’But seeing her today, that wasn’t the case at all. Mrs. Wang’s granddaughter wasn’t ugly in the least—she was quite pretty!’
’But what about that cloth covering her face? Was it to hide that blemished skin?’
’Oh, what a sha if that’s true! Look at her brows and eyes, just as beautiful as her brother’s. Anyone who didn’t know would never guess there was blemished skin underneath!’
The old woman felt both regretful and heartbroken. She wanted to say a few comforting words to Mrs. Wang, but with Juhua right there, she didn’t know how to begin. So, she just held Juhua’s hand and repeatedly said, "Such a good girl."
Mrs. Wang knew she was a sincere person and didn’t bla her for making a fuss. She simply ntioned they were heading to her son’s house for a al. Only then did the woman let go of Juhua’s hand, telling Mrs. Wang to bring Juhua over for a visit later.
In that short ti, several other won ca out from the neighboring courtyards. They all greeted Mrs. Wang, and upon hearing this was her granddaughter, they curiously sized Juhua up from head to toe.
Qingmu’s face stiffened in anger, and he didn’t greet anyone. He found their rudeness quite offensive.
Juhua, however, didn’t mind at all. ’They aren’t necessarily laughing at ; they’re just curious,’ she thought. ’If I act insecure and shy away now, they’ll only beco more intrigued. But if I act like it’s no big deal, they’ll look for a mont, get bored, and stop making a fuss.’
Mrs. Wang was delighted to see Juhua so poised and at ease, not the least bit nervous or uncomfortable. She said to Juhua, "They’ve never seen you before, so they took a longer look. None of them are the gossipy type. They might say a word or two, but there’s no ill will behind it."
Juhua nodded. "Let them look. It doesn’t hurt any."
When her uncle, Yang Defa, and her aunt, Ms. Zhang, saw Juhua, they were overjoyed. They pulled her over and showered her with pleasantries.
Juhua was touched by such a warm reception. ’I don’t have to cook or do any needlework, just sit here clean and snack on lon seeds. This feeling of being a guest is pretty nice!’
After lunch, her aunt insisted that Mrs. Wang shouldn’t bother cooking dinner either, and that they should eat at her house. She added that Laifu and Laixi would be back in the afternoon, so Qingmu would have company.
Juhua also wanted her grandmother to rest. Before Mrs. Wang could say anything, Juhua quickly agreed. She then told her aunt that she and her grandmother were going for a stroll.
Ms. Zhang was delighted that Juhua seed so close to her. She told them to wander around for a bit and then co back, as she would be starting dinner soon.
Juhua agreed and then walked slowly toward the center of the village with her grandmother. She smiled and asked, "What if that Liu Yunlan went to her own grandmother’s house? Wouldn’t we miss her?"
Mrs. Wang chuckled. "She won’t be. She’s usually at ho. Her grandmother’s house isn’t far, and every year it’s her younger brother, Yungen, who goes to pay New Year’s respects."
As they spoke, they continuously had to greet the various won and wives they encountered. Eventually, Juhua and her grandmother arrived outside a courtyard with a bamboo fence. Mrs. Wang, pretending to be talking to Juhua about sothing else, whispered to her, "This is Liu Fugui’s house."
Juhua didn’t hide her curiosity. She looked up and examined the house. Like her own family’s old house, it had earthen walls and a thatched roof, but it looked newer, and the courtyard was clean and tidy.
Just as she was looking, a tall girl with a long, thick braid and a light purple jacket ca out to greet them. She smiled at Mrs. Wang and said, "Grandma Wang, Happy New Year. What brings you out and about? Please, co in and sit for a while. This is..."
This was the very invitation Mrs. Wang had been waiting for. She didn’t stand on ceremony, pulling Juhua into the courtyard as she said to Liu Yunlan with a beaming smile, "This is my granddaughter, Juhua—Qingmu’s younger sister. She’s never been here before, so I’m taking her for a walk while the sun is out. Juhua, this is Sister Yunlan, the most capable and virtuous girl in all of Liujiatang."
Juhua smiled slightly at the round-eyed girl and said, "Sister Yunlan."
Liu Yunlan looked at the little girl with the covered face, and a ripple went through her heart.
Because of what she had said to Qingmu during the twelfth lunar month, she had actually been waiting at ho all day in anticipation. Although she felt he probably wouldn’t co, a part of her still held onto that sliver of hope.
Who would have thought that Qingmu wouldn’t co, but his sister would?
’Is this his way of showing his intentions?’
Liu Fugui wasn’t ho, but his wife was. She was incredibly enthusiastic upon seeing Mrs. Wang. When she heard that Juhua was Qingmu’s sister, she couldn’t stop grinning and bustled about, fetching things for Juhua to eat.
Seeing her mother being a bit too overbearing, Liu Yunlan quickly stopped her. She smiled at Mrs. Wang, her face flushing slightly, then looked at Juhua. Placing a plate of lon seeds in front of her, she said with a gentle smile, "We don’t have much to offer, but please, Sister Juhua, have so lon seeds."
Juhua nodded and began to snack on the lon seeds while sizing up Liu Yunlan.
’Hmm, not bad at all.’
Her looks, needless to say, lived up to her reputation. What was rarer was her deanor. She was more poised and forthright than the average village girl, yet not flashy. She also lacked that artificial, people-pleasing cleverness, and her eyes were frank and sincere.
Juhua was very satisfied. ’No wonder even my brother, who doesn’t usually pay attention to girls, has fallen for her,’ she thought. ’It looks like this marriage can work out.’
Sitting across from Juhua, Liu Yunlan felt a little nervous.
The little girl didn’t say a word, just quietly studied her with those pure eyes. It made Liu Yunlan’s heart pound like a drum. She surprisingly felt like she was the one being inspected for a marriage proposal.
Even when the parents of potential suitors had co to her ho in the past, she had never felt this nervous. ’How strange,’ she thought. ’This Juhua seems just like an adult. That gaze of hers... I can’t possibly treat her like a little girl.’
She suppressed this strange feeling and, with a smile, tried to make conversation with Juhua, asking her age, what kinds of needlework she could do, and other topics common among young girls.
anwhile, Liu Fugui’s wife and Mrs. Wang were deep in an animated conversation, punctuated by frequent bursts of laughter.
After sitting for a while, Mrs. Wang stood up and said to Liu Fugui’s wife, "Alright, I’m going to take Juhua for a bit more of a walk. You should co visit my house when you have ti."
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