Chen Fangfang also saw Xu Ningyan and excitedly rushed over.
Halfway there, she was stopped by the lackeys who bared their teeth and barked at Chen Fangfang.
Xu Ningyan hurriedly said, "He's a lackey, but we know each other!"
The lackey then slowly took two steps back, still watching Chen Fangfang warily.
Xu Ningyan looked at Chen Fangfang in surprise. Although she was wearing a cotton-padded coat, it was clear that she was very thin, with patches upon patches on the coat.
It's clear that Chen Fangfang has tried her best to dress herself up and make herself look more presentable.
Her haggard face, wrinkled and stained cotton clothes, cotton shoes with her toes sticking out, and her pale and blue cheeks from the cold all revealed her disheveled state.
"Comrade Xu, it's me, I'm Chen Fangfang, I, I—" Chen Fangfang felt her face burning when she met the curious eyes of Sister Mei and the two children, Jiang Chen and Jiang Zhan. She suppressed her shame and awkwardly tugged at the hem of her clothes with both hands. She didn't know how to say the rest of the words.
Xu Ningyan knew at a glance that something had happened.
He hurriedly said, "When did you arrive? Why didn't you send me a telegram before you came? I could have come to pick you up! Have you been waiting for ages? Come inside and warm up!"
He then opened the courtyard gate, gesturing for Chen Fangfang to come in.
Chen Fangfang's eyes reddened, and the breath she had been holding suddenly loosened. Her legs almost gave way, and she nearly stumbled and fell to the ground when she crossed the threshold.
Luckily, she reacted quickly and managed to grab the door frame, thus avoiding embarrassment.
After catching my breath, I followed them into the courtyard, and suddenly I felt like I couldn't see enough for everyone.
Xu Ningyan led the person to the main room, and as soon as they entered, a warm feeling washed over them.
Chen Fangfang looked at the sofa, table, telephone, and television in the main room and didn't dare to go any further.
Especially since it was warm inside, the snow and mud on her feet melted in no time, turning into a puddle of muddy water.
Xu Ningyan invited her inside to sit down, but when she looked at the sofa cover crocheted with white yarn on the back of the sofa, she quickly shook her head.
The situation became increasingly urgent and chaotic.
Although I didn't go inside, just standing at the door for a while, the warmth from the radiator made me feel warmer.
Especially on my face, the areas exposed to the cold wind and snow started to itch terribly.
Chen Fangfang stammered, "I... my feet are dirty—"
Xu Ningyan saw that although Chen Fangfang's face was no longer so pale and had regained some color, her dry, chapped lips and haggard, emaciated appearance showed that she had suffered a great deal.
The Jiang brothers were placed in a small open space in the middle of the main room, which was specially enclosed by a wooden fence, to play in.
He turned around and got Chen Fangfang a bowl of hot water to make her a bowl of brown sugar water: "Quickly drink some hot water to warm yourself up!"
Then he instructed Sister Mei, "Aunt Mei, go and make a bowl of egg noodles."
Sister Mei hurriedly agreed and went to the kitchen to get busy.
Chen Fangfang waved her hand: "No need, no need—"
Xu Ningyan deliberately put on a stern face: "We're old acquaintances. When you come to the capital and visit my home, you're a guest! What, are you trying to distance yourself from me?"
He then pulled Chen Fangfang to sit by the stove to warm herself.
Sitting down, the warmth by the stove melted the snow on Chen Fang's head and clothes, leaving only bluish smoke and steam rising from the heat.
Xu Ningyan pinched Chen Fangfang's cotton-padded jacket; it was soaked, and her hands were ice-cold.
She hurriedly went inside and rummaged through the house to find a worn-out cotton-padded jacket, as well as a set of worn-out thermal underwear and a sweater and long johns. "You're all soaked. Go and change your clothes, or you'll catch a cold."
Chen Fangfang tried to refuse, but Xu Ningyan pushed her into the room without any room for argument, threw the clothes at her, and when she didn't move, asked, "Do you want to change yourself, or should I change for you?"
He then proceeded to personally undress Chen Fangfang.
Chen Fangfang turned away with red eyes, wiped away her tears, and began to unbutton her clothes.
Xu Ningyan then withdrew and watched the Jiang brothers play. She had some guesses about why Chen Fangfang had come to see her.
Chen Fangfang quickly changed her clothes and came out.
The two were about the same height, and the clothes fit Chen Fangfang perfectly. They were light, soft, and warm, better than any clothes Chen Fangfang had worn in the previous twenty years.
Wearing a cotton-padded jacket and trousers, and with the room temperature high, the bowl of brown sugar water that Chen Fangfang came out was at the perfect temperature.
Taking small sips, it felt warm and sweet from the throat to the stomach.
Sister Mei had already cooked a large bowl of noodles. The snow-white noodles were topped with two golden-fried eggs and sprinkled with a layer of bright green scallions. The aroma was irresistible.
Chen Fangfang smelled the aroma and wanted to decline, but her stomach started growling uncontrollably.
Xu Ningyan shoved the chopsticks into her hand: "Eat it while it's hot, have something to eat first!"
Chen Fangfang took the chopsticks, carefully picked up a mouthful of noodles, blew on it twice, and put it in her mouth.
After a brief pause, she managed to eat quickly, and the noodles disappeared into her mouth in no time, despite her efforts to control it.
In the end, Chen Fangfang finished the whole bowl of noodles, even the soup.
After putting down her chopsticks, Chen Fangfang looked at the clean bottom of the bowl and couldn't help but blush.
Sister Mei was very perceptive. After clearing away the bowls and chopsticks, she glanced at the clock in the main room and saw that it was almost eleven o'clock. "Xiao Yan, I'm going to make lunch. You keep an eye on the children."
After saying that, he left.
Only Xu Ningyan, Chen Fangfang, and two little ones remained in the room.
Xu Ningyan then spoke up: "Tell me, what happened? The brigade leader wrote to me saying that you got into a university in Beijing and received your admission notice, but I didn't receive a letter from you, so I guessed something had happened."
Tears streamed down Chen Fangfang's face. She hurriedly wiped them away and began, "After I received my acceptance letter—"
It turns out that Chen Fangfang's in-laws were quite happy when they first saw that she had received her university admission notice from Beijing.
After all, this is something that brings honor.
Chen Fangfang's mother-in-law boasted about it all over the village, which undoubtedly made her the target of a lot of hatred.
I don't know who it was, whether out of envy or something else, but they secretly told Chen Fangfang's mother-in-law that her family was stupid and happy now, but that they would have their day of reckoning later.
They say Chen Fangfang is already married, why doesn't she want to settle down, have a few children, work in the fields to earn work points and money, instead of going to university?
This shows her heart isn't even with her in-laws or her husband yet! A restless woman like this, after going to university and moving to the city, will she ever come back?
Where will we find them then?
Besides, the school is so far away. If Chen Fangfang gets involved with another man, no one in the Xu family will know.
Wouldn't that be like putting a green hat on yourself?
These words reminded Chen Fangfang's mother-in-law, who then told Chen Fangfang to burn her college admission notice and forbade her from going to university.
Chen Fangfang's husband initially agreed with her going to university, after all, having a university graduate as a wife would be a source of pride.
But after being whispered about it by her own mother behind her back, she started to feel scared.
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