A '70s Flash Marriage: Raising Cubs, Making Millions

Chapter 16: Chapter 16: Aunt Li Causes Trouble

”Delicious!” Lu Chen looked at the noodles soaked in soup, mimicking Fu Xiaoxiao’s action of flipping the egg underneath, and eagerly took a bite. His small face was filled with happiness.

Nothing makes people happier than a good meal, as if the previous unpleasantness had all faded away.

Lu Lin ate quietly, almost burying his face into the noodles, slurping it up eagerly.

”If you like it, I’ll make it for you again next time,” Fu Xiaoxiao said with a smile, seeing how much they enjoyed it.

Hearing that Fu Xiaoxiao would make it for them again, Lu Lin and Lu Chen relaxed and were extremely happy.

After the meal, Lu Lin and Lu Chen volunteered to wash the dishes and tidy up the stove, leaving Fu Xiaoxiao free to leisurely sit in the yard, watching the sunset slowly descend and marveling at the beauty of life.

”Knock, knock, knock.” Suddenly, the front door was knocked on loudly, causing Fu Xiaoxiao to raise her eyebrows.

Who could be visiting at this time? She hadn’t met anyone here yet!

Opening the door, Fu Xiaoxiao saw an elderly lady with a red cloth tied around her arm, and blinked.

She hadn’t seen her before and didn’t recognize her.

”Are you Camp Commander Lu’s wife? I’m sorry to disturb you so late. I’m from the family committee, my name is Chen Hong. The thing is, Aunt Li was helping to take care of the two children before you arrived, and now that you’re here, Camp Commander Lu stopped her work. Now, Aunt Li has come to us, saying you promised her ten cents a day, but she hasn’t been paid... She’s causing a scene at the office now...”

Chen Hong looked at Fu Xiaoxiao, initially thinking that if she just paid Aunt Li, the matter would be settled without unnecessary attention.

”Aunt Li? She has the nerve to cause trouble?” Fu Xiaoxiao sneered when she heard that Aunt Li was stirring up trouble.

”What’s wrong? Did something happen?” Chen Hong asked, puzzled by Fu Xiaoxiao’s reaction, sensing there might be more to the story.

Seeing Chen Hong’s confusion, Fu Xiaoxiao briefly explained Aunt Li’s actions to her. ”The day I arrived, I went to the kitchen, and there were no signs that cooking had been done. I asked the two kids, and they said Aunt Li hadn’t even cooked for them. I didn’t want to bring it up initially, but now that Aunt Li is making complaints to the army, this can’t just be ignored.”

”Is it really like that?” Chen Hong was surprised to hear that Aunt Li hadn’t even cooked for the children, yet had the audacity to lodge a complaint, causing her expression to turn serious.

”Sister, wait for me a moment, I’ll confront her myself!” Fu Xiaoxiao told Chen Hong, then turned to shout into the house, ”Lu Lin, Lu Chen, leave the dishes for now. Aunt Li is causing trouble, we’re going to check it out.”

Lu Lin and Lu Chen, busy in the kitchen, heard Fu Xiaoxiao and immediately put down what they were doing and ran out.

”Let’s go! Let’s see what else Aunt Li can say! When you get there, just truthfully talk about how she treated you. I believe the organization will stand up for you!” Fu Xiaoxiao held each of their hands and stormed out.

”Hey, the office is this way!” Seeing Fu Xiaoxiao’s determination, Chen Hong quickly led the way.

Fu Xiaoxiao, with the two kids in tow, followed Chen Hong to the army office, and as they neared, they could already hear the sounds of wailing inside, with someone lamenting about being unjustly treated.

”Oh, I took care of Camp Commander Lu’s two kids with all my heart, yet as soon as the young wife’s here, I got sent away, and wasn’t even given the money promised to me. Isn’t this bullying...”

”Is there no justice... Can leaders really bully people?”

”How can they bully an old woman like me, it’s just too much...”

Fu Xiaoxiao patted Lu Lin, and Lu Lin looked up at Fu Xiaoxiao. ”Watch for my cues in a bit and tell them all the things she did.”

”Got it.” Lu Lin nodded.

Fu Xiaoxiao heard Liu Hongjun’s voice inside, advising Aunt Li to calm down. ”Comrade, speak nicely, please get up first...”

”I don’t care, you need to give me an explanation, you can’t bully this old lady...”

The more Liu Hongjun tried to advise, the louder Aunt Li shouted.

”Leader, we’re here,” Fu Xiaoxiao said loudly as she entered the office with Lu Lin and Lu Chen.

Seeing Fu Xiaoxiao, Liu Hongjun couldn’t help but frown.

Why did Chen Hong bring people in, wasn’t she told to just pay her and settle it?

Dealing with someone like this, reasoning won’t work, and if Fu Xiaoxiao got hurt, that would be bad.

”Aunt Li? What are you doing here?” Fu Xiaoxiao looked at Aunt Li, pretending to be surprised.

”Your Camp Commander Lu promised me ten cents a day, yet after you sent me home, I wasn’t even given an explanation or the money...” Aunt Li said loudly, her eyes looking pitifully at Fu Xiaoxiao as if she had suffered a great injustice and been terribly bullied by her.

”Are you sure you want the money?” Fu Xiaoxiao asked with a smirk, looking at Aunt Li.

”Of course I want it, it’s what I deserve!” Aunt Li patted her chest, glaring at Fu Xiaoxiao. ”Your kids are stubborn, disobedient, rebellious, and even caught bugs to scare me. Considering my hard work taking care of them, shouldn’t I get a bit of hardship pay?”

”My kids are difficult to handle? Rebellious? Disobedient? Scaring you with bugs?” Fu Xiaoxiao said calmly. ”Not a word of what you said do I believe.”

Chen Hong and others looked at Fu Xiaoxiao, having heard plenty of Aunt Li’s complaints, as did the surrounding neighbors.

”Comrade Fu Xiaoxiao, we’ve asked the surrounding neighbors, and they all said the same...” Chen Hong quietly reminded her.

Aunt Li smiled triumphantly. ”See? They’ve already inquired, what I said is all true.”

Fu Xiaoxiao looked at Aunt Li’s smug face and shattered her smile with one line, ”What they’ve inquired about, aren’t those things you spread around earlier?”

”What nonsense are you talking about, with so many people...” Aunt Li’s heart jolted, immediately refuting.

Fu Xiaoxiao cut her off directly. ”Why do so many people know? Because you were constantly telling them how the kids were misbehaving and acting like you were the victim, right?”

”What evidence do you have? I have lots of people who saw the marks on my body,” Aunt Li protested defiantly.

”Leader, can I talk about my experience interacting with the kids these past two days?” Fu Xiaoxiao turned to Liu Hongjun, who was stunned.

”Then go ahead,” Liu Hongjun said, curious about what Fu Xiaoxiao would say.

Neighbors in the office and Chen Hong perked up to listen.

”The first day I arrived, the kids were shy and didn’t greet me, but after Lu Feng introduced me, they willingly greeted me and even helped me wash dishes. You might say it was because Lu Feng was there, but he left early today,” Fu Xiaoxiao recounted the events of yesterday.

Liu Hongjun and the others nodded in agreement.

”Today, the kids got up early and didn’t run off. When I wanted to buy something, they took me to the town supply and marketing cooperative on a two-hour walk, without a single complaint or criticism. These kids don’t match Aunt Li’s description of mischievous and prankster children at all.”

Fu Xiaoxiao turned to look at Aunt Li. ”There’s a discrepancy between the two stories, which leaves two possibilities: either Aunt Li is lying or the kids are lying!”

”Everyone’s heard Aunt Li’s story, so now, let’s hear what the kids have to say!” Fu Xiaoxiao suggested to Lu Lin beside her, giving him a wink.

Aunt Li’s face turned noticeably pale.