Chapter 16: Chapter 16: Xiao Chenyue Bullied / The Xiao Family Steps Up

Regarding Wen Ran living at home, Mr. Xiao accepted it well, greeted warmly, but after Mrs. Xiao pulled him into a corner for a couple of words, his gaze towards Wen Ran became fervent.

Wen Ran: “?”

Mrs. Xiao: “.”

She slapped her old man loudly, whispering, “What are you doing?”

“Didn’t you say Xiao Wu likes her?”

“No matter how much he likes her, it should be gradual. They’ve just met, don’t make the girl feel like our family is frivolous.”

Mrs. Xiao really hates iron for not turning into steel, “Besides, she doesn’t even know our intentions now. To her, it’s just a normal borrowing relationship.

If you show any hint of our intentions and she senses it, she’ll be uncomfortable staying here. I’ll send you to live in the pigsty.”

Mr. Xiao: “…”

He was being honest, seeking forgiveness.

“Alright,” he smoothly appeased Mrs. Xiao, “I was wrong, I won’t do it again, don’t be mad, I smelled the aroma of meat.

Did Xiao Wu go hunting with the Red Army again?”

Mrs. Xiao’s anger flared up quickly but died down just as fast, “Yes, we have plenty of good food tonight, there’s snake meat and rabbit meat, go wash your hands quickly.”

“Okay!”

Dinner was lively, with Mr. Xiao being a kind uncle, after asking some not too intrusive questions, turning his attention to Xiao Chenye.

“Where’s your third brother?”

Xiao Chenye paused his eating, pulling a face, “Dad, he’s too busy, doesn’t have time to come back now, but he promised he’ll definitely return within three months.”

“Are you sure?”

Mrs. Xiao also looked doubtful, “Did you deliver my message to him properly?”

“I did!” Xiao Chenye looked serious, “I told him, if he doesn’t come back within three months to honestly go for a blind date, then mom will directly arrange a wife and send her to the army district.”

Mrs. Xiao was satisfied, “And how did he react?”

“He’s scared, he said he’ll crawl back in three months if he has to.”

That sounded like something a person would say.

Wen Ran almost died of laughter, struggling to hold it in, but from these warm daily interactions she could see that the Xiao family had quite a good family relationship.

“By the way,” Mrs. Xiao suddenly asked Wen Ran, “Xiao Wen, do you have any packages?”

“The package should not have arrived yet,” Wen Ran calculated the time, she was certain the package was still on the way.

“Oh, do you need to purchase anything else?” Mrs. Xiao patiently explained, “Our team’s rule all these years has been, when educated youth go to the countryside, a day is set aside for settling and purchasing.

Tomorrow I’m going to my daughter’s house, if you don’t mind, you can come along with me.

Then, when I go to see my daughter, you can take a stroll around and see what you might need.”

“Alright!”

She needed an excuse to bring back some things.

Early the next morning, just as dawn was breaking, Wen Ran was dug out of bed by Mrs. Xiao, and once seated on the bumpy ox cart, Wen Ran suddenly woke up.

There was an egg placed in front of her, “Eat it.”

It was Xiao Chenye.

Wen Ran shook her head, sitting on this cart made her feel her insides wanted to move, she had no mind to eat.

“I’m not hungry, you eat it.”

Besides…

She had left very dazed, only realizing she had forgotten Bao Wenxuan once she was on the ox cart.

Well, Wen Ran felt a bit guilty, she hoped someone would inform Bao Wenxuan about going to the county today.

Mrs. Xiao noticed, smiling, “Eat it, it’s a celebratory egg.”

Celebratory egg?

Wen Ran reached for it, “Auntie, did Sister Xiao in the county give birth?”

“Oh my,” Mrs. Xiao grinned widely, “Not bad for a city girl, really smart, indeed my daughter gave birth, it’s the first one!”

“That’s wonderful news!” Wen Ran smiled, “In that case, I must eat this egg.”

“Eat, eat, eat, soak in the joy.”

People on the ox cart joined in the congratulations, kind words cost nothing, just say them.

Arriving at the county, Mrs. Xiao and Xiao Chenye disembarked under the apartment building, reminding Wen Ran, “Xiao Wen, when you’ve bought what you need, come find us here, just mention Li Chenggang’s name.”

“Alright!”

Xiao Chenye watched the ox cart leave, feeling a little anxious, “Mom, do you think she can manage alone?”

Mrs. Xiao rubbed her chin, “Why wouldn’t she manage? She’s not a child anymore, and besides, I think Xiao Wen is quite capable, don’t underestimate her.”

Xiao Chenye felt wrongly accused, “I didn’t underestimate her.”

“All right, all right, stop dawdling, hurry up, I can’t wait to see your second sister.”

…

At the next intersection, Wen Ran jumped off the ox cart, greeted the cart-driving uncle, and briskly walked away.

With two candies, she exchanged for the location of Qingshan Commune’s black market, discreetly buying many daily necessities.

Unable to carry everything, she bought a back basket, filling it to the brim.

Seeing someone selling dried mushrooms, she bought two pounds, soaking them and making them flavorful with a bit of chew.

After running around, it was already past noon, she went to a state-run restaurant for a decent meal before heading to the apartment building with her things.

Originally planning to find a shady spot to wait, but…

She hadn’t walked far before hearing a commotion ahead.

Someone seemed to be fighting.

Wen Ran: “!”

Is there a drama to watch?

With her back basket, she sped over with quick little steps.

Hee hee hee~

If you’re not enthusiastic about watching dramas, your thoughts are problematic.

But getting closer and seeing the people involved, Wen Ran was stunned, why was it the Xiao mother and son?

Mrs. Xiao had turned into a real-life madwoman, tears streaming down, holding a swaddled baby, while Xiao Chenye was also busy, holding a weak adult.

Looking as grim-faced as if he’d eaten poop.

“Get away! You despicable beasts, treating my daughter poorly because she’s from the countryside, I spit!”

“Tch,” a short woman snickered, “in-laws, don’t speak so harshly, Chenyue gave birth to a girl, doesn’t need such good food, besides, we didn’t starve her.

There’s enough cornmeal for her, if she’s not producing milk, it’s her own fault, not ours.”

Mrs. Xiao was dizzy with rage, seeing her skeletal daughter and the weakly breathing granddaughter in her arms, she felt like tearing the shameless woman apart.

“My daughter’s as thin as a skeleton, my granddaughter is so hungry she can’t even cry, you still say things like that! You…”

The woman smugly sneered, “Other women’s daughters aren’t as fragile as her.”

“I spit!” Mrs. Xiao glared at her fiercely, “What happened to the fat chicken I sent with my daughter? And the eggs I sent? Whose mouths did they end up in?”

The woman was visibly guilty, “We took them, so they are our things, you’re meddling too much.”

Xiao Chenye took a deep breath, whispering to Xiao Chenyue, “Sis, can you stand for a while?”

He couldn’t take it anymore, today he wouldn’t leave without dealing with them, thinking the Xiao family had no one left!

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep