Chen Xiaolin took another handful of White Rabbit candies out of her pocket and placed them into Shi Tou’s chubby little stone-like hands. She even pinched his plump little cheeks while she was at it.
“Auntie, bad! Pinching my face—ow!” Shi Tou snatched the candy and ran off. That naughty auntie pinched his face too hard, and it hurt.
Chen Xiaolin felt a bit embarrassed. Had she really been too rough and hurt the child’s face?
At the same time, Aunt Chen and Grandma Chen, hearing Chen Xiaolin’s voice, came out of the kitchen.
Seeing Chen Xiaolin, Aunt Chen was also very emotional. She hadn’t seen Xiaolin for many years. In those few years, the little girl she remembered had grown up.
“Xiaolin, do you still remember Aunt?”
“Hello, Aunt! Of course I remember! I still remember the last time I came back, the old hen soup you made was so delicious!” Chen Xiaolin truly missed Aunt’s chicken soup, which was cooked with lots of wild mushrooms. That kind of soup was both fresh and flavorful.
“You little foodie, all you ever think about is food! When I have time, I’ll go up the mountain and catch a wild chicken so Aunt can make soup for you.” Chen Mu (Uncle) affectionately patted Chen Xiaolin’s hair—catching a wild chicken would have to happen soon.
“Then don’t drink the chicken soup I made today!” Grandma Chen had specially killed an old hen for Chen Xiaolin and made a pot of soup for her.
“Grandma’s chicken soup is exquisite too! I’ve never had chicken soup this delicious.” Chen Xiaolin knew Grandma was teasing her, so she happily joked back.
“You little flatterer, still so mischievous,” Chen Mu said, noticing that his cousin had improved her skills at giving compliments.
In the meantime, Liu Xiaojuan and Liu Hua, inside their room, had also heard Chen Xiaolin’s voice.
Liu Hua had met Chen Xiaolin once when she first got married, so they recognized each other.
“Big sister-in-law, long time no see! You really look younger and younger!” Liu Hua was doing quite well in the Chen household, even better than she had back in her own family. Her face was rosy, her figure had recovered nicely, and walking out, someone could easily mistake her for a young girl.
“Xiaolin, you’re the one becoming more beautiful,” Liu Hua thought. Girls truly change a lot as they grow up! Five years ago, when she last saw Chen Xiaolin, she was a dark-skinned little girl. Who would have thought she’d grow into such a beauty?
“Hmph! Big sister-in-law, why are you flattering her? A little girl, what use is her being pretty? She used to be a city girl, and now she’s back in the countryside, all humbled. What’s there to be proud of?” Liu Xiaojuan looked at Chen Xiaolin’s fair, radiant face, consumed with jealousy. Why could Chen Xiaolin live so well? Her parents were gone, yet she still had grandparents and uncles doting on her.
“Liu Xiaojuan, shut your mouth!” Aunt Chen, who had been happy to see Liu Hua and Chen Xiaolin get along, now wanted to grab a cloth and stuff Xiaojuan’s mouth.
“Oldest granddaughter-in-law, when Chen Lin comes back, have him send Liu Xiaojuan back to her family. We cannot accept a daughter-in-law like her in the Chen family,” Grandpa Chen, originally in a good mood, was furious at Xiaojuan’s words. His granddaughter came to eat, and what business was it of hers? She had no right to run the household.
“Xiaolin, come on, let’s go inside and sit. The meal is ready, and we’ll start once your uncle comes back,” Grandma Chen pulled Chen Xiaolin along, ignoring Liu Xiaojuan, and went straight inside.
Liu Hua sighed deeply. Her second sister-in-law didn’t know what she was thinking. She clearly knew Grandpa and Grandma, and the elder uncle and aunt doted on this young cousin, yet she couldn’t control her mouth. Today’s situation was going to make her uncomfortable.
Aunt Chen was also angry. She wasn’t even dead yet, and Liu Xiaojuan wanted to take over the household! She realized she had been too easygoing, letting Xiaojuan get more and more brazen.
Hearing Grandpa Chen, Liu Xiaojuan finally became afraid. Although Chen Lin usually spoiled her, if she angered the grandparents, he would certainly send her back to her family.
Chen Xiaolin didn’t take Liu Xiaojuan’s words to heart at all. She was glad she hadn’t planned to eat with the elder uncle’s family, or else the conflict would have been worse.
When Aunt Chen’s husband, the elder uncle, came home, he noticed the awkward atmosphere. “Dad, Mom, what’s going on? Everyone seems unhappy.”
“Ask your second daughter-in-law,” Grandma Chen, a little annoyed with the elder uncle, blamed him for not teaching his son well and letting him marry such a troublemaker.
“Dad, Mom, don’t be angry. I’ll talk to Chen Lin properly when he comes back tonight.” Although the elder uncle didn’t really like Liu Xiaojuan, his son insisted on marrying her, so he had no choice but to agree.
“Grandpa, Grandma, don’t be angry. I don’t care what she says; you don’t need to worry that I’m feeling wronged.” Chen Xiaolin wasn’t someone to easily feel wronged. She had noted Xiaojuan’s antics and planned not to let her get away with it in the future.
“Xiaolin, when your second brother comes back, I’ll have him apologize to you. Who asked him to marry such a wife?” Grandma Chen now regretted agreeing to let Chen Lin marry Liu Xiaojuan, who constantly caused trouble.
“Grandma, don’t be angry. What if it affects your health? I don’t care about these things. She’s not my elder; I don’t rely on her for food. I just treat her words as nonsense.” A trivial person like Liu Xiaojuan wasn’t worth Chen Xiaolin’s attention. She and her second brother didn’t even get along—if needed, she could just pretend he didn’t exist.
“Dad, Mom, just listen to Xiaolin. Don’t be angry. Tonight when Chen Lin comes back, I’ll give him a beating to vent for you,” the elder uncle said, worried about Grandpa and Grandma’s health. They were old; he feared they’d get sick from anger.
“Am I wrong? Why do you have to punish Chen Lin? You’re biased! A little girl doesn’t even deserve this good house, or the chicken and soup,” Liu Xiaojuan, worried Chen Lin might blame her, now could no longer hold back after hearing they planned to scold him. She didn’t believe Chen Lin would give up because of this biased family.
“Shut your mouth! Do you even have a say in this household?” Aunt Chen really wanted to wake up this immature daughter-in-law. What she said was outrageous!
Grandpa and Grandma Chen sighed. It seemed the family might really split. With this second daughter-in-law causing trouble, the siblings’ bonds were already being tested.
The elder uncle also considered the possibility of splitting the household. He realized Liu Xiaojuan disliked Chen Xiaolin. If she stayed in the house, Chen Xiaolin wouldn’t want to visit.