When they arrived at the museum, Si Tian took three children and one old woman in. Pei Jing’s grandmother was in good health and walked neatly. She was strong. But Si Tian was a young woman, she was a little tired after walking too much. So, she just sat outside and rested, watching the three children looking here and there.
Although Ji Zhile is a bit of a bear at home, he is still very well-behaved and obedient outside. He does not run around or talk loudly. He is held by his two brothers, one in each hand, and is completely protected in the middle.
Pei Jing’s grandmother also sat next to Si Tian and said, “Little girl, thank you. Xiao Jing told me yesterday that you have been taking care of him during this period.”
Si Tian said: “This is just a small matter. Pei Jing is easy to take care of. I also have two children at home. It doesn’t matter if I have one more child, so there are more companions.”
Pei Jing’s grandmother sighed softly: “Xiao Jing has been very well-behaved since he was a child. At an age when other children were disgusted by dogs, he worked outside with me on the farm and said he wanted to help me. Reading also makes people worry-free. Their teacher said that he was serious in class and completed his homework well.”
“I don’t know who he inherited it from. His mother is not like this. At my age, I can’t give Xiao Jing a better life. When his mother took him away, I thought that his mother had awakened. I also don’t want to be like this. It’s just that Xiao Jing, a smart kid, has no future in our village if he follows me.”
Hearing the implication of Pei Jing’s grandmother’s words, it was exactly what she wanted. She said: “Ningyi and Zhile both like Pei Jing and so does my husband. If Pei Jing is willing, he can live with us.”
When Pei Jing’s grandmother heard this, her eyes turned red: “Xiao Jing is a good boy. He was not born from a good child. He has an irresponsible mother and grew up in a family like ours.”
She murmured and said: “Xiao Jing’s mother was the most beautiful girl in our village when she was a child. Later, she went to a technical school in the city. She could have been assigned a job, but she didn’t want it. She said that she wanted to work in the city. At that time, I was worried about her.”
“But, she gave me money every month and said her job was good, so I thought she was really living a good life. When she was old enough to get married, Xiao Jing’s mother was also in a relationship. I always told her to be careful, but then I couldn’t contact her.”
“I went to find her and found out that Xiao Jing’s mother had broken up with her boyfriend. She was living like a ghost. After I took her home, I found out that she had Xiao Jing.”
“She was not married yet, but she wanted to give birth to a child. She didn’t listen to anyone’s advice. Xiao Jing’s mother had her own ideas since she was a child.”
After Pei Jing was born, she was the one who took care of him all the time, but she had almost no contact with Pei Zhen.
Later, when Pei Zhen came back, she wanted to take Pei Jing away. There was indeed really no way out for Pei Jing to follow her, a sixty-year-old woman. But she did not expect that Pei Zhen would leave Pei Jing alone in a strange city.
Pei Jing’s grandmother spoke with a hoarse voice: “What a sin. She said that she was abroad and asked me to pick up Xiao Jing. Then she hung up the phone, and I couldn’t get through. Xiao Jing’s life is miserable.”
She explained Pei Jing’s life experience in detail, which was miserable and difficult. She only hoped that Si Tian could understand and treat Pei Jing better in the future. The old woman’s idea is just like this, hoping that her grandson will not have such a rough life.
Si Tian frowned when she heard this. She did not know what Pei Zhen was thinking when she called her elderly mother. She might not be able to bear the son, so she thought of Pei Jing after being abandoned by the man, but she did not have the shame of seeing anyone again.
But how difficult it is for a sixty-year-old woman to raise a seven-year-old child. She only hopes that Pei Zhen will never appear in Pei Jing’s life in the future.
“If Pei Jing is willing, our family will be happy to take care of him.” Si Tian said.
Pei Jing did not know about the chat between Si Tian and his grandmother. They were watching an indoor simulation of ancient life scenes. The thatched houses were all made very realistic. Ji Zhile’s attention could never stay on one thing for long.
He tugged on Pei Jing’s hand and asked, “Brother Pei Jing, where did your grandmother live?”
He had never seen Pei Jing’s grandmother before.
Pei Jing said: “In the village in the next city. It takes several hours to get here from our place. First, we take a bus to the county seat, then transfer to a shuttle bus to the train station, take a five-hour train to get here, then take the subway, bus, and finally we are here.”
His grandmother can’t take the subway, so it should have taken longer.
Ji Zhile said: “It’s so far away. It only takes one hour from our house to Grandma’s house.”
Pei Jing only heard Ningyi talk about his grandparents1爷爷奶奶, yéyé nǎinai: paternal grandfather and paternal grandmother (from father’s side). This was the first time he heard them talk about their grandmother2外婆, wàipó: mother’s mother / maternal grandmother , so he asked, “Where is your Grandma’s house?”
Ji Zhile said: “In the Chengxi Cemetery. We visit our Grandma every Qingming Festival3The Qingming Festival (qīng míng jié) or Cheng Beng (Hokkien) is an annual ethnic Chinese ritual of praying and visiting graves in accordance with Confucianism..”
Pei Jing did not ask any more questions but just squeezed Ji Zhile’s soft little hand.
“But Brother Pei Jing’s grandmother’s house is really far away. Your grandmother must love you very much to see you from such a distance.” Ji Zhile said.
Pei Jing’s eyes widened slightly: “Love me very much…”
*****
Translator’s Comment:
Our ‘little angel’ Zhile is coming back~~ °˖✧◝(⁰▿⁰)◜✧˖°
You can support your favorite novel by buying me a cup of Ko-fi ( ˘▽˘)っ♨
I will really appreciate it. ♥️♥️♥️
GhostCloudd On WBICDPH Chapter 93