msmithbooks Chapter 475 It really wasn't by chance.
Chapter 475 It really wasn't by chance.
Chapter 475 It really wasn't by chance.
"Third Sister-in-law, you can't say that. Maybe Wang Hui's scarf is genuine too; perhaps it's just a different style that gives it that different feel. We're neighbors, we can't let such a small thing lead to wild speculations," Teacher Wu said gently.
Upon hearing this, Third Sister-in-law pursed her lips, her face full of disapproval.
She reached out and took the teacup from Teacher Wu, and said in rapid succession, "I saw her looking so arrogant, constantly showing off the whole way, as if she were the richest person in the world. But when she saw your scarf, she immediately lost her arrogance. Isn't that obvious enough? I know very well that there's definitely something wrong with her scarf."
On the other side of the gate, Old Yu leisurely lit a cigarette, a contented smile on his face, and said slowly, "Third Sister-in-law, whether that scarf is real or fake is their business, and we don't need to worry about it."
Third Sister-in-law's lips moved slightly, as if she was about to retort.
Suddenly, as if remembering something, she changed the subject and asked, "By the way, Huanhuan went to pay New Year's visits early on the first day of the Lunar New Year? Why are you in such a hurry? You didn't even get to rest properly at home during the New Year holiday. You missed the New Year's Eve dinner yesterday."
Old Yu took a deep drag on his cigarette, slowly exhaled a smoke ring, and after thinking for a moment, he said, "That's right. He and You Rong are going to Wuling tomorrow. They are both extremely busy. It's already very difficult for them to squeeze out time to visit relatives and friends. They can only take advantage of the first day of the Lunar New Year to visit all the relatives and friends we should visit."
After hearing this, Third Sister-in-law frowned slightly, her tone filled with genuine concern: "Young people these days really have it tough making a living. They can't even get a proper rest during the New Year; they have to run around all the time. It seems that You Rong's grandfather lives in Wuling now, right?"
Teacher Wu sat down next to Third Sister-in-law, nodded gently, and said, "Yes, You Rong's maternal grandfather is in Wuling, but they will only stay for one day before leaving. Although You Rong is busy with work, she always keeps her elders in her heart."
The third sister-in-law smiled with satisfaction and said happily, "It's rare to find such a filial and sensible girl. You couldn't find one even with a lantern. Huanhuan is such a lucky girl! If my Shu can be half as good as Yourong in the future, I'll thank God."
Instead of continuing the conversation on that topic, Ms. Wu changed the subject and asked with concern, "How's Yaowen's work lately? I heard you say last time that he wasn't working at the 4S store anymore and had a new job. Is he adjusting well?"
Third Sister-in-law sighed softly, a hint of worry appearing on her face: "Sigh, he can adapt to the work, after all, he works in a car company, but it's just too busy, leaving early and returning late every day. I'm worried that his health can't handle it."
Old Yu took a drag of his cigarette and said slowly, "These days, young people have it tough just to make a living. Yaowen works so hard, he'll definitely make something of himself in the future."
In the past, if Third Sister-in-law had heard these words, she would have secretly scoffed.
After all, the fourth brother's family had paved a stable and respectable path for Yu Huan, in the direction of training teachers—a secure job that everyone envied.
But Yu Huan, instead of having a stable future, willfully abandoned her job and went to work as a reviewer at a newspaper, without even a definite offer of a permanent position.
In Third Sister-in-law's mind, this was completely a waste of time and energy. Instead of taking the smooth and safe road, she insisted on messing around with things that were uncertain and unreliable.
However, times have changed. Now, Yu Huan is not only thriving in his career, but also a well-known "leader brother". What's even more enviable is that he has such a wealthy partner.
Although on many nights in the past, when Third Sister-in-law recalled Yu Huan's transformation, she couldn't help but feel a little bitter. However, as Yu Huan became more and more successful in his career, the gap between him and her son Yaowen widened, and she couldn't feel a trace of jealousy anymore.
Take the scarf around Teacher Wu's neck, for example. I heard it was a gift from You Rong to Teacher Wu. When Third Sister-in-law saw it, all she felt was pure envy.
The third sister-in-law was silent for a while, then sighed softly and said with a bitter smile, "I really hope Yaowen can be as successful as Huanhuan in the future. This child of his is not as opinionated as Huanhuan. He always goes with the flow at work. As his mother, I am really worried sick about him."
Teacher Wu was quite surprised to hear her third sister-in-law speak so softly, as she rarely heard such words from her. She quickly said, "Yaowen has his own strengths. He is hardworking and can endure hardship. As long as he works hard, he will definitely achieve good results. Everyone has their own life path, and perhaps Yaowen's future will be even more wonderful."
"I take your kind words to heart." Third Sister-in-law picked up her teacup and took a sip of tea.
The steaming tea slid down her throat, and just then, as if she suddenly remembered something important, she quickly put down her teacup and asked anxiously, "Huanhuan and Yourong went to pay New Year's visits early this morning. Which house did they go to first?"
Old Yu, who was leisurely sunbathing, smoking and drinking tea, immediately chimed in when he heard his third sister-in-law's question: "I told him to go to his uncle's house to pay his respects for the New Year first, and then come over here."
As soon as she finished speaking, Third Sister-in-law quickly thought it over in her mind. Then, her eyes widened and she hurriedly stood up.
She exclaimed, "Oh no! Does that mean they're almost at my house?! No, I have to hurry back and get a big red envelope for You Rong!"
She had just taken a sip of tea and, not caring much about anything else, casually put the teacup down on the chair.
Seeing this, Teacher Wu smiled gently and said softly, "Third Sister-in-law, why don't you sit down and have a cup of tea? It's not like no one's home."
"That won't do! It's You Rong's first time visiting, so of course I can't neglect her." As she spoke, Third Sister-in-law turned around and strode quickly toward home, her steps hurried, as if afraid of missing something important.
As Mr. Yu and Ms. Wu watched their third sister-in-law's hurried figure, they exchanged a knowing smile, their eyes filled with a mixture of amusement and helplessness at her anxious demeanor.
No sooner had Third Sister-in-law left in a hurry than a white BMW, gleaming in the sunlight, pulled up.
The sound of vehicles approached from afar, and as they drove to the front yard of Old Yu's house, they gradually slowed down.
Mr. Yu and his wife, Mr. Wu, were chatting when they heard a noise and instinctively looked up at the same time.
A familiar license plate number came into view.
Immediately afterwards, the car window slowly rolled down, and the first person they saw was their daughter-in-law. Although a mask covered most of her face, her bright and spirited eyes were particularly eye-catching. Her eyes, curved at the corners, held a smile as she gazed at them gently.
Looking at the driver's seat, Yu Huan held the steering wheel firmly with one hand, and raised the other hand high, waving vigorously at them. His face was beaming with a bright smile, and his white teeth were particularly eye-catching.
"That brat, he can't even drive properly." Old Yu scolded him, but he couldn't hide the smile on his face.
Teacher Wu watched the little BMW drive away and couldn't help but shake her head: "Third Sister-in-law really didn't arrive at the right time."
"Who hasn't had a lucky break?"
Grandpa Yu's strong voice came from inside the house, accompanied by a series of light and steady footsteps.
Old Yu flicked the ash from his cigarette, turned around, looked at the sprightly old man standing at the door, and explained, "It's your third daughter-in-law! She was just sitting here. She heard that Huanhuan started wishing the elders a Happy New Year early this morning, so she rushed back home. But no sooner had she left than Huanhuan came back from her house and is heading to her eldest and second uncles' house."
Upon hearing this, Grandpa Yu raised his thick eyebrows slightly and said half-jokingly, "It seems you're too impatient, so eager to give your niece-in-law You Rong a red envelope, afraid of missing out."
Upon hearing this, Teacher Wu couldn't help but laugh out loud, stood up, and said, "I'll go to the kitchen to prepare lunch."
Time flies like an arrow; clouds drift and the sun sets, and it slips away quietly.
Yu Huan used a variety of clever tricks along the way, repeatedly and successfully using Lin Yourong's allergy as an excuse to deal with all the relatives. Finally, he and Lin Yourong waved goodbye to their uncle and aunt, but didn't go home immediately. Instead, they drove their BMW past their own house and headed straight for Xu Hui's house.
As is customary, I can't expect to receive this young man's gift for nothing; I must reciprocate.
Xu Hui had previously brought two cartons of Furongwang cigarettes and two bottles of Wuliangye liquor to the door, so he naturally wanted to reciprocate with a decent gift. Therefore, he put a carton of Heqi Shengcai cigarettes and a bottle of Moutai in the gift bag.
Yu Huan was quite familiar with the address of the Xu family's house. He drove his BMW smoothly away from the main road and slowly went up a winding slope.
On one side of the slope, rows of self-built houses are scattered in a staggered manner.
Some gates were tightly closed, exuding a sense of tranquility; while other courtyards were bustling with activity, with bursts of laughter and chatter constantly emanating from them.
Scattered on the road are fragments of firecracker debris, a testament to the lively and festive atmosphere of the Spring Festival.
Not long after, the little BMW made a nimble left turn and drove into a farmhouse courtyard full of vintage charm.
The courtyard wall was densely covered with ivy. Although it was winter and most of the ivy's leaves had withered and fallen, leaving only dry vines intertwined and trembling in the wind, Yu Huan could still use her imagination to sketch out its vibrant appearance in summer.
Yu Huan straightened the steering wheel and looked up, only to be met with a scene that made him unable to hold back his laughter:
Yu Songnian was tightly holding Xu Hui's neck with his arm, and the two were playing around at the gate. Yu Songnian's posture made it seem like he was about to throw Xu Hui to the ground at any moment.
Seeing that Yu Songnian was already causing such a ruckus at his brother-in-law's house before even marrying Xu Qian, Yu Huan couldn't help but chuckle and then gently honked the horn.
The crisp sound of the horn instantly echoed through the courtyard.
Upon hearing the sound, Yu Songnian reflexively turned his gaze towards the direction of the little BMW.
When he saw that it was a BMW, his eyes lit up. He quickly released his grip on Xu Hui's neck and strode over excitedly.
"Brother Huan, what brings you here!" Yu Songnian shouted at the top of his lungs.
Xu Hui stood helplessly at the door, straightening his disheveled collar. Although he looked utterly battered, his face beamed with a warm smile.
Yu Huan opened the car door, got out of the car with a smile, and teased, "Song Nian, you haven't officially become the Xu family's son-in-law yet, and you're already 'bullying' your brother-in-law like this on the first day of the Lunar New Year?"
Yu Songnian stood in front of the car and scratched the back of his head.
Just then, he noticed Lin Yourong getting out of the car from the passenger side. He never expected his sister-in-law to be there too. He chuckled sheepishly and said, "Brother Huan, we were just joking around!"
At this moment, the group inside the house obviously heard the commotion outside and came out to greet them.
Xu Qian took the lead and walked at the very front.
The group that came out next were all familiar to Yu Huan: the parents and grandfather of the Xu siblings, and a thin, small girl who was probably their younger cousin. She was hiding shyly behind the group, curiously observing the situation.
Upon seeing this, Yu Huan immediately cupped his hands in greeting and shouted loudly at them with a broad smile, "Happy New Year!"
Mr. Xu, speaking in a loud voice with a slightly accented Mandarin accent, warmly replied, "Happy New Year! What a rare guest! Come in and have a seat!"
Grandpa Xu, leaning on his cane, strolled over slowly with a kind smile on his face. He said cheerfully in his dialect, "The son of Uncle Yu's fourth son is quite handsome!"
"Of course, she's a big star! With such fame, how could she not be beautiful?" Xu's mother smiled broadly, her gaze falling on Lin Yourong on the other side of the BMW. After looking her up and down, her eyes were full of curiosity as she asked, "Yu Huan, is this your girlfriend?"
Just as Xu's mother was asking the question, Xu Qian immediately followed up with, "Happy New Year, Huan-ge!"
As everyone chattered, Yu Huan first greeted Xu Qian with "Happy New Year," and then nodded to Xu's mother.
He thought to himself, "This is truly 'not recognizing the true face of Mount Lu,' not knowing that the real superstar is actually someone else."
However, she replied with a smile, "She's my girlfriend, her name is Lin Yourong."
"She really is quite cute!" Grandpa Xu nodded happily, his eyes full of approval.
Mr. Xu quickly raised his hand to gesture and said warmly, "Come in and sit down."
The family's enthusiasm was like a surging tide, wave after wave, making Yu Huan feel overwhelmed.
Lin Yourong stood to the side, watching everyone chatter away, and felt that she couldn't join in the conversation at all. She could only stand there with a polite smile in her eyes.
Faced with Xu's father's enthusiastic invitation, Yu Huan smiled broadly, walked to the car, and deftly opened the back door.
He spoke with a hint of apology, quickly explaining, "Uncle, I'm so sorry, we have other things to do, so we brought some things over to wish everyone a Happy New Year before we left."
As soon as these words were spoken, the expressions of the Xu family members changed instantly, yet without exception, they all wore smiles.
They all knew that Xu Hui had given Yu Huan a Spring Festival gift that morning, but no one expected that Yu Huan would personally come to pay a New Year's visit and return the gift.
After all, Yu Huan has now achieved great success, and this sentiment deeply touched everyone in the Xu family.
As soon as Yu Huan finished speaking, she quickly bent down and skillfully took out a gift bag that had been prepared in advance from the car.
He walked briskly and quickly to Xu Qian, who was standing nearby. He smiled brightly and handed it to her, saying, "Qianqian, you can have this first."
(End of this chapter)