Lin Xiaoli got off work early this afternoon and returned to her small three-bedroom apartment on the outskirts of Beijing. Her son-in-law, Li Zhiqiang, is the technical backbone of a well-known company, and he is busy with work every day and comes home late. Today is Li Zhiqiang's birthday, and Xiaoli decided to make a table of dishes he likes to eat and surprise him.
In the kitchen, Xiaoli expertly handles the ingredients, and the enticing aroma emanates from the pots and pans. While she is busy, she also has to take care of her 4-year-old grandson Xiaohao. Xiao Hao was sitting on a small bench at the dining table, scribbling on paper with a crayon.
"Grandma, is the plane I drew good-looking?" Xiao Hao raised his face and looked at Lin Xiaoli with an expectant look.
Xiao Li wiped the water on her hands, walked over to take a look, and praised with a smile: "Xiaohao's drawing of the plane is awesome, even better than grandma's drawing! ”
Xiao Hao received the praise, showed a satisfied smile, and buried himself in the paper to add color to the drawing paper.
Time passed slowly, and the afterglow of the setting sun shone through the window into the neat living room. The hands of the wall clock also pointed to seven o'clock, Lin Xiaoli glanced at her watch, and couldn't help but be a little anxious, because Li Zhiqiang should usually go home at this time.
"Xiaohao, why hasn't your father come back today?" Lin Xiaoli frowned, revealing a trace of worry.
It didn't take long for Xiaoli's mobile phone to ring, it was Li Zhiqiang's phone.
"Hey, Li Zhiqiang, you haven't come back so late today, what's wrong?" Xiaoli asked busily.
Li Zhiqiang's slightly tired voice came from the other end of the phone: "Mom, I'm sorry, the company suddenly has a problem that needs to be solved urgently, and I may have to work overtime." You and Haohao eat first, don't wait for me. ”
When Xiaoli heard this, although she was a little disappointed, she also understood her son-in-law's hard work: "Alas, you are so busy with work, you can't help it." Haohao and I will eat first, don't be too tired, remember to eat something if you have something. ”
"Well, got it, thank you Mom. I'll go back when I'm done with work. After Li Zhiqiang finished speaking, he hung up the phone.
After hanging up the phone, Xiaoli sighed softly, she also specially prepared a table of good dishes for this birthday dinner, it seems that she and her grandson can only enjoy it today. However, she also knows that for a family, work is the foundation and life has to go on.
"Come to Haohao, grandma will serve you vegetables. Xiaoli set the tableware and picked up the dishes.
"Okay grandma, let's start eating!" Xiao Hao happily put down his paintbrush, ran to the table, and rubbed his little hands.
On the dining table, the aroma was overflowing, Xiaoli silently sandwiched his favorite braised lion head for Xiaohao, and at the same time, she silently looked forward to her son-in-law returning to the warm home as soon as possible. As the night got darker, Lin Xiaoli finished cleaning up the dining table, and Xiaohao was already asleep on the sofa. Xiaoli coaxed her grandson while waiting for Li Zhiqiang's return. The road under the streetlights was empty, and occasionally a few barking dogs could be heard.
Finally, in the dead of night, Xiaoli heard the sound of the key turning outside the door. With a burst of joy in her heart, she was ready to tell Li Zhiqiang about the birthday surprise prepared for the evening.
Li Zhiqiang was so tired that he almost dragged his tired body into the door. "Xiaoli, it's so late, I think you and Haohao have slept, but I didn't expect you to have rested yet. ”
Xiaoli smiled and shook her head: "How come, isn't this waiting for you to come back, I want to give you a birthday surprise." She took her son-in-law's hand and led him to sit on the sofa, "Quick, sit down and rest, you must be hungry, I'll have a hot dish." ”
At this moment, Li Zhiqiang's eyes were attracted by the strange noise coming from his mother-in-law Yang Yan's room. Instinctive curiosity made him stand up and walk to the door, while Lin Xiaoli was busy taking the food to the microwave.
"Mom, is there anyone in this room?" asked Li Zhiqiang suspiciously.
Xiaoli looked back and was stunned, "There shouldn't be, your father is still on a business trip." Did you hear me wrong?" she put the food in the microwave, "Do you want me to check it out?"
Li Zhiqiang nodded, "I don't feel right, let's go and see together." ”
The two approached Yang Yan's room, only to see the door swaying slightly in the wind, making a creaking sound. Li Zhiqiang felt a layer of uncertainty about this sudden situation in his heart, he pushed open the door, and under the dim light in the room, he saw Yang Yan walking out of the room in disheveled clothes.
Li Zhiqiang instantly felt that his brain was blank, and his voice was in disbelief: "Mom, what's wrong with you?"
Lin Xiaoli was also shocked by the scene in front of her, and she asked nervously, "Mom, are you okay, why are the clothes like this?"
Yang Yan also seemed to be aware of her state, and hurriedly grabbed a piece of clothing to cover her body, her face flushed, "I... I'm fine, I accidentally ripped my clothes. ”
Li Zhiqiang secretly speculated in his heart, and all this in front of him was really chilling. What should it be good for this to suddenly appear in the family? Could it be the mother-in-law... No, it can't be, but it's not so simple in anyone's eyes.
After all, there are only three people in this family: herself, Xiaoli and her mother-in-law. If outsiders know about this kind of thing, I'm afraid that the reputation of the entire family will be affected. But the traditional thinking and trust in his heart still made him look forward to a reasonable explanation.
"Mom, what the hell is going on? You can tell us the truth. Lin Xiaoli insisted, facing Yang Yan, she felt a strangeness that she had never felt before.
Yang Yan took a deep breath and calmed down a little, "I'm really fine, it's just... It's just..."
Before he finished speaking, a cat's bark suddenly came from outside the house, interrupting the embarrassment and silence. At this time, Lin Xiaoli recalled that Yang Yan had mentioned it before and wanted to secretly give Li Zhiqiang a birthday surprise. The atmosphere in the room suddenly became solemn, Li Zhiqiang's face became ugly, and he couldn't help but think of some scenes that should not have appeared. The doubts in my heart grew like weeds and could not be suppressed.
Li Zhiqiang's voice became a little trembling, and he tried his best to suppress his emotions: "Mother-in-law, I... I don't want to think about it, but it's hard for you not to think about it, tell me, what happened?"
Yang Yan looked very embarrassed, she obviously felt Li Zhiqiang's suspicions, but things were not as Li Zhiqiang thought, she tried to maintain her dignity: "Li Zhiqiang, I know what you might think, but I promise, the kind of thing you think didn't happen." ”
Lin Xiaoli also felt the tense atmosphere on the side, and she quickly interjected: "Li Zhiqiang, my mother wouldn't do that kind of thing, you calm down first, let's talk about it." ”
"I know it's time to be calm, and I don't want to think like that, but you also see what your mother-in-law looks like. It's hard for me not to think about this without a reasonable explanation. Li Zhiqiang's tone carried a hint of reproach.
At this time, Xiao Hao was woken up and walked out rubbing his worried eyes: "Dad, grandma, what are you arguing about?"
Seeing this, Yang Yan hurriedly changed the topic: "No... Nothing, Haohao. Grandma accidentally broke her clothes, and Dad and Mom are worrying about Grandma. ”
Xiaohao looked at Yang Yan, then at his parents, and felt that the atmosphere was wrong, but he still whispered, "Grandma, can I help you repair your clothes?"
Yang Yan felt a hint of warmth and hugged Xiaohao: "Thank you, baby, grandma can come by herself." ”
At this moment, Yang Yan remembered something, hurriedly returned to the room, and took out a box with broken decoration: "Look, I'm in... Make this surprise for your birthday. ”
Li Zhiqiang and Xiaoli looked at the handmade broken box, which was covered with all kinds of colored paper and sequins, and the cat accidentally broke Yang Yan's clothes in order to chase the colored paper on the box. The stone in Li Zhiqiang's heart finally fell to the ground, and he was annoyed: "Mother-in-law, I'm too careful, I'm sorry." ”
Yang Yan sighed: "I understand your concerns, but I didn't expect it for a while, this would bring you misunderstanding." ”
Lin Xiaoli was deeply relieved at the moment: "Mom, it's okay, it's all a misunderstanding, Li Zhiqiang is also worried." ”
Li Zhiqiang's eyes were full of apology: "Mom, it's really my mistake, I'll go to appease Haohao first." ”
As the misunderstanding was cleared up, the atmosphere at home gradually eased. Li Zhiqiang picked up Xiao Hao, who was still a little confused, and said softly: "Haohao, today grandma made something special to surprise Dad, but it was damaged by the cat, Dad misunderstood grandma, and Dad is going to say sorry now." ”
Xiao Hao's wise eyes were full of curiosity: "Cat, grandma, where is the cat?"
Yang Yan smiled bitterly and pointed to the little black cat under the windowsill who lowered his head and bit his ears: "It's that little trickster." ”
The misunderstandings and conflicts in the family were finally explained, and the warmth of three generations living together returned to this small family once again. The misunderstanding finally disappeared, Li Zhiqiang looked at the handmade gift box in his mother-in-law's hand that had been played with by the cat, and his mood gradually relieved. He gently held Yang Yan's trembling hand: "Mom, I'm really sorry, my behavior just now was too reckless." ”
Yang Yan smiled pleasantly, and her deep sorrow was like the frost and snow on the lake melting in the sun: "You are filial and sensible, my mother knows that everything today is just an accident." Sometimes accidents can also make us understand the other person's intentions. ”
Lin Xiaoli stood aside, and couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief when she saw that the family atmosphere had finally returned to harmony. She looked at Li Zhiqiang and said with a smile: "Li Zhiqiang, if there is anything we will communicate more about in the future, okay?"
"I see, Xiaoli. In the future, we will cherish this family even more, and I will remember your mother's heart for me for a lifetime. Li Zhiqiang looked back at Xiaoli, his eyes full of warmth.
Then, the three of them sat down together and carefully admired the birthday gift made by Yang Yan. Although the box is simple, it is full of family affection and blessings. Xiao Hao quietly walked over and asked bravely, "Dad, will we have such a misunderstanding in the future?"
Li Zhiqiang squatted down and gently stroked Xiaohao's head: "No, child." Because we are all a family, we can talk about anything and solve it well. ”
The little black cat felt that the atmosphere was much better, and jumped on the windowsill, looking curiously at this harmonious scene. Because of a small birthday surprise at home, after experiencing a series of misunderstandings and contradictions, it seems that everyone's hearts are closer.
The evening breeze is light, the lights of the home are warm and bright, and in a warm smile, Xiaoli said softly: "Today's events, does it make us know how to understand and cherish more?"