NOVPUBSix years had passed since Xia Xiaoxiao, who had barely been over four feet tall as a little girl, had grown into a slender and graceful young lady.
The house was still the familiar home from her memory, but when she looked at the people inside, she felt an inexplicable barrier, as if she was an outsider who had suddenly intruded. In short, she was completely uncomfortable.
This made Xia Xiaoxiao feel very bad, even worse than if she were visiting a classmate’s house, where being surrounded by numerous relatives and elders wouldn’t normally be so unbearable.
The people inside the house had similar thoughts; after so many years without seeing her, a lot had changed, and Xia Xiaoxiao was no longer the little girl they remembered.
"You’ve grown so much."
"Yes."
"Are your grades still the best in your class?"
"Second best."
"Being second in the class is still really impressive."
"Mm."
Upon entering the room, Xia Xiaoxiao sat motionless on the rosewood sofa, with Xu Qingfan, who was also being forced to sit as punishment, to her left.
The room was full of relatives, resembling a tribunal scene from a TV drama, with everyone throwing questions at her.
"What do you usually eat at home?"
"Food."
As she gave perfunctory answers, she prayed in her heart for time to pass quickly. If she could turn back the clock to two hours earlier, she wouldn’t have come back for anything.
"You kid, of course, it’s food, but what I mean is who cooks the meals? Do you eat out or at home?" Seeing the conversation growing stagnant, Xia Xiaoxiao’s second aunt joked.
"Xu Qingfan cooks. He makes very delicious food," admitted Xia Xiaoxiao, feeling her previous answer was too negligent as she pointed at Xu Qingfan.
"Ah? This... this kid can cook? Amazing."
"Ha, certainly, you all remember the small crayfish stall from a few years back, right? The recipe was concocted by Xiao Fan. He has been clever ever since he was little," said Xia Guofu, joining in the conversation to keep it going.
"That’s remarkable, how are Xiao Fan’s grades?"
"What kind of books do you usually read?"
"You can tell he’s strong just by pinching his arm. He must be hardworking."
Xu Qingfan: ...
Xia Xiaoxiao successfully diverted the attentions of everyone to Xu Qingfan with her deflection, and took the opportunity to excuse herself to use the bathroom and sneak away, leaving the poor dog alone in the room to stand as punishment.
"You’re in third grade and still can’t recite the multiplication tables? Xiaoxiao and I knew them in kindergarten. I bet this kid has been slacking in his studies. You can’t go easy on him, auntie, the winter break in third grade is the scariest!"
"Did you hear that? If you don’t recite the multiplication tables tonight, you’re not sleeping!"
"What, my cousin only scored 58 on his final English exam? Uncle, this is a red flag. Fifth grade winter break is crucial. Don’t get worked up, just listen to me slowly..."
Getting tormented by others was not Xu Qingfan’s style, and he soon took control of the situation, starting a ’Little Sunflower Class’ for the grown-ups in the room.
Xia Xiaoxiao had only left for a few minutes, but when she returned, she saw such an astonishing scene.
Her little cousins were lined up in turns. Those yet to be pointed at were nervously waiting their turn, while those who had just been criticized were sobbing to one side. The adults seemed to be nodding and agreeing as though they were hearing some profound truths.
Xia Xiaoxiao chuckled softly, hiding by the door and stealing glances at him for a while before turning away.
[This bad dog, always bullying the little kids!]
There was something that Xia Xiaoxiao had never been able to figure out, Lin Jing was superior to the mistress in every aspect imaginable, so how could one simply justify infidelity within a marriage just because she wasn’t a boy?
She didn’t really want to believe such an excuse. If that was truly the reason, why not just flout the laws and have another child in secret, paying the fine that was surely affordable?
Even though she had let go, she still couldn’t understand what Xia Guofu was thinking. Had he really thrown away more than twenty years of affection like it was nothing?
Xia Xiaoxiao hoped to find answers from that woman, which is why she had been observing her covertly with sidelong glances ever since she entered the room.
Perhaps because she had given birth and had been doing farm work all these years, Liang Siyu looked a decade older since the first time Xia had seen her. She couldn’t hold a candle to Lin Jing in terms of looks; if Lin Jing was a full 100 points, this woman would barely pass.
Ever since she stepped into the house she had been busy with chores, always wearing her sleeve protectors, and she seemed to get along well with the family—a point where her mother couldn’t compare.
Cleaning the table, cooking, and soothing the children, the woman seemed never to have a moment’s rest. Xia Xiaoxiao felt tired just watching her for a little while.
[Doesn’t she ever get tired?]
Xia Xiaoxiao remembered the times she came back with her mother for the New Year when she was little; it was always Xia Guofu who bustled about the kitchen, while Lin Jing took her to wander around the village and make cow dung fireworks.
It wasn’t that Lin Jing was lazy and didn’t want to help, but her grandmother had thought she was clumsy and wouldn’t allow her into the kitchen.
However, that all seemed like a distant memory now, so distant she could barely remember it.
Xia Xiaoxiao felt she almost had an answer, but she wasn’t quite sure yet.
On the other side, Xu Qingfan had finally finished answering all the parents’ questions after a long and exhausting discussion, and had set up an ambitious plan for each kid to overtake their peers in the coming semester.
At twelve o’clock sharp, lunch began, and because of their special circumstances, Xia Xiaoxiao and Xu Qingfan were not seated at the children’s table, but at the main table instead.
In just a short time, Xu Qingfan had already gained a full grasp of everyone’s personality at the gathering and was effortlessly livening up the atmosphere during the meal.
[This damn dog never fails to disappoint.] Xia Xiaoxiao thought to herself, looking at Xu Qingfan, who was having a lively time at the table.
With him by her side, she suddenly didn’t feel awkward anymore, and even her appetite had improved a lot.
After finishing one bowl of rice, she was about to go to the kitchen for seconds when she saw that Xu Qingfan’s bowl was also empty, so she took his with her to fill up.
"Don’t take too much," Xu Qingfan tapped her on the back as a reminder, and continued his conversation about Ming dynasty history with the adults without even looking up.
Xia Xiaoxiao stealthily kicked him and turned to walk into the kitchen.
"Xiao Xiao, are you here to get rice or soup?" The grandmother and Liang Siyu were eating on small stools in the kitchen and they both stood up when they saw her come in. 𝓃ℴ𝓋𝓹𝓊𝓫.𝒸𝓸𝓂
Xia Xiaoxiao felt awkward again and without looking at Liang Siyu, said to her grandmother, "I’ll get rice. I can do it myself."
"Alright, eat up while you’re growing, Xiao Xiao!"
"Sure." She finished dishing out the rice as fast as she could and dashed out of the kitchen as if fleeing.
She knew it! She didn’t spot that woman at the children’s table just now because she was eating in the kitchen with her grandmother.
Xia Xiaoxiao truly couldn’t accept this behavior. She had told her grandmother many times when she was young to join the family at the dining table, even threatening to skip meals herself, but it was no use.
She really couldn’t understand why anyone would work so hard to make a big feast only to sit on a small stool by the stove in the kitchen to eat. The Qing Dynasty had been over for so many years, yet such backward customs still existed.
And it appeared these backward customs were being passed down.
Once back at the dining table, the appetite of the young girl vanished instantly. She pecked at a few bites of rice before dumping the remainder into Xu Qingfan’s bowl; after all, that "damn dog" was sure to eat up during his growth spurt.
Lunch dragged on for nearly an hour. Amidst Xu Qingfan’s flattering remarks, all the older gentlemen started to show rosy cheeks from drinking too much, and of course, since he was underage, he stuck to tea instead of alcohol.
As the meal ended, the woman got busy once again.
Xia Xiaoxiao watched, observed, and seemed to gradually form an answer.
