The Xiao Family
For the past two days, Qiao Qingyan’s stomach hadn’t been feeling very well.
After spending the last two years living on plain, simple meals at home, her stomach had long since grown accustomed to a light diet.
Now that she had married into the Xiao family, every meal included meat. Instead of enjoying it, her digestive system struggled to adapt. Her stomach constantly felt bloated and heavy, as if she had overeaten.
The problem was that she couldn’t even refuse.
Every meal, Zeng Yumei would pile chunks of meat into her bowl, wishing she could give Qingyan every good thing in the house.
Take this morning, for example.
After breakfast, Qingyan wanted to wash the dishes by the stove while moving around a little to help her digestion. But the moment she picked up the bowls and chopsticks, Zeng Yumei smilingly shooed her out of the kitchen.
“I can’t handle the heavy farm work anymore. Cooking and washing dishes are about all I can do for you two these days. Seeing you eat well and live happily gives me peace of mind. Don’t fight with me over these little chores.”
Left with no choice, Qingyan wandered around the courtyard instead, sweeping here, tidying there, finding little tasks to keep herself moving.
After she’d exercised a bit, she led Duoduo to the stone table in the courtyard, planning to teach the little girl how to read.
The lesson didn’t go smoothly at first.
Duoduo was still very young and couldn’t sit still, constantly squirming on the stone stool.
So Qingyan changed her approach.
She started with familiar objects around them—a broom, chili peppers, soybeans—placing them in front of Duoduo and patiently teaching her to recognize each one.
Only after Duoduo could identify the objects did Qingyan open a book and teach her the corresponding written characters one by one.
Meanwhile, Xiao Jinye was helping his mother fill the kitchen’s water jar.
He wasn’t wearing a shirt.
His bronze-colored, muscular chest was fully exposed as he steadily carried two buckets of water, one in each hand. The firm lines of his arms flexed with every movement, exuding the rugged masculinity of a mature man.
Qingyan’s gaze accidentally lingered on him for a few moments before she quietly looked away.
It didn’t take long before the water jar was completely full.
After wiping away his sweat and splashing water over his face, Xiao Jinye walked straight over and sat beside the stone table.
Lowering her eyes, Qingyan pointed to a word in the book.
“Apple.”
She read it once, and Duoduo repeated obediently,
“Apple~”
“Ant.”
“Ant~”
“Vegetable.”
“Vegetable~”
Sitting nearby, Xiao Jinye watched in silence.
His wife’s fair fingertips lightly tapped the paper as she taught. She tilted her head slightly, her expression incredibly focused.
Her large eyes shimmered with moisture beneath long eyelashes. Her rosy lips framed a bright smile, her slender neck graceful, her figure gentle and elegant.
Every movement carried both the innocent sweetness of a nineteen-year-old girl and the calm, gentle charm unique to a young schoolteacher.
Sensing his gaze, Qingyan looked up and met his teasing eyes.
“Why are you staring at me?”
Without missing a beat, Xiao Jinye replied,
“I’m learning to read too.”
“Aren’t you already literate? Mom said you finished sixth grade.”
His gaze remained fixed on her face.
“I haven’t touched a book in years. I’ve forgotten everything, so I might as well relearn it.”
The problem was…
Everything Qingyan was teaching Duoduo consisted of the simplest beginner vocabulary.
Little rabbit.
Little chicken.
Green beans.
Chili peppers…
Did he seriously need lessons on those?
Qingyan understood perfectly well.
He had deliberately come over just to secretly observe whether she was actually capable of teaching Duoduo.
She found him rather annoying and secretly wished he’d hurry up and head into the mountains to hunt instead of watching her all morning.
After quite some time, Duoduo finally became too restless to continue, and Qingyan ended the day’s lesson.
As a reward, she drew a little wristwatch on the girl’s hand with a pen before planting a big kiss on her soft left cheek.
“Duoduo was such a good girl today. You learned so many new words. We’ll study again tomorrow, and Sister-in-law will give you another big watch.”
Duoduo immediately grinned from ear to ear, staring happily at the drawing on the back of her hand like a flower in full bloom.
At that moment, Xiao Jinye reached out toward her.
“Come here. Let your big brother carry you.”
The little girl giggled and threw herself into his arms.
He deliberately teased her.
“Can I borrow your little watch and wear it for a while?”
Duoduo instantly hid her hand behind her back, protecting it with all her might.
Chuckling softly, Xiao Jinye pinched her chubby cheek.
“You little stingy thing.”
Then he lowered his head and kissed her left cheek as well.
Watching the scene, Qingyan’s ears suddenly turned bright red, and an inexplicable awkwardness crept into her heart.
He’d clearly seen her kiss Duoduo on the left cheek.
Couldn’t he have chosen the other side…?
Just then, Zeng Yumei came out of the kitchen after finishing the dishes.
Standing beneath the eaves while washing her hands, she called to Qingyan,
“Qingyan, tomorrow is your homecoming visit. Later, have Jinye accompany you to the supply and marketing cooperative in town to buy your return gifts.”
Actually, Qingyan had originally hoped to skip the homecoming visit altogether.
But after hearing Zeng Yumei’s reminder, she reconsidered.
She was still living in the countryside. If she neglected proper etiquette, people would inevitably gossip, and all the aunts and relatives would have something to say.
After hesitating for a moment, she nodded.
“I understand, Mom.”
Xiao Jinye raised his chin.
“I’ll ride you into town later.”
“No need. I can walk.”
“Don’t be stubborn. It’s a long way to town, and walking back and forth will wear you out. Besides…” He looked at her meaningfully. “Didn’t we agree to put on a show?”
Qingyan lowered her head.
“…All right.”
A little while later, Zeng Yumei emerged from the inner room holding fifty yuan.
She placed the money into Qingyan’s hands.
“Qingyan, take this. Buy plenty of gifts for your homecoming. Get the nicest ones.”
“Mom, I have money of my own. Please keep it.”
Qingyan hurriedly tried to push it back.
But Zeng Yumei wouldn’t hear of it.
She stuffed the money into Qingyan’s pocket.
“What’s yours and mine? We’re family now. Everything I have belongs to you two. Even after I’m gone someday, every last penny will be left to you.”
Qingyan wanted to take the money back out and return it again.
Before she could, Xiao Jinye spoke.
“If Mom’s giving it to you, just accept it.”
Only then did Qingyan stop insisting.
She could always return the money to Xiao Jinye later.
She hadn’t planned on buying many gifts anyway.
Deep down, she wasn’t eager to spend much money on her birth family.
She only intended to buy a few things—just enough to fulfill the customary etiquette.
Unexpectedly, Zeng Yumei gently held her hand.
“Qingyan, a married daughter’s first visit home is a very important occasion. If your gifts are too modest, people will think you’re being mistreated in your husband’s family or that you have no standing there.”
“This is Jinye’s first time accompanying you back after your marriage. Generous and respectable gifts aren’t just a sign of respect for your family—they’re also his way of supporting you and bringing you honor. Cigarettes, liquor, tea, sweets… everything should be bought in pairs. You can’t be careless.”
After a pause, she turned to her son.
“You remember all these customs too.”
Then she looked back at Qingyan, her voice softening.
“I’m not trying to nag you. I know your biological mother passed away early. A stepmother can never truly replace a real mother. I don’t know whether anyone ever taught you these traditions, so I wanted to explain them beforehand.”
“No matter what kind of person your stepmother is, our family’s manners must never fall short. Tomorrow, let Jinye accompany you properly. Prepare everything neatly so those people can see that no one will dare look down on you or bully you again.”
“Don’t worry about spending money. Just make sure everything is done with dignity.”
Qingyan’s eyes had already grown moist.
She unconsciously tightened her grip on the money in her pocket and said in a choked voice,
“I understand… Thank you, Mom.”
Xiao Jinye went over to Fang Zhijie’s house.
Not long afterward, he returned riding a black twenty-eight-inch bicycle.
Planting one long leg firmly on the ground, he turned toward her.
“Get on.”
Qingyan carefully climbed onto the back seat and held on as the bicycle slowly headed toward town.
The country road was full of ruts and bumps.
The bicycle jolted constantly, forcing Qingyan to grip the edge of the seat tightly.
The summer breeze brushed across her cheeks while the cool, masculine scent drifting from Xiao Jinye reached her nose.
After several particularly rough bumps, the bicycle shook so violently that she nearly fell off.
Instinctively, she reached forward and lightly grabbed the hem of his shirt.
“Xiao Jinye, could you ride a little slower? This road is so bumpy.”
“Sure.”
He answered readily.
Yet his speed hardly changed at all.
Qingyan couldn’t help wondering whether he even knew how to ride properly.
Wherever there was a pothole, he seemed determined to steer right into it.
Every jolt threw her body forward, causing her soft chest to bump directly against his broad, solid back.
A rosy blush crept onto her face.
As soon as the bicycle steadied, she quickly leaned back to create some distance.
Then they hit another deep rut.
The bicycle lurched violently.
Startled, Qingyan instinctively threw both arms around Xiao Jinye’s firm waist.
“Xiao Jinye! Ride more carefully!”
He replied matter-of-factly,
“Dirt roads are like this. Hold on tight, or you’ll fall.”
Left with no choice, Qingyan obediently tightened her arms around his waist, silently vowing never to ride on his bicycle again.
Her fair, delicate arms encircled his lean waist.
Her soft body rested lightly against his broad back, her warm breath brushing faintly against him.
What Qingyan couldn’t see…
was the smile tugging uncontrollably at the corners of Xiao Jinye’s lips.
He was practically over the moon.