The Xu Family's lunch was quite lively; Mrs. Xu, along with fourth daughter Xu Jingjing, prepared a table full of dishes that Xu Xiuxiu loved to eat. As noon approached, the family was busily setting the table and preparing to eat when Xu Xiuxiu's elder sister, Xu Fangfang, who hadn't been seen for a long time, rushed back home with her husband and son, carrying two bottles of cheap liquor.
"Fangfang, brother-in-law!" As soon as Xu Fangfang walked in, she saw Xu Xiuxiu holding Song Chengguang and Song Yuanhuan helping to set the table, and thus she greeted them warmly with a smile.
Song Yuanhuan looked up from the table, "Elder sister, elder brother-in-law." He wasn't very familiar with this sister and brother-in-law, but he wouldn't miss the basic courtesy of saying hello.
After greeting Xu Xiuxiu, Xu Fangfang carried the liquor over to Mr. Xu, "Dad, this is a small token from Guomin and me, not very valuable, but it's quite fitting for you to have a few sips before dinner every day." Xu Fangfang, the eldest daughter of the family, understood Mr. Xu's habit of having a couple of drinks before dinner. Although the two bottles of liquor she brought were of low grade, they still cost her a good five or six yuan! Even at this price, Xu Fangfang actually felt a bit pained to spend the money!
"Dad, as you know, I don't have the ability like our Sanya, who can run a big restaurant and make a lot of money in Z city. I am uneducated, and my husband Guomin is no better; naturally, we can't bring gifts in large and small packages like Sanya. Please don't despise these two bottles of liquor, okay?" Xu Fangfang had specifically inquired before coming back and knew that her younger sister indeed returned home today, bringing lots of nice things, so she hurriedly called her husband to return home. Had she not been concerned that Xu Xiuxiu's precedent was too respectable, Xu Fangfang would have even preferred to return home empty-handed.
"Dad knows your situation; you don't need to compare yourself with your sister. Sanya has always been generous, but you are sensible and don't waste money. I can drink these two bottles of liquor for a month! They are not much different from Sanya's expensive supplements. You don't know, but that girl just got a scolding from me! She's not thrifty at all; it's only because Yuanhuan is good-natured and doesn't mind. But from now on! There's no need for you sisters to bring gifts when you come home. What do we lack here at home? How much can your mom and I eat? There's no need to waste money on superficial gestures!" Mr. Xu spoke comforting words from the head of the table to his eldest daughter who brought the two bottles of liquor home.
As a father, he naturally felt a nagging joy in his heart when his third daughter brought home bags and bags of stuff; it showed she was willing to spend money on her parents, despite the typical nature of the old to speak differently from what they felt.
But his eldest daughter was born during a tough time for the family when they struggled with hunger, and she suffered quite a bit. She didn't have the luck that the youngest daughters had, missing out on better times to get an education. Even though his second daughter was not much different from his eldest in terms of not receiving much education, barely able to write her own name, she was evidently shrewder than the eldest and lived a somewhat better life after marriage. As a father, he tried not to be biased, but seeing his eldest daughter living a hard life while his third daughter made a full show of giving today, he worried his eldest would be uncomfortable carrying just two bottles of liquor.
"I understand, Dad!" Xu Fangfang nodded as she lowered her gaze in response. Chapter source: My Virtual Library Empire (*).
"Alright, no more standing around, hurry up and sit down for dinner!" Mr. Xu immediately signaled the fourth daughter to go into the kitchen to prepare more bowls and chopsticks and called out to his daughters and sons-in-law to take their seats amidst the lively scene.
"Sure thing! It's been so long since I've tasted Mom's cooking, I've really missed it!" Xu Fangfang praised skillfully. After saying this, she pulled her husband Song Guomin to the dining table. Just as she was about to call her son—who had had his eyes glued to the table—over to sit beside her, the mischievous boy shot over to Mr. Xu, "Grandpa, I want to eat fish eyes, can you pick them out for me?" Doudou was a rather domineering boy. Although the family's living conditions were modest, Xu Fangfang and Song Guomin only had this one son, so naturally, he was fed any good food they had.
Besides, there used to be no other children in the Xu family, and Doudou was the Xu family's first grandson, so Mr. Xu naturally doted on him, "Alright, Doudou sit next to Grandpa. I'll pick out fish eyes for you to eat, and I'll get you some big chunks of braised pork. Today, your grandma made delicious braised pork, didn't she?" Mr. Xu said in a good-natured tone to the eight-year-old Doudou.
"Then, Grandpa, please give me more pieces of braised pork. I haven't eaten meat in a long time," Doudou said, his eyes shining with longing. He took the bowl and chopsticks that Si Ya, Xu Jingjing, passed over and unceremoniously took the seat next to Mr. Xu, which originally belonged to Si Ya.
"Grandpa, give me a few more pieces. I love meat," Mr. Xu added two more pieces of braised pork for Doudou. Doudou picked up his chopsticks, stuffed a piece into his mouth, and then kept hankering for more, eyeing the pot while eating from his bowl.
Seeing this, Si Ya, Xu Jingjing, furrowed her thick eyebrows and then showed a look of disdain. She turned around, pulled up a stool, and sat beside Xu Xiuxiu.
Xu Jingjing used to get along quite well with her elder sister, Xu Fangfang, perhaps due to the considerable age gap. Xu Fangfang always indulged and pampered her. Xu Jingjing was quite annoyed with Xu Xiuxiu, who was a few years older and often bossily fought with her for food and toys. But since Xu Fangfang got married and didn't lead a good life, often coming back to her parents' house to sponge off them, Xu Jingjing gradually changed her tune.
Whenever there were nice things at home, her parents no longer saved them for her, the youngest. Her mother even secretly hid the tasty snacks mailed home by her third sister and fed them to Doudou. When she tried to take another piece, her mother scolded her for being greedy. But she was already a grown girl, soon to be matched with someone for marriage. Naturally, she didn't want to squabble with her nephew over treats. Yet every time her elder sister came home with Doudou, she would both take and squeeze her, accusing her of still being petty over food with children even at her age, even though she had been more than tolerant.
That's why Xu Jingjing had long been displeased with Doudou's impolite and overbearing antics, and now with the adorable and slow-witted darling Song Chengguang as a contrast, it was easy to tell who was better. Xu Jingjing clearly had no affection for the burly Doudou anymore; the bear cub was simply an annoying presence, not at all as lovable as Third Girl's Cheng Guang.
Just take what happened this morning! Cheng Guang, still so small, had a piece of snack put into his little hand by his auntie just for fun. The little fellow didn't eat it himself but knew to stuff it into her mouth for her to taste. Would Doudou do the same? That bear cub wouldn't even dream of sharing his snacks and food, let alone something already half-eaten from her hand—he would probably struggle to snatch it away and stuff it into his own mouth.