NOVPUB
Chapter 501: Chapter 491: That’s Just Her Bad Luck
Having had nearly a month of fun, it wasn’t until just before the start of school that Shen Yunfang bought train tickets and sent the children on their way home.
With both heavy and light luggage in hand, the children looked at their second aunt with teary eyes, "Second Aunt, can we come to play again during the winter break?"
"Of course, go back and tell your parents. Second Aunt will still need your parents’ help this year. If they are not busy, come over as soon as you have your winter break," Shen Yunfang readily agreed, already contemplating what she should do this year. She certainly had to sell couplets, even though she might not earn as much as last year, but she had blazed the trail and it was easier for them to do this now. The money was there for the taking. "Be careful on your way, and remember what Second Aunt told you. Don’t talk to strangers and don’t eat any food or water given by strangers. You three siblings must stick together at all times, do you hear me?"
Shitou and his siblings nodded hastily. The unique safety education class their aunt had given them included those dreadful accounts of teenagers who got kidnapped, with boys sold to black coal kilns to toil until death, and girls sold off to the mountains to become child brides. The siblings were all spooked after hearing these stories and became extra vigilant for their journey home.
"Don’t be too nervous though. If you really do encounter any bad people, go find the train attendants. Second Aunt has bought you sleeper berths, so it should be hard for the bad people to get in there," Shen Yunfang saw the little eyes of the children widen in round fear, worried she might scare them too much, she quickly offered some reassurance, "After you get home, have your father send a telegram over here."
"Got it, Second Aunt. We’re off then," Shitou saw the train had already arrived at the platform, quickly bid farewell to the second aunt, slung the bags over his shoulder, grabbed a brother with one hand and a sister with the other, thinking to himself that he must ensure his younger siblings’ safety at all costs.
"Alright, be safe and don’t skimp on the train, eat and drink what you should, do you hear me? And don’t keep the food in your bags for too long. The carriage is even hotter than outside, eat up the food you brought first," Shen Yunfang thought of another issue and immediately continued to instruct them, "If the food goes bad, you must not eat it, you know. Eating the wrong thing could be life-threatening."
She was afraid these kids were too accustomed to being frugal, not wanting to eat up their food, letting it all spoil, and then out of reluctance to throw it away, consuming it all, which would be tragic if food poisoning occurred on the train. That could indeed be life-threatening.
Upon hearing her aunt’s words, Jiajia quickly discarded the thought she had been entertaining. She had indeed been thinking of eating less to save some tasty food to take home for her parents. While they had been having a good time at their aunt’s, her parents surely were just making do at home.
Daughters are indeed more considerate than sons, always thinking of their parents.
"Alright, Aunt will see you onto the train," Shen Yunfang felt she had given enough warnings. Seeing that the line for boarding the train had significantly shortened, she hurried to pick up the remaining bags and helped the children onto the train.
She found bunk spots for the children, settled their luggage, and even greeted the surrounding passengers before finally disembarking at the urging of the train attendant.
"Have a smooth journey, and remember to be safe!" Shen Yunfang stood on the platform, waving at the few little heads sticking out of the train. n𝚘𝚟𝚙u𝚋.co𝚖
"Aunt, you can go back now. We’ll send a telegram once we get there."
Not until the train’s shadow vanished from sight did she start walking home.
"What happened this time? She didn’t bump or hit anything, so why couldn’t she keep it?" Qiu Shuping stood in front of the ward with a look of someone ready to settle scores.
"Mom, keep your voice down, Xiaolan is still crying inside. It’s not like she wanted this." Li Hongqi squatted by the wall, also frowning deeply.
"What’s the matter, she deserves praise? I can’t speak because she’s inside crying? Cry? What face does she have to cry? She married into our family for so long, causing us to lose two of the Li Family’s children. I tell you, it’s her barren land." Qiu Shuping glanced sideways at the door to the ward, though her voice involuntarily softened.
"Mom, please stop talking, okay?" Li Hongqi wiped his face, feeling truly distressed these past few months. His wife was not satisfied, and his mother was not considerate, making his life unbearable.
"Hmph, you think I like talking? If it weren’t for your precious wife who blames me for losing her child last time, you tell me how could she complain about me when I am hundreds of yards away? You tell me, isn’t your mother wronged?" Qiu Shuping really felt she was being framed this time, even her old man said privately that the daughter-in-law was unreasonable.
"Mom, Xiaolan isn’t blaming you. She just said that if we could buy a house in town, she wouldn’t have to travel back and forth to the countryside with me, and then we wouldn’t have lost our first child." Li Hongqi tried to mediate the relationship between his wife and his mother. They had been at odds just over half a year after getting married, and it certainly wouldn’t get any better.
"That’s just nonsense. Son, don’t be misled by your wife’s foolish talk. Other women still work in the fields while pregnant. Some even give birth in the fields. Why is she so precious, coddling her pregnancy like a lord, refusing to do any work, expecting me as her mother-in-law to wait on her, the daughter-in-law? Is she not guilty? Riding a bicycle, she’s all jittery, and in the end, she lost the baby herself, yet she blames everyone. She even blamed you for not riding the bike properly. Son, you can’t spoil your wife like this; if you keep indulging her, she’ll end up shitting on your head." Qiu Shuping grumbled her complaints and continued to earnestly advise her son to be tougher and show some masculinity.
"Mom, let’s talk about this later. Xiaolan has just lost another child; she’s anxious. Go easy on her when you’re inside, don’t act like her." Li Hongqi sighed inwardly, knowing that his father-in-law was his direct boss, preventing him from standing up to his wife.
"When have I ever acted like her? It’s always behind her back that I mutter." Qiu Shuping murmured softly, "Now I see, you didn’t marry a wife but a money pit. She’s married into our family for only half a year and has been to the hospital twice, costing me a hundred yuan." Thinking of the money made Qiu Shuping’s heart ache. With the daughter-in-law in the hospital and no money, she had to swallow her pride and borrow again the money she had just repaid, bringing the debt back up to two hundred and fifty.
"Son, when you have time, hint to your wife and see if her family can contribute to the medical expenses or something. After all, she is their daughter too. It wouldn’t be right if her own father doesn’t chip in a penny for his daughter’s hospital stay," Qiu Shuping started nagging again.
"Okay, I’ll mention it when there’s a chance. Let’s hurry up and go inside." Li Hongqi replied in a perfunctory manner, "Mom, please restrain your temper when you’re inside. Xiaolan is in a bad mood; don’t stoop to her level. And as for my mother-in-law, she must be upset about Xiaolan, so if she says anything unpleasant, just pretend you didn’t hear it, and don’t start arguing with her." Li Hongqi admonished once more.
"Alright, alright, I get it. When have I ever quarreled with your wife?" Qiu Shuping pouted, knowing she’d indulge no one if it weren’t for the sake of her youngest son’s future.
