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Xu Hongqi was looking for Xu Nian, who was at his uncle's house at the time. They were coming back from the county on a donkey cart and were seen by the team members. Everyone's life was very boring, and they were very enthusiastic about Xu Qingli, who had great potential and had not been back for a long time.

The few of them really couldn't leave for the time being. If it weren't for the uncle who heard the news and came over, who knows how long they would have to stay in the field.

Uncle Xu was originally calculating everyone's total work points for the year in the brigade office when he heard his second brother Xu Qinghua calling him and saying that his sister and brother-in-law had arrived. He was a little bit unbelieving, but when he heard that they were surrounded by everyone, he didn't dare to delay any longer and hurried over. After all, his brother-in-law was not an ordinary person, he had a military rank.

The first thing to do after picking up the person is to visit the parents. The Xu family left the field and headed home. Xu Nian was actually a little tired, but it was not a good time to walk. She didn't communicate much with her cousin usually, and it was rare that the two of them walked together today.

Speaking of which, my cousin actually has a very low sense of presence most of the time. In the countryside, if a girl in her twenties doesn't go to school or work and doesn't get married, people at home and outside will talk about it. In fact, the pressure is quite high. Xu Nian has heard several aunties at the village talking about her cousin behind her back several times. She walked over directly, scared them, and then walked away slowly. She didn't have to think that they would also talk about her behind her back.

But she actually admires her cousin very much. If she can't find someone she likes on a blind date, she can't be said to be picky. Life is so long, what's wrong with spending some time and effort to find someone who suits her? Does she have to be awkward and just get by with each other to live her life?

As she was thinking, she heard her cousin whisper to her, "Look at how good the relationship is between my aunt and uncle. My mother first got a stool for my uncle to sit on, but my uncle immediately gave it to my aunt... I don't know when I will meet someone like this."

People always get stuck in the same predicament she was in at the time, and they unconsciously apply everything they see to themselves. Xu Nian couldn't empathize with her, but she also understood. She whispered to her, "It will definitely happen, sister. You never know, you might meet someone soon."

"Look, I don't know what those two sisters are whispering to each other." Grandma Xu said to her daughter, and then said to the two sisters, "Your aunt has brought you gifts. Come and see."

Xu Nian and Xu Qing smiled embarrassedly and walked over to take a look. Xu Qingli bought a white rabbit fur hat and a silver bracelet for each of her two nieces. This was definitely a generous gesture. The two of them thanked her happily.

Afterwards, the adults discussed how to sleep and where to eat. They said they could only stay at home for a week. Duan Jiang hadn't been back to his hometown for a long time. This year, he finally got a 20-day vacation and wanted to go back to see his parents and take the children away. It would take about five days to travel during the vacation, so time was quite tight.

We had dinner at my uncle's house in the evening, and then had dinner at Xu Nian's house. As for accommodation, I still lived with my parents.

After cleaning up and having a lively dinner, the couple said they were not tired, but their family members asked them to rest early. Xu Nian followed his family back to his home.

When she entered the house, she saw that the light in Xu Hongqi's room was on. She ran over and forgot to knock on the door. She went straight into the house: "Brother Hongqi, you're back?"

Xu Hongqi was soaking his feet. Seeing Xu Nian come in, he asked, "Where have you been? No one is home."

Xu Nian walked a few steps and stood beside him, yawning and saying, "My aunt and uncle are back. Today the whole family had dinner at my uncle's house, but starting tomorrow they will all cook and eat at my house."

Xu Hongqi nodded and asked, "Was what you are holding in your hand also given to you by your aunt?"

Xu Nian chuckled, "Not bad." Then he lifted up his wrist clothes, "Ding ding ding, there is also a silver bracelet. It will look good on me, right?"

Xu Hongqi looked at Xu Nian's delicate white wrist. Now there was a shiny bracelet with flower and butterfly carvings on it, which made her hand look more slender and noble. "It's quite beautiful."

Seeing Xu Nian staring at the bracelet with her eyes narrowed with laughter, she unconsciously asked, "You look so happy, didn't you say that I became very rich later? Didn't I buy you jewelry in my dream after I became rich?"

Xu Nian hummed a little, blinked, and said, "How can they be the same? What's yours is mine. How can I complain that what others give me is too much?"

"Oh... you're quite thoughtful." Xu Hongqi said this, then reached out from beside the pillow and took out an envelope and handed it to her, "Take a look."

This really saved Xu Nian the trouble of asking, "What is this?" She thought it was money, and thought Xu Hongqi was being too tactful. She touched it with her hand, but it didn't look like anything. She opened it with her eyes closed, and immediately knew what it was. "You got the photo back."

Xu Hongqi said "hmm" and heard some movement outside. Soon, a voice came

"Hongqi, have you eaten? Auntie made you some egg soup. Drink it while it's hot." When Lu Mei saw her daughter enter Xu Hongqi's room, she realized that they had forgotten Hongqi. Although they didn't know whether Xu Hongqi would come back in the evening, it was still their fault that they didn't do their job well.

Xu Hongqi wiped his feet quickly and went out. Xu Nian was admiring the photos and vaguely heard a few words from them, but didn't pay much attention. When he came in again, he saw a bowl of egg soup.

Xu Nian flipped through six photos. She had two solo photos, Xu Hongqi had one, and the other three were group photos of the two of them. She was not in a good mood when the photos were taken. She looked a little unhappy in the two solo photos. Although her face seemed to be smiling, her eyes showed frustration.

The couple photo was just the opposite. She deliberately acted very happy when taking the photo, just to make Qi Meiyue jealous. It was also a coincidence that Xu Hongqi acted the same as her. The couple photo looked better than the single photo.

Xu Nian was satisfied again. She picked out two group photos and placed the others on Xu Hongqi's desk. She said to him while he was drinking egg soup, "You can keep the rest." Pointing to the two photos in her hand, she said, "This one looks the best on me. I'll take it."

Xu Hongqi raised his eyebrows. "Didn't they invite me specifically? Shouldn't I be the first to choose?"

Xu Nian couldn't stand being talked down by him, so he turned the tables and said, "Then tell me which one you don't want."

He was stunned for a moment, as if he was choked and didn't know what to say, "You can do it."

Xu Nian laughed heartily at this and changed the subject, "I thought you weren't coming back today. So, have you decided to quit?"

He took the last sip of soup and mumbled, "No."

Xu Nian didn't bother to pay attention to him and ran away with a "humph".

He was left there rubbing his brows. The two of them were about to get angry when he mentioned this, but fortunately it would be over soon, so he could talk about it later.

Xu Nian was delicate but generous, and she was in high spirits again the next day. She always wanted to stay in bed for a while, as her nephews and nieces had gotten up early, and since there was no one to play with, they would come to her aunt's room to play with her.

She ordered them around without any pressure, giving orders from the bed. The younger ones took their shirts and pants one by one, and when her little niece couldn't reach them, she squatted on the ground to get her shoes.

When Lu Mei came in, she saw her increasingly lazy daughter wrapped up in a cocoon, bossing her obedient grandchildren around like old-fashioned lackeys. She slammed the door in annoyance and said, "If you can't pay it back, how can you eat? You can't even wash the pot."

Xu Nian really missed the "Mom" she had been calling her during the first few days after she returned home. Back then, she called her little darling, but now she wanted to call her annoying. She warned herself not to be such an adult in the future.

Xu's mother left because her eyes hurt. Xu Nian didn't dare to dawdle any longer. He fought the severe cold in one go, dressed quickly, and then went to the drawer to get mints as a 'reward' for the children.

She shivered as she walked out of the house. "Mom, it's so cold!"

She shrank her neck but felt that she seemed very insignificant, so she straightened her body and went to the well to wash. The water was warm but it was difficult for her to operate it alone. She looked around for someone to help and saw the pile of firewood. Xu Hongqi was staring at her with a smile.

Xu Nian glared at her. Xu Hongqi good-naturedly brushed off the sawdust on his body and came over to help, saying, "You've got a lot of potential."

Xu Nian: “…”

Xu's mother simply stopped working because she had to prepare lunch for the family. Anyway, it would be a few days before the New Year holiday. Seeing that Xu Nian had nothing to do after dinner, she asked her to wear something warmer and go to the back mountain to collect firewood.

Xu Nian didn't want to go. She was wearing so much that it was hard to walk on flat ground, and climbing the back hill would be exhausting. But the three little ones were happy. They had been unable to keep them at home for a long time. When they heard that their aunt was going out, they twisted their bodies and acted coquettishly, shouting, "Go out and play, go out and play."

The children didn't know how treacherous people could be. Their aunt used them as an excuse and said to Lu Mei, "Mom, look at them. I can't keep an eye on them if I take them over. You'd better let them play at home."

Lu Mei: “…”

Tietou, Tiedan, and Bing'er: "..."

Xu Nian was feeling proud but innocent, thinking she could stay home safely. However, someone seemed to dislike her. Xu Hongqi came out from the corner of the eaves and said to Lu Mei, "Auntie, I'll go with them."

Lu Mei thought that Hongqi was likable and had a good eye for detail in everything he did. Then, looking at her silly daughter with her mouth pouted, she secretly felt that it was true that there was always something better than something better.

The three little ones ran ahead, while Xu Nian lingered behind. Xu Hongqi followed her side by side, his lips curled up slightly, "Are you still not happy?"

Xu Nian glanced at him, put her hands in her pockets, like a female boss, and looked quite arrogant.

Xu Hongqi glanced at her amusedly and said, "If they don't allow you to work, just play with them."

Xu Nian's eyes turned, and he paused for two steps to stand at his level.

Xu Hongqi's eyes were gentle yet sharp. "Your aunt and uncle are going to have dinner at your house. Do you think you should let them see more of your good side?"

Xu Nian could only say that she was convinced. Why didn't she think of this? She often lamented that her goodness was not pure enough and her badness was not thorough enough.

The weather in December was very dry. The yellow fallen leaves made a crisp sound when several people stepped on them. Xu Hongqi worked honestly, while Xu Nian was chased by his two nephews while holding his little niece's hand. They were all sweating and too tired to move, so they went to sit down with Xu Hongqi and his sons.

Xu Hongqi had already tied the picked branches into a bundle and put them away. Xu Nian sat down around them, took out sesame and red date biscuits from his pocket, and gave two pieces to each person.

Xu Hongqi shook his head with his hands dirty, but Xu Niancai ignored him and stuffed the food directly into his mouth, "Thank you for your hard work, Comrade Xu!"

The three little ones ate their aunt's snacks and followed suit, saying, "Thank you for your hard work, Comrade Xu!"

The two adults and three children looked at each other and laughed. Xu Hongqi gently pinched Xu Nian's cheek, but seeing that her eyes were like morning dew, full of vigor and energy, he couldn't help but feel that life was full of hope.

They waited until almost noon before returning home, and most of the family members had returned. As expected, when Xu Qingli saw Xu Nian coming back with firewood, she immediately praised him, "Niannian is so sensible, good at studying, and diligent."

Xu Nian smiled shyly and unexpectedly made eye contact with her grandfather.

Xu Nian: “…”

Xu Hongqi stood quietly behind him, not noticing Duan Jiang looking at him again and again, even asking, "Who is this child?"