Chapter 98: Chapter 97: Wang Liansheng’s Explanation

Wang Liansheng poured out the dirty water, fetched half a basin of water, and brought it into the room. Outside, he added a few pieces of coal to the charcoal stove and flipped a few clothes. When the stove was lit, clothes dried faster facing the stove, so flipping them around could make them dry faster.

He even washed the mop and cleaned the floor again. After checking around and seeing there was no more work to do, he pushed open the door and walked into the inner room.

Ling Chengyan was not asleep as he expected; instead, she was neatly dressed, sitting in a chair beside the bed, holding a book in her hand.

Wang Liansheng paused slightly in his actions, feigning casualness: “You’re not asleep!”

Ling Chengyan didn’t even lift her eyelids, giving a soft “Hmm.”

Wang Liansheng came in, bent over to look at the sleeping little Shi Tou on the bed, gently cleared his throat as if finally gathering courage, sat on the edge of the bed, and spoke softly: “I told you earlier that Shi Tou cried last night. At first, I didn’t know what was wrong with him, he wouldn’t say even when asked… Luckily, Deputy Xing came… Then I invited Sister Liu and Sister Lin over…”

Listening to him recount everything from the beginning, Ling Chengyan wasn’t impatient nor did she urge him, patiently listening in silence.

Until Wang Liansheng said with difficulty: “…There were several locust tree thorns in the child’s cotton pants.”

The originally silent Ling Chengyan suddenly looked up: “Which pair of cotton pants?”

After little Shi Tou turned six months old, Ling Chengyan and Xiaoyu started toilet training him regularly. Shi Tou formed good habits quickly, used fewer diapers, and seldom wet his pants.

Seldom wetting his pants didn’t mean never, so Ling Chengyan prepared three pairs of thin cotton pants and two pairs of thick cotton pants for ease of washing.

Regardless of wealth, she couldn’t accept the child having a lingering smell of urine.

These cotton pants were sent over by the eldest auntie and elder cousin’s wife, made through an acquaintance. Xiao Xi also made a set of cotton clothes and pants, and Ling Chengyan paid for a tailor here to make some herself. Once in hand, Ling Chengyan would carefully check them to confirm there were no safety risks before letting Shi Tou wear them.

Therefore, she was very surprised that how could there be locust tree thorns in Shi Tou’s cotton pants?

Wang Liansheng opened his mouth for a moment, suddenly dropped his head, speaking in a hoarse voice: “I made a trip back…”

Ling Chengyan instantly understood, the problem pants were those brought back by Wang Liansheng during his visit back, and who gave them was obvious.

“Mother… She said there was some misunderstanding with you before, causing estrangement with the family… She also said she always wanted to come see, but feared you might still be angry…” As Wang Liansheng spoke, the pain on his face faded, replaced by a self-mocking bitter smile.

He had wavered before, even thought about finding a way to persuade Ling Chengyan; after all, a family couldn’t really turn against each other.

Unexpectedly, he had thought too beautifully.

Ling Chengyan silently regarded the bitterly smiling man, speaking quietly: “I didn’t tell you, and probably neither did Uncle and Auntie?”

Wang Liansheng looked over, his gaze bewildered.

“The so-called misunderstanding was Wang Lianhua conspiring with Zhou Xiuying and Wang Lianxiang to sell Shi Tou. Unable to negotiate with me, Zhou Xiuying brought Shao Darong to restrain me, then let Wang Lianxiang snatch the child… Their so-called misunderstanding was taking advantage of me not being home, stealing and beating the child. If Xiaoyu hadn’t protected them desperately, whether you could see Xiao Xin and Shi Tou is uncertain… Ha!”

As Ling Chengyan spoke, she suddenly found it somewhat uninteresting, directly standing and waving her hand: “Alright, you can go out now.”

The small bed outside the room was made, where Wang Liansheng had been sleeping for several days. When Ling Chengyan traveled, Wang Liansheng had to care for Shi Tou, so he moved back to the large bed.

Alright, no need to trouble now, the small bed is ready-made.

Wang Liansheng awkwardly stood up, wanting to say something but felt ashamed, opened his mouth but only squeezed out one sentence: “It’s my fault, I have wronged you all.”

Ling Chengyan was too lazy to even look at him, waving her hand: “Alright, go out and close the door.”

Wang Liansheng responded quietly and shuffled out, gently closing the inner room’s door.

Ling Chengyan silently exhaled, turned to look at the somewhat restless sleeping Shi Tou, opened a box, took out a small porcelain bottle, and applied a little ointment to the small wounds from the prickles.

This was what she had bought and compounded herself from Chinese medicine after settling down, a golden sore medicine ointment from the Ling family’s ancestors. Such a small bottle had cost more than twenty yuan, definitely considered expensive.

However, the ointment proved very effective. When Shi Tou woke up in the morning and crawled into her embrace to act spoiled, she lifted the blanket to take a look. The pinpricks on the little chubby legs were no longer very red, barely noticeable without a close look, significantly better than the night before.

Ling Chengyan internally chuckled. If Wang Liansheng knew there was such a good ointment, would he secretly apply it to Shi Tou without telling her?

She wasn’t an unobservant woman unfamiliar with the treachery of human nature, adept at calculating people’s minds and morals through the lowest expectations.

She had witnessed countless times in antiquity where close kin turned against each other, striking with deadly intent. To merely conceal the truth of a child’s injury was nothing extraordinary, not impossible at all.

Ling Chengyan touched Shi Tou’s pudgy little legs, teasing a toe with her finger, making the little guy become like a lively fish in the bed, laughing and fussing, kicking off the blanket.

Xiao Xin heard the commotion too, ran in wearing autumn clothes and pants, climbed the bed to fuss with Shi Tou. Uncontent with causing disorder in the blankets, they wielded a pillow each, battling it out for three hundred rounds!

Ling Chengyan returned from washing up, breaking up the turbulent siblings, handing Xiao Xin her cotton jacket, and pulled the blushing Shi Tou over to dress him with cotton pants and coat, but deliberately didn’t give him shoes, instead handed him a small tin frog to play with on the bed.

Xiao Xin dressed neatly, washed, and Xing Fei along with Da Linzi and Xiao Shuang had already arrived to call her to school. Xiao Xin rushed to eat a bun in two or three bites, then drank a couple sips of soy milk, and ran out with her backpack.

Xiaoyu chased a couple of steps to dress her with a mask, hat, and scarf, then advised: “Don’t run, careful of catching a cold causing stomachache.”

Xiao Xin nodded repeatedly, went out and linked arms with Xiao Shuang, followed the older pair Xing Fei and Da Linzi, heading to school.

Little Shi Tou was anxious, patting the edge of the bed shouting: “School, school!”

Ling Chengyan came in, raising a hand to pinch his little nose: “You want to go to school too? Then eat well and grow tall fast.”

“Kes… food!” Shi Tou immediately revised his request, cooperatively putting on shoes and wobbling outside to have breakfast.

Breakfast buns and soy milk were bought by Wang Liansheng in the early morning. Xiaoyu set two small dishes, prepared two boiled eggs and even mixed milk powder for Shi Tou.

Seeing Shi Tou come out, Wang Liansheng washed his hands and face for him, then fed him while holding him.

When Ling Chengyan came over, Wang Liansheng had already prepared the soy milk and buns for her.

She silently held the bowl and ate, without expressing anything.

Xiaoyu glanced at her, then at the exceptionally virtuous Wang Liansheng feeding the child, quietly eating.

Ling Chengyan finished her meal and donned her coat to prepare to leave, turning to ask Wang Liansheng: “How is your work situation?”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep