Mr. Jiang and Mrs. Jiang are watching TV on the sofa.
Third is playing with Xiao Hua.
Xiao Hua has been in a bad mood these past few days, and Third thinks Xiao Hua might be feeling lonely. She hasn’t been staying at school recently and cos ho every day to take care of Xiao Hua.
While teasing Xiao Hua with a ball of yarn, she talks to Mrs. Jiang, "Mom, how about we find a companion for Xiao Hua? She’s been in such a bad mood, could she be wanting to fall in love?"
Xiao Hua is biting the yarn ball, now just staring at Third, dumbfounded, those eyes full of disappointnt and sorrow.
"It’s not even spring yet."
Mrs. Jiang is busy following her drama series and doesn’t bother much about Xiao Hua’s issues.
But Mr. Gu does take a glance, "Maybe she’s bored staying indoors. If the weather is nice tomorrow, take Xiao Hua out to play for a while."
Jiang Anan chips in, "I rember the family opposite us also has a cat. I don’t know if it’s male or female. Why don’t you ask them and take Xiao Hua over to see if she likes it?"
Xiao Hua is so upset; she spits out the yarn ball and lies down on the ground motionless.
Seeing her like this, Third feels utterly heartbroken and starts to comfort her, "Why are you upset again? Do you want to go outside to play? It’s too cold now, but if the weather’s good tomorrow, sister will take you out, okay? There, don’t be angry. Co on, show a smile. No? Do you want so dried fish? Or perhaps you really want a pure romance? Should sister find you a girlfriend?"
Anning just finished a phone call and ca out of the room when she hears Third talking to Xiao Hua about finding a girlfriend.
She glances at Xiao Hua and sees a look of utter despair.
Anning smiles and goes over to Mr. Gu and Mrs. Jiang, saying, "Xiao Yuan said he would co over for dinner the day after tomorrow."
"The day after tomorrow, eh?" Mr. Gu quickly turns down the TV volu. "What ti is he coming over, in the evening?"
Anning nods, "Definitely in the evening, otherwise our whole family won’t be together."
Mrs. Jiang starts to get anxious, "Then we need to prepare. Eldest, Third, you two co ho early tomorrow and help clean up the house. And, Eldest, you co with to buy groceries the day after tomorrow."
Mrs. Jiang also discusses with Mr. Gu, "What should we cook? Should we list a nu?"
Anning sits down beside Mrs. Jiang, "Just make whatever’s good. Chicken, duck, fish, and at should all be prepared, and Xiao Yuan doesn’t drink store-bought juice, so make so fresh fruit juice. Do we have a juicer at ho? If not, rember to buy one. Xiao Yuan doesn’t drink alcohol, so we don’t need to prepare that. He likes flour-based food, so have my sister make so pastries or sothing when she cos back the day after tomorrow."
Jiang Anan nods, "I’ll start preparing in the afternoon, and let’s have noodles for dinner. I’ll make so hand-pulled noodles, have mom cook so sauce, and make Zhajiang noodles, how about that?"
"Sounds good."
Anning agrees, "He does have a particular taste for that."
Anning stands up and checks the kitchen, then says to Mrs. Jiang, "Mom, our diningware needs to be changed. These bowls, plates, and basins all don’t match. Never mind, you don’t have to worry about this; I’ll go out and buy a set tomorrow."
In his previous life after retiring, Xiao Yuan developed so hobbies. When he had nothing to do, he liked to make so pottery, and later designed his own garden, creating a particularly elegant one for Anning. Everything in it was arranged by Xiao Yuan himself, including the ceramic wares used at ho.
He was quite particular, having specific teaware for tea, the right cup for wine, and the right plate for each dish; he was ticulous to a fault.
Till now, Xiao Yuan still carries on with those habits; he’s really particular.
Cooking and eating at Xiao’s ho, Anning also realized that Xiao Yuan’s own diningware was particularly exquisite, and if the tableware wasn’t placed correctly, it would make him uncomfortable.
Anning wanted to accommodate Xiao Yuan, going along with his interests in elegant things, letting him indulge. Even now, Anning tries her best to do things perfectly at ho, to make things more comfortable for Xiao Yuan.
With the new son-in-law visiting, Mr. and Mrs. Jiang didn’t know what to do and just listened to whatever Anning suggested.
Eldest and Third didn’t have any experience either, thinking that welcoming the new son-in-law in other families is done the sa way, so they didn’t say much.
But Xiao Hua listens and rembers everything.
Early the next morning, Anning goes out to purchase the new diningware.
After Mrs. Jiang gets up, she starts tidying up inside and outside the house.
By the afternoon, both Eldest and Third are roped in as labor, being forced to clean every nook and cranny of the house; they even have Eldest re-clean all the windows.
Cleaning up the house until late at night, Third was exhausted.
"I’d rather be taking classes at school, this is even tiring than military training."
Xiao Hua bounded onto Third, watching as Third seed lost in thought.
After tidying up the house, Eldest went to the supermarket to buy so things.
She wore a white sweater and a pair of black velvet pants, and put on a long white down coat. Before stepping out, she also put on a hat, making her especially warm.
Once she went downstairs, Eldest didn’t drive but walked to the supermarket instead.
The weather was quite cold today, Eldest walked with her hands covering her face, exhaling white mist, though she didn’t walk fast.
Eldest enjoyed such quiet nights alone, which helped her beco very calm.
Suddenly, a car stopped beside her, the window rolled down, and soone poked their head out: "Really, it’s you? I thought I was mistaken."
Eldest turned her head for a look, oh, it was indeed an acquaintance.
"It’s you."
She smiled: "Where are you off to? Don’t tell it’s another blind date."
Turns out, it was Wei Jiaming, whom she had encountered on two blind dates.
Wei Jiaming waved his hand: "No more blind dates for , neither of the two worked out, my heart has taken enough beating, and my dad isn’t pushing anymore."
Eldest laughed: "Congratulations."
Wei Jiaming examined Eldest: "Where are you heading? Let give you a lift."
Eldest shook her head: "I’m heading to the supermarket just ahead, it’s pretty close, no need for a ride."
"What a coincidence."
Wei Jiaming also laughed: "I’m also off to shop at the supermarket. Why not let give you a lift..."
Eldest declined the car ride: "Really, no need. I enjoy walking, it’s good exercise."
She waved her hand and strode forward.
Upon entering the supermarket, she bumped into Wei Jiaming again.
Leaving the supermarket, Eldest was chatting and laughing with Wei Jiaming.
Wei Jiaming also found out Eldest owned a bun shop: "So the popular bun shop in our city is yours! Look at us, we’re so familiar now, does it an I won’t have to queue up for buns in the future?"
"If you want to eat them, just let know in advance, I’ll save so for you."
Eldest said with a laugh: "But don’t co in the morning, it’s too crowded. Co around eight or nine o’clock when it’s less busy. The buns are still warm then, I’ll have soone save them for you."
"Great."
Wei Jiaming didn’t leave but stood chatting with Eldest outside the supermarket: "Are you still going on blind dates? How’s it going?"
Speaking of this, Eldest had a lot to say: "t another two afterwards, both introduced by acquaintances. I had to go, couldn’t refuse, but they were quite sothing. My interest is gone now, and my mom has stopped nagging too. I think I shouldn’t rush this, will take my ti to find soone. Right now, I just want to focus on building up my business."
"What’s your situation?"
Eldest rembered the car Wei Jiaming was driving, quite decent, and he also looked pretty good. She wondered why his blind dates hadn’t worked out.
Wei Jiaming had a hard-to-describe expression: "I don’t know what kind of bad luck I’ve run into, but it’s like the people I et just don’t like . My dad keeps urging , I’m really at a loss."
Seeing it was getting late, Eldest said to Wei Jiaming: "I need to hurry back, let’s catch up on Flying ssenger later."
She carried her bags and quickly left, Wei Jiaming watched her departing figure, zoning out for quite a while.
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