It was extremely rare to be able to get along so well with her former parents-in-law after divorce. Gong Linglong somewhat admired her mother-in-law's broad-mindedness and ability to deal with others.
"Mom, Brother Jing and I will also honor our grandparents in the future. Brother Jing said he would go home during the New Year, and we will visit our grandparents together then."
"Okay, your grandparents are looking forward to your return."
The mother-in-law and daughter-in-law were chatting and working. Bai Narcissus also opened his mouth to join in the chat, and tied up two loads of firewood while talking.
Other family members and their children could only cut some branches. Their labor force worked quickly and helped each family chop a load of hard wood. The two brothers Lu Jingchuan also helped them pick it all back.
Jiang Yaping and the others were very understanding of the world, and Lu Jingchuan and the others worked very hard to help chop the firewood, and they soon sent back the gifts one after another.
Some brought cabbage and radish, some gave peanuts and beans, and two sisters-in-law brought tofu and lotus root.
With the dishes brought by everyone and yesterday's leftovers, we had another simple meal at noon.
After eating, Lu Jingchuan offered to go to the city to have fun and take a family photo together. Everyone immediately changed their clothes and shoes and took the afternoon commuter bus to the city.
Zhou Lanqin and her son don't often take photos, and Bai Shuixian and her daughter have never taken group photos together. Today, everyone is in a good mood. When they arrived at the photo studio, they asked the master to take a group photo first, and then asked the master to take a camera outside to visit places of interest. Photographed on the streets and parks.
Gong Linglong, who has a soul for future generations, was very dissatisfied with his master's photography skills. After taking a few photos, he borrowed his camera and started taking pictures of his family.
Seeing that she was very good at finding shooting angles and giving instructions on how to take photos, Lu Jingchuan smiled and said, "Mom, do you have any tickets?"
"I don't have one. I'll find someone to redeem one later."
My daughter-in-law likes to take pictures and is very good at taking pictures. Zhou Lanqin has planned to buy her a camera in Kyoto and send it to her.
The whole family cooperated in taking photos, and the photographer next to them also took the opportunity to learn from Gong Linglong. The techniques she taught were easy to learn, and the photos they took were indeed better-looking. Now they all regarded her as a master.
Taking pictures and developing them is quite expensive these days. They took twenty pictures and stopped taking them. After agreeing with the master on a time to pick up the pictures, they went shopping together again.
As soon as they arrived at the largest state-owned shopping mall in Seoul, Bai Narcissus reminded them of business: "Jingchuan, Linglong, you go buy a hoe and pick some vegetables to plant. My mother-in-law and I will take a look here first."
"OK."
The two parents and their mothers got along well with each other in temperament, and together they picked some local cakes and dried fruits in Seoul, as well as some scattered small things needed at home.
Lu Jingyang didn't go shopping with them, and he didn't know where he picked up an old newspaper. He leaned against the wall outside and read the newspaper alone. He waited until they bought the things and came out before moving around: "Mom, have you bought everything?"
"The house is quite complete, including dishes. I just bought some pastries."
Zhou Lanqin held something in her hand and turned around to ask her son and daughter-in-law: "Jingchuan, Linglong, do you want to buy anything else?"
"Mom, there's no need to buy it." Gong Linglong shook his head.
"If not, let's walk slowly and take the car back." Zhou Lanqin arranged.
"OK."
The group of people returned home by car. Their mother had arranged for the Lu Jingchuan brothers to dig the soil behind the house. The three lesbians were preparing dinner at home.
Zhou Lanping didn't let her mother-in-law cook, so Bai Narcissus couldn't help but sit in front of the stove and help them add firewood to the fire, reading the old newspaper Lu Jingyang just brought back in his hand.
When she saw the photo published in a certain newspaper, Narcissus Bai's expression suddenly changed, and her fingers holding the newspaper used excessive force and crushed the newspaper.
She was usually gentle and indifferent, but now her face was filled with frost, and her eyes were filled with hatred like waves.
This was the first time she had seen anything about that man after twenty years, and the first time she had seen him in a photo.
Twenty years have passed, and the other party has climbed to a position that is out of her reach.
Nowadays, he has unlimited glory, but the Gong family has been ruined. Even now that she is alive, she dare not reveal her real name to others. The suppressed hatred and grief in her heart burst out, drowning her whole body in an instant.
Thinking of her dead relatives, her whole body was shaking, and she couldn't control her emotions. She got up and went back to her room before she collapsed.
Gong Linglong had just gone to fetch water and was not in the kitchen. When he came back with the water, he saw that she was not there and asked, "Mom, where is my mother?"
Zhou Lanqin was standing by the chopping board peeling potatoes. She didn't pay attention just now and glanced outside, "I was here just now. She must have gone back to the house."
Gong Linglong happened to hear some noise in the bedroom next door, so he didn't go over to look, and took a pot to help cook.
White Narcissus in the room had tears streaming down her face, but she suppressed her tears and threw the newspaper on the bed, pounding the man in the photo with her fists.
Nearly half an hour later, Bai Narcissus came out of the room and returned to his usual calmness. Even the reddish eye circles were covered with light pink.
"Linglong, you cook, I'll light the fire."
Her voice was still somewhat hoarse. Gong Linglong was particularly familiar with her, so he turned around and asked, "Mom, are you feeling uncomfortable?"
"No, I ate a lot of sunflower seeds in the car before, and my throat is a little dry and itchy. Just drink some water and it will be fine." Bai Narcissus did not meet her eyes, pretending to have a dry and itchy throat and coughed twice.
"I'll get you a glass of water."
Gong Linglong got up and went outside to pour her water.
Bai Narcissus sat down on the bench in front of the stove, added a piece of firewood to the stove, took out the newspaper in his pocket, pretended to have just seen the news article, and asked without leaving any trace: "My mother-in-law, this newspaper The leader in the article looks a bit familiar to me, as if I’ve seen him somewhere, do you recognize him?”
Zhou Lanqin was chopping vegetables, but now she put down the kitchen knife and came over to look at it. Her eyes fell on the photo and told her: "Xue Haihui, deputy director of the Revolutionary Federation, is also the head of the Broadcasting Bureau. He is not from Kyoto, and I don't know his specific place of origin. I'm going to go up there. I met him twice during meetings, I only briefly said hello and didn’t have much contact with him.”
He paused for a moment, as if he remembered something, and then said: "I seem to have heard someone say before that his brother works in Seoul and should be a senior cadre in the city."
Bai Narcissus's eyes moved slightly and her voice was very soft: "It seems that I recognized the wrong person."
Zhou Lanqin already knew that her mother-in-law was originally from Kyoto. She did not take the initiative to ask about her mother's family. This was also a sign of respect for her.
Looking at the person in the photo, she added: "Xue Haihui has a good reputation in the circle and has strong work ability. Outsiders evaluate him as down-to-earth and sincere."
"That's a good cadre."
When Bai Narcissus said this, his voice was a little erratic, and strong sarcasm flashed in his red eyes.
"Mom, let's have a cup of tea."
Gong Linglong just arrived with tea, and gave each of the two elders a cup. Without asking them what they had just talked about, she returned to the pot and continued to stir-fry the food in the pot.
