After getting off the bus, Fang Qiao and her entourage took another bus before finally getting off at the bus stop in front of Fangjia Hutong.
The area around the bus stop is full of large courtyard houses, and the residents in this area are ordinary people who are not very well-off.
Fang Qiao grew up in this alley. As soon as she led Cheng Baidong and the others into the alley, they were stopped by a middle-aged woman who was walking towards them.
The middle-aged woman stared at Fang Qiao's face, scrutinizing it for a long time, but hesitated to recognize him. She asked uncertainly, "You are... the third son of the Fang family who went to the countryside?"
Fang Qiao recognized her; she was Aunt Liang from the next courtyard.
Because she was the first family to move out of the tenement, her son started reselling electrical appliances from the south in the 1980s and made a lot of money. He bought an entire courtyard house inside the Second Ring Road, so Fang Qiao had the deepest impression of her.
Fang Qiao smiled and replied, "Aunt Liang, it's me."
"I remember your name is Xiao Qiao, right? It's been so many years, you've grown into a beautiful young woman, I almost didn't recognize you," Aunt Liang said excitedly.
"Yes, Aunt Liang, her name is Xiao Qiao."
"How did you get back?" Aunt Liang finally noticed the other people behind her and the child Cheng Bodong was holding. She had a guess in her mind, but dared not draw a conclusion easily: "You... got married in the countryside?"
“Yes, we’re married. This is my boyfriend, Cheng Bodong, and my daughter, An’an. The two behind me, the older one is my boyfriend’s younger sister, and the younger one is my niece.” Fang Qiao introduced them to her with a smile: “I was lucky, my boyfriend was transferred to a job in Beijing, so I came back with him.”
Aunt Liang felt a little sorry for Fang Qiao, but since things had come to this, she couldn't say anything more. She replied twice, "Okay, okay, no matter what, it's good that you can come back. Life in the capital is still easier than in the countryside, no matter how difficult it is."
Aunt Liang lifted An'an's swaddling clothes and glanced at her: "Your daughter is so pretty. She inherited your and your boyfriend's good looks. She's going to be a beauty."
After exchanging pleasantries, Fang Qiao asked, "Aunt Liang, is someone home with me?"
Today is Sunday, a day off, so there should be someone home if nothing unexpected happens.
Aunt Liang confirmed this: "There are people here, your mom, your brother, and your sister-in-law are all at home."
Fang Qiao nodded: "Then I'll go home first."
"Come back, come back. It's been so many years since you've been back, I wonder how much you miss me."
The roads in the alley are uneven and full of potholes. It's better in winter, but in summer when there's a lot of rain, water accumulates, and you'll step into muddy mud when you walk through them.
Having lived two lifetimes, Fang Qiao felt no trepidation about returning home and led Cheng Baidong straight ahead.
Upon entering the courtyard, the originally square courtyard house was divided into four sections, with walls built in the middle, leaving only a narrow passageway for two people to walk through.
The Fang family's house consisted of two rooms on the east side, plus two low sheds built against the courtyard wall at the back.
The door was open, and Fang Qiao saw her sister-in-law, Dong Ping, using a thin bamboo pole to beat the dust off the quilt, while her mother, Yang Fengxia, sat on a stool in front of the water tap with her back to the door, washing clothes.
Dong Ping was facing the main gate and was the first to see Fang Qiao.
When she married into the family, Fang Qiao had already been sent to the countryside.
She had never met Fang Qiao before, and seeing her carrying gifts, she asked her in confusion, "Who are you looking for?"
Hearing the sound, Yang Fengxia turned around curiously, and the moment she saw Fang Qiao, her eyes widened in surprise: "Xiao Qiao?"
She stood up from the stool with her hands still wet from washing clothes, and walked quickly to Fang Qiao. She reached out to take Fang Qiao's hand, but realized that her hands were wet. She hurriedly wiped them on her coat before finally taking Fang Qiao's hand.
"Why did you suddenly come back? Why didn't you send a telegram home before you came so your dad could pick you up at the train station?"
Fang Qiao: "No need to answer. I brought my family with me, and we're not settled in yet. I don't want to trouble them."
Yang Fengxia then noticed that Fang Qiao was followed by two adults and a child, and her brows furrowed subconsciously.
Fang Qiao introduced them to her: "Mom, this is my boyfriend Cheng Baidong, and this is my daughter An'an. Behind them is my boyfriend's younger sister Xiaojing, and this is my niece Tiantian."
Cheng Baidong called out after Fang Qiao, "Mom."
Xiao Jing then called out, "Auntie."
Sweetie didn't know what to call her, so she looked at Fang Qiao. Fang Qiao reminded her, "Call her Grandma."
Sweetie greeted her sweetly, "Hello, Grandma."
"Okay, okay, hello everyone." Yang Fengxia rubbed her pockets, a little embarrassed, and said, "This is your first time visiting, I didn't prepare any gifts or anything..."
The gift for the child was nothing more than a few cents, and Fang Qiao was too lazy to care about it: "No need, just provide us with food when they arrive."
"Meals are provided, definitely. Xiaoping..." Yang Fengxia called Dong Ping's name and then remembered that she hadn't introduced her to Fang Qiao yet: "Xiao Qiao, you haven't met her yet, have you? This is your sister-in-law, Xiaoping."
"I guessed it as soon as I arrived. Just like in the letter, my sister-in-law has a naturally wealthy face." Fang Qiao greeted her and asked, "Where's Xiaolong?"
Xiaolong is the child of Fang Hai and Dong Ping. He is a little over three years old this year and is the same age as Tiantian.
“Dad took him to Labor Park,” Dong Ping said. “I’ll have your older brother call them back.”
"OK."
Fang Qiao responded and took the gifts she brought into the house.
Dong Ping glanced at the table without making a sound, and frowned slightly.
She lifted the curtain and went into the inner room. Fang Hai was fast asleep on the bed, and the noise outside hadn't woken him up.
Dong Ping walked to the bedside and reached out to push his shoulder: "Fang Hai, wake up."
Fang Hai's eyebrows twitched, but he didn't move.
Dong Ping's breathing became heavier, and she pushed him again, saying irritably, "Wake up quickly, your sister has come back from the countryside with her family."
Fang Hai could no longer sleep. He suddenly sat up in bed, looking incredulous, and asked, "What did you say? Say it again!"
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