Because Dahe Village was far from the city and the roads were full of ruts, it was already dark by the time Liu Xia arrived home. Niu Chunhua was still in the kitchen making dinner.
She was broad-shouldered from years of hard labor and moved with practiced efficiency. Hearing the noise in the courtyard, she quickly poked her head out.
“Mom, you’re back! I’ve already put the corn cakes on the pan.”
“Good, good. Chunhua, wait a moment before you keep cooking.”
“Grandma!”
Little Lin Ya, her hair tied into tiny pigtails, was wearing clean, well-fitting clothes without a single patch. She had been playing in the yard while keeping an eye on her little brother. The moment she saw Liu Xia, she happily ran over and hugged her grandmother’s leg.
“Grandma, did you bring me candy?”
The clever little girl had overheard her mother saying that Grandma had gone to visit Auntie in the city, where they sold delicious treats. She had been waiting all morning, hoping for sweets.
“You little glutton. All you think about is candy. Your mother told you to watch your brother, and you forgot all about him.”
Laughing, Niu Chunhua wiped her hands and picked up her youngest son, who had been pulling himself up with a stool.
“Of course I did.” Liu Xia wrapped an arm around her granddaughter and pulled a piece of White Rabbit Milk Candy from her pocket.
“Your aunt stuffed two candies into my hand before I left. Your little brother is still too young, so you and your cousin each get one.”
“Thank you, Auntie! Thank you, Grandma!”
Lin Ya’s grape-like eyes lit up instantly. She grabbed the candy but didn’t unwrap it right away. Instead, she carefully tucked it into her pocket.
She planned to share it with her mother later.
Seeing this, the smile on Niu Chunhua’s face froze before slowly fading.
Her sister-in-law had always been the type who would rather stuff every good thing into her own mouth. The fact that she even remembered to buy candy for her niece was surprising enough.
Giving candy to a child was one thing.
But her sister-in-law practically wore her dislike for the cousin next door on her face. Would she really remember to buy candy for her daughter?
No.
This had to be her mother-in-law playing favorites again.
Liu Xia smiled as she patted Lin Ya’s hair before handing the basket to her daughter-in-law.
“Chunhua, there are meat buns and braised pork inside. Heat them up in the kitchen. We’ll eat when Changsheng and his father get back.”
The astonishment on Niu Chunhua’s face deepened.
She quickly set down her son, who was chewing on his fingers, afraid he’d accidentally knock the meat over.
“My goodness, Mom! You spent this much money just going into the city?”
“Are we trying to go broke?”
Meat buns!
Braised pork!
The glossy red pork glistened enticingly. The moment she opened the lunchbox, a rich aroma rushed into her nose.
No wonder she’d thought she smelled meat when her mother-in-law walked in.
It hadn’t been her imagination at all.
Liu Xia walked to the side to wash her hands. Seeing the shocked expression on her daughter-in-law’s face, she straightened her back proudly.
“Xiaoyun bought it all. She said our family should eat something good for a change. Everyone’s busy working the fields lately. Changsheng and his father need proper food if they’re going to have the strength to work.”
“Oh, Little Sister really…”
For the first time, Niu Chunhua didn’t know how to describe her sister-in-law.
“Mom! I smell meat!”
Lin Ya’s little nose was incredibly sharp. She leaned in and took two exaggerated sniffs.
Counting the buns, Niu Chunhua suddenly smiled.
“There are five buns. Your aunt was thinking of you, little girl. When you grow up, you’d better treat your aunt well, understand?”
She gently poked Lin Ya’s nose.
“Mhm! Auntie is the best!”
Lin Ya nodded enthusiastically, showing all her little white teeth.
Liu Xia paused in the middle of washing her hands. Lowering her eyes, she said calmly,
“Lin Ya’s still little. Let her just have some pork. The meat buns were bought by Xiaoyun to nourish the adults.”
Niu Chunhua blinked.
“Mom… there are five buns…”
“The last one is for Xuanxuan.”
After saying that, Liu Xia casually splashed the dirty wash water outside and returned to her room without paying attention to her daughter-in-law’s reaction.
“Mom… don’t I get any meat bun?”
Lin Ya looked back and forth between her grandmother and her mother. Even she could tell her mother wasn’t in a good mood.
She tugged gently on the patched sleeve of Niu Chunhua’s shirt.
Looking at her daughter’s fair little face, Niu Chunhua silently made up her mind.
“Mom, I’m going to heat up the food. Please watch Little Tiger for me.”
Without waiting for a response, she took Lin Ya into the kitchen.
From there, she secretly watched the courtyard. Only after seeing her mother-in-law carry the little boy inside did she finally relax.
Squatting down so she was eye level with her daughter, she pointed at the aluminum lunchbox.
“Sweetheart, do you want to try a meat bun? But the bun is almost as big as your face—you couldn’t finish a whole one. And there’s braised pork too.”
Lin Ya looked from the fluffy white bun to the tempting braised pork. After thinking for a moment, she said,
“Mom… then can you just break off a little piece for me?”
Niu Chunhua laughed.
Her daughter was just too adorable.
She really couldn’t figure out how someone who looked like her had given birth to such a beautiful little girl.
Then again, the Lin family had always been good-looking.
But if her silly daughter only took one bite, the rest would still end up in Lin Xuanxuan’s mouth.
And Niu Chunhua wasn’t about to lose out on a deal like that.
She firmly believed that even if her sister-in-law were standing here, she wouldn’t want the meat bun going to that girl next door.
Leaning close to Lin Ya’s ear, she whispered a few instructions.
Lin Ya looked confused at first. Then she hesitated.
“But… won’t Grandma get angry if we do that?”
Of course she would.
Instead of answering, Niu Chunhua simply asked,
“Would you rather your father eat more, or your cousin?”
Lin Ya pouted as she thought about it.
She didn’t actually dislike her cousin.
But she loved her mother the most.
If Mom didn’t like someone, then neither did she.
Besides…
“Dad!”
She answered without the slightest hesitation.
Satisfied, Niu Chunhua carefully picked up one meat bun and held it to her daughter’s mouth, giving her an encouraging look.
Lin Ya giggled and did exactly as her mother had taught her.
After she finished eating, she wiped her mouth, took the White Rabbit Milk Candy from her pocket, and held it out.
“Mom, let’s split it in half.”
“I’m already a grown-up. I don’t need candy.”
Tilting her little head, Lin Ya said earnestly,
“But Dad said that whenever we have something tasty, we should share it with Mom first.”
“Your father really said that?”
Niu Chunhua’s eyes immediately lit up.
“Of course!”
Lin Ya nodded vigorously, her expression full of sincerity.
“Just hearing you say that makes me happy. You eat the candy yourself.”
Smiling with crescent-shaped eyes, Niu Chunhua gently pinched her daughter’s chubby cheek.
Lin Ya obediently unwrapped the candy and popped it into her mouth.
The rich, creamy sweetness filled her mouth, making the little girl squint happily with satisfaction as she skipped around the kitchen beside her mother.
“So sweet!”