Seeing the concerns harbored by the elderly couple of the Zhang family, Fat Auntie stepped forward and warmly grasped Old Lady Zhang’s hands, "Baohe and Yulan aren’t around here, and my heart feels unsettled. If you two seniors come and stay, I’ll come by often to visit. That way, I’ll feel a bit more at ease in my heart."
"We know that even if there’s a kang bed at home, the lack of a yard and a vegetable garden may still make it hard for mom and dad to get used to it, so..."
"Dad, mom, Brother Lin and Sister-in-Law Lin are good, honest people. Let’s not stand on ceremony. Whenever you want to come over and stay for a while, I’ll bring you here."
Just as Li Suxin was about to mention that they had already purchased a small farmhouse on the outskirts of the city for the elderly couple, Zhang Dongfang preempted her, cutting in before she could get a word out. Although she didn’t quite understand her husband’s intent, she immediately followed his lead:
"Right, we’ve always been worried about whether you’d be comfortable when you return home. These days, Zexiang has been experimenting with planting vegetables on the balcony. He says that even without a vegetable garden, using pots to grow some vegetables can amuse grandpa and grandma."
"Grandpa, grandma, I’ve placed three pots on the balcony, planted with cabbage, cucumber, and garlic sprouts. The garlic sprouts have already started to grow."
Zhang Zexiang was seventeen this year, a few months younger than Chuxia and Luo Xiaoqiong. He was at an age where he was curious but naive about the opposite sex. As he spoke, he noticed Chuxia and Luo Xiaoqiong both staring at him, and his face instantly turned as red as a rooster’s comb.
Old Lady Zhang thought her precious grandson had caught a cold and hurriedly reached out to touch his forehead—it was burning hot. Startled, she asked, "Does your head ache?"
"It doesn’t hurt," Zhang Zexiang replied in a mosquito-like voice before making a hasty exit to another room, "I’m going to tidy up over there."
"You child, you don’t know to wear more clothes when you come, let grandma find you a piece of Antipyretic Patch to put on..." Old Lady Zhang, worried about her grandson, followed into the room, continuing to show tender concern.
A mother knows her son best. How could Li Suxin not know what was going on with her son? She was tempted to tell the truth to Old Lady Zhang but worried about saving face for the younger ones. In the end, she decided not to intervene between the old and the young, resulting in—Zhang Zexiang actually taking an Antipyretic Patch...
Old Lady Zhang specially made sugar water to help her grandson swallow the medicine, but before she could hand over the jar, he had already swallowed the patch and turned around to get back to his tasks...
In a flash, Old Lady Zhang seemed to understand something. She felt a pang of regret inside but couldn’t express it out loud. She simply offered the jar to Zhang Zexiang, "I added sugar."
After drinking a jar of sugar water, Zhang Zexiang couldn’t really taste anything. His mind was all over the place, now worrying if others had noticed his feelings, then again worrying about any possible effects of the medicine...
Chuxia and Luo Xiaoqiong were tidying up some small items in the middle room, and naturally, they didn’t miss the actions of the grandparents and grandchild in the room. Of course, they wouldn’t admit that their reason for rummaging in the middle room was just to eavesdrop on the gossip—life was too dull, and one must seek out their own color for it to be wonderful~
"Yushan, you go take a look, there must be a problem with vacating the house. Otherwise, why haven’t they come over by now?"
It was already past nine-thirty, and Elder Zhao was getting anxious because there was still no sign of her daughter, son-in-law, and granddaughter. She was terribly worried that Yulan would be hassled by Old Man Lin and Old Lady Lin.
"Hmm." Zhao Yushan agreed as he moved to get off the kang. He was also incredibly anxious. Although the temperaments of his sister and brother-in-law had changed somewhat from before, Old Man Lin and Old Lady Lin were not ordinary people. He was genuinely worried that his sister and brother-in-law would fall for their tricks.
"I’ll go too," said Li Aiyuan.
"Mom, you stay and prepare the meal, dad and I will go," said Zhao Qihui, wrapping herself up tightly before coming in and stopping Li Aiyuan from following along.
"All right... Huh?" Li Aiyuan’s ears perked up, "I hear car horns, are they here?" she said as she pushed her daughter outside.
Indeed, as they stepped out the door, they saw Yulan’s family along with Luo Gangshun’s family and Jing Zhe—a large group of people, arriving in grand procession.
"In-laws have also come?" Li Aiyuan went up to warmly shake hands with Luo Gangshun and Fat Auntie first, then turned to Baohe’s family, "You’ve finally arrived. You had mom and dad worried sick. We were just about to send your older brother and Qihui to Dalin Village to look for you."
"Let’s talk inside," said Yulan as she motioned to the bustling crowd greeting each other, "We’re all family, no need for such formalities here, let’s go inside where it’s warmer and sit."
Unable to resist teasing, Li Aiyuan said, "Things really have changed, you sound just like a neighbor now, so full of style."