Chapter 123: The Formidable Mother

Chapter 123: Chapter 123: The Formidable Mother

Lin Qiu was glowing with the radiance of a happy woman, and Fu Xiaoxiao felt genuinely thrilled for her.

"Then we’ll be waiting to attend your wedding banquet!" Fu Xiaoxiao chuckled.

"I definitely won’t forget you." Lin Qiu held Fu Xiaoxiao’s hand. It was Fu Xiaoxiao who gave her confidence. If it weren’t for Fu Xiaoxiao’s words that moved her, she might still be hesitating and afraid to accept Fu Cheng.

"How is he?" Fu Xiaoxiao looked at Lu Feng, who was momentarily taken aback. "What do you mean, how is he?"

"You recommended him to Uncle Liu, aren’t you concerned about his task?" Fu Xiaoxiao reminded. Lu Feng pursed his lips. "With someone like him, we don’t need to worry at all."

"He wants to provide Lin Qiu with a good life, so he can’t afford to fail. Any failure could leave him injured and make it impossible for him to receive tasks again. What’s the point of him joining the army then?" Lu Feng looked at Fu Xiaoxiao. Fu Cheng had a reason not to fail.

So he didn’t need to ask at all; Fu Cheng would definitely seize this opportunity to climb up.

"Don’t worry, he knows better than us that he has no other path but to climb up." Lu Feng smiled indifferently, his eyes full of recognition for Fu Cheng.

"Instead of caring about her, you’d better care more about me." Lu Feng felt neglected.

Even Lin Qiu and Fu Cheng had successfully gotten together, but Fu Xiaoxiao and he had not yet made any progress.

"How can you compare? They’ve been together for years, enduring countless times. How long have we known each other?" Fu Xiaoxiao glanced helplessly at Lu Feng. He was good at everything, just too impatient.

No matter how well they got along, it wasn’t possible to hand over herself so quickly.

"Alright then!" Lu Feng chuckled, lifting the water to irrigate the backyard.

Fu Xiaoxiao sat in the yard, watching Lu Feng harvest all the vegetables in the backyard. "All the vegetables have been harvested. What do you want to plant next year?"

"What to plant...?" Fu Xiaoxiao asked, puzzled. "Can’t we plant the same thing?"

Before Lu Feng could speak, Lu Chen raised his little hand. "Mom, I know this question. Dad said that you can’t keep planting the same thing; you have to change it up."

"Is that so?" Fu Xiaoxiao hadn’t researched this, Lu Feng nodded.

"I learned it from an uncle during a task before." Lu Feng looked at Fu Xiaoxiao, speaking slowly.

"Radish follows pepper, lettuce follows cucumber, radish follows soybean, eggplant follows garlic, watermelon follows corn, cilantro follows tomato, cucumber follows potato, spinach follows pumpkin."

Listening to Lu Feng, Fu Xiaoxiao felt like there was something missing.

"Dad! You missed half of it, that’s not how it’s sung! Step aside, I’ll sing it for Mom!" Lu Chen looked at Lu Feng with dissatisfaction for only singing half of the rhyme.

Fu Xiaoxiao laughed, looking at the eager Lu Chen. "Please, contestant Xiao Chen, get ready, we’re looking forward to your performance."

"Ahem!" Lu Chen pretended to clear his throat, and then stomped his little feet to the rhythm.

"Radish follows pepper, yields are super high. Lettuce follows cucumber, hauled home by car. Radish follows soybean, harvest here and there. Eggplant follows garlic, everyone’s favorite taste. Watermelon follows corn, prospering in wind and water. Cilantro follows tomato, yields visible. Cucumber follows potato, filling both car and basket. Spinach follows pumpkin, laughing year after year."

Fu Xiaoxiao listened to Lu Chen’s song and clapped her hands happily.

"You really can’t beat Xiao Chen, look at his singing, full of emotion." Fu Xiaoxiao teased Lu Feng.

Lu Feng scratched his head.

That’s something he truly cannot do.

"Mom, did I sing well?" Lu Chen finished singing and looked at Fu Xiaoxiao with anticipation.

Fu Xiaoxiao clapped enthusiastically. "Wonderful!"

"Hehe." Lu Chen received encouragement, his nose upturned with pride.

Seeing his smug look, Fu Xiaoxiao and Lu Feng smiled at each other.

-

Chen Xiu and Li Si took a break from fighting, the two separated, and Chen Xiu lived with Li Lei and Li Sen, gradually becoming happier without Li Si.

"Sis, let me tell you, I’ve never realized life could be this comfortable," Chen Xiu said joyfully, from the heart.

"You seem touched, sister-in-law? Any good news?" Fu Xiaoxiao asked curiously.

"Stone and Wood, the two kids, have become more sensible these days and help me with chores. Although they may not be as capable as your Xiao Lin and Xiao Chen yet, I am already very pleased."

"And now I’ve realized, I only need to clean the house once a day. If it gets messy, the two kids clean up themselves. Without Li Si, I discovered most of the endless chores came from him."

Chen Xiu endlessly talked about the benefits of Li Si not being around; she had truly fallen in love with this kind of life.

Though the kids still occasionally act up, they start to clean up after themselves, and though the results aren’t perfect, it’s a good start.

And without Li Si, there are no clothes thrown around, no criticisms from the big boss; she cooks what she wants.

All those annoying words, those belittling remarks, are gone, and her ears are suddenly cleared. She no longer has to feel stifled by those vexing words.

"Let me tell you, I really want a divorce now." Chen Xiu looked at Fu Xiaoxiao, who shook her head.

"Li Si won’t let you go. Not even considering the kids, he’s used to being waited on. He might hold out for now, but in a couple of days, he’s bound to plead to come back home and admit his mistakes." Fu Xiaoxiao’s words dampened Chen Xiu’s spirits.

Just thinking about Li Si’s annoying face made her angry.

"Before I knew you, no one spoke up for me; everyone advised me to endure! Saying every family goes through this, so I endured! He lost his temper at me, and I listened. He complained about the food, so I made it again. These days I lived were suffocating." Chen Xiu held Fu Xiaoxiao’s hand. Remembering her past life, she felt like she truly had a submissive streak.

Though her heart was filled with frustration, she endured for the sake of so-called dignity, suffering indignities, being reprimanded like a grandson by Li Si daily, not daring to utter a word.

"You are like the mouth I lacked, saying all the things in my heart for me. You don’t know, after you scolded him that day, I felt so relieved." Chen Xiu expressed her gratitude.

"Why were you so afraid, even with such a strong mom?" Fu Xiaoxiao remembered Chen Xiu mentioning her mother, herself wondering why Chen Xiu would choose to endure.

Chen Xiu pulled Fu Xiaoxiao to sit down, sighed deeply. "I might have inherited my dad’s temperament. My dad was the middle child, not favored by parents. My grandparents favored my uncle, preferred my younger uncle, and did not care for my dad. When my dad married my mom, he didn’t want to pay a penny, and it was my mom who gave her dowry to get married."

"After marriage, my mom didn’t start off strong, but she couldn’t stand his bullying anymore. Mom felt sorry for Dad, stood up to my grandparents, and gained a reputation as the fierce woman in the village. During the division of the family, she fought for land and fields for Dad, but because he was the second son and they were biased, ultimately not much was given..."