The road was uneven and bumpy, so occasional contact between them was unavoidable.
By the end of the ride, Su Meier felt completely numb.
Since the other party seemed unbothered, she decided not to dwell on it either. A back pressed against a chest wasn’t exactly a major issue.
As they neared the village entrance, Su Meier instantly hunched over like an ostrich, lowering her head until it was practically buried in the package she was holding.
People in the countryside loved to gossip. They could turn black into white and white into black. It was better to keep a low profile.
Her sudden movement caused the man’s expression to stiffen slightly.
Yet when he saw how comical she looked, the corners of his lips lifted faintly, revealing what seemed to be a slight smile.
Fortunately, everyone was busy with the harvest season. There weren’t many people in the village at the moment, and with Su Meier hiding herself so carefully, no one could clearly see who she was.
The bicycle finally stopped beneath the locust tree in front of her house.
Su Meier’s body was so numb and stiff from the ride that it took her quite a while to recover after getting off.
Thankfully, the man didn’t rush her.
Only after she jumped down did he dismount as well, unloading the package in front of her and the meat and clothes hanging from the back.
Just as Su Meier waited expectantly for him to open the package, Song Cili spoke first.
“I won’t open this package. Just take it with you.”
“You’re not even going to look at what’s inside?”
Although excitement was bubbling inside her, she still felt obligated to ask.
“No need. It’s all snacks. Rather than bringing them to you later, I might as well give them to you all at once.”
That made perfect sense.
She couldn’t argue with that logic.
“Then thank you, Comrade Song.”
Her voice was soft and gentle, like a breeze whispering beside his ear.
“It’s what you deserve.”
The tips of the man’s ears turned slightly red, and a trace of warmth seemed to slip into his usually cool voice.
“No matter what, I still need to thank you. Comrade Song, you’re really generous.”
This time, Su Meier was speaking honestly.
Perhaps because he had been so generous, a sense of reciprocity suddenly surged within her.
“Comrade Song, if you don’t mind, I can make an ordinary compound bow for you first.
Then, after all the materials arrive, I’ll make an upgraded version for you.”
Song Cili considered it briefly.
The fiberglass his older brother was sending would probably take some time to arrive.
“Alright. Then let’s start with the simple version.”
Judging by the time, her mother should already be home.
If they processed the meat now, they could have a hearty dinner tonight.
“Then it’s settled. I’ll bring it to you tomorrow once I finish making it.”
Beaming with happiness, Su Meier hugged the package and headed inside.
Hearing footsteps still following behind her, she turned around in confusion.
Her eyes were full of puzzlement, silently asking if there was something else.
The man raised the items in his hands.
Through the bag, the red dress was faintly visible.
“Your meat… and your clothes.”
Oh right.
She had bought things too.
She had nearly forgotten about them because she was so focused on the snacks.
“Then could I trouble you to leave them by the door? I’ll come back out and get them later.”
Reaching the courtyard gate, she freed one hand and opened it.
“Comrade Song, I’m home. Just leave them there. You should head back and get some rest too.”
The man nodded and hung the items on the gate handle.
Su Meier carried the package into her room.
By the time she came back out, Mother Liang had already brought the items inside.
“Meier, are these yours? They were left outside our front gate.”
Mother Liang looked at the large pig’s trotter, the bag of fruit candies, and the fashionable dress.
“They’re mine. I bought too many things and couldn’t carry everything at once, so I left some of them outside.”
She absolutely couldn’t mention the package of snacks Song Cili had given her.
Otherwise, her mother would probably insist on returning them.
“Mom, can you prepare this pig’s trotter? Let’s have something nice for dinner tonight.
And put the fruit candies into a bowl so we can all share them.”
Later, she planned to open Song Cili’s package and gradually take things out little by little each day.
That way, she wouldn’t shock everyone.
“This child. Why did you buy so much? Your father and I still haven’t finished the milk candies you gave us last time.”
The taste of those candies lingered wonderfully in the mouth.
Mother Liang had been reluctant to eat them.
“It’s not that much. We have a big family, so it’s just enough.”
If she had possessed more money, she probably would have bought even more.
“Meier, this dress…
Did you buy it?
Did you even have enough money?”
Mother Liang fired off three questions in a row.
She simply couldn’t figure out where her daughter had gotten such a dress.
Taking the red polka-dot dress from the paper bag, she examined it carefully.
It was made from printed cotton fabric.
The moment she touched it, she could tell it was expensive.
“Well… this was a gift from Youyi.
I didn’t want to accept it at first, but she insisted on giving it to me before we parted, so I accepted it.”
Whether she accepted it or not had been equally troublesome.
Mother Liang immediately frowned.
“How can that be?
Tell me how much this dress costs. I’ll give you the money, and you can pay her back.”
A small gift was one thing.
But giving away an entire dress was something else entirely.
It was far too valuable.
“Mom, I still have the pocket money you’ve given me over the years. I have money.”
She planned to give Tong Youyi all thirty yuan she had saved.
Although her daughter hadn’t said anything, Mother Liang had a rough idea of city prices.
A dress like this probably cost twenty or thirty yuan.
The next time she met her daughter’s classmate, she would find a way to repay the favor.
“But the neckline is a bit too low. Mom, can you alter it for me?”
Su Meier thought it would be a waste to leave it unworn.
If she adjusted it slightly, she could still wear it.
“How could that be?
A dress this expensive has a problem like that?
Put it on and let me see. Let me figure out what’s wrong.”
Mother Liang lifted the dress and carefully studied its well-crafted ruffled neckline.
It didn’t seem nearly as revealing as her daughter claimed.
“Alright, Mom. Wait a moment.”
Taking the dress, Su Meier rushed into her room like a gust of wind.
There was no full-length mirror in the house.
After smoothing the skirt, she undid her braids, letting her waist-length hair cascade down her back like seaweed.
To be fair, her hair was in excellent condition.
It was dark, thick, and glossy.
Afraid her mother wouldn’t notice the issue, she deliberately tugged the neckline lower.
The result looked even more dramatic than before.
Just looking at herself made her blush.
Su Meier stepped out of her room and returned to the courtyard.
“Mom! Mom! Look at this! Doesn’t the neckline need altering?”
She pulled it down another inch.
Where had her mother gone?
Had she wandered off somewhere?
What Su Meier failed to notice was the blue-clad figure seated at the Eight Immortals table in the courtyard.
At that moment, ripples disturbed the usually calm and indifferent depths of his eyes.
Reflecting the turmoil in his heart, a flush rapidly spread across his face.
“Mom! Where did you go?”
Su Meier called again.
“Cough, cough—”
She had shouted too forcefully and nearly choked.
“I’m coming, I’m coming.”
Mother Liang emerged from the kitchen carrying a teacup and a kettle of hot water.
The moment she saw her daughter, she froze.
Was this really the daughter she had given birth to?
How could she be this beautiful?
“My goodness!
My daughter is absolutely gorgeous!
You’re definitely the most beautiful girl in Dali Village.
No, even city girls might not have your looks and figure.”
Mother Liang’s maternal pride exploded.
The satisfaction of raising her daughter so carefully reached its peak at that moment.
“Mom, forget all that for now.
Just tell me whether there’s a problem with the neckline. Should it be altered or not?”
She had absolutely no feelings about being called the village beauty.
If breast-reduction surgery had existed in this era, she would have seriously considered it.
The sight of so much exposed fair skin made Mother Liang’s heart skip a beat.
She nearly slapped her thigh.
She had forgotten there was still an outsider sitting in the courtyard!