Chapter 736: Courtesy Demands Reciprocity

Wang Xiang was delighted. "We’re all neighbors, what’s there to thank me for? Go on, eat while it’s hot. I’ll head back now."

"Alright." After Wang Xiang left, Mrs. Fu divided the noodles into four bowls.

Then she said to Qin Wenhao, "I’ll just send some things over to her later to return the favor."

Qin Wenhao nodded. "Mom, you can handle that. Oh, right. I’ll be out this afternoon, so I’ll have to trouble you with things at home."

"Just go and tend to your business. I’m here, so you don’t need to worry about the house. By the way, when will the package we sent arrive?"

Qin Wenhao thought for a moment. "It should arrive the day after tomorrow. If I’m still around, I’ll go get it myself. If not, I’ll arrange for someone else to pick it up."

Mrs. Fu nodded. "That works."

It wasn’t that she didn’t want to get it herself. The package they’d sent was just too big to bring back without a car.

Qin Wenhao finished his meal and left in a hurry.

When Mrs. Fu saw how spotless the house was, she couldn’t have been more satisfied with her son-in-law.

Her own room hadn’t been tidied, but that wasn’t a difficult task. She could get it cleaned up quickly.

The two children were supposed to take their afternoon naps, and sure enough, they started getting drowsy not long after finishing their meal.

Fortunately, Mrs. Fu had already finished cleaning her room, and the kang inside was already nice and warm.

So she sent the two children off for their afternoon nap.

Meanwhile, she began to unpack the parcels she had brought with her.

She had brought cured pork and sausages.

She had also brought a small amount of rice and flour, as well as some pickled and dried vegetables.

First, she took out some candy and shared it with the people sitting outside and chatting.

Then, after washing the bowl that her neighbor Wang Xiang had used for the noodles, she filled it with some candy and dried vegetables.

She carried the bowl back over to her.

"These are for the children, a little something sweet. This packet of dried vegetables—I dried them myself. They’re quite good, great for adding to noodles or stews."

She had given Wang Xiang a good half-pound of candy, which was quite a generous amount.

After all, not only were their two families next-door neighbors, but they were also the closest in the entire residential compound.

"This is far too much candy—"

Wang Xiang felt too embarrassed to accept it.

The candy looked much higher quality than what was sold at the commissary, and she had brought so much of it.

"It’s not much at all. Just a little something for the kids. Well, I still have things to do, so I’ll head back now."

Hearing this from Mrs. Fu, Wang Xiang quickly thanked her.

Even though her son-in-law had already cleaned the house, for someone like Mrs. Fu who could never sit still, she saw chores everywhere she looked.

The dirty laundry needed to be washed.

The many bowls and chopsticks in the kitchen had to be washed again to her satisfaction.

She kept busy until it was nearly dark.

Qin Wenhao returned right at that moment, carrying lots of groceries.

"Mom, I brought back some groceries, including a fish. Let’s have a proper dinner with rice tonight!"

Hearing this, Mrs. Fu hurried out. "Where on earth did you get such a big fish?"

"They spared one for me at the cafeteria. The meat and vegetables, too."

Mrs. Fu beamed. "In that case, we’ll have stewed fish for dinner. Perfect, I’ve already cooked the rice."

"Great!" Qin Wenhao put the rest of the groceries in the kitchen, then carried the large fish over to the well to gut it.

The two little ones weren’t the least bit scared by the gory sight. They squatted to one side, watching their dad prepare the fish—

Fu Mingxue counted the days. ’Qin Wenhao and the others should have arrived at the compound by now,’ she thought.

And sure enough, that evening, Qin Wenhao called her at the research institute.

"Honey, it’s me. We’ve arrived."