Carrying Lila over, Liu's mother turned and gave her son a glare. "It's good that you have this heart, but I don't need you to send money to me. Staying in the village doesn't cost much. What use is all that money anyway? Won't your father just hand it over to someone else?"
Speaking of this, Liu's mother's tone turned sharp again. "Don't worry about it. I've hidden the bank card. Your father won't find it even if he tries. Let's see how he finds money to lend to his 'good sister and good brother.'"
"All those snobby dogs. Why don't they dare come to me for money? They know your father is the one who still naively believes in sibling love.
If they dared come to me, I'd scold them to death. Shameless!
Coming to our house for loans—what kind of bullying is that?"
Seeing Liu's mother, who was normally gentle, start swearing, Jason Liu understood how deeply his mother had been hurt by things in the past
Wrapping an arm around Liu Ma's shoulders, Jason Liu comforted her gently. "Okay, Mom, I won't bother with it. If you don't want to lend them money, we won't. I was furious about what happened back then too. Don't give them a cent—they don't deserve it."
"F**k off. Even if you have money, it's better to feed a dog than lend it to them—" Knowing her son was trying to cheer her up, Liu's mother still smiled and gave him a playful shove.
After wiping her eyes, Liu Ma changed the subject and asked the little girl in her arms, "Lila, are you going to sleep with your uncle tonight or in the east room with Grandma?"
Lila rubbed her eyes, looking a little sleepy. "I want to sleep with Uncle!"
"You little traitor. You forget your grandma the moment you see your uncle!" Liu Ma gently scratched the little girl's armpit, making her giggle and squirm like a little worm.
Liu's mother laid Lila on the bed, told her to sleep early, and returned to the east room.
She had already decided she needed to give Dad Liu a proper scolding later—he was not to ask their son to lend money to his siblings ever again.
Jason Liu looked at the little girl who had crawled under the covers, walked to the switch, and said, "I'm turning off the light!"
"Hmm, Uncle, turn it off. I'm going to sleep!" Lila waved her hand and yawned.
After turning off the light, Jason Liu also lay down on the bed. The little girl immediately scooted over like a bug.
"Lila, don't wet the bed tonight, or I'll smack your little butt into eight pieces!" Jason Liu warned.
Lila kicked her little feet in protest. "No, no! I already told you—I've grown up!"
Smelling the sweet scent of her shower gel and feeling her cool little body snuggle close, Jason Liu casually patted her back. "Alright, I've told you. Go to sleep."
"Yeah, got it!" Lila snuggled up, placed her tiny hands on him, and closed her eyes, purring softly like a kitten.
Jason Liu smiled and yawned. After driving four or five hours that day, he was exhausted too.
By eight in the morning, Jason Liu and his little niece were still sound asleep when the voices of Liu's mother and sister echoed through the courtyard.
Liu Wan had gotten up early, made breakfast, washed her son's face, changed his clothes, and driven over with her husband, Lucas.
It was the Mid-Autumn Festival holiday, so they could spend a few days with their parents.
"Mom, Jason Liu hasn't woken up yet?" Liu Wan moved the Mid-Autumn Festival gifts into the living room, glanced at the food on the dining table, and asked casually.
Liu Ma was wearing an apron and holding a spatula. "He and Lila are still sleeping. Once breakfast is ready, I'll go wake them up."
"Oh!" Liu Wan didn't care much. Seeing her husband carry their son inside, she glanced around. "Where's Dad? Out for a walk?"
Liu's mother brought out some golden fried eggs from the kitchen. They were laid by the few free-range hens in the yard—the kind of pricey eggs sold in city supermarkets.
Hearing Liu Wan's question, she replied casually, "He can't sit still. He was up early and went to the fields. Don't worry, he'll be back soon."
"Mom, where's my sister? I want my sister!" Noah got down from his father's arms, holding a toy airplane, and shouted.
"Why don't you go to your uncle's room and find her?" Liu Wan snapped at her son and dragged him off to Jason Liu's room on the far west side.
She pushed the door open and saw the two slackers—Jason Liu and Lila—still fast asleep. Walking to the window, she yanked the curtains open. Sunlight flooded the room.
"Uncle, Uncle! Sister! Sister!" Noah ran to the bed, squeezed his uncle's nose, and shouted nonstop.
"Get up, get up!"
Liu Wan placed her daughter's clothes on a chair and looked at the two slackers who hadn't moved an inch. "Come on! The sun is drying your butts! Breakfast is ready and waiting!"
"Mama, hee hee, here I come—" Lila popped out from under the covers, rubbing her sleepy eyes. When she saw her mother and little brother, she jumped up happily.
Jason Liu lay there, eyes half-open, staring at the sunlight. "Damn, what time is it?"
"It's almost nine! Get up! Even if you're the boss, you can't be late to work every day!" Liu Wan sat by the bed, took off her daughter's pajamas, and helped her into a white petticoat.
Late for work? Jason Liu groaned silently. I don't even go to the company...
Still, he rubbed his messy hair and got up. "It's not even nine yet. Why are you here so early?"
He walked off to brush his teeth and wash his face.
The little girl grabbed her tiny toothbrush and squatted beside him to brush her teeth, too.
"Noah was looking for his sister first thing this morning. Since we were coming anyway, I thought we might as well get here early," Liu Wan said while washing Noah's grubby little hands.
At that moment, Dad Liu, who'd been out in the fields, finally returned.
"Dad—"
"Dad—"
Liu Wan and Lucas both called out.
"You're here?" Dad Liu nodded. His dark face, as usual, was serious. Liu Wan and Lucas weren't surprised at his lack of expression.
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