Li Yun hung his head, not daring to speak. He had already experienced Jing Shu’s ruthlessness and was afraid to lose his own spot if he made a peep. He was well aware that his presence for the New Year’s festivities was entirely due to his mother; if she hadn’t had the blood relation, she probably wouldn’t have made it this ti. And he had long said this tactic wouldn’t work.
Jing Shu was still smiling. "Go ahead and shout. Scream your lungs out; no one will co." Grandma was busy in the kitchen preparing New Year’s delicacies; with the range hood and other appliances making so much noise, it would be a wonder if she could hear anything.
"Mother-in-law, it’s , Dazhuang!" Dazhuang, Jing Zhao’s husband, yelled over a dozen tis. As expected, there was not the slightest response. Instead, his shouting drew another group of people.
CRACKLE, CRACKLE.
The aroma of popcorn, now richer with butter and a hint of chocolate, wafted through the air. The babies’ crying grew louder. Finally, the security guard brought over another group of people.
This group moved even slower because not only were they laden with bags of all sizes, but Uncle Wei Chang was even pushing a handcart filled with items.
This ti, Jing Shu quickly stood up. In the crowd, Elder Aunt Jing Pan was also carrying a shoulder pole, laden with sothing unknown. Jing Shu instinctively reached out to take it.
"Stay back, stay back! Mind your new clothes. Don’t worry, it’s not heavy. Besides, we’re already here; it’s no trouble at all," said Aunt Jing Pan, wiping sweat and breathing out steamy air, adamantly refusing to let Jing Shu help.
Jing Shu didn’t insist and frowned in complaint, "Such a long way, Auntie! Did your whole family really walk all this way? When did you set off? We agreed I’d pick you up today; it wouldn’t have been any bother. Why on earth did you insist on walking so far? If Grandma knew, she’d be so distressed."
Uncle Wei Chang, pushing the handcart, finally stopped. Panting heavily, he removed the thermos from around his neck and took a few gulps. Wei Zheng was also burdened with large and small packages. His wife, Qiao Lian, carried their little over one-year-old Wei Shu’en, who by now might have been crying from hunger. Jing Shu gave all the popcorn to Shu’en, drawing envious looks from those around.
Among the crowd, Jing Shu spotted Second Aunt Jing Zhao, also carrying a shoulder pole. Now strong and dark from the sun, she had transford from being extrely overweight to her current state—an undeniable change.
The two groups finally converged. Dazhuang’s family—Jing Zhao’s husband and his relatives—appeared sowhat evasive.
"Auntie," Jing Shu began, addressing Jing Zhao, "what’s going on? Please, tell . Your husband said you invited his entire family to spend New Year’s with us. They nearly barged in! I was actually about to leave to pick you up and hadn’t even stepped out when you all arrived."
At that, Second Aunt Jing Zhao CLATTERED her shoulder pole to the ground, so of its contents spilling out. She stood with her hands on her hips, furious, until Elder Aunt Jing Pan stepped in to diate and explained the situation.
"Your uncle realized that gasoline has beco incredibly scarce; a liter of it can’t even be exchanged for several kilograms of grain. A round trip for you would an losing several hundred kilograms of grain, right?
With grain already so precious, let alone gasoline, we discussed it with your Second Aunt Jing Zhao and decided to walk. What’s a little walking? We used to walk that much every day for school. There’s no need to waste gasoline.
Originally, your Second Aunt’s husband, Dazhuang, Li Yun, and our family were supposed to et up the day before yesterday. But unexpectedly, his whole family turned up, claiming they’d brought provisions to spend New Year’s with Dazhuang. They also said they’d found official jobs in Wu City... Honestly, I don’t believe a word of it. See? Their true colors are showing. You must be wary of his family. With food so tight now, you can’t just give it away for nothing."
So that was the situation, Jing Shu thought. To save a little gasoline, they walked such a long way—at least two days... Sigh, but in the apocalypse, what wouldn’t people do to save food?
It seed then that it was Dazhuang’s family who had shalessly latched onto them.
Just then, Second Aunt Jing Zhao and her husband, Dazhuang, began to argue. However, it quickly beca Second Aunt Jing Zhao berating him furiously, while Dazhuang was ek and submissive. He pleaded with her to take pity on his whole family, young and old, saying they had already co all this way. Surely, she couldn’t send them back now? Such a long journey in the cold could be fatal.
Second Aunt Jing Zhao retorted, "Oh, don’t you dare try to pin this on ! The year before last, I was nearly starving to death, and your mother wouldn’t spare a single bite. It was my elder sister, Jing Pan, who gave food! Now, so many of you show up—what do you take for? A fool? If it weren’t for our son, Li Yun, I’d have divorced you ages ago!"
Dazhuang retorted, "This is a matter for our parents-in-law to discuss! Besides, your elder sister’s family isn’t here to freeload. Why can’t we do the sa?"
At this, Uncle Wei Chang finally couldn’t hold back. "Pah! I’d never do sothing so shaless! Even when we visit soone for New Year’s, we bring our own provisions!" As he spoke, Uncle Wei Chang revealed the grain at both ends of his shoulder pole—it was sowhat darkened, old rice.
There was also half a pig and various New Year’s goods on the handcart.
"We brought provisions too!" Li Yun’s grandmother insisted, unwilling to back down.
Wei Chang scoffed and uncovered their carrying basket. "So many of you want to co here to sponge off others, and this is what you offer in exchange? These pancakes made from insects and expanding soil?"
"We’re in-laws, very close relatives!"
"Hardly! We’re not related in the slightest!" Wei Chang retorted.
The two security guards at the gate watched the drama unfold. It was rare to see people so brazenly and self-righteously trying to claim kinship.
Seeing that the truth was out, Jing Shu felt tired. She still had many small cookies waiting to be baked. She waved her hand, stopping the pointless argunt.
"Alright, since everything is clear now, Elder Aunt, Second Aunt, you’ve both traveled a long way. You should get settled soon."
Dazhuang’s face lit up. "Yes, yes! We should have settled in long ago! Hurry and open the door so we can get sothing to eat!"
Jing Shu also smiled. "Yes, well, I’ve only prepared space for Elder Aunt’s family and for your family of three—you, Second Aunt Jing Zhao, and Li Yun. Since you, Dazhuang, have brought your own provisions for the others and said they’ve found jobs, you should arrange for them. You... you don’t really want to separate from my Second Aunt, do you? Actually, that might be for the best. Grandma and Grandpa were thinking the sa. You should get a divorce before New Year’s; it’s quite convenient these days, you know."
Dazhuang was so angry he ground his teeth.
Li Yun’s grandmother burst into tears and wailed, "Oh, Mother-in-law! Co and see your granddaughter! She dares to make decisions for you! Just a slip of a girl who’s freeloading in your house, and she has the nerve to be so audacious!"
Elder Aunt Jing Pan snorted. "You’re quite mistaken there. This house belongs to my niece, Jing Shu. The food and drink? My niece provided it all. If anything, it’s my mother who’s staying at my niece’s place. My niece is the one in charge now. Your wailing is useless."
Li Yun’s grandmother was dumbfounded.
"You all go inside first," Dazhuang said quickly, reacting fast. He imdiately persuaded his extended family to leave. He couldn’t afford to fall out with Jing Zhao just yet.
Jing Zhao looked at Dazhuang’s departing family with disgust, then glanced at Li Yun. She’d already made a new decision. She had always tried to consider her child’s feelings, but who had ever considered her own feelings and frustrations?
"Let’s go too," Jing Zhao said to her sister and the others. "We’ll put our things in Grandma and Grandpa’s apartnt first. There’s no more room in the villa."
Jing Shu led them to a first-floor apartnt in Building 25, across the street, which had already been cleaned.
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