The birthday celebration was far from over. Xu Ying, with a touch of theatrical flair, had specially acquired a magnificent turtle and stewed a rich, aromatic pot of turtle soup for Grandpa Xu. The turtle, renowned for its extraordinary longevity, was a symbol of enduring life, a perfect wish for the revered patriarch.
The Xu family was a sprawling clan, and the house buzzed with their presence. Xu Ying’s immediate family alone numbered eight, and that was even without Xu Shengwu’s return. Add to that the numerous members of the second and third branches of the Xu family, along with relatives from Elder Aunt Xu and Second Aunt Xu’s families, and the sheer volume of people was astounding. Fortunately, the courtyards in rural areas were spacious, otherwise, they wouldn’t have been able to seat everyone comfortably. More than thirty people gathered, creating a truly lively and boisterous scene.
Normally, Grandma Xu maintained a somewhat reserved, even cold, demeanor, but today, her face was softened, her eyes alight with joy. The old man, Grandpa Xu, had no other wish than to have his children gathered around him in his twilight years. He was especially delighted, inhaling deeply the delicious aromas wafting from the food his granddaughter had prepared.
Elder Aunt Xu, who had harbored doubts about Xu Ying’s culinary prowess before, had become a firm believer after the county’s duck product soared in popularity. She now understood the true extent of her niece’s cooking skills. Smelling the tempting fragrance on the dinner table, her admiration only deepened. Her sister-in-law had been right all along: Xu Ying possessed an undeniable talent.
“Rulan, Ruhua, eat more and try your niece’s cooking skills,” Grandpa Xu encouraged, his voice unusually animated, his gaze warmly settling on his two daughters.
“Okay, it’s so delicious!” Xu Rulan’s husband, Zheng Xuenong, couldn’t help but praise, his mouth full.
Xu Rulan, hearing the compliment, puffed out her chest with pride, as if she herself had cooked the feast. “That’s because our Xu family’s excellent genes will make the food delicious!”
Xu’s mother pursed her lips at this. Excellent genes of the Xu family? she thought. It’s clearly because I am capable and gave birth to such a wonderful daughter!
“Yes, but in addition to the good genes of our Xu family, it is my sister-in-law who is more capable. Look at the children she has given birth to, each one is better than the last,” Xu Ruhua chimed in, then turned to Xu Ying, her eyes wide with curiosity. “Especially our Xu Ying, I heard your third uncle say, you have two jobs now?” Xu Rulan, equally intrigued, looked at Xu Ying while she ate, eager for an explanation.
Xu Ying, ever modest, didn’t immediately speak. But Xu’s mother, unable to contain her pride, couldn’t help but scoff softly, waving her hand dismissively. “Actually, it’s not a big deal. It’s just that my daughter made a duck product, and I heard that the duck product is very popular in the county. Before, some salted duck was sold abroad. The duck product made by my daughter was also delicious. The director of the food factory took a fancy to it and said that this duck product might also be sold abroad. Then he said that my daughter worked in a state-owned restaurant and her abilities were completely lost, so he thought of letting my daughter work in a food factory. But my daughter likes to cook for others, so she doesn’t want to leave a state-owned restaurant. Of course, the factory director also took a fancy to my daughter’s ability, so he insisted on letting my daughter work part-time in his factory. The salary is based on that of a regular employee, and you only need to research and develop products every month.” Xu’s mother didn’t know about bonuses and commissions, but the thought of her daughter earning a hundred yuan a month filled her with immense joy.
Xu Rulan and Xu Ruhua exchanged shocked glances. This was truly extraordinary!
“Then Yingying’s monthly salary must be a hundred yuan, isn’t it?” Xu Ruhua asked, her voice tinged with extreme envy. She and her husband relied on meager work points to feed themselves. Fortunately, their mountains were vast and teeming with wild animals, allowing them to supplement their diet with mushrooms and wild vegetables. Xujiacun also had mountains, but they paled in comparison to those near Xu Ruhua’s husband’s village.
“Almost,” Xu’s father declared proudly, beaming like a doting old patriarch.
Brother Xu, equally excited, added, “My little sister is good-looking and has a strong working ability. I don’t know which kid will get a better deal in the future!”
As soon as the topic of Xu Ying’s marriage was opened, everyone at the table grew curious. Xu Ying’s face flushed with embarrassment, and she secretly glared at her eldest brother, who looked utterly confused, unsure why he had provoked his younger sister’s ire.
“Sister-in-law, our Yingying is so outstanding, why can’t she find a man from the city in the future?” Xu Rulan suggested.
Xu Ruhua offered her own opinion. “I think you should just find someone you truly like. As long as this man is willing to work, that’s better than anything else.” Xu Ruhua had married her husband purely for love. Although his family was poor and lived in a relatively remote area, she had married him without hesitation. Despite the hardships of their married life, her husband was incredibly kind and capable, making her happy even in adversity. Grandma Xu shared her youngest daughter’s sentiment. She and Grandpa Xu had also married for love, and their lives had been quite good, so material possessions didn’t concern them greatly.
Father Xu cleared his throat, addressing everyone at the table. “What do you think of Huo Chen?”
A stunned silence fell over the Xu family. Uncle Xu even shrieked, “Brother, are you crazy? That’s a wolf cub! You want my niece to marry him? He is so violent! What if he beats my niece? We won’t be able to beat him together!”
Uncle Xu also looked shocked, but his concern differed from his third brother’s. In this new society, hitting someone was illegal. And although Huo Chen had a reputation for violence, it was always in defense of Grandma Huo. The boy wouldn’t hit someone without reason; his actions were purely self-defense. However, he was undeniably fierce-looking, and so tall. His niece was smaller, making people feel a protective pang just by looking at her. The thought of her with Huo Chen seemed… odd.
Xu Ying had just taken a piece of braised pork into her mouth. She was so startled by her father’s words that she swallowed it whole without chewing, nearly choking to death. The thought of Huo Chen made her face feel strange. Were she and Huo Chen a good match? He was handsome and tall, and most importantly, not lacking in money. While she wasn’t bad herself, she had no desire to fall in love. She now seemed to embody what later generations would call a non-marriageist. Having a child might be acceptable, but marriage? Absolutely not. She didn’t want to fall in love, and she certainly didn’t want to be hurt.
“Dad, don’t talk nonsense. Huo Chen and I are not suitable.”
Xu’s father, however, was displeased. “Why are you two not suitable? Your mother and I both think it’s perfectly fine. Huo Chen and we are both from the same village. If you marry him and you’re close to home, if you’re bullied, your brothers and I will rush over immediately. And I think Huo Chen is a pretty good guy. He can make a lot of money now. A few yuan a day can make him hundreds a month. Have you seen the new houses built by him that small two-story building , Who in our village has more money than him?”
Xu Ying resisted, her voice firm. “I don’t want to get married, and I don’t want to fall in love. I think it’s good to stay with my parents.”
When Father Xu heard this, he immediately looked at his wife, his earlier suspicion confirmed. His daughter was truly no longer interested in relationships. What she had said before about not getting married wasn’t just to placate them; she was serious. Xu’s mother was also shocked, quickly interjecting, “Why don’t you get married? If you want to stay with me and your dad, then marrying Huo Chen is the most suitable thing. Our two families are so close, and you can stay with me and your dad every day.”
Xu Rulan and Xu Ruhua, who had initially intended to offer their niece some sage advice about understanding a man’s true nature, were stunned into silence by Xu Ying’s declaration that she didn’t want to get married.