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Wu Min was the name of Xia Zhe's grandmother.
You might know this child's grandfather. His name is Qiao Qiang,
Xia Fang said.
Oh, Qiao Qiang…
Zhou Sheng fell into deep thought. He did know about this matter. Back then, Qiao Qiang had saved Xia Jun's life. Everyone of the older generation knew about this story. Then that young girl must be the one who was betrothed to Xia Zhe before she was born?
How did Xia Zhe get to know this young girl? Based on his character, he doesn't seem to be the kind of person who gets married without meeting his partner first,
Zhou Sheng asked.
Xia Fang had thought about this question as well. She also suspected that initially, Xia Zhe did not marry Qiao Mei willingly.
We don't know any details about this, but after spending some time together, I find that Qiao Mei is indeed a very nice child. Qiao Qiang brought her up especially well,
Xia Fang praised.
Looks like you like this child very much. Then I can feel assured.
Zhou Sheng nodded in satisfaction.
While the two of them were chatting enthusiastically, the
action
in the kitchen was also in full swing.
You have never been in the kitchen before?
Qiao Mei asked Xia Zhe.
Xia Zhe nodded awkwardly. Nothing in his immediate surroundings looked familiar to him.
There's nothing we can do about it. Just help me wash the vegetables,
Qiao Mei said.
This is definitely not a problem.
Xia Zhe rolled up his sleeves and prepared to go all out.
Qiao Mei took a quick look at what was available in the kitchen. She did not expect to see an oven in Zhou Sheng's kitchen. This way, she could let him have a taste of the pastries she made.
There were some cabbages and chives in the fridge, a piece of tofu on the chopping board, and a basket of potatoes in the corner of the kitchen.
Do you know what Grandpa Zhou likes to eat?
Qiao Mei asked.
Grandpa Zhou is not picky about food. He eats everything, but since he's elderly, he can't eat anything that tastes too strong,
Xia Zhe said.
Then let's have scrambled eggs with chives, tofu with stewed cabbage, stir-fried potato slices, and braised pork. For dessert tonight, let's make a low-sugar cake for Grandpa Zhou,
Qiao Mei said.
Sure, anything that you want to make is fine,
Xia Zhe said as he smiled at Qiao Mei.
Qiao Mei looked at the ingredients in front of her and thought that they seemed a little too plain. This was the first time she was cooking for Grandpa Zhou and she should be making some nice dishes. The normal dishes she wanted to make seemed a little too boring.
I'm thinking maybe I should go out and buy more stuff. These dishes are a little too common. Will Grandpa Zhou like them?
Qiao Mei frowned as she looked at the ingredients on the chopping board.
Xia Zhe gently held Qiao Mei's hand and said,
Don't worry, Grandpa Zhou won't think much of it. He's very easygoing, you don't have to think too much.
Qiao Mei nodded. Even if these were very ordinary dishes, she could still make them delicious. She immediately got to work.
What can I help you with?
Xia Zhe said.
You can help me prepare the potatoes. Just peel them,
Qiao Mei said as she pointed at the basket of potatoes.
No problem. You can do something else.
Xia Zhe took a small stool and a small knife and sat in front of the basket, preparing to peel potatoes.
Qiao Mei quickly washed the rest of the vegetables and then started the fire to heat up the oil. She finished cooking the other dishes very quickly. The rest of the dishes were ready to be served, but Xia Zhe had not finished peeling the potatoes yet.
Qiao Mei looked over curiously and saw Xia Zhe chopping the potatoes with the knife.
In the end, there was not much left of the pitiful potatoes in that basket. Qiao Mei stood behind Xia Zhe silently and watched until there was only one left. Xia Zhe happily held out a plate full of potato chunks for Qiao Mei.
I'm done with the potatoes,
Xia Zhe said happily as he held on to his plate.
Qiao Mei looked at the plate helplessly.
Everything in this plate is what's left of this basket of potatoes?
Qiao Mei asked.
Xia Zhe turned to look at the potato pieces all over the ground and then at the remaining potatoes in his hand.
Did… did I do it badly?
Xia Zhe said as he looked at Qiao Mei, feeling a little lost for words.
No, it's just that we need to change the potato slices to shredded potato.
Qiao Mei took the potatoes and prepared to shred them.
The potatoes on this plate were really pitifully small. There were not enough of them to cut into slices at all and they could only be used to make shredded potato.
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Xia Zhe looked at Qiao Mei, feeling a little embarrassed. In the future, he must watch Qiao Mei cook more often and learn how to make a few dishes.
Later on, after Qiao Mei gave birth, she would have nothing to eat if he did not know how to cook. Xia Zhe watched carefully as Qiao Mei used a kitchen knife to shred the potatoes and also paid attention to how she added the seasoning after she heated up the oil.
From the corner of her eye, Qiao Mei saw Xia Zhe watching her secretly but she did not say anything. Xia Zhe was still in a daze when Qiao Mei was done.
Are you done watching?
Qiao Mei asked.
Yes,
Xia Zhe replied blankly.
So, does your wife's cooking taste good or is your wife pretty?
Qiao Mei asked, holding back her laughter.
My wife is pretty… No! My wife's cooking tastes good,
Xia Zhe said laughingly.
Let's go. The dishes will get cold soon. Ask Grandpa Zhou and Aunt to come over for dinner,
Qiao Mei said as she carried the plates.
Xia Zhe helped to carry the plates and brought Qiao Mei to the dining room before making his way to the courtyard to call out to Zhou Sheng and Xia Fang.
Aunt and Grandpa Zhou. The food is ready. You can come and eat now.
Xia Zhe turned around and went back to the kitchen to get the rice.
Zhou Sheng and Xia Fang sat in the dining room, waiting for Qiao Mei and Xia Zhe. The fragrance of the food made their mouths water.
The food smells quite good,
Zhou Sheng said.
Don't just think they smell and look good. The food that our Mei Mei makes tastes even better. Even the neighbors praise her,
Xia Fang said proudly.
It's not as exaggerated as Aunt says.
Qiao Mei brought the rice into the house and sat down. After Xia Zhe came in, they all started eating.
Grandpa Zhou, this is the special liquor I bought in the army. Give it a try.
As Xia Zhe spoke, he poured the liquor for Zhou Sheng.
Then I must try it today,
Zhou Sheng took a sip after saying that. This liquor was indeed of good quality and it left a nice fragrance in his mouth.
Grandpa Zhou, I hope you don't mind these dishes. It's raining outside and we can't go out to buy any other groceries. We can only use what's available in the kitchen to make a few simple dishes. I don't know if you'd like them,
Qiao Mei said embarrassedly.
There's no need to be so polite with me, my child. I usually just eat steamed buns and drink some soup at home. These dishes are already very good. Besides, the food you make is indeed very delicious. Even your ordinary home-cooked dishes are comparable to the dishes served at the hotel restaurants,
Zhou Sheng took a sip of wine and praised her with a smile.
Grandpa Zhou, we might move here in the next two days. When you're free, I'll come and play chess with you. You must come to our house for dinner too,
Xia Zhe said.
Then I would be disturbing the two of you,
Zhou Sheng said as he shook his head.
How can that be? I'm still unfamiliar with the capital and I think it's nice to have someone as approachable as Grandpa Zhou around,
Qiao Mei said happily.
She felt that Grandpa Zhou was very similar to her grandfather. If her grandfather came to the capital to live in the future, the two seniors would definitely get along well.
Uncle Zhou, do you know if anyone around here wants to sell their house?
Xia Fang asked.
Huh? Why are you asking this? Are you going to sell the old house?
When Zhou Sheng heard what Xia Fang said, he immediately put down his chopsticks and spoke with a stern expression.
That's not it, Grandpa Zhou. It's that my grandfather is alone in the countryside. As I'll stay in the capital after giving birth. I'm worried about him. Furthermore, he wants to return to the capital to live, so he asked me to buy a house here,
Qiao Mei said.
Hearing this, Zhou Sheng felt relieved. However, it was Xia Zhe who became jittery.
Xia Zhe whispered into Qiao Mei's ear,
Why don't I know about this? If Grandpa wants to buy a house, it won't be easy to buy one around here. My wages are still too low. We have to save up for another year before we can afford to buy a house here.
Even at this moment, Xia Zhe's main concern was about using his own limited salary to buy a house for her grandfather, and it made Qiao Mei very happy to know that. Xia Zhe did not immediately blame her for not telling him that she wanted to buy a house. Instead, he was worried that his salary was not enough for her grandfather to live around the same area and afraid that her grandfather would not be able to live comfortably.
My grandfather had dug up a 100-year-old ginseng on the mountain. Since he had been thinking about returning to the capital, he told me to ask around when I'm here and see if I can sell the ginseng and then exchange it for a house,
Qiao Mei explained.
263
Xia Zhe got a huge shock when he heard what Qiao Mei said. She had actually brought such a valuable item all the way from the village. If she had run into criminals, she might even have lost her life.
Xia Zhe frowned as he looked at Qiao Mei and said,
I'll settle this score with you when we go back. You brought along such a valuable thing without considering that there would be people who might covet it.
Qiao Mei quietly stuck out her tongue at Xia Zhe and said playfully,
You think you have a score to settle with me. I still have scores to settle with you tonight. Sooner or later, you'll have to give me a clear explanation about your romantic debts.
Sure, sure, sure. We'll explain everything to each other then,
Xia Zhe said.
This task is not an easy one. After all, such a valuable thing cannot be exchanged within a short period of time,
Zhou Sheng said after some thought.
Then does Grandpa Zhou know who would want this thing?
Qiao Mei asked.
The houses in this area all have good feng shui. There are very few people who want to sell their houses given that they are all used to living here. The old people here usually won't want to sell,
Zhou Sheng said.
Everyone fell into deep thought. At this moment, Xia Fang said,
Perhaps we can ask the Cao family who lives in the back part of our house. If they're willing, then the entire house will be ours.
Zhou Sheng nodded and said,
That's certainly worth a try.
The whole house originally had four sections. The house that the Cao family lived in was the back part of the original house that was separated out and allocated to them. In actual fact, the Cao family had always been dissatisfied with the house they were living in now.
The front yard was located on the Xia family's side, so they had the main entrance. The Cao family were allocated the two back sections of the house so they could only use the back door. The alley outside the back door was narrow. People could enter on foot but the alley could not accommodate cars.
The Cao family always felt that their house had bad feng shui. They thought that it was an inherent problem that came with the house and that it was inauspicious to have to use the back door.
The Cao family was also a military family. Old Master Cao and Xia Mao were of the same generation and they were in the same troop. Old Master Cao was at the peak of his career when he was allocated this house and his luck went downhill after that. The Cao family had always felt that it was the house which brought about the bout of bad luck.
The eldest son of the Cao family, Cao Da, was the only one in the family who had a source of income at the moment. Recently, there were also some signs of trouble and the entire family was very worried.
They heard that after Old Madam Xia passed away, she left her house to her grandson. This grandson had always been in the army and did not live here, so the wife of the Cao family's eldest son came up with a selfish idea.
Why don't we discuss with the Xia family about swapping houses? In any case, people from the Xia family don't live in the house. The army will eventually allocate a house to him too. Why don't we ask the Xia family to swap houses with us and let us have the front yard?
said the Cao family's eldest daughter-in-law.
It was not as if the rest of the Cao family did not have the same idea, but they did not dare to raise the issue in view of the Xia family's standing in the community.
They wanted to sell their house and live elsewhere, but no one would be able to afford such a big place now even if they put it up for sale. Even if someone could afford it, who would dare to show off their wealth since it would be like courting death?
When Old Madam Xia was still alive, we told her that we wanted to swap. In the end, we were scolded and chased back by Old Madam Xia. Now that you mention the topic of swapping again, I don't know who you can talk to about this,
Cao Da said.
Cao Da had actually gone around asking for more information previously, but Xia Zhe's troop was considered a classified unit and no details were allowed to be released. He asked around so many times that someone started to cast suspicions on Cao Da's intentions and he almost got investigated. He did not dare to continue asking around after that.
They did not expect Xia Zhe to come uninvited, which saved them any further effort. They were caught by surprise by the arrival of Xia Fang and Xia Zhe.
What are you here for?
Cao Da asked.
We're here to buy your house,
Xia Zhe said.
When the Cao family's eldest daughter-in-law heard this, she looked at Xia Zhe and Xia Fang mockingly and said,
You really don't visit unless you need something. There are so many of us living here. If you buy our house, then where do we go? We definitely can't sell it, but if you want to swap houses with us, then it is something we can accept.
We're indeed here to swap the house with something, but not with our house,
Xia Zhe said.
If he did not use his house to swap for their house, what else could he use? Could it be that Xia Zhe had another property elsewhere that he wanted to use to swap with them?
That should not be the case. Why would Xia Zhe want to do this?
Xia Zhe's actions made the Cao family members very confused.
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Xia Zhe turned around and glanced at Qiao Mei. She immediately understood what he meant and took out a metal box from her backpack.
Xia Zhe looked at Qiao Mei and smiled before taking the metal box from her and opening it to show the Cao family members.
This is a 100-year-old wild ginseng. We would like to exchange it for your house.
Xia Zhe showed the wild ginseng to the Cao family members.
The Cao family members gathered around curiously to take a closer look. However, no one in the family was a doctor, so they did not know if this was really a wild ginseng which was 100 years old.
A 100-year-old wild ginseng is so rare. How can you have such a thing? Could it be that you're lying to us,
said the eldest daughter-in-law of the Cao family.
Although this eldest daughter-in-law of the Cao family was not very cultured, she was indeed very shrewd and could always get to the point.
To check if this is a 100-year-old wild ginseng, you can ask Old Mr. Sun to come and take a look,
Xia Zhe said.
Old Mr. Sun was a famous old Chinese doctor in the capital. He had already retired and also lived in this area. Everyone in the neighborhood thought highly of his medical skills. Usually, if anyone had any headache or fever, they would look for Old Mr. Sun and he would always help out.
Alright, then let's ask Old Mr. Sun to come and take a look,
Cao Da said.
Old Mr. Sun's house was only about 100 meters away from here. After a short while, Cao Da came back with him.
Old Mr. Sun was very curious. He had not seen many 100-year-old ginsengs during his time, let alone a wild ginseng like this one.
Old Mr. Sun's eyes fell on the ginseng the moment he arrived and he could not take his eyes off it after that. He looked at it and then sniffed it, but he did not dare to touch it.
It's fine, old sir. You can take it to have a look.
Qiao Mei saw the way the old man looked at the ginseng like it was a valuable treasure and recalled how Liu Yang looked when he saw this 100-year-old wild ginseng.
Can I try a little bit?
Old Mr. Sun asked.
Of course.
Qiao Mei nodded.
Old Mr. Sun gently pinched a small piece of ginseng root and tasted it.
The medicinal effect of this ginseng is extremely good. Perhaps it's due to the mountains and rivers that nurtured it. This ginseng is so much better than ordinary 100-year-old ginseng,
Old Mr. Sun said in a state of shock and his eyes lit up as he looked at the wild ginseng.
It's actually true!
Cao Da said.
Where did you get this 100-year-old wild ginseng?
Old Mr. Sun asked.
This was dug out from the mountain behind my wife's house,
Xia Zhe said with a smile.
Your wife? Xiao Zhe, did you get married? Xia Jun didn't tell me about that. I have to call him and tell him off,
Old Mr. Sun said angrily.
Xia Zhe smiled and did not say anything.
Old Mr. Sun wrapped the ginseng and placed it back into the metal box, then he turned to look at Qiao Mei and asked,
Young girl, did you go up the mountain to harvest this?
It wasn't me. It was my grandfather who went up the mountain to harvest it,
Qiao Mei said.
Old Mr. Sun nodded in appreciation.
There are techniques involved in harvesting ginseng. Ordinary people can't do it. This ginseng is perfectly whole, and the medicinal effects of natural wild ginseng which are nurtured by the mountains and rivers are always more effective than other types of ginseng. This is such a rare object,
Old Mr. Sun said with a sigh.
Old Mr. Sun then said,
Do you still have any more ginseng like this?
So that was his focal point. There was an ulterior motive behind all the things he said.
Qiao Mei looked at Old Mr. Sun and smiled without saying anything.
Old Mr. Sun immediately understood and did not continue asking.
You've already asked Old Mr. Sun to take a look at this ginseng. Let us know if you want it or not,
Xia Zhe asked.
The Cao family members could not make up their minds at that moment. Although they knew that it was not easy to get hold of this 100-year-old wild ginseng, and Old Mr. Sun already said that this wild ginseng was a hundred times better than other types of ginseng, where would they live after making the exchange?
Oh, you want to exchange it for a house? Then why not take my house. I'm willing to exchange it with you. My house is even more spacious than this place. There are four sections in total. If you want to do an exchange, you can exchange it with me!
Old Mr. Sun hugged the metal box tightly and said to Xia Zhe.
When the Cao family members saw that the situation was no longer in their favor, they became anxious. The Xia family had originally come to exchange it for their house, but they could now exchange it for Old Mr. Sun's house.
Chapter 265
When the Cao family members saw how determined Old Mr. Sun was, they immediately panicked.
Wait, wait! Didn't we agree to exchange it with our house? How did it become yours?
the eldest daughter-in-law of the Cao family looked at Old Mr. Sun and said anxiously.
When did you agree, haven't you guys been hesitating?
Old Mr. Sun said.
We agreed just now,
said the eldest daughter-in-law of the Cao family.
When Cao Da heard this, he hurriedly pulled his wife to his side and whispered,
Are you crazy? If we don't have this house, where are we going to live?
Didn't you hear Old Mr. Sun said that this ginseng is priceless? Old Mr. Sun is even willing to exchange his big house with four sections for this ginseng. Doesn't that tell you something of its worth,
the eldest daughter-in-law of the Cao family whispered back.
Cao Da thought about it for a moment. He felt that what his wife said made sense, so the two of them immediately agreed and said that they were willing to exchange their house for it.
Yes, we'll do the exchange,
Cao Da said.
We will exchange it with you, but you'll have to sign a contract and move out within half a month. What we are exchanging for is your entire house,
Xia Zhe said.
Cao Da and his wife said in unison,
No problem.
We'll give you this ginseng after you hand over the house to us,
Qiao Mei said.
Old Mr. Sun hugged the metal box tightly. He knew he had to return it now.
When Old Mr. Sun returned the metal box, he cast reluctant looks at it.
I'm sorry, Old Mr. Sun. This house is meant for my wife's grandfather. Your house is really too far away,
Xia Zhe said embarrassedly as he took back the metal box.
My place is not that far, it's just two steps away. Sigh, what a pity,
Old Mr. Sun said regretfully.
There's one more thing I need to trouble Old Mr. Sun with. Please stay and be our witness,
Qiao Mei said.
Old Mr. Sun nodded. Since he was already here, he was willing to render his help.
What about you guys? Do you need a witness?
Xia Zhe asked.
Cao Da hurriedly shook his head and said,
No, no, we all trust Old Mr. Sun. It's sufficient for Old Mr. Sun to be a witness for this matter.
He did not want the news of the 100-year-old ginseng to spread.. If more of his relatives knew about it, then there would be more people coming to ask for the ginseng. If he did not give it to them, he would offend many people. He felt that it would be better if fewer people knew about it.
Moreover, this ginseng was a very useful thing. He definitely did not want any strangers to know about it.
The two families agreed on this matter and signed the contract. From that moment on, Qiao Mei had the right to live at the property.
Qiao Qiang was not present, so it was Qiao Mei's name that was written on the contract.
The two families only signed the documents, but they did not have to go through the procedures to transfer the ownership. This was because the property deed of this house still belonged to the Xia family.
Back when the house was reallocated, it was actually considered rented out. For people who lived in the capital, if they owned more than 15 houses or an area of 200 square meters, they would have to demarcate a portion and rent it out.
The party who rented the house would then pay the owner 15% to 30% of the property value as the yearly rent. After 10 years, it would be deemed enough to cover the cost of the house and there would be no need to pay the rent anymore.
Although there was currently a policy in place to return such houses to the original owners, it was only implemented in some regions. For other areas, the policy implementation process had been delayed repeatedly.
In the end, once the ownership of a house became unclear, the government would seize it and tear it down.
Qiao Mei looked at the hard copy contract and still felt uneasy. She did not know if such a contract without any evidence would be legally binding.
All of them might not understand why Qiao Mei kept wanting to buy a house now. Qiao Mei could not say that it was because she knew the price of this house would increase by dozens of times within the next few decades. That would likely make them think that Qiao Mei was a money-faced person.
Does this mean that the house belongs to us now?
Qiao Mei asked.
This will do,
Xia Fang said.
After thinking about it, Qiao Mei still felt uneasy.
Why don't we go around and meet the neighbors to tell them that this house is now ours?
Qiao Mei looked at Xia Fang and asked.
Xia Fang smiled and said,
You think things through quite thoroughly. Then let's go and say hello to the neighbors around us.
Chapter 266
On the way, Qiao Mei asked Xia Zhe curiously,
Do you think the Cao family members will really move away by the scheduled time? I don't think their eldest daughter-in-law is an easy person to get along with.
They will. Although the Cao family isn't really well-known, everyone involved in the deal is a reputable person. How can they take our ginseng for nothing?
Xia Fang said.
Xia Zhe nodded and added,
Don't worry. Even if they refuse to move, we still have Old Mr. Sun as our witness. Old Mr. Sun's words carry a lot of weight in this area and everyone will believe what he says.
Mei Mei, don't be afraid. Even if that really happens, you can ask your father-in-law to settle it for you,
Xia Fang said.
Xia Zhe looked at Qiao Mei with a smile. Qiao Mei smiled back and felt much more at ease. However, she still had the nagging feeling that the Cao family was not trustworthy, and she was worried that something would go wrong in the future.
After they went around to meet and greet the people who lived in their vicinity, the three of them returned to the old house.
It's getting late. Tidy up and go to bed.
After saying that, Xia Fang went into the other bedroom.
Qiao Mei sat on the bed and looked through the contract carefully. She kept feeling that something was missing.
Xia Zhe brought over some water for her to wash her feet. Seeing Qiao Mei deep in thought, he flicked her head gently.
Qiao Mei immediately covered her forehead and pouted in an aggrieved manner.
What are you doing? It hurts!
Qiao Mei's eyes started to water.
Tears welled up in her eyes, scaring Xia Zhe so much that he did not know what to do.
I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I just saw that you were staring into space and lost in your thoughts, so I just wanted to scare you,
Xia Zhe said.
When Qiao Mei saw Xia Zhe's embarrassed expression, she suddenly laughed out loud.
Only then did Xia Zhe know that Qiao Mei was teasing him. He could only smile resignedly.
Alright, stop fooling around. Hurry up and wash your feet and go to bed. You've walked all day today,
Xia Zhe said.
Qiao Mei thought about what happened during the day as she soaked her feet. All the neighbors knew that the house had been taken back by the Xia family. Even if the Cao family went back on their word in the end, she had both evidence and witnesses. There was nothing for her to be worried about.
What are you thinking about this time?
Xia Zhe sat at the side and looked at Qiao Mei.
Me? I'm thinking about all your romantic debts!
Qiao Mei said deliberately.
What romantic debts do I have?
Xia Zhe asked, feeling puzzled.
Let me do a count. Ever since I came to the capital, three or four women have come to find me and each of them said that she is Xia Zhe's fiancée,
Qiao Mei said.
What romantic debts? What women? How could there be three or four?
Xia Zhe was confused by what he heard.
I've never had a fiancée. If we want to go into details, then you've always been my fiancée. Back then, our marriage was already arranged by our grandfathers,
Xia Zhe said seriously.
Qiao Mei blushed slightly and looked at Xia Zhe, feeling a little embarrassed.
So there's this person called Qian'e who lives in the same compound as Aunt. There's another one whose surname is He. I can't quite remember the other girls already,
Qiao Mei said as she tried to recall the details.
He thought he had some impression of this person called Qian'e. After all, they had lived in the same compound. As for that person whose surname was He, he was not sure who she was.
Qian'e grew up in the same compound as me, but we didn't interact much. I heard that she's already married. As for the person with the surname He, I'm not too sure who she is. I don't seem to remember knowing anyone with the surname He,
Xia Zhe said.
Qiao Mei looked into Xia Zhe's eyes. He did not look away and looked straight back into her eyes. It seemed that he was not lying, and that the truth was that those women were deeply in love with him but he felt indifferent about them.
Sigh, how pitiful then,
Qiao Mei lamented.
Pitiful? Pitiful about what?
Xia Zhe asked, not understanding her.
Those women pursued you so wholeheartedly, but in the end, you don't even know who they are. Aren't they pitiful?
Qiao Mei said.
Xia Zhe wanted to laugh even though he was upset. He smiled helplessly and said,
Young girl, I don't know if you can see how weird this is. You say they're pitiful when I say I don't know them, but you will definitely get angry if I say I know them. I'm a loser on either end, so don't you think that I'm the most pitiful?
Qiao Mei thought about what Xia Zhe said and felt that it made sense. Actually, she was not angry. She also knew that Xia Zhe did not do anything.
However, she just felt uncomfortable. She kept feeling that someone was trying to snatch away what belonged to her.
267
Xia Zhe bent down to wipe Qiao Mei's feet with a dry towel and said patiently,
Don't let your imagination run wild. You're my first woman and you'll be my only woman.
Hearing this, Qiao Mei's face turned red in an instant.
She reached out and gently gave Xia Zhe a slap on his back as she pouted and said,
What nonsense are you saying. You're telling me this in broad daylight. If other people hear this, they will definitely report you and say that you're shameless!
I'm not afraid. We're a legally married couple. Besides, it isn't broad daylight now. It's already dark, and I'm not saying this in public,
Xia Zhe muttered softly.
Xia Zhe picked up the basin of used water and walked out. He poured it away and came back to rub Qiao Mei's back.
As Qiao Mei's pregnancy progressed, she began to face the same issues as other pregnant women, even though she was still less affected than other women.
If she walked for too long, she would still get a backache. The capital was not like the village. There were plants everywhere in the village and it was also a good place for resting. The supply of energy was endless.
There was nothing much in the capital, and the few trees on the road were all a little withered.
As Qiao Mei thought of the village, she realized that it had been about a month since she left. She missed her grandfather and wondered if he was doing well while living alone at home.
Shall we go and see my grandfather tomorrow?
Xia Zhe asked.
Qiao Mei nodded and said,
Of course. I hope your grandfather won't dislike me.
No, he won't. My grandfather is very easy-going and a very direct person. He won't dislike you. Besides, you're the granddaughter-in-law whom he chose personally. How can he not like you?
Xia Zhe said.
After he rubbed her back for a while, the two of them lay down on the bed and prepared to sleep. Xia Zhe lay on his side and gently pulled Qiao Mei into his arms. Qiao Mei was tired from the long day and quickly fell asleep.
Xia Zhe looked at the sleeping Qiao Mei and smiled tenderly. He felt that this young girl looked so cute when she was at rest and not talking. She was usually very spirited, but when she was quiet, she looked especially gentle.
It had been a long day of traveling for Xia Zhe as well and he gradually fell asleep.
The next morning, the three of them took the bus back to the military compound.
Xia Jun was a very busy person and was seldom at home. When he heard that Xia Zhe had brought his wife home, he quickly rushed back from outside.
His eyes lit up as soon as he entered and saw Qiao Mei. She was exactly how he expected Qiao Qiang's granddaughter to be like, and it was clear that he had not made a wrong choice.
Back in those days in the army, Qiao Qiang was one of the most handsome men around. He had already married Wu Min by then. Otherwise, he was quite sure that Wu Min, that woman who liked good-looking people, would definitely be interested in Qiao Qiang.
This must be Qiao Mei.
Xia Jun's smile was so wide that his eyes disappeared.
Yes, grandfather. It's me,
Qiao Mei said with a smile.
Aye! Come and sit here! Tell me about your grandfather's health? Is he well?
Xia Jun said in a gentle manner.
At home, Xia Jun was only amiable towards Xia Zhe. He did not have a nice attitude for the rest of the family.
In the past, when Xia Jun was still in the army, he had a strong temper and was very insistent on his ways. He behaved the same way at home after he retired. It was only after Xia Zhe was born that people saw an improvement in his temper.
My grandfather is well and he has been taking good care of his health recently. He will come to the capital to meet you sometime soon,
Qiao Mei said.
After knowing that Xia Zhe's wife was visiting, Xia Zhe's elder brother, Xia Wen, also came home with his wife, Tan Jing.
Tan Jing looked at the smiley Xia Jun and felt very shocked. When she first came to visit, Xia Jun did not behave like this. He did not even come home that day.
Tan Jing looked at Qiao Mei's stomach. She thought it was indeed true that a pregnant woman received better treatment, and she looked at her own stomach indignantly.
Xu Lan came back slightly later than them. She usually spent most of her time in the military art troupe. Although she had already retired, she still liked to sing and dance and was willing to go over to help and guide them.
When Xu Lan came back, she was also shocked to see Xia Jun like this. After living with her in-laws for so many years, she had only ever seen Xia Jun smile at Wu Min.
Xia Jun also had a happy smile when Xia Zhe was born. He had always treated Xia Zhe very well. As Xia Jun's daughter-in-law, she had never seen his smiling face again after that. However, with Qiao Mei's arrival, Xia Jun was now grinning from ear to ear.
Chapter 268
Really? It's great that your grandfather will be coming here!
Xia Jun said.
What? She wanted to bring her own family over to live with her so quickly after she married into their family?
What plans do you have for the future? Do you intend to let her become a military spouse?
Xu Lan said as soon as she entered.
Mother, this is Qiao Mei.
Xia Zhe frowned as he looked at Xu Lan. Then, he turned to Qiao Mei and said,
Mei Mei, come here. This is my mother.
Hello, mother,
Qiao Mei said timidly.
Mmm,
Xu Lan replied coldly.
After that, Xia Zhe introduced Qiao Mei to Xia Mao, Xia Wen, Tan Jing as well as the family's helper, Auntie Feng.
Xia Mao had inherited all of Xia Jun's strong points, but also the way that Xia Jun worked meticulously with a long face.
Currently, Xia Mao was looking at Qiao Mei with a gentle expression on his face. In the face of the cute and lively Qiao Mei, he felt the same as Xia Jun and could not bring himself to be solemn.
Xia Zhe's eldest brother, Xia Wen, was also a good-looking man. Xia Zhe looked like Xia Mao, manly and gallant. Xia Wen was more like Xu Lan, gentle and refined.
Tan Jing was Xia Wen's wife. She used to be a model, but she liked to dress older than her age. For some reason, she did not like to smile and had a cold demeanor.
Xia Zhe had told Qiao Mei earlier that Tan Jing and Xia Wen had been married for 10 years and did not have any children. It had always been a sore point for Tan Jing, and she was bothered by it even though no one said anything about the issue.
Xia Zhe told Qiao Mei not to hang around Tan Jing for no reason and not to mention anything related to children in front of her.
Qiao Mei looked at Xu Lan. Even though she was in her fifties, she was still charming and very beautiful. She used to be the mainstay of the military art troupe, and it seemed befitting of her.
Qiao Mei just did not know what she had done wrong. The moment Xu Lan entered, Qiao Mei could clearly feel that her mother-in-law did not like her very much.
Qiao Mei had also heard from her grandfather that Xu Lan thought highly of herself. Xu Lan had always intended for Zheng Yuan from the Zheng family to be her daughter-in-law, but she did not expect Qiao Mei to mess up her plans.
This caused Xu Lan to particularly dislike Qiao Mei. She felt that there was no need for her to take special care of Qiao Mei in the same manner as her biological daughter.
After Qiao Mei greeted everyone politely, Xia Jun went upstairs to get Qiao Mei's first-meeting gift.
Xia Mao had prepared his gift as soon as he received the phone call. He took out a red packet and handed it to Qiao Mei. Xu Lan also reluctantly took out a red packet from her bag.
These are a token from us,
said Xia Mao.
Thank you, father and mother!
Qiao Mei said obediently.
Xia Wen took out a tiger head pillow and a red packet.
This is a little token from your sister-in-law and I. You can take it,
Xia Wen said gently.
Thank you, elder brother and sister-in-law!
Qiao Mei did not expect a red packet from him.
Tan Jing looked at Xia Wen in shock. Xia Wen had not discussed this with her before he prepared these gifts.
It was one thing to give a red packet, given that it was something that an elder brother and sister-in-law should give. However, he even gave them a tiger head pillow that was meant for a child to use!
Tan Jing looked at Qiao Mei's stomach and felt even more unbalanced. She wondered about the extent of her husband's desire for children, given that he had actually given another woman a pillow meant for children.
However, she could not blame others. She could only blame herself for being a disappointment. Tan Jing turned around silently and wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes.
Tan Jing thought that she was very discreet and no one could see what she did, but in fact, Qiao Mei saw what happened.
It was hard to blame Tan Jing for feeling that it was unfair. Back when Xia Wen married her, apart from the three turns and one sound, she received a betrothal gift of 500 dollars.
When it came to Qiao Mei, the betrothal gift was 2,000 dollars. Back then, when Xia Mao and Xu Lan first met Tan Jing, they only gave her a first-meeting gift of 100 dollars.
Looking at the thickness of the red packets they gave Qiao Mei, the amount was definitely more than 100 dollars.
Did they consider how she would feel about such unfairness?
Did the Xia family still acknowledge her presence?
A mere village girl actually received more respect than her.
This entire matter was not the fault of Xia Mao and Xu Lan. From the wedding to the betrothal gifts to the three turns and one sound, Xia Zhe had paid for everything himself.
The Xia family did not contribute a single cent, so they naturally did not feel that there was any unfair treatment.
Xia Mao had felt that it was not appropriate. He asked Xia Fang to contact Xia Zhe and say that he wanted to give Xia Zhe the money for the betrothal gift so that the gift was from the Xia family.
In the end, his proposal was strongly rejected by Xu Lan.
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Xu Lan did not like the idea of this marriage at all. Furthermore, Xia Zhe had gotten married on his own without informing his parents.
Nobody is allowed to worry about this matter. Doesn't he like doing things himself? Let him handle it on his own!
Xu Lan said to her family sulkily.
Xu Lan was in charge of everything in the family. Xia Mao had his hands full with work and he forgot about the matter as time passed.
As for how Tan Jing found out about it, it happened when Mrs. Zheng from the Zheng family and Xu Lan went for a massage together some time ago. At that time, Mrs. Zheng had tactfully said that Xia Zhe's marriage was the hardest on Zheng Yuan as she had waited for him for so many years to no avail.
Xu Lan felt really embarrassed, but there was nothing that she could say. After returning home, she vented her anger on Tan Jing.
She kicked up a fuss about why a village girl could get 2,000 dollars as a betrothal gift, but she only mentioned the amount and did not tell Tan Jing where the money came from.
Therefore, Tan Jing thought that the betrothal gift was given by the family. Xu Lan did not have any confidence to tell the truth either. After all, if parents did not help with the expenses when their son got married, people would say that the parents were incompetent and biased.
Xu Lan sat on the sofa and looked at Xia Zhe unhappily, feeling very upset.
He had been away from home for so many years and did not even bother to write a few more letters to his family. When he was back, all he could think of was to pick up his wife first.
Now that you're back, what's your plans about your future together?
Xu Lan asked.
Xia Zhe frowned and did not speak.
Xu Lan was about to say more when Xia Jun came back down with a brocade box in his hand.
Come and take a look. This is the first-meeting gift that your grandmother prepared for her granddaughter-in-law a long time back. It's for you.
Xia Jun opened the box gently.
There was a pair of shiny green bangles in the box. The jade was very transparent with no impurities inside and it looked especially clear when the light shone through it.
Thank you, grandmother. I really like it!
Qiao Mei said.
Qiao Mei did not stand on ceremony and immediately wore the bangle on her arm. She looked at it from different angles and decided that she liked it very much.
However, everyone's eyes were actually not on the bangle given by Xia Zhe's grandmother. This was because Qiao Mei had another bangle on her arm that was even more transparent and greener in color.
That bangle was even more valuable than the one Xia Zhe's grandmother had prepared for her as a gift. Anyone who had some knowledge on the quality of jade would know which one was better.
Xia Jun could tell that Qiao Mei really liked it and he felt very happy.
However, that was not what Xu Lan was thinking. Xu Lan only had eyes for the other bangle on Qiao Mei's arm.
Where did you get the other bangle?
Xu Lan asked sternly.
For a country girl like her to have such good jewelry, her son must have bought it for the girl.
Xia Fang frowned slightly. She already knew Xu Lan's character, but she did not expect Xu Lan to go out of her way to make Qiao Mei look bad during their first meeting.
Qiao Mei and Xia Zhe looked at each other at the same time. He did not know anything about the bangle, nor did he know that Qiao Mei had given his aunt a set of jewelry.
However, money was meant to be spent. If he did not allow Qiao Mei to spend his money, then who else could spend his money?
Didn't I already tell you? Don't wear this when you go out,
Xia Zhe said as he tugged at Qiao Mei's sleeve.
From the looks of it, Xia Zhe must have bought her the bangle.
Qiao Mei smiled happily when she saw Xia Zhe covering for her.
As a daughter-in-law, how can you not know how to be thrifty!
Xu Lan said sternly.
Mother!
Xia Zhe frowned at Xu Lan.
In his memories, Xu Lan was not like this. Although the Xu Lan he remembered did not have a close relationship with him, she was not such an aggressive person.
It was the first time she met Qiao Mei today. He did not know what Qiao Mei had done wrong for Xu Lan to keep treating her like this.
Am I wrong to say that! It's not as if our family has much money and yet she has gone out to buy jewelry. It's so wasteful. My son's hard-earned money will soon be all gone because of you!
Xu Lan said angrily.
Qiao Mei stood rooted to the ground, not knowing what to do. She was not afraid of Xu Lan, but she felt that if she retorted, it would make things difficult for Xia Zhe.
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Looking at Xu Lan's behavior, Xia Jun could not take it anymore.
They're a couple, what does their lifestyle have to do with you?
Xia Jun said sternly.
Hearing Xia Jun's words, Xu Lan fell silent. She could not afford to offend Xia Jun.
Mei Mei is very capable. She even bought back the other part of my mother's old house to make it whole,
Xia Fang said calmly.
The other part of the old house! Bought back!
The entire family was shocked.
Xia Jun and Xia Mao looked at Xia Zhe in shock, looking to get his answer.
Xia Zhe nodded slightly.
The two sections that the Cao family lived in?
Xia Mao asked uncertainly.
Xia Zhe said confidently,
That's right, that part of the house.
When Xia Jun heard the affirmative reply, his face lit up.
Young girl, tell me quickly. How did you do it?
Xia Jun pulled Qiao Mei to his side and asked excitedly.
Like I told you earlier, my grandfather wanted to move back to the capital to live. However, he doesn't have a house here and I thought it would be nice if he could live closer to me. Later on, when I heard about what happened with Xia Zhe's grandmother, I thought we might as well buy back the backyard part of the house,
Qiao Mei said.
Qiao Mei related it in a light manner, but to the people at home, it was extremely shocking news.
It was most impactful for Tan Jing. They were both granddaughters-in-law, but they were treated so differently.
The differences span from the betrothal gifts to the attitude of the family to the bangle on Qiao Mei's arm. Although she also received a bangle, hers was far inferior to the one that Qiao Mei had.
Moreover, her younger sister had taken a fancy to the bangle after she wore it back home when she was newly married. At that time, her sister said that she only wanted to borrow it, but she had not even returned it by now.
Xia Wen was also aware of this matter. When it happened, Xia Wen said that he would buy another one for Tan Jing, but because he was too busy with work, he forgot about it.
Now, Qiao Mei had actually bought back the other part of the old house. This had always been something that Xia Jun regretted not being able to do and Qiao Mei had now fulfilled it for him.
Tan Jing looked at Qiao Mei indignantly, but there was nothing she could do except to feel disheartened.
That Cao family is not easy to talk to. What did you tell them, and did you sign a written contract?
Xu Lan said sulkily.
We have all that. I was with her,
Xia Zhe said.
Since Xia Zhe had gone with her, everyone felt at ease. However, Xia Mao was still a little puzzled. The Cao family had always kept a tight grip on the house and he wondered why they decided to sell.
Didn't the Cao family make things difficult for you?
Xia Mao asked.
No, they were happy to do it,
Qiao Mei said with a smile.
That was even more weird. Their family was doing quite well, although they had not been in the limelight in the past two years. Logically speaking, they would not be that tempted by an offer of money.
Xu Lan suddenly stood up as she thought of something.
How can a girl like you have so much money? Do you know if you have that much money and if others find out about this, the Xia family will suffer for it!
Xu Lan scolded angrily.
Sit down! We still don't know if it was bought with money!
Xia Jun said.
But!
No buts! Sit down!
Xia Jun said sternly.
Xu Lan still wanted to speak, but she could not go against Xia Jun. She sat down silently and stared hard at Qiao Mei.
Child, tell me how you got the house back,
Xia Jun said patiently.
Experience really counted for something. As expected of a veteran, both his observation and thinking skills were really good. He immediately knew that this house could not have been bought with money.
My grandfather paid for this house, but he did not really pay for it. It was actually an exchange,
Qiao Mei said.
Everyone looked puzzled.
An exchange? An exchange for what?
Qiao Mei took out a metal box and a cloth bag from her bag. She knew that the Xia family was well-to-do enough not to be impressed by her gifts, so she did not bother to wrap them nicely.
Qiao Mei carefully opened the box to reveal two 30-year-old wild ginsengs. The cloth bag contained some wild lingzhi.
These two 30-year-old wild ginsengs are supplements for grandfather and father. The lingzhi is a gift for mother,
Qiao Mei said.
Chapter 271
Xia Jun and Xia Mao smiled when they saw the wild ginseng and felt that this child was very considerate. Only Xu Lan did not appreciate the gesture.
What do all these things have to do with you buying a house?
Xu Lan said disdainfully.
Qiao Mei did not take Xu Lan's attitude to heart and continued,
Other than these things, my grandfather also asked me to bring a 100-year-old wild ginseng that he dug up. He has asked me to see if there is anyone in the capital who wants to buy it and then use the money to buy a house.
By now, everyone in the Xia family understood that the house was exchanged with the ginseng from Qiao Mei's grandfather.
Xu Lan did not care about how it was done. What she cared about was that Qiao Mei kept saying that it was her grandfather who exchanged it.
So do you mean that the house belongs to your grandfather?
Xu Lan said.
Qiao Mei did not say anything and just looked at her quietly. Strictly speaking, it was Qiao Mei's name that was listed on the documents, so it was strictly not considered as Qiao Qiang's property.
However, the name on the property deed of the main house was still Xia Zhe's grandmother, so this house still belonged to the Xia family.
Why aren't you saying anything? You intend to bring your grandfather over to occupy the old house?
Xu Lan said even more harshly.
Xia Fang frowned and looked at Xu Lan. She originally thought that her second sister-in-law had designs on this house, but she did not expect Xu Lan to be the first person to express such clear intent.
The exchange was done using the ginseng from Mei Mei's grandfather. Of course the house belongs to him,
Xia Zhe said calmly.
This made Xu Lan furious. The girl had just married into the family and she had the audacity to bring her grandfather along immediately.
Why are you kicking up a fuss? If not for Brother Qiao, who knows when we would be able to get the entire old house back,
Xia Jun said.
Xia Jun did not know what was wrong with Xu Lan today. Usually, she did not dare to speak loudly in front of him, but she had rebutted him repeatedly today.
Young girl, when does your grandfather intend to come over? It'll be good for us brothers to get together,
Xia Jun said.
For Xia Jun, it did not matter who the house belonged to. Moreover, Qiao Qiang was his good brother and the person who saved his life. Now that Qiao Qiang had even helped them to get the entire house back, he felt that there was really no way to repay such a favor.
My grandfather doesn't really want to come here yet. There are still things to do back home,
Qiao Mei said.
Then do you want to stay in our house or move to the old house?
Xia Jun asked.
Before Qiao Mei could answer, Xia Zhe said,
Qiao Mei will eventually become a military spouse, but just not now. It's not convenient for her in her current condition, so she will stay at Aunt's place for the time being. The old house hasn't been repaired yet, so she'll only go over later.
Xia Jun and Xia Mao nodded while Xia Fang also felt very happy. After all, Xiang Jin rarely came back from the army. With Qiao Mei accompanying her, her days were much happier. Moreover, she was a doctor and could take care of Qiao Mei if anything should happen.
Xia Zhe lowered his head and whispered to Qiao Mei,
The army gave me a month's leave this time. The next mission is more dangerous, so I can't bring you along. Besides, it's not safe for you to stay alone in the military compound in your existing condition.
Qiao Mei looked down unhappily. It was not because Xia Zhe could not bring her along in the army, but because Xia Zhe would be going on another mission soon and the two of them would be apart again.
That's right. Mei Mei will stay at my place and she can do so comfortably,
Xia Fang said happily.
After thinking about it, Qiao Mei still felt that she did not want to disturb anyone anymore. She also missed her younger siblings and her grandfather at home.
I think I'll go back to the village. I'm used to living there. My grandfather is at home and I miss him too. I also have to go back and take care of my younger siblings.
Qiao Mei tactfully rejected everyone's kindness.
Younger siblings? Where did your younger siblings come from?
Xu Lan asked.
It was not as if they had not investigated Qiao Mei's background before. She was her mother's only child, so Xu Lan could not understand how she could have any other younger siblings.
Qiao Mei did not hide anything and told everyone that her younger siblings were the children that her mother, Li Gui, had with her stepfather. She told them everything, but solely left out the part about her mother being beaten up by her stepfather.
Even if she did not say it, it was obvious to Xu Lan.
Chapter 272
This stepfather must not be any good if he was the kind of person who could chase away his wife and four children to the countryside.
Her father had passed away early and her mother had to take care of her four half-siblings and a seriously ill grandfather. Her family background was not only not good, but she was also from the countryside.
Xu Lan frowned as she thought about all these. She did not know what Xia Zhe saw in the girl and how he could think that such a family background was worthy of the Xia family.
Alright, it's time to prepare dinner,
said Xia Mao.
Xu Lan stopped thinking about the mess as she decided she needed to think about everything at length.
Xu Lan sat on the sofa and looked at Qiao Mei silently. It was almost time for dinner. Xu Lan thought that any sensible person would know that it was time to help out.
Qiao Mei understood what Xu Lan meant. She was about to get up and walk to the kitchen to help with dinner preparation when Xia Zhe grabbed her hand.
Hey, this bangle of yours is really beautiful. I must say that grandmother made a good choice. Let me take a closer look. I've never seen this bangle before,
Xia Zhe said as he held Qiao Mei's hand.
Qiao Mei did not know what to do and turned to look at Aunt.
Xia Fang shook her head gently, indicating that Qiao Mei should not move. She was quite surprised that Xia Zhe knew what was going on though, and felt that he was quite meticulous.
Xia Fang stared at Xu Lan coldly. In the past, even when Xu Lan felt that Tan Jing's family background was not that good, she also did not ask Tan Jing to help out in the kitchen on her first day in the house.
Why did she ask Qiao Mei to help when it was also Qiao Mei's first visit here?
There was no precedent in the family of asking the new daughter-in-law to cook on the first day of her visit. The rules in their family were not so regimental yet.
Xu Lan turned her head in embarrassment and coughed lightly before giving Xia Zhe a fierce glare.
Xia Zhe pretended that he did not see anything. It was not as if they had no helper at home. Even during usual times, his aunt and sister-in-law only needed to assist in minor tasks. Although Qiao Mei's culinary skills were really good, the helper also had professional skills.
Dinner was soon ready. Before everyone could get up and go to the dining table, they heard the main door open with a bang.
Everyone turned to look at the door and saw two women walking in with multiple bags in their hands.
Oh my. Xia He, why are you back!
Xia Fang said in surprise.
Between the two women, one was fat and one was thin. One was tall and fair with her hair tied into a high ponytail and wearing a smile as warm as the sun.
The other one looked very similar to Qiao Mei in the past. She probably weighed almost 300 pounds and panted heavily when she walked.
Of course I have to come back and take a look when my brother brings his wife back!
Xia He said to everyone with a smile.
Xia Zhe held Qiao Mei's hand and slowly walked over to Xia He.
Elder sister, this is my wife, Qiao Mei.
After saying that, Xia Zhe turned to Qiao Mei and said,
This is my elder sister, Xia He. You can call her elder sister as well.
Hello, elder sister,
Qiao Mei said with a sweet smile.
Xia He was especially happy to see such a cute and beautiful young girl with a sweet voice.
Hello, hello, hello.
Xia He turned to look at Xia Zhe and said,
Not bad, kid. How did you get such a beautiful wife.
I'll tell you another time. Come and eat first,
Xia Zhe said.
Everyone seemed to ignore the person who came in with Xia He.
Who is this?
Xia Fang asked.
Xia He looked at everyone awkwardly and said,
This is my husband's sister, Kong Li.
Xia Zhe looked at Kong Li thoughtfully and turned to look at Qiao Mei.
Qiao Mei hurriedly shook her head. She knew what Xia Zhe was thinking about and could only hope that he could quickly forget that memory.
Although the fatty in front of her was not as fat as she was back then, her facial features were already distorted by her size in a similar manner.
Xia Zhe looked at Qiao Mei in amusement and did not say anything.
Xia He looked at the two of them making faces at each other as if they were sharing a secret. It seemed to be something that only the two of them knew about and no one else could get involved.
What secret are you two sharing? Don't show off your love and affection in front of me,
Xia He said.
Hello,
Xia Zhe and Qiao Mei said in unison to Kong Li.
Kong Li looked at Xia Zhe in embarrassment and replied shyly,
Hello…
Seeing this, Xia He hurriedly pushed Xia Zhe and Qiao Mei to the dining table to wait for dinner to be served.
273
Before Kong Li could say anything more, she was left standing at the door alone.
Xia He said happily to Xia Mao and Xu Lan,
Father, mother, I'm back. Don't you welcome me?
You're not back to see me. Aren't you here to see your sister-in-law?
Xu Lan rolled her eyes and said while sulking.
Xia He stood there awkwardly. At this moment, Xia Zhe and Qiao Mei were already seated.
Why not? Hurry up and sit down to eat. You haven't been back for a long time,
Xia Mao said.
Only then did Xia He take her seat. Kong Li walked over angrily and stood beside Xia He.
She reached out and gave Xia He a slap on the shoulder, putting on a fake smile as she said,
Why did you walk so fast? Is it because you don't want me to look at your brother?
Xia He's shoulder hurt, but she did not say anything. Xia Zhe frowned when he saw what happened.
Qiao Mei reached out to hold Xia Zhe's hand under the table and shook her head.
Although Xia He had a grudge with this woman, it was still someone else's family matter after all. It was not good to comment without knowing everything.
Upon seeing that Xia He was ignoring her, Kong Li did not say anything else and went to sit down beside Xia Zhe.
You must be my sister-in-law's brother,
Kong Li said while blushing.
Xia He pointed at Kong Li and said angrily,
You stay away from my brother! How can you sit there!
When Kong Li saw that Xia He did not care about embarrassing her, she stood up and banged her hand on the table. She used so much strength that half of the soup was spilled on the table.
Xia Mao and Xia Jun did not raise their heads to see what was going on. Men like them did not participate in matters between women and they pretended not to see it.
Xu Lan frowned and glared at Kong Li.
This is the Xia family residence. What are you doing!
Kong Li pointed at Xu Lan and said,
Since I'm a guest, you have to give in to me. Otherwise, I'll go out and say that the Xia family is unkind and doesn't treat guests well.
If you continue to behave like this, I'll just send you home!
Xia He shouted.
Unexpectedly, Kong Li did not care at all and said indifferently,
It's impossible for you to send me home. I'm going wherever you go. If you're so capable, you can go and tell my brother to see if he will side with you.
There were some things that Xu Lan did not know. Xia He rarely confided in Xu Lan and would talk to Xia Fang instead.
Xia Fang knew that ever since Xia He married into the Kong family, she had not had a peaceful life. Xia He's relationship with her husband, Kong Lu, was no longer the same as before.
Previously, the two of them were very much in love. They had fallen for each other on their own and were not matchmade. Xia He also had a stubborn temper and, like Xia Zhe, she made her own decisions regarding her own marriage and did not say much to her family.
She did not expect Kong Lu to bring his mother and younger sister over to live with him after they got married. Ever since then, the two of them had often quarreled. In addition, Kong Lu was very busy now, so Xia He had to take care of everything at home.
Kong Lu did not know anything about what happened at home.
In the past year, Old Madam Kong kept asking for a grandchild, so she forced Xia He to try for a baby.
However, Xia He did not manage to get pregnant. Old Madam Kong became very angry and started telling the neighbors that Xia He was unable to have children and it made people look down on Xia He.
In the past, Xia He would still explain to the neighbors one by one, but when she could not stop the rumors from spreading, she just endured it.
No one knew why Xia He had returned to the Xia family this time.
Miss Kong, I think you're too unreasonable,
Xia Fang said.
Who do you think you are?
Kong Li could not be bothered with Xia Fang at all.
Xia Fang did not say anything else. She stood up and moved Kong Li's chair to the spot next to her.
Since you're a guest, you should know that guests should follow the host's instructions. Didn't your elders teach you manners?
Xia Fang asked.
This question made Kong Li speechless. When she left her house, Old Madam Kong had told her to do everything she could to create trouble for Xia He.
Now, she could not say that her elders did not teach her manners or this would mean that her family was improper.
Although Kong Li was not smart, she was not a fool.
Chapter 274
Kong Li sat down embarrassedly beside Xia Fang. When she returned home, she would tell her brother that this woman had bullied her and made Xia He suffer for it.
The family finished their meal in silence.
After dinner, Xia Mao left in the military district car. After all, he had a limited amount of time to come home this time and there were still things that he needed to settle at work.
Xia Wen and Tan Jing also had their own work to do and left not long after.
Xia Jun, being an old man, became bored at home after a while and went out for a walk to look for his friends.
As for Xu Lan, she was already retired. Since her children were back, she wanted to speak with them. She had always known that Xia He was unhappy, so she wanted to ask her daughter about what was going on.
Xia Fang quietly pulled Xia He aside, held her hand and asked,
How have you been recently?
Xia He lowered her head in silence.
When Xia Fang saw Xia He like this, she knew that Xia He's life had not improved.
Then why did your sister-in-law come with you? She must be the one who's causing the problem between you and your husband.
Xia Fang glanced at Kong Li who was eating fruits.
I didn't want her to come, but I had no choice. She insisted on coming,
Xia He said with a sigh.
It's fine, just do your thing. You still have me,
Xia Fang said.
Aunt, you don't know how sad the situation is. With her looks, she still wants to find a partner who's an army officer,
Xia He said mockingly.
An army officer? Then why doesn't her brother find one for her but ask you to do it instead?
Xia Fang frowned and said.
It's all because they want to ride on our Xia family's status. They think that we can randomly introduce a soldier to her. Didn't you see how her eyes were on Xiao Zhe the moment she entered?
Xia He became furious at the mention of this.
While the two of them were still talking, Qiao Mei and Xia Zhe were dealing with Kong Li on their end.
You're also my relative. Why don't you bring me out?
Kong Li asked.
Qiao Mei suppressed the anger in her heart and said,
Who's your relative?
How can you not be considered my relative? My sister-in-law is your elder sister.
So we are relatives.
Since we're relatives, why can't you bring me out?
…
Kong Li sat beside Qiao Mei and spoke a lot to convince Qiao Mei that they were considered relatives.
There was nothing that Xia Zhe could say and he could only sit at the side and listen.
Xia Fang and Xia He also noticed what was happening. Xia He was about to go over to speak her mind when Xia Fang pulled her back.
It's fine. Don't worry, Mei Mei knows what she's doing. She won't lose out,
Xia Fang said with a laugh.
After spending so many days together, Xia Fang had a rough idea of Qiao Mei's personality. Qiao Mei had a good character, but she also had quite a fiery temper.
If someone was kind to her, Qiao Mei would definitely return the favor many fold.
I just don't feel like going shopping with you! You stay at home alone! I don't want to bring you to my house either! Even if we're relatives, I don't know you well, so don't try to act familiar with me!
Qiao Mei said, feeling exasperated.
Qiao Mei had no choice when faced with such an unreasonable person. Since being cultured was not an option, she decided to resort to being forceful.
Qiao Mei pulled Xia Zhe along and left without looking back. Seeing this, Xia Fang patted Xia He's hand to reassure her and hurriedly followed them.
Xu Lan sat in the living room and did not say anything. It was not easy to have her children home, but everyone had left by now.
If not for this fatty, her children would still be accompanying her at home.
Auntie, are you going to watch your daughter-in-law bully me like this? I'm a guest after all!
Kong Li shouted at Xu Lan.
Xu Lan could have spoken to Kong Li politely, but the way Kong Li addressed her as
auntie
made her feel unhappy.
Initially, she thought that Qiao Mei was the one she hated the most. She did not expect herself to hate Kong Li even more now.
Xu Lan looked at Kong Li and did not say a word. After all, she was still a guest. If she also reproached this person, she would be criticized if word got out.
Xia He could not do anything about it. Xu Lan had long known that she had such a troublesome sister-in-law.
Chapter 275
Auntie, why don't you say something? Why aren't you saying anything!
Kong Li said as she sat down beside Xu Lan.
It was not a big deal that she sat down, but the sofa suddenly made a loud sound.
Xu Lan's heart skipped a beat. This sofa was bought by her eldest son, Xia Wen, when he got married. It was an imported item and was especially expensive.
Are you feeling full yet? If you don't feel full, then ask them to make something for you outside. If you're full, then take a rest,
Xu Lan said in annoyance.
Kong Li thought that Xu Lan was telling her to eat whatever she wanted. She did not realize that Xu Lan was telling her to shut up.
At this moment, Xia He suddenly received a call.
Hello, who is this?
Xia He asked.
Elder sister, it's me! I'm Qiao Mei! Tell them you have something on and come out quickly!
Qiao Mei said.
What a clever person!
Xia He smiled gently and said,
Yes, yes, I understand. Okay, I'll go now.
After hanging up, she took her bag and prepared to go out.
Where are you going!
Kong Li shouted.
There's some issues at the art troupe. They want me to go over,
Xia He said as she ran out.
After Xia He ran out of the courtyard, she saw Qiao Mei, Xia Zhe and her aunt at the road junction.
Xia He walked over and smiled brightly. She hugged Qiao Mei and said,
How did you come up with this plan?
I reckon you'll feel very tired at home and I think it's better for you to come out and relax with us,
Qiao Mei said with a smile.
Xia He nodded and said agreeably,
Let's go, let me bring you shopping. I'll buy you anything you like today!
Xia He hugged Qiao Mei and they walked in front, chatting and laughing.
Qiao Mei realized that Xia He looked really beautiful when she smiled. Her smile was so dazzling and felt as warm as a little sun.
If she had not married the wrong person, perhaps she would be living in a better and brighter world.
At the thought of this, Qiao Mei smiled and turned to look at Xia Zhe.
Fortunately, she had Xia Zhe and she did not marry the wrong person.
When they arrived at the mall, Xia He found out that Qiao Mei and Xia Zhe were going to stay at the old house and decided that they would need a lot of supplies.
She bought everything for them, from small items like pots and pans to big items like a dining table and furniture. She ordered three sets of bedding items for them, as well as a coffee table, chopping board, oven, water heater, and so on.
Xia He paid for everything. Even before buying everything that they would need, she had already spent more than 1,500 dollars.
At this time, an amount of 1,500 dollars was equivalent to the salary of two people over a year and a half. For people in this era, their salary was only around tens of dollars a month.
It would take two people more than a year without eating or drinking to save 1,500 dollars.
However, Xia He was a rich woman. She was a member of an art troupe that often went out to perform. With the performance fees, salary and bonus, she could earn a few hundred dollars a month.
This was the reason why Old Madam Kong kept bullying Xia He. She wanted to make use of the Xia family's prominence in the capital and also wanted Xia He to give her money every month to pay for her expenses.
They always argued about the same thing.
Initially, Old Madam Kong wanted her to hand over all her salary to the family. At first, Xia He was willing to do so, but after knowing Old Madam Kong's character, she became unwilling to do it.
Old Madam Kong felt indignant and brought this matter up with her son.
Kong Lu was a biased person. He felt that his mother had raised him and his brother alone in the past, so he should be filial to his mother now.
Therefore, Kong Lu handed over all his salary to his family and he did not give Xia He a single cent. Furthermore, Kong Li even asked Xia He to give her more than 100 dollars every month.
Kong Lu seemed not to know about these things. It was not as if Xia He had not told him about what happened before, but he did not really care to listen and only felt that his mother and younger sister would not do such things.
On the other hand, when Kong Li complained to Kong Lu about Xia He every day, Kong Lu listened to her.
For 80% of the time when he was home, he would scold Xia He, saying that she did not take good care of his family and made them suffer. As time passed, Xia He became no longer willing to explain herself to him.
She had chosen to get married to this person and she had never regretted it. However, she did feel a little sad and could not understand how things had ended up like this between Kong Lu and her.
Where had all the previous love and affection gone?
Everything had long been worn down by these trivial matters. The love and affection from the early days had long been forgotten. They had been married for a long time and the first few years of their marriage were still marked with anniversaries. Now, Kong Lu could not even remember Xia He's birthday.
Chapter 276
They strutted down the street and bought a lot of things before returning to the old house.
Xia He felt relaxed the moment she entered. She sat under the grapevine and said,
This house is truly nice.
It's not just the two sections in front anymore. Qiao Mei just bought the two sections which the Cao family had. Now, this entire house belongs to Xiao Zhe and Qiao Mei,
Xia Fang said.
When Xia He heard this news, her eyes lit up. Then, she felt emotional the next moment.
It would be nice to have my own house. Then, I can do whatever I want every day and wake up whenever I want. I don't have to lock all the drawers and cabinets and I don't have to worry about others stealing my things. It would be so nice…
Xia He leaned her head against the vine rack and quietly looked at the sky, imagining her life in the future.
Xia Zhe looked at his sister at this moment and felt that she was like a stranger. In the past, Xia He used to be very carefree and would think of him whenever there was anything nice to eat or drink. She used to live her life with a bright smile on her face.
Now, Xia He was always frowning and thinking about how to get through every day. Her mother-in-law and sister-in-law made things difficult for her, and her husband did not care about her.
Then buy a house for yourself. It's not like your salary isn't enough,
Xia Fang said.
Qiao Mei objected to that suggestion, which caught Xia He by surprise.
Elder sister, do you still plan to stay with that man?
Qiao Mei suddenly asked.
Her question surprised everyone. Xia He's relationship with Kong Lu had not been good for a while and everyone in the family had heard about it. However, how did Qiao Mei know about it?
Xia Zhe was always away in the army and did not know anything about all these things happening with his family. Xia He had only told her aunt and her aunt would never have told Qiao Mei.
Don't look at me like that. I just happened to hear it when I walked past earlier and also guessed most of it from what I saw today,
Qiao Mei said with a smile.
Xia He sighed and smiled resignedly as she said,
I didn't want the two of you to know, but it's also good that you found out. Actually, I came back home this time without any intention to go back.
Qiao Mei nodded. She thought that Xia He was right to think that way. That house was like an inferno and she definitely should not go back.
Since you're not divorced yet, I think the matter of getting a house can wait. If you buy it now, our brother-in-law will get a share of the house. It's possible they will even say that your mother-in-law and sister-in-law will get a share as well,
Qiao Mei explained.
These words were like a wake up call for Xia He. After being married for so many years, all her money had been taken by Old Madam Kong and Kong Li. If her house belonged to them after the divorce, it would be a huge loss to her.
Qiao Mei is right. You can't buy a house yet. The most important thing now is to get a divorce!
Xia Fang said as she turned to look at Xia He.
But is it that easy to get a divorce?
Qiao Mei asked curiously.
She said that she wanted a divorce, but how could she get one?
Xia He and Kong Lu had a military marriage, and Xia He was also a government worker. If Xia He wanted a divorce, she must get Kong Lu's agreement unless it was due to Kong Lu making a serious mistake.
When it came to a conflict between a mother-in-law and a daughter-in-law, there was no serious mistake at all. It was not even a mistake, just a family conflict.
With Xia He being like a cash cow, Kong Lu would not agree to divorce her. Even if Kong Lu agreed, Old Madam Kong would not allow it.
If you get a divorce, then what about your job?
Xia Zhe asked.
That's not a big deal. I've applied for a permanent position in the capital,
Xia He said.
Xia Zhe nodded and felt at ease. He thought that he should look for Kong Lu soon and have a good talk with him. He could not let his sister suffer in vain.
Alright, everyone. Stop troubling yourself with my affairs. The delivery man from the mall will be here with the furniture soon. Let's hurry up and clean up the house,
Xia He said as she stood up.
Qiao Mei rolled up her sleeves and was about to walk into the house when Xia Zhe stopped her midway.
It'll be very dusty when we clean the house. Don't go in. It's not good for your health. When I'm done, then you can go in and do what you need to do,
Xia Zhe said.
Chapter 277
Qiao Mei smiled and nodded. Not long after she sat down, Xia Zhe finished cleaning up. Qiao Mei wanted to go in and have a look at the space to see how the furniture could be arranged, but Xia Zhe stopped her again.
The furniture is all angular. Sit down and let me do it so that you won't accidentally knock into them.
Xia Zhe busied himself with work after saying that.
After that, Xia Zhe kept giving all sorts of reasons to stop Qiao Mei from doing anything.
These things break easily. What if they break and you cut your hand? Go and sit at the side. Don't worry about these things.
Don't get up. Just sit there. It's still very dusty even though it's already been cleaned once. Wait for me to clean it again. Don't come in yet.
The soil in this backyard is dirty. Tell me what you want and I'll do it for you.
Don't move this thing. Tell me what you want to do. This thing is so heavy. What if you can't carry it and hurt yourself?
…
In the house, there was only the sound of Xia Zhe nagging non-stop. Sitting at one side, Xia Fang and Xia He were stunned. They did not expect Xia Zhe, who was usually cold and quiet in front of them, to have such a side to him.
At the sight of this, Xia He could not help but think of the time when Kong Lu wooed her. Back then, he agreed with her on everything, but now…
Xia He felt sad again. There were still good men in the world, but this particular good man was her own brother. She did not meet a good man herself.
Xia Fang could tell what Xia He was thinking. She reached out to stroke Xia He's back and said,
The family will always be your strongest backer. Don't be afraid.
Xia He nodded and said,
I'm fine. I just feel that it's really good that Xiao Zhe turned out this way.
That's true. Qiao Mei is also a smart and quick-witted kid. Moreover, she's very capable and knows how to do almost everything. She learns everything very fast. Xiao Zhe really found a treasure this time,
Xia Fang looked at Qiao Mei and said with a pleased look.
Since Aunt says so, then she must really be quite good. But for some reason, I feel that my mother doesn't like her very much,
Xia He said.
Tsk, don't you know your mother? She just doesn't like the fact that Qiao Mei is from the countryside and is uneducated.
Xia He rolled her eyes and got angry just thinking about it.
Qiao Mei looked at the old house and the busy Xia Zhe. He did not allow her to do anything. What exactly was she allowed to do?
Aunt! Come and discipline your nephew! He doesn't allow me to do anything. I'm so bored!
Qiao Mei rushed to Xia Fang's side and complained to her.
Anyone who heard this delicate voice and saw the aggrieved look on her face would think that she did not do anything wrong at all. It must be someone else's fault.
Xia Zhe stood where he was and looked at Xia Fang, indicating to her that he did not do anything.
How about this? It's getting quite late. Let's go out to buy groceries and then come back to cook,
Xia He said.
Good idea. I suppose it will be alright with you if I just cook!
Qiao Mei turned around and shouted at Xia Zhe.
Xia Zhe looked at Qiao Mei, who was so annoyed with him, and found her so cute and funny.
Yes, yes, yes. You guys go ahead then. I'll stay at home and pack these things.
After saying that, Xia Zhe went back into the house to continue packing.
Qiao Mei walked out arm in arm with Xia Fang and Xia He on each side. After a short distance, Xia Fang tapped Qiao Mei's hand.
Walk properly outside and don't do unnecessary things. If others see you, they'll gossip about you again. Later, they'll put up posters in the alley to criticize you!
Xia Fang said.
Qiao Mei retracted her arms aggrievedly and walked behind silently. Even if it made Qiao Mei feel wronged, Xia Fang had to tell her that. Otherwise, it would not be good if someone got hold of some evidence and gossiped about it.
After all, once gossip started spreading, there was no way to know how the story might get twisted in the end.
If one bought a fish today and the neighbors found out and spread the word about it, the story narrated tomorrow might be that one had bought a cow. This was quite common.
One needed to be careful when one was outside. Some people were just plain nasty and could not bear to see others doing well. If you were doing well, they would get jealous and then think of ways to snatch away what you had.
278
They went to the market nearby to buy some vegetables and fruits before heading home.
Oh my, Grandpa Zhou!
Qiao Mei saw Zhou Sheng at the entrance of the alley and greeted him warmly.
When Zhou Sheng turned around and saw that it was Qiao Mei, he smiled so widely that it was as if he had seen his own granddaughter.
Oh, Mei Mei, you're back!
Zhou Sheng said with a smile.
Yes I am. Grandpa Zhou, where are you going?
Qiao Mei asked.
Me? I'm just heading home after a walk. Oh, Xiao Fang is also here too. And who is this?
Zhou Sheng asked curiously as he looked at Xia He.
Grandpa Zhou, I'm Xiao He,
Xia He said.
It was no wonder that Zhou Sheng could not recognize her. Xia He did not used to go to the old house often. During her schooldays, she went to boarding school and did not go home much. She only saw Zhou Sheng more often when she was much younger and living with her grandparents.
Oh my, it's Xiao He! You're so grown up now and so beautiful,
Zhou Sheng said happily.
Back then, Xia He also did not hold a wedding banquet. Xu Lan did not agree to this marriage to begin with, and Kong Lu was still poor then and could not afford to pay for a wedding at all. He even needed to borrow money to prepare the betrothal gifts.
Zhou Sheng did not know that Xia He got married. The last time he saw Xia He, it was when Xia Zhe's grandmother passed away.
Grandpa Zhou, I bought a lot of groceries. Come to our house for dinner!
Qiao Mei said as she swung the groceries in front of Zhou Sheng.
I'd better not. I won't go given that you're having a family reunion,
Zhou Sheng waved his hand and said.
Grandpa Zhou, it's just me, Xia Zhe, Aunt, and elder sister. You must come. I'm going to go back and cook now. Don't stand on ceremony with me. I'll take it that you've agreed. You must come and eat,
Qiao Mei left with her things the moment she finished talking.
This child is in such a rush,
Zhou Sheng said as he smiled and shook his head.
Xia Fang and Xia He bade farewell to Zhou Sheng and he headed home.
Qiao Mei thought that she did not manage to show off her skills at Zhou Sheng's house the last time. Today, she must cook some nice dishes for Zhou Sheng. They could also celebrate their elder sister's homecoming as well.
As soon as Qiao Mei entered the house, she rushed into the kitchen. Xia Fang wanted to go in and help but was pushed out by Qiao Mei.
There's no need to help me. I can do it by myself. Aunt and elder sister, why not go and take a seat in the house and take a look at how the furniture is being arranged. I'm worried that Xia Zhe won't be able to get it right on his own,
Qiao Mei said.
Xia Fang and Xia He had no choice but to go into the house to help Xia Zhe with the furnishings.
The furniture that they bought today had all arrived. Compared to the relatively empty house from before, it now had a more warm human touch to it. However, the new furniture were all modern designs, so there was no classy vintage feel anymore.
There was also a huge dining table in the main hall that was big enough to accommodate the entire Xia family. For normal mealtimes, there was another small dining table.
Elder sister, is there anything that you don't eat?
Qiao Mei, wearing an apron and holding a kitchen knife and spatula in her hands, ran over and asked.
The way she looked gave three of them a fright.
Oh my goodness, my little ancestor. Why did you come out like this? What if you fall and get hurt by this kitchen knife!
Xia Fang hurriedly took the kitchen knife from Qiao Mei.
Xia Zhe also had a troubled expression on his face.
Qiao Mei smiled awkwardly and quietly moved the spatula in her hand behind her back. She asked in a playful tone,
Elder sister, is there anything you don't eat? Anything that you avoid eating.
I eat everything. I'm not picky. I'll eat anything you make,
Xia He said.
Alright, I got it.
With that, Qiao Mei returned to the kitchen to get busy.
Xia Fang was still worried about Qiao Mei and followed her while holding the kitchen knife.
While there was a lively atmosphere in the Xia residence, Zhou Sheng had a frown on his face when he got home.
It was not due to any serious matter. It was just that when he first met Qiao Mei, he did not give her anything nice. This time, he must bring her an appropriate gift.
He searched through his house but could not find anything that was suitable for Qiao Mei. Throughout his life, he had no other hobbies except writing calligraphy.
Zhou Sheng took out a calligraphy piece with the words
Harmonious Family
written on it, which he had personally written in the past, and encased it into a frame.
Chapter 279
Before he entered the courtyard, Zhou Sheng shouted from the door,
Xia Zhe, can you come out quickly?
Xia Zhe put down what he was doing in the house and ran out in a hurry. When he opened the door, he saw Zhou Sheng standing there with a picture frame that was even taller than him.
Grandpa Zhou, what is this?
Xia Zhe asked as he hurriedly took the picture frame from Zhou Sheng.
The last time Mei Mei came to my house, I didn't give her anything. I don't have anything valuable, and I only like to write. I thought that I'll give both of you a calligraphy piece which I wrote previously. Hopefully it will bring good tidings to you,
Zhou Sheng said while panting.
When Zhou Sheng entered the house, Qiao Mei finished cooking at the same time.
Grandpa Zhou, you've come at the right time. I've just finished cooking. Eh? What's this?
Qiao Mei looked curiously at the thing that Xia Zhe was holding.
It's a calligraphy piece by Grandpa Zhou. He said it's for you,
Xia Zhe said.
Qiao Mei liked things like antiques, paintings and calligraphy the most.
Thank you, Grandpa Zhou. I love these things the most. Grandpa Zhou, quickly come in and eat.
Qiao Mei held on to him and helped him into the house.
Xia Zhe took the calligraphy into the study and hung it up. Previously, Qiao Mei had thought that the study looked ordinary and did not feel like a study at all. Once the calligraphy was hung up, the room suddenly had a more scholarly feel.
When everyone sat down, they saw a table full of nice dishes. There were only five of them but the food was enough for twelve people. There were eight dishes and one soup, plus a cold dish.
There were a total of 10 dishes.
Are we celebrating any festival today? Why are there so many delicious dishes?
Zhou Sheng asked curiously.
It's because our elder sister is back. Besides, I didn't make any delicious food at Grandpa Zhou's house the last time. Everyone can try my cooking this time!
Qiao Mei said with a smile.
Mei Mei is nicest to me. She even makes me so much delicious food when I'm back.
Xia He smiled happily.
In the letter that Xia He received from home, Xu Lan had mentioned Qiao Mei's family background. Therefore, Xia He thought that if Qiao Mei was from a small family, she must be a petty person. She did not expect Qiao Mei to be not only capable, but also very eloquent.
Alright, alright, everyone. Stop praising me. Hurry up and eat,
Qiao Mei said.
Xia Fang was used to Qiao Mei's cooking, so she felt that it tasted normal and was not surprised by the spread.
However, the other three people had shocked looks on their faces. They could not believe that Qiao Mei's culinary skills were actually comparable to that of a chef from a five-star restaurant.
Mei Mei, your culinary skills are really fantastic. Xiao Zhe really has it good with a girl like you around,
Zhou Sheng said with a sigh.
Xia He also felt the same way. There was nothing that tasted like this at the Kong family residence. She did not know how to cook and just ate whatever that Old Madam Kong cooked.
At the art troupe, there were usually meals provided. If she had to go back at night, she would find something else to eat or go to a restaurant. Ever since Old Madam Kong came to live with them, she had to eat the food that the old lady cooked.
The issue with the food made by Old Madam Kong was that it was not a matter of whether the food was edible or not, but more a matter of whether the food was safe enough to eat without getting poisoned.
Even with such food, Kong Li could still become so fat. When Xia He first got married, Kong Li did not look like this. Later on, after the mother and daughter took all her money, Kong Li started to eat and drink so much that she became obscenely fat.
The Xia family had a helper to do the chores. After Xia He got married, she did not do any housework at first. After Old Madam Kong came, the old lady asked her to wash the dishes every day.
Xia He often needed to perform in front of the camera and sometimes, there would be close-ups of her hands and face. If she washed the dishes often, her hands would not look as good as before. She had a longstanding argument with Old Madam Kong over this matter.
She originally thought that Kong Lu would back her up when he returned, but not only did he not help her, he even said that it was a woman's duty to do these chores. In the end, she had no choice but to wash the dishes while wearing gloves.
After dinner, Xia Zhe rushed to wash the dishes and clear the table, making Qiao Mei feel embarrassed.
During that era, these chores should be done by women. If a woman did not do the cleaning up and other people saw it, they would gossip about her.
280
There was still Grandpa Zhou and his elder sister around. Xia Zhe had gone ahead to do the cleaning up without thinking about how they might react.
This Xiao Zhe knows how to dote on his wife. Not bad, not bad. This is how it should be.
Zhou Sheng looked at Xia Zhe and praised him.
Qiao Mei, there's no need to be shy. Our family doesn't have so many rules. These are all things that Xiao Zhe can do. You don't have to do these things,
Xia He said.
When she heard what elder sister and Grandpa Zhou said, Qiao Mei's face turned even redder.
Why are you blushing? I didn't say anything about you. Alright, alright. The young girl is shy so I shan't say anything more. I'm going to head back.
Zhou Sheng teased her before leaving and slowly made his way back to his house.
Xia He packed her things and prepared to leave.
Elder sister, I've already tidied up the guest room for you. You can stay here,
Qiao Mei said.
I want to stay here too, but Kong Li is still at home. If she causes any trouble, I won't be able to show my face next time,
Xia He said helplessly.
With Kong Li's temper, she would definitely anger their grandfather if she stayed in the Xia family residence.
Moreover, Xia He's parents placed their things casually around the house and did not lock the drawers and cabinet doors. If anything went missing at home or Kong Li broke something, it would be too embarrassing to have to explain it to her family.
Thinking of this, she felt worried.
Come to my house then. My place is the most suitable,
Xia Fang said.
In Xia Fang's apartment compound, there were people whose tempers were comparable with Kong Li's temper. It might even lead to an exciting drama later.
That'll do. So sorry to have to disturb you, Aunt,
Xia He said to Xia Fang with a grin.
What a glib tongue. Let's go quickly. If we miss the last bus, we won't be able to go back,
Xia Fang said.
After the two of them reached the door, Xia Fang suddenly made her way back anxiously. She held Xia Zhe's hand and walked him to the side, then she whispered,
Don't be rash, kid. She's still in the early stages and she can't handle any rough action.
Although it was medically safe for Qiao Mei to sleep with Xia Zhe by this stage of the pregnancy, Xia Fang was worried that Xia Zhe did not know his limits. If he used too much strength and hurt Qiao Mei, it would be bad if something went wrong.
Xia Zhe understood what Xia Fang meant and nodded with a blushing face.
After speaking with Xia Zhe, Xia Fang left with Xia He.
Only Qiao Mei and Xia Zhe were left in the huge house. For a moment, they felt that it was too quiet.
Mei Mei, the hot water is ready. Do you want to take a shower?
Xia Zhe asked.
Yes, but the dishes in the kitchen are not washed yet. I'll go wash the dishes first,
Qiao Mei said.
Go take a shower. By the time you're done, I will be done washing these dishes. Then I'll go and take a shower. You don't have to worry about these things. Go quickly.
Xia Zhe pushed Qiao Mei to the bathroom door situated in the side room.
Thank you for your hard work.
Qiao Mei tiptoed in a playful manner and gave Xia Zhe a quick kiss on the cheek before rushing into the bathroom.
Xia Zhe was left alone outside the door. He stood in a daze as if he was still reminiscing about the kiss just now.
Don't stand at the door in a daze. Go quickly!
Qiao Mei shouted from the bathroom.
Oh, oh! Call me if you need anything!
Xia Zhe went to the kitchen to wash the dishes after he got his senses back.
After they both showered, the two of them went back to the bedroom and lay down on the bed.
It was finally a world where there were only the two of them. Previously, when they were together in the army camp, they were surrounded by his comrades who had very sensitive hearing. There were also patrols every day, so he did not dare to make any sound at all.
At the current moment, no one could hear what they said or did in the house.
Xia Zhe gently hugged Qiao Mei in his arms and buried his head in her neck to take a deep breath.
You smell so good…
Xia Zhe said intoxicatedly.
Qiao Mei, who had a sensitive neck, could not help but laugh.
Hahahahaha, don't touch me there. It's so itchy!
Qiao Mei said while laughing.
Xia Zhe raised his head and adjusted his position. He placed his hand on Qiao Mei's stomach and touched it gently, as if he was greeting the baby in her belly.
Alright, both my big baby and little baby, go to sleep. If you don't sleep soon, I'll eat you up and leave nothing behind!
Xia Zhe said as he closed his eyes.
When Qiao Mei heard what Xia Zhe said, she looked at him with her big sparkling eyes and said coquettishly,
So what if you eat me? Don't just talk about it without doing anything!