1990s: Spring Water Family

Chapter 265 Returning to the Countryside to Reunite with Relatives, This is Your Real Mother

"How can I let you work when I go back?"

Seeing that her grandmother was determined, Lin Xiyu stopped trying to stop her: "How about this, I'll have Sister Huang come over at noon to cook for you. Make a lot, and for dinner, when Uncle comes back, just heat it up in the microwave."

"to make."

Grandma knew she was too old and unable to do much, so she didn't refuse her kindness.

"Let me see what I need to bring back."

Seeing that her grandmother had agreed, Lin Xiyu felt relieved and started packing her things herself.

My maternal grandmother stayed at the old house for about two months. When she first arrived, she didn't bring many clothes with her.

Lin Xiyu would see what the old lady needed and would ask Gu Bin to go out and buy it for her every few days.

When she packed her things to leave, she was quite surprised to find that she had a whole bunch of big and small bags and trinkets to carry.

"Don't bring an electric blanket. We have heating at home, so we don't need it."

Grandma was touched and amused to see her stuffing everything into her bag like a hamster.

"What if there's an unforeseen circumstance and the heating is turned off?"

Lin Xiyu kept stuffing things in, wishing she could take all the usable household items back with her grandmother.

"That's the good thing about centralized heating; you don't have to burn your own stove, and the heating is guaranteed."

Grandma rubbed her old, cold legs and said with feeling, "It's just that the first floor is a bit damp and cold, and the temperature doesn't go up much. It's good if it can stay around 17 degrees."

"Just saying."

Lin Xiyu quickly replied, "It's good to bring an electric blanket back. It's warmer with this. Don't worry about the electricity bill. I'll pay for it for you. It'll only cost about a thousand yuan a year, which is enough."

"I wonder how much money your aunt's illness has cost?"

When Grandma heard about money, her eyes darkened again: "She didn't have medical insurance, so she had to pay for everything herself. All the little she had left will be gone again."

Lin Xiyu was greatly shocked: "Didn't your aunt buy medical insurance?"

"No."

Grandma shook her head sadly: "Your uncle didn't buy it either. When they were first laid off, they didn't realize the importance of medical insurance. They always thought they were young and healthy and didn't need it. Now it's too late to regret it."

"If you don't have medical insurance, you can buy insurance."

Lin Xiyu sighed as she listened: "If I were to get another illness, at least I'd have some protection."

"Xi Yu"

Grandma glanced at her and said earnestly, "Grandma is talking about this to remind you that you should continue to work if possible. Your uncle and aunt are examples of this. Without a formal job, they will suffer their whole lives. It will be troublesome to see a doctor when they get old. Not only will it cost money, but they will also be disliked by their children."

"I know."

Lin Xiyu didn't want her grandmother to worry, so she nodded obediently, but her heart was filled with turmoil.

She understood the道理 (principles/reasons) her grandmother was talking about, but unfortunately, she couldn't have both fish and bear's paw.

The prerequisite for applying to become an intangible cultural heritage inheritor is that one must stay and develop locally. If one wants to pursue their dreams, they have no choice but to make some trade-offs.

"You're a sensible child, Grandma isn't worried."

Grandma was very pleased to see that she had taken her words to heart: "Alright, you're almost done tidying up. Don't bother anymore. Help me to the next room to see the babies. Once I get back, I don't know when I'll be able to see them again."

"Grandma, what are you saying?"

Lin Xiyu helped her grandmother up, feigning displeasure: "You can come anytime you want. When the babies are a little older and the weather isn't so cold, I can bring them to visit you more often."

"Alright, alright, Grandma misspoke."

Grandma was delighted to hear this, and wrinkles appeared at the corners of her eyes as she smiled.

-

Gu Bin returned quickly. His grandmother was enjoying herself with her grandson, playing with the baby. After a short while, he brought his uncle and Nana inside.

"grandmother!"

When Nana saw her grandmother, all the panic, fear, unease, and confusion that had been building up for so long finally burst forth at that moment.

She threw herself into her grandmother's arms, crying uncontrollably.

"Nana, don't cry."

Grandma hugged her, feeling both heartache and sadness as she thought about how the girl already knew about her origins.

The grandmother and granddaughter went back to the next room to talk alone. Lin Xiyu took the opportunity to call her uncle aside and tell him her grandmother's intentions in advance so that he could be mentally prepared.

When the uncle heard that his maternal grandmother intended for Nana to meet her biological parents, his eyes welled up with tears. He blinked hard to keep from crying in front of his niece.

Grandma and Nana chatted for a short while when the door to the room creaked open from the inside.

The people waiting in the courtyard all turned to look at the same time.

"Xi Yu, come here."

Grandma, leaning against the doorframe, waved to Lin Xiyu.

"coming."

Lin Xiyu didn't dare to delay and quickly ran over.

"You and Gu Bin should handle this."

Grandma didn't say it explicitly, but the meaning was clear: "Take Nana to the countryside so she can meet her biological mother."

"Are we going now?"

Lin Xiyu lifted her eyelids and glanced at her uncle with sympathy.

My uncle sniffed and turned his head away, pretending not to care.

Lin Xiyu sighed sadly, feeling very uneasy.

“Sooner rather than later.”

Grandma deliberately spoke to Nana in a very tactful way: "Her biological mother's house isn't far; it's less than an hour's drive there. When you go, just say you're bringing the child back to meet them, to test the waters. If they're willing to accept her, we won't stop them. If they don't want to, just bring her back. Nana will still be our child, just like before, without any difference."

"Row."

Lin Xiyu glanced at Nana and saw that when Nana heard her grandmother say that she would be taken back to see her biological mother, her eyes lit up. Lin Xiyu felt a little sorry for her uncle and aunt.

Nana was brought home by the couple when she was a newborn and they raised her single-handedly. Even though her aunt was a bit stingy and reluctant to spend money on her training classes, it couldn't be denied that they had raised her with their own hands.

The grace of raising a child is greater than heaven.

Compared to her cold-hearted mother, her adoptive parents who raised her are the people she should be most grateful to.

-

It's getting late.

Grandma was a little tired and didn't want to say any more: "Don't stand here, let's go."

"Grandma, are you going home?"

Gu Bin, considerate and filial, said, "I'll drive you and your uncle back first, then come back to pick up the two sisters."

"it is good."

Grandma smiled with satisfaction and walked out of the yard with Lin Xiyu's help.

Gu Bin and his uncle helped carry the things, making several trips back and forth before finally loading all the packed luggage into the car.

Lin Xiyu watched as her grandmother settled in and then helped her close the car door.

"It's cold outside, you should go back inside."

Seeing that she was dressed in thin clothes, her grandmother urged her to hurry home.

"Okay, okay, I'll go back right away."

Not wanting her grandmother to worry, Lin Xiyu waved her hand in accordance with her wishes.

Grandma kept watching her until she turned into the alley and disappeared from sight, then reluctantly turned her gaze away.

-

Gu Bin came and went quickly, and when he returned, there was another person in the carriage.

When her cousin heard that Nana was going to be taken to the countryside, she offered to go with Gu Bin instead.

Gu Bin, knowing his wife needed to stay home to take care of the children, didn't refuse and brought her back with him.

"Sis, you're going too?" Lin Xiyu was genuinely surprised to see her cousin.

"Go, must go."

My cousin rolled up her sleeves, exuding an air of dominance: "I've long wanted to see for myself what kind of parents could do something so vicious as to abandon their own daughter."

"Shh, keep your voice down"

Lin Xiyu winked towards the living room: "Don't let Nana hear this."

"I said it on purpose for her to hear."

My older sister didn't take it seriously and instead raised her voice: "Tell her to be smart and not be foolish. What's there to be attached to in someone like that? If she can sell you out once, she can sell you out again."

"Ugh."

Lin Xiyu sighed: "It's not impossible."

Where is Nana?

My cousin craned her neck to peek into the living room, a hint of displeasure in her voice: "Why haven't I seen her come out? Wasn't she going to see her mother? She should be leaving now, what is she dawdling for?"

"She's inside watching the babies play."

Lin Xiyu had already tidied herself up and was ready to go out: "Don't rush, I'll go call her right away."

"Just don't go."

My cousin quickly stopped her, saying, "You two aren't home, and there's no one to look after the child."

"It's okay, it won't take more than two hours to go back and forth."

Lin Xiyu knew what to do: "The babies have already been fed, so we can just feed them again before bedtime."

"Listen to me, don't go."

My cousin added, "We'll have to go to her house to see what's going on. If we come back late, it'll disturb the babies' sleep."

"Oh well."

Not wanting to refuse her cousin's kindness, Lin Xiyu called her younger cousin out of the bedroom and personally saw them off at the door.

-

Nana's biological parents live in the southern mountainous area, in XX Village, Liubu Town.

My mother's surname is Zhang, and her name is Zhang Hongmei.

Her father shared the same surname as her, Zhang, and was named Zhang Ershan. Because he was idle and lazy, the villagers nicknamed him Erlaizi (Second Laizi).

Zhang Ershan is the youngest in his family and lives with his parents. Neither of them goes out to work; they rely on growing seasonal vegetables to sell at the market to earn a meager income to support their family.

Before Nana was born, the couple already had a daughter who was two years older than Nana and was thirteen years old this year.

After giving Nana away, she gave birth to another son.

The youngest son is 8 years old this year and is very strong, which is in stark contrast to his older sister's pale and thin appearance.

-

Liubu is a mountainous area with narrow, rugged roads. Cars can't go any further than a kilometer from the village; you have to walk.

The three of them got off the car and found the family according to the address. By then, it was already completely dark.

Zhang Hongmei lit the lamp and busied herself cooking in the kitchen. When she heard someone knocking on the door, she shouted impatiently, "Who is it? Why are you visiting at this hour?"

"Ha, she has quite a temper."

My cousin heard this from outside, scoffed disdainfully, and kicked the big iron gate hard with her foot.

"Is this guy sick?"

Zhang Hongmei was displeased. Grabbing a spatula, she walked out of the kitchen, cursing, "Coming to my house to cause trouble in the middle of the night, huh? You dare to kick down my door? You're asking for trouble!"

"She still dares to swear?"

My cousin was furious and rolled up her sleeves, ready to fight.

"Sister Lei, calm down, calm down."

Gu Bin quickly stopped him: "We're not here to fight, we're here to sound out what's going on. There's no need to get so angry right away."

"Judging from this woman's tone..."

My cousin was still angry: "I knew he wasn't very classy, ​​he's not a good person."

"Who are you calling a bad person?"

Zhang Hongmei happened to walk to the door, opened it, and slapped it down with a shovel.

Gu Bin grabbed the shovel and stood in front of his cousin.

"Who are you?"

Zhang Hongmei tugged at the shovel a few times, but couldn't budge it. When she looked up, she saw a strange man with cold and stern eyes. She immediately cowered and shrank back in fear.

"You must be Zhang Hongmei?"

Gu Bin didn't answer but asked a question instead.

"What a question!"

Zhang Hongmei retorted defiantly, "You come to my house and knock on the door, don't you know who I am?"

"You talk too much nonsense!"

Her older cousin disliked her, so she pulled Nana over and pointed at her nose, saying to Nana, "Look closely, she is your biological mother."

Why did you bring her here?

Seeing Nana's drastic change in expression and her undisguised disgust, Zhang Hongmei completely extinguished the last glimmer of light in Nana's eyes.

She is your daughter.

My cousin said sternly, "Isn't it normal for us to bring her to see you?"

"Don't talk nonsense, I only have two children."

Zhang Hongmei refused to admit it: "I don't know you, nor do I know her. Don't try to frame me."

"You just said, how did you bring her here?"

Gu Bin, true to his lawyer background, immediately grasped the key point with a single sentence: "This sentence is enough to prove that you know this child and understand your relationship with her."

"I do not recognize."

Zhang Hongmei's eyes reddened with anger, and she shoved people away, saying, "You should leave now. Stop talking nonsense here. If someone hears us and brings the family planning commission here, we can't afford the fine."

"Did you hear that?"

My cousin lowered her head and said to Nana, "She didn't want to acknowledge you because of this, and she didn't want to pay the fine for having too many children, so she gave you away."

"What's going on? Why are you making such a fuss at the gate?"

"It smells burnt. That spendthrift woman ran out of the kitchen before she even finished cooking the food."

"Who are you talking to? Why don't you come inside and talk at the front door?"

The commotion at the courtyard gate attracted the attention of the people inside the main room. Zhang Hongmei's father-in-law and mother-in-law, as well as Zhang Ershan, all came out with resentment and dissatisfaction.

"We've come to reunite with our relatives."

My cousin used a bit of force to push Zhang Hongmei aside and entered the yard first.

"Recognize relatives? What kind of relatives?"

Zhang Ershan looked his cousin up and down, a glint of shrewdness flashing in his eyes.

Do you remember?

My cousin scoffed, pointed at Nana who was still standing motionless at the gate, and coldly questioned, "The child you heartlessly abandoned eleven years ago, right after she was born?"

"What child?"

"Don't talk nonsense. We only have one granddaughter and one grandson. We don't know her."

Zhang Hongmei's parents-in-law denied it almost simultaneously.

Zhang Ershan had a gloomy face, his eyes flickering, and it was unclear what he was thinking.

My cousin scoffed, "Whether you like it or not, it's the truth."