NOVPUB
Chapter 303: Chapter 303: The Sober Aunt
If Si Weimin were just stricter with Xiaohui and did not indulge her unreasonable tantrums, Si Xiaohui would not dare to act recklessly. She racked her brains not understanding why a normally prudent person would have no limits when it came to Si Xiaohui.
Si Xiaohui is already married and a grown woman. If she hadn’t miscarried this time, she would be a mother in a few months. Why does Si Weimin still spoil her like a child?
Even considering any guilt he might feel towards Si Xiaohui, wouldn’t it suffice to arrange a job for them both and allow them to be self-reliant?
She didn’t just mean for the niece alone, even one’s own children usually move out and start their own households after marriage, right? Stand independently?
Tong Yao was surprised and remarked: "Auntie, you truly are one of the few women I have met who possesses such logical clarity and can see the essence of things."
No doubt the key to this issue is Si Weimin. However, Be that as it may, the current hardship is a result of his actions. The only one to be pitied is Yuan Caizhen.
There were things Tong Yao couldn’t say openly, so she had to pretend not to know.
Yuan Caizhen gave a bitter smile, "If I were a few years younger, I might blame others. But now that I am older, I see things more clearly. If Xiaohui and Song Yu don’t move out, I won’t return with my son. Even if my uncle comes to fetch me, I won’t go back. Let him cater to Xiaohui and Song Yu, see if he can bear with it."
Even though Yuan Caizhen was not at home, she was quite certain that her husband would not be able to manage Si Xiaohui and her husband well, nor did he have the patience for it. Over these years her husband has been a small boss, living a comfortable life. Since she stopped working after giving birth and devoted herself to the home, he had grown accustomed to this lifestyle.
Now, with no one to take care of his daily needs and having to look after others himself, how could he possibly adapt?
He surely wouldn’t be able to bear it for long.
"Auntie, the more I talk to you, the more I like you." Tong Yao’s eyes sparkled like stars, likening her to a crafty little fox.
"I had no choice. If I didn’t start retaliating, I would be driven insane by Xiaohui and Song Yu." Yuan Caizhen disliked speaking ill of people behind their backs, but she had to vent up bitterness or she would feel suffocated. "The living habits of Xiaohui and Song Yu are just too bad. Hygiene is entirely unimportant to them, they throw their used tissues anywhere, even on the wall. They eat and go to the toilet without washing their hands, and often insult me in front of my child. Yaoyao, which woman can bear this?"
Tong Yao was about to respond when she heard footsteps approaching from behind. She turned around and saw Si Chen coming over. Yuan Caizhen, seeing Si Chen’s arrival, felt awkward and a bit embarrassed. She wasn’t sure whether Si Chen had heard their conversation. As she wasn’t quite familiar with him yet, and he was Si Xiaohui’s biological brother, Yuan Caizhen’s face turned red with guilt.
"Xiaochen, I....."
Yuan Caizhen sat anxiously on the sofa, wanting to explain, but she was at a loss for words. Given how blunt she had been just now, what else could she say?
She was afraid that Si Chen might think she was picking on Si Xiaohui, although she was indeed a little annoyed at her.
Seeing that she was uncomfortable, Tong Yao quickly broke the silence and said, "Why are you out here? Weren’t you chatting with dad inside?"
Si Chen responded lightly: "Dad wants to check out the milk tea shop."
Thinking Si Chen was hinting for her to leave, Yuan Caizhen awkwardly stood up and said, "My parents should be coming back soon. Yaoyao, Xiaochen, I’d better go now."
"Xiaohui has been spoiled rotten and has a difficult temper. You don’t have to indulge her tantrums."
Si Chen suddenly uttered this out of the blue. Though his words were few, they eased Yuan Caizhen’s mind a lot as they confirmed that Si Chen, just like her, understood the situation.
The couple indeed spoke alike.
Tong Yao had found a good man. With a husband like Si Chen, even if Tong Yao was somewhat submissive, she would never be aggrieved.
In a moment of gratefulness, Yuan Caizhen’s eyes became moist as she said: "Xiaochen, thank you. Hearing your words, I feel so much better. Yaoyao has found the right person."
Knowing that Si Chen wasn’t fond of too much idle chatter, Tong Yao interrupted and said, "Auntie, whenever you have something on your mind, come talk it over with me. Don’t let it affect you. About Xiaohui, Ahchen and I have talked about before. He is aware of Xiaohui’s temperament and won’t blame you."
Yuan Caizhen nodded with gratitude, understanding they both had to go. She did not want to delay them. She said her goodbyes to Wen Yun in the kitchen and then took her child back to her parent’s house.
If Si Weimin doesn’t have Xiaohui move out, she won’t return. It wasn’t just empty talk. She can’t bear living under the same roof with Si Xiaohui any longer. Her son has grown big and is now aware of the differentiation between boys and girls, it is inappropriate for him to continue sleeping with her.
She has made efforts to take care of Si Xiaohui for so long without her husband understanding. Now, it’s time for him to experience it for himself.
Tong Yao is right, whoever feels pity for Xiaohui can care for her. But they should not try to manipulate others morally. After all, Xiaohui isn’t her niece.
*
With the mistress not at home, only Si Weimin and his niece’s family were left. Because Si Xiaohui was recuperating and couldn’t cook, and Song Yu had never cooked before, the task of preparing meals naturally fell onto Si Weimin, who hadn’t cooked in years. The result was what one might expect. Even though it wasn’t entirely inedible, it was far from delicious.
Si Xiaohui had developed a fussy palate during this time. Finding the flavourless food a bit hard to swallow, she barely took a few bites before angrily dropping her chopsticks on the table and complaining that the food was too awful.
"Uncle, I need to recover now. How am I supposed to eat this? Can’t we eat out instead? I can’t possibly stomach the food you’ve prepared."
Si Weimin frowned, but didn’t lose his temper. He advised patiently: "I haven’t cooked in years, so my culinary skills aren’t the best. Please just bear with it for this meal. I’ll fetch your aunt back this evening."
Song Yu quickly chimed in, "Xiaohui, don’t be so picky. I think the food uncle prepared is quite good."
They had already made his aunt mad enough to leave, Song Yu was quite worried. He found Si Xiaohui’s behaviour increasingly unreasonable, so much that even he was having difficulties tolerating it. His aunt was the head woman of the household, and Xiaohui’s unappreciative behaviour could offend her uncle. What if he got angry and kicked them out? Xiaohui was practically courting disaster.
Although they still had some of the money they had asked from the uncle, all totalled up, it was only a little over a hundred yuan. In a city like Kyoto, this wouldn’t last long.
Si Xiaohui tilted her chin up, ignored what Song Yu had said, and looked at Si Weimin displeasingly, "Uncle, I’ve only enjoyed half a day of comfortable life before you plan to bring her back. If she loves being at her mum’s, just let her be. Once she’s had enough, she’ll come back on her own. We don’t need her returning to cause a ruckus and running back to her mum every few days."
