After Hua Kai and his family returned home, they sat on the kang (a heated brick bed) and talked about Hua Lin's wedding. They didn't have any ulterior motives; they simply talked about the fun things that happened at the wedding and what they ate.
Hua Wanjiang had drunk some wine, but he wasn't drunk. He started talking more: "It's different when I go to a wedding today. People's attitudes towards me are different from before. Many people are asking me what kind of girl our Qingyi is looking for. Our son won't have to worry about not finding a wife this time."
Hua Qingyi said, "Dad, I still have to go to university. Please don't let Qingyi agree to this."
Hua Wanjiang said, "Your dad isn't stupid. Would he agree to something so casually? These kids in our family are the envy of everyone now."
Hearing Hua Wanjiang's words, Gu Lanyan suddenly burst into tears: "You know, our family has never really given gifts or attended banquets before. People never invite us to their events. But today you even went with the wedding procession. I can't even express how I feel..."
Hua Kai held Gu Lanyan's hand and said, "Mom, our family are all hardworking people, and things will get better in the future."
After chatting at home for a while, seeing that it was getting late, Hua Kai and Hua Qingyi went back to the city because they had taken a day off yesterday and needed to go back for evening self-study today.
Unexpectedly, when they arrived at the station, Hua Fengxiang was also there with her child waiting for the train. Wang Min, along with Hua Shuang and Hua Lu, were there to see her off.
Hua Kai and Hua Qingyi went over to greet the elders, then stood a distance away and talked about their own things.
Hua Fengxiang said to Wang Min, "Third sister-in-law, you should go back first. I'll go with Hua Kaiqingyi and the others in the same car, so you don't need to worry."
Wang Min looked at Hua Fengxiang with a somewhat puzzled expression: "Let's go back. What are you talking about with these two teenagers?"
Hua Fengxiang said, "The car will be here soon. I'm not an outsider, why should I keep you here? Besides, Mother is feeling down today. Third Sister-in-law is good to Mother, so I'll feel at ease if you go back and comfort her."
Wang Min's eyes showed even more confusion: "The car is coming, I'll stay here and keep the girl company."
Hua Fengxiang looked very unwilling, but she couldn't get rid of them. Fortunately, the car arrived soon.
Hua Kai and Hua Qingyi politely let Hua Fengxiang and the child get in the car first, and then the two of them got in later.
Once on the bus, there were many empty seats.
Hua Fengxiang said to Hua Qingyi, "Qingyi, why don't you sit with Yangyang? I'll talk to Hua Kai, and we can sit together."
Hua Qingyi looked at Hua Kai.
Hua Kai realized that Hua Fengxiang was troubled, so she talked to her about it. At least she knew what Hua Fengxiang was thinking, which was better than knowing nothing at all.
So he said to Hua Qingyi, "Brother, you and my cousin can sit behind us, and I'll sit with my aunt."
Hua Qingyi agreed and pulled Hua Fengxiang's son, Feng Yangyang, to sit behind Hua Kai and the others. Feng Yangyang was a bit introverted and didn't talk much, but he was obedient and sat quietly next to Hua Qingyi without saying anything.
Hua Kai always felt that Feng Yangyang was a bit withdrawn, but she couldn't say anything carelessly. After all, she wasn't a doctor, and in the 80s and 90s, many people would think that this kind of illness was just a sign of stupidity, not a real disease. Saying it would make people think she was cursing him, so she wasn't sure. Besides, she wasn't that close to Hua Fengxiang, and the Feng family lived in the city. They weren't ignorant people; they should have their own thoughts. So, she didn't need to say anything.
Hua Kai sat by the window, while Hua Fengxiang sat by the aisle.
Squat down, and the car will start moving.
Hua Fengxiang looked at the blooming flowers and said, "I really didn't expect you to be so successful. Your aunt has really come back too little these past few years and knows too little about this place."
Hua Kai wasn't sure how to respond to that, since she didn't know the other person well, so she simply replied without any ulterior motive, "The journey isn't far, and my aunt knows that she often comes back."
Hua Fengxiang sighed deeply: "Ah, yes, it's not far. Although the road is not far, it feels very far to me, as far as my heart feels."
Hua Kai became nervous because of Hua Fengxiang's attitude and emotions, after all, she wasn't that familiar with her: "Grandpa and Grandma are here, how could we be distant?"
"Don't you know how biased your grandma is? I'm a girl, and she's always favored boys over girls, especially your second uncle, because he was brought from her previous family. So she feels she owes him a lot. I wasn't even eighteen when she arranged a marriage for me. Your uncle was a soldier, and he had a paralyzed mother who was five years older than me. The dowry was high, so your grandma married me off for the sake of the dowry. Luckily, your uncle was discharged from the army and assigned to the city. He has a good job, which makes me feel proud. Actually, I'm not an arrogant person, but I just wanted to show off when I went back, to let them see that I, the girl who was sold, am doing better than them." Hua Fengxiang said quite a lot at once.
Hua Kai really didn't remember anything about Hua Fengxiang, and her family hadn't said much about her, so she didn't know if what Hua Fengxiang said was true or false, let alone whether Hua Fengxiang's claim of deliberately showing off at home was just her personality or if it was really intentional as she said.
However, Hua Kai has a bottom line: she is Zheng Shuzhen's biological daughter, so there is no need to get too close to her. Her own family is doing very well now, so keeping her distance is the best option.
Hua Kai offered a perfunctory consolation: "Auntie has finally overcome her hardships, and things will get better for her in the future."
Hua Fengxiang's mind was a little foggy. The other person wasn't responding to her, and she didn't ask anything. The topic couldn't be steered in any direction, so she had no choice but to continue talking herself.
She continued, "Sigh, but who doesn't want a family to rely on? But look at your second uncle and your fourth uncle, which family can I rely on? Your second uncle has even learned to gamble, what kind of serious business is that? Your fourth uncle listens to your fourth aunt in everything, your grandmother favors her son, and your grandfather doesn't care much about anything. I don't even know who to talk to if I feel wronged in my husband's family."
Hua Kai really felt that the other party's show of goodwill was too deliberate: "No matter what, they are still your aunt's parents and brother. If you really have a problem, they can't just ignore you."
Hua Fengxiang shook her head, looking utterly hopeless: "No, if I'm not doing well now, they'd rather they didn't have me as a relative. I'm not one to hold grudges. Actually, I'd like to go back to my parents' home. You know, if a woman has a reliable family, her husband's family will also value her. I really can't rely on that. Now that your aunt is looking at you, she feels so relieved. If you become successful in the future, your aunt will have the confidence to tell her husband's family that my niece is a college student. Don't you think I'll be really assertive?"
Hua Kai knew that Hua Fengxiang's purpose was not as simple as she claimed, but she didn't quite understand what Hua Fengxiang was up to, so she said, "My cousin will also get into university in the future, and then my aunt will be the one everyone envies."
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