Chen Rou carried her daughter back into the room, while Wang Cuilian shot Meng Qiushi a glare before storming off angrily.
As soon as Meng Qiushi entered the room, he heard Xu Chunhua say, “You make the steamed egg custard yourself. I’m afraid that old witch will spit in it.”
Meng Qiushi smacked his forehead. “I almost forgot about that. I’ll go tell her right now.”
He found Wang Cuilian and spoke to her about it. She reluctantly agreed.
“One egg a day. No more than that.”
Meng Qiushi curled his lips and grabbed her arm before she could leave. “Mom, my wife is weak. One egg isn’t enough nutrition for her. She needs two eggs a day.”
Wang Cuilian was about to refuse when Meng Qiushi said leisurely, “If she doesn’t get enough nutrition, she won’t have enough milk to feed your precious Zhuzhu.”
“Fine, fine! I really must’ve owed you in my past life, and now you’ve come to collect the debt in this one!” Wang Cuilian glared at him irritably, finding him utterly detestable.
Satisfied, Meng Qiushi turned to head back to the room, only to be stopped by Meng Qiufeng.
“Third Brother, there are a few things I want to talk to you about.”
Meng Qiufeng advised earnestly, “Xiaorou grew up with us. Why are you always picking on her? We’re all family. Your wife should help out more when she can. Why are you always so petty?”
Meng Qiushi clicked his tongue. “Big Brother, if you like Chen Rou and want to treat her well, I have no problem with that. But there’s no need to force everyone else to treat her the same way you do. In your eyes, Chen Rou is a treasure, but in my eyes, she’s not worth even one finger of my wife.”
“Meng Qiushi, what nonsense are you talking about?!” Meng Qiufeng’s face flushed red as he guiltily averted his gaze, not daring to meet Meng Qiushi’s eyes.
A mocking smile curled on Meng Qiushi’s lips. “Whether I’m talking nonsense or not, you know very well in your heart.”
His hidden feelings exposed, Meng Qiufeng left in embarrassment.
He had never felt any affection for his late wife, Tian Lan. The one he had always loved was the kind, sensible, and beautiful Chen Rou.
He believed, out of inferiority, that he was unworthy of her, so he could only bury those feelings deep in his heart.
From then on, Xu Chunhua began enjoying the treatment that had once belonged only to Chen Rou. She got two eggs a day, a separate small bowl whenever meat dishes were served, and fish soup from time to time.
They had no choice but to treat her well. Whenever Xu Chunhua got upset, she refused to breastfeed Meng Zhu. And every time Meng Zhu cried, Wang Cuilian and Chen Rou became heartbroken.
Before going to bed each night, Xu Chunhua would express some breast milk into a bowl ahead of time for Chen Rou to feed Meng Zhu.
Meng Zhu was far too noisy at night. If Chen Rou dared bring the baby into her room for feeding, Xu Chunhua feared she might not be able to stop herself from throwing the child out.
In the blink of an eye, it was time for the babies’ one-month celebration.
With every household struggling financially, Wang Cuilian had never intended to hold a full-month banquet.
However, Meng Qiushi booked a small private room at the state-owned restaurant in the county town, inviting only the Xu family and Meng Qiucan’s family.
Early that morning, Xu Chunhua carefully dressed herself up. Her jet-black hair draped over her shoulders, and she wore a dark blue corduroy dress paired with little leather shoes.
With delicate brows, a graceful face, and beautiful eyes, she looked just like a young lady from the city.
All of these clothes had been bought by Mother Xu for her daughter, so Wang Cuilian couldn’t really say anything.
The family’s reputation was already bad enough. If she got greedy and tried taking the clothes and shoes that Xu Chunhua’s parents had gifted her, people would spit on her in the streets.
Meng Qiushi dressed much more casually—a dark blue long-sleeved shirt, black pants, and a pair of army-green Liberation shoes.
Fortunately, his face carried the look well. Even plain clothing somehow looked fashionable on him.
“Where are you all going?” Wang Cuilian’s triangular eyes locked onto Meng Qiushi and Xu Chunhua, who were preparing to leave with the children in their arms.
“Today’s the babies’ one-month celebration. I’m taking the kids to my elder brother-in-law’s place in the county town for a family meal.”
Wang Cuilian said nothing more.
When Meng Wei and Meng Qing had celebrated their one-month birthdays and first birthdays, they’d also gone to the Xu family. As long as she didn’t have to spend money, she couldn’t care less what the third branch of the family did.
At the village entrance, an ox cart from the neighboring village stopped beside them. Sitting on it were Xu Qiang and Liu Yezi.
Meng Wei and Meng Qing each sat in their grandfather’s and grandmother’s laps.
The two children had sweet mouths and coaxed Xu Qiang and Liu Yezi into beaming smiles.
Meanwhile, Meng Qiushi and Xu Chunhua each carried one of the twins, Meng Yu and Meng Che.
Meng Yu babbled a few sounds, her wide eyes curiously staring up at the blue sky.
Meng Che was quiet and rarely cried. Xu Chunhua sometimes suspected that, like herself, Meng Che had been born with memories from a previous life.
The ox cart dropped them off at the restaurant entrance before leaving to handle other matters, planning to return in the afternoon to take them back to the village.
Inside the private room, Xu Chunjing and his two brothers were already seated with their wives and children.
The moment they saw Xu Chunhua carrying the babies in, her brothers and sisters-in-law immediately stood to greet her.
The sisters-in-law stuffed red envelopes into the babies’ swaddling blankets while doting on the dragon-phoenix twins.
Meng Wei and Meng Qing held hands with their cousins and squatted in a corner whispering secrets together.
Lin Ya was tall and slender, with gentle brows and eyes. As an elementary school teacher, she carried an air of refinement and scholarship.
She reached out to touch Meng Yu’s chubby smiling face and said enviously, “Little Sister, you’ve raised little Yu’er so well.”
Xu Chunhua raised an eyebrow teasingly. “Like daughters that much? Then have another child with my big brother.”
Lin Ya blushed. Thinking back to the ordeal of giving birth to her son, she immediately gave up the idea. “Forget it. Your brother and I are satisfied with just Xiaozhou.”
Zhang Yan took hold of Meng Yu’s tiny hand and rubbed it gently with her thumb. She laughed brightly. “If raising children weren’t so exhausting, I really would want a daughter too.”
Meng Yu could feel the roughness on Zhang Yan’s fingertips.
Both Zhang Yan and Xu Chunming were carpenters, though Zhang Yan’s craftsmanship was even better. She had learned wood carving since childhood and could carve walnut kernels into exquisite little ornaments.
Wang Qin handed the son in her arms to Liu Yezi. “Mom, hold Xiaochuan for a bit.”
Then, smiling warmly, she took Meng Yu from Xu Chunhua’s arms. “Let me hold little Yu’er.”
In this era that valued large families and many children, each of the Xu brothers only had one son.
Fewer children meant lighter burdens, and the Xu daughters-in-law had unanimously agreed not to have a second child.
“Little Brother, I’m here!” Meng Qiucan and Liu Hong walked in, followed by Liu Sisi and Liu Wenyan.
Everyone sat together chatting about family matters as dishes were gradually brought to the table.
The table was filled with laughter and lively conversation.
Listening to the chatter, Meng Yu gradually grew sleepy and soon drifted off in Xu Chunhua’s arms.
Afraid her daughter’s arms would get sore from holding the baby too long, Liu Yezi signaled for her to lay the child on another empty table in the private room.
And so, Meng Yu, Meng Che, and Xu Chunqiu’s son all lay sleeping soundly on the other table.
Meng Yu smacked her lips twice. Babies were naturally sleepy, and she couldn’t control it at all.