Fang Shugen told Fang Meixiang everything that happened back then at her house.
“I’m sorry for this child. Knowing that she’s doing well now puts our minds at ease. We can’t give her anything now, but if she’s willing to see us, let Hua Mei see her and know that her daughter is doing well. That’s enough,” Fang Shugen said, his voice choked with emotion.
The neighbors were all speculating. Fang Meixiang and Fang Shugen didn't usually associate with each other, so why were they both back from the county town today and inviting Fang Shugen to have dinner at her house? This was suspicious.
“I saw that Meixiang’s mother was also carrying a basket, probably to deliver dinner to Huamei.”
"Yes! What's going on between those two families?"
"Could it be that they're marrying Huahua off to Dongqiang? Besides, I really can't think of anything else that could be going on?"
"Nothing could possibly be this. Dongqiang works for a government agency, and Huahua works at a factory. His family would never allow Dongqiang to marry Huahua," someone said, offering a different opinion.
"That's not necessarily true. There are plenty of couples where one husband is educated and the other is not. They both live in the city, so they might have gotten together."
"I still think it's impossible."
The neighbors had all sorts of opinions.
Fang Shugen was still sitting at Fang Meixiang's house. "Before, I had no one to consult with about anything. Now that you're here, thank you so much!" Fang Shugen nodded to them.
“Don’t say that. Xiaolei is Dongqiang’s girlfriend, and that’s our family’s business. How about we bring Xiaolei over sometime so she can get acquainted with the family?” Fang Damiao added, “You should talk to Huamei first and tell her not to get excited or scare Xiaolei.”
"I'll call Xiaolei. She just texted me saying she's meeting Huahua tonight." Fang Dongqiang stood up.
"She's gotten in touch with Hua Hua?" Fang Shugen's eyes gleamed.
"Yes, I gave her Huahua's number."
He Xiaolei's phone rang. She took it out and saw, "It's Dong Qiang."
"Okay, you answer first."
"Dongqiang, I'm with my sister now. Oh!" "Oh!" "Okay, you arrange it!" "Okay!" He Xiaolei hung up the phone, pursed her lips, and looked at Fang Huahua, "Dongqiang asked me to find some time to go back."
"Yes! I'll be on holiday in a few more days, and then I'll stay home."
He Xiaolei nodded.
When it was time to pay the bill, He Xiaolei went to pay, but Fang Huahua held her hand down.
“I’m the older sister,” Fang Huahua said, looking at her with an undeniable tenderness in her eyes. “Since it’s our first meeting, it’s the older sister’s turn to treat the younger sister to a meal.”
As they stepped out of the bakery, a cool evening breeze blew by, and both of them wrapped their coats tighter around themselves.
“We keep in touch,” Fang Huahua said, her voice tinged with laughter. “Xiaolei, where do you live? I’ll take you there.”
"No need, I'll go back by myself. Sis, you have to go to work tomorrow, we'll contact each other again."
"Okay! Be careful." Fang Huahua went back to her dormitory.
Xiaolei said that Dongqiang's family had invited her father over for dinner, and he probably hadn't returned yet.
"Beep—beep—" Fang Huahua called Fang Jingming, who was working at the shop where he used to be an apprentice.
"sister."
"Jingming, I was with your second sister just now."
"who?"
"Your second sister, do you know you have an older sister?"
"I know a little, but Dad and the others won't tell us, and they won't let us ask. Where is she now?"
"She's a law student, a senior!"
"Wow, that's amazing!"
"She is still Dongqiang's girlfriend."
"What? Dongqiang's girlfriend?" Fang Jingming's voice instantly rose eight octaves.
At the same time, Fang Shugen also left Fang Meixiang's house and returned home.
Hua Mei was home alone, sitting upright with her back stiff and her hands clasped on her knees.
The television on the table was black, and the whole room was so quiet that you could hear the wind whistling past the corner of the wall outside the window.
The fluorescent light fell on her face, revealing a few faint lines—marks etched by time and pain. Her eyes were somewhat vacant. The moment she heard the door open, Hua Mei looked towards the doorway, like a beacon finally welcoming a returning ship in the dark night.
Fang Shugen's footsteps were very light, as if afraid of disturbing something fragile. He sat down in front of Hua Mei, carefully choosing his words, his voice as low as a whisper, "Hua Mei, we've found that girl."
Hua Mei's body jolted violently, and tiny glimmers of light instantly filled her empty eyes. She opened her mouth, letting out a barely audible sob, and clutched the hem of her clothes tightly with both hands.
“Nan is doing very well now,” Fang Shugen quickly added, his tone filled with careful reassurance. “She’s well-fed, warmly dressed, and now she’s in university, a college student.”
He looked at the turbulent emotions in Hua Mei's eyes, and gently patted the back of her hand. "She'll be here in a few days. You can't get excited then, you have to smile, okay? Don't scare her."
Hua Mei's lips moved slightly, as if she was trying to process what she was saying. Her gaze was fixed on Fang Shugen's face, as if trying to confirm the truth of his words.
After a long while, her tense shoulders slowly relaxed, and the light in her eyes gradually settled into a gentle expectation. She looked at Fang Shugen and slowly nodded, her movements somewhat clumsy, yet carrying an almost devout understanding.
Fang Shugen felt a pang of sadness. He knew that Hua Mei's world might still be chaotic, but her concern for her daughter was an instinct etched into her very bones.
"Fang Yu, I've found my sister. She's Dong Qiang's girlfriend," Fang Yu said after washing up and picking up her phone. Fang Huahua had sent her a text message.
Dongqiang's girlfriend is Huahua's sister? Fang Yu was both surprised and curious when she saw this news. "Dongqiang asked me for your number today," Fang Yu replied immediately.
Hua Hua was also thinking of visiting Fang Yu before going home, and they made an appointment for Hua Hua to come to Fang Yu's house for dinner after get off work tomorrow.
The next afternoon, Hua Hua brought over a bag of fruit. They hadn't seen each other for a long time. "Fang Yu, your belly has grown so much! It's very obvious."
"It has grown a lot; it has grown very fast recently."
"This is for the baby," Hua Hua said, handing over some fruit.
"Huahua, don't be so polite, you have to bring me something."
"This is for the baby, can you eat it for him?" Fang Huahua smiled as she looked at Fang Yu's belly.
"Okay, I'll thank Auntie on behalf of the baby. It was unclear on the phone yesterday, what happened?" Fang Yu pulled Hua Hua to sit down.
"You know, this world is so small. Dongqiang's girlfriend is my sister, and that's how I found my sister."
"How did he know it was your sister? What a coincidence."
Fang Huahua told Fang Yu what had happened.
"Honey, Flower, dinner's ready!" Thor called over. "You two always have so much to talk about."
“We haven’t seen each other in so long.” Fang Yu propped herself up on the sofa and went to the kitchen with Hua Hua.
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