Chapter 19 Second Aunt

"Aiguo's being so formal with us, what's the point of bringing all this when coming home? There are canned goods, pastries, candies... just a bunch of frivolous gifts. Oh, what's this? It feels warm?"

While preparing to put away the things Lu Aiguo brought, second aunt mumbled to Uncle Lu, a smile spreading across her face when she felt the two warm, soft lotus leaves, "What's wrapped in these lotus leaves?" She began to unwrap them as she continued speaking.

"One isn't truly an adult until they're married. They've just started their life together, need to support a child, and don't have anyone to help them out. There will be plenty of expenses in the future. How can they afford to waste like this?"

"Mom, isn't this just Aiguo's way of showing he cares? You've accepted everything, why complain about them being wasteful and not knowing how to live properly?"

Lu Aibing and his wife Zhang Cai were still in the main room and hadn't left, hearing his mother speak like this and before Uncle Lu could reply, he couldn't help but grow impatient.

"Am I not just muttering a few words around the house? What did I say that warrants your backtalk? Why is my fate so miserable? Other people's sons are obedient and sensible, and I ended up with someone as worrisome as you, always more trouble than others from a young age. And even after you've finally settled down and started a business, you're still like this..."

Second aunt placed her hands on her hips and didn't bother to unwrap the lotus leaf any further, spraying spit as she turned on the 'teapot mode,' berating her son.

Zhang Cai gave Lu Aibing a sidelong glance, smirking and quietly moving a few steps further away from him. As per usual, once mother-in-law got going, it wouldn't be over in less than ten minutes. Serves him right, never learning his lesson; he knows his mother is not to be trifled with yet always manages to walk right into the line of fire.

"Mom, I was just saying something off the top of my head..." Lu Aibing's face darkened instantly, filled with indignation. Why can you mutter whatever you want, and I can't? It's too unfair.

"Why? Because you crawled out of my stomach, that's why! Still not convinced? I must've raised you for nothing. Imagine if I had switched you with Aiguo, just look at him, only a few years older than you and he can..."

Lu Aibing would have been better off not talking back, as now second aunt had even more to talk about.

"You just said he's a few years older than me. Even if you wanted to, you could have never switched us. What's wrong with me? You've always favored others over me since childhood. Do you even see me as your own? In other households, they value sons over daughters, but it seems you've reversed it. I'm the only son, why am I worth so little to you?"

Speaking about it was truly heartbreaking. Since childhood, Lu Aiguo had always been 'that child from another family,' an unreachable standard. Ever since he was a kid, he was compared, and even after growing up and getting married, he couldn't escape the comparisons. He suddenly felt overwhelmingly wronged.

Upon another glance, while he was being scolded, who knew when his wife had quietly slipped away to a safe distance to enjoy the drama, her face seemingly saying "that's what you deserve." Even his dad seemed to delight in his predicament, pretending not to see, and leisurely reaching for his smoking pipe, indulging in a smoke with an expression of complete enjoyment.

Lu Aibing felt his heart shatter into eight pieces.

"Who else would you be born to if not me? How are you an only son, you..." Second aunt suddenly grew furious, grabbed her son's ear, and started to scold him fiercely. It seemed she was very angry; usually, she would only get physical once in every dozen or so instances, so it must have been serious.

Lu Aibing felt like crying. He believed he hadn't said anything wrong; how had he managed to infuriate his mother so? Feeling defeated, he didn't dare to talk back to his mother any longer.

"Cough, cough, cough." Uncle Lu coughed a few times, commanding silence, "Stop all this, woman, open up the lotus leaf that Aiguo brought over and see what's inside?"

Erni's mother paused, her hand loosening and releasing Lu Aibing's ear. She appeared somewhat dazed as she continued to unwrap the lotus leaf. When she opened it, everyone's eyes widened in astonishment.

"Are these buns? Where did Aiguo get such fine flour?" Erni's mother fretfully said, "This isn't right, I have to ask about this. There are six here, and another pack—how did we get so many..."

She was about to rush outside.

"Come back," Lu Erbo said in a low command, "How do you plan to ask? Aiguo isn't a reckless child; if he brought them here, then the source must be legitimate. If you go prying, you might let everyone know. Haven't you ever heard that wealth should not be flaunted?"

Erni's mother stopped in her tracks and slowly turned back.

"With the heat, food spoils quickly, there are so many." Lu Erbo also furrowed his brows, picked up a bun, and broke it open. On seeing the generous filling, glistening with fat, he was taken aback—was it actually meat filling? How on earth did Aiguo manage to get it? Although things aren't as strict as they were in previous years, some items are still hard to come by.

"Dad, is this really a meat bun?" Lu Aibing exclaimed, his mouth watering. Zhang Cai's eyes also lit up, though she remained silent.

"Eat up, everyone have one for now and save the rest for lunch. Just eat it, don't go around blabbing," Lu Erbo made a swift decision.

Lu Aibing and Zhang Cai's eyes both sparkled, as this meant each person would get three buns.

Erni's mother hesitated for a moment, "Shouldn't we save some for Dani and Erni?"

"Dani and Erni live too far away. How would we even send this little bit to them? Even if we did, it might not even end up in their mouths. And it would make even more people aware. The weather is hot; any delay could spoil them, wasting Aiguo's kind gesture," Lu Erbo made an irrevocable decision. "Now that the policies have loosened, our lives will only get better. Will we ever worry about not having meat to eat in the future?"

"Alright, I'll listen to you," Erni's mother thought it over and, fearing that too many people knowing might be detrimental to Aiguo, promptly nodded in agreement with Lu Erbo's words, letting the matter go.

Upon returning to their room from the main hall, Zhang Cai suddenly said to Lu Aibing, "Aibing, why do I always feel like our mom seems especially good to Aiguo? Not just on the surface, but like it really comes from the heart?"

"You're just realizing this? The three of us brothers and sisters have known since we were little. Especially me, I've been the unluckiest; anything happens, I am compared with him. If we siblings have anything, he's sure to get a share. Whenever there is something good to eat, or nice clothes to wear, he's included too. Sometimes he even gets more than us siblings, and I have to step back. Sometimes I think he is my own mother's child. It's too much favoring the outsider. I used to be so envious of him, along with my older and second sisters," Lu Aibing said, accustomed to it, yet spoke without envy, "But as we grew up, we siblings stopped harboring jealousy. My third uncle passed away early, and my third aunt has that sort of personality. Aiguo had to take on the burden of a household since he was young. It's too pitiable. Besides, Aiguo has always looked after me as well. Whenever I was bullied, he was the one who stepped up to defend me, and he never forgot to share anything good he had with me. So, my parents treating him like their own child seems normal to me."

"I know, it just seems a bit strange to me—to care so deeply about her brother-in-law's nephew is quite unusual," Zhang Cai still found it somewhat incredible. Aren't most aunts two-faced, being one way in public and another in private? Such sincerity is rare.

"My mom is just kind-hearted. Isn't that why Aiguo is particularly close to her?" Lu Aibing replied nonchalantly.