Chapter 265: 258: Oh Xiaobai Cai

“The food here is so good because of Auntie’s cooking,” Lin Yile’s remarks were buttering both sides, flattering Xu Miaomiao’s mom and giving her a compliment.

Xu Miaomiao didn’t dare to speak much. If she said her mom’s food wasn’t good, her mom might thrash her.

Lin Yile put down his chopsticks, patting his belly.

“Mom and Dad, aren’t you eating?”

Lin Yile was curiously counting the dumplings in their plates, his eyes gleaming eagerly.

Lin’s father wiped the sweat from his forehead, “Well, Dad’s not very hungry so I’ll…”

Before he could finish, a small hand reached out and took away the plate in front of him.

“Dad, you’re not eating? Okay, then I’ll save this for when I get hungry later tonight.”

Cold sweat trickled down Lin’s father’s forehead.

Does the child have worms in his belly?

“Don’t worry,” Xu mom knew what Lin’s mom and dad were thinking, “When Yile started eating more from the quite small portions he used to eat, my husband and I were scared. We thought our child had worms in his stomach, so we took him to the hospital. The doctor told us that he was growing and he actually needed more nutrients.”

After hearing this, Lin’s parents breathed a sigh of relief.

They only had this one daughter, and they had been worrying about her ever since she was little, especially about her food intake. She always ate so little. Now, finally, it seemed like she had started to eat enough.

It’s no wonder the change was so dramatic. It turned out she had finally started eating enough.

Lin’s mom and dad now wished they could live here at Xu mom’s place just to see how well their daughter enjoyed the food. The more the daughter ate, the happier they were.

However, Xu’s house was too small. It was already a bit of a squeeze with three kids. If the Lin parents moved in too, there wouldn’t even be a place to stand.

The fear of bringing their daughter home, only to have her not eat properly again, was too strong. They thought that maybe living with two other kids was what made their daughter realize she needed to eat.

They didn’t want to risk removing their daughter from the Xu household now, as she seemed to be doing just fine.

So, the two of them agreed to buy a house across the street, so they could be neighbors. This way, both mothers took care of the meals for the three children.

Neither of the mothers was overly demanding. Lin’s father had a decent position and their family was not short of money, so buying the house caused no financial stress.

He even used his connections to transfer Xu’s father to a lighter job so he could come home more often.

“So, when should we meet with Zhinian?”

Lin’s father hadn’t met Tang Yuxin’s father yet. He felt incredibly grateful to Tang Niannian, and wanted to express his thanks properly.

“You mean Zhinian?” Xu’s father laughed, “We’ll meet him soon. He’s currently busy preparing for his wedding. He’s getting married.”

Lin’s father looked stunned, “What about Yuxin?”

“Yuxin? Don’t worry,” Xu’s father picked up his cup, “Yuxin is very understanding. Do you think Zhinian would get married without her consent? He’s almost forty. Even if he were beaten to death, he wouldn’t marry without Yuxin’s approval.”

At that moment, Tang Yuxin came out to get some water. As Xu’s father finished speaking, she sang nearly off-key.

“Little bok choy, leaves turning yellow, two or three years old, the mother ran away…”

Xu’s father’s eyes twitched reflexively.

Darling, if your dad hears you singing this song, won’t he cry?

A few days later, Lin’s father finally met Tang Zhinian. He had expected a scholar or a man of great learning, considering he was the father of a daughter like Tang Yuxin. Instead, he found a bashful rural man whose wide smile showed off a mouth full of white teeth. His reddish-black skin seemed incredibly honest.

“Brother Zhinian,” Lin’s father shook Tang Zhinian’s hand tightly, “I really owe you a big thanks this time. If it wasn’t for you, our daughter might still be at the bottom of her class.”n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

Xu’s father nodded repeatedly at Lin’s father’s words. He deeply understood that worry, as he had experienced it himself. Back then, he had been so worried about his daughter’s grades that he couldn’t eat or sleep. Now, his daughter’s improving grades had brought him peace. His superiors also viewed him favorably because of his daughter’s success, which led to his promotion. He now held a decent position—how could he manage others’ children effectively if he couldn’t even manage his own?

Tang’s father was somewhat perplexed. What had his little Yuxin done now?

“Hehe…” Xu’s father let out a chuckle, “Your little Yuxin has taken on another apprentice. The child used to be as skinny as a monkey, but now she’s living with a few other children and has gotten a lot rounder. I’m sure her grades are improving day by day as well.”

As for this, Xu’s father held no doubts. With daily studying, how could the grades not improve? Plus, just looking at how easygoing the children were during exams, it was evident that their results were definitely going to be good.

Yuxin, that child, was top of her grade. How did she manage to suddenly improve so much in high school after being so mediocre in junior high?

Tang Zhinian blushed at the shower of praises. His little Yuxin was indeed something to be proud of. She wasn’t just good at studies but also very kind-hearted. That was the thing he was most proud of about his daughter.

Their conversation was centered around their children’s studies as they sat together. The fathers found lots to talk about. Even though it was Lin’s father’s first time meeting Tang Zhinian, having shared experiences as fathers allowed them to understand each other better. Before long, they were chatting like old friends.