1990s: Spring Water Family

Chapter 143 Little Baby, Little Puppy, Another Uninvited Guest Arrives

"What an adorable puppy."

Lin Xiyu also adored the puppy, chasing after it with a smile, taking the opportunity to pick it up and stroke its fur.

"Puppies are prone to illness, so you need to vaccinate them."

The new store manager, Li Xiao, has a lot of experience in raising dogs. He also has a Pekingese at home, a small male dog, which is the same color as the small female dog his cousin bought, and they look like a pair.

When they started talking about dogs, they found common ground and their relationship grew much closer after a few words.

"You guys keep talking, I'm leaving now."

Wang Fan also had to manage the internet cafe business, running between the two places, so he didn't have time to watch them chat idly.

"Thanks, boss."

My cousin regained her energy and spirits after having puppies, and she's full of enthusiasm again.

She bowed respectfully to Wang Fan to express her gratitude.

"You're welcome, just do your job well."

Wang Fan took a cigarette out of his pocket and winked at Li Xiao.

Li Xiao understood immediately and followed him out the door.

What were they saying?

My cousin looked on with curiosity, craning her neck to peek outside.

"Sis, stop looking, I have something for you."

Lin Xiyu pulled her back and handed her an envelope.

When my cousin saw the envelope, she was stunned for a moment, and then her eyes reddened again.

"Stop crying, it's not worth it for a jerk."

Lin Xiyu wiped away her tears with heartache: "Gu Bin got the two thousand yuan back for you. He made you pay back the debt by working at an internet cafe. He managed to scrape together enough money to pay you back."

"Ah."

My cousin forced a smile and said, "Please thank Gu Bin for me. I'm always troubling him."

"What trouble are you talking about?"

Lin Xiyu deliberately tried to amuse her: "We're like sisters, there's no need to be so polite."

"Yes, yes, I was wrong. I shouldn't have been so formal."

My cousin was at ease and smiled.

"now it's right."

Lin Xiyu smiled and carefully instructed, "In the future, if anything happens, don't keep it to yourself. If you need to speak up, then speak up. Don't be afraid of causing trouble. We are family, and family members should help each other out."

"I understand, my dear sister."

My cousin, being straightforward by nature, quickly came to terms with it: "The way you put it makes it sound like we've switched places, like you're older than me, like you're my older sister."

"In some respects"

Lin Xiyu deliberately teased, boasting, "My mind is indeed more mature than yours."

"Tsk, tsk."

A playful glint flashed in her cousin's eyes as she chuckled and teased her, "No wonder people say that a woman in love is like a ripe fruit that has lost its tartness—both juicy and alluring. My dear sister, tell me, in what ways are you more mature than me?"

"Cough cough."

Lin Xiyu immediately understood what her cousin meant, her ears turned red, and she coughed awkwardly twice.

"Speak up, stop pretending!"

My cousin's smile widened: "Speaking out will broaden the horizons of those of us who haven't been in a relationship, and give us some advance warning."

"No la."

Lin Xiyu's ears burned: "I was just saying it casually, and you actually took it seriously."

"Stop it."

Her cousin wouldn't let her off the hook, continuing to press, "You and Gu Bin are almost engaged, and there hasn't been a single intimate gesture between you? Who would believe that?"

"Don't believe me?"

Lin Xiyu shoved the puppy into her arms, her ears turning red, and went to the bathroom.

"Hmph, you slipped away pretty fast."

My cousin leisurely stroked the dog's fur, then turned her attention back to the two people standing outside the door.

Wang Fan, with a cigarette between his fingers, pointed in the direction of the small commodity wholesale market and was talking to Li Xiao.

Li Xiao nodded repeatedly, showing great respect for him.

"Wang Fan, that kid, usually seems so carefree, but when it comes to business, he's really something."

My cousin glanced towards the restroom and sighed with a hint of regret, "It's a pity. Xi Yu's heart is already completely occupied by Gu Bin. She can't see his good qualities, nor does she know how much he's done for her in secret. These two are destined to be apart."

-

The puppy healed her cousin's heartbreak and also relieved Lin Xiyu of a long-standing worry. What should have been a happy occasion turned into an unexpected turn of events after they returned home.

That evening, an uninvited guest arrived at my maternal grandmother's house.

My aunt's biological mother suddenly arrived at my maternal grandmother's house after dark, bringing with her a newborn baby who was only a little over a month old.

"Wang Wang."

The puppy saw the stranger, barked twice in fear, and hid at its cousin's feet.

"Oh my, why do you have a dog?"

The old lady saw the puppy and curled her lip in disgust: "You can't keep a dog if you have children. Get it out of here right now."

"Why should I? This is my dog!"

My cousin was unhappy, so she bent down, picked up the puppy, and held it in her arms.

"Mother-in-law, you have to make the decision on this matter."

The old lady looked displeased: "Those young girls are ignorant. You've raised several children, you must know the dangers of keeping dogs, right?"

"Leilei, your in-laws are right."

Grandma sighed helplessly, looking at my cousin with a hint of apology: "With children in the family, it's really not good to keep pets, as it's bad for their health."

"Grandma."

My cousin hugged the puppy tightly in her arms, her heart aching with reluctance: "I want to keep it, please, let me keep it."

"You can raise it if you want."

Grandma smiled bitterly, "But you can't stay at Grandma's house anymore. Go back to your own home."

"No."

My cousin's eyes instantly reddened, and her voice choked with sobs: "If I don't go home, my mom won't let me keep the dog, and she'll definitely force me to get rid of it."

"It's not that Grandma forced you."

The grandmother felt sorry for her granddaughter but didn't want outsiders to laugh at her: "Keeping a dog is really bad for a child. Newborns are weak, and if they get sick or something bad happens, no one can bear the responsibility."

"Leilei, listen to your grandma."

The uncle also tried to persuade him, saying, "The adoption of the child was already agreed upon. Nobody expected you to buy a puppy at this time."

"So, you're saying I'm wrong?"

My cousin felt wronged and couldn't hold back her anger: "Fine, since you all think I'm wrong, I'll leave. I'm not staying in this house anymore, okay?"

"Sis, where are you going?"

Lin Xiyu was startled when she saw her carrying the puppy and running out of the yard, and hurriedly chased after her.

"Ugh."

Grandma watched the two sisters run away and sighed deeply.

-

My cousin didn't want to go back to her own home. Holding the puppy, she wandered listlessly through the alley, looking like she'd lost her soul.

Left with no other option, Lin Xiyu called Gu Bin and asked him to help arrange temporary accommodation for her cousin.

Wang Fan was once again caught in the crossfire, dragged out of bed in the middle of the night by Gu Bin's repeated handcuffing to make room for his subordinate.

"Damn, I bought you a dog, and now I have nowhere to live. Isn't this boss being unfairly treated?"

"I'm sorry."

My cousin blushed, a rare occurrence for her, and couldn't lift her head in shame: "I never expected Gu Bin to choose your house." "What's wrong with you now?"

Wang Fan complained helplessly, "Buying a dog has caused trouble. Instead of going home to sleep late at night, it wanders around the alley. Doesn't it worry that people will think it's a ghost and find a monk to take it away?"

"I never expected that my aunt's mother would bring home a child today."

My cousin held the puppy, on the verge of tears.

"Hululu."

The puppy noticed its owner was down and affectionately rubbed against her wrist, making soft purring sounds as if to comfort her.

"Good Cola"

My cousin was so moved that she cried buckets of tears, calling out the new name she had given the puppy: "You're the best to me. I won't have a home anymore, so we'll depend on each other for survival."

"Wang Wang."

The puppy seemed to understand, barked happily twice, and snuggled closer to her.

"Tsk."

Wang Fan couldn't stand the clingy way the man and dog were acting, and his teeth ached a little: "Stop being so lovey-dovey, let's talk about something serious. It's not a good idea for you to keep living in my house. Do you want me to rent you another place?"

"Aren't you going to Shanghai soon?"

My cousin is exceptionally quick-witted when it comes to money: "Don't waste that money, I'll just stay here with you, and I can even help you look after the house."

"You're quite the schemer."

Wang Fan laughed in exasperation: "There are still almost two weeks before school starts, I can't just sleep in internet cafes every day."

"Your apartment has two bedrooms and a living room; it's quite spacious."

My cousin laughed awkwardly: "Two people can stay together, or how about we each have a room and make do for a few days?"

"I don't mind."

Wang Fan grinned and said, "You're a girl, living with a man, aren't you afraid of ruining your reputation if word gets out?"

"Ugh."

My cousin sighed, "In the past, I might have cared a little, but now, my heart is completely cold. I don't have any romantic feelings left. I guess this is how my life will be. I'll be alone, loveless and lonely until the end."

"Isn't it?"

Wang Fan couldn't understand: "You like that Xu Rui that much? What's so great about him that makes you so devoted to him?"

There are some things you don't understand.

My cousin looked dejected.

"I don't understand?"

Wang Fan scoffed and laughed in exasperation: "I've had at least a dozen girlfriends since I was a kid. What kind of woman haven't I seen?"

"It's because you're such a womanizer that my cousin doesn't like you."

His cousin's words hit him where it hurt.

"Stay here by yourself, and don't forget to close the door."

Wang Fan was so angry he was speechless. He picked up the motorcycle keys, turned around, and left.

"Are you really going to sleep at an internet cafe?"

My cousin didn't expect to blurt out the truth so easily, and she was extremely annoyed.

"Mind your own business."

Wang Fan didn't want to listen to her nonsense anymore, so he strode downstairs with his long legs.

"Oh dear, this has caused quite a stir."

My cousin watched him walk away, then closed the door, looking slightly embarrassed.

"Wang Wang."

Seeing her forlorn expression, the puppy nuzzled her arm affectionately.

"Cola is the best girl, my darling."

My cousin was instantly healed by the puppy, and she kissed and hugged it.

"Wang Wang."

The puppy felt its owner's love, its big eyes sparkling, and it grinned and chuckled.

-

No. 9 Donghua Street.

Seeing that her cousin had a place to stay, Lin Xiyu, fearing that her grandmother would worry, went home alone.

Where is Leilei?

My aunt's mother had already passed away, and my maternal grandmother was indeed worried. She stayed up all night and waited outside the gate.

"Gu Bin found her a place to stay, and she's already settled in."

Seeing that her grandmother's eyes were red from staying up all night, Lin Xiyu quickly went over and helped her grandmother back to the room to rest.

"As long as there's a place to stay, that's fine."

Upon hearing this, Grandma felt relieved and patted her hand affectionately: "Please keep an eye on this matter. When you have time, tell your cousin that this child was adopted from your aunt's hometown. She's practically her niece. Her mother only agreed to help raise the child because she couldn't refuse."

"Is that how it is?"

Lin Xiyu was unusually surprised: "What happened to her relatives? Why don't they want the child anymore?"

"What else could it be?"

Grandma knew perfectly well: "In the countryside, you're only allowed to have two children. This means that since the second child is another girl, they don't want any more."

Will my aunt's adoption of this child have any negative impact?

Lin Xiyu looked worried: "Now everyone is on family planning, and each family can only have one child. What if we adopt and they don't let us have any more children?"

"Your uncle has inquired about this matter."

Grandma lowered her voice and said, "It seems there's a policy that allows adopted children to have more children after a certain number of years."

"Is what my uncle found out accurate?"

Lin Xiyu was still worried: "They've been drinking Chinese medicine for so many years for the sake of the child. If they're not allowed to have the baby, they'll regret it for the rest of their lives."

"I'm not going to worry about that."

Grandma waved her hand wearily: "At my age, I can't worry about so many things anymore. While I can still move around, I'll help them with the children. In a few years, I really won't be able to do it anymore."

"Grandma, you're only in your seventies, you're not old at all."

Lin Xiyu deliberately tried to make her grandmother happy: "Sister Yan said that you are blessed with good fortune in your old age and have no health problems. You will definitely live to be a hundred years old."

"hehe."

Grandma was delighted to hear this, and the wrinkles around her eyes crinkled into a wide smile.

-

The baby girl, who was only a little over a month old, was brought from her maternal home by her aunt's mother.

The baby was still breastfeeding and got hungry late at night. Having no milk to drink, the baby cried loudly in distress.

My aunt had never raised a child before, and she couldn't soothe him no matter what she did; she was in a panic.

Grandma got out of bed in the middle of the night to instruct Lin Xiyu on how to cook millet porridge and feed the child with the rice oil.

The baby finally stopped crying after drinking the millet oil.

The baby couldn't stay sleepy, yawned a few times, and then closed its eyes again.

"My goodness, she's finally asleep."

The whole family was woken up by the baby's antics, and the uncle rubbed his temples, not knowing whether to laugh or cry.

"Raising children is not as easy as you think."

Grandma smiled and scolded the couple, giving them a heads-up: "Now that you've brought them here, take good care of them. Go to the supply and marketing cooperative tomorrow and buy some milk powder. Newborns have weak stomachs and can't eat coarse food; they can only be fed rice porridge and milk powder."

"And diapers, bring back more."

My aunt noticed her arm was a little wet and said with a pained expression, "I just drank some rice water and then I peed again."

"Pfft."

Seeing her aunt looking utterly miserable from being tormented by the baby, Lin Xiyu couldn't help but cover her mouth and burst out laughing.

"Stop laughing, everyone go to sleep."

Grandma smiled and urged her, "Take advantage of the baby's sleep and go to sleep quickly. If she wakes up, the whole family will be busy taking care of her again."