Xu Ying, after this quick phone call, sought out Second Brother Xu, entrusting him with a mission: to discreetly observe their second uncle’s deliveries. She needed to uncover the recipient of his goods. Xu Ying returned home early, but Second Brother Xu was nowhere in sight.
Meanwhile, Qiuye’s father had taken Second Brother Xu on a whirlwind tour, introducing him to nearly every relative in the family. With an air of pompous pride, Xu Inguo declared to each relative, “This is my daughter’s partner. They’ll likely get engaged after the New Year and marry this fall.”
Qiuye”s Aunt , however, eyed Second Brother Xu with a curious gaze. “Brother-in-law,” she mused, “this guy looks familiar.” Xu Inguo’s chin practically scraped the ceiling with his puffed-up chest. “Isn’t this the son of our village captain? He’s teaching in our commune now, but next year, he might even teach in the county. Remember Captain Xu? And as for his daughter, Xu Ying, she’s incredibly promising now!”
Qiuye’s Aunt lips twitched. She knew the captain of Xujia Village well, having often stayed there when her sister married Qiuye’s father. She’d heard countless tales of the village, including those of the captain and his peculiar favoritism. He had a brood of sons, yet doted on his daughter, Xu Ying. Such blatant preference for a daughter over sons was a first in her life. She vividly recalled the girl being pampered beyond belief, incapable of even the simplest tasks, ill-mannered, and a bully to her sister-in-law and villagers alike. The mere mention of Xu Ying ignited a spark of irritation within her.
“How exactly did she become ‘successful’?” Qiuye’s Aunt pressed, skepticism lacing her voice.
Qiuye’s father, a picture of disgust, retorted, “Look at you, completely out of the loop! Everyone in Yu County knows about this; how can you not?”
“Know what?” Aunt Qiuye asked, her confusion deepening.
“Xu Ying landed two massive orders for our food and textile factories,” Qiuye’s father announced, his chest swelling with vicarious pride. “From foreigners, no less! Millions of yuan!” He continued, “Our textile factory has been swamped this year, but everyone’s delighted because wages have soared.” As an accountant, he too was swamped with financial matters, but the factory’s stellar performance meant a hefty year-end bonus, all thanks to that girl, Yingying. Qiuye’s father’s admiration for his potential son-in-law grew by the minute.
Xu Shengcai was utterly taken aback by Qiuye’s father’s transformation. While it was his little sister’s doing, he couldn’t help but feel a strange impression, as if Qiuye’s father had become an entirely different person. Qiuye’ Aunt , though aware of the general buzz, hadn’t connected the dots to Xu Ying. Her face contorted with doubt. “Brother-in-law, are you pulling my leg?”
“What pulling your leg?!” Qiuye’s father sputtered, indignation rising. He simply couldn’t believe her disbelief.
Just then, Qiuye’s Aunt youngest son approached, holding a newspaper. The headline screamed: “Textile Factory Hygiene and Food Factory Safety – Masks and Hats.” Below it, a photo of Xu Ying, masked and hatted, stood on a train. Qiuye’s father snatched the newspaper, recognizing Xu Ying instantly. A wide grin split his face. “Look! This is Shengcai’s sister! She’s in the newspaper now ! Oh, and these masks and hats are made by our factory employees for food safety. The food factory employees now use masks and hats from our factory, and she even designed them! Tell me, how smart is that girl?” Qiuye’s father had officially transformed into Xu Ying’s biggest fan, his heart brimming with admiration.
Qiuye’s Aunt , too, was astonished. The little girl she once knew had blossomed into someone truly remarkable. Being the center of attention, Xu Sheng understood for the first time why his mother constantly boasted about his little sister. Her achievements shone so brightly. He straightened his back, puffed out his chest, and waved a dismissive hand. “This is nothing. My little sister isn’t just good at cooking and beautiful; she speaks foreign languages and has design skills. You can’t compare.” The others rolled their eyes. To claim it was “nothing” while listing so many accomplishments was clearly an act of deliberate showing off.
“That girl is truly amazing,” Qiuye’s Aunt said, envy thick in her voice.
From then on, Qiuye’s father took Xu Shengcai on a triumphant tour, visiting all his relatives in a single day, newspaper in hand. Xu Shengcai, beaming with pride, cooperated fully, a constant smile on his lips. Having such an impressive sister was truly exhilarating. He felt a lightness in his step, as if he could sprout wings and fly, declaring to everyone in the county that she was his sister.
Upon arriving home, Xu Shengcai gazed at Xu Ying with gleaming eyes. “Little sister, anything you need in the future, just tell me, and I’ll help you.”
Xu Ying looked at him, confused. “Second brother, are you alright? Is everything okay?”
Second Brother Xu chuckled. “What could be wrong? Nothing. I just think you work too hard, little sister. If there’s any work in the future, just ask your Second Brother.” It was my honor to serve my little sister.
Xu Ying, seeing his sincerity, nodded. Remembering the spring exam, she asked, “Second brother, are you taking the exam after the Chinese New Year? Do you feel confident you’ll pass and become a county teacher?” Hearing this, Brother Xu’s head suddenly felt heavy. He skipped dinner, rushing back to his room to study diligently.
Xu Ying returned to her room to sleep after dinner. Visiting relatives was incredibly dull; she’d merely watched the adults talk, drifting in and out of consciousness.
Early the next morning, Xu Ying was awakened by laughter echoing from the yard. Recognizing a familiar voice, she quickly dressed and rose from bed. Stepping out, she saw Mother Zhao and Father Zhao. Father Zhao’s eyes lit up the moment he saw Xu Ying. “Yingying,” he exclaimed with a smile, “this girl has become even more beautiful!”
Though she knew it was a polite remark, Xu Ying cherished being called beautiful. She smiled shyly and wished Father and Mother Zhao a Happy New Year. “Hey, happy New Year,” Mother Zhao replied, overjoyed. Seeing the large house and her daughter’s well-fed appearance, she knew her daughter was living well.
“Grandma, Grandpa!” Shitou and Huzi, delighted to see them, flew towards them.
Xu’s mother was a little surprised to see the couple. Mother Zhao, fearing a misunderstanding, explained, “Tickets are hard to come by during Chinese New Year, otherwise we would have come earlier. His dad and I bought breakfast, and it’s already getting late in the afternoon.”
“You haven’t had breakfast yet? Perfect timing! A little later, and we’d have already started eating. Hurry, sit down; we’ll talk after eating .” Xu’s mother wasn’t a finicky person. In the past, when life was hard, she might have been more concerned, but now that life was better and food wasn’t an issue, she didn’t care. She smiled warmly at Mother Zhao and the others.