Ruan Hongzhuang didn’t actually get up that late—the clock hadn’t even struck nine.
It’s just that sunrise comes rather early in Bin Hai, typically around five-thirty in the morning.
By the time their car reached Qingshui Town, it was only nine forty.
Shen Siyuan had Ruan Hongzhuang park the car by the roadside, where she had her breakfast and applied some light makeup.
"You’re already pretty without makeup," Shen Siyuan said.
"But what woman would refuse to look even prettier? Just like the rich never complain about having too much money," Ruan Hongzhuang argued confidently.
Jiang Yingxue’s guess was spot on—Shen Siyuan’s parents had gotten up early this morning.
They busied themselves all morning with slaughtering chickens, chopping meat, and picking vegetables, but despite waiting and waiting, no one showed up.
Seeing Huang Huijuan glance towards the village entrance multiple times, Shen Jianjun couldn’t help but say, "If you’re really anxious, just call our son."
"I won’t call him," retorted Huang Huijuan.
She added after a pause, "Why doesn’t he call me?"
She was still holding a grudge against her son.
Shen Jianjun chuckled, picked up the phone, and called Shen Siyuan.
As he watched, Huang Huijuan turned her head, listening intently. When she saw Shen Jianjun looking at her, she swiftly turned her head away as if nothing had happened.
After chatting briefly with Shen Siyuan, Shen Jianjun hung up and said, "Your son says they’ve arrived in Qingshui Town and will be here in a moment, so don’t be anxious."
"I’m not anxious at all," Huang Huijuan stubbornly insisted.
Shen Jianjun said, "When they’re here, don’t give them the cold shoulder. It wasn’t easy for Si Yuan to bring a girl back; don’t you mess things up."
"I understand, you’re being too naggy. I’ll go check the kitchen, see if I need to stoke the fire."
With that, she headed for the kitchen.
Shen Jianjun laughed and shook his head, knowing that she was just being hard-mouthed. For the sake of her son, she would hold back any anger, after all these years of marriage he certainly understood his wife’s temperament.
But his expression suddenly changed as if he remembered something critical, and he quickly rushed towards the kitchen.
Although her talk of stoking the fire wouldn’t burn down the kitchen, she would definitely turn a perfectly good lunch into a complete mess.
Fortunately, he was just in time to stop her from shoving a thick log directly into the stove.
However, Shen Jianjun was quite curious about the "arch-enemy" Huang Huijuan mentioned, as she had continuously evaded his questions these past few days.
Taking advantage of the fire-stoking task, he casually asked again, but unexpectedly, she answered this time.
"Classmate? How did she offend you so much that you bear such a grudge and call her your arch-enemy?" Shen Jianjun said somewhat amused.
"She’s just a capitalist’s pampered daughter, full of obnoxious traits," huffed Huang Huijuan.
"Is that so?" Shen Jianjun was quite surprised.
"All of us went to school on our own, but she was the only one whose mother had to send her off, make her bed, pour water, fold quilts, while she just sat there eating an apple with her legs crossed. I never respected her..."
"Her mother said she had been spoiled since childhood, had a bad temper, and told us to be more patient with her in the future, as if the rest of us didn’t have tempers..."
"She even wanted to fight me for the lower bunk, claiming it was inconvenient to always climb up and down. If she’s inconvenienced, does that mean I’m not? I didn’t indulge her. I stood firm, I didn’t let her..."
After saying this, she looked at Shen Jianjun, seemingly looking for his approval.
It wasn’t until Shen Jianjun agreed with "right, right, right, you’re the toughest" that she continued talking.
"My grandma prepared a new set of sheets and quilt cover for me. When I first arrived and made my bed, I went out to do some registration. When I came back, I found her sleeping on my bed. I asked her why, with so many beds available, she chose mine, and she said my bed looked the cleanest..."
"My brand-new sheets and quilt cover, I hadn’t even slept in them once, how could they not be clean?"
"From then on, she’d often sit on my bed, which was so annoying. My bed isn’t her chair. She said my bed was soft and comfortable to sit on..."
"Dressed up to the nines every day, what for? Are you here to study or to sing for money..."
"What’s wrong with liking squid? She just had to say it looks like the little meatball on Mr. Cai’s head, deliberately trying to pick a fight with me..."
"And more... and more..." Thɪs chapter is updatᴇd by 𝓷𝓸𝓿𝓮𝓵✶𝕗𝕚𝕣𝕖✶𝓷𝓮𝓽
Huang Huijuan had a whole list of complaints, and then she turned to Shen Jianjun and questioned, "Tell me, isn’t she my arch-enemy? I’ll hold a grudge against her for a lifetime, you know."
As she spoke, she stared fixedly at Shen Jianjun; if he didn’t take her side today, life would be unbearable.
Shen Jianjun was so clever, he immediately nodded and exaggeratedly said: "Indeed hateful, utterly unforgivable, always picking on you."
"Well... it’s not that exaggerated."
Seeing Shen Jianjun’s exaggerated look, Huang Huijuan spoke in a coy manner.
"Why haven’t I ever heard you mention her before?" Shen Jianjun asked, somewhat curiously.
"Because... we haven’t been in touch for many years," Huang Huijuan said.
Seeing her look of disappointment, it seemed she had more than just an "arch-enemy."
But Huang Huijuan quickly perked up and continued, "That girl my son is dating, she looks just like that woman with the surname Su."
"Oh, is that so? Then do you think, is it possible she could be your classmate’s daughter?"
"She’s the arch-enemy."
"Okay, she’s the arch-enemy, but is it possible she’s your arch-enemy’s daughter?"
After hearing this, Huang Huijuan thought for a moment and said, "Not exactly that similar, maybe fifty to sixty percent similar, and besides, didn’t you say her family is from Si Ming? My classmate... no, my arch-enemy’s family is from Jinling."
"The way your son explained it to me, though her family is from Jinling, it’s possible she married into a Si Ming family," Shen Jianjun said.
"You make a good point, but we’ll know once we meet and I ask," Huang Huijuan replied.
"Smart." Shen Jianjun gave a thumbs up.
Huang Huijuan’s smile held a touch of smugness.
It’s a good thing Shen Siyuan isn’t home, or he would definitely have to say a few words to keep her from getting too smug too soon.
"Go take a look at the entrance, they should be arriving soon."
Shen Jianjun estimated the time and headed towards the outer courtyard.
The couple had cleaned their self-built rural courtyard again yesterday, knowing that Shen Siyuan was bringing his girlfriend home, making it look very clean and tidy.
If it were up to Grandma, such a good space would be ideal for leveling and gardening. But Huang Huijuan was no gardener—anything she planted died, she could even kill a cactus.
Sure enough, just as the couple stepped out, they saw a car approaching the entrance.
Shen Jianjun promptly went to greet them, and after a moment of hesitation, Huang Huijuan followed.
From a distance, Shen Siyuan saw Shen Jianjun coming to greet them and hurriedly wound down the car window, calling out.
Ruan Hongzhuang was a bit nervous, unsure whether to stop the car or keep driving.
Luckily, at this moment, Shen Jianjun took the initiative and said, "Drive in, park it inside the courtyard."
Ruan Hongzhuang glanced at Shen Siyuan, who signaled for her to keep driving.
As the car passed by Huang Huijuan, Shen Siyuan also greeted her cheerfully.
But Huang Huijuan didn’t give him a friendly look, glaring at him and waving her fist.
However, Shen Siyuan wasn’t the least bit scared and continued to be cheery.
PS: Three Chapters a day, not missing any updates, dear readers, please don’t slander~