CHAPTER 959: CHAPTER 645: GRATITUDE

First night has arrived.

--------------

Luan Qingshu earnestly expressed gratitude, which made Chuxia feel embarrassed: "As long as you don’t mind me meddling, Uncle."

"No way, I’m not confused, how could I not distinguish good from bad?" Luan Qingshu turned red and looked at his wife, "Baojuan, say something, Summer believes what you say."

Chuxia quickly said, "Uncle, I believe what you say, I’ve known you for so many years, I know your personality, I didn’t mean to distrust you when I said that, it’s just hard for me to adjust to an elder thanking me."

"Summer, I’m speaking sincerely, you don’t know..." With a heavy sigh, Luan Qingshu recounted Old Lady Luan’s behavior over those days.

When Luan Qingshu finished speaking, Luan Xiaoxiang chimed in, "Sis, what Dad said is true. When you guys arrived, our family was worrying about not being able to finish the New Year’s goods, and my grandma can’t settle down. But if she eats everything, what about guests later?

We all knew she was pretending to have sore legs, but as long as she wouldn’t admit it, we couldn’t do anything. Now that you’ve exposed her, she definitely won’t be able to soil her pants during meals."

With Luan Xiaoxiang saying this, Chuxia felt a wave of nausea, unable to hold it down, she rushed to the corner of the yard and vomited violently. Zhou Mikang followed her out, then quickly went back to get a jug of warm water for her to rinse her mouth after she finished.

Lin Baojuan, Luan Qingshu, and Luan Dajiang also came out, and Lin Baojuan reproachfully blamed her daughter, "Xiaoxiang, your dad has made things clear, why do you have to emphasize it so plainly?"

Luan Xiaoxiang looked pitifully at Chuxia, "Sis, are you alright? Sorry, I didn’t mean it."

Chuxia had already recovered, and quickly waved her hand, "It’s not your fault, I was just overthinking."

Zhou Mikang gently pat her back, "Are you alright now?"

"I’m fine, it’s over, let’s go back inside." Chuxia felt very embarrassed about her reaction, but it was truly uncontrollable, when Luan Xiaoxiang spoke, she couldn’t help but imagine it, and then she couldn’t control it...

Back inside the house, Lin Baojuan quickly opened the box at the foot of the bed, found a small pack of candy and handed it to Chuxia, "Quick, have this to sweeten your mouth."

These candies were left over from her wedding, "Auntie, you really know how to save things." Saying this, Chuxia felt a pang of bittersweet in her heart.

Auntie truly treated her family well, but now she really couldn’t take care of everyone who had been kind to her. Although that’s the truth, she felt a bit guilty inside.

Even though she felt somewhat guilty, she understood that teaching someone to fish is better than giving them fish. In another two or three years, the market wouldn’t be as strictly regulated as it is now. Then, she could lend them the capital to help them get back on their feet.

Luan Xiaoxiang took the candy pack to inspect it, looked at Lin Baojuan with a surprised face, "Mom, you kept this much? I thought it was all eaten already."

Lin Baojuan smiled awkwardly, "Keeping it for times when someone is sick and needs something sweet when taking medicine."

"Come, one for each, let’s all have some sweet." Chuxia took out the candies one by one and distributed them to everyone, "Finish the old ones, I’ll get the new ones."

Luan Qingshu withdrew his hand and refused to take it, "You all eat, I don’t care for these things."

"Even if you don’t care for them, you should eat..." Chuxia forced it into his hand, "Uncle, do you think I wouldn’t believe you? At my wedding, you enjoyed the candy quite a bit."

Luan Qingshu immediately turned bright red, fumbling for words.

"Go on, eat it!" Lin Baojuan amusedly gave him a push, "The child isn’t mocking you, she knows you want to save more for us. Look at your face, what has it become."

"Uncle, eating these is actually completing a task." Chuxia said while pushing Zhou Mikang, "Quickly, Uncle wants new ones, go get them."

"No, no, I’ll eat, I’ll eat." Luan Qingshu said while quickly putting the candy in his mouth to prove he didn’t mean what Chuxia implied.

"Uncle, don’t listen to her, she’s just teasing you." Zhou Mikang said, fondly patting Chuxia’s head, then turning to walk out. Luan Qingshu hurriedly stepped forward to pull him back, "Xiao Zhou, sit down, we have everything at home, nothing’s lacking."

Zhou Mikang took the opportunity to pull him outside, "Uncle, the goods on the car were brought for you guys, just right, there’s a bit too much stuff, can you help me?"

Luan Qingshu still wanted to refuse, so Chuxia looked at Lin Baojuan, "Auntie, if you treat us as outsiders, then let Uncle be polite."

"The children’s intention, you should go with Xiao Zhou."

Since his wife had spoken, Luan Qingshu no longer hesitated, obediently following Zhou Mikang outside.

"Sis..." After a moment of hesitation, Luan Xiaoxiang looked at Chuxia, "You brought us food, now Grandma’s going to come up with some plan again. Next time you come to our house, don’t bring anything, okay?"

Chuxia readily agreed, "Okay, next time I won’t bring anything. This time it’s because of New Year."

"Sis, Zhang Dongzi wrote a letter to the family saying that he gets along well with Dajiang, and he also said to keep in touch between our families, thanking Dajiang for his help. Sis, did you really help them?" Luan Xiaoxiang asked.

"No," Chuxia shook her head helplessly, "After Dajiang joined the army, Zhang Dongzi initially badmouthed Dajiang a lot, but later started trying to flatter him..."

Luan Xiaoxiang interrupted her anxiously, "Did Dajiang just fall for a few nice words from him?"

"No..." Chuxia retold the story of Zhang Dongzi tagging along for fun, and at the end said, "Dajiang was always quite indifferent to him. He probably wants to use family connections to get closer to Dajiang."

"I knew it, that guy is so shameless..." Luan Xiaoxiang couldn’t help but roll her eyes, "I’ve disliked him since childhood. I told Dajiang not to play with him, but he never listened to me. Now see, he’s suffered because of it? Sis, if Dajiang doesn’t learn his lesson, don’t bother with him."

Chuxia smiled at her, "You and Dajiang are twins, you should understand him well. Do you think he’ll still fall for Zhang Dongzi’s trick?"

After thinking for a while, Luan Xiaoxiang shook her head, "Probably not. Dajiang is actually quite principled. Last time, Zhang Dongzi’s actions really hurt him, he should have learned from it."

"So that’s settled then, isn’t it?" Chuxia laughed and patted her shoulder, "You, you need to trust your own brother."

Luan Xiaoxiang smiled sheepishly, "I used to advise Dajiang, but he never listened. I just get anxious, afraid he’ll fall for Zhang Dongzi’s trick again. But thinking about it, he’s not that foolish."

"Dajiang is sincere, but not foolish," Lin Baojuan spoke up for her son, "You see, he doesn’t talk much, but he knows in his heart who treats him well and who doesn’t."

"Mom, you always liked Dajiang more than me, ever since we were little," Luan Xiaoxiang pouted discontentedly, "Mom is biased."

Lin Baojuan looked at her daughter helplessly, "You child, how can you say Mom is biased? Both you and Dajiang are pieces of my heart, equally precious. You talk a lot, while Dajiang talks less, can’t Mom just speak a bit more for Dajiang?"

"That’s too much, just too much..." Luan Qingshu carried two large woven bags behind Zhou Mikang, mumbling continuously, "We have everything at home, why waste so much?"

"Dad, it’s a treat, not a waste," Luan Xiaoxiang said as she reached to take a bag from Zhou Mikang’s hands, making her sway slightly due to the weight, and she sheepishly stuck out her tongue, "Brother-in-law seemed like it was so light, I didn’t think it was heavy."

"Are you comparing yourself to him?" Chuxia couldn’t help but shake her head with amusement, "He looks like he’s carrying 200 pounds with ease, can you lift 200 pounds?"

"What?" Luan Xiaoxiang widened her eyes at Zhou Mikang in admiration, "Brother-in-law, you’re even stronger than Dad."

"Nonsense, how can your dad’s strength compare to your brother-in-law’s?" Lin Baojuan looked at the four big bags stacked under the bed, feeling at a loss, "Xiao Zhou, Xia, you’ve brought so many things, how can we accept them? You should take them back later, if your parents need to go back, then send them to your grandma’s place."

"We’ve already sent some to Grandma’s place," Chuxia laughed and hugged her shoulder, "Aunt, since we brought them to you, just accept them at ease.

We saw Dajiang before coming back, and he misses you all. I promised him I’d make up for the filial piety he couldn’t provide. If you don’t accept, how can I answer to him when I return?"

"But this is too much," Lin Baojuan said with a troubled look on her face.

"I said not to bring so much, but Xiao Zhou insisted on bringing it all down. I was afraid to leave it outside for fear someone might take it, so we brought it all in," Luan Qingshu said, rubbing his hands awkwardly.

"Aunt, Uncle, we only visit a few times a year, and normally can’t bring so much back. Since it’s New Year and there are more cars running, we just brought it along.

If you don’t accept it, then you’re treating me like an outsider. Although my Dad is not really Aunt’s brother now, in our hearts, Aunt is our real Aunt."

"This child..." Lin Baojuan hugged Chuxia with emotion, not knowing what to say, waved her hand after a moment, "Alright, Aunt will accept it, since it’s from my niece and nephew-in-law, Aunt will accept it."

"Aunt didn’t dote on me for nothing, right?"

"That’s right, not at all," Lin Baojuan said, her eyes filling with tears, "Aunt’s kindness wasn’t with any ulterior motives, just genuine closeness with your dad, knowing that even if we’re not real siblings, still feeling close to him."

"I know, I definitely know, Aunt had been so good to Dad even without knowing his background, which truly shows Aunt’s genuine feelings for Dad." (To be continued. If you like this work, please go to Qidian (qidian.com) to cast recommendation votes, monthly votes. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users please read at m.qidian.com.)