Chapter 1662 - 1086: Encounter
The second watch.
-----------
At six in the morning, the whole big family got up early and started bustling about. The men were in charge of setting up the borrowed tables and stools nice and neat, then hanging strings of firecrackers outside the door, while the women busied themselves washing vegetables and meat, chopping and prepping ingredients. The couple who had come to help with the cooking also arrived early. The whole Zhao’s house became the busiest sight in the village.
Just after eight o’clock, Old Master Zhou, Old Madam Zhou, Zhou Jingping and Lin Yan arrived. After exchanging a few greetings with everyone, they hurried off to look for Chuxia and the twins. They hadn’t seen them for several days and had missed them to death!
The row of small cars parked outside made the village kids shriek and laugh like crazy, and the adults all stood around at a distance, watching with envy written all over their faces.
"That Old Zhao’s House is really something!"
"Yeah, even when the county magistrate’s family held a full-month banquet they didn’t have this many cars, did they?"
"Of course not. When the county magistrate goes to the countryside, he still rides a bicycle."
"I’m telling you, the county magistrate’s rank isn’t as high as the county party secretary’s. Maybe when the county party secretary’s kid has a full-month banquet, that’d compare with this show of status."
"Nonsense, the highest in the county is definitely the county magistrate, how could it be the county party secretary?"
"You really don’t know a thing, do you? Don’t go saying that outside, you’ll embarrass yourself to death!"
"Don’t act like you know everything. I don’t believe you!"
"If you don’t believe it, go ask Yushan later, he’ll definitely know about this."
"..."
Standing at the doorway, listening to this clear, pleasing gossip, Wang Meifeng curled her lip. No matter how big the show, it had nothing to do with her.
In this family, has anyone ever truly valued her?
Before, Second Aunt had still been somewhat close to her. Now, even Second Aunt was siding with Lin Chuxia. To put it bluntly, they all just fawn on the high and step on the low. If they hadn’t thought she had prospects back then and wanted to use her to get Second Uncle a better future, would Second Aunt have treated her well?
Ai...
She sighed. Just as she was about to turn back, she saw another car drive up. Wang Meifeng unconsciously stopped in her tracks, and then, seeing the people getting out of the car, she froze on the spot...
"Yushan, you’ve got more guests!"
Someone shouted from outside at the top of his lungs. Zhao Yushan quickly jogged out to greet them. Seeing the group of people standing by the car, he was a bit stunned. One of them stepped up and grabbed his hand, shaking it hard. "Uncle Zhao, we’ve come uninvited, hope you don’t mind?"
"Don’t mind, don’t mind at all..." While he answered repeatedly, Zhao Yushan was still racking his brains, trying to recall who this was. Why did he have no impression of this person at all?
The old lady standing in the back saw the look on Zhao Yushan’s face and laughed. She took a step forward and said, "We met once last time. I’m Baohe’s grandaunt."
Just then, Lin Baohe happened to come out of the yard. When he saw clearly who had come, a look of joy instantly spread across his face. "Great Aunt, Ning Jiang, Qiao Ying, hello!"
Only then did Zhao Yushan come back to his senses. The last time he had met this group it was winter, and they’d all been wrapped up tight. He hadn’t dared lift his head to take a good look. No wonder he couldn’t recognize them now!
"Since you don’t think of me, I had no choice but to bring myself here..." The old lady snorted at Lin Baohe. "I’m going to see those two little ones. I haven’t seen them for months, and you never thought to stop by and let me have a look!"
Word had already spread inside. Chuxia led the two little ones out to greet them. Seeing the twins toddling along unsteadily, Great Aunt’s eyes curved into slits with her smile. "Oh my, my precious Baobao, I’ve missed this old grandaunt so much. Come over here and let grandaunt have a look."
As she spoke, the old lady was about to crouch down. Qiao Ying, who was standing beside her, hurriedly grabbed her. "Grandma, we can’t be doing that. How many times have I told you, you can’t just squat down all of a sudden? If you want to play with Nannan and Beibei, let’s go inside and you can sit down and play properly. Now that we’re here, you think Chuxia would hide Nannan and Beibei away and not let you play with them?"
Chuxia quickly said, "Exactly. As long as Great Aunt doesn’t find them a nuisance, let them keep you company all the time."
"That won’t do. If they keep me company all the time, your mother-in-law will be unhappy..." As the old lady spoke, she reached out and patted Nannan and Beibei on their little heads. "Isn’t that right, you two?"
"Mm!"
The two little ones nodded hard at the same time and answered loudly, startling Chuxia so much that she stared at them in disbelief, then turned to the old lady. "Great Aunt, you really do have some pull. They’re usually too lazy to talk. Today is the first time in two months they’ve spoken so freely."
"See? You should’ve brought them to play with me long ago. These two Baobao like me." The old lady spoke as she stretched out her hands. "Let grandaunt take you inside, all right?"
"Okay!"
The two little ones sensibly gave a straightforward answer and happily put their tiny hands into the old lady’s. Everyone watching was dumbfounded...
"Hello..." A girl who had been standing behind everyone stepped forward, gave Chuxia a delicate smile, and greeted her.
"Lin Chuxia?" Slightly stunned, a big smile bloomed on Chuxia’s face. "Welcome, welcome. Looks like Great Aunt is particularly fond of you, huh?" Otherwise, the old lady would never have brought Lin Chuxia to this kind of occasion.
"Yes, Great Aunt treats me especially well, Big Brother Qiao and my sister‑in‑law are good to me too. When Uncle Qiao and Auntie Qiao come home, they’re also very nice to me. Thank you for finding me this job..." As she spoke, Lin Chuxia turned back and pulled over the man who was standing there in a daze. "Let me introduce you, this is Loo Ping, my boyfriend."
As soon as Lin Chuxia finished speaking, Loo Ping politely nodded to Chuxia. "Hello, I’m Loo Ping."
Chuxia also nodded to him politely. "Hello, my name is Lin Chuxia as well."
Average height, slightly fair skin, fine brows and long eyes, a high nose bridge, thin lips, a 3/7 side part, black khaki pants paired with a white shirt—a very clean and fresh‑looking guy.
If she hadn’t heard Wang Meifeng mention this person before, Chuxia honestly wouldn’t have found him the least bit unlikeable.
Of course, she wasn’t about to stick her nose in. She and Lin Chuxia could only be considered casual acquaintances. Back then she’d helped her because she’d been pissed off by that scumbag. If this time Lin Chuxia still picked a scumbag, she could only blame her own lousy taste.
No wonder when she came out just now she saw Wang Meifeng standing there in a daze—turns out she’d just seen her dream man... Shifting her gaze to Wang Meifeng, who was still out of it, Chuxia secretly curled her lip. For a guy like this, was it really worth losing her composure like that?
"Come on, let’s go in. Don’t just stand out here." Chuxia beckoned the two of them to go inside. As they walked past Wang Meifeng, Chuxia’s sleeve was yanked. She turned her head and looked at the other woman calmly, saying nothing.
"Loo Ping, this is my first cousin." Wang Meifeng’s face bloomed with a smile as she affectionately hooked her arm through Chuxia’s. "Xia, I know Loo Ping too—earlier than Lin Chuxia does, actually."
The smile on Loo Ping’s face froze right there.
He’d seen Wang Meifeng the moment he got out of the car.
He naturally knew about the relationship between Wang Meifeng and Chuxia, but... His gaze hesitated, darting between the two women’s faces. Suppressing the disgust churning in her chest, Chuxia looked at Wang Meifeng. "Sister Meifeng, let’s go in."
The tense knot in Wang Meifeng’s heart finally loosened, and she let out a long breath. Just now she’d really been taking a gamble, afraid that Chuxia would shake off her hand and call her out. Since she was willing to calmly call her "sister," that was enough!
For the first time, something like gratitude toward Chuxia rose up in Wang Meifeng’s heart.
After they went inside, Wang Meifeng stuck to Loo Ping’s side the whole time, constantly finding things to say to him. It was obvious Loo Ping was in a bit of a bind as well—he’d say one sentence to Wang Meifeng, then turn back and smile at Lin Chuxia.
This feeling was just too miserable. Lin Chuxia looked over at Loo Ping. "You two talk, I’ll go see if Grandma Qiao needs any help."
"Do you want me to go with you?" Loo Ping asked.
"No need." Lin Chuxia quickly refused. Yeah right, she was going over there precisely to escape this awkward scene—how could she bring him along? Wouldn’t that just make them lose face right in front of the elders?
There wasn’t much to help with on Old Madam Qiao’s side, so Lin Chuxia simply went off to find Chuxia.
Nannan and Beibei had been snatched away by the elders, and there wasn’t anything else she could really help with, so Chuxia had gone to Luo Xiaoqiong’s room to keep her company.
"Xia, you’re really good at this." Watching Chuxia deftly put a clean diaper on the little one, Luo Xiaoqiong, who had just worked herself into a sweaty mess, looked at her with full‑on envy. "If only I could be this skilled someday."
"Practice makes perfect. Nannan and Beibei are almost a year old now. If I still couldn’t even change a diaper smoothly, I’d be way too incompetent. Don’t rush it. In less than two months, you’ll be just as good as me."
"I hope so..." Luo Xiaoqiong sighed. "It’s not like you don’t know how clumsy I am."
"Hello."
Chuxia and Luo Xiaoqiong looked up at the same time and saw Lin Chuxia standing at the door. They both smiled and waved her in.
"So cute..." Staring curiously at the tiny little bundle lying on the kang, Lin Chuxia reached out a hand, then shrank it back in fright. He was really too small; she didn’t quite dare touch him.
"It’s fine, as long as your hands aren’t cold you can touch him. He loves being touched." As Luo Xiaoqiong spoke, she grabbed Lin Chuxia’s hand to feel the temperature, then directly pressed it onto Longlong’s little face...
Chuxia looked at her newly promoted mom‑friend, lines of exasperation practically drawn across her forehead. Who does that? He’s only a month‑old tender little thing. It’s one thing to let people touch him, but could you be a bit gentler?
Sure enough, the little guy frowned and started whining and crying.
Lin Chuxia looked completely at a loss.
"It’s okay, it’s okay, he’s just hungry." Luo Xiaoqiong said as she picked him up and turned her back. "You sit and chat with Chuxia. He’ll be fine once he’s full."
Feeling a bit uncomfortable, Lin Chuxia sat down on the kang. After hesitating for a while, she looked at Chuxia. "Your cousin came to me and asked me to give Loo Ping to her. But... but at that time I hadn’t decided to accept Loo Ping yet, so I told her I didn’t like him and that she could go after him herself. But now, we’ve actually ended up together..." She mumbled, trailing off.