Chapter 191 Meeting the Parents
Xu Zhili smiled and waved at him, deliberately putting on a stern face, but couldn't hide the smile in her eyes, "If you don't leave now, I won't be able to get up late tomorrow, okay?"
With that, she gave him no more chance to dawdle, turned around and gently closed the courtyard gate.
Through the thin door panel, she could hear him standing outside for a while longer, his soft breathing clearly audible.
Only after she blew out the kerosene lamp in the house, plunging it into complete darkness, did the sound of his footsteps, turning back every few steps, gradually fade into the distance outside the courtyard.
The next day, Xie Yunze arrived early as expected, dressed neatly and smartly, even buttoning up the collar of his military uniform jacket meticulously.
He not only picked up Xu Zhili, but also carefully brought along Xu Zhian, who was obviously dressed up and whose little face was flushed with excitement. The three of them went to the Xie family together.
As soon as they entered the Xie family compound, Xie Brigade Leader's wife, Wang Xiuying, greeted them warmly with a beaming smile, her eyes immediately fixed on Xu Zhili.
She grabbed Xu Zhili's hand, looked her up and down, and couldn't stop smiling: "Oh my, this little Xu Zhili is here! I've often heard Gou Dan... oh no, I've heard my son mention you, but I never imagined that you would be my future daughter-in-law! This child has such good taste."
"Mother, please be mindful of your words."
Xie Yunze let out a helpless murmur from the side, his face showing a hint of shyness and embarrassment, especially after hearing that childhood nickname.
Wang Xiuying patted her son's arm and scolded him, "I'm just having a private conversation with my future daughter-in-law, why are you interrupting? Go away."
She then affectionately pulled Xu Zhili into the house, her gaze lingering on her with loving eyes, growing more and more satisfied with her.
"Little Xu, come inside and sit down. Don't stand. Your auntie made you some sweet egg soup this morning, and also poached two eggs. They're fresh out of the pot and still sweet. Eat them while they're hot."
Xu Zhili felt a little embarrassed by the overwhelming enthusiasm, but her heart was warmed. She smiled and replied, "Thank you, Auntie, you're too kind."
Little Xu Zhian followed behind his older sister, and timidly looked up and called out, "Hello, Auntie."
This made Wang Xiuying very happy. She quickly bent down, grabbed a handful of fruit candies that she had prepared beforehand, and stuffed them into his little hand.
"Oh my, this must be An'an? She's so good and sensible. Here, take this and sweeten her mouth."
At this moment, Xie Jianguo also came out from the inner room with his hands behind his back, his face serious, and his eyes scrutinized Xu Zhili.
Seeing that although she was young, she was poised and generous, with clear and open eyes, showing no trace of pettiness, his expression softened a little.
He waved to Xie Yunce and said in a loud voice, "What are you all standing there for? Go and take out the jar of malted milk powder I've been hiding in my cupboard and make some for the kids. Also, check if there's any meat left in the cellar. Let the Xu siblings stay for lunch and cook them a few good dishes."
"Okay."
Xie Yunze quickly responded, and as he turned around, he secretly gave Xu Zhili a reassuring look that said, "See? I told you my parents would like you."
Looking at the family's simple and warm manner, Xu Zhili's initial nervousness about meeting the parents gradually dissipated, and she felt enveloped in a simple and warm atmosphere.
Not long after the group sat down in the main room, before they had even finished their sweet egg soup, they heard a series of light and hurried footsteps coming from the courtyard gate, accompanied by the clear laughter of young women.
It turned out to be the three daughters of the Xie family—eldest sister Xie Chunlan, third sister Xie Qiuju, and youngest sister Xie Dongmei—who had returned from work.
They had heard early in the morning that their younger brother, Xie Yunze, was bringing his girlfriend home today, and they were very curious. As soon as they finished work, they hurriedly went to their parents' home together.
The eldest sister, Xie Chunlan, married into the village; her husband is Group Leader Ye, the same Group Leader Ye mentioned earlier.
His real name is Ye Guowei. He and Xie Yunze were comrades in the same unit. After retiring from the army, he was assigned to the county public security bureau. He is a steady and capable person.
The villagers respected him, not only because of his status, but also because he was fair and kind.
Interestingly, even though Team Leader Ye didn't know that Xu Zhili was Xie Yunce's future wife, it still surprised him greatly.
The third sister, Xie Qiuju, married into the county. Her husband, Chen Shu, was a first-class worker at the county machinery factory. He was an honest man who worked diligently and had solid skills.
The machinery factory has a clear hierarchy. Although a first-level worker is already in a technical position, he is still far from being a core technical worker.
Previously, Xu Zhili came to the factory as a technical consultant to guide the innovation. She was always accompanied by factory leaders and technical backbones when she came and went. At that time, Chen Shu was just an ordinary worker who buried himself in his work in the workshop, so he was naturally not qualified to come forward to meet her.
So much so that when he later heard his family talking about Xu Zhili, Chen Shu scratched his head and muttered, "Why does this name sound so familiar?"
Xie Qiuju laughed at him: "Of course you've heard of it. When they came to your factory to give instructions, you weren't even qualified to take a peek from afar!"
Chen Shu suddenly realized, clicking his tongue in amazement, "Oh, it was her."
The youngest sister, Xie Dongmei, just turned eighteen and graduated from high school a year ago.
She was naturally easygoing and had wanted to find a factory job, but back then every factory was already full, so it wasn't easy to find one.
There was no other way, so now I've come to terms with it and I'm willing to work in the team with my mother, Wang Xiuying. Every day I work in the fields with the other members to earn work points, which makes me feel at ease.
Every day before dawn, I would get up, put on my straw hat, carry my water bottle, and go to the fields with everyone to weed, fertilize, and pick cotton, doing everything myself.
Her skin had turned a healthy wheat color, and her arms had become much stronger. Although she was the youngest, she was willing to learn and work hard, and gradually became half of the family's workforce.
Wang Xiuying often felt sorry for her youngest daughter, but Xie Dongmei would comfort her mother instead: "Mom, I'm not tired. I feel at ease doing more work."
Although this large family is busy with their own lives, they care about each other and rely on one another. Their days are like rice seedlings in a field, growing quietly day by day, waiting for the time to sprout and bloom.
They happened to be at their parents' home and were both eager to see what kind of girl this was, the one who had won over their younger brother, who was always cold and indifferent to girls and whose heart was only in the army, and whom they had brought home so solemnly.
As soon as the three entered the room, their eyes immediately fell on Xu Zhili, who was sitting next to her mother, with undisguised curiosity and scrutiny.
Upon seeing Xu Zhili's appearance and demeanor, all three were amazed, and then they all showed kind and warm smiles.
The third sister, Xie Qiuju, with the most forthright and outspoken personality, spoke first, her voice loud and cheerful: "Mother, is this my little brother's girlfriend?"
"Oh my, he's so handsome! Look at his whole demeanor, he's like someone from a magazine."
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