"Chatting and eating together? That's my specialty."
Ji Xia chuckled and readily agreed. Chen Jing, carrying the New Year's gifts, followed beside her and chuckled, "Mother just doesn't want you to do any work."
Ji Xia gave him a smug look, and Chen Jing had already gone up to greet her with New Year's gifts: "Mom, are you busy? Let me help you."
"No need, no need. You can just go inside and sit with Xia. You're already here, why bring this up?"
As Ji's mother was being polite, Ji Xiangjun glanced back at her and called to Chen Jing, "Jing, come here and fetch a few buckets of water; the water tank is empty."
Chen Jing readily agreed, put down the New Year's gifts in his hands, and turned to fetch water.
Ji's mother couldn't help but roll her eyes at her son: "A-Jing just arrived, and you're already making him fetch water? What kind of talk is that?"
"He married our precious son, so what's wrong with him carrying a few buckets of water?"
Ji Xiangjun smiled dismissively, glanced back at Sun Xiuyu inside the room, and said to Ji Xia, "Xia, wash some fruit for your sister Xiuyu."
"Okay, I see. You really know how to order people around."
Ji Xia chuckled and filled a small basket with oranges, apples, pears, and other fruits. She also brought out freshly fried crispy dumplings, caramelized melon seeds, and chestnuts, filling the small table to the brim.
"Sister-in-law, these are freshly fried crispy dumplings. Try them, they're so fragrant and sweet, they're delicious!"
Sun Xiaoyu was holding and comforting the child when she turned around and smiled shyly at her: "We've known each other for a while now, there's no need to be so polite."
“That’s different. We’re friends normally, but today you’re a special guest, your future sister-in-law.”
Ji Xia chuckled, picked up another baby, and asked in a low voice, "How far have you and my second brother gotten over there?"
“He’s busy over there, sometimes we don’t see each other for days.”
Sun Xiaoyu lowered her head shyly and teased the children for a while: "The two children look so alike? Your mother must be very tired taking care of two children at home, right?"
"Tired but happy."
As Ji Xia spoke, she gently teased Kang Kang's chin, and Kang Kang suddenly grinned and giggled.
The twins were about three or four months old. Although they were premature, the Ji family took good care of them and fed them carefully. The two babies had round faces, fair and delicate skin, and bright, black eyes that darted around. It was clear at a glance that they were very well cared for.
Ji Xia held them and weighed them, estimating they were about thirteen or fourteen pounds. It was truly remarkable that premature twins could grow up to be this big.
They were completely different from the sickly, sallow-faced, and thin twins of their previous life.
She chuckled and whispered to Sun Xiaoyu, "My sister-in-law's family doesn't have a history of twins, but it seems to be our Ji family. Second sister-in-law, maybe you and second brother will have twins too!"
Sun Xiaoyu blushed upon hearing this, then suddenly turned around and teased, "Maybe you were born even earlier."
As she spoke, she subconsciously glanced at Ji Xia's face, and when she saw the spring-like look in her eyes, she couldn't help but smirk: "Chen Jing came back yesterday, you must be very tired?"
"Sister-in-law, you've gone astray." Ji Xia said shyly, almost making a lewd joke.
But seeing Sun Xiaoyu's clear eyes and remembering that she was still an innocent young girl, he held back.
She changed the subject: "When are you planning to get your marriage certificate? Are you going to bring Grandpa Sun with you after the New Year?"
"Yes, that's a plan. Let's see if your brother can help my grandfather get the necessary certificate."
Ji's mother sat on the steps outside the door, working while secretly glancing back at Sun Xiaoyu with a smile on her face, clearly very satisfied with her.
People in the countryside all have their own set of standards for judging others. Sun Xiaoyu sat in the living room, holding her child and paying close attention to every detail of the child. From these subtle movements, she could tell that Sun Xiaoyu was an extremely meticulous and patient girl.
She has a refined and elegant appearance, is beautiful, gentle, and fair-skinned, and is in no way inferior to Ji Xia when standing next to her. She also has a high-paying job. No matter how you look at it, Ji's mother is extremely satisfied.
The more she looked, the happier she became, and she couldn't stop smiling.
Lunch was very plentiful, including chicken soup with shiitake mushrooms and bamboo shoots, stir-fried chicken pieces with sand ginger, cured pork with garlic sprouts, braised rabbit, and two or three vegetable dishes.
Lunch was prepared by Secretary Ji himself, and Chen Jing praised it highly: "Dad's cooking skills are really good. I didn't know Dad could cook today."
Ji Xiangjun laughed and said, "Back when my mother gave birth and was in confinement, my father took care of her by cooking for her."
"Why are you talking about this while we're eating?"
With a beaming smile, Ji's mother placed a large chicken leg on Ji Sun Xiaoyu's plate: "Take whatever you want to eat, don't be shy, make yourself at home."
"I understand, thank you, Auntie." Sun Xiaoyu nodded shyly.
Secretary Ji said, "When will your grandfather be free? We'll make time to visit him, and the two families can sit down together to discuss the engagement."
Sun Xiaoyu smiled awkwardly: "My grandfather lives in the city and is available anytime."
Ji Xiangjun chuckled and comforted him, "My dad just wanted to ask what your grandfather's requirements are for the bride price. We'll try our best to fulfill them if we can."
Sun Xiaoyu blushed slightly, smiled and shook her head: "We don't care about these things, it doesn't matter whether there's a bride price or not."
"That won't do. If others have it, you should have it too. We can't let you look shabby compared to others, right?"
After Ji Xiangjun finished speaking, Sun Xiaoyu's eyes softened even more, and the corners of her mouth curved into a smile: "You can handle this as you see fit, we don't mind."
Mother Ji said, "According to our local custom, the bride price ranges from 128 to 888, plus three turns and one ring. Our Xia's bride price was 888 last time she got married. How about we follow Xia's standard? You can talk to your grandfather again—"
"Let the elders handle this matter of the three letters and six rites. Tomorrow we'll take Xiangjun to their house and have a good talk with the elders of the Sun family. Anyway, if others have it, you should have it too..."
Sun Xiaoyu was both happy and worried. With Secretary Ji's words, she no longer had to worry about the wedding being shabby.
However, her grandfather lived in the dormitory of the small workshop and did not have his own home in the city. The thought of that cramped room made him somewhat reluctant.
Ji Xia noticed her worries and smoothed things over, saying, "Father, Mother, Grandpa Sun is getting old, and it's too tiring to entertain him at home. How about my second brother finds a quiet private room in the city tomorrow, prepares a feast, and invites Grandpa Sun to sit down and discuss the marriage between our two families? Let's pick an auspicious day?"
"Alright, it would be nice if the two families could find a quiet place to sit down and talk."
With Secretary Ji's approval, Sun Xiaoyu immediately felt relieved and gave Ji Xia a grateful look.
After lunch, Ji Xia accompanied Sun Xiaoyu for a walk around the village, chuckling as she said, "Xiaoyu, my brother is definitely a good man. He's honest, hardworking, and can endure hardship. You'll definitely be happy if you marry him."
Sun Xiaoyu smiled softly, "I believe in your brother. I know he's a good person."
She was about to say something when she suddenly looked up in surprise at the small hill in front of her, then grabbed Ji Xia and rushed over: "Quick, let's go take a look! Do you think that figure is Qiu Yu?"
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