I Became the Mother of His Child

Xu Jingjing looked up at Wei Jiaqiang, "Then I'll trouble you."

After hesitating, Xu Jingjing finally nodded in agreement. She really had no choice, as the other party had even produced his household registration book to alleviate her guardedness. Given the circumstances, how could she have the heart to refuse his kindness! Besides, she was alone, carrying two large bags of luggage, and her family hadn't arranged for anyone to pick her up from the county. She indeed found the situation quite troublesome.

Originally, Xu Jingjing had planned to go straight to her own home with her belongings, but considering that Wei Family Village was a bit closer to Song Family Village, she worked it out with Wei Jiaqiang to take her sister's already sorted luggage to Song Family Village.

By the time she disembarked from the train, it was already evening. When she arrived back in Song Family Village, the light was beginning to fade. Dehydrated and tired, Jingjing still managed to bring the items to the Song Family.

"Aunt Liu, these are the things my third sister asked me to bring to you. Inside there are new clothes for you and uncle, as well as calcium powder suitable for middle-aged and older people. Yuanyao and Yuanying's school supplies are also in there. Please, take a moment to check the items later, and call my third sister and her husband back when you have time." Xu Jingjing had told Wei Jiaqiang to wait outside the Song Family house for a little while, and she herself, travel-worn, carried the items into the house.

"Jingjing, you've really worked hard! How did you manage to bring such big bags back all by yourself, you must be exhausted!" Mrs. Song Liu Shuxiang took one look at the sweaty Xu Jingjing and immediately grabbed a towel to wipe her sweat, "You haven't had dinner yet, have you? Eat with us here tonight, and if you're in a hurry to get home afterward, shall I ask your brother-in-law to take you back to the Xu Village?"

Liu Shuxiang wanted to be polite and offer a meal to the young girl who had come all this way with the goods; it wouldn't be right to let her leave without eating.

Moreover, Liu Shuxiang had known from a phone call earlier that this daughter-in-law's sister had also gone to Z City and had been taking care of her little grandson. She was returning home now because her parents-in-law were not in good health, so they had called the girl back home. Her second son had just reported the situation over the phone, and she knew there were quite a few things. She had wanted to ask her eldest son to go to the train station in the county and help the girl, but as the in-laws of the second daughter-in-law usually had no one to pick people up from the county, how would the young girl manage with so much luggage? However, as soon as she suggested this, her eldest daughter-in-law Wang Qinghua strongly disagreed and even threw quite a fit over it, so the suggestion had to be reluctantly dropped.

"Cough, cough!" Wang Qinghua was washing seaweed under the eaves of the main room and overheard mother-in-law Liu Shuxiang inviting the young girl to stay for dinner, and then potentially troubling her husband to take her back to Xu Village later that night. Although Xu Village was not far from Song Family Village, the roads were difficult to navigate and inconvenient at night. Thinking about it made her feel annoyed, so she pretended to cough deliberately.

Xu Jingjing wasn't foolish, and Wang Qinghua's behavior was all too apparent. Moreover, Wei Jiaqiang was still waiting outside! Thus, she naturally declined Mrs. Song Liu Shuxiang's hospitable offer, "No need, Aunt Liu. I should hurry home before it gets dark. My parents haven't seen me for a while and must be worried. I'll come to visit another day!" Saying this, Jingjing gently placed the towel she had used to wipe her sweat down and made as if to leave.

Eldest daughter-in-law Wang Qinghua's behavior was simply disgraceful, and Mrs. Song Liu Shuxiang inwardly disapproved, casting her a discreet scowl before raising a warm smile to continue insisting with Jingjing: "Oh, you child, you're practically home already, what's the rush? Stay and have dinner at Auntie's house!" The young girl had taken so much trouble to bring these things home, had not been given a sip of water, and with dinner close at hand, sending her away without a meal would surely become the village gossip.

"Auntie, I really don't need to stay," said Xu Jingjing with a continuing, polite smile as she declined.

"Mom, it looks like the girl really needs to get home. Let's not insist on keeping her here. After all, we're relatives; there will be plenty of opportunities to meet up in the future, won't there?" Wang Qinghua watched as her mother-in-law tried hard to persuade the girl to stay for a meal. She was somewhat unhappy, considering that her mother-in-law hadn't been this solicitous when her own brothers came over, with her attitude not just a little different but indeed miles apart. They were all relatives, so why was there such a different treatment?

"Yes, Auntie, I really do need to get home!" Xu Jingjing quickly chimed in following Wang Qinghua's lead.

"Well then, alright!" Song's Mother Liu Shuxiang reluctantly gave up the idea of having her stay, "Jingjing, you must find time to come over to our place for a simple meal another day!" Liu Shuxiang politely negotiated with Xu Jingjing. Although she had just felt uncomfortable with Wang Qinghua speaking up, her face still bore a very polite smile when she turned back to Xu Jingjing.

"Okay, Auntie, I'll take my leave now, and head home," said Xu Jingjing before she turned and left the Song Family's home.

Song's Mother watched the young girl walk away before turning with a glare to the overly involved Wang Qinghua, "Wang Qinghua, you had better keep quiet. I've tolerated you as my daughter-in-law for long enough. If you really don't want to be part of this family anymore, then leave sooner rather than later to spare me having to look at you every day and feel annoyed." Liu Shuxiang said with exasperation, giving Wang Qinghua a glance before going into the main room to sort out the large package of items Xu Xiuxiu had sent back.

"Hmph!" Wang Qinghua snorted disdainfully from the corner of her mouth as her mother-in-law Liu Shuxiang walked inside.

Xu Xiuxiu sent things back every month, which she was aware of, and it felt good to occasionally receive a small scarf or a piece of new clothing, but these things only heightened the contrast! She once secretly took a pen that belonged to Yuanying and Yuanyao, and upon inquiring in the county, learned that the pen was worth at least a couple of yuan. Even the calcium powder her father-in-law and mother-in-law took wasn't cheap at all. And what about her, Wang Qinghua? Each time, she received only a trivial item, as if she was being fobbed off like a beggar. Her daughter did receive several clothes and shoes that seemed not cheap, but still, she always felt that compared to what Yuanying and Yuanyao got, there was a difference. Hadn't she seen the tape recorder Xu Xiuxiu sent last time? That item was definitely high-end, comparable to the top three wedding gifts in the village. So naturally, with such comparisons, Wang Qinghua was filled with resentment, feeling like Xu Xiuxiu had shortchanged her considerably.

The Song Family was somewhat disturbed by the items she had brought, but Xu Jingjing didn't pay it much heed. She vaguely knew from her third sister that Wang Qinghua was not to be trusted, and she didn't plan to pay her much attention. After leaving the Song Family, she hurried home.

Wei Jiaqiang was an honest and upright man, and seeing that it was getting late, he insisted on taking a detour to safely escort Xu Jingjing home despite her protests, only then did he hasten back to his own place in the dim evening light.