Aunt Zhou glanced at her son, her eyes full of smiles.
She was so worried about her son not finding a partner that her hair turned white. The Zhou family had relied on this one son to carry on the family line for three generations.
Xia Zhiqing was clearly a good person; she had a good temper, a good personality, was beautiful, and most importantly, was educated.
If I have a child in the future, I'm sure it will be very smart.
"Xia, you shouldn't be standing here anymore. Go back to your room and rest. Oh, by the way, I cooked some mung bean soup and it's been cooling in the well water. I'll serve you some later and add a little sugar."
Xia Anyan smiled and thanked her, then returned to her room.
After everyone left, Aunt Zhou pulled Zhou Chuan's arm and led him to the side.
"Mom, do you really want to buy a bicycle?"
Aunt Zhou slapped him and glared at him: "You brat, are you still trying to hide it from your mother? Tell me, have you taken a fancy to that educated youth Xia?"
Zhou Chuan choked for a moment, and his expression turned somewhat unpleasant.
But he didn't refuse, which shows that he was really interested.
Aunt Zhou slapped her thigh, her mouth stretching to the back of her ears: "Son, I think it's a good idea. That Xia Zhiqing is a nice girl. If you two get together, your children will definitely be good-looking and smart."
"If you like it, I'll find a matchmaker to propose marriage for you. After I'm done with this in a few days, I'll get the wedding done for you two. By this time next year, I might even have my eldest grandson."
Aunt Zhou was still imagining the future when Zhou Chuan interrupted her: "Mother, you don't need to worry about this. Xia Zhiqing doesn't know about this yet, and I didn't intend to tell her so soon."
Aunt Zhou was getting a little anxious.
In their village, people start getting married at seventeen or eighteen. Others around the same age as her son have been married for several years and have wives, children, and a warm bed. How come her son is over twenty and still like this?
She slapped Zhou Chuan twice in anger: "I think you're just trying to drive me crazy. I've introduced you to so many people before, but you either didn't like any of them or said you didn't want to get married. Now that you've found someone you like, why are you still waiting?"
"Aren't you worried? Isn't your father worried? And your uncles, our whole family is waiting for you to carry on the family line. Don't let your father and I be unable to close our eyes in peace!"
Zhou Chuan's face darkened: "Mother, I don't want to hear such words again."
Seeing that Aunt Zhou still wanted to say more, Zhou Chuan also decided to explain everything to her all at once.
“Xia Zhiqing is a person, not an object. You can’t just have her whenever you want.”
“It’s one thing for me to be interested in Xia Zhiqing, but it’s another thing to get married. I don’t want to use my status to force her. If she wants to, then I will follow the normal procedures; if she doesn’t want to, then we’ll take it slow.”
He figured it out: since he had fallen for her, he would try his best to win her over.
Aunt Zhou hesitated, as if she wanted to say something but then stopped.
In their rural area, if they like someone, they simply send a matchmaker to propose marriage, and once the engagement is made, they get married.
Although Xia Zhiqing is different from the girls in their countryside, since she has come here, shouldn't she follow their local customs?
"Mother, I'll say it one last time, you don't need to worry about this. I'll handle it myself."
“If you tell Xia Zhiqing about this and scare him away, I will never get married again.”
Aunt Zhou's heart skipped a beat.
She waved her hands repeatedly, saying, "No, no, no, son, I'll listen to you, I'll listen to you."
Zhou Chuan walked out with a dark face and didn't say anything more.
Aunt Zhou watched his departing figure, feeling somewhat annoyed.
But considering what Zhou Chuan said, she acquiesced.
As promised, she filled a large bowl with mung bean soup and knocked on Xia Anyan's door.
At this moment, Xia Anyan was studying the placement of those things in the space, as well as the matter of cultivating the space.
The sudden knocking made her feel a little disoriented.
"Auntie, you've arrived."
When Aunt Zhou entered the room, she saw a lot of cookie boxes on the table, all kinds of styles, which she had never seen before.
What they can buy here are mostly loose peach shortbread and the like, but judging from the ones on Xia Anyan's table, they are high-end.
Sure enough, there was a difference in their social status.
"Xia, are you packing your things?" Aunt Zhou asked, trying to find out, thinking she had concealed it very well.
Xia Anyan smiled and nodded, "Yes, there are too many things, and I was afraid they would spoil, so I thought I'd take them out and divide them. Auntie, you've come at the right time, this is for you."
Xia Anyan took the two largest boxes next to her and handed them to Aunt Zhou.
Aunt Zhou couldn't hide the smile in her eyes, but she still hesitated: "Oh dear, you've already given me so many things, how can I possibly accept yours again?"
"Maybe...maybe I should just give up on it."
She said no, but her eyes had already betrayed her.
When you haven't seen anything good before, you can't help but take a second look; no one is an exception.
Xia Anyan smiled and stuffed it directly into Aunt Zhou's arms: "Auntie, don't refuse me. This stuff will go bad if left out for too long. You can take it and eat it."
"Also, my aunt gave me so much mung bean soup, and she even added sugar. It's really good stuff. I'll trade you some biscuits for it."
Aunt Zhou's grin froze instantly.
How could she forget something so important?
Wasn't she here to find out about Xia Anyan?
This is really...
How can you be so spineless!
“Xia, the educated youth, I’ll accept your offer. You’ll be working in the fields starting tomorrow. You said you were going to the county town to find work. Do you already have any plans? If not, you might not be able to get leave.”
Xia Anyan had never really thought about these things.
She has that intention, but hasn't made up her mind yet.
Aunt Zhou tentatively asked again, "The brigade next door is building a primary school. You should have some schooling, right? How about I ask Da Chuan to ask around and see if you could become a teacher there?"
Xia Anyan shook her head.
"No, Auntie, I can't do those things. I'm not afraid you'll laugh at me, but I've never done anything at home. Asking me to take care of the children and teach them to read, I don't think I can do it."
Aunt Zhou frowned, looking somewhat displeased.
But thinking of her son, she swallowed those emotions back.
“Xia Zhiqing, even if you go to work in a factory, it won’t be easy. You might as well become a teacher. Although those children are tough, you can just teach and there’s nothing else to do, so you can rest.”
Seeing that Xia Anyan didn't speak, she continued, "Xia, you're the first female educated youth to come to our brigade. We get along really well, and I like you a lot. If you're willing, I can definitely ask my husband Dachuan to arrange something for you."
"Don't be shy. You gave me so many things, all good stuff brought from the city. You're good to your aunt, so it's only right that I'm good to you too, isn't it?"
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