Chapter 103 A Prominent Family

The sun scorched the muddy ground of the military compound.

The cicadas in the trees were chirping louder and louder, each one straining its throat to express the heat of summer.

Under the shade of the tree, a group of teenagers gathered, led by Xie Zhiyuan, who held a picture book with pictures of Sun Wukong, Sha Wujing, and Zhu Bajie in his hand. The glossy paper on the picture book was wrinkled from sweat, but he still treasured it dearly.

The child crying loudly was Xie Xiaojun, Xiang Chunhua's grandson.

Hearing the crying, Huang Guilan felt a pang in her heart, thinking that An'an and Ningning had been bullied.

Ignoring Xiang Chunhua's two grandsons, Xie Xiaojun and Xie Xiaobing, she squatted down and carefully examined An An and Ning Ning. She found two scratches on the back of An An's hand, both of which were broken. Her chest was suddenly pulled hard.

She quickly took An'an's muddy little hand in hers and gently breathed on it, "Hoo...does it hurt? An'an, who scratched you like this?"

When Xiang Chunhua saw her grandson crying loudly, she quickly grabbed Xie Xiaojun's hand and asked, "Xiaojun, who bullied you?"

“Nobody bullied him. He stole my sister’s picture cards and hit her. I pushed him.”

The one who spoke was Xie Zhiyuan, who was fuming.

Xie Zhiyuan had met Xie Xiaojun and Xie Xiaobing before. These two kids were notorious troublemakers, just like their grandmother Xiang Chunhua, who was domineering and unreasonable.

They were playing with picture cards on the floor, having a great time.

The Xie brothers, Xiaojun and Xiaojun, immediately snatched An'an and Ningning's picture cards and even pushed the delicate Ningning to the ground.

The Xie brothers, Zhiyuan, Mingyuan, Chengyuan, and Boyuan, were naturally unhappy.

They also pushed the two brothers to the ground.

Without saying a word, the two brothers got up and rushed over to snatch the picture cards from An'an's arms, scratching the back of An'an's hand.

Xie Zhiyuan recounted the events to Huang Guilan, then glared angrily at the Xie brothers, Xie Xiaojun and Xie Xiaobing.

"Thank you, Xiaojun and Xiaobing. If you dare to bully my sister again, I won't care if you're guests or not. If you want to play with these picture cards, you can play if my sister is willing. If she's not willing, you can't just take them from her. If you dare to take them again, I'll beat you until you cry for your parents."

Upon hearing Xie Zhiyuan's words, Xiang Chunhua's dark face darkened, and she reached out to snatch the picture cards that An'an was tightly clutching in her arms. "It's just a few picture cards. What's wrong with my little Bing and Xiao Jun playing with them? As the hosts, shouldn't you be treating your guests well?"

Xiang Chunhua didn't manage to snatch the foreign painting.

Xie Zhiyuan reached out and grabbed Xiang Chunhua's dark and thin arm. "Grandma Xiang, you can't touch my sister's things unless she agrees."

Xie Zhiyuan forcefully pushed away this dark and thin arm.

Bearing Xie Zhiyuan's warning.

The push was quite forceful, and Xiang Chunhua almost lost her balance.

After she regained her balance, she glared angrily at Huang Guilan and snorted, "Huang Guilan, you better control your brat grandson. My grandson wants to play with these picture cards, so hurry up and get your brat to take them out."

“My An'an and Ningning aren’t brats.” This time, Huang Guilan was truly angry.

But she still considered the kinship between the two families, so she called Xiang Chunhua "sister-in-law" and declared very seriously, "I told you, all my daughters-in-law are my treasures. My twin granddaughters are the apple of our family's eye."

"I think you've got a screw loose, treating these two money-losing things like treasures. What treasures? More like toads."

"Laigebao" is a local dialect term used in Jincheng.

It means toad.

Huang Guilan was so angry when she heard the word "toad" that her chest ached.

If it weren't for the fact that tomorrow is Xingyue and Zhongming's wedding day, she would definitely have kicked Xiang Chunhua out and cut off all contact with her, never to see her again.

At this moment, Xiang Chunhua tried to snatch the picture book from An'an's arms, saying, "Give it to me. It's something my grandson wants to play with, so you have to give it to him. Let go, or I'll slap you."

"Get out of my way." The Xie brothers, Mingyuan and Boyuan, pulled Xiang Chunhua away.

The Xie brothers, Zhiyuan and Chengyuan, protected An'an and Ningning.

The argument attracted onlookers, all of whom were relatives of the Xie and Huang families.

Zhang Hongmei shouted, "What's going on? Why are they arguing?"

Xiang Chunhua slapped her thigh and looked at the crowd of onlookers. "Look at this! My husband Xie and I brought our two grandsons all the way from the next county to attend the wedding of Xie's fourth son. Huang Guilan's granddaughter wouldn't even let my grandson play with a few picture cards. Her grandsons even hit my grandson. Does she have any manners as a host?"

Zhang Hongmei was a reasonable person. She raised her voice and replied, "Sister Chunhua, your Xiaojun and Xiaobing are the older brothers. How can they take their sister's things? That's where your grandson is wrong."

Xiang Chunhua was unconvinced and shouted in a shrill voice, "My Xiaojun and Xiaobing want to play with these picture cards, and they won't give them to me."

“I hit them because he grabbed my sister’s arm first.” Xie Zhiyuan lifted An’an’s little arm, which had several red marks on it.

Then, Xie Zhiyuan snatched the marbles from Xie Xiaobing and Xie Xiaojun's hands, which were in a net bag. "Fine, my sister wants to play with these marbles too. Xie Xiaojun and Xie Xiaobing can't refuse her."

Xiang Chunhua glared at Xie Zhiyuan, "How could you snatch my Xiaojun and Xiaobing's marbles? Don't you have any manners?"

Xiang Chunhua tried to snatch the marbles, but Xie Zhiyuan held them above his head and easily dodged them.

Although he is almost eleven years old and still a child, he is already taller than Xiang Chunhua.

In terms of momentum, she had already overwhelmed Xiang Chunhua.

A toddler, speaking like an adult, declared, "Grandma Xiang, what's wrong? Is it okay for officials to set fires while commoners are forbidden even to light lamps? Your little soldiers snatched my sister's picture cards and hit her, and that's right? My sister wanted to play with these marbles, and I took them from her, and that's considered ill-mannered? Is this what you call 'manners'?"

Xiang Chunhua was so embarrassed by the retort that she stammered and couldn't say a word, "I, I..."

At this moment, Xie Jiang and his cousin Xie Feng walked into the courtyard.

Seeing everyone gathered around his wife, Xie Feng asked, "What's all the commotion about, old woman? Did you get into another argument?"

Xie Feng was also having a headache. This marriage was arranged, and his wife was uneducated, petty, and often argued with people.

Before leaving, Xie Feng repeatedly reminded him not to argue with anyone.

After Zhang Hongmei loudly recounted the whole story to Xie Feng, Xie Feng glared at Xiang Chunhua with sharp eyes and said, "I always teach you not to spoil Xiao Jun and Xiao Bing. If they grab other people's things whenever they see them, and they still do this when they grow up, will they end up in jail eating prison food?"

Xie Jiang didn't care about Xie Feng and Xiang Chunhua, as he had brought Xie Xiaojun and Xie Xiaobing to his home today as guests.

He nodded in agreement, saying, "Brother Feng, you're right to educate him. We've watched this kid grow up from a young age, so we have to be strict with his character when he's young. If we don't discipline him now that he's made a mistake, he'll really be taught a lesson by the police when he grows up."

If Xie Xiaojun and Xie Xiaobing had been fighting over the paintings belonging to their four grandsons, Zhiyuan, Mingyuan, Boyuan, and Chengyuan, Xie Jiang might have smoothed things over because the two families were relatives, saying that it was alright and that the four grandsons could give a few paintings to Xiaojun and Xiaobing.

But what they stole was An An Ning Ning's foreign paintings.

An'an's hand was scratched.

Xie Jiang wasn't going to play the good guy.

His granddaughter is the family's darling, and they can't be bullied in the slightest.

The two granddaughters had already suffered a lot when they were with Xingyue.

No one can bully An An Ning Ning anymore.

Although Xiang Chunhua is unreasonable, Xie Feng is an upright person. He has been guarding the border for many years and this time he came back to visit his relatives and happened to meet his cousin Xie Jiang's fourth son getting married and holding a wedding banquet.

He glared sternly at his two grandsons, "Xiaojun, Xiaobing, stand by the wall and reflect on your actions."

Xiang Chunhua wanted to protect her two grandsons, but Xie Feng glared at her, and she didn't dare to say a word.

The Xie brothers, Xiaojun and Xiaobing, were afraid of their grandfather, Xie Feng. They knew that if they disobeyed, their grandfather's stick would hit them, and it would hurt a lot. So they obediently walked to the corner of the wall, ready to accept their punishment.

"stop!"

Xie Feng shouted, and the Xie brothers, Xiao Jun and Xiao Bing, obediently stopped and turned to look at him. "Grandpa, we know we were wrong."

"We haven't apologized to An'an and Ningning yet," Xie Feng said seriously.

Xie Xiaojun and Xie Xiaobing quickly looked at An An and Ning Ning, "An An, Ning Ning, we're sorry, we shouldn't have taken your picture cards."

Although unwilling, under the grandfather's imposing presence, he had no choice but to admit his mistake and apologize.

This scene was witnessed by Qiao Xingyue, who was outside the courtyard gate and about to step over the threshold.

She and Xie Zhongming had just arrived from the courtyard when they witnessed a heartwarming scene of An An and Ning Ning being bullied, with the whole family protecting them.

My heart suddenly felt warm.

The Xie family truly doted on An An and Ning Ning as if they were their own precious treasures.

Qiao Xingyue was deeply moved by having such a family.

In the past, when An'an and Ningning suffered injustices outside, only their mother, An'an, would protect them. Now, the entire Xie family is protecting the two children. With so many people caring for them, this is the most reassuring source of confidence.

This warm and loving affection was even more comforting than the summer sun, so warming that Qiao Xingyue felt a lump in her throat. She just wanted to cherish this precious family bond deep in her heart.

Xie Jiang carried An An and Ning Ning back to the main room, preparing to clean An An's wounds.

Shen Liping gave Xie Zhiyuan a big thumbs up, "Son, that was nice. You know how to protect your sister. Mom will give you a compliment."

"She's my own sister, of course I have to protect her." Xie Zhiyuan strode after his grandfather Xie Jiang. "I'm going to check on An'an's injury."

Sun Xiuxiu patted her two sons, Xie Chengyuan and Xie Boyuan, on the head, saying, "If anyone bullies An'an and Ningning in the future, you must protect your sister just like you did today, understand?"

"Mom, don't worry."

As they were talking, Shen Liping, Sun Xiuxiu, and Huang Guilan watched as Xie Zhongming and Qiao Xingyue walked through the courtyard gate.

Qiao Xingyue wore a new outfit today to appreciate the gifts.

She wore a white short-sleeved polyester top, the fabric was crisp and had a slightly translucent sheen, and the neckline was trimmed with a thin, off-white edge. When the wind blew, the hem of the top swayed gently, revealing her slender limbs.

She paired it with a bright red polka-dot maxi skirt that reached below her knees.

The dress was a bright, festive red, with evenly spaced white polka dots. As she walked toward Huang Guilan, Sun Xiuxiu, and Shen Liping, the skirt swayed, revealing a glimpse of her fair legs. She wore a pair of clean, black and white leather shoes, looking sharp and incredibly eye-catching.

The guests sitting at the square table in the courtyard, eating peanuts and melon seeds and chatting, couldn't help but look at the eye-catching Qiao Xingyue.

Her long, jet-black hair was tied on the right side, hanging down to her chest, with a long red polka-dot ribbon tied to the ponytail. She was all smiles.

"Oh, Guilan, this is your new bride, Qiao, Qiao what was it again?"

"Qiao Xingyue!" Huang Guilan hurriedly took Qiao Xingyue's arm as if she were her own daughter and introduced her fourth daughter-in-law to everyone.

When she talked about her fourth daughter-in-law, her face was full of a proud smile. She praised Xingyue for being so good and so good, and then introduced her family's relatives to Qiao Xingyue one by one.

“Xingyue, this is Zhongming’s aunt, who is the director of the Beijing Drama Theatre.”

My maternal aunt's name is Zhong Lihua, and she also comes from a scholarly family.

Zhong Lihua has a delicate and pretty appearance. Even as she gets older, she still exudes a timeless beauty and charm that time cannot diminish.

She held Qiao Xingyue's hand, reluctant to let go, "This is Xingyue. Just as your uncle said, she's beautiful and charming. Guilan, you're so lucky. When will my two sons be able to get married?"

Then, Zhong Lihua took out a red envelope wrapped in red paper and stuffed it into Qiao Xingyue's hand. "Xingyue, this is something your uncle asked me to give you. He was too busy with work to come to your and Zhongming's wedding, and he was quite disappointed. Next time you go to Beijing, ask your uncle to treat you well."

Xie Zhongming's maternal uncle, Qiao Xingyue, had met him when he was in Kunming.

I heard that he was an important scientist who participated in the Two Bombs, One Satellite project. He devoted himself to the project and was so busy that he couldn't spare the time. Qiao Xingyue naturally understood.

She refused to accept the red envelope no matter what, but the elegant Zhong Lihua insisted on putting it in her hand, saying, "This is a token of my uncle and aunt's affection. They didn't call me 'aunt' for nothing."

Xie Zhongming, standing nearby, said, "Xingyue, accept it."

Qiao Xingyue had no choice but to accept the red envelope.

Then Huang Guilan introduced her to:

“Xingyue, this is your second uncle. He is the chief engineer at the Geological Bureau. The oil field in Qing City was discovered by his team.”

Huang Guilan speaks of her second brother with pride and joy.

But when introducing her fourth daughter-in-law to her second brother, Huang Gui looked even more proud and said, "Second brother, this is Xingyue."

Huang Guilan's second brother, Huang Guiyi, was also tall and thin, handsome, and wore glasses. He looked quite refined and was clearly a scholar.

“Xingyue, this is your second aunt.”

My second aunt's name is Zhou Guizhi. Like Huang Guilan, she is a math teacher and a music teacher at the university. She is very talented.

Next were my third uncle and his wife, Huang Guimin and Mao Xiangfeng, respectively the director of a research institute and the vice president of a military hospital.

“Xingyue, your third uncle’s team has developed rubber technology that broke the decades-long blockade of rubber technology imposed on our country by imperialism. If you want to work at the military hospital, your third aunt can also help you.”

Qiao Xingyue's second uncle and aunt, as well as her third uncle and aunt, each gave her a red envelope.

Qiao Xingyue called out to one elder after another in her clear, crisp voice, feeling deeply moved.

What kind of illustrious family did her mother-in-law come from?

These brothers and sisters-in-law are all top performers in their respective fields, all experts and professors. No wonder Huang Guilan is so well-mannered.

Qiao Xingyue was so shocked that she couldn't speak. Marrying into such a prestigious family was equivalent to marrying into a super-rich family in later generations.

What more could she possibly want?