If people could be empathetic and consider others’ perspectives, relationships would be much more harmonious!
Without this incident, Guan Huie wouldn’t have taken the time to ask Xia Xiaolan about these matters.
Thinking carefully, if Xia Xiaolan hadn’t been so ambitious, Zhou Cheng would have brought home not an economically independent top scorer, but rather just a pretty girl with a rural household registration, a poor family, a broken parental marriage, living with her uncle. Such a Xia Xiaolan wouldn’t be confident but timid and small-minded—and that was Guan Huie thinking positively.
Even worse, those with poor circumstances often became more calculating, as clinging to Zhou Cheng and marrying into the Zhou family through her beauty would be Xia Xiaolan’s only way to change her fate. If that were the case, Xia Xialan would naturally humble herself to please the Zhou family. While Guan Huie thought the current Xia Xiaolan was too strong-willed, if Zhou Cheng had brought home a spineless “poor thing,” Guan Huie would have been the first to go crazy!
If Xia Xiaolan had a better family background, her personality might be more peaceful.
But lacking such luck, born in the countryside, she could only strive forward relentlessly, not daring to relax before succeeding, always maintaining strong ambition.
Guan Huie’s feelings were complex—should she change so quickly just because Xia Xiaolan gave her a down jacket?
The saying about becoming obligated after accepting favors applied to her situation!
Their conversation never lulled, which secretly amazed Guan Huie.
Xia Xiaolan knew so much—no matter what topic Guan Huie brought up, Xia Xiaolan could contribute meaningfully. Not with flattery or lengthy discourse, but with casual remarks that hit the mark.
She didn’t seem like a girl raised in a rural family.
It wasn’t that Guan Huie looked down on Xia Xiaolan’s rural registration—that was an undeniable fact. Success rarely came from humble origins, and even those who succeeded through studying typically lacked broader education. The educational environment city children had from childhood simply didn’t exist in rural areas. When Guan Huie was young, she could study Russian, but in Xia Xiaolan’s village, could they even find someone who spoke Russian?
They couldn’t even speak standard Mandarin well, let alone Russian!
Guan Huie was exaggerating. Xia Xiaolan did have some abilities, having lived several decades in her previous life during the information explosion era, where a smartphone could connect you to world knowledge without leaving home. For work, Xia Xiaolan constantly absorbed useful information, unconsciously taking in new knowledge at all times.
But if Guan Huie discussed arts with her, Xia Xiaolan wouldn’t dare pretend knowledge.
Fortunately, Guan Huie herself wasn’t interested in those fields, leading to this wonderful misunderstanding.
Xia Xiaolan noticed that after their chat, Aunt Guan’s gaze had softened considerably… Had Ji Ya’s trouble created an opportunity for her to bond with Zhou Cheng’s mother?
Xia Xiaolan found it both amusing and touching.
When Zhou Guobin returned at noon, it was because he’d specifically come back to have lunch with Xia Xiaolan—being completely devoted to work, Sundays weren’t usually rest days for him. Mrs. Zeng had prepared a feast, and like when Guan Huie treated the girls from Room 307 at the school gate, knowing school cafeteria food was lean, she had Mrs. Zeng prepare hearty dishes.
A plate of braised pork knuckles was placed before Xia Xiaolan as Guan Huie cleared her throat:
“Eat more.”
Zhou Guobin gave his wife a surprised look—what had happened in a couple of hours he was away?
Xia Xiaolan complied graciously.
Young people’s metabolism was fast, and cafeteria food was indeed lean. She couldn’t separate herself from her classmates, couldn’t eat braised pork every meal, and couldn’t possibly gain weight. She only maintained her current weight by secretly visiting small restaurants near campus occasionally.
Mrs. Zeng’s cooking was far superior to those of campus restaurant owners, and Xia Xiaolan didn’t hold back.
She ate without smacking her lips or sucking her chopsticks—though she ate heartily, her manners were proper.
This meal at the Zhou residence was far more comfortable than the previous one with Ran Shuyu!
After lunch, Zhou Guobin formally stated:
“Don’t worry about the Ji family matter. We won’t let anyone bully you. We must make right and wrong clear to people!”
After a pause, he added, “Tomorrow evening there’s a social gathering at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Take Xiaolan with you.”
A Foreign Ministry social gathering?
Wasn’t Ji Jiangyuan’s uncle at the Foreign Ministry?
Xia Xiaolan knew Zhou Guobin had a reason for wanting her to attend—Ji Jiangyuan’s uncle would likely be there.
Would Ji Ya be there too?
“All right.”
Guan Huie agreed readily. Xia Xiaolan guessed the couple had already discussed this. Both Zhou Guobin and Guan Huie were helping her; how could she refuse?
“Auntie, are there any dress requirements for this gathering?”
Guan Huie thought about their previous meetings—Xia Xiaolan had always dressed appropriately.
Mainly because Xia Xiaolan was beautiful, making it hard for clothes to look bad on her.
“Just wear your usual clothes, but it’s warm inside, so you’ll remove your coat.”
She kindly warned against wearing any threadbare sweaters. The heating would be ample in such venues, and it would be embarrassing to remove a proper coat only to reveal clothes with patches on the elbows.
Guan Huie herself didn’t mind—who would dare laugh if she wore patched clothes to a gathering?
But this was Xia Xiaolan’s first time at such an event, essentially her formal debut as Zhou Cheng’s girlfriend in their circle, hence the reminder.
Xia Xiaolan didn’t feel insulted—she hadn’t attended such gatherings before.
She’d been to many business or charity functions, but never one like this—attending a Foreign Ministry gathering in Beijing in late 1984?
Since Guan Huie could attend, clearly it wasn’t limited to Foreign Ministry personnel.
Zhou Guobin was busy and left soon after lunch, but before leaving, he suggested Xia Xiaolan stay longer:
“Let your Aunt Guan show you around the compound, familiarize yourself with the environment.”
Walk around the compound?
This was an opportunity for others to inquire about her.
During their half-hour “stroll” around the compound with Guan Huie, they encountered five or six people who came to greet them.
Everyone had heard Zhou Cheng had brought home a girlfriend, a very beautiful one, but since the Zhou family hadn’t made any official announcement, no one dared ask. This “stroll” with Guan Huie was sending a clear signal: the Zhou family approved of Zhou Cheng’s choice.
“Zhou Cheng’s girlfriend is beautiful. I heard someone say the Zhou family didn’t approve, but that doesn’t seem right—look at Zhou Guobin’s wife showing her around the compound. Does that look like disapproval?”