Chapter 25: The Troublesome Maternal Family
“Enough with your glib tongue!”
At a loss for how to respond, Deng Yaxin could only poke Shen Yi’an’s forehead in exasperation.
“Alright, you two siblings chat in the living room. I’ll go check on the kitchen.”
“With so many people tonight, making noodles would be too much trouble. Let’s just cook rice instead.”
With those words, she stood up and headed to the kitchen.
Left alone, Shen Yi’an and Shen Junkai stared at each other, a rare moment of speechlessness between the siblings.
Just as silence settled over the living room, the distinct sound of a key turning in the lock echoed through the room.
“Mom, we’re back! Is little sister home yet?”
“Grandma! Grandma! Has auntie come back?”
“Dudu! Dudu!”
Hearing the consecutive voices, Shen Yi’an was the first to hurry over. “Third Sister-in-law, step aside a bit. I’ll get the door.”
“Be careful not to bump into Xiaoyi!”
After receiving an acknowledgment from outside, she gently opened the door.
Before the door was fully open, a cheerful little figure rushed in and wrapped around her legs.
“Auntie! Auntie! You’re back?”
“Xiaoyi missed auntie so much!”
“Did auntie miss Xiaoyi?”
Pinching the chubby little cheeks, Shen Yi’an teased with a playful expression, “No! Auntie didn’t miss Xiaoyi!”
“That’s okay!” The little girl wasn’t discouraged by the response, continuing happily with her thoughts.
“It’s fine if Xiaoyi misses auntie. Auntie doesn’t have to miss Xiaoyi!”
“Grandma said Xiaoyi is a money-loser. Xiaoyi doesn’t want auntie to lose money!”
“Auntie should have lots and lots of money, heehee!”
Hearing this, Shen Yi’an’s smile faltered slightly.
She had heard plenty about the messy affairs of Third Sister-in-law’s maternal family during previous visits home.
In the past, she’d treated these stories as mere entertainment, never imagining that family would say such things to her three-year-old niece.
Though anger simmered inside her, she didn’t let it show in front of the little one.
Instead, she crouched down and smiled while ruffling her niece’s hair. “Xiaoyi, do you know who’s the most impressive in our family?”
“I know! It’s auntie!” Three-year-old Shen Yi already had her answer ready.
Not only was her aunt excellent in studies, but she was also as beautiful as a flower.
While playing with her friends, she had overheard adults praising her aunt multiple times.
They said her aunt was sure to achieve great things after graduation.
That’s why, in little Shen Yi’s heart, her aunt was the most remarkable person in the world.
Getting the expected answer, Shen Yi’an continued with her second question, still smiling. “Then does Xiaoyi want to become as impressive as auntie?”
“Yes! Xiaoyi wants to be as amazing as auntie!” Without hesitation, Shen Yi gave her most enthusiastic response.
Seeing the sparkling determination in the child’s eyes, Shen Yi’an leaned in to press her cheek against the little girl’s. “Xiaoyi must remember what you said today.”
“As long as we have something special about us, even just one thing, no one will ever speak ill of us again.”
After a brief pause, she added, “Also, our Xiaoyi is no money-loser.”
“If anyone ever says that to you again, you tell them bravely that you’re the joy of our Shen family.”
“And if they disagree, you tell them your auntie said so, understand?”
Though little Shen Yi didn’t understand the connection between what was said earlier and what followed, she still nodded earnestly.
“I understand, Auntie!”
“People outside know my aunt is a college student, and they’re all so envious of me.”
“Auntie is my pride!”
Hearing this, everyone present laughed simultaneously.
Somehow these words sounded like encouragement usually given by elders to younger generations?
After correcting the child’s misunderstanding, Shen Yi’an stood up and smiled at Shen Shasha who was holding her little nephew. “Third Sister-in-law, you must be exhausted from the walk back?”
“Here, let me hold my little nephew!”
Handing one-year-old little Shen Hong over for her to hold, Shen Shasha took the opportunity while changing shoes to explain a couple of things.
“The comment about Xiaoyi being a financial burden came from my mother.”
“She saw that Eldest Sister-in-law had three nieces in a row, and Second Sister-in-law also had two nieces before getting one nephew, while the family across the street has boys with every pregnancy.”
“I happened to visit during their grandson’s full moon celebration, so she couldn’t help but make some sour remarks in front of Xiaoyi.”
After speaking, she glanced at Shen Yi’an’s expression and, seeing no major emotional reaction, added the follow-up.
“But I told her off.”
“My daughter is the one I gave birth to. It doesn’t matter if she doesn’t cherish her – I, as her birth mother, will definitely protect her properly.”
“I also told her I won’t go back unless necessary from now on, so no one can mistreat my daughter.”
After listening to the series of explanations, Shen Yi’an continued playing with little Shen Hong while responding with a smile, “I’m glad Third Sister-in-law thinks this way.”
“We’ve entered a new society now – there’s no reason we who are in charge can’t protect our own children.”
“Whether boys or girls, as long as they’re raised with care and attention, girls’ futures aren’t necessarily inferior to boys’.”
As she spoke, she rubbed the chubby little face before her. “Isn’t that right, little Hong Hong? Is Auntie correct?”
How could a one-year-old understand adult discussions? But he could distinguish emotions through what he sensed.
Seeing Shen Yi’an’s smiling, crescent-shaped eyes, he immediately shook his little head vigorously without realizing it. “Dudu! Dudu!” “Dudu! Dudu!”
Seeing this, Shen Shasha poked his chubby cheek amusedly.
“Looks like he’s closer to his aunt – can’t even speak properly but already knows how to call for her.”
“Alright then, you stay close to Auntie. Mommy will go help Grandma in the kitchen.”
After changing into house shoes and exchanging a few more words with Shen Yi’an, she headed toward the kitchen.
“Mom, what delicious food are you preparing?”
“If you’re making noodles, let me do it – carrying children these past two years has trained my arms well!”
“No need…”
While the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law were talking in the kitchen, Shen Yi’an carried little Shen Hong back to the sofa and sat down.
Making sure the little one wouldn’t cry, she looked up at Shen Junkai who was playing with Shen Yi. “Fourth Brother, go pick up Fourth Sister-in-law and your two nephews for dinner.”
“It’ll be livelier with more people tonight.”
“No need!” Shen Junkai answered without looking up.
“Your Fourth Sister-in-law is pregnant. With so many people at home tonight, there won’t be enough space to move around.”
“Just give them a bowl of your chicken soup.”
Hearing this, Shen Yi’an nearly rolled her eyes.
Here he was enjoying good food and drink himself, while making his heavily pregnant wife and two children drink nothing but chicken soup.
No matter how nutritious chicken soup is, it’s still mostly water that gets digested quickly.
What kind of person is this!
Not even worth commenting on!
She turned and tucked little Shen Hong into his arms, then took Shen Yi’s small hand and headed to the kitchen.
No one knew what was said, but afterward, she went out alone.
Half an hour later, she returned, supporting the heavily pregnant He Xiaoman with one hand, followed by the nearly identical brothers Shen You and Shen Hao.
With only a one-year age gap, there was no generation divide—Shen Yi quickly started playing with Shen You and Shen Hao.
Not wanting to be a third wheel, Shen Yi’an went to the kitchen to help.
Left in the living room were Shen Junkai, holding the chubby-cheeked little Shen Hong, and He Xiaoman, glaring angrily with her pregnant belly.
“Little Sister told me you didn’t want to invite me over for dinner?”
“What, are you embarrassed by my big belly, or have you found yourself a little sweetheart outside?”
The more she spoke, the angrier she got, and she even reached out to pinch the soft flesh on Shen Junkai’s arm a couple of times.