The winter wind lashed against the door. Li Zhongguo sat on the sofa. The floor heating in the room was very warm, but it couldn't warm the anxiety in his heart.
"Linghua, Panmei has arrived. It's been so many years since I last saw her. I wonder what that brat looks like now."
Li Zhongguo rubbed his hands together, his brows furrowed into a deep frown, muttering to himself. But the slight downturn at the corners of his mouth betrayed the peculiar thoughts in his heart. He had a father's love, but it was like a thin veil covering it, indistinct and not intense.
"Hey! No matter how he grows up, he's not as pretty as his sister. I don't know who he looks like! Luckily, he's not ugly either, otherwise he'd never get married."
Li Zhongguo: "……………………"
While straightening the hem of her clothes, Ma Ling casually responded, her hands never stopping, but a hint of relief flashed in her eyes.
In her heart, her daughter was her most cherished "little cotton-padded jacket" (a term of endearment for a daughter), while her son, who was considered a "money-losing burden" in his early years, was already a blessing from heaven to have managed to establish himself and not become a burden.
Just then, the door creaked open, and a gust of cold wind carried Li Panmei and her family into the room.
As soon as Li Panmei stepped through the door, she heard her parents' discussion. Her heart felt like it had been scratched by a cat, a bitter and uncomfortable feeling, but she still had to put on a smile: "Mom, Dad, I've brought the whole family to celebrate the New Year with you."
Li Zhongguo stood up upon hearing this, glanced at his son's face, paused for a moment, then burst out laughing: "Panmei! You look older than me!"
That smugness, emanating from his wide grin and raised eyebrows, filled the entire room. The schadenfreude in his eyes was so blatant that Li Panmei was so embarrassed she wanted to dig her toes into the ground. She wished she could disappear into nowhere immediately.
"Dad, how can I compare to you? Mom gave you all her love, didn't she?"
Li Panmei's lips curled into a faint smile, her gaze darting between her parents with amusement, her words laced with hidden meaning and barbed words.
Li Zhongguo's smile froze, his lips twitched, and he stole a glance at Ma Linghua, thinking to himself, "Give me a break." Everyone knows that in this family, Linghua's heart is tied to Lihua, and he himself is at most ranked after Hehua. Where is the favoritism?
"Alright, let's go eat! You're so slow and indecisive, not as quick as you were when you were a kid."
Ma Linghua frowned, raised her hand impatiently, and urged them on. Her eyes swept over the crowd, lingering on Wu Xiao'e for a few more seconds.
Memories unfold slowly in my mind like old photographs. When I first met this girl, I felt that her brows and eyes revealed a shrewdness that didn't quite suit my taste. But considering that her family was well-off and could help her raise her son, I turned a blind eye and accepted it.
Now, when we meet again, time is like a butcher's knife, carving deep marks on Wu Xiao'e's face. Her skin is rough and sallow, with deep wrinkles around her eyes. Her hair is casually tied back, with a few strands of silver stubbornly sticking out, making her look older than herself.
(Actually, Wu Xiao'e takes good care of herself, but Ma Linghua doesn't look old, so she looks particularly old.)
A hint of surprise flashed in Ma Linghua's eyes; she almost didn't recognize him. Her lips parted slightly, as if she wanted to say something but hesitated, ultimately swallowing her words. However, she felt as if she had swallowed a fly, feeling disgusted and only thinking that there would probably be more troublesome things at the end of the year.
The family huddled together toward the dining table, their footsteps hurried, but the atmosphere was subtly tense.
Li Panmei smiled awkwardly, trying to break the deadlock by introducing her family members to her daughter-in-law.
“Mother, this is my daughter-in-law Xiao’e, whom you have met before; my son Erfa’s wife Wang Mei; my grandson Li Wen; my son Sanfa’s wife Deng Xia; and my grandson Li Su.”
He said a few very simple words; if he said any more, his mother would definitely get impatient.
Li Panmei hurriedly took out gifts from her bag, presented them to her parents with both hands, and her face was full of ingratiating smiles.
A set of fishing gear, with a rod that gleams with a cold, hard sheen and fishing line that is tightly and neatly wound, every detail shows care and attention, specially prepared for my father's leisurely fishing pleasure.
A jade pipe, its emerald green color almost dripping, resembles tender bamboo shoots sprouting in spring. Its texture is warm and smooth, and the carving is exquisite, with clear and flowing lines. Under the indoor light, it seems to be covered with a layer of radiance.
"Panmei! Your mother did not spoil you for nothing when you were little. You are a filial child."
Ma Linghua's eyes lit up as she snatched the pipe, caressing it with obvious delight. Her lips curled into a smile, and her eyes sparkled with joy. Her expression instantly brightened as she looked at Li Panmei, her friendliness practically overflowing.
Wu Xiao'e's lips twitched; she was still the same as always.
“Mother, it is only right that I be filial to you. You are my mother, and you raised me with great difficulty. How can I not be filial to you!”
Li Panmei scratched her head, smiled sheepishly, and her eyes and brows were full of sincerity.
Watching this scene, Li Zhongguo felt a pang of jealousy, a sour taste rising in his mouth. He thought to himself, "Hmph, I raised you with such hardship, and you little bastard, now all you care about is your mother. I've wasted my time, I'd rather not have you!"
But he could only keep these words to himself, his face remaining calm, and he only mumbled an "Mmm".
"Okay! Let's go eat!" Ma Linghua was in a great mood, waving her hand and speaking in a lighter tone.
Wang Mei nudged Erfa and asked softly, "Erfa, why don't you go up and say hello?"
Erfa lowered his voice to a whisper, "Don't worry about it. Dad said he can talk, we just need to watch. When we see him, we must call out to him immediately, understand?"
Wang Mei nodded hurriedly, her eyes revealing both nervousness and obedience.
Deng Xia stood to one side, her appearance refined and calm, but her eyes, like lively beads, darted around the hall, taking in everything. She remained silent for a moment, like a quiet shadow, her lips pursed in silence.
"By the way, where are the lotus flowers?"
Li Panmei looked around. He had seen his brother-in-law and parents, but his sister and niece were nowhere to be seen. As for his nephews, he hadn't even thought about them.
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