75: Chapter 8 Heartache_2 75: Chapter 8 Heartache_2 Shen Chi, lost in thought, asked, “Did anything else happen while I was away?” He knew without asking that Qin Chenggong, that shaless man, had intercepted all the letters sent to him from ho, undoubtedly read them, and then destroyed them without acknowledgnt.
“Didn’t I write to you about it?” Shen Xiu was sowhat puzzled, yet still replied, “The scariest ti was when sister-in-law gave birth to Little Niangao.
Grandpa bought ginseng to ensure the safe delivery, but it ended up attracting thieves.
A thief broke in at night.
If it weren’t for the shock, sister-in-law wouldn’t have given birth prematurely, and grandpa wouldn’t have fractured his bone.
Fortunately, nothing worse followed.”
“You know Uncle Zhang Quan, right?” Seeing Shen Chi nod, Shen Xiu continued, “The thief was his youngest son, Zhang Zhiqiang.
To catch him, I doused him with a bucket of cold water.
Suddenly sister-in-law cried out with stomach pain, and it was a police car that took her to the hospital, leaving Zhang Zhiqiang soaking wet in the cold winter.
Later, he developed a fever that turned into pneumonia.
Aunt Jiang ca over to our house many tis causing trouble, and sister-in-law was even blocked at the door when she ca back from the hospital.
Aunt Jiang’s nephew even threatened us with an iron pipe to pay for dical expenses.
If Uncle Zhang Quan and Brother Zhang hadn’t arrived in ti, I don’t know how things would have ended.”
Shen Xiu’s eyes reddened, “Brother, there was no news from you for half a year.
So much idle gossip spread outside, saying you had been sacrificed.
So malicious people even ca to our house to talk nonsense, thinking the money you sent was compensation after your sacrifice.
Others ca asking about it too.
If you hadn’t called back soon, our ho might have been robbed again.”
“There was more than just that incident.
At the beginning of the year, after sister-in-law’s confinent period, she thought of supplenting the family inco by opening a tuition class.
Several families in the neighborhood wanted their children to join the class for free.
If it weren’t for sister-in-law’s cousin happening to drive those people away, our family, being thin-skinned, wouldn’t have known how much more we had to suffer.”
“There’s also the little hats and shoes sister-in-law made for Little Niangao; Grandma i Zi had stolen them several tis…”
Shen Xiu, like complaining to a parent, voiced out half a year’s worth of grievances, “Brother, you haven’t been in touch all this while, and people have been bullying our family relentlessly.”
Shen Chi was silent for a long ti.
He hadn’t expected so many things to happen at ho.
For a mont, his heart was indescribably pained.
He looked at Lin Xiaoguai, who had remained composed throughout the discussion, and felt a deep ache for her.
He thought she was doing well, but it turned out to be just what he thought.
“I’m sorry.” Before going to sleep, Shen Chi reached over their son, wrapped his arms around Lin Xiaoguai’s waist and gently kissed her forehead, “But it won’t happen again.”
Before Lin Xiaoguai could react, he had already lain back down.
Lin Xiaoguai touched her forehead, still feeling his warmth, and felt an indescribable bitterness in her heart.
With all that had happened, she felt not so much aggrieved as resentful because reality clearly told her that not only did Little Niangao need a father, she too needed a husband who could protect and support her.
She had to accept her fate.
So when Shen Chi returned, it wasn’t that she wasn’t happy or relaxed, but she was annoyed at him.
Shen Chi, unaware of her myriad thoughts and feeling the stiffness in his wife’s body beneath his hand, hesitated before withdrawing his hand.
He knew he needed to do more, to be more perfect, to hold onto this woman who stirred his soul.
As it approached noon, Lin Xiaoguai, who had stayed in bed with her son, finally got up.
When she walked out of the room, she found Shen Chi busily moving flowers in the yard with Yuan Lin and several other n she didn’t recognize.
“Are you up?” Upon seeing her, Shen Chi approached and said, “I called a tractor to help transport the flowers to the flower shop.”
“Hello, sister-in-law!” Upon seeing her, everyone in the yard, including Yuan Lin, greeted her.
Shen Chi introduced them, “You know Yuan Lin.
This is Yuan Sanjiang, Shen Dashan, Shen Weimin, and Yuan Bing.
They’ve all grown up with .”
“Thank you guys,” Lin Xiaoguai smiled, “Do you plan to have lunch here?”
The n looked at Shen Chi, who smiled, “Since your sister-in-law invites you, stay for lunch.”
The group cheered, “Then we won’t be polite!”
“There’s porridge in the pot for breakfast.
You and Little Niangao eat so, but don’t eat too much; save room for lunch.” After giving these instructions, Shen Chi joined the others in moving the flowers.
Before long, the rumble of the tractor sounded from outside, and the yard quieted down.
Lin Xiaoguai stood for a mont before returning to the house.
She picked up Little Niangao from the ground and whispered in his ear, “Your dad isn’t really that terrible, is he?”
Little Niangao, not understanding her, excitedly raised his toy, wanting his mom to play with him.
Lin Xiaoguai reluctantly tapped his little nose, “Not now.
We need to have breakfast first.”
Knowing that his mom’s tap on the nose ant a denial, Little Niangao felt a bit unhappy, but his spirits lifted when his mom brought out the fragrant chicken porridge.
Without needing his urgings, Lin Xiaoguai began to feed him porridge.
After he had finished, she served herself a small bowl.
Considering the additional people for lunch, Lin Xiaoguai started preparing ingredients early.
Seeing half a chicken left in the fridge, Lin Xiaoguai decided to make braised chicken.
The vegetables could be picked from the garden, and she asked Grandpa to help buy so at and fish from the market while she stayed ho to cook.
By the ti Shen Chi and the others returned, several cold dishes were already laid out on the table, with Little Niangao eager to climb onto the chair.
Lin Xiaoguai started to intervene, yet she couldn’t let go of her kitchen spatula.
Shen Chi chuckled and picked up his son, “What do you want to eat?
Daddy will get it for you.”
Little Niangao ah-ahed, pointing at the most colorful shrimp, his eyes brimming with longing.
(To be continued.
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