Chapter 13
I, Your Uncle, am a Good Citizen (2)
Jiang Xiaoman didn’t usually help Jiang Xing with his chores because Grandma said that he should do his own tasks. He was already big and cannot be pampered anymore.
But thinking about how Uncle was sick right now, he did need to be pampered a bit. So Jiang Xiaoman stood up and picked up a broom that was taller than her body. Still feeling that something was wrong, she said. “But Uncle, the clothes you changed from yesterday was just a small shirt. Grandma told you to wash it yourself.”
“Uncle is old, and I have a baby in my belly. I can’t wash it myself.”
Jiang Xiaoman nodded stupidly, “oh”.
Jiang Xiumei couldn’t stand it anymore. She rushed in and twisted Jiang Xing’s ears, cursing him. ”This little rabbit is still saying so much nonsense! Already so big but still bullying Xiaoman, aren’t you ashamed? Would it kill you to wash one shirt?”
Jiang Xing had always received the harshest beatings, when his mother twisted his ears, he immediately howled loudly, “Aiyo!”
“Grandma, don’t scold him. He still has a baby in his stomach.” Jiang Xiaoman was so scared that she immediately threw aside the broom in her hands to protect Jiang Xing’s stomach.
She knew that if you were having a baby, you couldn’t be beaten or scolded.
When Zhu Zi’s wife had a baby, her mother-in-law didn’t scold or admonish her, saying that she might have a miscarriage.
Jiang Xiaoman learnt from the example.
“Bah”, Jiang Xiumei said, “Xiaoman, don’t be fooled. Where would there be a baby in his stomach? All those excess meats are nothing but piss and shit. Lazy people have too much piss and shit!”
“Uncle can’t give birth to babies?” Jiang Xiaoman was stunned, her mouth hanging open.
Her small face was full of shock and loss,and anger from being deceived.
Jiang Xiumei immediately looked at Jiang Xing with contempt, sneering, “You can’t even get a wife, still want a baby? Ask for it on your dreams!”
Jiang Xiaoman knew that Uncle might lie to her, but Grandma definitely won’t.
“Wuaa—” Jiang Xiaoman cried loudly. “Uncle lied to me!”
She was very sad. She thought she would have a little brother and little sister to play with. Jiang Xiaoman’s best friend was the system, but it cannot be seen or touched. It wasn’t like a baby that was fun to play with.
Jiang Xing held his belly with a guilty conscience and turned his head away.
Jiang Xiaoman cried for a long time, and began to get angry and ignored him. Jiang Xing had no choice but to coax her, “Okay, it was my fault okay, Little Ancestor?”
“Liar” Jiang Xiaoman spit on him. “The system said only bad children might deceive others!”
“Then, I am a bad child.”
“Liar! You’re already this old!”
Jiang Xing immediately shouted, “Aiyo! Little girl, you dare call me old.”
Jiang Xiaoman was very angry and ignored him all day. Of course, she did not wash his little shirt either.
Jiang Xing had to present her with a bowl of fish soup during mealtime to coax her finally.
In the evening, the family of three was enjoying some fresh air in the yard. Jiang Xing used the excuse of being sick again and talked Xiaoman into fanning him, but her hand was stopped by Jiang Xiumei as soon as she touched the leaf fan.
“Xiaoman, don’t listen to him. He needs some beatings.”
Heaven and Earth were large, but Grandma was the largest1. Jiang Xiaoman obediently put down the fan.
Jiang Xiumei said again, “Xingxing, consider this as me begging you, would you stop causing trouble in the future? We will live a proper life as a family; otherwise, I won’t be able to close my eyes even when I die. Even though the neighbours don’t say anything, you can see it yourself. How many people came to visit you? They’re all afraid of you. Our family are all good people; you can’t mess around and bring shame to your ancestors. Otherwise, I won’t have any face to see your father when I go under. He’ll beat me and scold me, saying that I lost your family’s face and raised an unworthy offspring!”
In front of Xiaoman, Jiang Xiumei couldn’t say things clearly, so she had to be subtle. She was telling him to be a good person, not to get involved with bad crowds and commit any crimes.
How could she know that Jiang Xing was really such a stick? Not only did he not understand, he even ignorantly asked, “Why would the neighbours be afraid of me? Also, weren’t you the one who usually chased around and beat my dad? How would he dare to beat you?”
Jiang Xiumei’s face turned dark. She was so angry she wanted to smash his head to see if there was really a stick inside!
It was Jiang Xiaoman who thought quickly and cleverly said, “Uncle, Grandma doesn’t want you to cause trouble anymore. In the future, you should listen to me. You can’t do bad things; only bad guys do bad things.”
Jiang Xiumei immediately agreed, “Yes, just listen to Xiaoman.”
Jiang Xing finally understood. He became anxious and shouted, feeling greatly wronged. “Mom, even though I’m a jerk, I’m a good citizen! I didn’t do anything bad! I wasn’t injured in a fight. I was injured because I was rescuing someone!”
1. Basically, Grandma’s standing is number one.