Chapter 303: Chapter 303: The Old Master Passes Away

When Jiang Moli and Lu Cheng returned home, they saw An Hui and Ma Hongmei rummaging through a pile of old clothes and fabric scraps.

"Mom, what are you two doing? It’s New Year’s Day. Even if you’re making shoe soles, there’s no need to be in such a rush."

Hearing Lu Cheng’s words, An Hui said irritably, "Your Aunt Wu was just here. She said Chen Xue is pregnant and asked me for some old clothes and fabric scraps to make diapers!"

Hearing Chen Xue was pregnant, Lu Cheng was a little surprised. "Chen Xue only got married a little over a month ago. She’s pregnant already?"

An Hui shot him a look. "Tell me about it. Pregnant after just over a month."

Lu Cheng instantly understood the meaning behind his mother’s look; she was clearly annoyed that he’d been married for over half a year with no news to show for it.

Worried Jiang Moli would get upset, he was about to change the subject when Lu Deyao called him into a room to talk.

Jiang Moli handed An Hui the half-bag of red tangerine peels she had brought back.

Looking at the glossy, richly-colored peels, An Hui’s face broke into a smile. "These tangerine peels are wonderful. There are so many! This will be enough to last two or three years."

Ma Hongmei smiled and nodded, then found a bamboo sieve and spread the tangerine peels on it to dry so they wouldn’t get moldy.

As An Hui continued to sort through the old clothes and fabric scraps, she spoke to Jiang Moli in a soft voice about the plans for the next day.

Although she was envious of Wu Miaoyun becoming a maternal grandmother and genuinely thought her own son was useless, she had no complaints whatsoever about her daughter-in-law, Jiang Moli.

’She knew all too well how having babies worked. If the seed was no good, it didn’t matter how fertile the soil was; it would never bear fruit.’

"Tomorrow, your father is taking the two brothers back to our hometown to see Mr. Lu. I’m not going this time. What do you think? Do you want to go with them?"

"If you’re not going, Mom, then I’m not going either. I’ll stay home and keep you company."

Jiang Moli broke off a slice of the orange she had just peeled and held it to An Hui’s mouth.

An Hui, pleased, opened her mouth and ate it. "Go on, you eat it."

Jiang Moli grinned. "Is it sweet?"

An Hui was about to nod when she heard Jiang Moli say, "If it’s not sweet, then I won’t eat any."

An Hui: "..."

’She’s a little bit filial, but not much.’

In the room, Lu Deyao also told Lu Cheng about the trip back to their hometown the next day.

Naturally, Lu Cheng had no objection to going back to visit his grandfather.

"You could have just told me this outside. Why did you have to call me into the room for it?"

Lu Cheng grumbled and turned to leave, but Lu Deyao stopped him. "What’s the damn hurry? I still have something to ask you."

"Then ask."

Lu Deyao planted his hands on his hips and sized him up, his expression and posture radiating disdain. "Tell me, how can a big, strapping guy like you be so useless?"

Lu Cheng put his hands on his hips and shot back, "How am I useless? Were you hiding under my bed to see for yourself?"

"If you were any good, how could Moli have been married to you this long with still no news?"

Lu Cheng was at a loss for words.

’He and Jiang Moli already spent more time apart than together. On top of that, Jiang Moli didn’t want kids yet, so he’d almost always used protection. It would be a miracle if she got pregnant.’

"Dad, stay out of my business. If you’re that bored, go have a fourth kid with Mom to keep you busy."

Lu Deyao flew into a rage. "What damn nonsense are you spouting? I think you should find time to go to the hospital for a check-up. If there’s a problem, the sooner it’s treated, the better."

"...There’s nothing wrong with me!"

"If there’s nothing wrong with you, then prove it and have a kid."

"Enough. Just stay out of my business."

"I’m your father! You think I don’t have the right to get involved?"

"You don’t have to be."

Lu Deyao: "You son of a bitch! Are you trying to rebel now?"

...

When Lu Cheng and Lu Deyao came out of the room, Lu Cheng didn’t see Jiang Moli in the living room, so he headed back to their bedroom.

Jiang Moli had changed into some loungewear and was lying on the bed, reading a book.

Lu Cheng took off his jacket, sat on the bed, and rested his head on her soft stomach.

Jiang Moli looked down at him. "Want to nurse again?"

Lu Cheng gave her a couple of playful bites through her clothes before telling her about the trip to Fucheng the next day.

Jiang Moli replied, "You and Dad should go. I’ll stay home and visit relatives with Mom."

Lu Cheng didn’t press the issue.

Knowing Mrs. Lu Sr.’s personality, a visit would only lead to Moli getting grief, and he couldn’t bear to see his wife be treated unfairly.

They chatted for a bit, and the conversation turned to Lu Tingting.

"From what I can see, Teacher Shen isn’t interested in Tingting in the slightest. When you have a chance, you should try to convince her to focus more on her studies."

Jiang Moli countered, "What do you think of Teacher Shen as a person?"

Lu Cheng answered honestly, "He’s brilliant, a man of integrity. He’s truly an outstanding person."

"Pursuing an outstanding member of the opposite sex is, in itself, a positive thing. Why should we stop her? Even if it doesn’t work out in the end, it’s not like she’ll have lost anything."

"She’s at the age where she’s just starting to have crushes. If it isn’t this person, it’ll be another. It’s much better for her to be infatuated with Shen Yanzhi than to be deceived by some scumbag with ulterior motives."

Lu Cheng had to admit she had a point, so he decided to let it go.

’Besides, she’s not my daughter,’ he thought. ’I’d much rather be having an intimate chat with my wife.’

"Moli, before you married me, did you ever run into any men with ulterior motives?"

"Of course. Quite a few, in fact."

Lu Cheng felt a pang in his chest. "How many?"

Jiang Moli thought for a moment. "Oh, about enough for a game of mahjong."

Lu Cheng shot upright, his expression resentful and his eyes accusatory. The air was thick with his jealousy. "Four isn’t a lot to you? Just how many were you hoping for?"

Jiang Moli looked at him. "I said a *game* of mahjong."

Lu Cheng flopped back onto the bed in a huff.

"What’s wrong? Having a stroke? Don’t worry, I have my needles. A quick prick on all ten fingers, and you’ll be good as new."

Furious, Lu Cheng did a perfect kip-up to a sitting position. "You’re going to stab me with a needle!?"

Jiang Moli laughed. "See? I told you this folk remedy was effective. You’re all better, and I haven’t even had to use the needle yet."

Lu Cheng: "..."

...

「Early the next morning」

Lu Deyao, Lu Yuan, and Lu Cheng set off for Fucheng.

Like An Hui, neither Fan Wenfang nor Xu Xiuzhen went along, not wanting to deal with Mrs. Lu Sr.’s unpleasantness.

They arrived at the cadre sanatorium.

Mr. Lu was in much better spirits than their last visit. He was wearing a brand-new, crimson padded jacket and even asked after Lu Tingting and Jiang Moli.

He nodded in satisfaction only after Lu Cheng promised to bring them both along next time.

The weather was nice, so the two brothers pushed their grandfather around the sanatorium grounds in his wheelchair.

They had lunch in the sanatorium’s cafeteria.

After lunch, they took Mr. Lu back to his rooms for an afternoon nap. Then, Lu Deyao and the two brothers took Mrs. Lu Sr. to make a round of visits to their uncles’ homes.

Around 5 p.m., the father and his two sons took their grandmother back to the sanatorium, planning to say goodbye to their grandfather while they were there.

When they entered the room, Mr. Lu was asleep in his bed, just as they had left him.

Lu Deyao walked to the bedside and leaned over. "Dad, we’re heading back now."

Lu Cheng and Lu Yuan also gathered around the bed. "Grandpa, we’ll come see you again next time."

When Mr. Lu didn’t stir, the caregiver, Jin Gui, said, "He’s still sleeping soundly. I’ll tell him you were here when he wakes up."

But the father and his sons felt that something was wrong.

Even though their grandfather was always bedridden, he was a very light sleeper. All this talking should have woken him up by now.

Lu Deyao reached out and touched the old man’s cheek. It was ice-cold.

An Hui, Jiang Moli, Fan Wenfang, and the other family members arrived in Fucheng on the morning of the third day of the Lunar New Year.

Mr. Lu had been a retired senior cadre, so his funeral was held at the municipal funeral parlor.

After Mr. Lu’s funeral, Lu Deyao and his brothers went to the sanatorium to sort through their father’s belongings and discuss arrangements for their mother’s future care.

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