Knowing Bo Xin wasn't one for small talk, Mei Hongying focused on her job, introducing desks for the child.
Jiang Yuxu gently hooked his fingers, but when he saw that Bo Xin seemed to have forgotten about him, just sitting there drinking tea, he glanced at her. She didn't react at all.
He let his fingers go and touched the new desk. The smooth surface was novel, a material he had never seen before.
Bo Xiao, who had followed them, saw the wonder in his eyes and thought that despite his maturity, he was still just a child.
He waved his hand grandly. "If you like anything today, buy it. I'll pay."
Jiang Yuxu couldn't bring himself to say 'no need.' Probably because it wasn't him paying, he didn't have the confidence to say such things.
He looked at her. She had drunk half her tea. She seemed really thirsty from the trip. Now she looked at Bo Xiao. "What are you showing off? Do you think I can't afford a child's things?"
Bo Xiao stubbornly insisted, "I promised to buy the kid a toy before. Now I'm changing it to furniture. At least I can't break my word in front of my nephew."
Bo Xiao squinted, actually recalling this.
But at that time, Jiang Yuxu hadn't called him 'uncle.' She saw through Bo Xiao's intentions, and her tone softened. "Don't worry, I'm not so poor I can't afford furniture."
Bo Xin still had the gold bars left by her grandmother, which she had used to buy shops. Now the monthly rent was enough to support her two children.
But she hadn't told Bo Xiao about this, nor did he get a share. With his brain and mouth, he couldn't keep a secret.
Bo Xin didn't go into detail, and Bo Xiao didn't ask.
It seemed he had really grown up a bit.
Bo Xiao rubbed his hands. Lately, there had been too many rumors outside: 'Sister was abandoned,' 'Brother-in-law stopped sending money.' He was really afraid that his sister was just pretending to be strong and wouldn't tell the family about her difficulties.
"...So, has brother-in-law really stopped sending money?"
Bo Xin had checked her account; the balance hadn't changed. The date Ji Xingzhi sent money was the fifteenth.
And this month's fifteenth had already passed.
Bo Xin didn't care. She thought the rent from the shops was enough to support two children. She patted Bo Xiao's shoulder. "Don't say this in front of the child."
Bo Xiao turned around and was startled.
From every angle, this nephew really was eerily quiet. His eyes were shadowed and grim, and he always managed to stand behind him without Bo Xiao noticing.
How much had he heard?
Jiang Yuxu lowered his eyes, then raised them. "I've picked out a full set."
Bo Xiao sighed in relief. "You came to get us to pay, right? Since your mother is paying this time, remember, Uncle owes you a gift."
Jiang Yuxu nodded. He had many questions, but in the end, he only said with a smile, "I'll remember."
The full set included a desk and a bookcase, made of the same solid wood Jiang Yuxu found novel. Bo Xin remembered the measurements at home. If the sizes were suitable, she would take them home; if not, she would custom-order.
She didn't mind the wait. As for Jiang Yuxu, she thought he preferred a one-time solution.
So she bought the most suitable set.
Luckily, the store had one that fit. It could be delivered to their home tonight.
Bo Xin reminded them, "Make sure you send some strong movers. Our stairs are narrow, so it'll be trickier to maneuver."
Mei Jie assured her that her men were all capable.
Before heading home, Bo Xin stopped by a bookstore. Since they had bought a bookcase, it couldn't stay empty. Jiang Yuxu remembered the rare book Bo Xin had specially bought him.
In his arms now was the sequel by the same author.
He also bought many picture books, probably because he saw other kids in the bookstore reading them and couldn't resist his curiosity.
He knocked on the door. It wasn't locked.
Ji Yanyi was wearing a jacket; after eating noodles in the morning, he didn't seem to have napped.
He pouted, first glanced at his mother, then at Jiang Yuxu's arms, his eyes widening in slight shock. "You went out for so long and only bought books?!"
Jiang Yuxu frowned. He didn't like others criticizing his hobbies.
"I've always liked reading. What's wrong with that?"
Ji Yanyi waved his hands and shook his head, still somewhat shocked. "Nothing, nothing."
A moment of silence passed. Ji Yanyi moved, closing his door loudly in his rush to enter the room.
Jiang Yuxu's gaze turned cold as he looked at him. The child's behavior was completely different from this morning. All morning, his mother had gone out alone with him, leaving Ji Yanyi at home alone.
Of course, he would feel neglected.
But his mother's energy was limited. She could only take care of one at a time.
He pressed his lips together. In life, you could only look out for yourself, so on this matter, he could only say he was sorry.
But then, Ji Yanyi's door opened again, and a large stack of books was dumped into his arms. The sudden weight made his mind feel a bit dazed.
He asked with some hesitation, "...What are you doing?"
"I thought if you like reading, you can have mine."
What?
Jiang Yuxu narrowed his eyes in confusion.