Heart Stealer

After receiving his mother's clear answer, the uneasy feeling that had been weighing on his heart instantly dissipated. Xiao Tuobang felt a lot more relaxed.

He walked back to his room with a brisk pace, a relaxed and happy smile on his face.

As soon as he entered the door, Xiao Tuobang couldn't wait to convey his mother's words to Qiu Xue verbatim.

After listening to Xiao Tuobang's retelling, Qiu Xue's eyes instantly became moist.

She could no longer contain her excitement and threw herself into her husband's arms, hugging him tightly.

In another room of the Xiao family, Xiao's mother was lying on the big bed, tossing and turning, unable to fall asleep.

She turned to the left, then to the right, her mind feeling like a tangled mess that she couldn't sort out.

She recalled the various conflicts she had with her daughter-in-law in recent days, and the grievance and dissatisfaction in her heart became stronger.

Xiao's mother kept sighing, and the sound was particularly clear in the quiet night, as if it was an outlet for her inner pain.

Father Xiao was awakened by his wife's noise. He opened his sleepy eyes and asked with concern,

"My dear, what's wrong with you? You're tossing and turning. Can't you let me sleep?"

Mother Xiao sat up angrily, wiping her tears with both hands.

She cried and said aggrievedly: "Huh, my son forgot his mother after he got married! This heartless brat, I worked so hard to raise him.

Now that he's married, he only listens to his wife and doesn't listen to a word I say! I really raised such a son in vain!"

Seeing his wife crying so sadly and angrily, Father Xiao quickly got up and sat down beside the bed.

Patting her back gently, he consoled her, "My dear, what our son said is true. You were indeed a bit too harsh on your daughter-in-law. As elders, we should be more considerate of the young."

When Xiao's mother heard this, she became even angrier.

Her eyes widened in anger, and she yelled at Father Xiao at the top of her voice,

"You only know how to speak for them! Who am I doing all this for? It's all for the good of this family! And now, look what a sinner I am! Good intentions really don't get rewarded!"

Her voice grew sharper and her emotions more agitated.

Father Xiao's face was filled with helplessness. He could only shake his head and sigh, forcing a bitter smile from the corner of his mouth. He slowly said,

"I'm just being reasonable. We can't always ask children to follow our own ideas. We should also listen to their opinions. Besides, a harmonious family is the foundation of everything."

Xiao's mother couldn't hear these words at all. The grievances in her heart were like a flood that broke through the dam, constantly surging up.

"Hmph! How on earth did I treat my daughter-in-law too harshly? I just wanted her to help out with some of the housework. Why is that not okay?"

At dawn the next day, when the first ray of morning light penetrated the thick clouds and shone onto the earth, the eastern sky was just beginning to show a faint pale light.

The whole world seemed to be still immersed in a sweet dream, and everything was silent.

Qiu Xue woke up from her sleep.

She carefully lifted the soft and warm quilt on her body, fearing that any noise would wake up her husband who was still sleeping soundly beside her.

Qiu Xue turned slightly to the side, gazing at her husband's quiet and peaceful face, a gentle smile appearing on the corner of her mouth.

She tiptoed out of bed like a light kitten.

After washing up, Qiu Xue gently combed her long hair that fell like a waterfall in front of the mirror, and skillfully tied it up with a hairband.

She changed into a loose and comfortable pink home clothes, and she looked particularly fresh and natural.

After everything was tidied up, Qiu Xue walked into the kitchen with brisk steps.

The kitchen is filled with a variety of cooking utensils and fresh ingredients, emitting bursts of tempting aroma.

Qiuxue tied on a light pink apron and began to carefully prepare a rich and delicious breakfast for the whole family.

She first picked up a handful of juicy green vegetables, rinsed them carefully in the sink, and then used a kitchen knife to cut them into even-sized pieces for later use.

Then, Qiu Xue took out a few eggs from the refrigerator, gently cracked the eggshells, and poured the egg yolks and egg whites into a large bowl.

Holding a pair of chopsticks, she stirred the egg liquid quickly and rhythmically until it became smooth and even.

After completing these preliminary preparations, Qiu Xue skillfully lit the stove.

The blue flames jumped happily, licking the bottom of the pot.

She poured an appropriate amount of cooking oil into the pot and waited quietly for the oil temperature to rise.

After a while, wisps of green smoke came out of the pot, indicating that the oil temperature was right.

Qiu Xue poured the beaten egg liquid slowly into the pot along the edge without hesitation.

There was only a "sizzling" sound, and the egg liquid instantly met the hot oil, making a pleasant popping sound.

The golden egg liquid quickly solidifies and expands, forming a thin omelet.

Just as Qiu Xue was concentrating on frying the omelet, she suddenly heard a slight sound of footsteps coming from afar.

She subconsciously turned her head to look, and saw her mother-in-law slowly walking towards the kitchen...

Qiu Xue was slightly startled, a look of surprise on her face.

At this time on weekdays, Xiao's mother would usually be resting in her room, but today she came to the kitchen so early.

She couldn't help but feel a tightness in her heart, and secretly wondered if she had done something wrong to make her mother-in-law unhappy.

When Qiu Xue's eyes met Xiao's mother's, she found that the other person had a kind smile on her face.

Mother Xiao greeted Qiuxue with a smile, "Good morning, Qiuxue. I didn't expect you to get up so early today to cook. You must have worked so hard!"

Hearing her mother-in-law's caring words, Qiu Xue's heart, which had been hanging in the air, instantly fell back into her stomach, and at the same time a warm feeling surged in her heart.

She quickly responded: "Mom, it's not hard at all. This is what I should do."

Mother Xiao nodded, her eyes full of approval.

She walked over to Qiuxue, patted her shoulder gently and said, "Good girl, but in the future, try to let the servants do chores like this. Don't tire yourself out."

Qiu Xue shook her head after hearing this, saying that she didn't mind doing more housework, as long as she could make her family eat happily and healthily, she would be satisfied.

The sunlight shines into the kitchen through the window, shining on the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, making the whole space look particularly warm.

Qiu Xue noticed the obvious change in her mother-in-law's attitude and felt relieved.

The estrangement between the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law due to some trivial matters in life seemed to disappear at this moment...

During this period, Xiao Tuobang spent the whole day dealing with various complicated affairs at the beverage company in the town.

Taking advantage of the remaining time during the holiday, Xiao Tuobang wanted to help his parents with some farm work.

After finishing breakfast, he turned to his wife Qiu Xue who was clearing the table and said softly,

"Wife, it's a bit hot today, why don't you stay at home and take care of the kids and do some housework.

I plan to go to the orchard with my parents to loosen the soil and weed the fruit trees."

Qiu Xue, however, seemed reluctant to just stay at home.

She stopped what she was doing, raised her head, stared straight at Xiao Tuobang, and said coquettishly,

"Hubby, I also want to help in the orchard."

Seeing this, Xiao Tuobang could not help but frown slightly, with a worried look on his face, and advised earnestly,

"Wife, work in the orchard is not easy. You should rest at home."

But Qiu Xue was not willing to accept this. She did not want to be looked down upon by her mother-in-law, and she did not want her mother-in-law to think that she was a lazy person.

"Honey, I'm fine. I want to go to work with you."

Seeing this, Xiao Tuobang knew that no matter how much he tried to persuade him, it would be in vain, so he had no choice but to nod and agree.

The family picked up their hoes and were about to go out when Qiu Xue suddenly felt a little unwell.

She frowned slightly and gently covered her stomach with her hands.

Xiao Tuobang asked with concern, "Wife, what's wrong with you? Are you feeling unwell?" His face was full of worry.

Qiu Xue suppressed her discomfort and said with a smile, "It's okay. I probably ate too much for breakfast and my stomach is a little bloated."

Xiao Tuobang looked at Qiuxue worriedly.

"Wife, you should rest at home and wait for us to come back."

Qiu Xue wiped the sweat from her forehead and said, "I'm really fine. I can go with you."

Xiao's mother couldn't help but make another sarcastic remark: "Humph, why are you pretending to be sick? You just want to be lazy!"

Qiu Xue felt very uncomfortable after hearing what her mother-in-law said, but she still did not refute, but just lowered her head silently.

Although Qiuxue felt very unwell, she still insisted on going out to work with her family.

Not long after they walked out of the house, Qiu Xue felt her stomach churning. The nausea instantly surged into her heart, and she couldn't help but dry heave.

This sudden situation made Xiao Tuobang, who was standing by, panic.

He was so frightened that his face turned pale. He quickly threw the hoe in his hand to the ground and rushed to Qiu Xue's side.

Looking at his pale and crumbling wife, Xiao Tuobang's heart felt as if it was tightly grasped by an invisible big hand, and it hurt so much.

He hurriedly stretched out his arms, carefully held Qiu Xue in his arms, and asked with concern,

"Wife, what's wrong with you? Are you feeling unwell?"

Father Xiao took two steps at a time and ran to open the car door while shouting loudly.

"Hurry, don't waste time, rush to the hospital!"

Xiao's mother was so frightened that her face turned pale. She stood aside at a loss.

Father Xiao complained loudly to Mother Xiao,

"It's all your fault. You were so harsh on your daughter-in-law that you made her sick!"

Xiao's mother knew she was in the wrong and did not dare to refute Xiao's father.

After Xiao Tuobang settled his wife down, he asked his father and mother outside the car window to take good care of their daughter.

Then he stepped on the accelerator and sped towards the best hospital in town.

Along the way, he felt extremely heavy-hearted and secretly prayed that his wife would be fine.

Xiao's father and mother were on pins and needles at home, pacing anxiously in the living room.

Father Xiao kept looking towards the door, while Mother Xiao clenched her hands and murmured to herself, "Why haven't you come back yet? I hope nothing happens to you."