On the way back, Qi Ziyue noticed the little bean sprout secretly glancing at her several times.
Qi Ziyue told him to hold out his hand.
Qi Ning’an looked at her. He hesitated for a moment, but in the end, he still didn’t stretch out his hand.
His mother, however, didn’t care whether he agreed or not and simply grabbed his hand directly.
Qi Ning’an tried to pull free, but couldn’t break away, so he simply let her hold it.
Qi Ziyue, on the other hand, felt extremely satisfied. Now that she had money and ration coupons, she finally had a little more sense of security in this era.
Even though her space contained plenty of food, fruit, and clothes, it didn’t contain money or ration coupons from this time period. She could technically draw them, but creating money consumed far too much mental energy. When she first arrived, she had tried drawing a one-yuan note, only to discover that the suppression she felt was even stronger than when she created an entire storage space.
That was when Qi Ziyue realized she couldn’t create money. It probably counted as disrupting the market, so the only option left was to earn it honestly.
Now that she had unexpectedly obtained a sum of money, she happily counted it again. Then, seeing the little bean sprout staring at her the whole time, she simply separated out five yuan for him.
Children couldn’t carry too much money, so she exchanged it all into smaller bills and coins for him.
Qi Ning’an looked at his mother but didn’t take the money right away.
Qi Ziyue paused, then pinched his ear lightly. “What? You don’t want it?”
“If you miss this chance, there won’t be another one. Since Mom is giving it to you, it’s your allowance. Only when you have allowance money can you buy the things you want in the future.”
After explaining, she realized the little fellow still hadn’t accepted it.
Qi Ziyue: ?
After thinking for a moment, she crouched down to look at him and said directly, “Mom only has you left as her pillar of support now. Mom needs you. Take this money and coupons as your allowance. When you grow up and can earn money yourself, you can pay me back with interest.”
“And also, Mom was crazy for several years, so I haven’t celebrated a birthday in a very long time. I hope you’ll have some spending money, so when Mom’s birthday comes around, you’ll be able to give me a present. It doesn’t matter how big or small it is, but if I can receive a gift from you, Mom will be very happy.”
Qi Ziyue hadn’t really expected the little bean sprout to accept it, but the moment she finished speaking, he immediately snatched all the money and coupons from her hand.
As if he were afraid she might change her mind.
Qi Ziyue smiled and rubbed the little fellow’s head.
Then she asked him, “Do you have anything you want to ask Mom today? Including the conversation between Mom and Grandma. If there’s anything you want to know, as long as Mom remembers it, I’ll tell you.”
Deep down, Qi Ziyue felt that since the child had been born without a father, and their earlier conversation had touched on his father, he would probably want to ask about him.
But instead of asking about his biological father at all, he merely frowned at her, lowered his head to think for a while, and then asked, “Why did you make me memorize poems?”
Qi Ziyue: ?
This kid was really emotionally detached. He had no feelings toward his father or relatives, and he even ignored his own emotional needs.
For a moment, Qi Ziyue didn’t know how to explain things like, “You’re still a child. You need happiness and healthy growth. Your emotional needs matter too,” and so on.
After thinking about it, she tilted her head and asked, “Then why do you think Mom made you memorize poems?”
Qi Ning’an replied, “So she’d register my household registration.”
Qi Ziyue: …
She took his hand again before explaining, “Of course we need to get your household registration done. Otherwise, if you don’t have one, you won’t even be able to travel in the future. You need household registration and an introduction letter before you can go anywhere.”
Qi Ning’an didn’t really know what household registration meant, but he did understand one thing: after his mother made him recite poems, his grandmother had obviously become happier.
So adults liked children who could recite poems.
Naturally, Qi Ziyue had no idea what the little bean sprout was thinking. Instead, she used the opportunity to teach him further.
“Then do you know why Mom said all those things today?”
Qi Ning’an’s answer was still the same.
“To get household registration.”
Qi Ziyue couldn’t help laughing.
After thinking for a moment, she explained, “To get your registration done, we first asked your aunt for help. She’ll speak well of us to your uncle, so things should go much more smoothly. That’s what it means to find the key person to help get things done.”
“And if we want the whole family to accept you, then we need to work on your grandmother’s side. I said you were smart and had a bright future, that you were good at studying, and that your father was an important person. Those are all your bargaining chips. They’ll recognize and accept you more because of those things.”
After a pause, Qi Ziyue added, “As for emphasizing that Mom can only have you as her child now, that’s to make them love you because they love Mom.”
“When a child is young, whether others respect them depends on their parents. And when Mom grows old in the future, whether others respect her will depend on how you treat Mom.”
Qi Ning’an was still too young to fully understand so much.
Out of all the important information, he only grasped two things.
First, he was smart, he could study well, and the family liked him because of it. But he didn’t care whether the family liked him or not.
Second, he heard that Mom would need him in the future.
That sentence stayed with him.
He nodded and simply said, “Got it.”
Qi Ziyue had no idea what exactly he had understood. Anyway, on the way back, she didn’t notice any change in the little fellow.
But there was an obvious change on Mother Qi’s side.
At dinner that evening, she told Qi Ziyue to bring the little bean sprout to the dining table to eat. However, the little fellow refused to come.
Mother Qi didn’t force him. Instead, she picked out some pork cracklings, stir-fried wood ear mushrooms, bok choy, and cornmeal buns in advance and handed them to Qi Ziyue to bring back to the room for him.
Since transmigrating here, this was the very first time Mother Qi had voluntarily served food for the little fellow.
Qi Ziyue said to her mother, “Mom really treats me the best. Thank you, Mom.”
The moment Mother Qi saw her acting like this, she couldn’t take it anymore. Afraid she might end up giving everything away, she quickly pushed her daughter off to deliver the food to her little grandson.
Qi Ziyue giggled and ran off with the meal.
When she returned to the room, the little fellow was still studying Gomoku. Sitting on a low stool, he was deep in thought.
The Gomoku set had been made by Qi Ziyue based on her memory. She’d placed a round board on a taller stool, while the black and white pieces had all been hand-drawn. Whenever she had free time, she would play with the little bean sprout.
But when she walked over carrying dinner, she realized the black and white pieces each occupied half the board, yet there was still no winner.
Qi Ziyue: ?
There really were people who enjoyed playing against themselves?
“Grandma specially left dinner for you. Are you sure you don’t want to eat outside?”
Qi Ning’an remained deep in thought. Without even turning his head, he responded with a simple “Mm.”
“Then remember to eat while it’s hot.”
Qi Ziyue set the food down, glanced once more at the board, and then went out to eat dinner herself.
But before leaving, she thought to herself that Second Sister-in-law had returned, and tonight probably wouldn’t be peaceful.