Chapter 114 - Causing Trouble (1)
When Shu Yan and Zhang Huaxiu got back, both of her kids were asleep. Shu Yan was about to carry both of them back when Wu Xiuyue stopped her.
“What are you thinking? Let Xiuxiu and her brother walk you home.”
She had other matters to attend to herself. It wouldn’t be appropriate for Zhang Huafeng to walk her back alone, but it would be okay with Xiuxiu there as well.
“Right, let me carry Jingjing. Xiuxiu, you shine the flashlight behind us.” Zhang Huafeng skillfully picked up Jingjing. He was obviously someone who was familiar with carrying children.
As soon as they walked outside of the door, they heard a door being slammed shut. Shu Yan turned her head and gave Zhang Huaxiu a look.
“That must be the old lady next door. She always liked to find out what was going on in the neighborhood. She embellishes and spreads rumors on the slightest incidents.” Speaking of the old lady made Zhang Huaxiu very angry.
The old lady next door contributed a lot to her still being single at her age. She was sort of seeing someone when she was 22. One time, her bicycle broke on her way home from work and a colleague from the factory helped her fix it. There were rumors about her having an affair with a married man the very next day, and the man who was interested in her pulled away from her over time.
Mother Zhang even went over to the old lady’s place with the cleaver and had a big fight with her. Their other neighbors and those at the factory finally learned that it was all made up by the old lady. But so what? The man was already engaged to a girl arranged by his parents.
Zhang Huaxiu wasn’t too upset at the old lady. It was nice seeing a person’s true color before they had gotten married. It would have been much worse if that happened after they had gotten married. She didn’t hate the old lady, but she disliked her.
This time, when she quit her job at the factory, the old lady spread rumors that she was fired from the factory because of something that she had done. Mother Zhang had another fight with her afterward.
So why did Wu Xiuyue want to move so badly? The apartment being small was part of it, the old lady was the other part. They couldn’t even talk to each other too loudly; otherwise, there would be rumors that she and her husband had a fight.
Tianbo slept like a little big. Jingjing, on the other hand, woke up halfway and was startled by Zhang Huafeng. She felt better after she turned and saw her mother.
“Mom.”
“You are awake? Then get down and walk by yourself.”
“It’s alright. We are almost there. I will carry her all the way.” Zhang Huafeng felt that the little girl was very light, probably not even half of his son’s weight.
When they arrived at Shu Yan’s place, Shu Yan invited them in politely, but Zhang Huafeng and Zhang Huaxiu declined politely.
“Maybe next time then. Thank you so much.” Shu Yan saw them off with Tianbao in her hands.
The three of them entered the apartment, and Shu Yan had Jingjing go take a shower. Tianbo was already asleep, so she didn’t want to wake him. She took his shoes off for him. He could take the shower in the morning.
“How was it over at Zhang Chenghan’s place today?” asked Shu Yan as she helped her daughter dry her hair. Her daughter’s hair had grown out a lot already. Her hair quality was quite good, just a bit on the hard side and would all stick straight up after it dried. She would need to wear a hat for the time being.
“Pretty good. Zhang Chenghan’s mom made a lot of food and gave a lot of meat to little brother and I. His grandma said they were made specifically for us.” Ye Jingjing took a look at Shu Yan then looked down and let her mother continue to dry her hair.
Shu Yan frowned a little. Perhaps they were just words, or perhaps the grandmother had said it purposefully so that they would be repeated back to her later on. Zheng Chenghan’s grandmother seemed to be… a bit petty.
“Mom is busy these couple of days. In another 4-5 days’ time, after the promotional activities are over at the shop, mom will pick you up from school myself. Keep an eye out on your brother these next few days and don’t let him misbehave.” It wasn’t their own place after all. She didn’t want him to offend the others.
“Little brother has been behaving himself,” said Ye Jingjing as she looked at her mother. “He really has.”
Shu Yan was a little stunned. She had been very busy lately and hadn’t been as attentive to the kids as she was before. Come to think about it, Tianbao has been behaving himself lately. He was no longer a picky eater; he hadn't fussed. Every time she came home, he was either already asleep or playing at home obediently.
Back when he used to misbehave, she was always frustrated and wished that he would behave himself. Now that he was so docile, Shu Yan couldn’t explain the feeling that she was experiencing either.
She was very tired physically, but her mind was very clear. Did she make the right decision taking the two kids to City Nan, a city where they didn’t know anyone in? Was it a right decision to have started her business so soon?