Chapter 99 Giving New Year's greeting to Aunt
As promised last month, I will change the Chinese terms to English from now on. In my opinion, it's still all confusing even without the new Chinese terms.
This sister-in-law is talking about her sister-in-law, who was the sister to her husband. There are too many in-laws and sisters!!! Cause Lin Qing He is the third daughter of Lin Family (a.k.a also Third Sister-in-law to the daughter-in-law of Lin Family) and Third Brother's wife called Third Sister-in-law Lin. Just one word extra, but still easy to misread. To make it slightly easier, the woman married into that family is the Sister-in-law and the daughter of that family is just Sister. Vice versa with guys- born in that family, it's Brother, married to that family's sister is Brother-in-law. Anyone have a better suggestion?
Chapter 99. Giving New Year's greeting to Aunt
"It's no problem." Third Brother Lin smiled and handed her the rabbit: "Sister, for you. I'll go back now."
"What for me? Take it back for yourself to eat." Lin Qing He quickly took it to him and said.
"I got this for you, Sister. This year, it was thanks to the meat Sister gave me, my wife was able to have post-natal confinement." Third Brother Lin maintained.
"No need to thanks." Lin Qing He said, and then continued: "Come in first."
Zhou Qing Bai took his boys over to Father Zhou and Mother Zhou, so they weren't home. It was just her and Fei Ying.
Fei Ying swept a glimpse at Third Brother Lin. Since he was brought in by Lin Qing He, he was not hostile.
"Down this now." Lin Qing He poured a large glass of ginger and red date tea and ordered.
This was cooked and drunk at home routinely and the effect was quite good. Third Brother Lin drank it and his body warmed up.
"On this cold day, why aren't you wearing more?" Lin Qing He dug through the room and pulled out Zhou Qing Bai's old sweater. This was bought by him. It was certainly old now. He didn't wear it much, since Lin Qing He knitted him a brand new one last year and he was wearing that vest now.
"This was is your brother-in-law's leftover. He didn't wear it anymore. It should be a little big for you, but it's still wearable. Hurry up, put it on." Lin Qing He passed this sweater to Third Brother Lin and ushered.
"Sister, no need. This is my brother-in-law's clothes." Third Brother Lin hastily refused.
He came here to send the rabbit, not to get something.
"I'm giving it to you, so wear it. With our current family condition, if we honestly could wear it, I won't have offered it to you." Lin Qing He maintained.
Third Brother Lin still shook his head: "Don't want, don't want. Sister, don't give me brother-in-law's clothes, brother-in-law would probably quarrel with you when he comes back."
"Your sister makes all the decisions in this house. I listen to your sister too." At this time, Zhou Qing Bai brought the boys back and interjected.
"Brother-in-law." Seeing him, Third Brother Lin greeted at once.
Zhou Qing Bai nodded. Da Wa, Er Wa, and San Wa all called out 'uncle'. Third Brother Lin smiled and acknowledged.
"I haven't seen you in this sweater since last year. It made no difference if we keep it or not. Give it to my brother?" Lin Qing He asked him.
Zhou Qing Bai remarked: "Would it be a bit too old?"
"It depends on whether my brother disdains that or not." Lin Qing He turned to Third Brother Lin.
Third Brother Lin shook his head: "How can I disdain such a good sweater for being old."
"If you don't, then quickly change into it." Lin Qing He instructed Da Wa: "Da Wa, take your Third Uncle to your room to put it on."
"Uncle, come with me." Da Wa said.
"Listen to your sister." Zhou Qing Bai also observed how really thin Third Brother Lin's clothes were, and urged.
Only then, did Third Brother Lin went in with Da Wa to put on this sweater. He felt a whole lot warmer.
"Eating here tonight?" Lin Qing He asked Third Brother Lin.
Third Brother Lin rapidly shook his head: "No, no. I'll eat at home."
"If you want to go home and eat, then go home and eat. You take these buns. Heat it when you return and it'll be ready to eat." Lin Qing He gave Third Brother Lin three big buns.
She made this the day before yesterday with Zhou Qing Bai and the boys.
Whenever they were hungry, just steam it up, and then just add an additional soup. There was also a lot of mantou, all of which were ready-to-cook. No need to worry with this weather.
"No need." Third Brother Lin shook his head.
"I'm telling you to take it, so take it." Lin Qing He wrapped it in oil paper and stuffed it to him.
"Sister, will you go back this New Year?" Third Brother asked her.
"Not going. I said it already, I'm cleanly breaking it off with those white-eyed wolves." Lin Qing He waved her hand.
Third Brother San felt helpless, but he said nothing. Instead, he uttered, "Then I will come over with my wife this year?"
"The first day or the second day is free." Lin Qing He suggested.
"Then we will come here on the first," replied Third Brother Lin.
"OK." Lin Qing He gave him the answer.
Third Brother Lin came back with three buns.
Third Sister-in-law Lin asked him, "What were you doing today? It's freezing."
"I was out catching a rabbit." Third Brother Lin laughed.
"Did you catch it?" Third Sister-in-law Lin responded.
"I did and sent it to my sister." Third Brother Lin said.
Third Sister-in-law Lin froze for a moment and said nothing once she recovered.
This year's post-natal confinement, she felt that she'll remember it for the rest of this life.
If it weren’t for this sister who secluded herself from her maternal family, her second daughter wouldn't have a bite of an egg to eat!
So this year her family separated off.
First Branch and Second Branch didn't split, just her Third Branch. Naturally, life was hard because there wasn't much to items allocated to them. But even if there wasn't much, Third Sister-in-law Lin insisted on separating!
She was fed up. She'll take control of her family. She'll eat what she wants and handle things how she wants, who dares to talk nonsense?
"Look what this is." Third Brother Lin took out three large buns from his arms and grinned.
"Where did you get that?" Third Sister-in-law Lin's eyes lit up and asked.
"Third Sister gave it." Third Brother Lin laughed.
This answer was not unexpected. Third Sister-in-law Lin sighed: "I didn't expect that the Third Sister, who wouldn't even want to acknowledge her maternal family, would recognize you as her younger brother."
In her last post-natal confinement, this Third Sister only gave eggs and pork ribs on the basis that he was her brother.
This was something she kept in mind. If it was just her, there was no need to think about, Third Sister won't give any consideration because she didn't speak for Third Sister before.
"Third Sister has always been kind to me." Third Brother Lin gave the truth, and then lifted up his clothes, said: "Look, this sweater was given by Brother-in-law."
"Third Brother-in-law gave it?" Brother Lin's wife couldn't help but touched it. The sweater was very warm.
Although this sweater was Zhou Qing Bai's unwanted, there was nothing bad with it. It was because Lin Qing He made a new one for him, he didn't wear it anymore.
"When Third Sister gave it to me, Brother-in-law also saw it. Brother-in-law let me wear it." Third Brother Lin said, and then talked about visiting on New Year's Day.
"She doesn't plan to come back this year?" Third Sister-in-law was taken aback.
"Third Sister still holding the grudge," answered Third Brother Lin.
Third Sister-in-law Lin thought how she was still mad even after a year, then she really intends to not interact with her maternal family. However, Third Sister-in-law Lin didn't mind and said, ""This year we will bring Yu'er and Xiang'er over to give their aunt a new year greeting!"
She can tell that out of old Lin family, only Third Sister cared about her little family, even if it was due to her husband. But still, this relationship should not be broken.
Third Brother Lin nodded in acknowledgment.
In the evening, the couple divided the three big buns with their two girls. It was eaten after heating it up a bit.
The youngest daughter was still a baby, so it was soaked in the soup for her to eat. After a half, she was full.
The eldest daughter devoured one by on her own.
The remaining was for Third Brother Lin and Third Sister-in-law Lin. Naturally, it wasn't enough to eat. Somewhat full was enough, as they didn't need to work in winter isolation. They all had to tighten their belts during these days.
Especially since his family had just separated off. It was impossible to get many shares of food.