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Chapter 290: Chapter 290: May I ask Who are You Looking for?
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Returning to her room, Tong Yao was unaware of what had happened downstairs. She was having a meal with Si Chen at a small table. As she passed a piece of meat to Si Chen, she also mentioned that Yuan Caizhen had visited.
"Auntie came to see me and complained about Xiaohui being bossy at her house. I told her not to take Xiaohui’s nonsense seriously. Xiaohui is a bully and gets scared easily."
Si Chen didn’t think Tong Yao did anything wrong and nodded calmly, "If she doesn’t experience hardship now, she’ll suffer in society later. It’s time to discipline her."
Curious, Tong Yao asked with chopsticks in her mouth, "But honestly, Xiaohui and my uncle have been separated for so many years. She should at least feel a bit estranged. Instead, she moved into their home like it’s her own, let alone the fact that her mother is also there. She really doesn’t feel like she’s an outsider." 𝘯𝑜𝘷𝘱𝘶𝘣.𝘤𝘰𝑚
Based on Tong Yao’s understanding of Si Xiaohui, she shouldn’t have had the audacity to take over others’ home.
Si Chen furrowed his eyebrows as if he was thinking about something and said coldly, "He has always been good to Xiaohui since she was a child, almost like a father figure to her."
Isn’t it true that a daughter loves to act spoiled and unreasonable in front of her father due to his pampering?
Tong Yao instantly understood.
Seeing Si Chen’s unhappy face, she quickly changed the subject, "Lijuan’s expected delivery date is around October. You’ll be preparing for your postgraduate exam then, so you probably won’t be able to go back. I can go alone!"
Si Chen replied indifferently, "Let’s see how things go. I’m not comfortable with you going alone. If I don’t have time to go, you shouldn’t either. We can just contribute a little more money."
The communication and transportation were not too developed during this era, and many people went missing every year, especially women traveling alone. Si Chen was reluctant to let Tong Yao return by train alone.
With Lin Fengying to take care of the child, Tong Yao just needed to go back home for a couple of days for the banquet. Unable to accommodate everyone at home, she would have to stay at a small hotel. Si Chen was not at all comfortable with Tong Yao staying alone outside.
Once Si Chen said this, Tong Yao naturally wouldn’t pretend to be a self-sacrificing person only to trouble herself. Not going back could also be a good thing, saving her from Lin Fengying’s pestering.
At this point, Lin Fengying had no interest in meddling with childbirth. Since getting the news from Si Weimin, her heart was as restless as if it had been scratched by a cat, and she had trouble sleeping.
She always felt that her dead heart came back to life at the moment she heard the news about Si Weimin.
After half a month, she could no longer hold back her feelings. She took an old hen and sat in the ox cart to the town to see Zhang Lijuan. While having lunch, she got Si Weimin’s home phone number from Si Boyi. Without cleaning up the dishes, she went to the telephone booth. Under the pretext of worrying about Xiaohui’s situation, she decided to make a call.
This was the phone number Yuan Caizhen had left for Tong Yao. Tong Yao then gave it to Si Boyi. However, Si Boyi had never made a call. He was still angry at Si Xiaohui for disgracing the Si Family.
The matter of their daughter eloping had stirred up the whole town. The Song family was badmouthing Si Xiaohui behind her back, accusing her of being a shameless, flirtatious girl who seduced their son. This act of resorting to complain first to gain the upper hand infuriated Si Boyi. He wanted to confront the Song family but was stopped by Lin Fengying and Zhang Lijuan.
Lin Fengying believed that making a fuss would only make them lose face, while Zhang Lijuan feared that Si Boyi would hurt someone and end up in prison.
With the baby coming soon, they couldn’t afford to have any trouble with the men. Si Xiaohui had run off and even eloped. There was no turning back on this matter. If there’s a blessing, it’s hers, and if there’s a penalty, it’s hers too. Why bother with her?
Now that Si Xiaohui was gone, Zhang Lijuan was the one in charge of the shop. Life was going smoothly.
Zhang Lijuan, who was pregnant, didn’t have any morning sickness like other pregnant women. Everything she ate tasted delicious, like a gourmet. She had gained twenty pounds. As her belly grew bigger and she put on weight, she became lazier.
When Zhang Lijuan saw Lin Fengying leaving without cleaning up after lunch, she became upset, "Is this how my mother-in-law treats her pregnant daughter-in-law? Despite bearing such a large belly, I have to clean up after lunch. If she didn’t need the number, I bet she wouldn’t even visit. There is a difference between a daughter and a daughter-in-law after all."
"What’s the big deal about washing a few dishes? Why are you even upset? I didn’t ask you to do it," Si Boyi said, seeing no reason for Zhang Lijuan’s flare-up.
Zhang Lijuan used to be less petty before she was pregnant, but her temper got worse after she got pregnant.
Zhang Lijuan nagged, "Now you favor your mother, like you don’t care about me and the baby."
Si Boyi was confused, "I’ve already said I’ll clean up. How is it that you think I don’t care about you?"
Zhang Lijuan turned annoyingly picky, "I just wanted to complain a little; why can’t you take my side?"
Si Boyi felt helpless but insisted, "Don’t make a fuss. My mother only visits occasionally. I don’t want to upset her. It’s one thing to indulge you, but if you’re going to pick a fight with my mother, I can’t let it go."
Zhang Lijuan knew Si Boyi’s temper well by now. Seeing him getting really upset, she instantly stopped her grumbling.
Pouting, she said, "Who’s picking a fight with your mother? I’m just complaining a bit. You know I’m sharp-tongued but soft-hearted. Let’s drop it. You better clean up the dishes before your mother comes back and thinks we intentionally left it for her."
The couple was leading a comfortable life. This was exactly how Zhang Lijuan had imagined her life to be - nattering when she has nothing else to do, but she also knew where Si Boyi drew the line, and she would instantly back down each time she saw him getting genuinely angry.
It was no different this time. Lin Fengying would leave in a day at most, so she decided to bear with it.
*
"Achoo!"
As soon as she arrived at the phone booth, Lin Fengying sneezed. Her anxious and excited mood seemed to stabilize slightly. After vacillating for a long time, she dialed the number on the note. After about two or three seconds, a woman’s voice suddenly came from the other end of the line.
"Hello..."
Lin Fengying, who had contemplated many times what her first words would be, was stunned the moment she heard Yuan Caizhen’s voice.
She must have dialed the wrong number... Yes, that must be it.
Lin Fengying hung up the phone and dialed the number again. This time the call was connected faster. After a single ring, it was picked up, and the voice was still the same woman’s.
"Hello, who are you looking for?"
Lin Fengying opened her mouth but couldn’t make a sound.
Yuan Caizhen, puzzled, looked at the phone and muttered to herself, "Who is this? They called but didn’t say a word."
