Chapter 56: You’ll Ruin Your Health Eating All That

Li Xue’s eyes were fixed on the boxes of pastries as she spoke flattering words, but her hand unceremoniously reached for an unopened box of Daoxiangcun snacks.

“My Zhaodi is so pitiful, she’s never tasted Jingshi pastries in all her years. Let her have a try…”

Yu Wanqin frowned, feeling quite displeased with Li Xue.

After all, when Li Xue used to follow Shen Wei, she had often made sarcastic and envious remarks in front of her.

She wasn’t some fool who repaid kindness with malice.

But seeing He Zhaodi’s timid, sallow, and emaciated appearance, and being a mother herself, her heart softened.

She still took out a packet of pre-opened and portioned Fuling Cake and handed it over. “Let Zhaodi try this.”

Li Xue accepted the Fuling Cake but remained unsatisfied, her eyes drifting toward the beautiful candy box tied with a ribbon that Tongtong was holding.

She had heard that it was premium chocolate Yu Wanqin had specially bought for her daughter, an imported product.

I wonder what it tastes like?

“Oh, Tongtong can’t possibly eat all that candy by herself, right? Why not share some with Zhaodi? Zhaodi, hurry up and thank Auntie Yu!”

Li Xue said cheerfully, reaching for the box in Tongtong’s hands.

After all, once she took it home, it would end up in her own mouth.

Tongtong immediately hugged the candy box tightly, her little face stern. “This is what Mom gave to Tongtong!”

Yu Wanqin’s expression darkened. “Comrade Li Xue, I’ve already given Zhaodi the pastries. Please don’t touch Tongtong’s things.”

Just then, Zhu Xiuxiu, the wife of Regimental Commander Yang, was also nearby. She rolled her eyes and chimed in sarcastically.

“Oh, Doctor Yu’s status is different now, she’s a big doctor, and yet she’s so stingy?”

Li Xue also pursed her lips, displeased. “Exactly! It’s just a bit of candy for a child. We all live in the same compound, what’s wrong with sharing? So lacking in human decency!”

Yu Wanqin had always been soft-spoken, but after all she had been through, especially after broadening her horizons in Jingshi, she had become much more assertive.

She immediately turned cold, snatching the Fuling Cake back from Li Xue’s hands. “It seems Comrade Li Xue doesn’t care for these things either. In that case, forget it. Please leave my yard.”

Li Xue and Zhu Xiuxiu hadn’t expected Yu Wanqin to be so unyielding, and their faces flushed red with embarrassment. Glowering, they were about to make a scene.

Tongtong blinked her eyes, secretly slipping a piece of candy to Xiuxiu, and said in her childish voice, “Auntie Li, if you care so much about Zhaodi, why is she still so skinny? Are you eating all the good food yourself?”

She had heard from Grandpa Tree that this Li Xue favored sons over daughters, desperately wanting a boy and treating her daughter terribly.

She often beat Zhaodi behind closed doors and made her bite a chopstick to keep from crying out.

She was a bad mother!

Hearing this, everyone looked at Zhaodi again, and it was true.

The little girl was as thin and small as a monkey, an eight-year-old who wasn’t even as tall as six-year-old Chen An’an.

Li Xue’s expression changed, and she angrily grabbed her daughter, gritting her teeth. “What nonsense are you talking! Our Zhaodi has been sickly since she was in the womb. Oh, it’s all because my family is poor. When I was pregnant, I didn’t have the money to eat well.”

Zhaodi pursed her lips, her small hands tightly clutching the candy, and lowered her head, not daring to speak.

Tongtong, however, was seriously counting on her little fingers: “Auntie Li, Sister Zhaodi’s father is also a Deputy Battalion Commander. My dad earns 200 yuan a month, just like yours. Why is your family still short on money?”

“Or did you spend all the money buying meat for yourself and not giving any to Sister Zhaodi? Look at all this fat on you—it’s practically bulging out!”

Everyone looked again, and sure enough, Li Xue was so plump that her pants could barely contain her, stout and robust.

“I—I’m just bloated and swollen!”

Li Xue’s face shifted through a range of expressions, her teeth clenched in resentment.

She hadn’t expected this stubborn little girl to keep pressing the issue.

As a member of the Women’s Committee, she couldn’t let anyone find out she was mistreating her daughter.

Fearing Tongtong might ask something else, she grumbled angrily, “Fine, don’t give it then! What’s with all the nagging?”

With that, she dragged Zhaodi out.

Seizing the opportunity, Zhaodi popped the candy into her mouth. The sweetness made her squint with delight.

She couldn’t help but glance back.

Meeting Tongtong’s smiling eyes, her stiff lips twitched into a slight curve before her mother called her away.

How she envied Tongtong for having such a good mother…

The neighbors who witnessed this didn’t speak up for Li Xue either.

After all, no one’s money grows on trees. Giving is a kindness, but not giving is perfectly reasonable.

Li Xue just loved taking advantage, and everyone was fed up with her!

Seeing Li Xue leave, Zhu Xiuxiu curled her lip, feeling bored, and prepared to follow her out.

Tilting her head, Tongtong spoke softly, “Auntie Xiuxiu, don’t take medicine randomly, or you’ll get sick!”

Zhu Xiuxiu’s body stiffened abruptly. She turned and glared fiercely at Tongtong. “You brat, how dare you curse me! Who’s taking medicine randomly?”

Tongtong shrugged, spreading her little hands indifferently. “Alright then, if you say you didn’t, you didn’t!”

Zhu Xiuxiu was left speechless, staring at Tongtong’s soft, adorable face.

She couldn’t bring herself to say anything more spiteful.

Finally, she rolled her eyes, twisted her plump hips, and strutted away.

Tongtong unwrapped a candy for herself and chewed it thoughtfully.

She let out a soft sigh.

She had already given the warning.

Grandpa Tree said this Auntie Zhu, just like Mother, was going to be taken advantage of until there was nothing left!

No!

Even worse than Mother!

She was being tricked by Regiment Commander Yang into taking birth control pills without knowing it, ruining her health!

After everyone had left, Yu Wanqin finally relaxed.

Watching Gu Yanbin help tidy up the house, she thought for a moment, then took out a carefully wrapped long box from her luggage. Shyly, she handed it to him.

“Commander Gu, thank you so much for taking care of Tongtong during my training. I wasn’t sure what to buy, but since you’re always writing… I got you a pen as a small token of gratitude. I hope you don’t mind.”

Gu Yanbin was taken aback. He took the box, opened it, and inside was a Hero Brand fountain pen that looked quite expensive.

His heart skipped a beat, and an indescribable joy surged within him.

He hadn’t expected to receive a gift too.

And unlike the food others had brought, this was bought specifically for him—Wanqin had picked it out just for him!

His gaze toward Yu Wanqin unconsciously softened, as if it could melt into tenderness. “Thank you, I really like it.”

Carefully, he placed the pen in his shirt pocket, grinning like a fool weighing two hundred pounds.

Tongtong watched her godfather staring dopily at Mother with a smile, her eyes practically sparkling with delight.

She covered her little mouth, giggling quietly to herself.

After dinner that evening, Tongtong sneaked over to Gu Yanbin’s house. “Godfather, Tongtong wants to buy a gift for Mother!”

“Is that so? What gift does Tongtong want to buy for Mom?” Gu Yanbin smiled and lifted her onto his lap.

“Mom will be working at the hospital from now on, and it’s such a long walk! Tongtong wants to buy a bicycle for Mom!”

Tongtong’s big eyes sparkled brightly: “I’ll use the reward I got last time to buy it, but you need an Industrial Coupon to buy a bicycle… Godfather, can you help Tongtong find an Industrial Coupon? Tongtong has money!”