Gao Cheng.
Single, sharp-tongued, and loved teasing children.
Watching Lu Xiaoliang wailing, he said with a laugh, “Stop crying first, or the birds might peck your teeth away.”
Lu Xiaoliang ignored him.
Gao Cheng pinched Lu Xiaoliang’s nose and said, “Your snot is dripping into your mouth. Quick, taste if it’s salty or bland.”
Lu Xiaoliang shoved Gao Cheng away.
Crying, he went looking for Lu Baiyang.
Though Gao Cheng enjoyed teasing children, he wasn’t entirely heartless.
He suddenly swooped in from behind Lu Xiaoliang, lifting him up, “I’ll take you to find your dad.”
Lu Baiyang had just finished a meeting.
He was coming down the stairs.
From afar, he spotted Lu Xiaoliang perched on Gao Cheng’s shoulders and walked over, “What’s wrong?”
Lu Xiaoliang said hoarsely, “The new wife you brought home sold Yuanbao.”
Hearing this.
Lu Baiyang didn’t know whether to laugh or cry, “How do you know she sold Yuanbao?”
Lu Xiaoliang wiped his tears and said, “I came home after having porridge at the instructor’s place and didn’t see Yuanbao or that bad woman. I asked the guard, and he said he saw Yuanbao being taken away by her. It’s been so long, Yuanbao must have been sold.”
Gao Cheng, ever the troublemaker, added, “Look at you, are you a glutton? All you do is drink porridge, and you didn’t even notice your sister was missing. It’s been so long—Yuanbao has probably been sold to the countryside by traffickers. It’s over.”
Lu Xiaoliang’s sorrow welled up.
Tears streamed down.
Lu Baiyang shot Gao Cheng a look, “Looking for trouble?”
Gao Cheng rubbed his nose, cleared his throat softly, and said, “You’d better go look for her. Maybe she hasn’t left Nancheng yet.”
Lu Xiaoliang’s eyes were red, “Dad, let’s call the police.”
Lu Baiyang hoisted Lu Xiaoliang up and promised, “I guarantee you, Aunt Nan will bring Yuanbao back before evening.”
Lu Xiaoliang didn’t believe him.
Lu Baiyang led Lu Xiaoliang toward the Military Compound.
Along the way, the father and son exchanged a few words.
Lu Baiyang said, “I don’t want to hear you call Aunt Nan a bad woman. It’s ill-mannered, Lu Xiaoliang, understand?”
Lu Xiaoliang grunted in reluctant agreement.
Lu Baiyang continued, “Aunt Nan isn’t used to taking care of children. If something she does upsets you, you can tell me instead of blaming her. Willingly looking after you and your sister is already a kindness she’s showing us.”
Lu Xiaoliang grunted again.
Lu Baiyang thought for a moment.
Finally, he said, “From now on, with Aunt Nan at home, you shouldn’t go to the instructor’s place to mooch meals so often.”
Lu Xiaoliang said hoarsely, “What if her cooking is terrible?”
Lu Baiyang replied, “You can politely point out why it’s bad—whether it’s too salty or too bland—but you can’t throw down your chopsticks and leave, and you can’t mock Aunt Nan.”
Listening to all this.
Lu Xiaoliang felt somewhat hopeless.
His dad was being too good to that woman.
Could he still drive her away?
Lu Xiaoliang muttered, “Dad, is that bad… Aunt Nan going to live with us forever?”
Lu Baiyang paused slightly.
He lowered his gaze.
A sharp glint hidden with a hint of ferocity, his voice distant, he said, “No, she’ll stay with us for two years.”
Lu Xiaoliang’s eyes suddenly lit up.
Two years?
As the father and son talked, they arrived home.
Lu Xiaoliang looked curiously at the open door.
He scratched the back of his head and said in puzzlement, “That’s strange. I clearly locked the door when I left.”
Lu Baiyang stepped inside.
Yuanbao walked out from the room wearing new clothes.
Seeing her brother and father, her eyes instantly lit up.
She rushed over on her short little legs.
Coming to an abrupt stop in front of her father with her tiny feet, she stood perkily before Lu Baiyang.
Her small hands tugged at the corners of her clothes.
Afraid that others might not notice her new outfit.
Lu Xiaoliang asked, “Yuanbao, where have you been?”
Yuanbao couldn’t speak.
Unable to answer her brother, she could only keep tugging at her new clothes.
Lu Xiaoliang asked again, “Where did you get these new clothes? Who bought them for you? Didn’t I tell you not to casually accept things from others?”
Yuanbao quickly pointed toward the room.
Nan Qingqing stepped over the threshold.
Standing at the doorway.
She tilted her head and squinted as she asked, “Does Yuanbao’s outfit look nice?”
Lu Baiyang instinctively replied: “It does.”
Nan Qingqing lifted her head proudly and said, “I bought it.”
Lu Xiaoliang was stunned: “…”
Lu Baiyang’s lips curved slightly.
He stepped forward.
His gaze burning as he stared at Nan Qingqing, he said, “Here’s one hundred yuan.”
Lu Baiyang gave Nan Qingqing all his savings.
He continued, “Xiaoliang’s shoes are worn out. If you have time tomorrow, could you take him to buy a new pair?”
Nan Qingqing: “No.”
Lu Xiaoliang: “I don’t want it either.”
After speaking.
Lu Xiaoliang looked down at the new shoes on his sister’s feet – little red leather shoes with bow-tie laces, so beautiful.
He pressed his lips together.
Lu Baiyang frowned.
He asked Nan Qingqing quietly, “Why?”
Nan Qingqing said, “He doesn’t respect me, and I don’t like children who tell lies either. Whoever he’s close with can buy them for him.”
Lu Xiaoliang said loudly, “Dad, I don’t want her to buy them. The day after tomorrow is Saturday, I’ll ask Aunt Meizhi to take me shopping.”
Lu Baiyang disagreed, “Aunt Meizhi is an outsider.”
Lu Xiaoliang argued loudly, “Aunt Meizhi isn’t an outsider! Besides you and Yuanbao, Aunt Meizhi is the person closest to me.”
Nan Qingqing shrugged and didn’t say anything more.
Lu Xiaoliang said indignantly, “Dad, you can’t talk about Aunt Meizhi like that. Aunt Meizhi always helps me wash my clothes too.”
Wash clothes…
Those three words triggered something.
Nan Qingqing turned around and asked, “Can’t you wash your own clothes?”
Lu Xiaoliang retorted immediately, “Don’t talk nonsense! Of course I can wash clothes. I wash all of Yuanbao’s clothes! If you don’t believe me, you can ask Yuanbao!”
Yuanbao stood beside her brother.
Nodding vigorously.
Yes.
Her little clothes were all washed by her brother. Her brother worked very hard.
Nan Qingqing suddenly understood everything.
No wonder Lu Xiaoliang’s clothes looked so much cleaner than Yuanbao’s.
So Lu Xiaoliang’s clothes were washed by Song Meizhi.
Why did Song Meizhi only wash Lu Xiaoliang’s clothes but never Yuanbao’s?
Because Lu Xiaoliang could talk.
He could spread news of her laundry assistance throughout the entire Military Compound.
While Yuanbao couldn’t speak.
Nan Qingqing snorted with a laugh.
So this morning, when Song Meizhi brought Lu Xiaoliang to confront her, it wasn’t necessarily that Lu Xiaoliang had lied to Song Meizhi.
Perhaps…
Someone had deliberately stirred the pot.
She had just arrived.
She held no grudge against Song Meizhi.
The only plausible explanation…
Nan Qingqing’s gaze fell upon Lu Baiyang.