Zhao Haiyin looked up when she heard the sound, and her eyes lit up with surprise when she saw her. She quickly invited her in.
"It's Xiangling! Come in and sit down. You've come at the perfect time. We're just putting together some freshly made pickled vegetables. We'll bring some back for you to try later."
Her attitude towards Cheng Xiangling was completely different from her attitude towards He Shuhui, and it was clear that she genuinely liked this young girl.
Grandma Xie was very welcoming: "Xiangling, come and sit down. It's been a long time since I've seen you. What have you been busy with lately?"
After Cheng Xiangling sat down on the small stool, she playfully stuck out her tongue at them.
“I’ve been living with my grandparents in another city for a long time and haven’t come back much.”
"Now that my parents have brought me back to Beijing, I'll have more opportunities to come here and play in the future."
As Cheng Xiangling spoke, she immediately noticed Shen Zhihuan beside her, and her eyes lit up.
Wow, what a beautiful girl.
She was the most beautiful woman she had ever seen in the alley, besides her sister!
This was the first time the two had met. Knowing that Shen Zhihuan was curious about her identity, Cheng Xiangling introduced herself generously.
"Hello, sister. My name is Cheng Xiangling. I have an older sister who married and moved to this neighborhood. She is currently living in a large courtyard on the north side of the alley."
“She’s pregnant and will be giving birth in the next few days, so I came to visit her and also brought some local specialties from my hometown to share with everyone.”
Shen Zhihuan was immediately charmed by the adorable little sister and responded with a smile:
"Hello, my name is Shen Zhihuan, you can just call me by my name."
Seeing the two girls getting along so well, Zhao Haiyin and Grandma Xie were very pleased and asked with concern:
"Xiangling, how long do you plan to stay here this time?"
"It has to wait until my sister finishes her postpartum confinement. She's about to give birth, and she needs to maintain a good mood during this period."
Cheng Xiangling smiled and winked at everyone.
"I came here specifically to please my sister, on my parents' orders."
Shen Zhihuan and the others couldn't help but laugh at her words.
After talking about her sister, Cheng Xiangling then inquired about Xie Lanshen's injuries.
"I just heard from my sister that Brother Xie was injured a while ago. How is he now? How is his recovery going?"
Zhao Haiyin and Grandma Xie exchanged a glance and covered their mouths, laughing.
"You should ask Zhihuan about this; she knows Lanshen's situation best."
That's true. Shen Zhihuan was the doctor in charge of treating Xie Lanshen, so she was naturally very clear about his condition.
But the more I listened to what the two elders said, the more something seemed off.
Under the teasing gazes of Zhao Haiyin and Old Mrs. Xie, Shen Zhihuan blushed slightly and said:
"Brother Xie is alright, he has almost fully recovered."
"Then I'm relieved."
Cheng Xiangling breathed a heavy sigh of relief, then looked at her with starry eyes and asked curiously:
"Sister Zhihuan, are you Brother Xie's new wife?"
"Brother Xie is so lucky! Sister Zhihuan is so beautiful, I'm so envious of him."
When someone else says this, it inevitably sounds like deliberate flattery.
But Cheng Xiangling's tone was so sincere and polite, and she stared at her with shining eyes the whole time, looking very close to her. It was hard for Shen Zhihuan not to like her.
In a few days, Shen Zhihuan will be engaged to Xie Lanshen, so there's no need to hide it.
She nodded and readily admitted, "When Brother Xie and I hold a banquet in a while, Xiangling, you must come for dinner."
Upon hearing this, Zhao Haiyin and Grandma Xie couldn't stop smiling.
The two of them spoke with great pride, praising Shen Zhihuan as if she were their own daughter.
"Zhihuan is an exceptionally outstanding girl. She is not only beautiful but also very capable."
"Not only was she taken in as an apprentice by two exceptionally skilled military doctors, but she also re-enrolled in the college entrance examination. She might become a college student in a while!"
Upon hearing this, Cheng Xiangling admired Shen Zhihuan even more.
"That's great. The biggest regret of my life is that I was too naughty when I was in school and didn't study much, so I don't even know many words."
"I admire intellectuals like Sister Zhihuan the most."
This little girl has such a unique way of praising people, she never repeats herself. Shen Zhihuan was almost embarrassed by her compliments.
"Xiangling is also very pretty, and she's especially youthful and energetic."
Cheng Xiangling chuckled, affectionately took her arm, and teased her:
"Sister Zhihuan isn't that much older than me, so why does she praise people in such a mature way?"
Shen Zhihuan smiled but remained silent; she had always hoped to have a younger sister.
If she were the older sister, she wouldn't be like Shen Ling; she would only cherish and protect her younger sister.
The two of them interacted in a very loving way, and Zhao Haiyin and Grandma Xie also liked to tease them and talk to them.
For a moment, the entire Xie family courtyard was filled with laughter and joy.
As they chatted, the topic turned back to Cheng Xiangling's older sister.
Remembering something, Zhao Haiyin couldn't help but frown, her face filled with worry as she said:
"I ran into Wanwan when I went to the market to buy groceries last time. She was about to give birth and was still going out alone with such a big belly. It was really frightening to see."
"Although she explained to me that she couldn't stay at home and wanted to go out for a walk, I always felt that she seemed a little down."
As Zhao Haiyin spoke, she brought over the things she had prepared in advance.
“I was worried and was thinking of visiting her in the next few days, but I felt it wasn’t right for a neighbor to keep coming over, as if I didn’t trust her in-laws.”
"Xiangling is here, so please help me take these things to your sister. While you're here, please also pay attention to her mood."
Cheng Xiangling pursed her lips, her expression momentarily unnatural, but she quickly concealed it.
"I see."
She smiled and said, "Thank you, Aunt Zhao. I'll spend more time with my sister."
Since we're on the topic, Shen Zhihuan added, "Your sister lives nearby. If there's any emergency, you can come find me."
"Don't be so polite with me. I'll do my best to help if it's within my power."
Cheng Xiangling smiled genuinely again after hearing this.
"Sister Zhihuan is an apprentice of the military doctor and personally cured Brother Xie, so her medical skills must be exceptional."
"Giving birth is so dangerous for women, I'm always worried about my sister. Now that you've said that, I feel much more at ease."
She happily nuzzled her forehead against Shen Zhihuan's shoulder, acting coquettishly like she would with her own older sister.
"I don't know why, but I feel especially close to Sister Zhihuan. It's like I've seen her somewhere before."
Cheng Xiangling herself couldn't understand her own thoughts.
She was certain that this was the first time she had met Shen Zhihuan.
But somehow, I just don't feel any distance from her.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
