Chapter 32 Little Sister-in-law
Ever since Zhao Meimei received the notebook from Shi Yang, she began the habit of writing a diary every day. Starting with a mix of pinyin and Chinese characters, she later wrote fluent cursive and never stopped.
By early December, Shi Yang and his classmates in the third grade of middle school began intensive courses. Morning self-study started an hour and a half earlier, and evening self-study also extended later, so Zhao Meimei couldn’t catch rides with him to and from school anymore.
Luckily, the residential area started a bus route, and both starting points of the two bus lines were set at the entrance of the residential community.
After two days of taking the bus with Zhao Meimei, Liu Xiue only needed to prepare change for Zhao Meimei each day, allowing her to take the bus to school by herself. In the evening, at school dismissal time, she would wait for Zhao Meimei to come home, peering through the grocery store’s glass window.
Shi Yang was getting busier with his studies, and unless his mother went to the city, he wouldn’t easily visit Zhao Meimei’s house. Usually, if Liu Xiue made something delicious occasionally, she would have Zhao Meimei carry it over to Shi Yang’s house.
On weekends, Zhao Dazhuang watched over the grocery store while Liu Xiue stayed home to make a chicken stew with mushrooms. Once it was ready, she specially served a portion, wrapped it in a plastic bag, and asked Zhao Meimei to take it to Shi Yang while it was hot.
Zhao Meimei peeked inside and said to her mother, "Mom, put in some more mushrooms. I’ll eat at Brother Yangyang’s place; I love mushrooms."
Liu Xiue opened the plastic bag, "You can just come back and eat!"
Zhao Meimei insisted, helping to hold the bag open, "Mom, I’ll eat there and then come back after playing for a while at Brother Yangyang’s."
Liu Xiue glared at her, "Your Brother Yangyang is about to take his high school entrance exam; don’t disturb him."