In the past, whenever such scenes played out, she hadn’t found anything amiss. In her view, Grandma’s house was also her own home, and her aunt’s family were guests. It was only natural to treat them politely.
Jiang Qingning’s perspective wasn’t surprising—before starting kindergarten, she had lived with the Su family.
After she was born, Su Guiying returned to work once her maternity leave ended. Both she and her husband were frontline factory workers and couldn’t bring their child to work, so they had to leave Jiang Qingning at home.
Granny Su felt that the Jiang family’s home was too crowded and small, making it unsuitable for a child. Coincidentally, her grandson Xiao Jie had started kindergarten by then, so she had the time to care for Jiang Qingning. She brought her over to the Su household, which also made it convenient for Su Guiying to return after work to breastfeed.
Jiang Qingning stayed until she started kindergarten, and during that time, Granny Su developed a deep affection for her granddaughter. Coupled with Jiang Qingning’s sweet nature and adorable appearance since childhood, Granny Su doted on her even more.
Even after moving out for kindergarten, Jiang Qingning continued to visit frequently. After all, the two families lived in the same factory compound—just a short walk away. Su Guiying and her husband also made it a point to come over for a meal almost every week.
So, in Jiang Qingning’s heart, Grandma’s house was her home.
As for her aunt’s family, they only visited during holidays, a handful of times a year. Naturally, they were guests.
But today—just moments ago—she had learned about the content of that book, understood her family’s role as foils, and seeing her aunt and uncle sitting comfortably while her own parents cooked and served the meal, she suddenly felt a surge of resentment.
Hmph! My parents come back to their maternal home and work nonstop, while the protagonists come back and just sit around enjoying themselves.
While Jiang Qingning brooded internally, Su Yuanjie was busy squabbling with the twins.
“No changing the channel! What do you two little brats even understand? Wait till you’re older,” Su Yuanjie declared bossily.
Twin sister Lu Manman retorted in a high-pitched voice, “You’re the older brother! You should let us watch.”
Her brother Lu Xiuyuan chimed in, “Yeah, the older should give way to the younger.”
Su Yuanjie wasn’t having it. “This is my family’s TV. I decide what we watch.”
Lu Manman huffed, “What’s so great about your black-and-white TV? Ours is bigger and it’s color!”
Lu Xiuyuan nodded. “Yeah, Dad bought it in Japan.”
Su Yuanjie shot back, “Oh, a big color TV is so special, huh? Then go home and watch it!”
Lu Manman jumped up from the sofa. “Fine, we will! I don’t even like it here anyway. Your house is so small. Hmph!”
Lu Xiuyuan stood up too. “Yeah, our house is way bigger. Hmph! We won’t let you ride in our car. We’re driving home!”
“Oh, a car is so special? Qingning and I are going skating tomorrow—without you!” Su Yuanjie said, glancing at Jiang Qingning to signal for backup, only to find her staring blankly at the floor.
The twins had been pampered by everyone around them since they were little. The only times they felt slighted were during visits to their grandmother’s house, where their older cousins often teased them. That’s why they disliked coming here the most.
“Daddy, I don’t want to stay here anymore. I want to go home!” Lu Manman ran over to Lu Tingchen, who was drinking at the table.
Lu Xiuyuan followed, shouting, “Me too! Cousin bullied us!”
Ye Yunxia hurriedly intervened, “Oh dear, your big brother was just joking with you!” She turned and glared at her son standing by the sofa. “Xiao Jie, come here and play with your cousins! They rarely visit. You’re all family—as the older ones, you should give way to the younger ones.”
Su Yuanjie snorted. “They want to watch color TV. We don’t have a color TV here—they’re looking down on our house!”
Su Guilin also shot his son a stern look. “Su Yuanjie, do you want a spanking? You’re old enough to know better.”
Lu Tingchen slowly set down his wine glass. Ignoring the children’s squabble, he smiled instead. “The TV at home has indeed been used for quite a while. A friend and I recently brought back a few color televisions from Japan. I specially saved one, originally planning to give it to Mom next month for her birthday. But how about this—tomorrow, I’ll have someone bring it over. Consider it a New Year’s gift for Mom and Dad.”
Ye Yunxia’s eyebrows shot up. “Oh, a Japanese TV, and a color one at that! That must’ve cost a pretty penny, right?”
Lu Tingchen smiled lightly. “It wasn’t too expensive.” He bent down and spoke gently to his daughter, “Next time you visit Grandma’s house, you can watch color TV too. Be good now—take your brother and go sit on the sofa. Daddy will take you both to KFC this afternoon.”
Lu Manman nodded. “Okay, fine.”
The children returned to the sofa, where small bowls and a few plates of specially dished-out food were arranged on the coffee table for them.
“You’re really such a scaredy-cat, aren’t you? It was just one firecracker, and you’re still spacing out?” Su Yuanjie whispered to Jiang Qingning as he sat beside her. “And you didn’t even speak up—left me alone to deal with both of them.”
Having grown up in her grandmother’s house, Jiang Qingning and her cousin often roughhoused, but their bond was strong—practically as close as real siblings.
“Didn’t you want to ride in the car?” Jiang Qingning leaned in and whispered back. “If you offend the twins, will you still get to ride?”
Su Yuanjie pouted. “Hmph, like I said earlier—I don’t even want to ride in it. When I grow up, I’ll earn my own money and buy my own car. Then I won’t let them ride in it either.”
Jiang Qingning remembered from the novel that this cousin of hers ended up owing money to the protagonist’s family as an adult.
“Alright, that’s the spirit,” she said, patting his shoulder reassuringly. “You’ll definitely get to ride in a car.”
Now that she knew the story’s plot, she was determined to change the course of future events.
Noticing their whispered conversation, Lu Manman pouted. “Qingning jiejie, why do you only talk to Cousin and not to us?”
Jiang Qingning looked at the tiny version of her future foil, whom she had always seen as just a clueless little kid.
Sigh. Who would have thought that this kid, who used to get fooled by me all the time, would one day make me look so pathetic in comparison?
Wait—that didn’t seem right. Jiang Qingning had a pretty high opinion of herself. She felt she was much smarter than these twins. Could the foolish and clumsy person described in the book really be her?
Definitely not!
“Hmph, you’re all in this together. I’m not talking to you either!” Lu Manman huffed when Jiang Qingning ignored her, picking up her bowl and scooting farther away.
Jiang Qingning watched her bury her face in her rice bowl. She opened her mouth to say something but ultimately held back.
After what felt like forever, the meal finally ended, and it was time for the cake.
“Kids, come over here—time to cut the cake!” Granny Su cheerfully called the children away from the TV. “Today is Qingning’s birthday. I specially asked her uncle to order a double-layer cake yesterday.”
Su Guilin stuck the candles that came with the cake into the frosting. “Qingning is turning seven this year, so we’ll put seven candles.”
“Kids these days are really particular about birthdays,” Grandpa Su chuckled, pulling out a matchbox to light the candles.
Jiang Qingning closed her eyes and made a wish: I hope I can continue living a carefree, laid-back life in this lifetime too.
After making her wish, she leaned forward and blew out the candles.
Beside her, Lu Manman leaned in as if to blow them too, but Su Guihua gently pulled her back, explaining softly, “Today is your older cousin’s birthday. You can blow out your own candles on your birthday.”
“Then I want lots and lots of candles, and a really big cake—even bigger than this one!”
“Okay,” Su Guihua said with a smile, gently smoothing her daughter’s hair.
Once the candles were out, Granny Su started cutting the cake, giving everyone a slice.
Jiang Qingning took a bite of the plant-based cream cake she would have turned her nose up at in her past life, savoring it with closed eyes. In this era, this was already a delicious treat.
“Mommy, this cake isn’t as tasty as the one I had at Cousin’s house,” Lu Manman’s voice piped up beside her.
Granny Su chuckled. “Sweetie, you probably just ate too much at dinner. Of course, the cake won’t taste as good on a full stomach.”
But Lu Manman insisted, “This one really isn’t as good as Cousin’s.”
Ye Yunxia chimed in, “Manman’s cousin… if I remember correctly, she just returned from Hong Kong, right?”
Su Guihua nodded. “Yes, you have a good memory, Sister-in-law.”
“I’ve seen her a few times,” Ye Yunxia said with a smile. “Once at your wedding, and again at Manman and Xiuyuan’s full-month celebration. My, she really lives up to being from Hong Kong—dressed so fashionably. I heard her clothes are all styles from foreign magazines.”
“I wouldn’t know about that,” Su Guihua replied before turning to her daughter. “If you don’t want it, just put it down.”
“Hmm, I can still finish it,” Lu Manman said, scooping up the cake just as quickly as everyone else.
Ye Yunxia laughed. “Manman is good about that—not picky at all. Whether it’s fancy or simple, she doesn’t waste a thing.”
Granny Su remarked, “I haven’t tried cakes from Hong Kong, but I think the ones here in Beijing are just fine. It’s a shop run by someone we know—so we can eat with peace of mind.”
Ye Yunxia felt a bit snubbed, unsure why she had upset her mother-in-law again, and grumbled inwardly.
Grandpa Su finished his cake in a few bites. “Ah, this stuff is tasty, but it’s just too sweet. At my age, I can’t handle so much sugar. Lifeng, could you brew me a pot of tea to cut the richness?”
Jiang Lifeng smiled and agreed, then went to the cabinet to fetch the tea leaves with practiced ease.
Not long after the cake was finished, Auntie’s family hurried off. Uncle tried to persuade them to stay, but Uncle-in-law said they had to rush to the airport to pick up a friend, so they let them go.
The family of four got into their small car and slowly drove away from the narrow alley, attracting a crowd of curious children who chased after the vehicle.
Ye Yunxia looked at her son, thinking he was disappointed about not getting to ride in the car, and comforted him, “In a couple of days, when you go to wish your aunt and uncle a happy New Year, your uncle said he’d take you all to Badaling for a drive.”
Su Yuanjie lifted his chin. “Hmph, who cares?” he retorted before darting off.
“This kid, so ungrateful,” Ye Yunxia sighed, shaking her head helplessly.
Once the house was tidied up, Su Guiying and Jiang Lifeng prepared to leave with their daughter.
Granny Su tried to persuade them to stay for dinner. “There’s so much leftover from lunch—no need to go home and cook all over again. Don’t go to the trouble.”
Su Guiying shook her head. “We’re going to Qingning’s paternal grandparents’ house for dinner tonight. We already agreed—they want to celebrate Qingning’s birthday too.”
They had arrived with bags full of gifts, and they left with just as many—all birthday presents for Jiang Qingning.
Besides discreetly giving her red envelopes, her grandparents had also given her birthday gifts. Grandma had knitted her a soft, pretty red wool hat, and Grandpa had given her a pair of red wool gloves—clearly knitted by Grandma to match the hat.
Uncle and Auntie had gifted her a pair of sneakers—white Warrior shoes. Auntie had specifically emphasized they cost over twenty yuan.
Aunt and Uncle-in-law had given her a large doll, packaged in a transparent box, which Uncle-in-law said he brought back from a business trip abroad.
Lu Manman had even added, “I have several dolls like this.”
In her past life, Jiang Qingning had also bought dolls from this brand. Given her family’s current income level, it was practically a luxury item.
“Qingning, what’s wrong? Are you unhappy today?”
Su Guiying noticed her daughter’s downcast expression and sensed something was off.
“Do you not want to leave Grandma’s house? I can bring you back to play tomorrow,” Jiang Lifeng added with concern.
Jiang Qingning shook her head. “It’s nothing. I’m just a little tired.”
Jiang Lifeng smiled. “You woke up early today. Here, let Daddy carry you. You can sleep in my arms.”
Resting her head against Jiang Lifeng’s broad chest, Jiang Qingning turned to look at Su Guiying, who was walking beside them. Meeting her daughter’s gaze, Su Guiying gave a gentle smile. “We’ll be home soon. Just hang in there a little longer.”
Jiang Qingning softly replied, “Mm.”