Lin Qingping and Gu Juncheng

Chapter 209 Your Wife

Lin Qingping returned to the ward as if nothing had happened. The conversation between the mother and daughter in the ward had ended. Gu Youlian saw her come in and asked with a smile, "Chengzi came back with food?"

"Yes, they're back. They're in the back." Lin Qingping was in a good mood at the moment, and she didn't care about Chen Xia or her mother-in-law anymore.

As they were talking, Gu Juncheng arrived.

They bought several dishes, filled several enamel mugs, and also had two mugs of rice. He and Zhiyuan carried the full loads in their hands.

"Where did all these jars come from?" Liu Fen asked.

"I borrowed these from the boss. I'll return them after I finish eating," Gu Juncheng said, taking out a few more bowls, all borrowed, and giving Lin Qingping a bowl and a pair of chopsticks. "Eat up."

After saying that, he looked at his sister and asked, "Are you still going to eat?"

“I’ve already eaten. You three can eat by yourselves. I have some stewed chicken here,” Gu Youlian said.

Lin Qingping and the other two then began to eat the food that Gu Juncheng had brought back.

"There's fish soup, Chengzi, have some," Liu Fen suddenly said.

"No, I don't like fish." Gu Juncheng placed a piece of lean meat into Lin Qingping's bowl.

Liu Fen choked for a moment, then said, "Then Zhiyuan and Pingzi will eat?"

Zhiyuan already knew how the fish soup came about. If he ate it, how could he face his mother? Even his Uncle Gu knew not to eat it, so how could he be less conscientious than his Uncle Gu?

Zhiyuan shook his head vigorously, "No, no, I don't like fish."

Liu Fencai didn't believe it. "Back when you were in the village, you used to go to the river to catch fish to eat every day! Now you're saying you don't eat fish anymore?"

“That was before,” Zhiyuan said, using a line he had just learned.

Gu Juncheng almost choked on his food.

Lin Qingping was overjoyed and said to Liu Fen, "Mom, don't you also like fish soup? Why don't you drink it yourself?"

Liu Fen thought to herself: This fragrant fish soup, I don't know why, even if she drinks it, it doesn't taste good anymore. Besides, there's also chicken soup that my daughter made! If I don't drink it, will my daughter be unhappy?

Lin Qingping said, "Big sister, how much chicken soup did you make? Why don't you give me a bowl?"

Gu Youlian was happy to give her some. It seemed that her mother would have to drink fish soup for lunch, otherwise, there would be no way to deal with the fish soup today. So she ladled a big bowl of fish and soup for Lin Qingping.

Then she thought about it and simply gave her younger brother and Zhiyuan each a big bowl of chicken soup, finishing it all without caring whether her mother wanted more. And even if she did, so what? Serves her right! Who told her to be so meddlesome!

After dinner, Gu Youlian coaxed the three of them to go back, saying, "Go back, you don't need to stay here, I'll take care of things! You just came back from the capital, you must be tired after traveling for two days, go back and rest."

Lin Qingping intended to stay a little longer, but Gu Youlian was blunt, "I've already made it so obvious, you've been traveling for two days, you should change your clothes! Hospitals are all about hygiene, you should wash yourselves clean first!"

Lin Qingping couldn't help but chuckle. This older sister of hers!

"Alright, then thank you for your trouble, eldest sister. We'll go back and change first," Lin Qingping said with a smile.

"After you wash up, just rest at home. You don't need to come over today. Mom is doing well and doesn't need anyone to take care of her tonight. I'll stay with her until she gets her injection and then go home." Gu Youlian was being very serious this time.

Lin Qingping agreed, then said goodbye to Liu Fen and the other patients in the ward, and then went out with Gu Juncheng and Zhiyuan.

After accompanying Liu Fen to get her injection, Gu Youlian stayed until four o'clock. When the hospital cafeteria started serving food, she went to the cafeteria to buy a meal for her mother, helped her mother wipe her body, and then went home.

Liu Fen ate a thermos of fish for lunch, and it hasn't been digested yet. She left the food she got from the cafeteria uneaten, and the older woman in the next bed came over and asked her, "Is this what you're having for dinner?"

Liu Fen nodded. "I'm not hungry either."

The old lady next door pursed her lips and said, "If you ask me, that girl is better."

"Huh?" Liu Fen didn't understand who she was talking about.

"It's just to bring you fish soup."

"Oh, you mean Xiaxia?" Liu Fen suddenly realized. "What happened to her?"

The middle-aged woman looked on with a gossipy expression. "Now I finally understand. This Xiaxia isn't your daughter, is she? She's your son's ex-girlfriend?"

Liu Fen sighed, "Isn't that right? We grew up together, and I thought it was a sure thing. I've always treated her like my own child. But then my son Chengzi went to join the army, and this girl got married first."

"Why is that?" the woman exclaimed in surprise.

"They said it was her parents who forced her, and she had no choice."

"That's such a pity, such a good girl." The old woman sighed. "By the way, how much did you spend on the wife you married later?"

Liu Fen held up one finger.

Ten yuan?

"one hundred."

"What? One hundred? That much money?" the woman exclaimed in astonishment.

"Yes, one hundred, and a sewing machine."

The older woman clicked her tongue a few times, "You really are something... You spent a lot of money and ended up with... Oh, sister, I'm just a straightforward person, so don't be upset if I say this."

"Go on." Women of this age, when they're idle and hanging out together, don't they just gossip about this family and that family?

"If you ask me, your daughter-in-law is no match for Xiaxia. Look at Xiaxia, she's so caring, giving you shoulder and back massages, bringing you two meals out of three a day, and cooking whatever you want to eat. Where can you find such a considerate girl? And look at your daughter-in-law, she comes and does nothing, just sits there, and your son has to go buy her food. After he buys the food, he has to hand her the bowl, and your son even puts food on her plate. Why doesn't she put food on your son's plate? It's all men serving her!"

Liu Fen was speechless after hearing what she said.

The older woman then said, "Judging from this situation, does she expect all the men at home to do housework and wait on her? Does she expect your son to cook for her?"

Liu Fen recalled, "It wasn't that my son cooked, but he did all the washing, chopping, and dishwashing."

"So your daughter-in-law just swings the spatula a couple of times?"

Liu Fen was speechless again.

"Oh dear!" The middle-aged woman was furious, as if Lin Qingping were her daughter-in-law. "That's because you, as the mother-in-law, are too kind. If it were me, I would definitely set rules for her! She has to serve her husband and be obedient to me! Look at her, look at her, she really went back home when I told her to, and she doesn't even come to see you anymore, she doesn't even bring you dinner..."

No sooner had he finished speaking than three figures appeared at the door of the ward.

"Mom, dinner's ready." Lin Qingping came in with a smile, followed by Gu Juncheng and Zhiyuan carrying enamel bowls.

The old lady next door awkwardly shut her mouth.

Lin Qingping walked to the bedside. "Mom, I didn't even ask you what you wanted to eat. I made you some old duck soup with pickled radish. It's good for your appetite in the summer."

"Lianzi has already gotten my food from the cafeteria, no need, didn't you all go back?" Liu Fen was happy to see the three of them arrive, at least she didn't like what the old lady next door said, and Lin Qingping's arrival was a slap in the face to the old lady next door.