Chapter 549: Coming to Terms
Xu Mumu hadn’t been home for two days before she found out about the things Xu Xue had done.
Xu Xue also brought some things to the main house to thank Xu Hai and Madam Chen for helping to speak up for them.
Xu Xue brought quite a lot, including clothes and shoes for Madam Chen and Old Xu, some supplements, and gifts for Xu Hai and them.
Looking at the somewhat weary appearance of Xu Xue, Xu Mumu felt a bit embarrassed to mention that Huo Qingze had found a girlfriend.
"Why are you staring at me?" Just as she was about to leave, Xu Xue looked at Xu Mumu and asked, glancing at Xu Mumu’s belly, which was quite large now. Time really flew; she had been reborn for several years now, and the family had changed a lot too.
"There’s something I’m not sure if I should tell you." Xu Mumu looked at Xu Xue and said.
"What is it? About me?" Xu Xue looked at Xu Mumu, a bit puzzled. Although she still didn’t particularly like Xu Mumu, she had let go of those past life things, and living well in the present was more important.
"Yes." Xu Mumu nodded seriously.
"Just say whatever it is." Xu Xue looked calmly at Xu Mumu.
"Alright, I’ll tell you then, I’m just worried you might not take it well, Huo Qingze has found someone." Xu Mumu looked at Xu Xue earnestly.
Xu Xue paused as she was holding a teacup ready to drink water, her calm expression stiffening.
Xu Xue pursed her lips. Although she had other motives for fancying Huo Qingze, she naturally liked him after knowing him for so long.
"Who is his girlfriend?" Xu Xue looked at Xu Mumu, a bit hurt in her eyes, urgently wanting to know some details from Xu Mumu.
Xu Mumu briefly told Xu Xue about what she knew of Yu Xinyao. Now that Huo Qingze had found someone, she hoped Xu Xue wouldn’t keep focusing on Huo Qingze. After all, there wasn’t only one man in the world.
"I have something to do, I’ll be leaving first." Xu Xue gathered her things and left Xu Mumu’s house.
Shortly after Xu Xue left, Jiang Yuxiu came over.
"Mumu, what’s up with the second sister? Why did she leave in such a hurry? I called her earlier, but she didn’t hear it, does she have something urgent?" Jiang Yuxiu asked curiously, carrying a basket of grapes.
"She just remembered some matters at the shop, so she went to handle it." Xu Mumu said calmly. Xu Xue’s feelings for Huo Qingze were unknown to the family.
"I see, I even bought some grapes specially, guess it’ll just be left for us to eat." Jiang Yuxiu said a bit regretfully. Having been married over for such a long time, she’s gotten to know most of the family’s matters. The most troublesome one in their family was definitely her mother-in-law, but she didn’t really cause trouble for her, mainly since the store and fast-food place were busy.
But Li Caixia despised her for being fussy, having been raised with all sorts of etiquette demands from her parents since childhood, she’d gotten used to them. The Xu Family didn’t have many rules, but what’s ingrained is hard to change.
"We can just eat them." Xu Mumu said with a smile, guessing that Xu Xue had no appetite now.
She figured Xu Xue would probably go to confirm things with Huo Qingze, not sure if Xu Xue could let it go.
"Sister-in-law, you didn’t go to the department store today?" Xu Mumu asked Jiang Yuxiu, eating grapes. It was the weekend, usually, Jiang would go to the department store to help her brother.
"I’m not going. He hired two more people; I’ve been telling him to hire more, but he wouldn’t listen. He just tires himself out every day," Jiang Yuxiu said with distaste, but also a bit of concern, as she appreciated how hard Xu Minghui worked to provide a better life.
Besides, as the eldest son, even though they never lacked food, he wanted Xu Family to do even better.
"It’s good though." Xu Mumu nodded with a smile. Yin Yang was busier than Xu Minghui, handling more matters. She thought it was good for her brother to stay busy, explore more while young, build a legacy, so later, whether for retirement or for the children, it’d be much better than living frugally.
"It’s a bit hard when at home it’s too boring, mom starts urging for grandkids when idle." Jiang Yuxiu said helplessly. They haven’t been married long, yet her mother-in-law already wanted grandchildren, though luckily she kept busy.
"Once you really have one, mom would be busier, and once my little brother grows up, and I give birth too, the house won’t have a moment’s peace." Xu Mumu said smilingly.
"Mom does love a lively house." Jiang Yuxiu also laughed.
Xu Mumu agreed; her mother could catch wind of any lively event nearby, from kids to weddings to sickness, Li Caixia knew it all, even while busy with store management.
Several times, when Xu Mumu visited the store, she saw some women from the neighborhood chatting with her mother, much like Aunt Cuihua from the brigade, gossiping together.
The sisters-in-law ate grapes, with Xu Mumu particularly enjoying them, finishing them quickly.
Meanwhile, as expected, Xu Xue went to find Huo Qingze.
But before she could approach him, she saw him leaving down a side path with a fine-looking woman. They were chatting and laughing, appearing quite intimate.
In her memory, Huo Qingze always wore a cool and indifferent expression. She’d never seen him so close with another woman.
Xu Xue stood there, eyes fixed on their departing figures, until they vanished from sight.
Feeling unbearably upset, Xu Xue confirmed Huo Qingze indeed had someone, and Xu Mumu hadn’t lied.
She didn’t even know how she made it back to the small courtyard she just bought. Home was empty except for her and Xu Wan, who was engrossed in reading, not noticing her.
In the room, Xu Xue cried for a long time, worried her sister might notice something, she discreetly used a basin of cold water on her face for a while before coming out, eyes still a bit swollen, but Xu Wan noticed.
"Sister, what’s wrong? Who upset you?" Xu Wan asked worriedly, seeing her sister’s swollen eyes.
"No one, just got a small bug in my eye while I was out this afternoon, took a while to get it out." Xu Xue shook her head; she didn’t want anyone to know, nor show vulnerability.
She wasn’t someone to cling onto Huo Qingze relentlessly. She had thought it through now, there were plenty of good men out there. Madam Chen’s words had given her some ideas; since marrying Huo Qingze wasn’t possible, she’d consider choosing a husband for herself.
