Lin Wan went to the store and said a word to Brother Nan, asking Brother Congnan to help look around and see if anyone is renting a house, preferably in the north of the city.
The siblings went out looking for two days but couldn’t find a house.
Aunt came over with a face full of thoughts.
"Mom, Bo Xu and his wife have been complaining to me these days, saying that their house is too small and inconvenient to take care of the child. Whenever Ai Xiang does laundry or cooks, she’s constantly worried about Da Ming in the room, keeping the door open for fear of losing him, and keeping it closed for fear something might happen to him without her knowing." The aunt sat in the living room and complained to Grandma as soon as she arrived.
This time, it’s not with any ulterior motive; it’s really because the daughter-in-law is anxious.
"What happened?" Han Ying thought she was up to something again.
"Mom... I don’t know what’s happened lately, but one child after another has been abducted. Several kids have been lost in our city. The police have even put up notices saying a human trafficking gang has come to the city and advised citizens to be cautious. It’s Ai Xiang who thinks about moving to live with us. Our place hasn’t been allotted yet; we’re living in a tubular building right now. Just a few days ago, someone stole a newborn child from our area. It scared me to death; I dare not have them live there."
"Someone is stealing children?" Han Ying was surprised.
Zhang Huilan quickly added, "Yes, it’s true. It was also a case of a mom alone caring for a child and the baby went missing just during the time she went to fetch a basin of water. The daughter-in-law of that household was devastated and frantically searched for the child without getting any rest or eating a hot meal for days, and now she is in a bewildered and almost insane state. Ai Xiang is already exhausted taking care of the child on her own and constantly worried. We adults suffer, but we can’t make the children suffer. I heard lately that the child-stealers are becoming extremely rampant, snatching kids right at the doorstep. For the past few days, Haitao and I have had trouble sleeping and eating, worried that something might happen to our kid. I’ve even taken leave to help watch her child. But this isn’t a long-term solution. The factory is a mess with poor security. Haitao’s suggestion is to rent a courtyard, one with its own yard for safety, but I think it’s wasting money. I suggest letting Ai Xiang stay here with Xiao Wan for a while, and when our place is allotted, we will bring you over and let the young couple live here with the house that has a yard."
Lin Wan understood Aunt’s intentions; the cousin-in-law wants to stay in her new house, and after a few months, Grandma will move in with Aunt, letting the cousin and cousin-in-law move here. Although it was not explicitly stated that she should move out, it’s clear since they’re outsiders.
She, as an outsider’s wife with a husband away for long periods, living in the same yard as cousins and cousin-in-law, what does that mean? When the time comes, the cousin and cousin-in-law can’t be made to leave.
"No matter how this goes, we have kids. We can’t lose my great-grandson. I won’t go to your place. These two days, I’ll tidy up the west room and let Bo Xu and them move in." It came suddenly, but Han Ying had started to plan in her mind.
"Mom, no need to clean up. Let Ai Xiang and Xiao Wan squeeze in together."
"Sis-in-law, we are looking for a house right now. We might move in the next couple of days. Then Ai Xiang can share a room with Mom. Staying in Xiao Wan’s room isn’t convenient."
"What’s inconvenient about it? Xiao Yi doesn’t often come home anyway."
"Even if Xiao Yi doesn’t come home, what if Bo Xu comes over to look after the child? What then for Xiao Wan?" Shen Qing was a bit upset; the sis-in-law was not considering the awkwardness for both sides.
"Bo Xu coming to see the child, even staying a night, what’s the big deal? Let Xiao Wan sleep in Mom’s room for the night." Many families in the city squeeze into small houses over twenty square meters; she thinks this is nothing.
"Nonsense. That’s Xiao Wan’s new house." Han Ying was genuinely angered by this daughter-in-law this time and almost fell when she stood up.