"Lu, brother, you sure are a lucky man!" Wang Zhengguo couldn’t help remarking during dinner.
Lu’s father grinned proudly, "Thanks to your good luck, brother, that we’re enjoying these harmonious family moments."
Wang Zhengguo glanced at Xibao. The little fellow was sitting in Feng Qingxue’s arms, stretching his chubby hands with great effort towards the bowl of golden pumpkin rice on the table, just in front of Feng Qingxue. His reach always fell short of the bowl, while drool dripped down onto his bib. Overwhelmed by the aroma of the meal, he cried out in urgency, "Ah ah ah!"
"Mama made you fish soup, sweetie. Why don’t you let papa hold you while mama makes you some noodles?"
And so, Xibao, moved to Lu Jiang’s lap, did not resist and obediently opened his big round eyes.
As soon as Feng Qingxue had risen to go to the kitchen, the little one, dressed in a flowery onesie, began to wiggle and squirm. Left and right, wiggling his bottom and kicking his legs, he couldn’t sit still. Lu Jiang held him tightly against his soft belly with his left arm while raising his cup in the other towards his father, Wang Zhengguo, and Elder Xu and his wife. "Uncle, Elder Xu, let’s have a drink. A couple of shots to warm our bodies and invigorate our spirits."
Meanwhile, Xibao kept patting Lu Jiang’s arm, his eyes fixed on the wine cup, hand reaching for it.
"Little Fatty, you want a drink, huh? Alright, here, let’s have a drink together!" Lu Jiang dipped the tip of his chopstick in the wine intending to let his eager son have a taste, but was immediately stopped by the elders.
"Xibao, are you even eight months old yet?" Lu’s father took his grandson in his arms, shooting his son a stern look.
Xibao laid in his grandfather’s arms, giggling happily.
Lu Jiang feigned anger and said, "Good boy, are you intentionally trying to get your dad in trouble?"
At this point, Little Fatty didn’t understand again.
As Feng Qingxue walked out of the kitchen holding a bowl of noodles, she heard a knock on the door and hastily asked, "Who is it?"
"Xiaoxue, it’s me." Miao Fengqin spoke from outside, "Your uncle is gone. I’ve come to invite your elder uncle over for dinner."
As she spoke, Miao Fengqin had an obvious look of relief on her face.
"Auntie, it’s you!" Feng Qingxue balanced the bowl in one hand while opening the door with the other, "Elder uncle is dining with us right now. Auntie, come join us. It’s more trouble for you to cook and eat by yourself at home."
Lu Jiang heard the voice and came out of the living room, "Yeah, auntie, come join us if you don’t mind that we’ve already started."
Miao Fengqin waved at them and said with a smile, "I won’t come in. I’ll go home and not eat here. I came to get your uncle after cooking at home. Who knew he’d be here having your meal shamelessly. Then, I’ll go back first and remove the rolls simmering in the pot. You guys hurry up and eat, don’t let it get cold." After speaking, she didn’t even enter the house, just turned around and left.
Upon hearing his wife outside say that his younger brother had left, Wang Zhengguo heaved a sigh of relief.
"What’s happening?" Elder Xu asked with a smile.
As Wang Zhengguo has always been very kind to Elder Xu and his wife behind the backs of the other collective farm members, Elder Xu didn’t mind dealing with him. After all, the old couple needed his protection.
"Ah, my brother!" Although family problems shouldn’t be aired in public, Wang Zhengguo needed everyone to help him figure out a solution. He quickly explained the purpose of Wang Zhengjun’s visit, "No matter what, he is my brother. If his family really can’t afford food, I can’t just turn a blind eye. But the situation now is that they are eating commercial grain, but coveting the reserve grain from my collective farm!"