Originally, I wanted to find some time to talk to Cuicui about Cheng's matters, but when I went to the embroidery shop to alter the winter clothes, Aunt Yu gave me some more work to do. Mingwei thought about it and decided to just take it slowly with the embroidery, so she accepted the job.
By accepting it, she had things to do at home in the morning. If Cuicui hadn't come over, she might have forgotten about it completely.
Cuicui came over to return a basket. Her mother was ill so Old Lady Wang had visited her the day before, and forgotten the basket at their home.
"Is your mother seriously ill?"
"No, she just caught a chill."
Such a minor illness really didn't warrant a visit. My home has too many eggs and I eat them every day without finishing them. I'm even a bit tired of eating them. Old Lady Wang just wanted to repay the favor quickly, so she went.
Cuicui put the basket in the kitchen, and seeing me embroidering, came into the room to watch for a while.
"Sister-in-law embroiders very well."
Mingwei looked up. "You don't know how?"
I remember hearing from mother-in-law that Cuicui was very good at making clothes. I could buy fabric in the future for her to make some and earn a bit of money. Making clothes also requires needles and thread for sewing and mending. How could she not know at least basic embroidery?
Cuicui modestly said, "I know a little, but not as good as sister-in-law."
"Oh, then bring your needles and threads over another day. We can learn from each other. Also, there's Ying. She wanted to learn earlier too. You live next door to each other and are quite close. You could come together."
"Okay, in a few days."
Her mother has been taking medicine every day recently, so her body smells of it. Today she deliberately sat farther from Mingwei.
As for Ying, Cuicui gave Mingwei a meaningful look and lightly coughed. "Little Ying has wanted to come over for a while now. She saw Hui enter your home and turned back."
Hui?
It's true Hui came over twice, just as she said last time to embroider and learn from Mingwei. She didn't say anything else.
"That girl!"
Mingwei smiled helplessly, "They have affinity for each other it seems. What a coincidence to run into each other."
Cuicui also covered her laugh. "Sister-in-law, don't let Little Ying hear you say that. She'd vomit to death."
She dislikes Hui so much, yet likes her younger brother. How complicated...
Thinking of this, Mingwei carefully glanced at Cuicui, put down her embroidery hoop and needle, and motioned her to sit closer.
Cuicui shook her head. "Just tell me what you want to say, sister-in-law. I smell of medicine and shouldn't get too close."
"Then I'll just ask. I..."
Mingwei hesitated for a moment before deciding to be more subtle, "Does Cuicui have someone she likes?"
Perhaps she wasn't subtle enough. Cuicui was clearly startled for a moment, then smiled and nodded.
Since she was so direct, Mingwei became hesitant instead. What if it's Cheng she likes? How would she explain things to Ying? And if it's someone else, won't things get even more complicated?
Just as she was debating, Cuicui already spoke first.
"But he's married now." Although still smiling, Cuicui looked quite calm. "Sister-in-law just wanted to ask me, and also propose a match for me? My mother has wanted me married for a while. If sister-in-law knows someone suitable, please recommend him."
"But sister-in-law should know of my family circumstances now. You still have to ask if the other party would mind."
In the past, hearing rumors from outside, Cuicui hadn't wanted to marry. She was afraid she would really give birth to sick children. But her mother feared she would be too old to marry easily as she got older, and had pressed hard. She didn't want to disobey too much so could only resign to her fate.
Hearing her words and seeing her smile, Mingwei suddenly felt sour inside. But she wasn't a doctor and also not very knowledgeable about illnesses. She couldn't provide comfort regarding this.
Mingwei quickly responded, "I happen to know someone who likes you, but his family doesn't know yet. Let me ask them first."
If the children say yes first but the families make a scene, it would look bad and Cuicui would feel wronged too.
Cuicui had heard of her sister-in-law before marriage. First it was the Dong family and school. After marrying, it became the Dong family, school, Liu family, embroidery shop, and dessert shop. At most there was also the peanut shop run by the Cui family.
Someone liking her and also needing parental approval, probably wasn't too far apart in age from her. Where could sister-in-law meet such a person? From school? A student's family?
"Is the person sister-in-law mentioned Cheng?"
Mingwei blinked. "You know already?"
Cuicui nodded. "He told me before, but Little Ying likes him so I rejected him."
You rejected him, but he doesn't plan on giving up. He even called you sister-in-law!
Mingwei pouted. How embarrassing, failed on her first matchmaking attempt. It seems teaching still suits her best.
No, how could she give up so easily!
Mingwei struggled hard, "But he still likes you. He even..."
"He told sister-in-law?" Cuicui frowned. No way. Cheng stutters when speaking to girls he doesn't know well. How could he possibly tell sister-in-law these things? Sister-in-law must have just guessed.
Mingwei explained, "He didn't say anything. But at the embroidery shop, he ordered a handkerchief embroidered with 'Little Seven', which I guessed was you. Later when I met him, he called me sister-in-law."
Cuicui smiled. Not bad, Cheng has become bolder.
When talking about Cheng, there wasn't any disgust on Cuicui's face. She kept a smile, almost doting. Mingwei suddenly felt strange.
"I feel you two are quite close. Is that right?"
"Yes." Cuicui nodded lightly then sighed, her gaze falling outside the window as if reminiscing about something. "Not just Cheng, but also my fourth brother, Little Ying, Hui, Brother Jian. We grew up together since young."
The Ye family also lived near them in the past. Later when they started their dried goods business, they moved to get a storefront.
Before that move, they played together almost every day in the same alley. Of course, even after the Ye family moved, they kept in contact since Qingshi Town was so small. Just a bit more walking and they'd arrive.
Additionally, the Cui family grew very good peanuts. Every year, the Ye family would buy some to make fried peanuts, peanut brittle, etc. so both families had frequent dealings.
That was why Ying disliked Hui so much. Hui didn't just betray Ying and Jian's relationship built over a decade, but also over a decade of sisterly affection between Ying and Hui.
Cuicui said helplessly, "Little Ying was still young then and called her sister-in-law every day. Hui acknowledged it too."
Who knew Hui would deny it later and instead marry someone else as a concubine.
"I really..."
Mingwei felt a headache coming. She pressed her temple, still not understanding what Hui was doing. If Ying called her sister-in-law and she agreed to it, didn't that mean she still liked Jian?
Hmm?
Jian!
Mingwei stared into Cuicui's eyes, "So is Jian married now?"
Cuicui nodded.
Seeing her open her mouth, Cuicui seemed to know what Mingwei wanted to ask and nodded again.
Mingwei's mind exploded once more. She hugged her still flat belly, "Sister-in-law is pregnant now. Don't shock me like this."
Seeing her pitiful state, Cuicui laughed heartily, "Does sister-in-law usually talk to brother-in-law like this too?"
No wonder brother-in-law...
"No!"
"Okay, no it is." Cuicui's laughter stopped and she said seriously, "Brother Jian is married. I don't like him anymore. Please introduce me to someone else, sister-in-law."
Hope reignited in Mingwei's eyes...
"Except Cheng."
The light extinguished.
