Rebirth Counterattack with Space-Chapter 55 - Returning to My Parental Home (Part One)

“That’s true.”

Though she said that, Lu Aimei’s aunt couldn’t hide her disappointment. But then she thought that although the Xie family’s village, where her daughters married, wasn’t too far, it was still a distance of ten or twenty miles. Bringing two such little kids would indeed be a hassle, and it was normal for her parents-in-law to be concerned.

“Come on in quickly. Jifu, come and see your grandma. You’ve gotten taller just in these few months. Goodness, grandma will get you some treats soon. The candies and sweets your third uncle and aunt brought yesterday are all saved for you. Take some home later to enjoy slowly.”

While Lu Aimei’s aunt didn’t stay downcast for long, her spirits lifted instantly upon seeing her eldest daughter Lu Aijiao’s grandson, Xie Jifu—the first child among the grandchildren in the family. Even though he was a grandson by marriage, he was still very much adored.

Although Xie Jifu was only four years old, he knew who treated him well. Every time he visited his grandparents, he received even more attention than at home. Especially his grandma always remembered to save him some treats, so he was very close to her.

As soon as he heard Lu Aimei’s aunt call out, he wriggled free from Lu Aijiao’s grasp and ran over, hugging her thighs and looking up at her coquettishly, “Grandma, I missed you so much, even dreaming about it.”

“Pfft… you’re just missing the treats at grandma’s house, aren’t you?” Lu Aijiao blatantly exposed her son’s flattering antics without any mercy, “Mom, don’t be fooled by him. He’s been going on about the food since he found out we were coming here yesterday, even mumbling in his sleep last night, ‘Grandma, I want candy.’ That’s hardly dreaming about missing you.”

“Grandma, I missed you first, and then the treats,” Xie Jifu hastily clutched at Lu Aimei’s aunt’s clothes and explained nervously, then turned around and glared with puffed cheeks at his mom who had embarrassed him, wearing an expression full of hurt and accusation, “Bad mom.”

His antics successfully made everyone laugh. They were all so amused they could hardly stand up straight.

“I know, I know, my dear, I believe you, not your mom’s nonsense,” Lu Aimei’s aunt managed to say between laughs, squatting down to wrap him in a tight hug and giving him a good squeeze, “Your mom is so mean, how could she say that about us? We won’t share the treats with her, she can just watch us eat.”

“Grandma is the best.” Xie Jifu was initially pleased to hear this, but when he realized his mom wouldn’t get any treats, he felt a bit anxious. If his mom couldn’t have the treats, how pitiful would that be?

“Grandma… Mom isn’t really that bad, can we still share some good food with her?” Xie Jifu wriggled in Aunt Lu’s arms, his face etched with conflict, pleading with his grandmother.

Seeing that Grandma remained unmoved, even shaking her head with a stern face, he grew even more anxious, “Grandma, what if Mom cries because she has no good food to eat? Once a woman starts crying, there’s no end to it, it’s so annoying. We might as well just indulge her a bit for the sake of peace.”

“Hahaha, Jifu, you must tell your fourth uncle who taught you to speak like that?” Lu Aibing laughed heartily as he teased Xie Jifu, who sneaked a glance at Xie Jiang. This brought another round of laughter from everyone.

Looking at the adults, whose laughter brought them to tears, Xie Jifu couldn’t understand what they found so funny. He hadn’t figured out what the joke was and pouted, signaling that the adult world was beyond his comprehension.

Xie Jiang glanced around at everyone awkwardly, then shot a helpless look at Xie Jifu, wondering when this child had become so articulate. When did he learn to speak so smoothly?

Xie Jifu, feeling the threatening gaze from his dad, shrank back and buried his head in his grandmother’s embrace. Lu Aijiao then sneakily pinched Xie Jiang’s waist. Xie Jiang grimaced, his face resembling a bitter melon.

“Alright, alright, everyone, come on in,” Aunt Lu hinted with a sideways glance at her eldest daughter, signaling it was time to quit while ahead. The warning was clear. Lu Aijiao sheepishly retracted her hand.

Aunt Lu then walked inside, holding Jifu’s small hand, and from the table laden with snacks, seeds, and candy dishes, she gave him a bit of everything, telling him to sit aside and eat, “Be good, we’re going to have dinner soon, and grandma will give you some meat. You eat these for now; we need to save room in your belly for the meat.”

“Mmm, Grandma, don’t worry, I won’t have more after these. I love meat,” Jifu quickly nodded, his face full of anticipation as he looked up at Aunt Lu. The thought of meat made his mouth water, a mighty temptation indeed for a child who rarely got to eat meat throughout the year.

“Good boy, there’s plenty of meat at Grandma’s house today,” Aunt Lu said lovingly as she patted her grandson’s head.

At that moment, Uncle Lu also strolled in, and the men stayed in the hall to chat while Lu Aijiao and Lu Aimei insisted on following their mother and sister-in-law to the kitchen to help out.

“Mom, where are Aiguo and the others? Why didn’t you call them over for dinner?” Upon entering her mother’s house, Lu Aimei began looking around.

“I did call them. Aiguo and Shitou went up the mountain, and Xia Yuan took Xiaoyun to the township. They won’t be back until evening,” Aunt Lu said, her voice marked with warning severity, fearful that her daughter’s stubbornness might flare up into a confrontation with Lu Aiguo.

“When you see Xia Yuan and Xiaoyun, you better control your temper. Aiguo is very fond of those two. You might get away with upsetting Aiguo, but if you upset his wife, Aiguo will be the first to mind, and you could truly damage your sibling relationship. Don’t be foolish.”

It had to be said that Aunt Lu understood Lu Aiguo’s temperament very well.

“Okay, okay, I won’t mess with Xia Yuan. Don’t you have any faith in me? Ever since Lu Aiguo got married, it’s like you don’t even see us sisters anymore.”

Although now aware that Lu Aiguo was her biological brother, Lu Aimei still felt a bit sour upon hearing her mother’s words, but she managed not to flare up immediately. In the past, she would have exploded after such a conversation!

“Don’t drag me into this; I don’t have as much jealousy as you. You’re not worried about being laughed at by Dabao and Erbao when they find out?” Lu Aijiao scolded her sister with barely concealed irritation.