Back To The 80s-Chapter 439 - 449: Relatives_1

Zhou Siping, after hearing the last sentence, could see where this was headed. He quickly slapped Bai Xiaolan on the back of her head, "You insolent girl, what are you saying?"

Bai Mingzhu, trembling with rage, pointed at Bai Xiaolan and said to Zhou Siping, "I doted on this ungrateful wretch, and look how she is deriding me!"

Wen Xiuqing was also getting annoyed. She put on a stern face and said, "Aunt, you two didn’t come here after several days on the road to start an argument, did you? You threw us a dirty look when we were in Capital City regarding the issue between Xiaolan and Xiangdong, and now you came knocking at our door? Do you even act like an elder anymore? Saying such things in front of me, do you think that’s appropriate?"

Bai Mingzhu opened her mouth to argue, but remembering the purpose of her visit, she held her tongue. Turning to the side to sit on a heated brick bed, she sulked.

Zhou Siping quickly tried to mediate. He said to Wen Xiuqing, "Xiuqing, don’t mind her. We’ve been on the road for several days, and she’s stressed out." Then he lightly tugged on Bai Xiaolan’s arm, "Go ahead, apologize to your aunt."

Bai Xiaolan stiffened her neck, feigning deafness, and asked Wen Xiuqing, "Mom, where’s Xiaobei? Did he go out so early?"

"He took Mo Wang to the front street to buy milk. Your dad went to the banks of the Yellow River to walk the dogs, Da Huang and Da Bing. They should be back soon. Sit down, I’m going to cook." Wen Xiuqing, still with a smile, led Xiaopang out.

Once Wen Xiuqing was out, Bai Xiaolan turned to Bai Mingzhu and reproached her, "Aunt, can you stop looking down on us? I admit my words were harsh, but you shouldn’t criticize Xiangdong in front of his mother."

Bai Mingzhu snorted dismissively, "I’m only looking out for your best interest, and you’re acting all ungrateful."

Bai Xiaolan rolled her eyes, thankful that this was just her aunt, not her mother. If it were, she couldn’t live a day in peace. "My brother-in-law from the Qi family is really pitiful, and my sister-in-law is worse."

"What are you talking about? What does it have to do with the Qi family? By the way, how far is it from your brother-in-law at the Qi family’s research institute?" After sulking for a while, Bai Mingzhu started to concern herself with her son’s matters again.

"I don’t know, but I heard he went on a mission with Lu Zhanguo, and they won’t be back for several months." Bai Xiaolan was mulling over the idea of settling accounts with Cheng Qijia when he came back. How could he gossip like a chatterbox?

Looking at his daughter’s gradually protruding belly, Zhou Siping asked, "When is the baby due? I may as well stay and wait until you’re done with the postnatal period."

Bai Mingzhu unwillingly interjected, "Whoever heard of the mother of a bride staying at the groom’s home after the baby’s birth? Since Xiangdong is not here, you might as well return to Capital City with us."

Both Zhou Siping and Bai Xiaolan automatically filtered out her words, pretending they hadn’t heard anything.

Gu Xiaobei led his son into the kitchen with a small bowl of milk in hand. Xiaopang was nibbling a big steamed bun on a small table. Wen Xiuqing was chopping vegetables, and beside the cutting board was a bowl with a lump of frozen meat.

"Didn’t we agree to have some milk, bread, and pickles for breakfast? Why are you preparing more?" Gu Xiaobei put down the milk, looking puzzled.

Chopping the cabbage, Wen Xiuqing explained, "Xiaolan’s mother and aunt arrived early this morning, so I should cook a few dishes."

Gu Xiaobei was surprised, "How come they suddenly showed up? My sister-in-law was just talking about making a phone call yesterday."

"I know, right? Give Mo Wang a steamed bun to share. Get some chinese chives from the vegetable garden. I’ll cook Scrambled Eggs with Chinese chives later." Wen Xiuqing instructed.

Gu Xiaobei first greeted Zhou Siping and Bai Mingzhu in the west room, then went to the vegetable garden to pick up some chives. Since Lu Songyuan had covered the chive field with plastic film during the snow-melting period, they could now be eaten.

After Gu Xiaobei left the room, Bai Mingzhu smiled at Bai Xiaolan, "Why don’t you live separately? It’s just like everyone is stirring in a pot."

Bai Xiaolan was a bit baffled, "What’s wrong with that? As for living expenses, Xiaobei pays for them all as it is."

Bai Mingzhu tapped Bai Xiaolan on her forehead, "You’re so naive. She’s providing for the family now, which she should be. After all, she’s taking care of two children. Even if she were hiring nannies, how much would it cost per month? Let’s see if she’ll provide for you just as generously after your baby’s birth."

Bai Xiaolan doubted, "Xiaobei is not like that. Every time, she spares no expense for food and drink. And even if we pay living expenses, it would be reasonable."

Zhou Siping seemed to agree with Bai Mingzhu’s opinion, and whispered, "If Xiangdong could be transferred back to the provincial capital, you two should establish a separate household. We can’t always live like this. It’s fine for a day or two, but for a long time, who knows what ideas people may come up with."

"You’re all thinking too much. Alright, let’s stop here. Go wash up quickly. After eating, we’ll go to the residential area to take a bath and rest. If we continue this conversation, something’s bound to happen." Bai Xiaolan urged her mother and aunt to action. Then, stepping down from the heated bed, she began to escort them out. If they continued to chat endlessly, it would definitely lead to trouble.

After frying the cabbage and pork slices and scrambled eggs with chinese chives, and boiling several salted eggs, Wen Xiuqing laughed and said to Zhou Siping, "We didn’t know you’d be coming this morning, so just bear with us. Songyuan will go buy a chicken later, and we can have chicken stew at noon."

"Don’t be so formal. We’re all family. Let’s just have whatever’s available." Zhou Siping was actually a little embarrassed by the arrangement.

Bai Mingzhu frowned and said, "Does Xiaolan also eat this, too? She’s pregnant. She can’t just eat anything."

Wen Xiuqing was puzzled, "She’s not postnatal, she doesn’t have to consider such restrictions now, does she? Besides, Xiaolan drinks a bowl of milk every day. She has enough nutrition."

Bai Mingzhu grumbled unsatisfied, "Even during pregnancy, nutrition should be considered. This Chinese chive, can expectant women eat this? Eating too much can cause heartburn."

Bai Xiaolan sighed and said, "Aunt, if I feel heartburn, I can choose not to eat. But that doesn’t mean the whole family can’t eat it, right? You just love to make a fuss about nothing. No wonder my grandma couldn’t stand you."

"You ungrateful girl, I’m only looking out for your best interest." Bai Mingzhu huffed and angrily ate her breakfast.

Gu Xiaobei finally understood why Lu Zhanguo said that Qin Li was not a suitable match for the Cheng family and the environment of the Cheng household. This Bai Mingzhu was indeed a mother-in-law who could find fault with anything.

Fortunately, Bai Mingzhu was stringent about table etiquette at breakfast and refrained from speaking. She nibbled the steamed bun bit by bit. As she saw Xiaopang and Mo Wang spilling milk all over the table and their clothes, she wrinkled her brows but didn’t say a word.

After breakfast, Bai Xiaolan took both ladies to the residents’ area for a bath.

After they left, Wen Xiuqing couldn’t resist complaining to Gu Xiaobei, "This aunt of hers meddles a lot. From when Bai Xiaolan and her siblings were young, she was the one who disciplined them. To keep peace in the family, Zhou Siping let it happen. This time, when Xiaolan and Xiangdong returned to hold a proper marriage ceremony, Bai Mingzhu went berserk because Xiaolan didn’t marry the kind of man she wanted. She didn’t even attend the banquet and later came to our doorstep claiming that Xiangdong and Xiaolan had no manners for not inviting her."