Back in the living room, Mai Xingyang apologized to Song Yinyu.
"Little brother, I'm sorry. I heard that when a man gives a woman diamonds, it only means one thing, so I refused on Xuanxuan's behalf."
Twelve-year-old Song Yinyu, a perfect little gentleman, smiled faintly. "It's okay, it was my oversight. I'll be more mindful next time."
Mai Xingyang raised an eyebrow. This was a tough opponent. "Xuanxuan is too honest. If she doesn't like something, she doesn't know how to refuse."
Song Yinyu turned his gaze to Xuanxuan. "Xuanxuan, what do you like? I'll buy it for you next time."
Xuanxuan repeatedly shook her head. "Don't give me anything anymore. It's too much effort to keep them safe."
Song Yinyu paused, then nodded. "I understand."
The Song father and son stayed at the Li family's for only one day before leaving. Their original plan to have Song Yinyu stay longer was also shelved because Tian Jing was too weak, and the Li family was not suitable for hosting guests.
Another guest, however, lacked such tact. He paid no mind to the Li family's attitude and simply followed Xuanxuan around, protecting her.
He even glared at Zhou Yufei, warning her not to covet Xuanxuan's good things again.
This frightened Zhou Yufei so much that she ran off crying.
...
On the eighth day of the lunar new year, Li Weili and Chen An, Li Weiyu, returned to work. Xuanxuan and Mai Xingyang were also picked up by Han Lu.
The Li family became quiet again. Mother Li and Yuan Feng still stewed nourishing soup for Tian Jing every day.
Li Min and Ouyang Meihua still returned to the siheyuan every morning, while Chen Suozhu and Li Liguo went to work at the farm.
Everyone's daily schedule was packed. Only Tian Jing, the patient, had nothing to do but eat, read, and sleep.
Of course, Sister-in-law Niu, who was closest to Tian Jing, often made time to visit. When most people visited Tian Jing, she wouldn't come. But when the Li family quieted down, she would visit Tian Jing to chat about village matters and cheer her up.
Li Weiguo was released from prison the year before last when Tian Jing was in a coma. Uncle Li Er and his wife had passed away several years ago, so Li Weiguo had moved in with his eldest son, Li Weikang.
He was not as low-key as Li Aiguo. He still went out to socialize, but the villagers treated him with a cool distance.
For the more than six months since Tian Jing woke up, Sister-in-law Niu had never mentioned Li Weiguo to Tian Jing, as she believed Li Weiguo and the Li family no longer had any contact.
However, she brought him up today because Li Weiguo wanted to get married.
Before the New Year, Li Weiguo had argued with his eldest son about getting married. Li Weikang had argued with him several times, and it seemed to have been dropped. But a few days ago, a matchmaker came to the house, and Li Weihao got angry and kicked her out.
Li Weiguo then moved back into his parents' old house and brought a woman in her forties to live with him.
Yesterday, Li Weiguo went to demand money from his two sons, claiming that the dividends from the Hot Spring Valley scenic area that Li Weikang and Li Weiwei had received from Li Baoguo over the years were his.
This morning, Li Weikang and his brother took Li Weiguo to the county court.
"…Do you think these people have nothing better to do? They have a good life and yet they like to stir up trouble?"
"He's a sixty-year-old man who wants to get married and have a companion. His younger children and grandchildren would surely not understand. Since he's living alone, he brought a woman back. Why can't he just live his life peacefully?"
"Baoguo is kind-hearted. He didn't hoard the dividends from the Hot Spring Valley scenic area and even shared them with Weikang and Weiwei."
"Weikang and Weiwei were raised entirely with your and Zhengguo's help. He never had to worry about his two sons. Why isn't he satisfied? I think he didn't spend enough time inside."
Tian Jing remained silent. Li Weiguo's family lawsuit would indeed have to be decided by the court.
"And Hu Hongju."
Sister-in-law Niu then brought up gossip about another family. "She's arranged several blind dates for Li Aiguo, but not only does Li Aiguo disagree, the women also disagree after meeting him. Yet, she keeps finding matchmakers."
"When she saw Li Weiguo bring back a woman in her forties, she mocked Li Weiguo, saying he was just looking for someone to warm his bed."
"The women she finds for Li Aiguo are all in their twenties and thirties, women who can have children."
"I just want to see how she'll stir things up. My mother-in-law is determined to have an heir for her youngest son, and she wants her youngest son to have an heir too."
A few days later, Sister-in-law Niu came again to deliver the news. Li Weiguo and his three sons reached a mediation through the court. The previous dividends would not be counted, as Li Weiguo had not fulfilled his parental obligations.
From the day Li Weiguo was released from prison, the dividends originally received by Li Weikang and his brother were split into two portions: one for Li Weiguo, and one for Li Weikang and Li Weiwei.
Li Weikang and Li Weiwei did not have to pay Li Weiguo any living expenses, but in the future, Li Weikang and Li Weiwei would each pay a quarter of Li Weiguo's medical expenses.
When Li Weikang and Li Weiwei returned, they declared they had no father and should not be associated with him in the future.
...
In April, Yuan Feng's family of three returned to the Hot Spring Valley scenic area to prepare for the opening.
Mother Li had mastered the art of stewing soup. Yuan Feng, without reservation, handed this skill over to Mother Li.
Looking at Tian Jing's condition, it would take two to three years for her to fully recover. Yuan Feng only had time in the winter, so she taught Mother Li the skill.
In the blink of an eye, summer vacation arrived.
After discussions with his father and grandparents, Yu Siji was permitted to attend primary school in Kufeng Mountain.
Six-and-a-half-year-old Li Xuanxuan was finally going to start first grade.
Ji Qing and Ji Xiang brought out the first-grade textbooks for Xuanxuan and Si Ji, who were of school age this year.
As for Zhou Yufei, she was still more than a month away from her sixth birthday. To avoid delaying her for another year and to attend school with Si Ji and Xuanxuan, the Zhou family moved her birthday to August.
Ji Qing and Ji Xiang gave first-grade textbooks to Si Ji and Xuanxuan, but not to her. She started crying again.
Tian Jing got a headache. She regretted it. She shouldn't have persuaded Xiao Mai to have a second child. When her husband got home from work, she instructed him: "Go to the primary school and ask them to separate Yufei and Xuanxuan. Don't put them in the same class."
"What's wrong?"
Li County Magistrate, who was swamped with work, had no time to concern himself with the children at home.
"She always competes with Xuanxuan. Xuanxuan is too patient with her. It pains me to watch."
Xuanxuan was their only daughter. Everyone doted on her. Yet, she had to stoically give way to her cousin.
This trivial matter was nothing for Li County Magistrate to handle.
However, not long after school started, Zhou Yufei was transferred to Li Xuanxuan and Yu Siji's class.
This infuriated Tian Jing. She couldn't directly confront Xiao Mai about it, as it was Zhou Yufei's mother who had arranged the transfer.
Xuanxuan comforted her grandmother. "It's okay, Grandma. I'll just ignore her."
Tian Jing stroked her granddaughter's head. "You've worked hard, my Xuanxuan."
Xuanxuan smiled and shook her head. "It's not hard."
Two months later, Chen An and Xie Shilei's wedding finally moved onto the agenda.
Li Min and Chen Suozhu drove to the Xie family in the northern province to propose. Ouyang Meihua and Li Liguo accompanied them.
After returning from the northern province, Li Min and her husband became busy, as the wedding date was set for the twenty-fourth day of the twelfth lunar month, before the New Year.
...
This year, Jingyuan Company had an early holiday. Li Weili returned on the twentieth of the twelfth lunar month. Seeing that her mother could now walk around the courtyard but was still very weak and frail, she worriedly asked, "Mom, shall we go abroad to see a doctor?"
"Silly."
Tian Jing smiled and shook her head. If she went abroad, it would be like a lamb thrown to the wolves. For someone who had been struck by lightning and was on the verge of death to recover to this state in just two years was impossible, even for an ability user, unless it was a lightning-type ability.
"Mom's body needs to be carefully nurtured. It can't be rushed. Haven't I improved from before?"
Chen An and Li Weiyu quietly asked their respective mothers if their little aunt (little sister-in-law) would never recover.
They each received a slap from their mothers.
...
Yu Ziyu returned to Kufeng Mountain with her second son to attend Chen An's wedding and celebrate the New Year. She couldn't help with her mother-in-law's health, but she could look after the children, allowing Grandmother and Aunt Li to rest easy.