Qi Taiguo and Cheng Su were in the disaster area, and in order not to let their family worry about not being able to find them, Cheng Su still made a phone call to Elder Sister, saying they were out and would not return for a few days, but she did not mention that they were in the earthquake-stricken area.
Qi Fenglian didn’t overthink it. Hearing that the couple was together and that Cheng Su had even called, she couldn’t help but be overjoyed, intuitively feeling they had reconciled. She happily told them to enjoy themselves and relax a bit.
Enjoy?
Cheng Su showed a bitter smile. They were certainly not out enjoying themselves, but she didn’t explain, not wanting to cause her worry. She just moved on to call her own family back home.
Just as she was about to hang up, Qi Fenglian called her again, hesitating to complete her sentence.
"That is, Su, Mom knows she was too anxious, and she knows she was wrong. She’s currently staying in the old house, which hasn’t been lived in for years. I don’t even know if it would collapse. You see..." Qi Fenglian hesitated with her words.
Cheng Su was silent for a moment, then said, "I understand." And then she hung up the phone.
She was quiet, lost in thought. When she returned to the tent, Qi Taiguo was gnawing on some bread and a packet of dry noodles. Seeing her come back, he asked, "Did you call Elder Sister?"
Cheng Su nodded and sat down.
"What’s wrong? What did Elder Sister say?" Qi Taiguo asked, noticing her complexion wasn’t too good.
"Nothing much, she just mentioned Mother-in-law is still living in the old house," Cheng Su replied.
Qi Taiguo’s bread-eating motion paused, he swallowed it down, took a sip of water, and said, "Don’t worry about that. Mom needs to be dealt with, Dad will handle it appropriately. Don’t intervene!"
Cheng Su pursed her lips.
Qi Taiguo grabbed her hand and said, "I’ve told you before, you can go back if you want to, and if you don’t want to, then don’t. Don’t think too much about it. As for Mom, you shouldn’t bother."
"Okay!" Cheng Su smiled faintly and inwardly sighed.
Mother Qi had no idea that her eldest son had once again blocked her path. She spent each day hopefully looking at the old house’s doorway to see if anyone would come to fetch her, but after several days, there was still no sign of Father Qi and the others.
Mother Qi was starting to feel hopeless, especially after taking a detour to the family home, where that old man had even changed the lock on the yard’s gate.
She was furious!
That damn old man!
Mother Qi, wiping her tears, felt an overwhelming sense of desolation.
"Mom," Qi Fengping had arrived.
Mother Qi quickly stood up and said, "You finally show up, you heartless girl. Your mother could have died, and you only now appear!"
"Mom, Dad wouldn’t let us come, what could we do?" Qi Fengping said, clearly impatient.
Mother Qi harrumphed and gave her daughter a once-over, furrowing her brows, "What sort of mess are you wearing? And your lips are painted so red, you look like a ghost."
Qi Fengping’s face darkened, and she turned around, saying, "Mom, don’t you have a clue? This is fashionable. That’s how people in the city dress."
Her wide dress would twirl into a large circle with a simple turn, and in her blouse, even Brother Qiang said she looked pretty, so very beautiful indeed.
Mother Qi ignored her, grasping her and saying, "Enough about that. You’re always full of clever ideas, come up with something quick, make your father take me back home!"
Qi Fengping replied, "Mom, Dad said that when my sister-in-law calms down, you can move back. Why don’t you just apologize to her?"
"No way, I will not apologize to her," Mother Qi declared, her face darkening. "You’re my flesh and blood, don’t you also turn against me!"
Qi Fengping pursed her mouth, her eyes gleaming as she spotted the big water jar by the door. A spark lit in her mind as she said, "I’ve got it."
"What?"
"It depends on whether you are determined enough, Mom," said Qi Fengping, raising her finely drawn eyebrows.
Mother Qi looked puzzled, following her daughter’s gaze.