Before coming to Ji's house, Yuan Qi suffered from insomnia for several nights. He thought about many pictures and ideas in his mind. He even read some posts on the Internet and took notes, just to get along more harmoniously with his mother.
She never thought that Chen Mei treated her very well and looked kind, which made the tension in her heart disappear.
Chen Mei's specialty is crab meat stew. Yuan Qi inevitably ate a few more pieces. When she saw it, she smiled and said, "Come with us to the seafood market in the afternoon. The crabs there are even fresher than the ones in the morning. It’s delicious when you buy it and fry it.”
Yuan Qi was embarrassed, "No, Auntie, it's too much trouble."
"No trouble, I'll take you there for a walk." Chen Mei smiled lovingly and added a piece of plump crab meat to her.
Yuan Qi: "Thank you, auntie."
"Whether you want to go shopping or not, the scenery at the seafood market is quite beautiful. The breeze is blowing, so it's a good time to go shopping." Ji Huai also agreed.
"Yes." Yuan Qi did not refuse anymore and gave Chen Mei a piece of meat.
The more Chen Mei looks at her, the more she likes her. She looks like a sensible child at first glance. Compared to Liu Yitong, who only acts coquettishly but is actually a white-eyed wolf, Yuan Qi is so popular with her.
Ji Huai knew that his mother was guarding his shortcomings. If he recognized Yuan Qi as one of his own, he would treat her wholeheartedly.
No, in the afternoon, she and Yuan Qi went to the seafood market hand in hand, and they kept saying, "Tell mom what you want to eat, and mom will buy it for you."
Yuan Qi was slightly stunned when she heard her calling herself mother, and nodded stiffly. She didn't know what it felt like to be a mother.
The tip of my heart felt a little sour, and I didn't know how to react.
"Mom, you must be embarrassed to ask her. Buy her that red cake and let her try it too." Ji Huai's voice sounded, and he pointed to an old man setting up a stall on the roadside not far away. The fragrance came.
"Yes, yes, mom bought you that. It's a specialty here. Xiao Huai also liked to eat it when he was a child." Chen Mei walked over with her arm in her arms and bought her three pieces.
Yuan Qi reached out to take it, pursed her lips, and mustered up her courage. There was a hint of temptation in her tone, "...Thank you, Mom."
"You're welcome." Chen Mei smiled so brightly that the lines at the corners of her eyes showed. She smiled heartily and walked forward. "It's time to bring this seafood. It's just right."
The three of them walked forward again.
Yuan Qi ate the crispy and glutinous pastry in her hand, and wanted to leave a piece for them. Chen Mei refused, and she also refused for Ji Huai, "Eat more, it will be delicious. We will buy it when we come back. It's not like Xiaohuai didn't eat it." Yes, no need to give it to him."
Ji Huai followed the two of them with one hand in his pocket and didn't say anything.
Entering the seafood market, Chen Mei asked Yuan Qi from time to time if she had eaten it before. If she hadn't, she would definitely buy some.
After buying it, Ji Huai stepped forward and carried it.
In the end, Yuan Qi was too embarrassed to say that she had not eaten yet, so she hesitated and said nothing. Chen Mei looked at it and said neatly, "Buy it!"
Yuan Qi: "..."
When he came out, Ji Huai was carrying several bags of seafood. He didn't buy much of each kind, only a few taels per catty.
In the evening, Yuan Qi went into the kitchen to work with Chen Mei.
At first Chen Mei refused, "Let's go out and watch TV with Xiaohuai. Mom is used to cooking and can cook it quickly."
"I'll give you a starting point. When we worked in a fast food restaurant, Ji Huai and I often helped in the kitchen and moved very quickly." Yuan Qi said and got busy, her hands and feet were nimble and not sloppy at all.
When Chen Mei saw it, she was surprised.
She had also suffered through it, and she kept mumbling while cooking, "His father left early, and I used to go out to work. Ji Huai knew how to cook by himself when he was very young. When he was six or seven years old, he would use a stool to serve his own rice. At eight years old, I knew how to cook noodles for myself and for me, and at nine years old, I knew how to wash dishes..."
Yuan Qi felt very sorry for him when he heard it, and felt bad in her heart.
Chen Mei was even more convinced that Yuan Qi and Liu Yitong were pampered. Ji Huai had to pamper and coax him, and he had to support him when he got married. It was okay that he was a good one, but the other party was fundamentally evil. Maybe, as the other party said, he had nothing to do with them. This kind of poor family is not from the same place.
If you are not from the same family, you are not from the same family. Now she is extremely happy that her son likes Yuan Qi and he does not dislike their family.
night.
After finishing the meal, Chen Mei took out the towels and toothbrushes prepared for Yuan Qi, and even prepared a set of pajamas for her.
"Go take a shower. You have to drive and get up early today. You must be exhausted. Go to bed early after taking a shower." After she finished speaking, she said to Ji Huai, "Take Xiaoqi to the bathroom and teach her. She is the first I’m definitely not familiar with it this time.”
"Yeah." Ji Huai responded.
The two went to the bathroom. Ji Huai pointed to the shelf on the side, "Put your clothes in there, otherwise they will get wet."
Yuan Qi put her clothes inside, suddenly turned to look at him, pursed her lips and smiled, "I think Mom is really good."
The bathroom was a bit small, and the two of them were crowded in, so they were very close. Ji Huai lowered his eyes to look at her, and the corners of his mouth suddenly raised, and said half-jokingly, "As long as you are satisfied, I'm afraid you are not."
After saying that, he taught her how to use the water heater. Because it used gas, he had to turn on the exhaust fan, "Let's take a shower."
"Um."
After Ji Huai exited, he closed the door for her.
Yuan Qi looked at the closed door, her eyebrows couldn't help but curve, and she felt like a jar of honey had been poured into her heart.
She quickly took a shower, wrapped her head in a towel and walked out to the living room. Chen Mei's voice could be heard faintly from the side bedroom, "Xiao Qi grew up in an orphanage?"
Hearing this, her heart skipped a beat, her nerves became tense, and she did not move forward.
The eyes dimmed a little, did he dislike her
"Yeah." Ji Huai replied.
"Oh." Chen Mei seemed to be throwing away the quilt inside. Just when Yuan Qi was at a loss and thinking wildly, her unhappy voice came again, "Her parents are too irresponsible. How much does a girl have to eat in an orphanage?" Bitter? How difficult is it to have to support yourself?"
"You have also suffered this hardship, but you still have a mother, Xiaoqi has no one, so you should be nice to her. Now that you are working, let her not work so hard. She should study hard and study hard. If it is not possible, Mom will support her, just don’t tell her, she will graduate in a short time anyway."
…
Yuan Qi's eyes were warm, and she couldn't help but mist her eyes. She wanted to cry, but she didn't hear clearly what Ji Huai said back.
Her heart felt warm and sour. She held the corners of her pajamas with her little hands and stood there, her head buzzing. She didn't know how to react.
"I understand, Mom, it's time for Xiaoqi to wash herself. I'll give her the hair dryer." Ji Huai said and started to walk out.
Yuan Qi hurriedly stepped back several steps, pretending to have just come out.
Her hair was wet, her face was flushed by the heat, and her watery eyes were covered.
When Ji Huai came out and saw her, he raised the hair dryer in his hand and said, "Dry your hair too, otherwise it's easy to catch a cold."
"Okay." She responded obediently, lowered her head and blew gently, trying to adjust her emotions.
After finishing blowing, Ji Huai was taking a shower, so she walked over to see what Chen Mei was doing, and saw that she had changed all the sheets and sheets in Ji Huai's room, as well as the pillows.
It was changed to yellow and white colors, which were obviously the warm colors preferred by girls. It felt so good to be taken care of, and her eyes were sore again.
"There are only two rooms in the house. You will sleep in Xiao Huai's room for the next few days. Let him sleep in the living room. He is a boy and can sleep anywhere." Chen Mei said to her warmly after tidying up.
"I'll sleep in the living room." Ji Huai also wiped his hair and walked over and said casually, "I'll go in and get a small quilt. The sofa is big enough to sleep on."
Yuan Qi felt that it was not good for him to sleep in the living room. In fact, she could sleep with Chen Mei, but the other party didn't bring it up, and she was too embarrassed to mention it.
Or she could sleep on the floor, but they would definitely disagree.
Just like that, she went to sleep on the bed. The sheets had been washed by Chen Mei, and they were clean and fragrant. She lay on the bed and looked at the room.
Ji Huai's room is not big. The window faces the alley behind. It has poor lighting and is dark. The walls are also made of cement. In addition to a bed, there is a desk with many books on it, including those he brought back. There is a wooden wardrobe next to the computer. It must have been used for a long time and some of the paint has peeled off.
It was just such a place, but it was what she had longed for since she was a child, a home and a room of her own.
Children in orphanages have to live in a room with many people, and in middle school and high school, more than a dozen people live in a dormitory.
The conditions in the university were the best, and she was happy for a long time knowing that they were sleeping with four people.
Yuan Qi tossed and turned on the bed. She was a little happy and wanted to send a message to Ji Huai, but found that the lights in the living room had been turned off long ago.
She lay there for a long time, then carefully got up to go to the toilet.
When she walked out of the room, she didn't turn on the light and glanced at Ji Huai who was sleeping on the sofa. She felt that he was really pitiful and wanted to let him go back to the room to sleep, but she didn't dare because she was afraid that Chen Mei would say something.
The other party just ordered Ji Huai to go to the living room.
"Why aren't you sleeping yet?" Ji Huai suddenly spoke, almost startling her.
Yuan Qi looked over and saw that he had already rubbed his eyes and sat up, still holding his quilt.
"Go to the bathroom." She said in a low voice.
"Go." Ji Huai stood up to turn on the light, but she stopped him, "I'll just turn on the toilet light."
There is a night light in her room that can illuminate the outside, so there is no need to turn on the living room light.
When she came out, Ji Huai was still sitting on the sofa. She walked over with a guilty look on her face, "Did I wake you up?"
"I didn't fall asleep much." Ji Huai reached out for her and pulled her into his arms.
Yuan Qi is tall and thin, but has a well-proportioned figure. She has a delicate body and a soft body, with some fragrance. Ji Huai hugged her tightly and said in a gentle voice, "Can't you sleep?"
"...Yeah." She nodded.
"I'll accompany you." Ji Huai suddenly picked her up, and Yuan Qi almost exclaimed, taking a breath, and her whole face turned red with embarrassment.
He had hugged and kissed her, but never shared a bed with her.
She was quite conservative, and Ji Huai never mentioned this to her.
"Mom won't get up in the middle of the night, and when she wakes up, she won't check to see if I'm in the living room. I'll go out after you fall asleep." Ji Huai hugged her to sleep on the bed, and pulled the quilt to cover the two of them.
When Chen Mei woke up, she would go to the toilet at most, and the toilet was at the other end of her room.
Yuan Qi also breathed a sigh of relief. Ji Huai took her into his arms. She was a little uncomfortable at first, so she held her breath and slowly leaned against his chest.
Listening to his strong heartbeat, I felt an inexplicable sense of security and stretched out my arms to hug him.
"When you go back this time, please don't work part-time, okay?" His voice was particularly clear in the dark night.
Yuan Qi thought of what she had just heard and didn't know what to say back.
"Do you want to go to graduate school?" he asked again.
Yuan Qi worked overtime in her previous life, and she didn't take good care of herself after giving birth. Her health was a bit bad, and she became ill later. He didn't want her to enter the society too early, and she needed to study for a few more years to recuperate her body and mind.
"Going to graduate school?" She hesitated and said truthfully, "I haven't thought about it much."
"How about taking the exam? It's too late to start preparing now. It's easier to find a job after graduate school." Ji Huai induced him slowly.
Yuan Qi was silent.
Going to graduate school requires a few more years of study. Although there are subsidies from the state, the tuition fees have to be earned by oneself, which is not a small problem.
Ji Huai: "But don't go to graduate school or part-time job. Mom just said she would support you, but I refused. I can still afford to support you."
She was sensitive, and he didn't hide what happened just now. He was so honest that she felt at ease, and she couldn't help but think that way.
"I really hope you go to graduate school and don't have the burden to stay in school for a few more years." He added.
Yuan Qi hugged him tighter, extremely greedy for his breath.
She is the kind of person who is naturally good at reading, and it is this skill that allows her to have a different path from many orphans.
Thinking about it carefully, if she decides to go to graduate school, there is a high chance that she will be admitted. If she works hard to get a full scholarship, and no matter how hard she works to get this year's scholarship, she will be barely self-sufficient.
"Think about it? Huh?" Ji Huai looked down at her and pecked her lips several times. Yuan Qi was fascinated by him and responded to him, "Okay."
The next day.
When Yuan Qi woke up, he was no longer there. He didn't know when he went to the living room, and Chen Mei didn't notice either.
In the next few days, he would come in to stay with her and go out later in the night.
During this period, Chen Mei also took Yuan Qi to meet Grandma Ji, who was also older. When she saw Yuan Qi, she kept holding her hand and stuffed her with a red envelope before leaving.
I heard that giving red envelopes represented attention and recognition, so Yuan Qi carefully received the envelope.
She stayed at Ji's house until the afternoon of the last day before leaving. Chen Mei was reluctant to leave and bought many things for Yuan Qi in large and small bags.
"If you're hungry on the way, have something to eat. There's milk and fruit in it."
"Make a call when you get to school."
"The car is crowded today, so you need to put your valuables away."
…
"Mom, we are not a three-year-old child anymore. I will take good care of her." Ji Huai interrupted helplessly, "You go back, don't send her off, we will hitchhike as soon as we leave the door."
Chen Mei said no, she wanted to send them away.
The group of aunts were chatting under the shade of the trees as usual, discussing the problems of the east and west families. Recently, they had been talking about Ji Huai and the Liu family.
Liu's mother was not very lucky. She hid at home for a few days and there was no rice at home. When she went to buy rice and returned home, she met Ji Huai and the two of them.
She was scolding her in her heart, but she still had to bravely walk over and put a smile on her face.
Aunt Zhang had sharp eyes and said to Mother Liu, "School is about to begin. Has your Xiaotong returned to school?"
"I'm back, I've been back a long time ago." Mother Liu said cheerfully.
That damn girl lost her temper at them at night and left before dawn the next day.
"On what date are you leaving? I also wanted to say that they are leaving together, with a companion." Chen Mei looked calm and continued with a smile.
"I left on the morning of the 5th." Mother Liu was afraid that leaving on the 2nd would be too embarrassing and make her feel guilty, so she postponed it for a few days. "It seemed that a friend invited me to play, so I left early."
"I remember it wasn't No. 5, right? I saw her leaving with a suitcase before dawn a few days ago." Aunt Li was confused.
Mother Liu's face froze again, and she tried her best to deny it, and she was very insistent, "Where, where is it? Did you leave on the 5th, or was it sent by me."
Everyone already knew about their family's virtues, but they didn't pursue it, and they all laughed in their hearts.
Chen Mei didn't chat anymore and sent the two of them outside the community.
When I got in the car, I was still nagging me repeatedly.
Ji Huai's ears were about to get calloused, but Yuan Qi listened carefully and answered every sentence without any impatience.
When she was about to get in the car, she stepped forward and hugged Chen Mei, "Mom, let's leave first. We'll come back to see you next time."
"...Okay." Chen Mei's voice was choked with sobs, and she rubbed her head affectionately.
Although Ji Huai was filial to her, boys and girls were unwilling after all. Yuan Qi was attentive and lovable.
After seeing the two of them off, Chen Mei didn't return until the car turned.
The group of aunts were still there, and Mother Liu hadn't left either. She was still listening to them with open ears about what happened to the Ji family in the past few days.
"I heard from Chen Mei that Ji Huai's job is good and his salary will be increased in the future. The girlfriend he brought back is an orphan."
"I've been staying here for the past few days. She looks good, but the orphan has no background. Chen Mei is the only one left in the Ji family. There will be no old man to help her in the future."
"Oh, you're still young, who can say for sure what will happen in the future?"
…
A few people were chatting, and when they saw Chen Mei coming, they began to gossip again.
Liu's mother felt that she should find an excuse to leave now, but she was also curious. They were on the opposite side of the Ji family and would have to see each other in the future, so what was the use of running away
Chen Mei liked her daughter so much before. Could it be that after staying for a few days, she fell in love with that girl
Liu Yitong gets a lot of things from Ji's family every year. She is thinking about these, especially the gold chain she wants to buy for her daughter, which she hasn't bought yet!
Chen Mei smiled and did not avoid the question, "What's wrong with the orphan? As long as she's kind-hearted, I like her very much."
"Our Ji Huai is already working, so she won't have to work part-time in the future. Ji Huai will support her in her studies."
"It's better for my daughter. She's been very considerate after staying here for so many days."
…
Speaking of Yuan Qi, Chen Mei couldn't stop praising her.
"We're just going to have a relationship and support her in studying? What if we break up?" Liu's mother was the first to be anxious.
She had double standards and hoped that Liu Yitong would find a boyfriend to support her in college and not ask them for money. After all, they were too lazy to work and their living expenses were paid in installments. She felt it was unreasonable for Ji Huai to support Yuan Qi now.
She was even raised by a man, and she was indeed an orphan.
"Xiaoqi is so good, and our Xiaohuai doesn't even have time to cherish it. If we really don't want to break up with each other, I will accept her as my daughter." Chen Mei didn't think too much, and after speaking, she said to others, "That's right. , I'm going to buy a necklace for Xiaoqi, and you have to pay back the money you borrowed from me. My son finally found a girlfriend, so don't do anything bad."
She was very popular and lent her a lot of money, not much, just a few hundred yuan per person.
"Give it back, look how proud you are." Aunt Zhang first took out two hundred yuan, "My daughter gave it to me when she came back today, so I'll pay it back to you first."
"I'll take you to your home later." Aunt Li also said with a smile.
"Okay." Li Mei smiled and nodded, then looked at Liu Mu who was silent, "Ah Cai, you also lent me four thousand. I'm really in a hurry this time. I have to pay it back, otherwise the price of gold will go up again. "
"With such a big investment, you won't have anywhere to cry after we break up. It would be better if there are people nearby who know everything and know where to live. If they just throw away and leave, where will you find someone?" Mother Liu looked disapproving and spoke in a mocking tone.
Chen Mei: "That child can't."
"Can you tell?" Mother Liu frowned, looking displeased.
Wasn't the gold necklace meant to be given to her daughter
It is said that I will buy another set, which costs several thousand at least.
She has been looking forward to it for a long time and has long regarded it as her own. Now doesn't she want her meat
"Then I admit defeat." Chen Mei still smiled, "What can I do? I like her, and I just want to recognize this daughter-in-law. You pay me back the money in the next few days. Aunt Zhang and I are going to her daughter's work. Check it out in the store as soon as possible."
After saying that, she said to Aunt Zhang, "Tell your daughter about it, and we'll go and see it then."
"Okay." Aunt Zhang agreed, "I'll call her right now. I'll take you there and I'll definitely give you a discounted price."
Mother Liu was too late to stop her, so Aunt Zhang made an appointment with her daughter.
Four thousand yuan, she was living it day by day, her pocket was cleaner than her face, where could she get four thousand yuan for Chen Mei
Aunt Zhang was a nosy person. Chen Mei went to buy gold and her daughter got a kickback. She directly said to Mother Liu, "Then you will pay her back the money in the next two days. If you can pay her back today, we will go there tomorrow." look."
With that posture, she couldn't even think about it. Aunt Zhang's mouth could spurt non-stop.
Mother Liu's face was as dark as a pot sticker, but she wanted to save face, so she could only say that she would pay it back.
In the evening, she asked Liu's father to ask for it, but of course he didn't have it. The two had a quarrel and almost fought, but they didn't get the money.
When she went to buy groceries the next day, Chen Mei mentioned the matter to her again. Of course, she didn't show any urgency and spoke slowly and kindly.
Liu's mother was in bad debt, and she shamelessly borrowed money when gambling, but such a person wanted to save face, and Aunt Zhang didn't care. In front of the big guys, she said, "What's the matter with you? You haven't given it yet? We have to go tomorrow. .”
"My daughter has been waiting since she changed her shift. Why won't she pay back the money she owes? Why are you so unreasonable?"
"Who wouldn't pay it back?" Mother Liu said anxiously, "Of course I will pay it back."
"You should pay it back. You owe so many people and you haven't paid it back. Are you afraid of telling me? You have too many fleas and are not itchy, right? Let me tell you, others are too lazy to tell you because they want to save face. If you borrow my money , Wang Cai, let me tell you, you won’t be able to get through this matter!”
Aunt Zhang put her hands on her hips and spoke in a loud voice that could be heard in several buildings, "I paid you back as promised, and now you're pretending to be confused. Are you all stupid?"
"Did I lend you money? Chen Mei didn't say anything, so what are you talking about?" Liu's mother yelled.
"I'm embarrassed to say this, but you still think you're capable? Who are you if you don't pay back what you said?" Aunt Zhang also said back, "You still owe other people's money and you're addicted. Doesn't your Xiaotong always pay rich men?" Are you acting on behalf of your boyfriend? Can’t I give you some money?”
These words made Mother Liu extremely angry, so she said, "I'll go back and get it now. Isn't it just four thousand? Who doesn't have it?"
After going home angrily, he called Liu Yitong. The other party was impatient when he picked up the phone, "Mom, why haven't you paid your living expenses yet?"
"I just know that I need money. I have been rich all day long. We have been dating for so long. Did he give me money or something? What did I help you with?"
"If you sleep with Ji Huai, he can help you go to school, and Chen Mei can buy you gold. What do you get by sleeping with Tang Wei? The expenses are getting bigger and bigger, and I get angry just thinking about it! It's useless to help you go to school. !”
Liu's mother spoke vulgarly, and Liu Yitong turned red and yelled, "Mom, are you sick?"
She and Tang Wei were together and traveled to many places. What happened to the money? It's not that her family has no money, that's why she's so ignorant. Her poor parents are a burden to her.
She feels that only being with Tang Wei is life.
"Hurry up and get the four thousand yuan back. Chen Mei is clamoring to get back the money she has given you over the years. Since you are with Tang Wei, the money must be paid back." After Liu Mu finished speaking, she urged, "Hurry up. .”
Liu Yitong was confused, "Mom, if you don't give me living expenses, where can I ask for money? How could she ask me for money? Did you lose the bet again and owe others money?"
She obviously knew Liu Mu very well and hated her behavior.
"Isn't his family very rich? You don't even have a few thousand dollars? Can your father and I rely on you in the future? You don't have any potential at all?" Mother Liu spoke rudely, "Aren't you capable? If you go and sell it now, how much is it worth after sleeping so many times? Do you have any brains?"
People who are addicted to gambling are not clear-headed, and coupled with selfishness, they will naturally resort to any means when they are short of money. She disowns her relatives, her own mother was so angry with her, and it is said that the money she left was stolen by herself for gambling. It's over.
Liu Yitong listened to the abuse on the phone with a sullen face, and finally hung up.
She called Tang Wei but couldn't get through, so she borrowed 4,000 yuan from Tang Wei's brother.
The other party was interested in her and gave her some luxury goods. The payment was also very fast this time.
Mother Liu was satisfied with the money and said, "If you give me several thousand yuan every month, it will be worthwhile for me to support you."
Liu Yitong's eyes were cold, filled with disgust and contempt.
She thought that she was an orphan, her parents were useless, she had no money and no power, so what could be done to help her? The old thing that's holding you back.
Mother Liu walked out, transferred the money to Chen Mei on the spot, and said with a smile, "Isn't it just four thousand? I thought you were not in a hurry, these are just small things."
Chen Mei looked at the balance for a few times and said polite words with a smile on her face, "I have no choice but to ask you to pay it back."
If you feed meat buns to a dog, the dog can still wag its tail a few times. If you feed the meat buns to the Liu family, you will get nothing.
If one person in the family is crooked, it is easy for the whole family to be crooked.
Thinking about it this way, she was more satisfied with Yuan Qi. She wanted to stop buying him a gold bracelet and keep it for future weddings, but she had to beat that kid hard and not let him down.