Chapter 148

Chapter 148

Moving to a new home made it easier for her mother and elder sister to visit her, and it was also more convenient for her to visit them. When they sent her things or she sent them things, there was no need to hide anymore.

Every time she wrote to them, Bai Xiuxiu felt particularly happy.

Bai Xiuxiu told them about the recent division of the household and that her husband had already secured a job in the county. She also included her new address.

She packed the clothes she had knitted for her elder sister’s child and the clothes for her elder sister and brother-in-law’s family, preparing to mail them together.

The clothes she knitted for her mother, she decided to keep until her mother came to visit.

Wang Qinghe had cleaned up the living room and returned to the room after washing up. By then, Bai Xiuxiu had almost finished writing her letter.

"Are we only mailing these things?" Wang Qinghe saw what his wife had prepared and thought they could send more.

When he and Xiuxiu lived at the Wangs’, if it weren’t for the packages from her elder sister and mother, Xiuxiu’s life would have been even harder.

Now that they had separated from the Wangs’ and their lives were better, it was only right to send more to them.

"We’ve already mailed New Year’s goods to them. These should be enough," Bai Xiuxiu said as she organized the items and the letter.

Wang Qinghe never argued with his wife.

"Then let’s mail these things tomorrow and go back to the village."

As he spoke, he closed the door and looked at his wife expectantly. "Xiuxiu, can we rest now?"

Seeing his expression, Bai Xiuxiu understood perfectly well.

She nodded at him and set aside her tasks.

In the morning, Bai Xiuxiu woke up to the smell of rice.

She habitually looked towards where the stove usually stood but found it empty, reminding her that they had moved.

After changing her clothes, Bai Xiuxiu came out of the room and was immediately surrounded by the two children.

"Mom, play with us outside." Yueyue eagerly tugged at her to go out.

Both children had been waiting for a long time. Their father had told them not to disturb their mother while she slept.

The children begged her to play in the courtyard. Bai Xiuxiu glanced at her husband who was cooking: "It’s so early. Can I help you?"

Wang Qinghe looked up, his handsome face slightly smudged with soot. He smiled at Bai Xiuxiu: "Xiuxiu, go play with them. I’ll call you when the food is ready."

Seeing the eager faces of the children, Bai Xiuxiu knew they had been cooped up for too long, so she went out with them.

Outside in the courtyard, next to the neighbor’s house.

Ning Meimei was sorting beans when she saw Bai Xiuxiu come out with the two children. She quickly approached them. "Xiaobai, your kids are so cute."

The two children were digging in the dirt and making little figures. Bai Xiuxiu casually made two small rabbits for them.

Noticing Ning Meimei coming over, she responded: "Kids are all adorable. Sister Ning, you’re up so early?"

At this hour, the sky had just begun to brighten.

Hearing this, Ning Meimei glanced at her own home and whispered, "I dare not be late. If I don’t get up early, the whole house will be in chaos. My mother-in-law always finds fault with me. By the way, Xiuxiu, where do you work now?"

"I? I work at the Women’s Federation in our village," Bai Xiuxiu said, washing the mud off her hands as she chatted with Ning Meimei.

Ning Meimei was quite talkative.

After a short chat, Bai Xiuxiu had learned quite a bit about her neighbors.

The Lin family had three sons and three daughters.

All three sons worked at the local canning factory, and only the youngest son’s wife had a job, having taken over the grandmother’s position. Ning Meimei and her eldest sister-in-law stayed at home.

Their three daughters had married well and often sent things back home.

Few families in the neighborhood got along with the Lins.

Most of the neighbors worked at the canning factory.

After chatting for a while, Ning Meimei saw her mother-in-law coming out of the house and quickly ran away. "I’ll talk to you another day; I’m going back now."

She ran fast, afraid of being seen by her mother-in-law.

"You lazy good-for-nothing! Where did you run off to so early? You never stop slacking off. I serve the whole family and still have to deal with a lazy thing like you!" The commotion from the Lin family was loud enough to be heard through the walls.

Through the door, one could see the Lin grandmother.

She was slightly plump, fair-skinned, and had a fierce look in her eyes, as if they were hooks.

She scolded Ning Meimei harshly.

Ning Meimei listened with her head down, relieved once the scolding ended. "Mother, I have this much work to do anyway. If you can’t stand seeing me idle, why don’t you let the youngest daughter-in-law give me her job?

There are three daughters-in-law in the family, yet you gave the job to her.

What else can my sister-in-law and I do besides stay at home?"

"Tsk! You dare to talk back? I can give my job to whoever I want. Why can’t you find a job yourself? It’s because your family is useless. If you had a capable family..."

The grandmother continued to argue and find faults.

Ning Meimei rolled her eyes and went straight into the house.

Soon, the old lady followed her in to scold her, but Bai Xiuxiu couldn't hear it anymore.

It seemed Ning Meimei wasn't having an easy time next door either.

"Xiuxiu, come eat." Wang Qinghe placed the food on the table and called his wife to eat. Seeing that their two children were still playing, he picked them up to wash their hands.

After the family finished eating, Bai Xiuxiu and Wang Qinghe took the two children to the village.

Having just moved to this new place, Bai Xiuxiu wasn't comfortable leaving the children at home yet.

Once she became familiar with the environment, she would settle the children at home.

When the family of four arrived in the village, passersby asked them curiously. The village was small, and news of their move had already spread.

Arriving at the commune office, Wang Qinghe accompanied Bai Xiuxiu inside before turning to find the team leader. He had found work in the county and needed to transfer his household registration, which required the approval of the commune.

Seeing Bai Xiuxiu return, Chen Jinhua looked delighted. "How did the move go? Are your new neighbors nice?"

"That's right, Xiuxiu. You moved without a word, giving us quite a fright." Liu Xiaohui was envious; living far from her mother-in-law sounded like heaven.

If only she could separate from her family, even if not moving far, just separating would be enough.

Miaomiao, though not envious, was curious as well.

Bai Xiuxiu was surrounded by questions while the two children went off to play where they usually did.

"The move happened because my husband found work in the county, so I and the children moved with him," she explained with a smile.

Liu Xiaohui was even more envious. "That's wonderful! Since it's the county, will your household registration also be transferred?"

"How could that be? It's her husband's job; how can Xiuxiu transfer?" Chen Jinhua interrupted the conversation.