The old lady's heart grew colder. After tending to Yi Zhong Hai's dinner, she quietly gathered some unused scraps of cloth from her house, along with some of the white flour and rice porridge.
Although Yi Zhong Hai didn't let the old lady manage the money, she handled the household grain. Yi Zhong Hai only had a rough idea of the amount.
After preparing the items, the old lady headed towards the west courtyard.
“Huizhen, is someone visiting you?”
Xu Fu Gui's wife knocked on the door.
Liu Huizhen opened the door: “Xu family aunt, you're here?”
“Yes, Huizhen, my husband was worried that it wouldn't look good to come during the day, so he asked me to come over in the evening!”
“Please come in!”
Xu Fu Gui's wife looked down at Shen Wei lying on the kang, her eyes lit up: “What a handsome child! He's much better looking than Bang Geng. Look at his swaddling clothes, they're high quality. This family doesn't seem to be lacking in resources.
How could they be willing to abandon a child at the police station door?”
Liu Huizhen: “Who knows? The child is healthy and very well-behaved. Today, we didn't have anything for him to eat, so I just got him some brown sugar, and he didn't even reject it. He ate it and fell asleep.”
“Brown sugar?”
Xu Fu Gui's wife looked at the blood donation certificate on the kang: “Huizhen, did you donate blood?”
Liu Huizhen: “I’m an adult, donating some blood is fine. As long as I can feed him, it's worth it!”
Xu Fu Gui's wife was shocked. She already knew Liu Huizhen was kind, but she didn't expect her kindness to be this profound.
“Huizhen, is someone visiting you?”
Liu Huizhen opened the door: “Oh, old lady, why are you here? Come in, it's cold outside!”
The old lady walked into the house, looking at Xu Fu Gui's wife and slightly startled. Yi Zhong Hai and Xu Fu Gui didn't have a good relationship. They wouldn't even speak to each other when they met.
Now, the two of them met eye to eye, feeling a little awkward. However, Xu Fu Gui's wife didn't expect Yi Zhong Hai to oppose adopting the child, and here was the old lady. Her gossiping heart was burning.
Even though the atmosphere was a bit awkward, Xu Fu Gui's wife, Wang Xiulan, had no intention of leaving.
The old lady directly ignored her and handed the things she had found to Liu Huizhen: “Huizhen, I found these scraps of cloth from home. You're skilled with needles and thread, see if you can make something for the child.
And this is rice porridge, feed him this every day.”
In this era, powdered milk was a luxury item. Ordinary families couldn't afford it. Most people would grind rice or millet and boil it into porridge. Wealthier families would add some white sugar.
If they didn't have the resources, then rough grain porridge would also sustain a child.
Looking at the small bag of rice porridge, Liu Huizhen's eyes reddened slightly: “Old lady, how can I thank you enough!”
The old lady looked at the child on the bed with love: “This child is a good one. Unfortunately, I don't have the fate to be with him. Huizhen, if you encounter any difficulties in the future, come to me.
If I can help, I will definitely help!”
Lying on the kang, Shen Wei's eyes flickered slightly. He didn't expect Yi Zhong Hai, a hypocrite, to have such a kind wife like the old lady.
A pity.
Xu Fu Gui's wife, Wang Xiulan, returned home, closed the door, and whispered to Xu Fu Gui: “Old Xu, guess what I saw at Liu Huizhen's place?”
Xu Fu Gui: “What could you have seen? Could it be that Yi Zhong Hai went to see the child?”
“It was Yi Zhong Hai's wife, the old lady. She genuinely likes the child. I don't understand. Their family has decent conditions, they aren't lacking in money, raising a child shouldn't be a problem.
Why do you think Yi Zhong Hai just refuses to adopt him?”
Xu Fu Gui was also curious about this matter: “The old lady likes the child so much, and he still refuses to adopt him. You know what, maybe Yi Zhong Hai is thinking about getting a divorce and remarrying someone who can give him children?”
“Maybe so! Otherwise, the child is so cute, if it weren't for the fact that we have Da Mao and Xiao Mei, I would want to adopt him.”
Xu Fu Gui's wife couldn't get enough of the adorable appearance of Shen Wei.
Xu Fu Gui's eyes twinkled: “From today's incident, we see that because of this child, Yi Zhong Hai and the old lady have a rift. You do this tomorrow, slowly leak this matter. Then, we'll just wait for the fun to start!”
Wang Xiulan, upon hearing this, said, “Old Xu, you're so clever! You actually thought of this!”
Xu Fu Gui: “Of course, experience is the best teacher. Xu Da Mao, you need to learn more from me, so you don't get chased around and beaten by Sha Zhu all the time!”
Speaking of Sha Zhu, Xu Da Mao showed defiance: “Sha Zhu is just a stupid fool. Seeing how his brother and sister were on the verge of starvation, he didn't offer any help.
And he still calls Yi Zhong Hai 'Big Uncle' all the time, pretending to be close! Hmph, I just won't bother with him!”
That evening, the old lady stayed in Liu Huizhen's courtyard, taking care of Shen Wei until late at night before returning.
Mainly because Shen Wei was too adorable.
This led to the old lady forgetting that she needed to go back to seal the stove, empty the chamber pot, and warm the bed for the deaf old lady.
The deaf old lady sat and dozed for a while before realizing that the old lady wasn't coming to take care of her.
The deaf old lady was unhappy with Sun Xiujie. She thought to herself, fortunately, she didn't let the old lady adopt this child. Before even adopting him.
The old lady was already slacking in taking care of her. If she really adopted him.
Then the old lady definitely wouldn't take care of her wholeheartedly. It seemed like she needed to have a talk with the old lady and let her know who she needed to rely on.
.....
He Yu Shui, hopping and skipping, held a padded jacket and returned home.
She saw He Yu Zhu walking in with a lunchbox: “Brother, you're back!”
He Yu Zhu was seventeen years old this year. He had joined the Steel Mill early and become a kitchen apprentice.
However, under He Da Qing's guidance, his cooking skills had already become famous in the neighborhood.
So, today, someone invited him to cook a banquet, and he brought back a lunchbox full of meat dishes. He also took out two pieces of ABC Mickey Mouse candy from his pocket!
ABC Mickey Mouse candy was the predecessor of Da Bai Tu (Big White Rabbit) candy.
Sha Zhu handed the ABC candy to He Yu Shui: “Keep it well hidden and eat it slowly, it's a good thing. Most families can't afford it!”
Indeed, ABC candy, before the founding of the country, could only be enjoyed by the rich. Ordinary people couldn't afford it. Back then, the salary for those with decent jobs was two silver dollars, and a bag of candy would cost a quarter of a dollar.
This shows how precious ABC candy was.
He Yu Shui looked at the lifelike Mickey Mouse pattern on the candy wrapper and fell in love with it immediately. But she didn't eat it, instead, she carefully tucked it into her pocket:
“Brother, look what this is?”
He Yu Shui spun around in front of He Yu Zhu.
He Yu Zhu raised his eyebrows: “Who remade your padded jacket? Let me guess, is it the most gentle and virtuous Qin Jie in our courtyard?”
Mentioning Qin Huai Ru, He Yu Zhu's eyes sparkled.
Qin Huai Ru always treated him politely. If he were a couple of years older, it would be great. If only He Da Qing hadn't run away with the widow.
Then, he would be the one to marry a good woman like Qin Jie!