Chapter 622: Chapter 535: Rich and Willful

Grandma swept Xiao Man into her arms. "My dear girl! I’ve been waiting day after day, and my precious granddaughter is finally home!"

Grandpa tenderly patted Xiao Man’s head and chuckled. "You made it home safe and sound. That’s what matters! We should be celebrating, so no more tears, alright?"

Xiao Man had only been a little emotional, but her Grandpa and Grandma’s reception made her truly start to cry. She hugged her Grandma as tears streamed down her face. They were tears of joy. ’The ancients certainly weren’t wrong,’ she thought. ’The expression "tears of extreme joy" is a perfect fit.’

Since she had called ahead with her arrival date, the Mo Family Courtyard was exceptionally lively today. Relatives, friends, neighbors, and any villagers with time to spare had all come to wait for Xiao Man. Just as before, Grandma and the aunties brought out two large winnowing baskets brimming with candy and snacks from Beijing, handing them out by the handful to young and old alike, adding to the joyous, bustling atmosphere.

Grandpa, along with Mo Jiabao and his father, helped the soldiers with the vehicle. A few able-bodied young men from the neighboring house also came over to help, carrying the mountain of goods inside. The soldiers tried to leave, but Grandpa wouldn’t hear of it. The meal was already on the table, and Secretary Mo and Mo Chengfu had arrived as well. Without taking no for an answer, he pulled the soldiers to the table to eat. Grandma then stuffed their pockets full of boiled eggs, candy, melon seeds, and peanuts before finally letting them head back.

Xiao Man was starving by then. After greeting the village elders and folks, everyone urged her to hurry up and eat. She grabbed Qiuyan, who was trailing her like a shadow, and went to the table for the younger generation. To her surprise, they were having hot pot on such a sweltering day. Bubbling away in the pot were huge chunks of pork belly, ribs, pork liver, pork stomach tips, and blood sausage.

Qiuyan told her, "A few days ago, our eldest sister and her husband came home for the holidays. Grandpa was so happy he had my dad slaughter a big mountain goat. But today, with Sister Xiao Man home, he’s even happier, so he slaughtered a big fat pig!"

Xiao Man laughed. ’Look at our Grandpa’s lifestyle,’ she thought, ’slaughtering pigs and sheep whenever he’s happy. So rich and capricious! He’s practically a nouveau riche landlord!’

After finishing dinner with the cousins and peers of her generation, everyone gathered around, talking and laughing. Xiao Man asked Da Zhi, Qiu Xiaohu, and Jiang Xuehua to help her pull out the boxes of presents. She told everyone to find the package with their name on it. Big or small, there was a gift for everyone, and they were all overjoyed.

Next, it was time for Grandma, Fifth Grandma, Eighth Grandma, and several aunts to ask about her life in Beijing. Xiao Man recounted her stories one by one. Eventually, Guan Ailan and Mo Shuiling arrived and tried to pull Xiao Man outside. The grandmas and aunts, who were engrossed in her tales, playfully swatted at the two girls but let Xiao Man go with them.

Night had already fallen. The courtyard was brightly lit by a lamp post, but it was crowded and noisy. Some people were playing drinking games, while the TV was blasting at full volume. The group of friends decided to leave the courtyard together, figuring it would be quieter to talk on the main road since there was hardly any traffic at night.

Mo Shuixia and a tall, slender girl were waiting outside. The moment they saw Xiao Man, they swarmed her, linking their arms through hers. Xiao Man took a closer look and realized the girl was Liang Xiuzhen. She was happy to see her but also couldn’t help but be surprised. ’Liang Xiuzhen has changed so much, especially her height! It’s like she shot up overnight. I don’t think she was this tall in my past life.’

Liang Xiuzhen had been accepted into the county’s top high school and spent her free time with Guan Ailan and Mo Shuiling. She and Xiao Man wrote to each other frequently and even managed to call sometimes. So, despite the long time apart, their reunion felt like they had just seen each other yesterday. Gathering together, they immediately fell into their old habit of teasing and laughing, as close as ever, with no sense of distance between them.

Understanding that Xiao Man must be exhausted after her long day of travel, her friends didn’t stay for too long. They chatted for about an hour before saying goodbye, promising to come back tomorrow.

When Xiao Man went back inside, the drinkers had dispersed, but the TV-watching crowd was still glued to the screen. Grandma, who had been about to go looking for her, saw her and immediately pulled her toward her room, her heart aching for her. She fussed, "Whatever you need to do can wait until tomorrow. Xinghua already heated the water for you, so go get your clothes, wash up, and get some rest. A girl needs her sleep. You’ve been on a plane and in a car all day—don’t wear yourself out."

Xiao Man followed closely behind her Grandma, a warmth spreading through her heart. It felt like she had gone back a few years to when she first came to live with Grandpa and Grandma. Back then, Grandma’s eyesight was poor, and it was Xiao Man who had to lead her by the hand. But Grandma’s mind was as sharp as ever, and she was always teaching Xiao Man about how to navigate the world and deal with people.

Now, at five-foot-five, Xiao Man was no longer the short, skinny bean sprout of a few years ago. Being led by her four-foot-eleven Grandma filled her with a wave of emotion. But today’s Grandma was different, too. She seemed to be aging in reverse. She had gained weight, and her face was so full of collagen that even her wrinkles had vanished. Though she still dressed like a typical elderly village woman—in an old-fashioned, side-fastening jacket with a coarse cloth apron, her hair tied in a bun—she didn’t have the air of an old lady at all. Her posture was ramrod straight, her movements were spry, and her face was the kind that would make anyone look twice.

’It’s a good thing Grandma is such a homebody, only ever pottering around our own courtyard,’ Xiao Man mused. ’Otherwise, letting such a stunningly beautiful "old lady" out and about every day would probably give Grandpa a complex.’

Amused by her own thought, Xiao Man put an arm around her Grandma’s shoulders, just about to crack a joke, when Qiuyan suddenly popped out and interrupted her. Qiuyan linked her arm through Xiao Man’s free arm, grinning from ear to ear. "Sister Xiao Man! Sister Xiao Man! We’re sleeping together tonight!"

"Huh? You want to sleep with me?" Xiao Man scratched her head. ’What if I’m not used to it?’

Grandma looked at her two granddaughters, her eyes crinkling in a smile. "Qiuyan, you have to be clearer when you speak. You’re sharing a room, each in your own bed."

Qiuyan nodded eagerly. "Right, Sister Xiao Man and I are sharing a room, each sleeping in our own bed."

’That’s more like it,’ Xiao Man thought. ’As long as we’re not in the same bed, it’s fine. What if she wakes up in the middle of the night and finds me mysteriously gone? The poor girl would be scared to death.’

Smiling, Xiao Man pulled Qiuyan into the room.

Grandma and Xinghua had already washed and prepared Xiao Man’s bedding. Xiao Man opened her suitcase, took out her clothes, and hung them in the wardrobe. Meanwhile, Qiuyan was happily sprawled on the opposite bed, hugging her gift and admiring it. That bed had originally belonged to Xinghua; Grandpa and Mo Jiabao had custom-built the new bed frame and wardrobe just for her.

After Grandma left, Xiao Man asked Qiuyan, "You used to be so attached to your mom. Do you like sleeping with Sister Xinghua now?"

Qiuyan shook her head. "I sleep by myself. After you and Sister Xinghua left, Grandma and Mom said I was a big girl now and had me sleep in here alone. So this bed is all mine now!"

Xiao Man was puzzled. "Then where does Sister Xinghua sleep?"

Qiuyan blinked at Xiao Man. "Well, don’t people sleep together once they’re married? Sister Xinghua and her husband are married now! Every time they come back, they stay at the herb garden. My mom fixed up a new room for them there. Grandpa said that’ll do for now, because our family is going to build a new house this fall! Grandpa said building a third layer, a Fourth Layer, or even a fifth would be no problem, and then we can pick any room we want!"

Xiao Man: "..."

’Right now, I feel like a super-paparazzi.’

’Xinghua never mentioned any of this in her letters, but I probably should have figured it out sooner. Oh well. It’s just a little ruse to fool everyone. If they aren’t worried about being found out, why should I be?’

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