That evening, Xu Yanhong was walking down the street when she felt someone was following her. But when she turned around, she didn't see anyone. Feeling a little uneasy, she quickened her pace.
But hearing the footsteps behind her quicken, she dared not look back any longer and could only run along, clutching her bag.
As the footsteps behind her grew closer, Xu Yanhong's heart leaped into her throat.
Just then, Xu Minghe came around the corner and saw the panicked Xu Yanhong. He then noticed the man in black acting suspiciously behind her and understood what was going on. He grabbed Xu Yanhong and said with a smile, "Didn't I tell you to wait at home for me to pick you up? Why did you come here alone?"
Xu Yanhong reacted quickly, reaching out to hug Xu Minghe's arm tightly, and replied in a trembling voice, "I couldn't wait any longer, so I came myself. Let's go!"
Xu Minghe looked down at the girl who was trembling with fear, then glanced at the figure behind him, turned around and led the group home.
As they walked, he whispered, "The person is still behind us. Where do you live? I'll take you home."
Xu Yanhong lowered her voice and replied, "It's in that alley ahead, the house with the big willow tree. Please take me there."
Xu Minghe glanced down at her. He lived there too, so why had he never seen her before?
After passing through a dimly lit alley, the two arrived at a courtyard with a large willow tree. Xu Yanhong quickly stepped forward, knocked on the door, and shouted loudly, "Grandma, Grandma, open the door, it's me, Yanhong."
Xu Minghe, standing behind her, silently took out the key from his pocket and opened the courtyard gate under Xu Yanhong's surprised gaze.
"No, how do you have a key to my grandma's house?"
"I live here."
"No, this is..."
"Hey, Yan Hong, what brings you here? Ming He is back too, do you know each other?" Grandma Hu looked curiously at the two standing side by side.
After seeing her grandmother, Xu Yanhong told her what had just happened with lingering fear. Then, with tears in her eyes, she said, "Luckily, I ran into him, otherwise I don't know what would have happened."
Grandma Hu reached out and hugged her granddaughter, gently comforting her, "It's alright, it's alright. Next time you want to come to Grandma's, I'll ask your dad to bring you, or I'll tell you in advance and have your uncle pick you up at the alley entrance. It's dark here, and there are a lot of thieves."
Then, looking at Xu Minghe, who had been silent to the side, she smiled with narrowed eyes and said, "Today, we really owe you a lot, Minghe. It's quite a coincidence, Yan Hong has come so many times but has never seen you before. Let me introduce you, Yan Hong, this is Xu Minghe, who rents the house from my grandmother. He's a hardworking and honest young man, and he often helps me with chores!"
"Minghe, this is my granddaughter, Xu Yanhong. She's a primary school teacher. You two can get to know each other; you'll be familiar with each other from now on."
Xu Yanhong wiped away her tears and thanked her with a smile, saying, "Thank you so much for today. I'll treat you to a meal sometime."
"No need, it's just a small matter."
Xu Minghe shook his head. He knew what Grandma Hu meant. She had always told him that she wanted to introduce her granddaughter to him, but she was a teacher and would never be interested in him.
"Grandma Hu, I'll go back to my room now, I have to go to work tomorrow!"
Xu Minghe had dinner at his third brother's house tonight. Xu Yanhong was lucky; if it were any other time, she would have been asleep by now and wouldn't have been able to save her.
Grandma Hu looked at her still-shaken granddaughter and didn't know what to say at this moment, so she could only smile and nod.
...
This year, the Xu family celebrated New Year's Eve together as a whole family. Xu Minghan held a glass of beer in his hand, smiled at his father and mother, and said, "Let me say a few words. We have had a very fulfilling year, and everyone has made progress. Here, I want to thank Mom and Dad for their support. With your full support, we can work hard without any worries. Mom and Dad, I toast to you."
Old Xu also raised his glass and replied, "Third son, I've seen all your hard work. You're a good man. You've made something of yourself and you haven't forgotten your brothers and sisters. You're a good son of mine."
"Yes, our Xu family owes its success to our third son, so I often say that brothers in the family must help each other. Now everyone in the village praises our family, and Mom is content."
"Yes, Third Brother, thanks to your and Third Sister-in-law's help, we'd like to toast you as well."
"Come on, everyone, let's raise a glass. No need for words, it's all in the wine. Wishing the Xu family all the best in the future."
Xu Minghan's eyes reddened as he was told, "It's not as exaggerated as you all say. It mainly depends on yourselves. Okay, that's enough. Eat your food."
Granny Liu pointed at her fourth son and said, "I'm not worried about the others, but you, fourth son, when are you going to bring a daughter-in-law home for me? You'll be twenty-six after the New Year, not young anymore, it's time to start thinking about your marriage."
Xu Minghe paused, his hand still holding the food, and said helplessly, "Mom, what are you saying? I'm busy at the shop every day, where am I supposed to find a wife? Why don't you introduce me to someone?"
Granny Liu snorted and said, "I don't believe there isn't a single unmarried girl at your workplace. Third brother, you should also pay attention to your brother's affairs. If you find a suitable girl, remember to introduce her to him."
“Yes, Minghe, tell me what your requirements are for a wife, and your third sister-in-law will keep an eye out for you.” Zhang Xuemei thought about the two girls in the shop; if they weren’t a bit too young, they would be quite suitable.
“Yes, your second sister-in-law and I are keeping an eye on things for you, so you can speak freely without worry,” Zhou Nianmei teased.
Seeing the serious expressions on his three sisters-in-law's faces, Xu Minghe had no choice but to put down his chopsticks, think carefully for a moment, and then said, "Actually, I don't have any requirements. As long as they are good people, filial, and not extravagant with money, that's fine."
"What you said is as good as nothing at all. Forget it, we'll see how it goes."
Zhang Xuemei felt that the fourth son and Li Xiufen were really not meant to be. Yesterday, she heard her mother-in-law say that Li Xiufen got married before the new year. They only found out because her third aunt called to ask her if she should give a gift.
Looking at her smirking youngest son, Granny Liu said irritably, "Stop laughing, you're next. Do you still think you're so young?"
Xu Mingjiang retorted indignantly, "Mom, I'll only be twenty-four after the New Year, of course I'm still young. Besides, you should urge Xiaowan, she's a girl, twenty-four is not young anymore."
Before Granny Liu could speak, Xu Mingwan said directly, "I'm different from you, I already have a boyfriend."
"Xiao Wan, you have a boyfriend? Where is the young man from? What does he do for a living?" Granny Liu was so excited when she heard that her youngest daughter had a boyfriend that she couldn't wait to meet him.
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