On the edge of a dense thicket, Su Youfu took off his Liberation shoes and put on a pair of leather shoes.
It was the first time Xiao Qi had bought leather shoes for her father, and her lack of experience meant that the leather wasn't of the best quality, although it did look quite shiny.
Su Youfu found the leather shoes a bit tight when he put them on, but he liked them nonetheless. Due to his leg problems, he paid extra attention to his feet, and being somewhat short in stature, the small heels in the leather shoes made him feel much more upright as soon as he put them on.
After entering Shangxie Village and passing by a pig farm, they followed a small path and arrived at Xiao Qi's uncle's house.
Today was a joyous occasion, as there were many people gathered at the entrance from afar.
The couplets on the door were particularly vibrant in red, and occasionally the sound of firecrackers could be heard. It seemed that mischievous children were finding unexploded firecrackers on the ground and lighting them up to add to the excitement.
When a family in the village celebrated a joyous event, relatives from all around would come together. Almost half of the village's residents had gathered, creating a lively atmosphere similar to that of the Lunar New Year.
Shangxie Village was more developed than Gumula Village, with a larger population of nearly a thousand households. The village was flatter and wider, with a lower elevation, making it easier to reach the town. Shangxie Village was under the jurisdiction of Xiahe Town, which was only half an hour away.
When someone spotted the three people walking over from the small path, they shouted, "Here comes the son-in-law from Gumula Village."
The distance wasn't particularly long, but the sounds of merriment seemed somewhat distant to Xiao Qi. Since she entered her final year of high school, she rarely attended weddings or other celebrations in the village. Her studies kept her busy, and her parents tried not to disturb her.
Seeing so many people gathered together again felt quite fresh. The festivities in the village were different from those in the city—much livelier.
However, she quickly realized that with so many people, she couldn't figure out the generational hierarchy. This one might be an uncle, that one might be an uncle's wife, and so on.
As a student, she could always just act like a child. Xiao Qi still received red envelopes containing money when she returned home for the Lunar New Year.
Her older cousin had started working and no longer received red envelopes in recent years.
It seemed that having a job was a sign of adulthood.
Before entering the village, they put the gifts for her grandparents in Xiao Qi's backpack, while Su Youfu and Sheng Juanhua went empty-handed.
Xiao Qi felt that her father looked fine, his face showing his trademark silly smile. However, her usually assertive mother seemed quite nervous, constantly adjusting her clothes.
Sheng Juanhua felt nervous because she hadn't gone out visiting her relatives during her previous visits to her parents' home. She felt awkward when encountering people she used to know.
In her youth, Sheng Juanhua was considered a beauty in Shangxie Village. Who could have imagined that she would marry a man with nothing? They said she had wasted her beauty, but later on, she gave birth to a daughter instead of a son. Those families who had shown interest in Sheng Juanhua but were rejected couldn't help but feel relieved. It was a good thing after all; otherwise, what use would a beautiful woman be if she couldn't bear a son and bring him back home?
This time, Sheng Juanhua felt triumphant.
She couldn't have a son, but having an outstanding daughter was equally impressive.
Moreover, her daughter had been admitted to university and even earned her own tuition fees.
The bamboo crafts made by her husband could sell for a good amount of money.
She wore her new pair of golden earrings, which her daughter had bought for her.
She looked several years younger with them on.
Xiao Qi suddenly realized that her mother was actually quite beautiful. When she smiled and greeted her relatives, there were hardly any wrinkles around her eyes.
Xiao Qi also saw her aunt. Her aunt's family sold clothes, and when Xiao Qi was little, she loved going to her aunt's house because she always came back with a new outfit. Xiao Qi envied her cousin and cousin, but as she grew older, she noticed that her aunt always spoke ill of her father. After hearing it a few times, Xiao Qi, a girl with a sense of self-esteem, no longer liked going there, even if her aunt wanted to give her a new outfit.
But now, seeing her aunt and mother standing together, her mother actually appeared younger. Xiao Qi realized that her aunt was too thin, almost bony.
Xiao Qi didn't see her grandparents. Her grandmother was steaming sticky rice at home, which would be used to make rice cakes later.
There were many people from her eldest uncle's family, and Xiao Qi didn't know most of them. She was curious about what her elder cousin's wedding looked like, so she took a stroll around the new house.
The new house was a bit messy, with many young girls inside, and her elder cousin was getting her makeup done.
Just then, Xiao Qi remembered that her elder cousin was getting married. This place wasn't called the "new house"; it was her cousin's bridal chamber. The "new house" should be where the groom is.
They arrived early, just after nine o'clock, at her eldest uncle's house.
By around eleven o'clock, the groom would come to pick up the bride and take her away, so the bride was still getting her makeup done.
Her elder cousin was not wearing a red wedding dress but a white wedding gown, which was considered advanced in the village.
The wedding gown was too long, trailing on the ground. It wasn't very convenient in the village because there were often chickens and ducks running around, leaving behind their droppings that weren't promptly cleaned up.
In Xiao Qi's memory, her elder cousin was very beautiful and tall. The Sheng family had good genes, and they were all quite tall. Her elder cousin was 1.7 meters tall.
Last year, on the third day of the Lunar New Year, when she came to her grandmother's house, she saw her elder cousin wearing a pink suit, high heels, makeup on her face, and straight long hair. She was truly beautiful.
Wrapped in a thick padded coat and wearing glasses, Xiao Qi felt envious as she looked at her beautiful cousin.
She never expected that her cousin would get married this year.
When Xiao Qi entered the room, the giggling girls quieted down for a moment.
It wasn't until Xiao Qi called out, "Hello, elder cousin," that the atmosphere was unlocked.
The girls from Shangxie Village were also quite pretty, especially those from the Sheng family, but when they saw the little girl with a backpack entering, everyone fell silent. She seemed different.
Sheng Jinghua, after taking a few more glances, only then realized that the girl in front of her was Xiao Qi, her aunt's daughter and her cousin.
The Sheng family had good looks, but their academic genes were average. In this generation, not many of them pursued higher education. Xiao Qi, who attended the First Middle School in the city, could be considered unique.
At first, Sheng Jinghua didn't think highly of her cousin. She thought Xiao Qi was silly in her studies. But after working in society for a few years instead of pursuing further education, she began to envy her cousin. Although their uncle was disabled, he truly loved Xiao Qi and even supported her in going to college.
"Congratulations, elder cousin. You look particularly beautiful today." Xiao Qi didn't recognize the other girls in the room, probably her cousin's friends, but she truly thought her cousin looked stunning. This young woman in her twenties was like a blooming flower, her face adorned with makeup, resembling a flower in full bloom.
And there was a delicate and pleasant fragrance emanating from her, making it impossible for people to resist feeling a sense of beauty.
"Thank you, Xiao Qi. You've become so beautiful. A woman undergoes a tremendous transformation when she reaches eighteen. If we were to meet on the street, I probably wouldn't recognize you," Sheng Jinghua exclaimed. Gumula Village in Lvshan City was known for its beautiful women, but they had previously thought it was just a reputation.
Which village doesn't have a few pretty girls, after all?
But today, when they saw their cousin, it was truly different.
That feeling, that aura, didn't fit in with them, yet it didn't make people dislike her. It was just that she looked pleasing to the eye, as clear as a mountain spring, with a tinkling sensation. They were attractive too, but at most, they were wildflowers by the spring, each with their own beauty. However, the one making the sound was still the springwater.
It was somewhat chilly, yet sweet.
As the bride, Sheng Jinghua felt that her cousin was different from the others.
The same went for everyone else. The bride's room was not as lively for a moment, so Xiao Qi, feeling somewhat restrained among them, stepped out.
"Jinghua, your cousin feels different from us. I heard she's a university student?"
"She doesn't seem easy to get along with, does she?"
"I feel like I've seen her somewhere before."
"Yes, yes, I feel the same way. It's like she's vaguely familiar, but I can't remember."
