"I won't go back for the time being after this trip back. Stop talking about it. I'm a bit tired. I'll go to sleep first. Call me when it's time for dinner tonight."
Hua Qingqing simply said "Okay" and didn't ask any more questions. She could tell that Yu Jianchuan didn't want to talk about this matter.
It was understandable, though. She also kept her factory - making and money - earning activities under wraps, for fear that people she wasn't familiar with would find out, especially the Yu family. If they knew, bad luck would surely come!
Moreover, the southern region was indeed developing faster than here. Yu Jianchuan had been away from home for so long. If he hadn't made money in the south, why hadn't he come back before?
Hua Qingqing fiddled with the radio in the room and finally tuned in to a station. It was a storytelling program, with a deep and steady middle - aged man's voice, passionately telling historical stories.
After being here for so long, she finally had an entertainment program.
It was not until dinner that she learned that Yu Jianchuan had brought back two radios this time. One was for her, and the other was for the twins to share. But Grandma Fang directly snatched the other one and hid it in her own room.
"Little brats, what do you need to listen for? You should be ashamed to get into the No. 2 Middle School and still want this thing. I'll keep this in your grandpa's and my room. No one is allowed to touch it!"
After taking the thing, Grandma Fang still wasn't satisfied. She started scolding her youngest son, "You really have money to burn. What do you buy this for? No one in the family needs it. It's just a waste of money. You'd better hand this spare money over to your parents to manage. It'll be useful for your marriage later!"
"Also, what's with your hair? It looks like a bird's nest. Hurry up and fix it. Which girl won't be scared of you when you go out like this?!"
The second - generation couple on the side kept silent, but their expressions showed obvious dissatisfaction, especially Wan Yindi.
Yu Linyun even sneered.
Yu Jianchuan frowned too. "Mom, that radio is for Xiaoyun and Xiaoyang. They are students and need to learn English. They can practice by putting in tapes later. What do you take it for? You don't need this. If you and Dad really want to listen, I'll buy you a better one later. Give it back to them quickly."
It had only been half a year since he last saw them, but his mother's "snatching" addiction had gotten even worse. She even snatched things from the kids.
If Grandma Fang could listen to her son's words, she wouldn't be Grandma Fang.
She argued vehemently, "Learn what foreign language? We don't even know if they can finish these three years of school. Isn't it a waste to let them use it? If you have good things, why don't you be filial to your dad and me but think about others?"
"It's already autumn. I brought overcoats for you two. Those are expensive! The radio is for the kids. What do you take it for?"
"We have clothes to wear. We don't need you to buy clothes. This radio can be used to listen to stories."
At this point, it was obvious that she wasn't going to give it back.
Yu Jianchuan almost blurted out "Have some self - respect", but he held it back.
He endured it and said to Yu Linyun and Yu Linyang, "Uncle will buy you another one later."
Yu Linyun didn't say a word. She thought it would be better if he just gave her a few more yuan. At least money was easy to hide.
Yu Linyang, on the other hand, looked at Yu Jianchuan with admiration and nodded repeatedly.
Feng Xiang picked up a piece of meat and put it on Yu Jianchuan's plate. She enthusiastically echoed Grandma Fang's words just now. "Jianchuan, what Mom said is right. They also have a use for the radio. When it gets cold later and they don't go out but stay at home, it's good to listen to songs or stories. Who says the old people can't listen?"
Hua Qingqing gave her a sidelong glance and said coldly, "Is it that the old people can't listen? We all know that once Grandma takes this thing back, it will end up in cousin's room. You just have to be so smug and show - off. You could just enjoy the thing you snatched secretly. Why do you have to flaunt it? How could you be so capable?"
Feng Xiang's smile froze.
This burden was doing it on purpose, wasn't she!
All the old and new grudges welled up. Feng Xiang threw the piece of meat she had picked up halfway back into the plate, stood up, and rolled up her sleeves.
"Hua Qingqing, do you think no one in this family can discipline you?"
"What does our elders' conversation have to do with you?"
Hua Qingqing raised her eyes and looked at her calmly.
"I'm just stating a fact. Why are you so anxious? Did I hit a nerve?"
"If you dare to take a swing at me today, I'll still respect you as a tough one. But don't close your eyes tightly when you sleep tonight. I've been so busy with school these days that I've forgotten to sharpen the axe."
Feng Xiang took a step back and bumped into the bench. She sat down on it.
How could she forget that Hua Qingqing was a crazy girl who really dared to fight?
Previously, Lin Sen had been beaten by her and had to rest for several days to recover.
Forget it. She was an adult and shouldn't argue with a crazy person. Anyway, they had gotten the radio.
Wan Yindi glanced at Hua Qingqing, but the girl was concentrating on eating and didn't make eye contact with her at all. So Wan Yindi had to withdraw her gaze dejectedly.
She thought that she had to have a good talk with Hua Qingqing later. The enemy of one's enemy was a friend!
A "war" quietly subsided.
Looking at the table full of people who were used to it, Yu Jianchuan blinked in shock. He suspected that he had returned to the wrong home.
No, when did his little niece become so capable?
With just a few words, she had scared his sister - in - law speechless!
Also, that line about not closing your eyes when sleeping tonight was a threat, right? It must be!
Yu Jianchuan felt like he was in a dream.
After dinner, Wan Yindi grabbed two handfuls of peanuts and came to Hua Qingqing's room. She carefully looked around this small "firewood room" and couldn't hide her envy.
"Qingqing, you're really good at tidying up the room. It looks so nice, and there's even a table."
"The place is small, so it's easy to clean."
Hua Qingqing put down her book. Seeing Wan Yindi standing there obsequiously, she straightforwardly asked, "Auntie, if you have something to say, just say it. I still have to read. It'll be dark soon."
Wan Yindi gave a couple of "hehes" and put the peanuts on the table. A handful of dry yellow soil fell from them.
"Well, Auntie knows you're a sensible girl. I just want to ask if you could let your cousin and cousin use the radio when you're not using it. Don't worry. I'll definitely make them take good care of it."
Take good care of it? This thing doesn't belong to you, nor is it for public use. Do you even have the chance to take care of it?
Hua Qingqing rolled her eyes. "Auntie, I know what you mean, but you shouldn't have this thought about me because I won't agree."
Wan Yindi's smiling face immediately dropped.
"What you said! Your Auntie didn't go to school, but I still know what unity and friendship mean. Why are you such a stingy child? What's wrong with lending it to your cousin and cousin?"
"Auntie, is it really me being stingy, or are you and Uncle too cowardly? There's already a radio in Grandma's room. You have the guts to come and ask me to borrow it, but you don't have the guts to snatch it back. There are really such useless parents in the world. Cousin and cousin are so pitiful!"
"What are you talking about! I won't let you eat anymore!"
Wan Yindi reached out and grabbed the peanuts back into her pocket, then turned around and left.