."

"Shoo, shoo..." Fat Auntie poked her daughter helplessly, "With your dad’s barely noticeable title, if I really put on airs, wouldn’t people just laugh?"

"Mom, that’s not the right way to look at it. Even though Dad’s position isn’t big, to the villagers, he’s more important than a governor or mayor. Think about it, if someone with bad intentions were in that position, could the villagers still live peacefully?"

Fat Auntie enjoyed hearing her daughter praise like this and agreed with a smile, "Yes, when it comes to integrity, your dad is impeccable. Apart from the small allowances he deserves, our family hasn’t taken advantage of anything."

"That’s right. In the village, aside from Dagang’s Grandpa, it’s my dad who’s respected."

"If your dad didn’t have respect, the villagers wouldn’t have elected him as Secretary, right?"

"Exactly, that’s why I said you should put on the demeanor of the Secretary’s Wife. We’re not doing it to show off but to handle matters smoothly. Imagine if Eldest Uncle Lin’s wife and the eldest sister-in-law wanted to snatch the buns, would you stop them or not? You’d feel it beneath you to stop them for a bun, and if you didn’t stop them, it’s not for them to eat, right? But if I do it, it’s fine since I’m the younger one, it’s their choice to make a scene."

Hearing her daughter circle back to the topic, Fat Auntie said helplessly, "Over such a small matter, do you need to go in circles with your mom? Do you really think your mom is foolish? Weren’t you just worried that I wouldn’t have the face to refuse them and they would gain an advantage?"

"You really underestimate your mother, don’t you? Tell me, why should I feel embarrassed in this matter? Their elderly and brothers should contribute what they ought to. Besides, I’ve already provided them with food; why didn’t they make enough? If they feel entitled to cause a scene now, I’m perfectly fine with knocking their hands away. What airs as the Secretary’s Wife? I only know that there’s no chance anyone’s getting an advantage over me!"

Luo Xiaoqiong quickly gave her mom a thumbs-up, "Mom, you’re truly a remarkable woman!"

"Alright, stop buttering me up. You just wronged me, and that’s deeply disappointing."

"I was wrong, I was wrong, Mom, I was just a little worried, but mainly I wanted to lighten your load and ensure you don’t get blamed.

I’m at the military side, and I can’t hear anything here anyway, but you and Dad need to stay in the village every day. It’s surely annoying if you hear people gossiping, right?"

"Oh, you child..." Fat Auntie sighed softly and patted her daughter’s shoulder, "Seeing how you are now, Mom is more and more at ease, much more than when you were naive and blunt before.

But Xiaoqiong, no matter what, always remember you owe your current situation to Chuxia. Whether you surpass or fall behind her, don’t forget your roots."

"Mom, I know, and besides, Chuxia definitely won’t fall behind me. She’s sharp, full of ideas, excels in her studies, and has such an impressive husband’s family. Her future is truly limitless.

Even now, with her pregnant and having a baby, she’s young. She’ll catch up soon. Besides, she might train less during this period and attend more classes. By the way, I already mentioned to you that Chuxia got early admission to A Medical University, right?"

Fat Auntie nodded, "You mentioned it last time."

"Initially, she could just take exams, but now, it seems she’ll attend more classes and return to the hospital for internship after having the baby.

Nevertheless, it’s the normal path for others, and it doesn’t delay her at all. In fact, the more I spend time with her, the more I feel she’s exceptional.

Sometimes I’m really puzzled at how she, who was so unaware before, suddenly transformed. If I hadn’t always been with her, I’d suspect someone swapped her."

"This child, talking nonsense. If someone were swapped, can the looks be swapped too?" Fat Auntie laughed at her daughter, "What’s there to be puzzled about? Every child has a phase where they are especially disobedient, especially those who are pampered.

But a poor child matures early. Once she truly understands, of course, she changes. Do you still have the face to talk about Chuxia, forgetting your own misbehaviors?"

"Hehe..." Luo Xiaoqiong smiled sheepishly. Not to mention changing her name secretly, which was bold enough, only relying on the fact that her parents weren’t partial to boys over girls. In other families, a daughter daring to do that would have been scolded, and the name changed back.

The two of them chattered as they reached the big door of Lin Baojiang’s house.

When the village allocated residential land, each household got a standard five-room plot, with an open space in front of the yard, used as a threshing ground in the fall and summer. The straw huts were set up in the threshing ground.

These were just temporary arrangements. Once the house was renovated, Lin Baohai’s family would naturally move back.

If the fire hadn’t been set by Lin Chuqiu, the brigade would have definitely found a way to free up a warehouse or something for them to live in. But given the current situation, having someone help them set up a straw hut was already doing them a huge favor.

Most of those who helped had gone home, leaving only a few brigade cadres still busy. Luo Xiaoqiong stepped forward to greet everyone and then asked them to wash their hands and come eat.

With his wife and daughter doing something so honorable, Secretary Luo was naturally happy. He waved his hand grandly, saying, "Let’s eat first, let’s eat first. I bet everyone’s stomachs are sticking to their backs by now?"

"Absolutely, I’m so hungry I’m breaking out in a cold sweat."

"Me too, I’m feeling jittery. Just thinking that once we’re done here, I should rush home to grab a bite."

"I’m too hungry to even talk."

"..."

Fat Auntie looked at her husband with a face full of black lines: "So did you guys have lunch or not?"

Luo Gangshun just shook his head with a wry smile and turned to wash his hands in the courtyard.

Yang Aihua walked over with an awkward expression, gratefully saying, "Sister-in-law, we really have to thank you and the secretary. Our family matters, we owe it to the secretary for his concern. And now you’re doing this, we... we..."

Lin Baohai, who happened to be coming over, quickly chimed in, "Moving forward, our family will definitely behave well, and will not disgrace the secretary."

Luo Xiaoqiong, who was standing to the side, looked perplexed. Their behavior, whether good or bad, what did it have to do with her father?

"Xiaoqiong has grown more beautiful. People say that girls change a lot by eighteen, and it’s really true..." Yang Aihua shifted the praise onto Luo Xiaoqiong.

The best way to make someone happy is to compliment their children. Just like now, Fat Auntie, who had previously been indifferent to Yang Aihua, was now beaming a wide smile.

After everyone washed their hands, they each picked up a steamed bun and enjoyed it with salty radish strips. They ate with such relish, Lin Baohai and Yang Aihua could only swallow their saliva, for they wouldn’t dare join in the feast. People were here to help them, and not letting them eat their fill was quite shameful already. To actually go and snatch food now would truly be shameless.

Regarding how the eldest brother’s family acted, even if they were filled with grievances, they wouldn’t dare to speak out. During this time, they truly had to rely on the eldest brother for survival.

Even with the straw hut set up, they still had to use water and cook with the eldest brother’s family. Offend them, and they wouldn’t be able to eat at all.

As for the grain being shortchanged by Zheng Sanqiao, they could only accept it. Wanting the convenience of someone’s household without giving anything in return, how is that possible?

Of course, if it were the second brother’s family, it might be possible. Unfortunately, the second brother had been so tormented by them that he was no longer the second brother... Thinking about it made Lin Baohai sigh heavily and lose his appetite.

Fat Auntie and Luo Xiaoqiong were both soft-hearted. If the couple really reached out for food, they might not be willing to give. But seeing them like this, they couldn’t bear it anymore.

"Uncle and Aunt San, you haven’t had enough to eat, have you?" Luo Xiaoqiong said as she handed them two steamed buns, "Actually, these were made by Uncle Baohe’s family and sent over to us."

"Really Second Brother and Sister-in-law?" Lin Baohai’s eyes lit up, "Really from Second Brother and Sister-in-law?"

Luo Xiaoqiong thought to herself that this wasn’t good. Actually, she didn’t want to take credit from others, so she intentionally mentioned it. She didn’t want Lin Baohai’s family to think Lin Baohe truly didn’t care about them. But seeing Lin Baohai’s expression now, she worried. If this reignited Lin Baohai’s hopes, it would truly be a case of good intentions gone wrong!

Once her daughter spoke, Fat Auntie sighed helplessly and decided to question bluntly, "What, are you thinking of going to scrape off them?"

"No no..." Lin Baohai quickly waved his hands, "I don’t want to go scrape. I just think, seeing as how we’ve behaved so poorly in the past, Second Brother and Sister-in-law still keep us in their hearts, I’m just... just deeply moved."

"They’re not after your gratitude. Just badmouth them less."

"Oh, sister-in-law, you and Xiaoqiong came? I heard what sounded like your voice, so I rushed out. Turns out it really is you. You stayed in the city, and now your skin’s all fair and tender. Seems like the city really does wonders!"

Before Fat Auntie’s words even settled, Zheng Sanqiao came out holding Shuanshuan, exaggeratedly looking over Fat Auntie, though her eyes were sneaking a glance at the bundle in Luo Xiaoqiong’s hands. (To be continued. If you like this story, you are welcome to visit Qidian (qidian.com) to vote for recommendations and monthly votes. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users please read on m.qidian.com.)