Seeing that Aunt Liu was so engrossed in chatting with Shen Mianmian that she forgot all about why she came, Xiaocui couldn’t help but remind her, "Mom, you forgot the real reason you came here."
Hearing this, Shen Mianmian turned to Aunt Liu, "What happened at home?"
"Look at me, I got distracted by the chatting." Aunt Liu regretfully slapped her thigh, "Mianmian, the reason for my visit is to warn you to be cautious these days. Your mom found out about you attending Third Middle School."
Before Shen Mianmian could speak, she quickly added, "It wasn’t me who spread the word, it was Siyu who called back and told Lanfang. As soon as I found out, I hurried over to tell you."
Seeing Aunt Liu’s worried expression as if she feared being misunderstood, Shen Mianmian smiled, "Auntie, don’t worry, I won’t misunderstand you. I ran into Siyu this morning and knew she would call back."
"You ran into Siyu?" Aunt Liu breathed a sigh of relief, "You two—one at Third Middle and the other at Second Middle, how did you run into each other?"
"It’s a long story; she came to Third Middle looking for someone and bumped into me."
"Ah," Aunt Liu sighed, "Why do good people always run into trouble?"
Shen Mianmian, with her excellent grades good enough for First Middle, was forced to attend Third Middle, and still couldn’t escape from that family.
Shen Mianmian smiled briefly, changing the subject, "Auntie, you must be hungry, right? Have something to eat first." Shen Mianmian opened the lunch box and invited Aunt Liu to eat.
"Look at me, I haven’t been of any help to you, and I’m still freeloading a meal. As an elder, I feel embarrassed." Aunt Liu wasn’t one to take advantage of others and felt uncomfortable eating someone else’s food without having been of any help to Shen Mianmian.
"Auntie, you traveled dozens of miles just for this. Your intention alone is enough to make me happy. What’s a meal? Even throwing a banquet for you wouldn’t be too much." Shen Mianmian truly appreciated Aunt Liu’s sentiment; although they were not related by blood, her kindness was very pure.
"With your words, I feel happier than I would at a banquet."
Shen Mianmian’s words made Aunt Liu very comfortable inside. She had come all this way, and even though she hadn’t been of much help, partially out of her own concern, she truly wished Shen Mianmian well, fearing that Zhou Lanfang would find her.
Others understanding her intention meant that her kindness towards Shen Mianmian was not misplaced, her sincerity was not mistaken.
"Why haven’t you all started eating yet? Don’t wait for me; I’m good with this portion." Lu Siyuan came back with food and saw everyone had not yet started eating, thinking they were waiting for him.
"Ah! Okay." Aunt Liu smiled as she picked up her bowl.
Seeing the meat in her bowl, Aunt Liu felt warmed. She had just noticed that Shen Mianmian had deliberately given her the portion with more meat, remarking on the girl’s thoughtfulness.
Such a pity, she didn’t have good parents.
Jianhua also sinned by taking her in but not treating her as his own daughter. Google seaʀᴄh 𝓷𝓸𝓿𝓮𝓵·𝓯𝓲𝓻𝓮·𝓷𝓮𝓽
Having only had some porridge for breakfast and not eating anything afterward, plus the long bike ride, Aunt Liu was truly hungry, and she ate voraciously.
Xiaocui, watching Shen Mianmian being so good to her mom, didn’t say much, but she was deeply touched.
She kept putting meat from her bowl into Aunt Liu’s, urging her to eat more, but Aunt Liu covered her bowl, refusing.
"I have enough in my bowl; you eat yours."
"I have meat to eat here every day, I’m tired of it. You eat," Xiaocui said.