The ginger tea they brought was all gone by 2 p.m. The ginger had been boiled several times with water until they were sure that the water had no ginger flavor at all and only tasted water. Only then did they take the ginger out and throw it away.
They packed up the two large pots and the large wooden bucket, along with pots, pans, and other utensils, and loaded them onto the tricycle, filling it to the brim.
Niu Zhenghui held the tricycle, and Liu Lan and Liu Mei helped the old lady Niu onto the tricycle and sat her down.
"Grandma, sit tight, we're going home."
Niu Zhenghui shouted, and Old Lady Niu nodded with a smile: "Slow down, I'll get off and walk if I can't pull anymore." The younger generation in the family felt sorry for her and were afraid that she would get frostbite in the freezing cold, so they let her sit on the tricycle.
The old lady herself didn't think she was that precious.
But since her children are filial, she cannot let them down.
Liu Lan and Liu Mei, standing to the side, laughed and said, "Mom, Xiao Hui is a big boy, and you're not heavy. There won't be any problem for him to push you." Besides, even if they encounter something like going uphill, aren't the two sisters there for them?
Grandma Niu couldn't stop smiling at her daughter-in-law's filial piety.
"Alright, alright, Mother will listen to you and follow your arrangements."
Niu Zhenghui, along with the Liu sisters, delivered the gifts and went back with the old lady.
As for Niu Fangfang, Liu Lan specifically instructed her to take Lu Huaijiao home before returning herself.
Compared to her own daughter, Liu Lan felt that someone as beautiful as Lu Huaijiao would be in greater danger walking alone on the street. So without hesitation, she arranged for her daughter to escort Lu Huaijiao home and personally see her enter the house before returning home herself.
Niu Fangfang even talked back at the time. She not only wanted to take Lu Huaijiao home, but also wanted to go in and play with Sanbao. It would be best if she could have dinner before going home.
Upon hearing this, Liu Lan was furious that her daughter was talking about eating at someone else's house as if it were easier than eating at her own. "You silly girl, how can you be so greedy?"
Although she was jokingly complaining, she knew that Niu Fangfang and Lu Huaijiao had a really good relationship, so she didn't take it too seriously.
Niu Fangfang feigned fear and hid behind Lu Huaijiao.
Lu Huaijiao watched the interaction between the mother and daughter with amusement, and couldn't help but think of her own mother who had passed away early. If her mother were still alive, would the relationship between the mother and daughter be the same as that between Fangfang and her mother?
Her mother would probably spoil her just as much, right?
As Lu Huaijiao searched her mind for the few remaining childhood memories, she realized that too much time had passed, and she had slowly forgotten many things from her childhood.
This made her very nervous.
She didn't want to forget things related to her mother and grandmother, but memories can't withstand the passage of time, and people gradually become forgetful...
"Teacher Lu..."
The stalls at the Love Primary School across the street had also been packed up, and Zhao Rui was chasing after Lu Zhengde to talk.
Seeing her standing shyly in front of Lu Zhengde, while Lu Zhengde looked at Zhao Rui with a refined expression, Lu Huaijiao's hands, hanging at her sides, gently clenched into fists.
This Lu Zhengde, it seems, used the same expression to deceive her mother back then...
"Jiaojiao, what's wrong?"
Niu Fangfang leaned over and asked.
Lu Huaijiao looked away, smiled and shook her head: "It's okay, let's go back."
"good."
After saying goodbye to the rest of the Niu family, the two sisters rode their bicycles toward Tianshui Hutong.
Inevitably, the conversation turned to Niu Fangfang and Xiang Dongcheng's affair.
Now that only Lu Huaijiao was there, Niu Fangfang had nothing to be ashamed of or hide, so she told Lu Huaijiao some of the important parts of how she met Xiang Dongcheng.
"Jiaojiao, you don't know, when I first saw him, I hated him so much. There were so many people playing together, but he acted like he didn't even see me, he didn't even give me a glance."
Niu Fangfang said that last summer vacation, she went out to play with her friends from the city. It turned out that one of her friends knew Xiang Dongcheng, who was Xiang Dongcheng's younger brother.
He saw Xiang Dongcheng nearby, so he called his men to come over.
As it turned out, the man did come over, but he didn't even glance at her.
They acted as if they didn't know each other.
This was clearly their second meeting.
The first time was on Niu Fangfang's way home from her summer job. She was stopped by a few hooligans and happened to run into Xiang Dongcheng who was passing by nearby.
He helped her.
Because of this incident, Niu Fangfang was originally very grateful to Xiang Dongcheng, but the impression she had of their second meeting was so bad that she began to hold a grudge against him.
I've categorized him as the person I hate the most.
There is no other.
Lu Huaijiao found it very interesting and pressed Niu Fangfang and the others to tell her how they went from 'hating' them to liking them.
Niu Fangfang was stunned for a moment.
I realized it very quickly.
Who likes him?
The little girl is being dishonest again.
Lu Huaijiao clicked her tongue and looked at her with a smile.
Niu Fangfang blushed naturally, and then stammered and admitted it.
"He said that once this matter is over, he wants you and Brother Changzheng to help him propose marriage to my family."
"Hmm? What are you thinking?"
"I... what can I think..." Niu Fangfang blushed furiously, as if she were on fire.
If Lu Huaijiao still doesn't understand, then she really is a big idiot.
She nodded, understanding.
"Alright, I'll have Gu Changzheng use his silver tongue to praise Brother Xiang to the point that he's unparalleled in the world."
"Hmm? Aren't you the one who's better at talking than Brother Changzheng?" Niu Fangfang asked the probing question.
Lu Huaijiao: ...
is that so?
Why did she feel that Gu Changzheng's words were more formidable? Or was it just her imagination?
Okay, whether it's a misperception or the truth, we're all family now, so it doesn't matter.
The two chatted and laughed as they arrived at Sweetwater Alley.
Niu Fangfang did go inside and played with Sanbao for a while. As soon as they entered, He Meizhu went to the kitchen to cook, and she didn't forget to tell Niu Fangfang to stay for dinner.
"I'll cook it early so we can eat before it gets dark. After we've eaten, we'll head back so you don't miss your trip home."
He Meizhu was very enthusiastic.
They don't find it troublesome at all.
Niu Fangfang had eaten at their house twice before, so they weren't too polite.
"Thank you for troubling me again, Auntie."
"It's okay, it's okay. You talk to Jiaojiao, I'll have dinner ready in a bit."
He Meizhu went to the kitchen and quickly cooked the rice.
She also killed a chicken, added the leftover dishes from yesterday's Lunar New Year celebration, and heated them up so they could be eaten quickly.
Just as they were about to eat, Gu Changzheng arrived home.
Unfortunately, he didn't come back alone; he brought someone with him.
When Lu Huaijiao saw the man who came in with Gu Changzheng, her smile almost overflowed.
"Fangfang, what a coincidence!"
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