Chen Guizhi is an elderly resident of the family compound, and even she doesn't know what to do, let alone Fang Qiao, who has only moved in three months ago.
Fang Qiao shook her head: "This is the first time I've encountered this. Why don't we go ask other families? Let's discuss it together."
“Okay.” Chen Guizhi thought for a moment and then pulled Fang Qiao to Sanxi’s house in the row of family compounds behind.
Sanxi is the youngest son of the family, who has just turned two years old. He has two older sisters whose full names Fang Qiao doesn't know. Fang Qiao only heard her mother call them Da Niu and Er Niu.
Sanxi's mother was a middle-aged woman who looked somewhat weathered. She married late, in her thirties, and was already in her early forties when she gave birth to Sanxi.
She is warm and hospitable, and many family members in the residential compound are happy to visit her home.
However, since they weren't in the same residential compound, and Fang Qiao rarely went out because she usually stayed home to take care of the children, she and Sanxi's mother were only acquainted and exchanged greetings when they met.
When Chen Guizhi led Fang Qiao inside, several women of similar age were sitting in Sanxi's courtyard, chatting and laughing as they sewed shoe soles.
Chen Guizhi smiled and said, "Oh, everyone's here."
"Guizhi, Xiaoqiao, oh my, what brings you here? I've never seen you two line up here before. Come, come, sit down." Sanxi's mother looked delighted. She went inside and brought out a long bench, warmly inviting them to sit down.
"Thank you, sister-in-law." Xiao Qiao took the long bench that Chen Guizhi handed her and sat down with her.
Chen Guizhi said with a smile, "I've encountered a problem, so I've come to discuss it with you."
Sanxi's mother asked, "What's the problem? Tell me about it."
"It's all about Liu Dongliang's family," Chen Guizhi said worriedly. "I don't know what suddenly happened to his husband, he adopted a girl from outside. They're having a feast tonight, and I'm really worried about how to go. The child isn't Li Dan's biological child, so bringing eggs and millet doesn't seem appropriate. But we can't go empty-handed, can we?"
“Why are you so worried? Just give a gift. It doesn’t matter if she’s your biological daughter or not, just treat it as attending a banquet,” Sanxi’s mother said. “We’ve already discussed it, and we’ll give her a gift when we go tonight. It’ll be a respectable occasion for everyone.”
"How much money do I need to give as a gift?" Chen Guizhi asked, a little pained.
"Look at how stingy you are, I'll make sure you never lose money." Sanxi's mother knew Chen Guizhi's personality and knew that she valued her money the most, so she teased her mischievously.
Chen Guizhi was used to being teased and wasn't angry. She asked, "Do you go for 50 cents or 1 yuan?"
"Give her a dollar? You wish, you shameless bitch."
Sanxi's mother has lived in this family compound since she got married, for more than ten years now. She had a fairly good relationship with Liu Dongliang's ex-wife and always looked down on Li Dan. But her husband was a worker in the workshop managed by Liu Dongliang. He was the leader and she was the subordinate. There was nowhere for her to hide.
No matter how disgusted you feel inside, you still have to maintain a fake relationship on the surface.
Sanxi's mother curled her lip: "Five cents is fine. Nobody brings their kids to this kind of event. Ten people sit at a table, five cents per person is five dollars. How much food can she prepare to spend five dollars?"
"That's right, that's right." The others echoed.
"They said they wanted to give everyone a good laugh, but they just wanted to pocket the money for themselves."
“If we weren’t neighbors, I wouldn’t even be willing to give her 50 cents.”
The group of people were all talking at once, and their attitudes toward Li Dan were surprisingly consistent.
Chen Guizhi nodded: "Then Xiao Qiao and I will also contribute 50 cents."
As evening approached, Fang Qiao heard lively conversation coming from next door. She then left the children with Cheng Baidong and Xiao Jing and went to Li Dan's house alone.
Chen Guizhi, who lived next door, was peeking out of her doorway. When she saw Fang Qiao arrive, she straightened her clothes and hurried over.
"Xiao Qiao, wait for me, let's go in together."
"good."
The two entered together and found that the borrowed tables and chairs had already been set up in the yard. There were three tables in total, and one of them was already occupied, indicating that she had invited quite a few people.
At this moment, Li Dan stood smiling at the entrance of the main room, holding the hand of a little girl with big eyes, and talking to Sun Shuyi.
Next to Sun Shuyi stood a young man in a shirt; the two were arm in arm, standing close together, looking very intimate.
When Li Dan saw Fang Qiao and Chen Guizhi enter, she first said something to Sun Shuyi, and then reached out to greet them: "Sister-in-law Guizhi, Xiao Qiao, you're here."
By the time Fang Qiao and Chen Guizhi approached her, Sun Shuyi had already taken the young man's arm and sat down at the table.
"Congratulations, sister-in-law."
Fang Qiao and Chen Guizhi handed Li Dan red envelopes containing the monetary gifts one after the other.
The names are all written on the red envelopes, so there's no need to worry about making mistakes.
Li Dan pushed her youngest daughter, whom she was holding by the hand, forward half a step and said with a big smile, "Come on, let me introduce you. This is my daughter from now on, Liu Lai'er, Lai as in Penglai."
"Lai'er, call them Auntie. One is Aunt Guizhi, and the other is Aunt Xiao Qiao."
Liu Lai'er was a pretty young girl, but she was pale and thin, and her hair was dry and yellow. The brand-new floral dress she wore was too big and baggy, hanging loosely on her and not fitting her at all.
Fang Qiao heard that she was almost three years old, but she looked like she was only two years old. Because she was too thin, her body and limbs were too slender, so her head looked particularly big. Her already big eyes now looked too big, dark and uncoordinated.
She was a little shy, clutching Li Dan's clothes tightly, and timidly hummed twice, "Auntie..."
The sound was so faint it was barely audible; you couldn't hear it unless you listened very carefully.
Li Dan was a little embarrassed and nudged her shoulder again: "What are you shouting? I can't hear you. Speak louder."
Liu Lai'er pursed her lips, her eyes blinking, almost on the verge of tears.
Fang Qiao, feeling soft-hearted, quickly came to her rescue, saying, "It's alright, it's alright. The child is shy and already heard what you just called out. You don't need to call out again. Don't be harsh with her."
“I didn’t yell at her, I was just a little anxious.” Li Dan explained somewhat awkwardly, “After all, Lai’er grew up in the countryside and no one ever taught her manners. I was just trying to do what’s best for her.”
Fang Qiao was also a little embarrassed, and echoed with two sentences: "It's about educating children, I understand, I understand."
After exchanging pleasantries, more people arrived outside. Li Dan asked Fang Qiao and Chen Guizhi to find a place to sit down, while she led Liu Lai'er forward to greet them.
Fang Qiao and Chen Guizhi deliberately found an empty table that was relatively far away from Sun Shuyi.
Sitting down at the table, Chen Guizhi couldn't resist gossiping and complained to Fang Qiao, "What kind of name did Li Dan give her daughter? Liu Lai'er, Liu Lai'er, it doesn't even sound right, it's awkward and unpleasant to hear. I really don't know what she was thinking."
"Lai'er, Lai'er." Fang Qiao wasn't too surprised; it was common to name children like that in the countryside.
"She probably wants to use this child to attract her own child."
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