Chapter 811 Vanity is Filled
Shen Jingjing shook her head, not feeling embarrassed at all. It was normal that she wouldn't recognize her after not seeing each other for decades.
“Wu Zheng, the class monitor in elementary school,” Hu Xiaoyan reminded him from the side.
The other people at the table joined in, some of whom remembered Shen Jingjing, while others had completely forgotten her.
Shen Jingjing chatted with her old classmates with ease and didn't feel uncomfortable or out of place. She had prepared herself mentally before coming, and with Hu Xiaoyan always chiming in for her, everything was quite harmonious.
At the door, He Meifeng saw He Laosi return and quickly pulled him to a corner: "Why did you come out so soon? Aren't you going to talk to him for a while?"
"Hu Xiaoyan took him away." He Laosi said, "Sister, you think too highly of your brother. You only said she was pretty, but you didn't say she was this pretty."
"So what if she's pretty? You like pretty girls, don't you?" He Meifeng lowered her voice and reminded her, "She's doing really well now, she even has a house in Longcheng. Find a chance to add her on WeChat."
He Laosi is a bully at home, beating his wife, but a coward outside.
Hearing this, she said, "Forget it. She's from Longcheng. What kind of men hasn't she seen? It's no wonder she wouldn't be interested in me."
"Why wouldn't you like it? Our family isn't bad off in Longyang, you know. Countless people would love to climb up to us but don't even qualify. Listen to your sister, if it really works out, you'll be secretly thrilled."
Before her younger brother could say anything more, He Meifeng turned around and went to greet the guests again.
The atmosphere at the table quickly warmed up as everyone reminisced about their childhood because of Shen Jingjing's arrival.
This recollection brought back memories that had faded from everyone's minds. People who hadn't remembered Shen Jingjing at first gradually remembered her, and even Shen Jingjing herself matched several people with her memories.
Gradually, Shen Jingjing also let down her guard, and after the banquet started, she drank and chatted happily with her old classmates.
"You guys have the loudest voices in the whole place!"
He Meifeng and her husband came over with wine glasses to offer a toast: "I called Jingjing here. What do you think? After all these years, Jingjing is still as beautiful as she was when she was a child."
He Meifeng affectionately took Shen Jingjing's arm: "Jingjing, come here, my husband and I will toast you separately. It was a pleasant surprise that you came. We should keep in touch. No matter how close people are outside, can they be as close as people from our hometown?"
Shen Jingjing drank a glass of wine, and He Meifeng turned to call her younger brother: "Fourth brother, fourth brother!"
He Lao Si heard the noise and ran over. He Mei Feng grabbed her younger brother and ordered, "You toast Jing Jing."
Shen Jingjing asked, puzzled, "What do you mean by this wine?"
"This kid annoyed you a lot when he was young, you should know better."
Old He quickly raised his glass: "Come on, Sister Jingjing, I was ignorant when I was little and bothered people. Please apologize to me."
He tilted his head back and drank the wine in his glass clean.
Seeing this, Shen Jingjing had no choice but to drink it too.
Then He Lao Si said, "Sister Jingjing, it's rare for you to come back. I'll treat you to a meal these next couple of days!"
"No need, no need." Shen Jingjing quickly refused. This move was too abrupt, after all, she was not familiar with He Laosi, and there was He Meifeng between them.
What's the deal with inviting her alone?
"You should treat him, you should treat him! Jingjing, don't be polite with him. Fourth Brother is rich, you can fleece him as much as you want!"
Feeling uncomfortable, Shen Jingjing directly refused: "One glass of wine is enough. I'll leave after I finish my business. Let's skip the dinner."
He Meifeng chimed in forcefully, "Oh, how long can a meal take? It's settled then, Jingjing. Let Lao Si treat us, and I'll join you. Xiaoyan, you come too!"
"Everyone, eat and drink as much as you like, don't be shy, and take a pack of cigarettes with you when you leave."
He Meifeng was wealthy and generous; after saying that, she pulled her husband to the next table.
Hu Xiaoyan glanced at her, then turned to Shen Jingjing and shook her head: "She's not up to any good. If anyone should be inviting someone, it should be her. Who gave her fourth son a chance?"
Shen Jingjing didn't say much. After all, it was He Meifeng's wedding. She originally just planned to give a red envelope and eat at the banquet. Unexpectedly, it wasn't a wasted trip. She was quite happy to meet and chat with her old classmate again.
The old lady thoroughly enjoyed the meal and was cheerful all evening.
He washed fruit for Shen Jingjing, asked her what she wanted to eat for dinner, and even said he would cook it for her himself.
Seeing this, Zheng Hong couldn't help but say to Shen Jingjing, "Mom has heard too many nice things today, and she's just making herself happy."
Seeing that the old lady was about to go into the kitchen, Shen Jingjing stepped forward and stopped her: "Mom, don't bother. We're going to visit Dad's grave the day after tomorrow. Take me with you to buy some things for Dad's grave."
According to the custom in my hometown, when visiting the graves of the elderly, we burn a lot of gold ingots and paper money. However, in previous years, the gold ingots were folded by family members themselves using gold paper, because ready-made ones were several times more expensive.
"What's the rush? Zheng Hong and your sister-in-law aren't working tomorrow, so the rest of us can finish it in a day," the old lady said.
Shen Jingjing pulled the old lady: "Just buy the folded ones. Folding those things is tiring for your eyes, and your eyes are already failing at your age."
As she spoke, Shen Jingjing went inside to get her bag.
The old woman stood there watching her enter the house, her cloudy eyes widening in surprise. She had been folding gold ingots for so many years, every year, but no one had ever told her that they were hard on her eyes.
But she did experience eye pain every time she folded her eye, and for a while everything she saw appeared golden.
The mother and daughter went out. There was a row of old locust trees on this street. They were already lush and leafy in May and June. The elderly people in the neighborhood would sit under the trees to cool off and chat.
As she walked by, greetings and praises filled the air. In the past two days, the old lady had been parading around town in the new clothes and jewelry her daughter had bought for her, as if she wanted to travel all over Longyang Town. The neighbors all knew about it.
The old lady listened and complimented, feeling an unprecedented sense of satisfaction. Her already strong vanity had never been so fully satisfied in her life.
"Jingjing, come home for the Chinese New Year."
The old lady suddenly said this.
Shen Jingjing looked at her mother. The image of her mother that she remembered most vividly was when she was young. In the blink of an eye, the figure that used to scold and beat her at any time had shrunk into the appearance of a little old lady.
Over the years, her mother has never once asked her if she wanted to come back for the New Year.
Shen Jingjing now understands that her mother's attitude towards her has changed because of her own changes, and this sudden deepening of kinship seems to be embellished by money.
But why not do it this way?
"Let's wait until the end of the year to see, it's only a few months now." As Shen Jingjing spoke, she felt the old lady's hand slowly hook around her arm.
The old lady didn't speak, and her movements were noticeably awkward, but she still did it, as if she was intentionally trying to get closer to her daughter.
Shen Jingjing smiled slightly, without saying a word, but subconsciously slowed her pace.
(End of this chapter)
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com