Zhang Guihua said nonchalantly after hearing that, "Alright, let her stay at home to watch the house then. Let’s get going."
The old lady hadn’t seen Jiang Mianmian for more than ten days, and she really missed her most promising granddaughter. As soon as she set off, she hurried to the front.
Jiang Changhai had taken the day off from work specifically for today.
"Brother Hai, go borrow some stools from Aunt Li’s house. When mom and dad arrive, we won’t have enough seats," Su Wanyu said while picking vegetables in the kitchen.
"Got it, wife. I’m on it," Jiang Changhai replied and immediately went out the door.
He had just brought the stools from Aunt Li’s house and was about to go out to close the gate when he saw his parents and brothers arriving.
He greeted them gladly, "Dad, mom, Changhe, Changtao, you’re here. Come inside."
Since today was Jiang Changhai’s birthday, none of the Jiang family members came empty-handed. Zhang Guihua brought a basket full of eggs and a pair of thousand-layer sole shoes as a birthday gift for her eldest son.
As she entered the house, she thrust the gifts into Jiang Changhai’s hands, "Here, Eldest, these are for you."
"Wow, thousand-layer sole shoes. Mom, you really know me too well. I love wearing the shoes you make, they’re comfortable and light." Jiang Changhai showered his parents with praise as he held the shoes, making them beam with joy.
"As long as you like them. I was worried that you, having grown accustomed to city life, would prefer leather shoes over our old cloth ones," Zhang Guihua said with a chuckle.
"Mom, listen to you! No matter what I become, I’m still your son. Our roots are here; how could that change?" Jiang Changhai said playfully.
"That’s right, Eldest. What you said is true, we shouldn’t forget our origins," Jiang Dashan also chimed in with a rare compliment.
"Big brother, this is a sweater Xiaojuan knitted for you," Jiang Changhe said as he handed a thick bundle to Jiang Changhai.
It was made of fine yarn that Zhao Xiaojuan bought from the Supply and Marketing Cooperative just last week. She personally knitted sweaters for the family of three in the main branch, using the same color for all, so that anyone who saw them could tell they were a family.
Zhao Xiaojuan felt that her family owed the main branch a great deal of goodwill. Now that she had the chance to give something back, she deliberately knitted two extra sweaters and brought out the ones for Jiang Mianmian and Su Wanyu as well.
Zhao Xiaojuan stood next to Jiang Changhe, holding the plump Jiang Yuanbin and smiling tenderly.
Jiang Yuanbin was nurtured very well by the second eldest couple. His little face was round and plump, fair and tender. Seeing Jiang Changhai, he wasn’t shy at all, and instead, curiously looked around the room with wide eyes.
"You’re all very thoughtful," Jiang Changhai said, glancing down at the sweater in his hands and smiling cheerfully.
He wasn’t short of money now, and it wasn’t the value of the gift that mattered, but the sentiment behind it.
Honestly, Jiang Changhai was happier about Zhao Xiaojuan knitting sweaters for his wife and daughter than he was about receiving gifts himself.
Sun Lixia, upon seeing those neatly stitched sweaters, looked down on them with disdain. They were hardly worth any money!
So she quickly handed over a few pastries she had just bought from the Supply and Marketing Cooperative, "Big brother, these are the birthday presents we prepared for you."
Jiang Changtao, who was standing beside her, also handed over two cans of milk essence.
He remembered the last time his eldest brother helped him make some money, so he was generous in his purchasing, spending about ten yuan in total.
Even Sun Lixia, who always loved a bargain and was stingy, didn’t stop him, though it pained her dearly.