Rong Daniang also felt it was a pity: "Indeed, her business was doing well. Firstly, the location was really good, and secondly, Mingfang’s culinary skills are genuinely impressive. A few days ago, when I took the kids out, she gave us a lot of her own twisted dough sticks for free, and refused to take payment."
"Sister-in-law Hu is someone who knows gratitude. Let it be; our melons at the back are ripening soon, too. We’ll send some to her to try later on. It’s nice to have a give-and-take relationship."
"That’s true. If it wasn’t for your help at the beginning, she wouldn’t be living the life she has now. Her husband took such good care of her and her daughter when he was alive. After he passed, they had no one to protect them and suffered a lot.
Their relatives were afraid they would cling to them, and almost broke off relations with them right to their faces. If it weren’t for your advice later on to start the restaurant, their life would have been much harder."
Upon hearing Rong Daniang’s words, Luo Qiao thought of something: "Daniang, does Sister-in-law Hu have any other relatives?"
Rong Daniang continued her work while speaking casually: "She has an elder sister-in-law and two younger brothers-in-law. Her parents-in-law passed away within two years after her husband did. But, from what I’ve heard, they don’t really keep in touch with her side of the family nowadays."
Luo Qiao finished her sour plum drink: "Does she have any family on her maternal side?"
Rong Daniang sighed: "Mingfang mentioned she has two older brothers, but ever since the time she went asking for money to treat her sick husband and was rejected, she hasn’t visited much either. Her parents passed away years ago."
Thinking of something more, she added: "These relatives, the less you interact with them, the less close you become. Thankfully, Mingfang’s restaurant has been doing well in recent years, and now that the kids have grown up, she’s finally made it through the hardship."
Luo Qiao smiled: "Right, that girl should be in high school by now, shouldn’t she?"
Rong Daniang put down her work: "Indeed, she’s in her first year of high school. Mingfang tells me her daughter’s academic performance is very good. She even says that Gao Shunxin sees you as a role model."
Luo Qiao expressed her surprise: "Really?"
"Indeed, when you helped her that time when she was little, Mingfang told her daughter about how well you studied, and to everyone’s surprise, little Shunxin actually said she wants to be as impressive as you one day."
Luo Qiao smiled slightly upon hearing this: "She’s got ambition."
"Mmm, she’s always been very diligent with her studies, and this year she even got into Peking University High School. All the parents in our area are so envious."
Suddenly, Luo Qiao remembered the saying, ’Fine wine and beauty sway human faces, wealth and possessions move the heart,’ thinking that the redevelopment might once again be a trial for the mother and daughter.
But after that, she got busy and pushed the matter to the back of her mind.
On the day before the National Day holiday, Luo Qiao, at her child’s insistent request, decided to leave Lu Yichen behind and take her family to Beidaihe, since he was too busy with work to take time off.
Beidaihe boasts gently sloping sandy beaches, still unspoiled by pollution, and is rich in forest coverage with a high concentration of negative oxygen ions, creating a beautiful environment with picturesque scenery, making it especially suitable for a trip with the elderly and children, and a chance to enjoy some natural ’oxygen bar’.
She called her second brother ahead of time to talk about her idea.
Luo Xuyuan told her not to worry about it; he had everything arranged. Luo Qiao felt great appreciation for having a brother.
Luo Qiao called back to the Gu family, asking them to get ready and to join them for the trip.
Soon after, her aunt called: "Qiaoqiao, your grandpa says he doesn’t want to join the excitement this time; he’ll stay put. So, I won’t go either, I’ll stay to look after your grandpa."
Luo Qiao said: "We’ll drive there ourselves, and my second brother will surely have everything arranged. Aunt, try to persuade grandpa again, going out is good for his health."
Gu Qianru, while looking at her adoptive father sitting on the sofa, whispered: "Qiaoqiao, why don’t you talk to grandpa?"
Luo Qiao responded with a ’Hmm’: "Alright, I’ll talk to grandpa."
Gu Qianru handed the phone to the old gentleman: "Dad, Qiaoqiao wants to talk to you."
The old gentleman took the phone: "Qiaoqiao, grandpa won’t be joining this outing. I’m getting on in years; I don’t want to cause you any trouble."
Luo Qiao understood the old man’s concerns and said: "Grandpa, don’t you want to watch your great-grandchildren play and laugh on the beach under the sun? Don’t you want to join them playing in the sand? All these will become part of their childhood memories, don’t you want to be a part of their growth?"
After hearing this, the old gentleman hesitated, and Luo Qiao continued: "I know you’ve been to Beidaihe many times, but this would be your first time going with the kids. This time, the whole family will be going. Grandpa, we won’t have as much fun without you."
The old gentleman visualized the sunshine, the beach, and the laughter of the great-grandchildren as described by his granddaughter-in-law, forming a picture in his mind, and was tempted: "Alright, then let’s go together."
Luo Qiao smiled: "That’s the spirit! Don’t worry, grandpa, you’ll have a unique National Day holiday."
Then the Luo family was notified too. Luo Qiao even made a special call to her father. Surprisingly, Luo Haotian, the father, readily agreed to go together this time.