Xu Qinghe didn’t explicitly refuse Xu Zhong, he merely expressed that he needed to consider it a bit more. Having just separated the family, to return would seem like a three-year-old child playing house.
On the way back, Xu Nianhua was silent the whole time.
"Nianhua, do you also not want to go back to the Xu Family?" Xu Qinghe looked at the much quieter Xu Nianhua and asked, "Why did you come?"
"Dad, I..." If I hadn’t come, who knows how your kindness would have been wasted!
Yet, looking into Xu Qinghe’s eyes, Xu Nianhua found herself unable to utter another word.
Xu Qinghe was honest and trustworthy, truly a good-natured person, but he was also genuinely affectionate towards his children. Moreover, ever since he was young, within the Xu Family, he was like the Xu Family’s permanent laborer. Before he got married, all the heavy, bitter, and tiring labor was done by Xu Qinghe.
After he got married, Xu Qinghe worked alongside Ji Ying. Whenever Ji Ying occasionally grumbled with dissatisfaction, Xu Qinghe often played the role of peacemaker.
Xu Qinghe valued the father-son relationship deeply and was a man of great sentiment.
If it weren’t for the issues from a previous life, Xu Nianhua certainly wouldn’t have been so adamant about wanting to separate from the family.
But it’s different with Dad.
"Alright, let’s not think about returning to the Xu Family for now. We’ve just separated, and even if we were to go back, it wouldn’t be so soon." Xu Qinghe cautiously glanced around to make sure no one was listening before asking, "Do you think Grandfather will... if he finds out we made a lot of Mung Bean Jelly?"
Xu Qinghe had never lied before.
"Dad, no one knows how much Mung Bean Jelly we made. Besides, every time your second son carries the load, it’s after noon when few people are around. Even if someone does see us, we just say we are carrying some sour and astringent plums, which aren’t worth much money. No one will think too much of it."
"Dad, this is a white lie." Xu Nianhua certainly knew her father’s nature, and she advised, "Dad, it’s not that we don’t want to give away more Mung Bean Jelly, but Grandma is biased. In the end, Grandfather and Grandmother might not get a single bite. Besides, Grandfather is getting on in years, and though Mung Bean Jelly is good, it’s somewhat cold. What if he eats too much and gets diarrhea?"
"How about, once we earn some money, we send two pounds of meat to Grandfather?" Xu Nianhua wouldn’t prevent Xu Qinghe from showing filial respect to his father. When times got better, she knew the proper respects wouldn’t be lacking.
"Good, you’re thoughtful as always. But first, we need to earn money. I’ll buy it after we get paid this month," Xu Qinghe replied.
Xu Qinghe looked at his daughter with relief. At the time of the separation, when Xu Nianhua spoke those things, he had thought she held resentment towards the Xu Family. But now he realized...
His daughter was truly kind-hearted.
"Well, you go on home, and I need to go to work." Xu Qinghe was a carpenter, the kind that traveled around for work. Coming over this morning to deliver Mung Bean Jelly had already delayed him a bit.
"Dad, please be careful."
Xu Nianhua and Xu Qinghe went their separate ways. As soon as she arrived home, she saw the courtyard was noisy and chaotic.
As Xu Nianhua entered the courtyard, before she could figure out what had happened, she saw Zhong Juan lunging at her like a madwoman, screaming, "Xu Nianhua, I’m going to tear your mouth apart!"
"I’ll make you pay for spreading nonsense and chewing over people’s words!"
"It’s all your fault!"
Every time Zhong Juan thought about being caught the day before and the beating she suffered at the hands of her father upon returning home, her heart felt exceedingly bitter. It must have been Xu Nianhua who told on her!