After they finished buying groceries and came back, Tang Huan was still studying beneath the grape trellis. She held a pen in her hand and lay over the table writing seriously.
Seeing how focused Tang Huan was, Xing Cui casually sighed, “How can this child stay at home studying all day? She still needs to go to school and listen to the teachers lecture. Later, I’ll have your dad ask your Uncle Xu if Xiao Huan can repeat the year at their school.”
Meng Zeyan, who had been walking behind her, heard every word clearly. He glanced toward the small figure sitting beneath the grape trellis, then returned to the house through the other side.
That evening, when Meng Qinghe got home from work, he only then learned that his eldest son had returned. Happily, he took out a small bottle of baijiu and wanted to drink a few cups with him.
Tang Huan sat beside her mother-in-law while eating, but the smell of alcohol kept drifting toward her.
There was an indescribable fragrance to it, strangely enticing. She had never tasted it before.
A small cup was placed in front of both her father-in-law and eldest brother-in-law, but neither she nor her mother-in-law had one. It was obvious they did not intend for the women to drink…
Even though she had never tasted it, why did she suddenly crave it a little?
She wanted to drink, but did not dare ask…
Tang Huan quietly ate while listening to her father-in-law and eldest brother-in-law chat.
The shrimp was delicious, but it needed peeling, and she did not like peeling shrimp.
The fish was good too, coated in a savory sauce.
“Oh right, Zeyan, these next few days go visit your Uncle Xu and ask whether Tang Huan can attend their school to repeat the year,” Meng Qinghe said. He had not discussed it with his wife beforehand, yet the couple surprisingly shared the exact same thought.
Meng Zeyan lifted his eyes toward Xing Cui. His mother had only mentioned this that afternoon. Hadn’t she said Old Meng would handle it?
How had it become his responsibility in such a short time?
When Xing Cui noticed Meng Zeyan’s look, she could not understand it at all. “Why are you looking at me? Your dad told you to go, so just go~”
When her father-in-law brought up the matter, Tang Huan still had food in her mouth. After swallowing quickly, she hurried to stop them. “Dad, Mom, there’s no need. I… I’ll ask myself after a while.”
She had only planned to study at home first, then look for a school next semester so she could minimize contact with people.
“Where are you going to ask? You’re unfamiliar with this area. Let your brother go! They both grew up attending school around here.” Xing Cui made the final decision with one sentence, leaving Meng Zeyan no chance to refuse.
She had started secretly picking at her clothes again. Meng Zeyan shifted his gaze away and continued eating. “I’ll go ask tomorrow.”
The elderly couple was satisfied, but Tang Huan suddenly lost her appetite.
She felt like she was troubling others too much.
She could tell that her eldest brother-in-law had originally intended to refuse.
No one brought the matter up again, and Tang Huan no longer had the courage to refuse either.
Tang Huan had thought he would only ask around, and that it might take some time before there were results. She never expected that the very next morning, just after she got up and went outside to wash up, her eldest brother-in-law would already be returning from outside.
She was squatting beside the little vegetable garden brushing her teeth, her mouth full of foam.
Meng Zeyan had originally planned to tell his mother first and let her pass the message along to Tang Huan. Unexpectedly, it was such a coincidence that she happened to be squatting in the courtyard.
She was so slender and tiny, and today she was even wearing white clothes. Squatting there, she looked just like a little mushroom.
No matter how he looked at her, she resembled a child. No wonder Comrade Xing Cui treated her like one.
Since they had already run into each other, Meng Zeyan simply spoke to her directly. He walked over to the opposite side of the vegetable garden where Tang Huan was squatting.
“Pack your things. I’ll take you to school this afternoon.”
Tang Huan squatted there and stared at him blankly. She did not know whether to hold or lower the toothbrush in her hand. She had not even finished brushing her teeth yet! How was she supposed to talk?
Why was she going to school this afternoon already?
Did things really need to move this efficiently?!
Holding the rinsing cup, she quickly rinsed her mouth and spat out the foam.
Now she could speak, yet Tang Huan suddenly did not know what to say. After a long pause, she weakly forced out two words.
“Oh… okay.”
Without saying anything more, Meng Zeyan smiled faintly and turned to leave.
Tang Huan remained squatting there, silently stuffing the toothbrush back into her mouth and carefully brushing every corner again.
Her mind began wandering wildly.
What should she pay attention to when going to school?
How had she suddenly ended up going to school?
She was not ready yet…
Tang Huan’s experience in high school during her previous life had not been pleasant.
Her classmates would not speak to her. They even avoided her when passing by.
Sometimes she would spend too long hospitalized because of illness, and when she returned to class, even her desk would be gone.
She had no friends, no parents, and her only older brother had to stay busy earning money to keep her alive.
After brushing her teeth, Tang Huan returned to her room and opened the wardrobe. Standing on tiptoe, she felt around the very top shelf and pulled down a small tin box.
Inside the tin box was a little red hand-sewn pouch that contained all her savings.
Altogether, she had seven hundred and thirty-five yuan.
When she married into the family, Meng Zeyu had given the original owner five hundred yuan as bride price money, while the original owner herself had saved over two hundred yuan.
Since arriving here, Tang Huan had barely spent any money.
Her parents-in-law handled all the household expenses, and sometimes they even secretly stuffed money into her hands.
Normally, eating and drinking for free was already enough.
She absolutely could not let them pay her tuition too.
Tang Huan pulled out a ten-yuan bill and tucked it into her pocket, thinking that she would pay her tuition herself when she went to school that afternoon.
Xing Cui had not expected Meng Zeyan to handle things so efficiently. He was even more capable than her husband. She seized the chance to praise him repeatedly.
After praising her son, she hurried over to remind Tang Huan of things, standing at the doorway of her room while speaking to her.
“Xiao Huan, did you prepare a schoolbag yet? And exercise books and pens?”
Tang Huan was organizing her textbooks. She shook her head. “I’ll organize the books first, then buy them later.”
“Mom will go with you and help you think about what else you need.” Xing Cui could not help wanting to fuss over her more. In her eyes, Tang Huan was simply too obedient. She was skinny and petite, quiet in personality, and seemed completely without a temper.
Tang Huan lifted her eyes and smiled sweetly at her mother-in-law. “Okay, thank you, Mom.”
“What’s there to thank me for?” Xing Cui’s heart softened immediately when she saw Tang Huan smile. This child was just too well-behaved. “Come call me once you finish packing up.”
“Mhm.”
Tang Huan stacked all her textbooks together and counted them once to make sure none were missing. Then she took another five yuan from the cabinet, since buying a schoolbag and stationery would cost money too.
After taking the money, she went to the main house to call her mother-in-law. Like usual, she stepped into the room, only to see Meng Zeyan sitting on the sofa watching television.
Subconsciously, she stepped backward and retreated outside again.
By the time she realized it, she was already standing outside the doorway…
Meng Zeyan raised his eyes toward her. The smile he usually wore was absent, and there was an invisible pressure in his gaze.
Tang Huan turned around and quickly walked down the steps. Standing beneath the grape trellis, she softly called into the house, “Mom, I’m ready.”
Meng Zeyan’s brows furrowed slightly.
Was he really that scary?
Comrade Xing Cui apparently did not hear her. Meng Zeyan stood up, walked over, and knocked on the door.
“Mom, younger brother’s wife is looking for you.”
“Coming~” Xing Cui answered from inside.
After hearing her response, Meng Zeyan walked back and sat on the sofa again, continuing to watch television.
Tang Huan had not heard her mother-in-law’s reply and did not know whether she had heard her or not.
She wanted to call out again, but her eldest brother-in-law was watching television, and it somehow felt inappropriate.
As for walking inside, she had even less courage.
Maybe she should just sit here and wait?
Her mother-in-law would come out eventually.
Less than two minutes later, Xing Cui came out of the house. Tang Huan stood up and said to her, “Mom, I’ve finished packing. Shall we go?”
“Let’s go!” Xing Cui had also finished preparing, and the two of them headed outside together.
To buy a schoolbag and stationery, they had to go to the department store, which was fairly far away. The bus ride would take over ten minutes.
The fare was two cents per person. As soon as they boarded, Xing Cui bought the tickets before Tang Huan had a chance.
There were empty seats on the bus, just not together.
The mother-in-law and daughter-in-law sat separately, one in the front and one in the back.
Xing Cui was talkative. Within moments, she had already started chatting with the older woman sitting beside her.
A female passenger was also seated beside Tang Huan. Her complexion looked pale, and she held her stomach as though she was feeling unwell.
Tang Huan glanced at her, wanting to ask whether she felt sick.
But after trying, she could not bring herself to open her mouth.
Her fingers unconsciously scratched at the seat beneath her. She finally gathered enough courage to ask whether the woman needed help, only for the woman to stand up and get off the bus at her stop.
A while later, the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law reached their stop as well.
The bus stop was right beside the department store.