It was still dark outside.
Occasionally, a few barks of dogs could be heard.
The roosters had not crowed yet.
Sheng Juanhua got up early, and Su Youfu had gotten up even earlier.
Su Youfu started the fire and heated a pot of water, then let his wife wash her face and hands.
Su Youfu was short in stature and had a leg problem, but he was extremely attentive and treated his wife very well. Such small matters were not worth mentioning to others. Whether they were living well or not, they knew it best themselves.
Sheng Juanhua was very happy. From the outside, she was tall and fair-skinned, and her appearance could be considered as a village beauty. Her older brothers in the village were pursued by girls.
With a tall and handsome figure and well-defined facial features, she resembled a righteous protagonist from early movies and TV dramas, with thick eyebrows and big eyes.
Sheng Juanhua had three older brothers. The eldest brother was a doctor and had a clinic in the village.
The second brother was a fortune-teller, and his business was even better than the clinic. His reputation had spread far and wide, with people from nearby villages and even the city coming to seek his services.
The third brother was strong and naturally had a lot of strength. He worked as a security guard and earned a good income.
There was also a younger brother and a younger sister in the family.
The younger brother was involved in transportation and also made good money. He was handsome and married a particularly good-looking wife. From Xiao Qi's perspective, there were few women around who were more beautiful than her sister-in-law. She had a unique charm that couldn't be described, but when they were together, she seemed more beautiful, more refined than others.
The younger sister got married and moved to the outskirts of the city. It was said that she was living a good life. Her husband's family sold clothing.
In short, the Sheng family could be said to be thriving, with favorable conditions. Although they didn't live in the city, they had small Western-style houses in the village, which were completely different from Su Youfu's house, which had windows covered with plastic sheets.
Today, it was the eldest brother's daughter who was getting married, marrying someone from the city, specifically from the outskirts of Lvshan City, near the highway intersection.
In any case, the most unfortunate one who had married into Gumula Village was Sheng Juanhua, Xiao Qi's mother.
Because her husband's family couldn't establish themselves, when she returned to her parents' home, she had to be more careful, not boasting, just trying not to make any mistakes.
Today, it was her eldest brother's daughter who was getting married, and it would be good to go early to help out.
Originally, she should have gone a day or two earlier, but since they had pigs and chickens to take care of at home, and no one to watch over them, Sheng Juanhua thought that she didn't even have a few new sets of clothes, and she couldn't just wear the same outfit all summer. It was enough to go and meet people.
Besides, she didn't expect her sister-in-law to have any expectations of seeing her. As long as she observed the proper etiquette, it would be fine.
Sheng Juanhua prepared a 600-yuan red envelope as a gift for her aunt and uncle, which should be enough.
She didn't intend to dig deep into her savings just to save face like Xiao Qi's grandmother. Everyone knew each other's situation. If you were poor, you were poor, and even if you gave a red envelope of 2,000 yuan, you would still be poor. Others wouldn't think highly of you for this.
Besides, 600 yuan was already a lot. Her husband made bamboo sieves and had to make 20 pairs, which would take several days of work.
Although recently there was a boom in making bamboo baskets and bags, and the prices were higher, it was still hard-earned money. Sheng Juanhua calculated it very clearly and didn't want to spend a single cent carelessly.
The family backgrounds of her siblings were all quite good. Initially, she had considered borrowing some money from them for Xiao Qi's tuition fees, as they were insufficient. However, the thought of borrowing money, especially from her siblings, made her feel embarrassed and ashamed. Now that they had enough money at home, she didn't need to ask them anymore. Sheng Juanhua felt a sense of pride swell in her chest, and she felt radiant and thrilled.
Early in the morning, after getting up and freshening up, she reheated the leftovers and called Xiao Qi to come and eat.
To her surprise, her daughter wasn't still in bed but was already up reading a book, which made Sheng Juanhua feel uneasy.
She felt that her daughter had become unusually well-behaved since the college entrance examination.
When it was time for breakfast, she noticed that her daughter was eating much more than before. Yesterday, she was too excited to pay attention, but now she realized that her daughter was eating a lot, even more than her husband. She had three bowls of rice, finished the leftovers, and even ate two eggs...
"Isn't she eating a bit too much? She might not have an appetite for the lunch banquet."
"No, Mom. I've been exercising, so my appetite increased. Look, I haven't gained weight; instead, I've lost some." Xiao Qi explained.
After finishing breakfast, they were all spruced up.
Su Youfu put on the shirt and pants his daughter had bought for him. He wore leather shoes but then changed into a pair of old canvas shoes, fearing that the leather shoes would be ruined. He planned to change back into the leather shoes near Shangxie Village. He thought that nobody would take the worn-out canvas shoes lying on the roadside.
Xiao Qi: ...
Sheng Juanhua also wore the new clothes her daughter had bought for her. However, she couldn't bear to take off the red leather shoes she had put on. They were comfortable to walk in, and unlike her husband, she didn't change her shoes while walking. This was because women were more concerned about beauty.
Xiao Qi wore sporty pants bought with Zhou Laoshi and a T-shirt with a bright pink color and a small elephant pattern.
Grandma liked it when little girls wore festive clothes.
The matter of Xiao Qi appearing on TV didn't create much of a stir in Gumula Village. Sheng Juanhua usually couldn't hold her head up high in her natal home. If she made a phone call, they would think something was wrong. She thought about going back in a few days, so she didn't mention it. Even if someone saw it, they wouldn't think that the girl on TV was their niece. Gumula Village and Shangxie Village were five kilometers apart, and many people got married and moved between the two villages, so if someone went back, they might mention it casually.
After the family of three tidied up, they looked presentable. When they stepped out, the sun had just risen.
Other villagers in the village asked where they were going.
Upon hearing that they were going to Shangxie Village for Sheng Juanhua's niece's wedding and to partake in the wedding banquet, they wished them well.
Looking at this family of three, one can't help but feel a sense of warmth. Sheng Juanhua, in her everyday appearance, is already quite attractive, but she rarely dresses up. It's rare to see her wearing a small knitted sweater with a little jacket on top. She's wearing black pants and red leather shoes, with long legs. Because she's always working, she doesn't have a protruding belly like other middle-aged women. Her belly is flat. Wearing a knitted sweater requires a certain body shape, and even a slight bulge can be noticeable. Moreover, Sheng Juanhua has fair skin, so when she dresses like this, she looks like someone from the city. Some people even think she resembles Xie Dajiao from that rural love story.
As for Su Youfu, he's even more remarkable. Wearing a striped T-shirt with trousers and a belt, he looks presentable. Standing there, you can't tell he has a limp foot, and he looks much younger than he actually is. I always thought he was almost fifty.
But he's wearing a pair of worn-out liberation shoes on his feet, and someone jokingly says, "Youfu, your daughter is making money. Why doesn't she buy you a pair of leather shoes?"
Su Youfu, blushing, laughs while holding the shoes in his hand, just as he always does when teased, without responding.
Su Xiaoqi looks like a young girl. She's wearing a pink T-shirt and is slim and tall, with fair skin. When the three of them stand together, Sheng Juanhua is beautiful, Su Youfu is honest, but this little girl is particularly eye-catching.
As everyone watches this family walk away, they discuss it among themselves.
"Su Youfu's daughter truly lives up to having an education. Her bearing is even more refined than that of city folks."
"The Su family is going to rise. That girl is remarkable."
Even Lao Chen, who is known for his proud daughter marrying abroad, compliments them. He has been overseas, and his status in Gumula Village is quite different. When he speaks, everyone listens.
The sounds of roosters and barking dogs gradually fade into the distance.
The sounds of insects and croaking frogs become more intense.
The Qi family walks halfway up the mountain road, surrounded by bamboo and cedar trees, and then they hear the sound of water.
It means the mountain road is coming to an end, and they are getting closer to Shangxie Village.
Because this stretch of rice fields belongs half to Gumula Village and half to Shangxie Village.
There are also some wild fruits along the road, like wild blueberries and raspberries, which they can pick and eat directly.
Su Youfu knows his daughter has a sweet tooth, so they pick a lot along the way. Thanks to his worn-out shoes, he even climbs up the mountainside to gather some.
Xiao Qi walks along, eating the wild fruits, feeling content, as if they are having a picnic.
Occasionally, they can hear Mom humming a tune, and Dad sings along.
Dad may not have an impressive appearance, but he has a beautiful singing voice. His voice is good, and he sings with a high pitch. With singing and laughter all the way, they walk under the sunshine.
