Qi Jianguo knew that it was highly inappropriate to approach the female educated youth rashly at this time. If He Tiantian were pushed too far and accused him of indecent behavior, it would cause a lot of trouble. That's why he adopted a roundabout approach, letting his sister get close to He Tiantian so that his future meetings with her would be legitimate.
Qi Jianguo was very happy. His younger sister had grown up and was a smart girl. She was indeed his sister.
"I haven't spoiled you for nothing," Qi Jianguo said. "When He Tiantian becomes your sister-in-law, I'll give you a pair of leather shoes."
Qi Jianguo was very confident and determined to get He Tiantian!
"Big brother, you have to keep your word!" Qi Fangfang said excitedly. She had wanted a pair of leather shoes for a long time; Qi Xiaoyan had a pair. However, her parents were tight-fisted and wouldn't buy her any. Now that her brother needed her help, Qi Fangfang felt she could finally get the shoes.
"Of course I keep my word," Qi Jianguo assured him. He had seen He Tiantian several times in the village, and each time she was wearing different clothes, all stylish. This indicated that He Tiantian's family was well-off. If he could win He Tiantian over, then everything she owned would be his, and combined with what he already possessed, he would be the wealthiest person in Qi Family Village.
Qi Fangfang's confidence stemmed from her brother's exceptional abilities. He was incredibly skilled at repairing tractors and flashlights, and his good looks made girls from surrounding villages blush in his presence. Numerous matchmakers had approached him, but her brother had rejected them all, looking down on rural girls. Qi Jianguo's leg injury was completely ignored by Qi Fangfang.
The Qi family has always been so arrogant!
In the evening, He Tiantian ate dinner, took a bath, and sat in the yard with a palm-leaf fan, chatting with Grandma Qi.
Qi Xiaoyan brought Qi Fangfang along, and Grandma Qi San said with a smile, "Why did you two come together?"
Grandma Qi used to live alone, and younger generations rarely came to visit her.
"Third Grandma, we've come to play with Sister Tian Tian," Qi Xiaoyan whispered. "Did we disturb your conversation?"
"No, no." Grandma Qi waved the old palm-leaf fan in her hand. "We were just chatting. Sweetie, go inside and get a couple of stools so we can sit together and cool off."
When people come over, the house is more lively; Grandma Qi likes it when people come to visit.
"Hey!" He Tiantian came in and brought out two stools. "Sit down, sit down."
When she went back inside to get a stool, He Tiantian took several deep breaths to calm herself down.
Qi Fangfang!
Besides Qi Jianguo and his mother, Qi Fangfang ranked third in He Tiantian's resentful little notebook, Qi Jianguo's father ranked fourth, and Qi Jianguo's grandmother ranked fifth. Fortunately, that old hag from her previous life died early, otherwise He Tiantian would have suffered even more.
Although she had given the house to Qi Fangfang, the things dug out of it didn't belong to Qi Fangfang. If Qi Fangfang were honest, she should have given those things to her. However, He Tiantian knew her thoughts were naive, but because of Qi Fangfang's selfishness, He Tiantian could hate her without any guilt. Now that they had a chance to meet again, He Tiantian naturally wouldn't let Qi Fangfang off the hook.
In my past life, this sister-in-law was also round and chubby, always thinking about how to become beautiful, but she grew uglier and uglier, serves her right! It really proves the saying, ugly people are always up to no good!
"Sister Tian, I'm Qi Fangfang, Qi Xiaoyan's good friend." Qi Fangfang said with a smile, "I knew you were beautiful when I saw you from afar, but now that I see you up close, I find you're even more beautiful than I imagined."
He Tiantian smiled shyly, two little red clouds appearing on her face, and whispered, "You flatter me, I'm not as pretty as you say."
Seeing He Tiantian's shy and naive expression, Qi Fangfang felt even more confident. She thought, "This is just an ordinary little girl; she's no match for the clever older brother. He Tiantian will be my sister-in-law sooner or later."
"I'm telling the truth. If you don't believe me, ask Third Grandma and Xiao Yan," Qi Fangfang said warmly, insisting that what she said was true and that she thought He Tiantian was pretty.
"It's very beautiful." Grandma Qi and Qi Xiaoyan both nodded.
"You see?" Qi Fangfang said, "Everyone says you're beautiful, and your skin is so fair. Do you have any secrets? I'm so dark-skinned, and I've always wanted to become fairer, but I've never had a good way to do it."
Qi Fangfang is really good at chatting. Just like Qi Jianguo, she can talk at length with anyone she meets.
"Actually, it's nothing. If you want to get fairer skin, wear a straw hat when you go out, and wrap a towel around your face while you work. When you get home, apply a cold compress with a damp towel for a while, and your skin won't get tanned. Over time, it will become fairer." He Tiantian repeated the skincare tips she had previously shared with Huang Jingli and Sister Wu.
This method can indeed alleviate sunburnt skin; He Tiantian wasn't making things up. As for other beauty methods, He Tiantian wouldn't be happy to share them with others.
"Did you hear that? Wear a straw hat and cover your face with a towel when you go out. It's hot, but it protects your skin," said Grandma Qi. The three girls' conversation reminded her of her own teenage years, when she was also very concerned about her appearance. If she got even a little tanned, she worried about becoming ugly. She bought lots of rouge and powder to care for her skin, wore pretty clothes, lived in a big house, and had maids and servants to wait on her. Those were the happiest and most fulfilling days of her life.
"From now on, I'll do as Sister Tian Tian says," Qi Fangfang said. "I can't get any more tanned, or I'll turn into a black iron egg."
"Hehe," said Grandma Qi, "Fangfang is so funny. So vain, do you have someone you like?"
Upon hearing this, Qi Fangfang quickly shook her head and said, "No, that's not true! Third Grandma, please don't say that."
"Haha." Grandma Qi laughed heartily. The little girl thought she was hiding her thoughts very well, but in fact, everything was written all over her face.
A woman dresses up for the one she loves. If she doesn't have someone she likes, she won't pay so much attention to her appearance. Dressing up nicely is simply to please her sweetheart. If there's no one she likes, who else is she dressing up for?
Qi Xiaoyan remained silent, occasionally chuckling to herself.
One evening, with Qi Fangfang's witty remarks, the four of them chatted and laughed, and felt quite at ease.
It was dark outside when Qi Xiaoyan and Qi Fangfang said goodbye and left.
After He Tiantian locked the door and came back, Grandma Qi hesitated for a long time. Finally, she thought about how good He Tiantian had been to her these past few days. She realized that even if she had her own daughter or granddaughter, she might not be so considerate.
"Tian Tian, Xiao Yan is innocent and kind-hearted, and the adults in her family are honest. You can spend more time with Xiao Yan. As for Fang Fang, that child is quite lively, but her family doesn't have a good reputation in the village. Be careful in the future, so you don't suffer any losses," Grandma Qi advised, hoping that He Tian Tian would listen to her advice.
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