"Uncle Liu." Xiao Ming was surprised and looked at the village chief and the guests sitting in the pavilion behind him.
"Girl Xiao is at home. These are guests from the city. They are coming to the village for the first time. They are walking around and asking for a glass of water from you." Liu Jisheng looked at the words in Xiao Ming's mouth and spoke very politely. He never mentioned why Xiao Ming didn't go to Liu's house for dinner.
She described these guests as walkers walking around the village, who just happened to come to her to ask for a drink of tea.
Their family often received some benefits from Xiao Ming, and they knew the grudges between Xiao Ming and Mrs. Liu in their hearts. They didn't want to speak for their insignificant cousin and offend Xiao Ming. He understood this cousin clearly. He thought that Xiao Ming, who often gave him gifts, would be more sincere if he rarely returned to the village in the future.
Along the way, he finally understood that the Zhou family in this city was a wealthy and powerful family. They had high standards and did not take him as the head of the village seriously. They shouted around and shouted at him, his sister. She even stood far away, unable to say a word. The new daughter-in-law was sitting there with a maid waiting on her. She stood aside with a smile on her face like an old mother. She looked like this, let alone expect her to support her son. .
The visitor was a guest. Xiao Ming was just at odds with Mrs. Liu. There was no need for her to show off to others and ruin the reputation of the Xiao family. Xiao Ming asked Yi's mother to prepare a lot of tea and fruit snacks for them, and then asked Xiao Han to come out. After greeting the guests, Mrs. Song and Mother Yi introduced the women into the living room of the inner courtyard to entertain them.
"This house is nice." Zhou Zhongcheng nodded and gave a rare compliment. This was the first time he praised it when he came to Liujia Village today, but it was not because of the Liu family, but in the Xiao family.
He is a businessman, so he naturally knows that the orchard is full of fruits and the income is small. Being able to buy such a family property makes him one of the most prosperous people in Liujia Village. After learning about the situation of the Xiao family, he even praised Xiao Han. He praised and praised, saying that the younger generation is awesome.
However, as the richest man in Pingcheng, he did not pay attention to the Xiao family's wealth, let alone take it to heart. At this time, he just took a rest and chatted with a few friends and brothers in the city.
However, Zhou Lianrong in the inner courtyard was not in such a wonderful mood at this time. After seeing the exquisiteness of the Xiao family's house and the fruits and vegetables in the garden, she realized that the Xiao family was not as miserable and poor as Mrs. Liu said. .
"My parents are gone, and my brother and sister-in-law also passed away last year. Life is not easy for the children, so we should help." This is what Mrs. Liu said about the Xiao family.
Is this a family that is so poor that they still need her help? This old lady Yu.
Zhou Lianrong looked at her mother-in-law angrily. She really thought she was a fool, right? What a fool.
Poor old Mrs. Liu didn't dare to raise her head under her daughter-in-law's sharp eyes. She was so guilty that she was too frightened to speak.
Mother Yi brought the fruit snacks with Li'er and put them on the table.
"Madam, please take a seat. The country snacks are rough, so I'm neglecting you." Mrs. Song said, and asked Mrs. Yu, Zhou Lianrong and others to sit down.
Mrs. Liu also sat down, but she was very honest and didn't say a word. She was really uneasy facing her daughter-in-law's eyes.
"Mom, what's wrong with you?" Wang Xiaohua, a nervous woman, looked at her mother-in-law and thought she was uncomfortable.
"Mom, try these delicious grapes." Wang Xiaohua has been eating non-stop since she entered the door. She took the grapes directly in the yard and ate them without being greeted. Her eating appearance was still the same as before, eating quickly and happily. In a hurry, he still held two strings in his hand, and his mouth was filled with saliva.
Xiao Ming, Song and others were already accustomed to her appearance, but it made Yu frown. Zhou Lianrong turned red with anger and screamed: "You know what to eat." , the rules I taught you have been eaten by dogs, come to the door and eat them."
Zhou Lianrong wiped her clothes vigorously with a handkerchief. Wang Xiaohua was very close to her when she spoke, and she felt that her clothes were stained with her saliva.
Wang Xiaohua really obeyed and went out, and she was very happy. For her, there was more food in the yard. Mrs. Yu frowned even more tightly and scolded: "How can Lianrong talk?" Then she turned to Mrs. Song. He smiled and said: "This child has been spoiled by me since he was a child, and he has a straighter temper."
Mrs. Yu had disliked Wang Xiaohua at first sight. She was greedy, ignorant of etiquette, and a member of a small family. She once had a quarrel with a girl in the family over a silver hairpin. Her daughter was really wronged when she married her. .
Even if Ms. Yu was dissatisfied with Wang Xiaohua in her heart, she would not say it to her face. After all, her daughter was a little younger, so she couldn't help but scold her sister-in-law in front of outsiders. She said that the reputation was not good. This sister-in-law did not know the etiquette and behaved well at home. Teach me, the family can let her make as much noise as she wants behind closed doors, but not outside. If outsiders see her, they will only say that her daughter is mean and rude.
"Madam, please have some fruit. They are all produced by our own family." Ms. Song said enthusiastically, as if she didn't know what happened just now.
"If you grow such a fruit at home, you can sell it for a lot of money, right?" Zhou Lianrong asked while eating grapes, can she sell so much fruit? She wanted to know if the Xiao family was really going to be in trouble as Mrs. Liu said, and her husband would come to buy it in person and not sell it.
This was the first time she saw fruit worth ten taels of silver per pound, and Zhou Lianrong felt indignant.
"It's not bad! The whole family relies on these fruits to make a living."
~~···~~~
The Zhou family and his entourage sat at Xiao's house for a while and then left. Now the banquet was eaten and the village was visited. They returned to the city in the evening, followed by Liu Fushun and Zhou Lianrong. The motorcade was the same as when they came. It was majestic, surrounded by servants, and everyone in the village came to watch the excitement.
"Sanlang is very lucky, and the new wife is so handsome." Mrs. Li was talking while washing the grapes. Although the fat pig was not sold, she was still satisfied after eating on the flowing mat for five days. After a while, she praised the Liu family for their ability to cook the meal. Decent, not to mention the expenses, I envy the Liu family for being prosperous, and I can’t stop talking about it. I don’t feel as unhappy or unwilling as I did a few days ago.
The eldest Wang just listened without saying a word and worked seriously, sneering in his heart. He was short-sighted and bought her over with just a few meals of meat.
With the departure of Mrs. Liu and her family, the village returned to peace again. The Xiao family was still busy harvesting fruits. Xiao Ming, except for going to the town for medical consultation, spent the rest of her time helping to collect fruits and clean and make wine.
"Who are you?" Xiao Ming looked at the girl in front of her. She was in her 28s, youthful and beautiful, but had a composure that belonged to her age. She came in a carriage, and there was an old woman accompanying her, and one who had just grown her hair. Little girl.
The little girl in front of Xiao Ming looked familiar, but she couldn't remember where she had seen her before. Maybe she was too busy these days and forgot.
"Doctor Xiao, your servant is Lan Ling." Lan Ling saluted respectfully and introduced himself.
