Chapter 162: Chapter 162
Lin Xue went to order some dishes and came back quickly.
The waitress said she didn’t need to wait; she would bring the food over to them shortly.
It really gave them a lot of face.
The lunch menu was stir-fried dried tofu, braised pork with cabbage and potatoes, and a cold radish dish, with sorghum rice and white steamed buns as the staple food.
Bai Ruxue ordered all three dishes and also ordered fifteen big buns, so that the siblings could take them home if they couldn’t finish.
She knew how much her siblings could eat, and was afraid they’d be hungry if it wasn’t enough. Besides, today’s pure white buns were in high demand and would sell out quickly.
"Big sister..." Lin Shan couldn’t hold it back any longer and asked, "Who is this grandma?"
Actually, Bai Xianglan had been wanting to introduce herself to the children, but seeing that it wasn’t the right place, she held back.
When Lin Shan asked, she looked at Lin Xue.
The latter nodded and started to explain all the things that had happened over the past few days, finally telling them that their names were changed.
After hearing everything, the little ones at the table didn’t find the food appetizing anymore. They stared wide-eyed at her, then at Bai Xianglan.
"What are you staring at? Greet her!" Lin Xue said.
Only then did the little ones snap back to reality.
Each of the four called out something different, and that awkward "Dear Grandma" was Lin Chuan’s voice.
"Oh, oh, oh! Good kids! Start eating!" Bai Xianglan laughed so hard her mouth couldn’t close, and she surreptitiously touched her pocket, feeling a bit shy about the few dollars she had there.
"Okay!" The four of them spoke in unison again, because eating was important. Even though they knew the old lady in front of them was their real grandmother, they were happy they wouldn’t be bullied by the old house anymore and wouldn’t have to call that vicious old lady grandma.
However, they didn’t have much of a connection with Bai Xianglan, calling her grandma more out of shock from hearing their dad’s story, while calmly accepting their new names.
Since their big sister accepted it, they had no objections and quite liked the new names, but eating was still paramount.
"Hurry up and eat! You need to go back before afternoon classes!" Lin Xue beamed at the four little ones.
She was in a particularly good mood.
She picked up a big steamed bun and took a bite.
The big buns from this era were still quite tasty, but the dishes were far from what they ate at home.
The little ones were used to school meals, so the food now seemed delicious and they ate with big mouthfuls.
Even Lin Yun, usually so quiet, was eating heartily.
Bai Xianglan watched the children eat and couldn’t help but feel a pang of sadness, forgetting how plentiful last night’s and this morning’s meals had been at home. The most update n0vels are published on novèlfire.net
"Xiao Xue! Grandma will go back and tidy up, and let the four kids stay at home! Grandma will cook for them every day! The school food isn’t enough!"
Hearing this, the little ones all looked up at their grandma with expectation in their eyes.
"Grandma, won’t that be too tiring for you? They should just stay at the school," Lin Xue said, and the four little ones had no objections, bowing their heads to continue eating.
After all, it was only five days, and they’d be home for two days after vacation; they weren’t fussy or delicate, they could endure anything.
"Grandma is not tired, it’s just making meals for the kids, how tiring can that be? Grandma would love to do it!" Bai Xianglan felt proud seeing the children being so understanding and well-behaved.
"Grandma, we’ll just stay at the school, the food isn’t bad! And we’re here to study, what does a little hardship matter!" Lin Shan spoke on behalf of his sister and brother.
"Your parents raised you well, all you siblings are so sensible!" Bai Xianglan couldn’t help but praise them.
"Grandma, how about you come live with us! At home, we’re not at ease with you being alone over here!" Lin Xue suggested.
"This? Would that work? Grandma’s household registration is here, will they let me stay?" Bai Xianglan also wanted to go, just having reunited with her son, feeling joy of having grandkids, and there were two babies at home, she really wanted to return.
"Didn’t Mayor Guo say that although our household registration is now urban, I am the farm’s manager and can continue staying there, including with my family! So, you are my real grandma, of course you’re coming to live with us!"
"Xiao Xue, then grandma will stay home with the kids, just in time to take over the job from your grandpa!" Bai Xianglan suddenly remembered something and said, "Now, the old man’s job can’t be taken over by Gangzi, so just give it to your mom, grandma will help look after the kids!"
"Actually, I don’t want my mom to work so hard, having seven of us was hard enough, her health is worn out, we don’t need that income, let her stay home, raise chickens, cook meals, look after kids! Grandma, you can be her companion, help with the kids, wouldn’t that be great?" Lin Xue said.
Her words that the family didn’t lack that income sounded arrogant, but Bai Xianglan didn’t doubt her.
These past days, she noticed that the big daughter was the one busy with everything big or small, her son and daughter-in-law were very obedient to her, and this girl was impressive, stepping up as farm manager at such a young age, having organized everything herself.
Just seeing how Mayor Guo’s secretary treated her showed she wasn’t simple.
After settling the registration, Mayor Sun gave her the authority; although they became urban residents, she was granted the right to live in Chaoyang Commune Fifth Team.
Even though they couldn’t earn work points or get distributed grain, seeing the girl so happy, it had clearly worked out for her.
Lin Xue knowing what her grandma was thinking would certainly laugh heartily.
Of course, it worked out, she didn’t want to do farm work or have her family do it, so wasn’t this great timing?
She didn’t lack food, meat, or vegetables, and even more so, didn’t lack money, why work? It’s tiring.
If she weren’t tied to the poultry farm, she’d want to move out even.
But thinking again, she couldn’t move because Zhang Yuan was still doing his time as a sent-down youth here, and there was still some time until the sent-down youth return to the city.
"Then what about the job quota?" Bai Xianglan asked.
"Grandma, if you’re willing, can this job quota be given to someone else?" Lin Xue tentatively asked, "Not just anyone, it’s my uncle’s wife! My uncle works at the milk factory, but my aunt is at home, and the newlyweds are living apart; if we could give the job quota to my aunt, they could be together..."
"Sure! Why not! If you want to give it, then give it! Grandma agrees!" Bai Xianglan didn’t wait for Lin Xue to say much more and agreed readily.
Lin Xue couldn’t believe it; hadn’t grandma valued the job quota a lot? Why was she being so generous now?
But thinking again, she didn’t plan for her mom to work, her dad already had a job, while she was a manager, and her siblings were still studying, so no one would take over the job. If not given to others, it would go to waste, what’s there to begrudge?
Finally, the little ones ate to their hearts’ content, took the remaining buns, and went to class. Lin Xue and grandmother packed up, got on the bicycle, and went back to the village.