A woman cried out in pain. Xia Xiaolan’s head also hurt. She thought it was another village woman coming to help, but looking up, she saw a whole family standing at the door.
The woman in her thirties looked familiar, though Xia Xiaolan was sure they hadn’t met. She had ear-length short hair, wore makeup, and a navy wool coat – unlike a rural woman. Xia Xiaolan opened her mouth but couldn’t make a sound.
The woman looked carefully at Xia Xiaolan and recognized her instead:
“Xia Xiaolan, are you stupid? Not even recognizing your aunt – is this how your mother taught you?”
Xia Xiaolan finally matched that strange familiarity to the woman before her – wasn’t this her Aunt Liu Fang who had married into a neighboring county? In “Xia Xiaolan’s” memories, she hadn’t seen this aunt for six or seven years, and simply couldn’t recognize her at first.
Liu Fang hadn’t returned home for several years – one might think she’d married thousands of miles away.
While Xia Xiaolan was stunned, Liu Fang had already squeezed past her into the house.
Her uncle-in-law maintained a stern face, appearing quite dignified… In her memory, Uncle Liang Bing’an was a government official. After several years, his position might have grown even higher, so some airs were expected.
“Uncle, please come in.”
Liang Bing’an only nodded when he heard Xia Xiaolan address him.
“Greet your cousin,” he ordered.
Liu Fang and Liang Bing’an had two children – their daughter Liang Huan was two years younger than Xia Xiaolan and had grown into a graceful young lady. Their son Liang Yu was only 11 this year and had met Xia Xiaolan when he was three or four, having long forgotten this cousin. But Xia Xiaolan was the most beautiful person he’d ever seen, dressed so nicely, even more presentably than his sister Liang Huan. Liang Yu unhesitatingly called her “Cousin.”
Compared to Liang Yu, Liang Huan fell short.
At 16, she thought highly of herself but hadn’t expected to be outshone by a rural cousin she hadn’t seen in years. She turned her head away, following her father Liang Bing’an inside.
A red flower needs green leaves to set it off, and Xia Xiaolan preferred the well-mannered Liang Yu.
Liang Yu pestered Xia Xiaolan about why he hadn’t seen her before. She explained she lived in the countryside, far from his home. Liang Yu didn’t believe it, “Cousin can’t be from the countryside. Mom says rural people are all poor and dirty.”
Xia Xiaolan was speechless – what did children know? They only repeated what adults taught them.
In her memories, Aunt Liu Fang indeed despised the poor and favored the wealthy. She hadn’t associated with her natal family for years – who knew why she suddenly returned to Qijing Village?
Xia Xiaolan led Liang Yu inside. With relatives visiting, she certainly couldn’t go see Chen Qing now.
Liu Fang, who had entered first, was somewhat stunned – she hadn’t expected so many people at the Liu house today. With chicken being killed and fish being prepared, it seemed they were having a reunion dinner. She remembered her last visit home, when Brother Liu Yong had borrowed a chicken from neighbors to serve guests, making her lose face in front of her husband Liang Bing’an. That meal had ended in an argument between siblings, and both families had left on bad terms. Liu Fang had stormed off before finishing her meal, and several years had passed without any contact between her and her siblings.
This return seemed different.
With chicken and fish being prepared, and so many villagers helping, things looked quite prosperous.
Liu Fang felt somewhat awkward, calling out “Big Brother.” Liu Yong dropped the chicken intestines he was holding – he wasn’t seeing things, his younger sister Liu Fang had come back.
While Liu Fen was gentle, Liu Fang was fierce. Whenever the sisters competed for anything, Liu Fen always lost out, so Liu Yong naturally favored Liu Fen more. But after not seeing Liu Fang for years, no matter how badly the siblings had fought before since Liu Fang had taken the initiative to return home, Liu Yong certainly couldn’t hold grudges.
“Fengmei! Afen, come out quick, Xiaofang is back!”
Li Fengmei had already heard from the kitchen. Among all the Liu family members, she had never been close to Liu Fen, but she despised Liu Fang the most – Liu Fang’s last visit home had erupted in chaos just when Li Fengmei had given birth to Liu Zitao. What should have been a joyous occasion had been ruined by Liu Fang. Li Fengmei was sick of this arrogant and sharp-tongued sister-in-law.
No, she couldn’t get angry. It was New Year’s, with so many people watching.
Li Fengmei forced a smile and set aside her work along with Liu Fen.
“Sister-in-law, Second Sister!”
“Xiaofang is back!”
Liu Fen was genuinely happy – how could she not miss her younger sister after several years?
Liu Fang’s return was largely for Second Sister Liu Fen. Seeing Liu Fen looking older than remembered but still in good spirits, and with others present, Liu Fang temporarily held back her words.
Everyone was busy welcoming the rare guests and showing Liu Fang’s family to the main room.
Xia Xiaolan made tea for Liang Bing’an and brought out many candies and seeds for the Liang siblings. When she turned to fetch a small heating stove, Liang Bing’an sniffed the tea, “This is premium Xinyang Maojian – I see your big brother’s life isn’t as poor as you imagined.”
Liu Fang said nothing. Liang Huan looked at the graying earthen walls, “This isn’t poor? They don’t even have a TV. The countryside is no fun at all. Mom, when are we going back?”
Liang Bing’an set his teacup down heavily, “Liang Huan, mind how you speak outside – this is your uncle’s home.”
Liang Huan pouted.
Liu Fang quickly defended her daughter, “Why are you yelling at her? She’s not wrong. Huan, just bear with it, we’ll leave after eating. Where’s your brother? He disappeared so quickly?”
“He went to play with uncle’s kids. Liang Yu has no standards at all…”
Liang Huan’s disdain was completely undisguised.
Outside with the stove, Xia Xiaolan heard everything. Never mind – they were relatives, after all, better not cause unpleasantness during New Year’s. Pretending she hadn’t heard, she called out loudly: “Aunt, I’ve brought you a heating stove!”
Liu Fang paused, but she didn’t take Xia Xiaolan seriously. So what if they had heard their mother-daughter conversation? Liang Huan wasn’t lying.
“Bring it in then, why are you standing in the doorway!”
Xia Xiaolan took a deep breath – this aunt made no effort to hide her personality.
After bringing in the stove, Uncle Liang Bing’an politely thanked her. Xia Xiaolan’s assigned task was to accompany Liu Fang’s family. Despite her dislike, she could handle it by treating Liu Fang like a difficult customer.
After speaking with her briefly, Liang Bing’an found Xia Xiaolan reasonable and articulate, her dress and demeanor unlike a rural girl’s. He had seen her several years ago when she was slightly older than Liang Yu is now. She had shown signs of being competitive and ambitious then – reaching for the stars with paper-thin means. Though he could tell she would grow up pretty, Liang Bing’an really couldn’t bring himself to like her.
Unexpectedly, after several years, Xia Xiaolan had not only grown more beautiful than anticipated but had also changed that unlikeable personality.
Such a refined, strikingly beautiful young girl had a bright future ahead. As long as Liu Fen was somewhat clever and didn’t marry her daughter off to a rural youth, Xia Xiaolan’s future would be secure – a girl’s beauty was capital, just as Liu Fang’s good looks had helped her marry into the city.
The Liu family were all good-looking, with good genes passed down to Xia Xiaolan’s generation. But Xia Xiaolan was especially well-formed, far more beautiful than her Aunt Liu Fang in her youth, and surpassing even her pampered cousin Liang Huan.
Liang Huan was very unhappy seeing her father speaking kindly to Xia Xiaolan:
“Cousin, I heard Second Aunt and Uncle divorced. Do you and Second Aunt live with Uncle now?”