With just a few words from Jiang Xiaoyu, Damei’s grandmother changed her mind. Before heading to the guesthouse, He Juzhen held Mu Huisheng in her arms and pulled Damei and Second Sister close, lowering her voice as she asked, “Tell me honestly, how is this stepmother really treating you? Don’t be fooled just because she’s good to you now. Once she has children of her own, you’ll have to give up your rooms for her children.”
Damei did not know whether that day would ever come, but even if it did, life here would still be better than living at her grandmother’s house.
“Grandma, I don’t know what the future will be like, but right now my brother, sister, and I all have our own rooms. No one glares at us while we eat, and if we like a dish, Mom will make more of it next time. We can live like this here, but not at your house. I don’t want to go back.”
Everything the Second Sister wanted to say had already been said by her older sister.
“Grandma, my sister, little brother, and I just started living good lives. Please stop making trouble.”
He Juzhen felt indignant and lightly smacked the Second Sister in irritation. She did not actually dare hit her hard.
“It’s only been a few days and you’re already treating your stepmother like your real mother. Your mother gave birth to you for nothing.”
Second Sister could not even be bothered to argue. Ever since she could remember, she had only seen her mother a handful of times. Even when she stayed at her grandmother’s house, her mother rarely came home, and whenever she did, she only exchanged a few casual words with her. There had never been hugs or affection. She simply did not have much attachment to her mother and could not pretend otherwise.
Damei and Second Sister accompanied their father to take their grandmother away. Meanwhile, Jiang Xiaoyu bathed Little Brother and Wangzhou, prepared hot water for later use, and waited for a while before the two girls returned first.
“Where’s your father?” she asked.
Second Sister puffed up angrily. “It’s Uncle Pan again. Instead of staying home with his own children, he dragged Dad away to talk at the entrance. Dad told us to come back first.”
Outside, Xiaojun called out in greeting. He had come over with Qingshan and Qinghe, still wanting to hear Journey to the West.
“Aunt Jiang, we’ll help wash dishes and sweep the floor. You can just sit there and tell us the story, okay?”
Jiang Xiaoyu’s thoughts were somewhat tangled tonight, but she had always been good at adjusting her mood. Since Mu Chengfeng had already been dragged away for a conversation, worrying would accomplish nothing. She might as well happily tell stories to the children.
Tonight’s chapter happened to be the Three Battles with the White Bone Demon. Jiang Xiaoyu practically knew this part by heart and narrated it vividly, while the children listened so intently they became completely immersed in the story. Since this was their first night in the new house, she did not speak too late. After finishing this chapter, she urged them all to go home and sleep.
Xiaojun and Qingshan still looked unsatisfied and glanced toward the absent adults.
“Should we go look for Uncle Mu?”
Second Sister shook her head. Her father disliked Uncle Pan, but since he still had not returned, they were probably discussing something important.
Jiang Xiaoyu thought the same. “Adults have adult matters to deal with. You kids don’t need to worry. Hurry home and sleep.”
She sent Damei and Second Sister to bathe, and after washing up, the two girls eagerly burrowed into their own little rooms.
After waiting a while longer with Mu Chengfeng still nowhere in sight, Jiang Xiaoyu took her own bath, then carried her pillow and blanket out from the wardrobe and made up the bed in the west room. She trimmed the wick of the kerosene lamp brighter and searched through cabinets and drawers while holding the lamp high. After searching everywhere, she still failed to find what she had been looking for.
Jiang Xiaoyu found it strange. She had already told Mu Chengfeng that starting tonight, Little Brother and Wangzhou would sleep in the side room, Damei and Second Sister would sleep in their own small bedrooms, and she herself would move into the west room. She had also clearly told him she did not want to get pregnant and have children anytime soon. So why had he not prepared anything?
After scratching her head and thinking for a long while, Jiang Xiaoyu finally made up her mind. If there were no precautions prepared, then she would firmly refuse. She could not leave him any room for misunderstanding. She had grown up in the twenty-first century and her thinking was different, but Mu Chengfeng was much stronger than she was. He never needed more than one swing of the axe to split firewood. His entire body was full of strength. If she could not push him away, then would he even listen to reason?
Still, he himself had failed to prepare anything, which meant he was already in the wrong. She figured she should be able to reason with him. Since he worked at the hospital, the hospital should definitely have such things available. She would hint at it tomorrow. If he truly wanted that sort of relationship, then he could bring something back tomorrow. But tonight was absolutely out of the question.
The mosquito coil had been lit and the bed was ready. Jiang Xiaoyu tugged at the edge of the blanket and lay there waiting as sleep slowly overtook her.
…
After dragging Mu Chengfeng outside, Pan Mengping spent ages rambling about their school days, until Mu Chengfeng became impatient and bluntly asked what he actually wanted to say.
Pan Mengping felt he had reminisced enough and could finally get to the point.
“Mu Chengfeng, no matter how you try to explain it, the way you treat your new wife is completely different from how you treated Wenhui. That alone means you wronged Wenhui. Ruyi is Wenhui’s biological younger sister. As her brother in law, you should help introduce her to a good husband. I’ve already screened a candidate. It’s Xiao Chen, the intern who finished training under you last year and returned to Jiangcheng Hospital. His family situation is simple. His parents passed away long ago, he has no younger siblings, and only one older sister. No messy relatives. Isn’t that ideal?”
Mu Chengfeng felt only disbelief at his ridiculous logic.
“You can’t be blamed for not knowing, so I’ll tell you now. Xiao Chen already has a childhood sweetheart. She’s the treasured daughter of his godparents. His godfather is the director of Jiangcheng Hospital. Why would he refuse becoming the director’s son in law just to marry someone you introduce?”
Pan Mengping was rendered speechless. Xiao Chen had hidden it well. During his internship, not a single person had known he had such a powerful connection. Pan Mengping had assumed he was just an ordinary intern with no background.
He sighed regretfully. “Other than Xiao Chen, I can’t think of any more suitable unmarried young men.”
Mu Chengfeng snapped irritably, “If you’re so concerned, then marry her yourself.”
Pan Mengping became flustered. “But Ruyi is Wenhui’s biological younger sister. How can she become a stepmother? What kind of brother in law are you?”
Mu Chengfeng could see straight through him. “Stop pretending in front of me. I don’t have any suitable candidates to introduce to her. Either you introduce someone yourself, marry her yourself, or stay out of it entirely. Anything else?”
“Wait, don’t go yet.” Pan Mengping hurried after him. “Would marrying Ruyi really be unfair to her?”
Mu Chengfeng nearly laughed from anger. “You never even considered what people would say about you remarrying so soon after your wife’s death, or whether your children would accept it. Your first instinct was to think from her perspective. Isn’t that answer enough?”
At that moment, Pan Mengping finally understood his own feelings. For once, he forgot about his dislike for Mu Chengfeng and sincerely sought advice.
“Then what should I do to make things harmonious between the stepmother and the children, like your family? I’m not specifically saying the stepmother has to be Ruyi. My younger child is only four. Not remarrying isn’t realistic.”
Mu Chengfeng let out a cold snort. He truly did not want to continue the conversation. Every person was different, and every family faced different circumstances. The harmony in his household could not simply be copied into Pan Mengping’s.
“My wife promised not to have children until the youngest turns eighteen. Can the stepmother you choose make that promise? If not, then I have no advice for you.”
Pan Mengping did not believe him. He felt Mu Chengfeng was only deceiving himself. Once that little wife of his got pregnant, they would see whose face ended up slapped.
Since there was no suitable man to introduce to Li Ruyi, then tomorrow morning he would go sound her out himself.
…
After wasting two hours with Pan Mengping, Mu Chengfeng hurried home. He first checked the side room, where the two younger boys were already asleep. Damei and Second Sister’s room was quiet, though light still glowed inside. They were probably reading or writing, so he did not knock and disturb them.
His little wife was in the west room. Was she asleep yet, or still awake?
Mu Chengfeng lowered his head. Faint flickering lamplight leaked beneath the door crack. Jiang Xiaoyu was still awake. If he entered now, he would only need to come back out again later, so he decided he might as well wash up first. If she felt nervous, then they would simply go to sleep directly. If she relaxed, then perhaps they could talk a little first.
Mu Chengfeng turned and headed into the east room. After the renovation, the row of cabinets along the hallway could store many things, and anyone taking or putting things away would not disturb Damei and Second Sister. It really was convenient.
He grabbed a sleeveless undershirt, shorts, and towel, then paused before replacing the undershirt with a short sleeved shirt. This shirt was old enough that he no longer wore it outside. For now, he could use it as sleepwear. Covering up more might make Jiang Xiaoyu feel more comfortable.
When he returned to the doorway again, freshly washed and clean, he knocked first to give his wife time to react and prepare herself. Only after hearing her say, “Come in,” did he twist the handle and enter.
This was not daytime. The oil lamp illuminated only a small area, leaving the room dim and shadowy. Hopefully his wife would not feel too nervous.
Mu Chengfeng walked around to the other side of the bed and climbed in, casually asking as though chatting about ordinary household matters, “Why didn’t you sleep first?”
“I was waiting for you.” It was their first night sharing a bed. Jiang Xiaoyu felt it would be inappropriate to fall asleep first and leave him sitting there alone. She had to face this eventually anyway.
“Oh right, what did Pan Mengping talk to you about for so long?” This was the safest topic. Jiang Xiaoyu did not want to jump straight into the real issue and preferred to chat for a while first.
At this moment, this was also the easiest thing for Mu Chengfeng to discuss. Anything else would sound like forced conversation and might make his little wife uncomfortable. Talking about Pan Mengping naturally led into discussing Damei’s grandmother and aunt, which Jiang Xiaoyu cared about.
“Pan Mengping wants to marry Damei’s second aunt, but he’s worried about what people will say. He wanted me to introduce one of my former interns to her instead. I told him anyone he’d find acceptable would already have been snatched up as a son in law long ago. If he’s really worried, he should just marry her himself. But he once pursued Wenhui. How can he now marry her younger sister?”
That was the real reason Mu Chengfeng disliked talking to Pan Mengping. Did he truly like Wenhui, or did he simply like women with Wenhui’s personality and appearance?
He could not be bothered to ask further. He had no interest in wading into such muddy waters.
During dinner earlier, Jiang Xiaoyu had observed carefully. Damei’s second aunt had barely looked directly at Mu Chengfeng, which was good. It meant she deliberately kept her distance from her brother in law. Jiang Xiaoyu had watched too many melodramatic short dramas in her previous life and had initially assumed Damei’s grandmother brought the younger sister over hoping to marry her off to the widowed brother in law. That was why she had not formed any bad impression of Li Ruyi.
Then Li Ruyi had asked her whether being a stepmother was exhausting and whether she wanted children of her own. Jiang Xiaoyu had started to suspect something. Since she had personally brought Li Ruyi back from Pan Mengping’s house, could it be that Damei’s aunt actually intended to marry Doctor Pan?
Well, even if she did, there was nothing wrong with that. Setting other things aside, Pan Mengping’s job, age, and salary were all similar to Mu Chengfeng’s. If someone only wanted stable food and clothing, then he met the requirements.
Still, Pan Mengping’s two children had grown up cherished by their mother. They were nothing like Damei, Second Sister, and Little Brother, the three little pitiful children in this family. Becoming the stepmother in Pan Mengping’s household would definitely not be easy.
Jiang Xiaoyu said, “I can tell Damei’s second aunt has a pretty good impression of Pan Mengping, but women like me who don’t want children are rare. Their families probably still have a lot to discuss. Are you going to interfere?”
Mu Chengfeng and Wenhui had only been married by name. He was not truly Li Ruyi’s brother in law and had no obligation to involve himself.
“I can’t interfere, and there’s no need to. Let them handle it themselves.”
Jiang Xiaoyu noticed Mu Chengfeng still had not brought up the real topic, nor had he made any inappropriate moves. What was going on? Was the boss simply too embarrassed?
She pulled the blanket up to her neck. “Then should we sleep?”
“Let’s sleep.” Mu Chengfeng said, “I’ll blow out the lamp.”
Jiang Xiaoyu thought to herself that he truly was a gentleman. She had definitely chosen the right boss to follow.
…
The next morning, Jiang Xiaoyu woke up sprawled across the boss’s body. She had not meant to do it. Apparently once asleep, she instinctively moved toward warmth. She had confidently believed that, as someone from the modern era, she was broad minded and experienced, yet now her face still flushed red.
“Boss, I’ll go make breakfast.”
Mu Chengfeng was just as nervous. He had woken up half an hour ago, and his heartbeat still had not calmed down. He had not even heard clearly whether she had just called him “Hubby” or “boss.” It must have been his imagination.
Jiang Xiaoyu rushed into the kitchen, where Damei had already cooked millet porridge until it bloomed thick and soft, while Second Sister had fetched water and washed the two younger boys’ faces.
Jiang Xiaoyu picked up her toothbrush and laughed awkwardly to cover herself.
“Your father and I talked about Grandma and Second Aunt until late last night, so I overslept this morning.”
Damei quickly said, “Mom, you don’t need to wake up so early. I can cook and take care of my brothers. If you want to sleep more, then just sleep.”
Mu Chengfeng also entered the kitchen and nodded. “The children are right. You’re not this family’s servant. Don’t pressure yourself.”
After breakfast, Jiang Xiaoyu went to the docks to try her luck and managed to buy quite a lot of miscellaneous fish, shrimp, and scallops. She sent Damei and Second Sister to the nearby guesthouse to ask about their grandmother. Before long, the girls returned and reported, “Uncle Pan is at the guesthouse. Grandma said they won’t come over for lunch.”
Jiang Xiaoyu understood immediately. Doctor Pan was really moving fast. She wondered whether they would actually settle anything today.