Chapter Twelve: The Maternal Family

In front of a shop called "Chen’s Ready-Made Garments," stood two elderly people, a middle-aged couple, and two teenagers about seventeen or eighteen years old.

“Mother, I wonder how our nephew and niece are faring with the Su family. So many years have passed in the blink of an eye; those two children must have grown quite a bit,” Li Tianhe said with a hint of melancholy on his face.

“All these years, we never heard Yue’e mention them. With no parents to care for those two children at home, who knows whether Sun Zhaodi mistreated them. Now that Yue’e and that Su boy are both gone, those two children are left all alone. As a mother, I can’t help but worry,” Wang Qiaohui said, her voice tinged with anger as she spoke of her daughter-in-law’s family.

“Once I buy some good clothes for my dear grandchildren, I will go to their village to bring them back. I absolutely will not entrust Yue’e’s only children to that old witch in the Su family!”

Su Jinxiao was sucking on a candy figurine and quietly tugged at her sister’s sleeve. “Sister, what are you looking at?”

The Li family had only visited the Su family once, right after Li Yue’e gave birth to her youngest son. Naturally, Su Jinxiao had no memory of them, but the seven-year-old original owner still remembered the Li family’s faces.

Su Jinyu felt somewhat hopeful. If these truly were Li Yue’e’s kin, then this would count as reconnecting with family.

She took her younger brother’s hand and walked into the garment shop.

“Grandmother!”

Wang Qiaohui was examining a girl’s dress when she suddenly heard a crisp, youthful voice behind her.

She immediately thought of her granddaughter who had suffered in the Su family. At this moment, her son did not know whether his biased mother had even fed the little girl properly.

But when she turned around with curiosity, the girl before her was dressed in tattered clothes, looking like a little beggar. Her clear, sharp phoenix-like eyes stared straight at her. The girl’s slightly pursed lips revealed two faint dimples.

Damn it! This delicate, oval face was exactly like her deceased daughter’s!

“Are you… Yue’e’s daughter?” Wang Qiaohui couldn’t help but step forward and tightly grasp the girl’s hands, her eyes instantly moistening.

“Grandmother, it’s me. I’m Jinyu, and this is my brother Jinxiao,” Su Jinyu said, then nodded slightly to the other members of the Li family, acknowledging them one by one.

“You’re my little sister!” The dark-skinned boy immediately took a big step forward and jumped to Su Jinyu’s side.

“Sister, I’m your second cousin! Call me second brother!”

Meeting the Li family for the first time, Su Jinyu was a little reserved and obediently replied, “Second brother.”

“Little sister! I finally have a beautiful sister! Haha!” Li Chuxiu cheered joyfully, carefully stroking his sister’s head before quickly pulling his hand back as if she were a treasure.

Su Jinxiao, still shy, hid behind his sister until Su Jinyu pulled him forward. Blushing, he called out, “Second brother.”

“Alright, alright, I finally have a little brother too! Second brother will buy you candies later! Big brother, don’t use your older brother status to boss me around anymore. I’ll be a big brother too now, so you’ve got to give me some face!” Li Chuxiu patted both their heads, but still found his sister’s hair softer and more comfortable to touch.

“Get lost, you little brat!” Wang Qiaohui slapped his hand hard.

“Move your filthy monkey paws away! Aren’t you afraid you’ll scratch your sister’s face?”

Then she turned to Su Jinyu and Su Jinxiao, smiling kindly with an unusually gentle tone:

“Jinyu, Jinxiao, I’m your grandmother. Call me that, quickly!”

The others from the Li family looked as if they had seen a ghost, mouths agape, staring blankly at the scene.

Su Jinyu liked this domineering yet kind old lady. Within moments of contact, she could tell that Wang Qiaohui was the real decision-maker in the Li family; the others all had to act according to her wishes.

“Grandmother!”

“Grandmother!”

Su Jinyu and her brother responded one after the other.

“My dear niece, haven’t you had lunch yet? Later, your uncle will treat you to the big roast goose and steamed chicken at the restaurant!” Li Tianhe was tall and burly, slapping Su Jinyu’s shoulder so hard she almost sank into the ground.

“Thank you, uncle, for your thoughtful arrangement!” Su Jinyu gritted her teeth to endure the pain in her shoulder, forcing a smile.

At that moment, the eldest cousin Li Zhe’an reminded them:

“Dad, don’t slam your strength on Sister Jinyu like that; don’t break her bones!”

Li Zhe’an’s skin was fairer than his younger brother’s, and he was handsome, with features more resembling their mother.

His youthful face was gentle as jade: “Sister Jinyu, I saw two dresses that would suit you well. Go inside and try them on.”

Su Jinyu was a bit shy; having just arrived in this era, this was the first time she had met relatives who were kind to her.

“Brother Jinxiao, second brother picked out two outfits for you too! Hurry and go change!” Li Chuxiu urged as well.

After the siblings changed into the new clothes, everyone’s eyes lit up. They looked nothing like the ragged beggars from before.

“As expected, clothes make the man! Grandpa paid for these outfits for you!” Li Yongzhi said with a smile and reached to pay.

“Grandpa, don’t steal credit! My big brother and I picked these clothes ourselves. You barged in halfway through trying to take the credit—how can that be fair?” Li Chuxiu and his father started pushing each other at the checkout counter.

The others in the Li family seemed used to this and made no move to intervene.

Su Jinyu touched her nose, silently criticizing inwardly.

This grandfather didn’t look like a dignified elder at all—more like a mischievous old child.

“Jinyu, your second cousin has a childish temper; please forgive him. Auntie picked out two pairs of shoes for each of you. Try them on together,” Chen Shulan said with a smile, her eyes curved like crescent moons and carrying a faint scent of orchids.

Su Jinyu liked this auntie very much and gave her a sweet smile.

Once the siblings were dressed from head to toe in new attire, they looked worlds apart from the mud-stained children they had been earlier.

Li Chuxiu was still a bit immature. Li Yongzhi had devised a trick, using his status as the family patriarch to pressure the shop assistant, who dared not take money from children. In the end, Li Yongzhi footed the entire bill.

“Grandpa scheming against me, a mere child, doesn’t care if Sister Jinyu and Brother Jinxiao despise him!” Li Chuxiu said defiantly.

Li Yongzhi was pleased with his success, took a sip from the wine gourd at his waist, and said, “I believe time reveals one’s heart. Jinyu and Jinxiao will surely come to cherish me as their grandfather!”

Hearing this, Su Jinyu and her little brother exchanged glances and burst out laughing softly.

Wang Qiaohui watched the two siblings laughing foolishly and sighed with deep affection.

“Now the two children finally look like proper children. One can only imagine how harshly that old witch Sun Zhaodi must have treated you. From now on, you don’t have to fear anything. Grandmother will protect you!”