When Jiang Yi and the others returned to the Hua family courtyard, they couldn't help but rub their cheeks; their faces were a little stiff from laughing so much.
Hua Baoguo and Xun Liangfen have returned home, and their New Year's greetings mission in the neighborhood can be considered successfully completed.
“You’ve all finished visiting,” Hua Baoguo said. He had already heard from his parents that Jiang Yi had gone out to pay New Year’s visits with his children, so he wasn’t surprised to see them.
Hua Zhiping: "Everyone in this neighborhood has been there."
"Jiang Yi, it's already noon, why don't you come to my house and have something to eat?" Hua Guangzong came out when he heard the commotion and immediately invited him to stay.
Jiang Yi was tempted, but still declined. It wasn't customary to stay for a meal at someone else's house on the first day of the Lunar New Year. "No, I have to go visit my aunt this afternoon."
Hua Guangzong didn't insist. "Then I won't keep you. You're already familiar with Xiao Er and the others, so feel free to come over and play whenever you want."
Jiang Yi smiled and agreed before taking his leave.
After the guests left, the Hua family busied themselves preparing for the next meal.
The kitchen was only so big. Tian Guihua and Xun Liangfen were inside, while Hua Xiangyun and Li Lijuan were granted a pardon. The group of people sat around the stove eating peanuts.
During casual conversation, Jiang Yi inevitably came up again.
Hua Zhiping: "I had heard others mention him a few times before, and I thought he was difficult to get along with."
I never imagined it was all just hearsay, which vilified the person.
“You know how formidable these aunties are usually,” Hua Zhian said, rubbing off the peanut skins and popping it into his mouth. After a few bites, he continued, “He’s not having an easy time either. He hasn’t lived in his previous house for a long time. He definitely needs to settle down first. How can he have time to visit other people?”
This made them feel neglected, and they started spreading all sorts of gossip.
Li Lijuan added, "That shouldn't be the point. The point is that he rejected so many people."
You wouldn't believe it, Jiang Yi isn't just popular around here, even my mom asked me about him when I went back last time."
Hua Xiangyun chimed in, "What did Aunt Li ask?"
Li Lijuan covered her mouth and laughed, "Of course, she asked about his marriage. My mother's colleague knew that I had married into this family and thought that our two families had a good relationship, so she wanted me to mediate between them."
But my mom turned them all down. She told me, "Being a matchmaker isn't easy. If you do a good job, no one will remember your contribution, but if the other family falls on hard times later, it'll all be your fault as the matchmaker."
Hua Zhiping placed the peeled peanuts in her palm and said, "Our mother is right. We don't lack that little bit of money as a thank-you gift, so let's not make trouble for ourselves."
Besides, your current task is to take good care of the baby in your womb; there's no need to worry about unrelated things.
Li Lijuan touched her belly and said, "How could I not know? Well, my mom only mentioned it to me briefly, in case someone comes to me and I can't react in time."
Anyway, I just told everyone I wasn't familiar with them; I had no choice but to avoid the situation.
Hua Zhian: "Is Jiang Yi really that popular?"
He'd been back for so long, and his grandmother had only mentioned once that she wanted to find him a partner, but nothing had happened yet. Little did he know that the whole county had her eye on him.
Li Lijuan: "Of course, Jiang Yi's large courtyard alone is already highly sought after."
Moreover, I also heard my mother say that Jiang Yi has been in the army for so many years and his position seems to be quite high, so he should receive a lot of subsidies.
Moreover, this job transfer means he'll become a permanent employee. You could say he has no shortage of housing, work, or money, so how could he not be in high demand?
Besides, he's all alone. Finding a son-in-law like that would be like getting a son for free. Who wouldn't be tempted?
My mom said that if my sister and I hadn't both gotten married, she would have gone to our home to try and help us out.
Hua Zhiping, who was about to hand her the peanuts, popped them into his mouth instead and flicked her lightly with his hand, "Don't you also feel regretful?"
Li Lijuan immediately smiled obsequiously, "This is what your mother-in-law said herself; I didn't say anything."
Besides, no matter how good Jiang Yi's conditions are, he's not suitable for me. Look at our family, we have Grandma and Mom at home. I'm so comfortable being a wife here."
Moreover, there will be someone to take care of the child after it is born, so she can go to work with peace of mind. Unlike others who are short-sighted and only see the present but not the future, she is not short-sighted.
Most importantly, she's already married to Zhiping, so why would she have so many unrealistic ideas?
"You know your stuff," Hua Zhiping said, his bitterness subsiding. "Eating too many peanuts can cause internal heat. Shall I go wash an apple for you?"
Having been fed a bellyful of dog food (a Chinese slang term for witnessing public displays of affection), Hua Xiangyun and Hua Zhian exchanged a glance and quickly retreated from the stove.
If we stay any longer, we won't even have lunch today.
Hua Xiangyun ran back to her room and took the opportunity to summon the Nine Lotus Cauldron.
"Stop pretending to be dead and tell me what happened right now!"
The Nine Lotus Cauldron breathed a sigh of relief. Fortunately, its master hadn't interrogated it last night, giving it some breathing room to find an excuse—or rather, a better explanation.
"This really isn't my fault. It was an emergency that day, and I could only protect you."
Perhaps the turbulent spacetime at that time encompassed a broad area, and he just happened to stumble in and was mistakenly brought here.
Hua Xiangyun, "You knew all along?"
Nine Lotus Cauldron immediately protested, "No, how could I possibly know?"
That's unacceptable; besides, he was just lucky enough to barge in.
"I only found out yesterday when he came over to acknowledge you."
You know I've been by your master's side for so many years, so I'm naturally familiar with Jiang Yi. As soon as you recognized him, I started trying hard to remember, but I just couldn't recall how he got here.
Hua Xiangyun was skeptical, "You answered quite fluently, though."
Nine Lotus Cauldron, "I was thinking about it yesterday..."
Hua Xiangyun sneered, "Thinking about how to deal with me? Are you?"
The Nine Lotus Cauldron huddled in the corner, feeling wronged. It had been tricked by its dog owner again. "At the time, I did see a light, but I thought it was caused by lightning, so I didn't pay much attention to it."
In that situation, there was nothing I could change.
Besides, things are a bit better for him here; at least you have someone to keep you company…
Hua Xiangyun: "Next time, you must tell me in time. If you dare to hide anything again, be careful that I break the contract with you and find a pit to bury you deep."
Nine Lotus Cauldron, feeling wronged, dared not argue...
"You said before that if there was a chance, maybe we could go back. Now, can both of us go back?"
The Nine Lotus Cauldron dared not make any more promises. "That's just a possibility. Besides, Master, you have family and friends here. Even if you go back, you might not be able to return to your own body..."
Hua Xiangyun heard the voice getting softer and softer, and she understood everything. "So you lied to me again before."
Nine Lotus Cauldron, eager to survive, quickly explained, "Master, you misunderstand. There is such an opportunity, but it depends on your luck."
Opportunities are something you can only encounter, not seek; they're invisible and intangible. I'm really not lying to you.
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