Before, Chiang Xiao had never smiled at anyone.
She replied subconsciously, "Eh, okay, okay."
"Auntie Shi, you go ahead with your work, I’m going to Uncle Canyuan’s place with Grandpa, please send my regards to Uncle Laoshi," Chiang Xiao said, then walked over with Chiang Songhai.
Behind them, Hu Molan was still standing there dazedly, holding vegetables, foolishly looking at the retreating figures of Chiang Songhai and Chiang Xiao. Honest Shi came out puffing on a rolled cigarette and, seeing her like that, asked in bewilderment, "What are you doing? Mingying is waiting to cook, are you planning to wash those vegetables until it gets dark?"
Hu Molan snapped out of her daze, "What are you saying! Hey, your lass, Chiang Xiao just told me to send you her regards!"
"What? The person who just spoke to you was her?"
"Of course it was! Let me tell you, that girl looks really good now, her eyes are so big and bright, she speaks with a smile, and her voice is crisp and sweet, like those city folks, so polite, with such poise, tsk tsk, otherwise why would they say she gets the best grades in our village?"
Chiang Xiao had no idea how Hu Molan and Honest Shi were appraising her after she left.
With the Old Chiang Family now, she was always ready to spit nails as soon as she opened her mouth, and for people like Niu Guiying, she was prepared to be tough on tough, fierce on fierce, but towards the kind-hearted villagers, she naturally was polite and civilized.
The courtyard of Xu Canyuan’s house was almost the same as hers, maybe even a bit smaller. However, his was a single house, with no neighbors to its left or right. To the left was a path leading up the hill behind, and to the right there were several wild fruit trees.
Perhaps because his house was near the path, Xu Canyuan had raised the height of the courtyard wall. What was originally a dirt wall of about one meter twenty was topped with nearly half a meter of homemade latticework. Although it looked simple, it had a sort of rustic charm.
Especially since in one corner of the courtyard stood a large bougainvillea that had grown over the wall and was now blooming with vibrant red flowers, creating a bustling and brilliant scene all on its own.
Chiang Xiao searched through her memory but couldn’t recall ever visiting the Xu Family; anyway, she had no recollection of it.
However, she did remember Xu Canyuan’s son, Xu Lin.
And it was Xu Lin who came to open the door for them.
"Uncle?" Xu Lin called out to Chiang Songhai upon seeing him, his gaze then landing on Chiang Xiao’s face. When their eyes met, he quickly looked away.
"Heard your mom’s not feeling well? Where’s your dad?" Chiang Songhai led Chiang Xiao into the house.
Xu Lin hastily welcomed them into the living room, only to see Chiang Xiao standing in the courtyard looking around his home. The young girl’s gaze was full of curiosity and fondness.
Did she like his courtyard?
"My dad’s here, I’ll call him," Xu Lin called toward the kitchen.
"Dad, Uncle Hai is here." He glanced at Chiang Xiao again, seeming a bit embarrassed, "And Chiang Xiao."
Xu Lin was twenty-one this year. In the countryside people married early, with boys starting to talk about marriage at eighteen. Xu Lin had been a cattle herder from a young age, but despite his modest upbringing, he had a handsome face, and was indeed quite popular with the girls. However, when he was young, he had an accident while herding on the slopes and fell down the hill, injuring his foot.
At that time, there weren’t the means to give it proper medical attention, and he ended up with a foot injury that left him with a slight limp. It wasn’t obvious when he walked slowly, but if he hurried, the limp became more noticeable.
Because of this, Xu Lin’s marriage prospects had always been unresolved.
This time, finally, there was a girl willing to marry him, so Xu Canyuan and his wife naturally did not care about the cost; they were determined to make the marriage happen. So, although the other party demanded a high bride price, they bit the bullet and agreed to it.
As a result, Xu Lin’s mother, Guan Qiue, wore herself out and fell ill.
A robust middle-aged man strode out from the kitchen; this was the same Xu Canyuan who had saved Chiang Xiao from Nameless Creek a few days before.
"Uncle Songhai is here," Xu Canyuan, a man of plain looks and a reticent nature, glanced at Chiang Xiao, his lips moved as if he wanted to say something, but he couldn’t figure out what.