Zhao Li was truly elated this time; first, she hugged Ruan Jiaojiao tightly and planted a big kiss on her, exclaiming, "My precious daughter!"
Then she let go of her, turned around, and headed towards Lu Zhiwei, shaking the snoring Lu Zhiwei awake, "Hubby, wake up! Let’s head back, Jiaojiao has agreed to be our goddaughter! We need to hurry home and prepare the gifts for acknowledging kinship!"
With that said, she dragged him off the rocking chair.
Dragged off the rocking chair, a still-inebriated Lu Zhiwei looked at his wife in confusion, slurring after her words, "Go back, go back..." Then he turned his head and lay down on the ground to sleep, not minding the cold floor at all.
The Ruanlin Family matriarch, seeing the scene, couldn’t help but laugh and cry. However, seeing that Zhao Li truly adored her Jiaojiao, she felt happy. She called over Ruan Jianguo to take Lu Zhiwei back to the lounger and then pulled Zhao Li over, laughing, "There’s no need to rush , the child won’t run away; come sit down quickly."
"Auntie Ruan, I’m not lying to you, I’m just afraid she’ll run away! It was no small feat to get this precious daughter, and if anyone tries to take her from me, I’ll be in quite a huff," she said, again holding Ruan Jiaojiao tightly in her embrace.
"..." Ruan Jiaojiao didn’t want to be held at all; the weather was getting hotter and stickier, and she could hardly sleep in someone’s arms.
But Zhao Li was just too enthusiastic, and Jiaojiao felt too embarrassed to refuse, so she reluctantly dozed off in her arms, never expecting to actually fall asleep amidst their ceaseless chattering.
The Lu Family were sent home after dinner by Ruan Jianguo personally.
By the time they returned, it was almost dark.
Du Qing and Wu Le helped tidy up a bit and went back to the old house while it was not yet completely dark.
The whole brigade had been connected with electrical wires, but they were still waiting for a few days before the electricity would be activated. With the kerosene lamp lit, the Ruanlin Family matriarch continued tidying up in the main room when she suddenly heard a rustling noise from the backyard. She muttered suspiciously and called out to Ruan Jianguo, who was parking the car in the yard.
Ruan Jianguo also heard the noise and was puzzled.
The backyard gate connected to the back mountain. Who would be knocking at the backyard gate at this time?
Could it be that someone wanted to take advantage of the dark to sneak in?
Rou Rou, who had been gnawing on a bone under the table in the main room, lifted his head, ready to howl upon hearing the noise, but Ruan Jianguo stopped him. He shushed him, picked up a pole casually, and headed to the backyard.
The knocking at the backyard continued.
And it was persistent.
Since it was the first day of moving into the new house, the boys were reluctant to leave, all choosing to sleep upstairs where they could all fit comfortably on a communal bed, as summer nights were not cold.
They were still playing upstairs, oblivious to the commotion downstairs.
Ruan Jianguo approached the backyard with light footsteps. Either coincidentally or because the person outside heard someone inside, the knocking stopped, making Ruan Jianguo even more alert. He placed the pole beside him and shouted outside the door, "Who’s there? Why not use the front door at this late hour!"
"..." It was dead quiet outside the door.
Then came another round of urgent knocking.
Rou Rou, following close beside Ruan Jianguo, now became excited and started howling.
Ruan Jiaojiao and the others were playing upstairs when they heard Rou Rou’s barking; Xiu Xi was the first to get up, went to the living room, and opened the window to look outside.
Ruan Jiaojiao and Ruan Jie followed.