"Here it is, he really came back." Xu Xianxiong was overjoyed.
"Is that my daughter-in-law?" Zhao Lanzhi pointed at Sheng Ning standing next to Xu Qigang with wide eyes, "No wonder this kid was so proactive, it’s like a flower planted on a pile of dung..."
Following this, Xu Qigang, Sheng Ning, and Xu Xianxiong all weirdly remained silent.
"Mom, you..." Xu Qigang started to say something but swallowed his words. Was this how one talked about their own son? He really wasn’t her biological child.
Zhao Lanzhi, in her shock, spoke without thinking and immediately regretted it, "Qigang’s back! Who is this? Why don’t you introduce her?"
Xu Xianxiong quickly retorted, "Don’t you recognize her? Why are you asking?"
"Shut up!" Zhao Lanzhi snapped.
"Hello, Auntie, I’m Sheng Ning." Sheng Ning greeted her proactively, presenting a pleasing smile toward Zhao Lanzhi.
She was the future mother-in-law; she had to win her over!
"Not bad, not bad!" Zhao Lanzhi nodded continuously, "Haven’t had dinner yet? Are you hungry? Come to our house first."
"No!" Sheng Ning shook her head, "I haven’t been home yet!" Although they were getting married, she couldn’t just hop into the man’s house right off the bus; that would have drowned her in village gossip.
"Oh!" The family of three simultaneously showed disappointed expressions.
"Really won’t come and sit? Have a meal?"
"Really won’t!" If she really went, her own parents would definitely be heartbroken.
"Then, okay! Qigang, you walk your wife out."
Xu Qigang escorted Sheng Ning to the village, only leaving at her urging beneath the big locust tree at the east end of the village. Sheng Ning couldn’t help but pause, her gaze fixated on the locust tree as if she glimpsed through times past to pictures of An’an’s premature demise.
Back then, An’an’s coffin had been placed right here.
Sheng Ning stood under the bald locust tree for a long while until someone gently patted her shoulder, bringing her back to her senses.
"Ningning, is that you? You really came back?"
As she turned, her eyes still appeared a little dazed, and after pondering carefully she recognized it was the village chief’s wife, Qi Mei. Last time she visited, she had exposed that the village chief was cheating with Mrs. Zhang, which led to a fight and ultimately a divorce.
They had divorced, hadn’t they? Why was she back?
Qi Mei seemed to discern the confusion in Sheng Ning’s eyes. A trace of sorrow flashed across her face as she resignedly said, "Life has to go on, the children are still young. Even if not for myself, I have to think of them."
This was probably the sorrow of that era; no matter how awful the man, women always ended up making compromises, settling for what they could. It was a lifetime commitment, and whether you were happy or not was not even a consideration.
Sheng Ning couldn’t help but feel sympathy for Qi Mei, but she didn’t show it. Everyone was an adult now with the right to make their own choices, and each person was responsible for their own decisions.
It wasn’t for others to interfere with.
"It’s so cold, why are you standing here foolishly? Why not go home? An’an would be so happy to know you’re back."
Mentioning An’an brought a warm smile to Sheng Ning’s lips.
Qi Mei looked at her, amazed. This girl had changed so much since she joined the General Union; she was completely different from when she was at home. And she just kept getting prettier, her face seemingly could wring out water.
"I just missed home, so I wanted to wander a bit," Sheng Ning said to Qi Mei, then headed home.