Chapter 256
A few days after Nan Sheng returned, Zhong Yanyan started making preparations to leave. Knowing she couldn't keep her, Nan Sheng jokingly said, "Mother, don't go back yet. Wait until I get my New Year's holiday, and we can go back together, okay?"
If Zhong Yanyan could fly, she probably would have flown off by now. She replied in exasperation, "You really are your father's daughter. He only knows how to cook those two dishes, and I don't even know how he's scraped by this past month. If he waits another two months, he'll probably be nothing but skin and bones."
Nan Sheng obediently accepted her mother's scolding and didn't dare provoke the old lady anymore. She even made a special trip to the department store to buy new clothes for her parents. Her mother had worked hard taking care of the two children, and her father had it even harder being home alone. How lonely he must be.
Knowing his mother-in-law was going home, Lin Han specifically drove over to see her off. He arranged everything perfectly, so Nan Sheng didn't even need to accompany her to Rongcheng. The main reason was that the government had a lot going on these past two days; Nan Sheng had received quite a few reports that needed to be investigated as soon as possible.
Zhong Yanyan was getting along more and more naturally with her son-in-law now. When saying goodbye, she asked Lin Han, "Will you be able to come back for the New Year this year?"
Lin Han quickly replied, "We will definitely go back this year. You and Father take care of yourselves, and call us anytime if you need anything."
Anxious to get home, Zhong Yanyan only took a hasty glance at her grandson when she arrived in Huaishan County before asking Mingli to take her home. Mingli obliged without a second word; for no other reason than knowing it wasn't easy for his father at home.
"Mother, when you get home, you really need to talk to my father. He refuses to cook the rice and white flour we have at home, and just drinks corn porridge and eats pickled vegetables every day."
Hearing this made Zhong Yanyan angry too. She knew the old man would definitely take the easiest way out when left to his own devices at home.
By the time she got home, it was already dark. Inside the house, Nan Jingyu was drinking porridge with pickled radish strips. He counted on his fingers, thinking his wife should be back soon, right?
There wasn't much farm work in the village these days. Coming home without even having someone to talk to was really dull.
Just as he was thinking this, the door opened. Nan Jingyu was still wondering who had come over, but when he looked up, his wife had actually walked into the room!
He stood up in pleasant surprise. "You're back? Why didn't you tell me in advance so I could go to the county town to pick you up?"
Looking at the food on the table made Zhong Yanyan angry. Fortunately, they had picked up two dishes from the state-run restaurant in town and bought some steamed buns.
She said crossly, "My son lives right in the county town. Do I need you to pick me up?"
Mingli and Luo Tong had originally agreed that they would move out once she finished her postpartum confinement. Living at the Yu family home meant her mother-in-law was paying for the groceries and cooking, and Mingli felt too embarrassed about it.
After Luo Tong finished her confinement, the young couple brought up moving out. Yu Feng instantly flared up, "Move where? Luo Tong has to go back to work after the New Year. Who will watch the child?"
Mrs. Yu also chimed in to persuade them, "Exactly. While we are still young, we can help take care of the child. If you move out, how will you two manage on your own?"
Mingli couldn't out-argue the two of them, so he had to agree to stay. However, he made it clear that their couple must pay for half of the household expenses; they couldn't just keep living off her parents.
Now Yu Feng finally understood why his son-in-law wanted to move out. It turned out he felt bad about mooching off the older generation. If it were his own worthless son, he would just be thinking of ways to empty his father's pockets every day.
Speaking of which, he hadn't seen that rebellious son of his in a long time...
The food brought back from town was already getting a bit cold, so Mingli hurried to the kitchen to reheat it. In the meantime, Zhong Yanyan sorted out the things she had brought back.
She took out her husband's new clothes and complained a bit, "Our daughter bought these new clothes for the two of us. If she knew you weren't eating properly at home, she would definitely blame herself. Would she ever dare ask me to go over and help again?"
After going to Rongcheng this time, Zhong Yanyan completely dropped the idea of urging her daughter to have a baby. The couple was already busy enough normally and had to go on business trips from time to time.
She had asked the two kids, and they said her daughter had to travel out of town once or twice a year, and each trip lasted quite a while. Her son-in-law was the same; there was no telling when a mission might come up.
Nan Jingyu hurriedly admitted his mistake. "You know I can't cook anything good, and eating pickles is just more convenient. But I definitely won't do it again. Wherever you go from now on, I'll follow. I was bored to death this past month, with no one to talk to."
Over the past six months or so, Nan Jingyu had gradually emerged from the grief of his father's passing. There were also two things worth celebrating this year: one was the birth of Nan Feng, and the other was his unreliable younger brother suddenly turning over a new leaf and starting to work earnestly.
The villagers all said it was the old man blessing him from the underworld.
Nan Jingyu didn't say it aloud, but he felt very gratified in his heart. As long as one was willing to work hard, it was never too late. He had no other expectations for Nan Jingdang, just that he could support his wife and children.
The Lin family somehow caught wind of the news, learning that their in-laws had gone to Rongcheng to help look after the children and stayed for a month before returning.
Lin Guozheng looked at Fan Shuting. "Write a letter and ask. If they are too busy to manage, you should go over and stay for a few days."
Fan Shuting was unwilling. She didn't dare travel so far by herself. Besides, since her second daughter-in-law asked her own maiden family for help with the kids, she clearly didn't trust her. Why should she ask for a snub?
Lin Guozheng was dissatisfied with her attitude. "Those are our Lin family's own children. As their grandmother, do you really have the heart to watch them go hungry and cold with no one to care for them?"
How could that be possible?
Fan Shuting fell silent. If they lived close by, would she even need her husband to nag her? She would have gone over herself. Rongcheng was so far away, and she didn't know anyone or anything there. This darn old man really had no qualms about sending her there.
Despite her reluctance, since Zhong Yanyan had already gone over, the Lin family couldn't fall short. Fan Shuting still wrote a letter. She used all her experience as a teacher to fill an entire page, thinking her daughter-in-law would surely be satisfied this time.
In reality, her daughter-in-law didn't even glance at it and let her son Lin Han keep it as a souvenir. How novel! It had more words than all their previous family letters combined!
Nan Sheng's reply made Zhong Yanyan breathe a sigh of relief. "I told you there was no need to ask. If they needed someone to go over, our daughter-in-law would have called back."
Lin Guozheng didn't say anything, but it was still safer to ask anyway.
Nan Sheng was indeed very busy recently. Things at the Disciplinary Inspection Commission were piling up all at once, almost as if they were having a team-building event. She hardly knew where to start, so she specially convened a meeting to address it.
"Conduct the investigations in order of urgency. If anyone has an issue with it, have them call me directly. I will be responsible for explaining!"
When she first took over the Disciplinary Inspection Commission, there was a period when everyone was overwhelmed because the workflows hadn't been smoothed out yet. This time was different. The cases were quite tricky and had all clumped together. With pressure coming from both above and below, it would be a miracle if her subordinates weren't in a panic!