Xiangxi heard his mother-in-law calling him to invite Aunt Xiao Shan, and quickly ran out of the study, responding, "Okay! Okay! Aunt Qin Jia! I'll go right away."
He immediately ran back to the study, put down the book in his hand, put on his outdoor padded jacket, skipped the raincoat, changed into his going-out shoes, and dashed out the door.
His mother-in-law and Liu Mama chased after him, shouting, "Xiangxi, it's raining outside, wear your raincoat before you go out." He didn't know if they heard him, but he was already gone.
Liu Mama shook her head, then sighed and said to her mother-in-law and old mother, "This child, he's already over twenty, so irresponsible, still like a child who hasn't grown up, always so restless, never a moment's peace."
Chen Lan thought to herself, Xiangxi is being criticized.
Then she heard Liu Mama continue, "Look, he's even half a year older than Xiao Lan. Look at Xiao Lan, how well-behaved and obedient, she can already manage the household.
And she's sensible and listens to her elders, getting married so early. That's so good! Jiahui and Jiayao, the siblings, can already call their mother."
Chen Lan thought to herself, I'm being praised.
Liu Mama sighed again and said, "Alas! I don't know what this Xiangxi is thinking.
He still doesn't have a hint of a wife. He's not worried himself. If you mention it to him, he gets unhappy and throws a tantrum.
Alas! Children are a burden, it's truly worrying."
His mother-in-law and old mother quickly comforted her. The old mother said, "Hongxiu, I've told you several times, Xiangxi's destiny hasn't arrived yet. When it does, you won't have to urge him, and maybe he'll even fall for someone and beg you to arrange the marriage!"
His mother-in-law also said, "Yes! Hongxiu, children and grandchildren have their own fortunes! Don't worry, Xiangxi is still young, only in his early twenties.
This is a new society, young people talk about free love. Maybe he'll bring a daughter-in-law back himself one day!"
Liu Mama sighed again and said, "If only that were the case, I'd wake up smiling in my dreams."
His mother-in-law's words turned out to be prophetic. Xiangxi did indeed bring back a wife when he went out of the valley for something later. Of course, that was something that happened later, and no one knew it at the time.
His mother-in-law, even more so, didn't know that her prophecy about Xiangxi's marriage would come true.
Chen Lan heard that Liu Mama was urging Xiangxi to get married. The pressure to marry in the 1950s was no different from modern times.
Indeed, no matter the era, the methods of pressuring marriage were the same.
Soon, Aunt Xiao Shan was invited by Xiangxi, and Xiao Shan also came along. Aunt Xiao Shan was carried by Xiao Shan.
Fortunately, the rain outside had stopped for now, and Xiangxi hadn't gotten wet.
Chen Lan tugged Xiangxi's sleeve and signaled him to wait before going in.
She greeted Aunt Xiao Shan and Xiao Shan, letting the mother and son go in first.
She pulled Xiangxi aside and asked with a smile and a whisper, "Little Watermelon, is Liu Mama pressuring you to get married again?"
Xiangxi irritably scratched his head and said, "Little Lan, stop gloating. Others are so annoyed, and you're still laughing. Have you no sympathy?"
Chen Lan immediately stopped smiling and said seriously, "I say, Little Watermelon, you're not young anymore, you should find a wife.
Look, my son and daughter can already call their mother! Little Watermelon, you need to work harder!"
Then she added, "Hey! Little Watermelon, Gu Xiao Ai, who always had a crush on you when we were in school, was quite nice. She was petite and delicate, spoke softly, such a good girl. What do you think?"
Chen Lan said this, watching Xiangxi's reaction.
Xiangxi rolled his eyes at Chen Lan.
Chen Lan continued very seriously, "Little Watermelon, if you think that Gu Xiao Ai is alright, I'll have Brother Xiangdong and Uncle Fu go back to the capital specifically, no matter the cost, and get this marriage settled for you?"
Seeing Chen Lan's serious expression, Xiangxi was so scared that he waved his hands repeatedly, quickly stopping her, "I say, Little Lan, forget it! Don't try to harm me!
I'm not like you, so useless, getting married so early. I don't want to get married this early.
You're not allowed to tell my father, don't harm me! Little Lan, do you hear me! Otherwise, we're done, and I won't talk to you anymore."
Chen Lan rolled her eyes back at Xiangxi and scoffed disdainfully, "Ungrateful wretch. I can't be bothered with you."
Saying that, she ignored him and turned to walk towards her old mother and mother-in-law sitting on the sofa.
Ming Wei, Cui Qiao, Hu Yuzhen, and Zhao Xiaoyue were mesmerized by the books, finding every style attractive and wanting to make them all, still flipping through the pages, unable to decide.
Xiao Shan followed Xiangxi to the study.
Chen Lan walked to her old mother and sat down. Her mother-in-law was talking to Aunt Xiao Shan about the sewing cooperative.
Aunt Xiao Shan looked uneasy and kept refusing.
The dragon and phoenix twins, who were playing with colorful balls on the sofa, saw their mother. They pushed the balls aside and quickly crawled towards Chen Lan, shouting, "Mommy, hug!"
Chen Lan held one in each arm and said, "Jiahui, Jiayao, Mommy can hug you, but you two can't fight. Otherwise, Mommy will hug Little Bean brother and not you. Do you hear me?"
She then pointed at Little Bean to show the twins.
Jiahui and Jiayao nodded repeatedly like little chicks pecking at rice. Jiayao uttered, "Ge ge" (Brother). Then he pointed at Little Bean with his chubby finger.
Chen Lan said to Chun Cao, who was sitting opposite her holding Little Bean on the sofa, "Sister Chun Cao, don't always hold Little Bean. Let him sit by himself, crawl, try to stand, move around more to strengthen his leg muscles.
If you always hold him, his legs will always be weak. Letting him move more is good for his health.
Here, bring Little Bean over to play with Jiayao and Jiahui."
Just as Chun Cao was about to get up and carry Little Bean over, Ruyi saw that she had difficulty with one hand and reached out to take Little Bean and walked towards Chen Lan.
Little Bean was suddenly taken by his aunt and was startled, shouting loudly, "Mommy, Mommy!"
Chun Cao quickly followed, saying, "Little Bean, don't be scared, don't be scared, Mommy is here."
His mother-in-law, who was persuading Aunt Xiao Shan, suddenly turned her head and said, "Was this child startled by something? Did he encounter something unclean?"
Chun Cao was extremely embarrassed, standing there stunned, her face alternately flushing and paling.
Ruyi also looked embarrassed, not knowing whether to advance or retreat.