Chapter 13: So Mom Has Always Had Me in Her Heart

Why does she feel like she’s dreaming today?

“I’ve already paid for it. Do you want to change into it?”

Li Xiangqin looked at her daughter’s uneasy expression, her heart aching. She reached out and ruffled her hair.

“Once you start working, you’re an adult. You need to look presentable.”

Lao Si nodded blankly. Her mother was being so lavish today, it was like a raid—she was a little panicked.

“...Mom, this is too much.”

She looked at the moon-white silk fabric in the cloth bag. Was Mom actually going to make her a dress? She had never worn a dress in her life; how could she not be excited?

Li Xiangqin smiled. “It’s not too much. You need two to rotate.”

What Lao Si was wearing now was either too short or tattered; it was high time for a change.

The two walked to the appliance section, where Li Xiangqin saw a 26-inch ladies' bicycle displayed on the platform. The price was 150 yuan, and it required an industrial coupon to purchase.

“Do you like this bike?”

Lao Si couldn't even describe her shock at this point. She looked at the gleaming, polished bicycle on display, then pointed at her own nose.

“For me?”

“Of course. A new job means a new look. You need a way to get to and from work. Take good care of it; it’ll be part of your dowry later.”

Li Xiangqin chuckled. The child was stunned with joy.

Looking at her mother’s loving smile, Lao Si clutched her chest. Her heart was pounding so fast it felt like it might jump right out.

Mom was actually buying her a major item!!

She had been wrong before; Mom had never overlooked her from the very beginning.

“Mom, it’s too expensive. The machinery plant isn’t that far; I can walk there in forty minutes. Don’t waste the money.” She had already taken over her father’s position and received new clothes; she couldn’t let Mom spend any more.

There were still three older brothers and sisters-in-law above her. If they made a scene with Mom, there would be no peace in the house.

“As long as it’s useful, it’s not a waste. This is an industrial coupon your father worked hard to save; it would be a waste not to use it.” Li Xiangqin reassured her and asked the clerk to write up the receipt.

Now, Lao Si was truly anxious. She leaned in and whispered in her ear, “Mom, you let me take Dad’s job, which is already a huge advantage. If you buy so many things, my brothers and sisters-in-law will have complaints.”

“You, you just worry too much about others.”

Li Xiangqin patted her hand.

“Don’t worry. If they dare to make a scene, I dare to scold them. At worst, I’ll kick them all out. Every one of them got married and started working, and each of them spent more than you.

People shouldn't be spoiled too much. Otherwise, they’ll think the whole house belongs to them. This is a new society; we believe in gender equality. Although I haven’t always been perfectly fair, I haven’t treated them poorly based on their individual circumstances.”

“But...”

“No ‘buts.’ If they were reasonable, they wouldn’t make a fuss over a few things. If they aren’t reasonable, even if I only bought you a needle, they’d still jump up and down and cause trouble.”

Her sons and daughters-in-law weren’t stupid. As long as she held the purse strings, none of them would dare go too far. Otherwise, they wouldn’t get a single cent.

Although she didn’t intend to leave anything to those ungrateful wretches, they didn’t know that yet.

They were afraid of the consequences; for the sake of the money in her hands, they would have to grit their teeth and endure it.

By the time the two pushed the bicycle out of the department store and a wave of hot wind hit them, Lao Si finally snapped back to reality.

“Get on. Mom will take you home.” Li Xiangqin patted the back seat, signaling for Lao Si to sit.

“Mom, why don’t I take you instead?” Lao Si swallowed, her cheeks flushed, her eyes sparkling like a galaxy in the night sky.

“Mom is heavier than you. With your small frame, you still need to build up your strength.” Li Xiangqin watched her daughter sit obediently on the back seat clutching the small bundle, then hopped on the bike and headed straight home.

As soon as the bicycle entered the residential compound, it caught everyone’s attention.

“Auntie, where did you get the new bike?”

“Just bought it for my Lao Si to use for work.” Li Xiangqin pushed the bike, with Lao Si walking behind carrying the cloth bag, her entire demeanor transformed.

“Oh my, you really dote on your daughter. I thought you only had eyes for your sons and grandsons; turns out you keep your daughter in your heart too.” The person paused, offering a playful, teasing remark.

“She was small before, so we didn’t fuss, but it’s different now that she’s grown.” Li Xiangqin didn’t get angry and just brushed it off.

She had indeed put all her focus on her sons and grandsons in the past; she admitted she had failed her daughter.

And hadn’t she received her retribution for that?

“Oh, my dear sister, I really couldn’t tell—you don’t act often, but when you do, it’s stunning. This style is just perfect for our girl to ride.”

Wang Erying said, reaching out to touch the shiny handlebars with a click of her tongue.

“That’s right. I can’t treat my own daughter poorly. Once the child is settled in her job for a year, Sister Erying will help look for an ambitious young man and introduce a good match for her.”

Li Xiangqin chuckled. In this compound, she had the best relationship with Wang Erying; usually, if one family had something tasty, they would share a bite.

“Don’t worry, I’ll take care of that. We can’t be careless about our daughter’s partner.”

Wang Erying looked at the flushed Lao Si and reached out to pinch her cheek.

“This girl has a shy personality. I’ll tell Sanjiang to look after you. If you need anything, just go find him. Although that boy isn’t good at much, he’s perfectly capable of taking care of someone.”

“Thank you, Auntie Wang.”

Lao Si nodded. Their family had a good relationship with the Wangs, especially the fifth son, Sanjiang. Before he started working, he was quite the character in this area.

“How is that partner your Sanjiang is seeing? When are they getting married?”

Her sister and her husband were both dual-income workers at the machinery plant. They had two daughters and three sons, all of whom were married with children, except for the fifth, Sanjiang, who was still single.

Because he was the youngest, he had been spoiled and spent his days hanging out with a group of local youths.

Seeing him on the verge of becoming a social loafer, Wang Erying retired a year early to let her youngest son take over her position, which finally reined in Sanjiang’s wild, rebellious heart.

Wang Sanjiang was someone she had watched grow up—a truly ambitious young man. In seven years, he went from a first-grade worker to a workshop team leader, then joined the Party, and eventually became the Party branch secretary.

During the critical period of the factory’s transformation, many workers were laid off or became unemployed, but because the machinery plant was vital to the country’s heavy industry, it remained standing.

Relying on his sharp mind and courage, Wang Sanjiang leaped to become the head of the sales department, focusing on external business, and his life was flourishing.

In contrast, her own third son had been a third-grade worker from his apprenticeship until now, and that was all he would ever be.

Mentioning her son, Wang Erying couldn’t hide the smile on her face.

“Young people’s affairs, I can’t be sure. That boy Sanjiang has his own ideas and doesn’t let us meddle. He says he’ll notify us when he’s getting married.”

“It’s really different once they start working. Sister Erying, you’re truly blessed.” Speaking of raising children, the Wang family’s children were the envy of everyone.