The Little Life of a Big Landlord

Chapter 282 Exemplary Role Model

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"Nan Nan, whose child is this???" Aunt Da Bao glanced at Liu Nan Nan and asked.

"I don't know either, it was Sister Jixiang who brought him..." Liu Nannan didn't actually know that the child was born to her aunt and was her little cousin.

"Jixiang???" Aunt Dabao frowned immediately, but she wasn't familiar with Jixiang, so there were some things she couldn't ask. Even if she did ask, Jixiang might not answer. She just nodded, took off her shoes, and climbed onto the kang (a heated brick bed).

"Auntie, I'm going to the west room. Everyone, sit on the kang (heated brick bed). If it gets hot, turn on the air conditioner. Don't save electricity for Brother Yang's family..." Liu Nannan smiled, picked up the child, and turned to walk out.

"I think... this child looks a bit like Yang Ming..." a rough-handed old woman said after a long pause.

"They really do look alike, those eyebrows and eyes, it's like they were made from the same mold..." A thin, old woman sat cross-legged on the kang (a heated brick bed), her voice low. "Not only does he look like Yang Ming, but he also looks quite like his wife, Liu. Their little noses and mouths are exactly the same..."

"Third Sister-in-law, what are you saying???" Aunt Da Bao glared at the skinny old woman. "His wife, Sister Liu, is a widow, don't talk nonsense..."

Actually, when she first saw the child, she thought he looked quite like Yang Ming and Aunt Liu.

"Not to be rude..." The thin, bony third sister-in-law pursed her lips, "Bao'er's grandma is always cursing in the streets at home, and the things she says are really awful..."

"How come we didn't hear anything???" Aunt Da Bao frowned. "Grandma Bao may be a bit shrewish, but she wouldn't go so far as to curse in the street, would she???"

The other older women were also intrigued. Women of their age are most interested in gossip; they love to listen and they love to spread it…

"Guess what I heard..." Third Sister-in-law's eyes lit up. She leaned forward, lowered her voice, and spoke with a deep sense of temptation and mystery.

"What did you hear???" Everyone was definitely itching to find out.

"Grandma Bao'er's words were too harsh, so I won't say them. I can't bring myself to say them. I'll just give you a brief account of what happened..." Third Sister-in-law smiled slightly. "It's roughly like this: the old couple wanted to have a grandson and wanted to use Da Han's child so that his wife, Liu, could have another one. But..." As she spoke, she pointed to the curtain, and the meaning was quite clear: the baby that Liu Nannan took away was Liu's child.

"You'd be better off not saying anything..." The rough-handed, big-footed old woman glared at her third sister-in-law. "Aren't you just stirring up trouble for us???"

"Wasn't it supposed to be Da Han's son? How did it become Yang Ming's? Hurry up and tell us, don't keep us in suspense..." An old woman with a big mole on the corner of her mouth said casually.

Everyone looked at Third Sister-in-law, their eyes filled with both dissatisfaction and expectation.

The fire of gossip burns fiercely and will not be easily extinguished unless its roots are dug out.

"Hehe..." Third Sister-in-law smiled apologetically, but there was more smugness in her laughter. "That's all I know. You all know what kind of person Sister-in-law Liu is. Such a capable woman, would she be manipulated by her mother-in-law??? It's probably a case of switching the baby with the baby, a trick..."

"Given Liu's temperament, if you push her too far, she really is capable of doing something like this..." Aunt Da Bao frowned and nodded slightly. "Liu isn't someone who can be manipulated by others..."

"Yes..." Third Sister-in-law echoed exaggeratedly, "Who in the surrounding area doesn't know the name Liu Fen'er? Don't underestimate her just because she's a widow; no one dares to bully her. Back when Dazhi was alive, she was the one who stood up for him when he was mistreated outside..."

"Absolutely..." a group of old women echoed.

"Gentlemen, the food is ready. Would you like to eat?" Jixiang's voice rang out beside them, startling the group of old women. They had been so engrossed in their conversation that they hadn't noticed anyone approaching.

Everyone looked at Jixiang, who was carrying a table and standing prettily in front of the kang (a heated brick bed), and their expressions were somewhat awkward.

"Let's eat..." Aunt Da Bao said, blushing. "I've been busy all day and I'm starving..."

"Yes, yes, we're starving..." Everyone quickly chimed in, making room for the central section of the kang (heated brick bed).

"Thank you all so much for today..." Jixiang said politely, placed the table on the kang (a heated brick bed), and then went outside to serve the dishes.

"Of course, we live in the same village, we're all one family..." Aunt Da Bao said politely.

"Please enjoy your meal..." Jixiang brought the tableware and food to the table, and also opened a jar of fruit wine for them. After filling each person's glass, she politely toasted them and then quietly withdrew.

"Let's not talk about this here. Let's find some shade tomorrow and have a proper chat..." Third Sister-in-law said softly.

"I'm going to your house in the hallway tomorrow..." the rough-handed old woman said, looking at her third sister-in-law. "You'll be buying me popsicles..."

"Okay..." Third Sister-in-law smiled and nodded in agreement.

"To be honest, Qingqing was really in danger this time..." Aunt Dabao sighed and changed the subject.

She planned to talk to Zheng Dabao about Liu Sao's matter when she got back.

"Of course..." Third Sister-in-law's face was still filled with lingering fear. "The umbilical cord tied the two babies together, no wonder it was impossible to have a natural birth... I don't know what kind of idea Qingqing had, but if it were a C-section, the babies would have been born long ago, right? Why would they have to suffer so much?"

When you're at someone else's house, who knows if there are eavesdroppers? My third sister-in-law's tone was much warmer and more friendly.

"Who says otherwise???" The old woman with a large mole on her lip chimed in casually, "The blood was flowing so much, I was completely terrified. To be honest, I thought, 'Qingqing, I'm not going to get through this...'" Her tone was still filled with lingering fear...

"Alright, alright, let's eat..." Aunt Da Bao picked up her chopsticks, paused on the table, and said, "The aroma is so enticing, I'm practically drooling..."

"Yes, yes... eat, eat, eat..." Everyone echoed in agreement, picking up their chopsticks and starting to eat.

In the countryside, whenever there's a banquet or feast, as long as the women sit at the table, none of them hold back. Generally, they all want to eat more than they can handle, and everyone wants to have a bite more than the others.

Are women really quieter when they eat than men? That's not necessarily true. Anyway, none of these older women care about their image when they eat.

Jixiang kept changing the dishes for them, serving them carefully. It took five rounds of serving to get the old women satisfied. After the tables were cleared, the old women rested on the kang (a heated brick bed) for a while, leisurely picked their teeth, and then left together. By this time, it was already 10 p.m.

Jixiang personally escorted them to the front gate and watched them leave before returning inside.

"Sister Jixiang, they've left???" Just as Jixiang entered the house, Liu Nannan came out of the west room carrying Xiao Yangfeng.

"Let's go..." Jixiang smiled slightly, stretched out her hand, "You've been holding him all night, give him to me..." As she spoke, she gently took Xiao Yangfeng from Liu Nannan's arms.

"Sister Jixiang..." Liu Nannan stammered, "They just said... that the child is my aunt and Brother Yang's, is that true???" Her gaze towards Jixiang was full of questions.

Her aunt, who usually seemed so proper, and Yang Ming had somehow developed a relationship, which made her uneasy. Terms like "you can know a person's face but not their heart," "a beast in human clothing," and "misjudging people" kept swirling in her mind.

"I don't know..." Jixiang smiled, not giving a direct answer. Without Yang Ming's orders, she dared not answer randomly.

"Well..." Liu Nannan forced a smile, "Well, I'll go see Brother Yang..." With that, she turned and went into the west room.

The young girl's feelings were very complicated. In her heart, Yang Ming had always been an object of admiration, a kind and approachable older brother. Who would have thought that he would be with her aunt... What's worse, he was a married man.

The towering, perfect image of Yang Ming in the little girl's mind has finally crumbled today...

Jixiang grinned, hugged the child to her chest, and followed him inside.

Yang Ming lay quietly on the kang, his face as pale as paper, his lips chapped, and his brows furrowed, as if he were filled with great fear or sorrow.

"What's wrong with Brother Yang???" Liu Nannan sat on the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed), looking at Yang Ming with a hint of heartache in her eyes.

Yang Ming's performance today has completely stunned and moved her. A grown man actually shed tears. This is the first time she has ever seen a man cry... No, there was another time, it was when Zhang Yang was bullied by Sun Fangfang after selling ginseng and cried his heart out... It seems that even the strongest man has a very fragile heart.

"It's nothing, it's just that his mental energy was severely depleted. The emotional ups and downs caused his mind to be impacted, and he fainted..." Jixiang said casually, sitting down next to Yang Ming.

"Poor Brother Yang..." Liu Nannan sighed, then paused, thinking of Wei Qingqing who had been up all day and night, and added, "Poor Sister-in-law Yang is even more pitiful..."

"Never mind that, are you hungry??? I left some rice in the pot for you..." Jixiang glanced at Liu Nannan and said.

"I'm not in the mood to eat right now..." Liu Nannan shook her head.

"Mmm mmm mmm mmm..." A painful groan rang out, Yang Ming's eyebrows twitched slightly, and his chapped lips parted slightly. Because his lips were so dry and cracked, they had stuck together when he pressed them together. When he opened them, the skin on his lips was torn, and blood gushed out.

"Master, what did you say???" Jixiang quickly leaned down and put her ear to Yang Ming's lips.

"Qingqing..." Yang Ming's voice was soft and hoarse, but firm and clear.

"Don't worry, Master, Grandma is fine. Young Master and Second Miss are also alright. They've been crying and crying, waiting for Dad to hold them..." Jixiang said quickly, tears welling up in her eyes as she spoke.

Seeing Yang Ming's pained expression, Ji Xiang, who was loyal to him, also felt bad.

"Hmm..." Yang Ming struggled to open his eyes, which were already bloodshot. "Help me up..."

"Master, you are severely mentally exhausted. You should rest and recuperate..." Jixiang advised.

Yang Ming didn't say anything, but of course, this wasn't a compromise...

Having no other choice, Jixiang handed Xiao Yangfeng over to Liu Nannan and then helped Yang Ming sit up.

"Take me to Qingqing's..." Yang Ming's hoarse voice carried a strange undertone, a mixture of weariness, sorrow, urgency, and a hint of triumphant excitement—he couldn't wait...

In short, it's very complicated...

"Yes..." Jixiang helped him sit down on the edge of the kang, put his shoes on, and helped him walk towards the backyard.

Liu Nannan sensed an inexplicable heaviness in the atmosphere and didn't dare to speak, simply following silently behind them.

When Yang Ming woke up, Wei Qingqing also woke up.

"Mom..." Wei Qingqing cried out as soon as she woke up, "It hurts..."

His voice was hoarse, but it didn't sound unpleasant; instead, it had a touch of magnetism...

"It doesn't hurt, it doesn't hurt..." As soon as Wei Qingqing cried, Xue Hua's tears started falling again, and his hand stroking her cheek trembled.

"Where's Yang Ming..." Wei Qingqing looked around but didn't see Yang Ming. A hint of disappointment flashed in her eyes, then she smiled. "Don't bother him. Let me see my child first..."

"Look at him, what a handsome child! His nose looks like yours, and his mouth looks like his father's..." Zhang Shufang wiped away her tears and carried her grandson to Wei Qingqing.

"And there's our daughter..." Aunt Liu said, her eyes reddening, as she carried her daughter to Wei Qingqing. "Look how beautiful our daughter is! When she grows up, you'll be relegated to the second most beautiful woman in the world..."

"Pfft..." Although Wei Qingqing was in excruciating pain, she was still amused by Aunt Liu and rolled her eyes at her, "You're just teasing me..."

"Hehehe..." Aunt Liu chuckled, but as she laughed, she burst into tears, "You've suffered so much..."

"It's okay, this time I have a son and a daughter, and I will definitely not have any more children in the future..." Wei Qingqing chuckled.

After this ordeal, Wei Qingqing was truly terrified of childbirth.

"I won't have any more children, I'll never have any more..." Zhang Shufang cried, clutching Wei Qingqing's small hand tightly.

"Mom, why are you crying? You have two grandsons now, you should be happy. They are now great contributors to our Yang family, and you don't even want to show them some affection..." Wei Qingqing had just woken up when she started to tease her mother-in-law.

"Darling, Mommy kisses you..." Zhang Shufang bent down and kissed her forehead, then covered her mouth and cried.

"I want to drink milk, goat milk, my head is all foggy right now..." Wei Qingqing said.

"I've already prepared it for you..." Xue Hua casually picked up a bag of milk next to him, bit a small hole in it, and then stuffed the small hole into Wei Qingqing's mouth, gently squeezing the bag with his hand.

After drinking a bag of goat milk, Wei Qingqing's spirits immediately improved, and her eyes regained their sparkle.

"Master..." Ruyi's voice rang out from outside, and Wei Qingqing's eyes immediately lit up even more.

"How is Grandma???" Jixiang's voice rang out.

"Grandma has woken up. She just drank a bag of goat milk and is feeling much better..." Ruyi said.

"That's good..." Yang Ming's weak voice finally rang out.

"Mom... what's wrong with Yang Ming..." Wei Qingqing heard her husband's voice and sensed something was wrong. He sounded very weak and on the verge of death, so she became anxious and tightly gripped Zhang Shufang's hand.

Before Zhang Shufang could speak, Yang Ming was helped in by Ji Xiang and Ruyi on either side.

"Waaah..." Upon seeing Yang Ming's appearance, Wei Qingqing burst into tears, "Husband, what's wrong with you..." She cried as she struggled to get up and check on Yang Ming.

"I'm fine, don't move..." Seeing that Wei Qingqing was in good spirits, Yang Ming immediately felt relieved and grinned.

"Qingqing, don't move, don't move..." Seeing her daughter-in-law struggling to get up, Zhang Shufang quickly put down her grandson, held her down, and said to Jixiang Ruyi, "Quickly help him over here..."

"Yes..." The two women quickly replied, helping Yang Ming walk to Wei Qingqing's side.

"Hehe..." Looking at Wei Qingqing lying on the floor, sobbing, Yang Ming chuckled, "You've suffered..."

"Honey, what's wrong??? Did they bully you???" Wei Qingqing thought Yang Ming had been bullied at the Alliance's annual meeting.

"Who dares to bully me..." Yang Ming laughed, turning to Ji Xiang Ruyi and saying, "Put me down slowly..."

"Husband, it's all my fault. I shouldn't have forced you to go..." Wei Qingqing cried with heartache.

"He should do it. You were giving birth inside the house while he stood outside all day. Did he think he was being wronged?" Zhang Shufang said, choking back tears.

Seeing her son's condition, it would be a lie to say she wasn't heartbroken. Even Xue Hua was moved; her son-in-law seemed to be in very bad shape, his body was stiff.

"Standing outside all day???" Wei Qingqing was stunned upon hearing this. "You didn't listen to me??? You didn't go to the meeting???"

"Um..." Yang Ming's face showed a hint of embarrassment, and he chuckled, "I wanted to hear it, but once we got outside, I forgot..." His smile was forced, and all the muscles in his body were stiff, not to mention the muscles in his face...

"You're just giving me the runaround..." Wei Qingqing cried again in anger, but she was truly relieved. So, he had been waiting for her all along...

"Hit me, scold me, it's all my fault for making you suffer so much..." Yang Ming said with a grin as Ji Xiang Ru Yi laid him down next to Wei Qingqing.

"What's wrong with you???" Wei Qingqing naturally noticed Yang Ming's abnormality. "Why do you look like a zombie???"

"It's just that my blood circulation is a bit poor, but it will be fine in a couple of days..." Yang Ming said with a smile.

"How could you be so foolish???" Wei Qingqing choked back tears, her arm trembling as she reached out and grasped Yang Ming's hand, only to find it stiff as steel. He couldn't even bend it, let alone hold hers. She burst into tears again, "You're so foolish..."

"Hehe..." Yang Ming chuckled, "It's because I was too stupid that you, an ugly girl, managed to take me by back then..." His eyes were filled with tenderness as he gazed at Wei Qingqing.

"Ugh..." Wei Qingqing responded to Yang Ming with her gaze. Although neither of them was physically able, their physical limitations did not affect their vision.

"You two, stop with the mushy stuff. It's like watching a melodramatic soap opera..." Aunt Liu felt uncomfortable watching the two exchanging glances. "In front of so many people, especially your own children, can't you tone it down a bit and set a good example for your kids???"

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(End of this chapter)