OBS Chapter 130 is full of happiness
Chapter 130 is full of happiness
"Okay, once the date is set, that's good. It's getting late, let's stay in town for the night and head back first thing tomorrow morning..."
After finishing speaking, Li's father was about to stand up.
"This won't do!"
Upon hearing this, Li's mother became anxious and quickly stopped Li's parents, saying, "Father-in-law, mother-in-law, you've come all this way, how can you leave like this? We still have so many things to discuss."
Li Xiangyang chimed in, "Yes, Uncle and Aunt, it's so cold outside. Why don't you stay another night? I'll take you home tomorrow."
“But…” Mother Li hesitated.
“But what?” Li’s mother took Li’s mother’s arm and said with a smile, “Our home may be a bit simple, but it’ll be enough for one night. Besides, if we let you leave like this, won’t the villagers gossip about me behind my back?”
“That’s right,” Li Xiaohua chimed in, “Uncle and Aunt, please stay! My mom is an excellent cook.”
Seeing this, Mr. and Mrs. Li could no longer refuse, so they smiled and said, "Then we'll have to trouble you, sister."
“Don’t mention the trouble,” Li’s mother said happily, taking Li’s mother’s hand. “We’re going to be in-laws! Xiaoyun, come help me pick the vegetables.”
The kitchen quickly became lively.
Li's mother was a skilled cook; she was very adept at chopping vegetables and mincing meat.
"Sister," Li's mother said to Li's mother while busying herself, "look, this wild boar meat was hunted last month, the fat and lean meat are just right..."
As Li's mother helped pick the vegetables, she looked at the ingredients prepared one by one on the stove and became more and more satisfied with the marriage.
Li Xiangyang lit a fire nearby, and watching his mother and future mother-in-law getting along so well, he felt a warm glow in his heart.
Before long, a large table of dishes was laid out.
There were braised fish, stir-fried wild boar with soy sauce, stewed bear leg, stewed cabbage with vermicelli, and mixed shredded radish. Although not fancy, the portions were generous.
"Come, come, uncles and aunts, please take a seat," Li Xiangyang greeted them warmly.
Looking at the table full of dishes and then at Li Xiangyang and Li's mother bustling around, Li's father was deeply moved.
“Xiangyang,” Father Li raised his glass, “Come, let me toast you.”
"I should be toasting my uncle," Li Xiangyang quickly raised his glass.
"Come on, bottoms up." Father Li said seriously, "With Xiaoyun with you, Uncle is at ease."
Li Xiangyang drank it all in one gulp.
Li's mother had already placed a piece of bear leg meat on Li's mother's plate: "My dear in-law, please try this. It's a real delicacy; you can't even buy it in the city."
Mother Li took a bite, and her eyes lit up: "This meat is really fragrant, tender, and has no fishy smell."
Father Li also tried a piece: "It's definitely different. I've eaten wild game a few times in the city, but none of it tasted as good as this."
Li Xiangyang poured a glass of wine for Li's father: "Uncle, please drink."
"Good, good, good." Father Li said "good" three times in a row, clearly increasingly satisfied with his prospective son-in-law.
Seeing the lively atmosphere, Li's mother added, "My dear in-law, Xiangyang is a skilled hunter; Xiaoyun won't go hungry after marrying into the family."
“Yes, yes,” Li Xiaohua added from the side, “my brother often gives away the game he hunts to the villagers.”
Li's mother looked at her daughter, then at the table full of dishes, and felt much more at ease.
Although it's a rural area, they live a really good life.
Just then, Li's mother suddenly remembered something, quickly got up and went to the inner room, bringing out a cloth bag: "Mother-in-law, this is some pickled vegetables we made ourselves. Please take it back and try it. And this..."
He then took out two more paper packets: "This is ginseng, top-quality wild ginseng. Take it back for your elders to nourish their bodies."
"This...this is too much trouble," Mother Li declined.
“There’s nothing to be embarrassed about,” Li’s mother said, handing the things to Li’s mother. “We’ll be family soon.”
After a few rounds of drinks, they started talking more.
“Xiangyang,” Father Li said, his face slightly flushed, “you must keep your word. You really can’t let my daughter do farm work.”
“Dad!” Li Xiaoyun blushed.
“Uncle is right,” Li Xiangyang said earnestly. “I promise you, once Xiaoyun marries into the family, she won’t even need to cook; I’ll do it. She can just focus on her exams and being a teacher.”
"Great!" Mr. Li slapped his thigh. "If Xiaoyun can pass the exam and become a teacher, that would be even better."
During the meal, everyone chatted casually, and the atmosphere became increasingly lively.
Seeing this scene, Li's mother was overjoyed.
My son married a good wife and even found a family in the city to marry into. Life is about to get better and better.
“Xiangyang, speaking of this, I really have to thank you.” Father Li poured another glass. “If it weren’t for your acquaintance with Comrade Wang Jingyun, Xiaoyun wouldn’t have had the chance to take the exam this time.”
"Uncle, you're too kind." Li Xiangyang quickly raised his glass. "Uncle Wang is Xiaohua's godfather; we're all family."
"Alright, alright, let's do one more, you and me."
……
After the meal, Li's mother cleaned up the dishes and prepared the inner room for Li's parents to stay in.
"Mother-in-law, please rest first. The bedding is all new."
Seeing that it was getting late, Li Xiaoyun also needed to return to the educated youth settlement. Li Xiangyang offered to see her off.
"Don't see me off," Mother Li stopped her daughter. "You can sleep here tonight, stay in the same room as us."
As night deepened, the sound of snoring rose and fell in the courtyard.
Li Xiangyang lay on the kang (a heated brick bed) in the outer room, listening to the voices coming from next door, his heart filled with happiness.
The next morning, Li's mother got up early to get busy.
I steamed some cornbread buns and stir-fried a few hot dishes.
"Mother-in-law, try this cornbread," Li's mother said, placing a cornbread on Li's mother's plate. "It's delicious with pickled vegetables."
After breakfast, Li Xiangyang put on his cotton-padded coat and went out.
The Liu family owns a horse-drawn carriage, which they use to transport goods for the village.
Li Xiangyang pondered that he couldn't make sending his parents-in-law back to the city too shabby.
"Is Uncle Liu home?" Li Xiangyang called out from the gate of the courtyard.
"I'm home!" Uncle Liu was feeding the horses in the yard. He looked up and saw Li Xiangyang, and asked with a smile, "What's up so early in the morning?"
"Uncle Liu," Li Xiangyang rubbed his hands together, "I need your help. Um... my girlfriend's parents are going back to the city, could you help them take them?"
He took out some money from his pocket and handed it over: "This is for the fare."
"Hey, what are you doing, kid? Trying to embarrass your Uncle Liu?" Uncle Liu quickly waved his hand, pushing the money back. "I heard yesterday that your in-laws came to visit, and I was thinking of talking to you about it. Sending off your in-laws is a big deal; I can't accept this money."
"Well... thank you, Uncle Liu."
"No need for thanks, we're all from the same village," Uncle Liu said, lassoing his horse as he asked, "I heard they're from the city? When are they getting married?"
"May 15th."
"Good, good, good," Uncle Liu nodded with a smile, muttering, "May 15th, that's a good day."
After the cart was properly harnessed, Uncle Liu swept the cart bed clean and added some dry grass before walking home with Li Xiangyang.
"My dear in-laws, I really wish I could keep you here a few more days."
"The car has arrived," Li's mother said reluctantly.
“There will be plenty of opportunities in the future. We only took a few days off. Next time… Sister, just let us know if anything happens.” Mother Li held Mother Li’s hand. “We’re entrusting Xiaoyun to you.”
Li Xiangyang helped Mr. and Mrs. Li onto the carriage and gave them two hot water bottles, saying, "Uncle and Aunt, it's cold on the road. Warm your hands with these."
"Okay, okay, I'm off." Father Li patted Li Xiangyang on the shoulder.
"Father, Mother," Li Xiaoyun said, her eyes red-rimmed, "please drive carefully."
The carriage slowly drove out of the village entrance, and Li Xiangyang's family stood in the snow, watching the carriage gradually disappear into the distance.