Chapter 697: Chapter 601: A Joyful Reunion

They had called Lin Liuping before coming, so she and her parents-in-law were well-prepared. Mr. and Mrs. Zhao had work-unit housing and also owned an old family home on the old street in Fengling County. Just last year, they had renovated it, building a three-story house with its own private courtyard. The place was quite spacious, so there was no need to stay in a guesthouse. Under Mr. Zhao’s guidance, the minibus drove directly into the courtyard to park.

As everyone got out of the car, Lin Liuping excitedly rushed forward and gave everyone, young and old, a warm hug. Her parents-in-law stood to the side, watching with smiles. An even older woman, the Zhao Family’s great-grandmother, was holding an adorable little baby and standing at the doorway of the house, her face also beaming with joy.

From the courtyard gate, four or five young men and women came in one after another. They enthusiastically greeted the guests and helped carry the several large boxes of gifts for the elderly and children from the car into the house. Everyone exchanged greetings again. Mr. and Mrs. Zhao busied themselves making tea and serving water. It was now early evening, and the decorative lamps were just beginning to glow. Two tables were set for a feast in the main hall. The charcoal in the stove was burning brightly, and the warm, rich aroma of a hearty meal wafted through the air. A middle-aged man and woman emerged from the kitchen wearing aprons, inviting everyone with broad smiles to wash their hands and faces with hot water before dinner.

Mrs. Zhao introduced everyone. The people who had come in earlier were neighbors and relatives. The couple from the kitchen were their nephew and his wife, who had specifically gone away to study the culinary arts and now ran a restaurant in the county town. Since there were honored guests today, they were "drafted" on short notice to come and cook for them at home.

Teacher Yu and Chen Deming quickly thanked the two for all their hard work. The chef couple was delighted, waving their hands with a smile. "We’re all family, no need to be so formal! You’re the ones who must be tired after sitting in a car all day. And you must be hungry, right? Quick, sit down, rest, have some hot soup to warm up. The food will be out right away!"

The group of growing boys—Da Zhi, Dapeng, Gu Shaoqin, Mo Zhiyuan, and Guan Er—had big appetites and were indeed hungry. After washing their hands and faces, they obediently sat down at the table. With Chen Deming leading them and also looking after the younger girls, things were quite orderly.

Xiao Man, Guan Ailan, and the other girls, however, crowded around Lin Liuping, all vying to hold the adorable little baby.

Lin Liuping was so excited her face was flushed, and she couldn’t stop laughing. She hugged her dear friends from her hometown, one on each arm, wishing she could say everything all at once. She had always been pretty, with fair, delicate skin. After marrying into the Zhao Family, she was cherished by her husband’s grandmother and parents-in-law. Captain Zhao’s military post wasn’t far, located within the same province, so she could just go see her husband whenever she wanted. Her life was good, smooth, and worry-free. Now with a beautiful, lovely daughter, her happiness was complete. She was like a flower in full bloom, so dewy and vibrant she seemed to glow.

The adorable baby’s nickname was Niu Niu, and she was already six months old. This was the first time everyone had come to see her. When she was first born, Xiao Man had sent some nutritional supplements and clothes from Beijing. Although Teacher Yu and Guan Ailan lived closer, they each had their own things to deal with and couldn’t make it. After Niu Niu’s one-month celebration, Lin Liuping had wanted to take the baby back to Gongdao Village for a visit. Her parents-in-law were worried about their little granddaughter but were willing to accompany her. However, Lin Liuping’s maternal grandmother, uncle, and aunt came to see her and stopped her from returning to Gongdao Village. They were afraid that now that her life was going so well, if she went back looking so prosperous, she would be dragged down and impoverished by her father, her stepmother, and that bunch of younger half-siblings. So, her grandmother firmly forbade her from returning. Lin Liuping’s heart ached that her elderly grandmother was still worrying about her, so she obediently listened and hadn’t gone back since.

The little baby wasn’t shy with strangers at all and was happy to be held by anyone. She was pretty, lively, and also very clever and funny. She would babble and coo as if talking to people and could even make funny faces. When she made people laugh, she would wrinkle her little nose and giggle along. She couldn’t be any cuter.

Teacher Yu was absolutely smitten, exclaiming, "Let her be my daughter, okay? I want a clever and pretty little sweetheart just like this!"

Lin Liuping, her face radiant with happiness, laughed. "No way, no way! She’s the happy pill of our whole family. Niu Niu’s father absolutely treasures her. Every time he calls, he insists on hearing his daughter’s voice. He says that even her crying sounds a hundred times better than a pop star singing!"

Everyone in the hall burst out laughing. It seemed this father was the type to spoil his child rotten.

Teacher Yu shot Lin Liuping a mock-glare. "You know I can’t have any more children, and you’re still provoking me! The policy doesn’t allow it. Not everyone can be like your family’s Captain Zhao. He’s from an ethnic minority, so you’re allowed to have a second child!"

Lin Liuping laughed and said, "That’s no problem. You can just have another one anyway. Don’t worry about the fine; I can lend you the money!"

"Yeah, yeah! Teacher Yu, you just go ahead and have one. I can lend you some money for the fine, too!"

Xiao Man pointed at Guan Ailan and Mo Linghui with a straight face. "And these two! They’ve been ’scavenging junk’ for the past few years, so they must have saved up a lot of money. Make them chip in, too!"

Guan Ailan and Mo Linghui glared and swatted at Xiao Man together. "Who’s been scavenging junk? How could promising, beautiful young people like us do something like that? Can’t you be a little more cultured? It’s called ’appraising treasures and finding hidden gems,’ okay? Or you could just call it ’recycling,’ but it’s definitely not ’scavenging junk’!"

The group dissolved into another fit of laughter and playful roughhousing, all the while assuring Teacher Yu that as long as she was willing to have a baby, the fine would be no problem!

Teacher Yu was also tickled pink by their antics.

Mo Shuixia sat to the side, holding the adorable baby and smiling. ’If it really came down to it, I’d definitely contribute my share,’ she thought. ’I have money, too.’

This was all thanks to Xiao Man. After being reunited with her family, Xiao Man returned to Beijing. Her family there had antiques, and Grandpa Tang taught her how to appraise them. When she came back to Ping County to study, she started taking Guan Ailan and Mo Linghui to the countryside to collect antiques and old items. They established a sales route to the second-hand goods market in the provincial city. After Xiao Man left Ping County for university, Guan Ailan and Mo Linghui carried on, bringing Mo Shuixia along during the holidays. For years, the three of them had been practicing the 36-form Tai Chi set Xiao Man had taught them. It proved very useful for self-defense and staying healthy. As they expanded their collection rounds to nearby towns and villages, they ran into their fair share of trouble and danger, but they always managed to handle it themselves. Eventually, they saw more and more people getting into the business, so the trio decided to get out. They split the money and were now all quite well-off.

After a lively dinner, Lin Liuping knew everyone was tired from the long drive. Although she really wanted to chat more with her friends, she held back. She, along with Mr. and Mrs. Zhao, got everyone settled in upstairs and downstairs, telling them to rest well and that they could talk more tomorrow.

Mr. Zhao saw the photography equipment Gu Shaoqin was carrying and knew without asking that they wanted to visit the areas where ethnic minorities lived. He made arrangements. The next day after breakfast, two young relatives of the Zhao family led the group out in the car for a day of fun. Lin Liuping naturally went with them. Niu Niu stayed home; she was too young to be out in the wind, and the elders were worried. She could eat some solid food and drink formula now, so being away for half a day or a day was fine.

Fengling County was an autonomous county, home to several ethnic minority groups like the Yao, Miao, Buyi, and Shui Clans. These groups each had different customs, languages, and clothing. Their living environments and architectural styles were also quite distinctive. The exquisite and ornate silver jewelry, the vibrant and beautiful pleated skirts, the Miao girls with long hair, the knife-wearing Yao men, and the intricate stilt houses made of bamboo—all the things seen on TV—came from this place. The county’s leaders were quite resourceful; they had already started paving roads, preserving the original appearance of the minority villages, and developing other scenic spots. In a few more years, this county and the surrounding areas would become a famous tourist destination.

Xiao Man’s group had originally come just to visit friends and family, with some sightseeing on the side. But when they got out of the car, they were surprised to see quite a few tourists. The winding, stone-paved paths of the village were dotted with small groups of out-of-town visitors. Apparently, a lot of people already knew about this place.

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