Don't Say You're Heartless (Modern Edition)

108 I'm Here

After the dishes were set on the table, everyone took their seats. Yang Qiong introduced her brothers and sisters-in-law to Shen Qiuhua. There were some children she didn't recognize, so their parents introduced them, and then Yang Qiong introduced Shen Qiuhua to everyone. The whole situation felt as if she were bringing a bride home to meet the family.

The chaos of a large family gathering didn't make Shen Qiuhua feel uneasy. She came from the Shen family of Jiangnan, an enormous clan. In her family, there were so many branches that it could take half a day just to figure out the proper order of seniority when meeting relatives. Compared to that, the Yang family was a piece of cake.

After the greetings, the Yang family members all began to size up Shen Qiuhua. It wasn't done sneakily but rather openly and boldly. Suddenly, a four or five-year-old boy said, "Sister, you're really pretty!"

His words amused everyone. Yang Qiong realized that this boy was from her third brother's family, born after she had left. His nickname was Xiaohu.

"Xiaohu, not sister, call her Auntie," Yang Qiong corrected. Family titles mattered.

Xiaohu seemed a little afraid of Yang Qiong, and after hearing her speak, he clamped his mouth shut and hid behind his mother.

Everyone started eating. As Shen Qiuhua sat down, she glanced at the food—it could only be described as simple fare. The only dish of note was a small pot in the center of the table, with a stewed chicken inside.

At that moment, Xiaohu reached for a drumstick, and two other children also wanted one. But there were only two drumsticks, and now three kids were reaching out, crying and fussing as they tried to grab them.

Yang's father, who had remained mostly quiet, suddenly raised his voice. "What kind of behavior is this? Don't make a scene in front of our guests!"

The room immediately fell silent. The children were held in their mothers' arms, but none of them dared to make a sound.

Shen Qiuhua observed the scene and could tell that Yang's father held considerable authority in the family, but it wasn't quite the same as a patriarch's presence.

She glanced at Yang Qiong, who gave her a helpless smile. Under the table, Shen Qiuhua quietly took Yang Qiong's hand and squeezed it tightly.

The atmosphere quieted down, and Yang's father lowered his voice. "Eat properly."

The drumsticks were given to Yang Qiong and Shen Qiuhua, but neither of them ate them. Instead, they gave them to the children nearby. Even so, Xiaohu, sitting across from them, wasn't happy. However, after Yang's father had scolded them, he didn't dare make a fuss, only looking as if he was about to cry.

Shen Qiuhua noticed this but felt there was no need for her, as an outsider, to step in and comfort the child. She maintained the composure and courtesy expected of a guest, nothing more. Yang Qiong felt the same. She didn't feel any warmth from this family, so she regarded herself as a guest too.

Yang's mother, seeing her grandson's distressed face, picked up a piece of chicken breast and gave it to him. "Xiaohu, be good. This piece has the most meat."

Xiaohu gnawed on the meat, finally breaking into a smile.

The meal was eaten in a rather stifled atmosphere. During it, Yang Qiong's brothers asked about her income. Upon hearing it was just enough to get by, they lost interest in continuing the conversation.

After the meal, the wives took charge of clearing the dishes. Yang Qiong and Shen Qiuhua were invited to sit in the inner room. As Shen Qiuhua sat there idly, Yang's father and mother were busy working, and her brothers chatted in another room, their voices occasionally drifting over. The sisters-in-law were busy with the children and cleaning up, and no one came to keep them company.