Chapter 192 The Gift is a Job Offer
Seeing this, the eldest sister Xie Chunlan and the younger sister Xie Dongmei smiled and agreed. One quickly brought over a clean wooden stool, and the other hurried to the kitchen to pour water.
Xie Chunlan kept saying, "Sit down and rest your feet. I heard from your younger brother that you worked so late last night. You must be tired."
Xie Dongmei had already handed a bowl of steaming tea to Xu Zhili, her eyes sparkling with a hint of shyness and sincerity.
The already cramped main room became even more crowded with the addition of three more people, but it was also exceptionally lively.
The sounds of laughter and chatter almost overflowed from the small window and drifted into the yard.
Sunlight streamed through the windowpane covered with stained glass, illuminating the dust motes floating in the air and the genuine smiles on everyone's faces.
While chatting about everyday things, Wang Xiuying seemed to suddenly remember something, slapped her leg, and smiled as she started talking to Xu Zhili: "Look at our girls, Chunlan is married in this village, and I still see her often."
"Qiuju lives in the county, so it's not too difficult for her to come back. It's just that Erya, Xiazhu, is married a bit far away, in the Zhao family in the next village."
“I have to take care of the elderly at home, and I also have a lot of housework to do. It’s hard for me to come back for ten days or half a month.”
As she spoke, a hint of longing flickered in her voice, and she glanced toward the door as if she could see her second daughter there.
"If Xia Zhu were here today, our whole family would truly be reunited, that would be what you call a complete family."
As soon as she finished speaking, she looked away and affectionately patted Xu Zhili's hand. The gesture was natural and warm, full of the love of an elder.
"However, there's a long road ahead, Xiao Xu. From now on, you're part of our family."
"My son has chosen you, so we've chosen you too. You must come to our house more often, try my cooking, and chat with us. Don't be distant, okay?"
Xu Zhili felt a warmth spread through her body as she listened to her sincere and enthusiastic words.
She nodded quickly, her voice clear and gentle: "Auntie, don't worry, I will definitely come often. I'm just afraid you'll think I'm coming too often."
"How could that be? We'd love for you to come every day."
Wang Xiuying smiled so much that the wrinkles around her eyes smoothed out, like a blooming chrysanthemum.
She turned her head and called out to Xu Zhian, who was sitting obediently to the side, "An'an, don't just sit there. Come on, help your aunt pass that basket, okay?"
“Okay, Auntie,” her younger brother, Xu Zhian, replied obediently.
Xu Zhian's voice still carried a childlike crispness, but her reaction was quick; she immediately stood up to get the sewing basket from the table.
Looking at the siblings, Wang Xiuying's eyes were full of satisfaction, and she nodded repeatedly: "Oh, good, good, they are both sensible and good children."
Her eyes crinkled with laughter, her contentment and love almost overflowing.
Then, Wang Xiuying took Xu Zhili's hand and began to recount the interesting stories of Xie Yunce's childhood.
He was indignant when others said he couldn't climb trees, and he insisted on proving them wrong, only to fall and break his knee, then cry as he went home to find his mother.
When he first earned merit in the army and received his medal, he looked both eager to show off and embarrassed, blushing as he tried to hide it.
She spoke vividly, full of details, as if those interesting things had happened just yesterday.
Xu Zhili listened intently, her eyes shining, occasionally letting out a soft chuckle or interjecting with a question, "And then?"
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Xie Yunce standing by the door, looking somewhat embarrassed, with his ears slightly red.
But the corners of his mouth couldn't help but turn upwards, holding a faint, warm smile as he silently watched everything.
Xu Zhian, sitting on a small stool, quietly unwrapped a piece of fruit candy.
He first licked it himself, tasted the sweetness, and then carefully handed the candy to his older sister, Xu Zhili, saying in a childish voice, "Sister, the candy is sweet, here you go."
Seeing his sister smile as she took it, he looked up at the tall figure standing to the side—Xie Yunze.
He seemed to have made a great decision; his brows furrowed slightly before relaxing, and he spoke with an unusually serious expression, enunciating each word clearly.
"You must be good to my sister."
He paused, then emphasized his words as if announcing something extremely important, "Otherwise... otherwise I'll ignore you!"
After he finished speaking, he subconsciously puffed out his small chest, trying to put on a bit of presence. His clear eyes were filled with the purest love and protection for his sister.
The afternoon sun streamed softly through the wooden lattice window, landing on the bowls of home-cooked food on the table, which were still steaming slightly.
The room was filled with laughter and cheerful conversation, creating a warm and comforting atmosphere.
This scene resembles a heartwarming and touching painting, depicting the simple and ordinary happiness of everyday life.
Wang Xiuying and Xie Jianguo, who had been sitting beside her smoking a pipe and didn't say much, exchanged a glance. Although Xie Jianguo's face didn't show much expression, he nodded slowly and firmly.
The Xie sisters, Xie Chunlan and Xie Dongmei, standing to the side, also had smiles on their faces, their eyes revealing a heartfelt acceptance and closeness.
Wang Xiuying then smiled and carefully took out a neatly folded red envelope from her shirt pocket, which she had prepared beforehand, and stuffed it into Xu Zhili's hand without saying a word.
"Here, child, take this. This is a gift from your aunt and uncle to greet you. It's our custom here, so you must accept it."
Caught off guard, Xu Zhili quickly waved her hand and declined, saying, "Auntie, this... I can't accept this. You're too kind."
"Oh, this is not just being polite."
Wang Xiuying's attitude was firm, and her tone was warm but carried the unyielding air of an elder: "This is a rule passed down from our Xie family ancestors. The son has chosen his wife."
"You should give elders a gift when you meet them. It has a good meaning and is a blessing. You can't refuse a gift from an elder, so please accept it carefully."
As she spoke, she deftly slipped the warm red envelope into Xu Zhili's hand.
Xu Zhili held the thick red envelope, feeling touched. Seeing that she couldn't refuse, she didn't stand on ceremony and accepted it generously, saying softly, "Thank you, Uncle. Thank you, Aunt."
However, her next move surprised the Xie family.
She then took out a neatly tidied envelope from her worn-out handbag and solemnly handed it to Wang Xiuying with both hands.
"Auntie, Uncle, thank you for accepting me and treating me so well. This is a small token of my appreciation and a gift to the Xie family. It's a small gift but carries great meaning, so please accept it."
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