RGL – Chapter 73

Looking at the joy radiating from Su Min, Sun Qiufang smiled and sighed. Thankfully, she had listened to Xiao Hai and let her daughter come out and explore. She had never seen Minzi this happy before—this was how a child was supposed to look.

Su Min discovered that her stamina wasn’t as good as she’d imagined. She had been full of energy when climbing the ancient city wall that morning, but after resting at noon, she found herself drained.

Though she was mentally exhilarated while walking around the Forbidden City, physically she was out of steam.

While resting on some steps, Xue Mian noticed a nearby vendor offering photo services for tourists. He quickly pulled Su Min over to take a picture.

Su Min’s hair was already messy, and she looked a bit tired. Suddenly being dragged off for a photo left her dazed, and by the time it was done, she looked slightly silly.

After paying, the two waited a while before finally receiving the photo.

Looking at her own silly expression and Xue Mian’s serious, tense face, Su Min couldn’t help but burst into laughter.

“What are you laughing at? If you don’t like it, I’ll keep it for myself,” Xue Mian said, carefully tucking the photo into his satchel, his cheeks turning red.

They wandered around a bit more, but Su Min soon felt too tired to continue. Since they still had a few days left to enjoy the trip, she didn’t feel the need to exhaust herself. Once her mother felt better, they could always come again together.

After the sun went down, the two grabbed some snacks from a nearby street stall.

Though Xue Mian usually seemed a bit prim and proper, he was surprisingly relaxed when it came to eating street food.

Su Min grinned, “I thought you’d be like those people on TV—pulling out a handkerchief to wipe the seat.”

Xue Mian looked a little embarrassed. “It’s not my first time here. My grandpa often brings me out.”

Su Min found Xue Mian rather unique. He seemed a bit spoiled at times, but could also be unexpectedly unpretentious. She wondered what kind of family raised a kid like him.

If she ever had children, she wanted to raise them like that too. So lovable.

After eating, Su Min got ready to head back and keep her mother company.

Just before she left, Xue Mian hesitantly brought up the idea of inviting Su Min to his house for a meal.

“My grandpa said, since you’re my friend and you’re here, we should have a proper meal together.”

Su Min instinctively wanted to decline. “I came with my mom, and we’re not familiar with your family.” She already felt stiff and out of place at Mayor Zhao’s house—going to the residential compound of a high-ranking family would be even more daunting. If the family was particularly formal, she and her mom wouldn’t even know how to sit properly.

Hearing her refusal, Xue Mian quickly added, “My grandpa also said it’s no big deal, just a meal to welcome your mom.”

“Your family is really too courteous. I really don’t think we should go. My mom and I aren’t used to that kind of environment,” Su Min said, wondering if the Xue family was being too enthusiastic. No matter how close she and Xue Mian were as kids, that didn’t mean the adults had any obligations to each other.

Hearing that, Xue Mian lowered his head, clearly disappointed, and said nothing for a long while.

Su Min felt a bit bad. He’d gone out of his way to invite her, and she had flatly refused—was she being too uptight?

“How about this,” she offered. “I’ll ask my mom when I get back, and I’ll give you an answer tomorrow.”

Xue Mian instantly perked up. “Alright! I’ll head back first—talk it over with Auntie. We’re good friends, so coming to my house for a meal is only natural!”

Su Min smiled and nodded. “Xue Mian, thank you. You’re always helping me, and I’ve never done anything for you.”

Xue Mian quickly said, “I haven’t really done anything either. We’re friends—this is how it should be. Don’t thank me, okay? I’m heading off now!” With that, he turned and ran off in a hurry.

When he got a little further, he even turned back to wave at her.

Only after seeing Su Min enter the hotel did Xue Mian wipe his forehead and the sweat on his face. Song Dapeng had said—if a girl thanks you, it means she’s treating you like an outsider.

When Su Min returned to the hotel, Sun Qiufang had already gotten out of bed and was sitting in front of the fan.

“Feeling better, Mom?” Su Min placed the food on the small table and sat down to enjoy the breeze with her. Seeing her mother’s complexion much improved, she finally relaxed.

Sun Qiufang smiled while eating and said, “Next time you travel, I won’t tag along. I didn’t help take care of you—instead, I needed you to look after me. You’re even more experienced with travel than I am.”

“I learned from others too. You and Dad should start traveling more often. Life’s hard enough already—you’ve got to get out and enjoy it once in a while.”

In her past life, it seemed her father had only ever gone as far as the county town to visit Third Uncle—he hadn’t even been to the city. Her mother had gone out a few times, but always in poor health, tagging along reluctantly. Burdened by illness, she had no energy or mood to enjoy the scenery along the way.

“When you grow up, your dad and I will come out and travel a bit too. Have you made plans with Xue Mian for tomorrow? I’ll tag along with you and go out for a walk. I can’t just lie around all day when I’ve come all this way.”

Seeing Sun Qiufang in good spirits, Su Min smiled and said, “That works out—I haven’t finished exploring anyway.”

Now that Sun Qiufang had recovered a bit of her strength, her appetite returned as well. She finished off the buns and rice noodles Su Min had brought back, drank some cool boiled water, then stood by the window looking out. “This place is really different from back home. Even the staff here all speak standard Mandarin. And look at those clothes—so stylish.”

Sun Qiufang felt this place was worlds apart from their hometown. Everyone was well-dressed, yet there was something distinctly different that she couldn’t quite put her finger on.

Su Min looked out with her and said, “Mom, it’s getting dark now. I heard the night market here is lively. I’ll take you out for a stroll nearby.”

“Alright, I’ve been sleeping all day. But what about you? You’ve been out and about all day—you must be tired.”

“It’s fine. We’re just walking through a park nearby. It’ll be more relaxing than staying cooped up in the hotel.”

As she spoke, Su Min started picking out clothes for her mother.

The two of them changed into comfortable short sleeves and cropped pants, and arm in arm, stepped out of the hotel.

The streetlights in B City were far more plentiful than in the county. The streets around the hotel were already bustling. Vendors carried goods on shoulder poles and sold them along the sidewalks. Young women in floral dresses dashed across the street to shop at the mall on the other side.

“It’s so lively. Back in our county town, this time of night the streets are empty. The county center is still alright, but a little off to the side and there’s not even a streetlamp.”

“Mom, let’s move to a big city someday, okay?” Su Min suddenly said.

Sun Qiufang laughed. “What would we do in a big city? Our life is pretty good now—we’ve got our own house and a shop.”

“Because I want to go out and see the world. But I can’t bear to leave you and Dad behind.”

Su Min held her mother’s arm tightly. In her heart, she was already thinking—soon, she’d be grown. She couldn’t stay in that small county forever. There were so many places she wanted to see.

In her past life, she hadn’t appreciated the beauty of the world. In this life, she would take it all in.

Hearing the faintly spoiled tone in Su Min’s voice, Sun Qiufang turned to look at her and realized she had to slightly lift her head to meet her daughter’s eyes. In the blink of an eye, her child had grown taller than her.

At sixteen, Su Min was already a young woman. In their village, girls her age would be getting marriage proposals in another year or two. But now that she was studying, it would be another few years till she finished college—she’d be in her twenties before marriage was even on the table. Still, like the child said, she would eventually leave. She couldn’t stay by her parents’ side forever. Thinking about the future, when Su Min would no longer be around and it would just be her and her husband staring at each other every day, Sun Qiufang felt a pang in her chest. The daughter she had worked so hard to raise was already preparing to leave—and someday, she’d go off and call someone else’s parents “Mom” and “Dad.”

“Mom, why are you upset?”

Su Min noticed Sun Qiufang hadn’t spoken for a while and turned to look at her—only to see her eyes glistening with tears.

Sun Qiufang quickly turned her head away and forced a smile. “It’s nothing. Just thinking… you’re taller than me now. I remember when we first came to the city, you only reached my shoulder. And now, in just three years, you’re taller than me.”

Su Min had noticed she’d grown quite fast too. Maybe it was because she was eating better and happier this time around. She was already 162 cm tall. If she kept growing during high school, maybe she’d end up with a tall, elegant figure—170 cm wasn’t out of reach.

She tilted her head and leaned it against her mother’s shoulder. “Mom, it’s all thanks to you and Dad raising me so well. In our class, I’m one of the tallest girls.”

“That’s good… but I wonder if it’ll make it hard for you to find a husband later,” Sun Qiufang muttered. One minute she was worried about her daughter marrying off and calling someone else’s parents “Mom and Dad,” the next she was fretting over whether her daughter could even find a match.

Su Min laughed. “What’s there to worry about? The boys in our class aren’t short either. Xue Mian is way taller than me. I have to tilt my head just to look at him. I won’t have trouble finding a guy!”

“Aiya, what ‘guy’! Mind your words, young lady. If someone overhears you, they’ll laugh at you,” Sun Qiufang scolded, frowning.

“Okay, okay, I won’t say anything. Let’s keep walking,” Su Min said, tugging her mother toward the livelier parts of the square.

In the open plaza ahead, some people were performing Peking Opera. They weren’t professional actors—just a group of elderly folks entertaining themselves with music and song.

Sun Qiufang watched curiously and sat nearby, her face lit up with interest as an older woman sang with a hoarse but heartfelt voice.

Su Min sat on a bench, hugging her knees and resting her chin on them, watching the crowd with wide eyes.

So this was another kind of life, she thought. She felt a wave of emotion rise inside her. Someday, she wanted her parents to enjoy days like this too—instead of endlessly working and toiling every day.

By around nine o’clock, the crowd began to thin as people headed home.

Even though she’d been bitten by a few mosquitoes, Sun Qiufang was still brimming with excitement. But with fewer people around, the fun had died down, so she dragged Su Min back to the hotel.

On the way back, Su Min brought up the dinner invitation from the Xue family.

Sun Qiufang had the same initial reaction as Su Min—she didn’t really want to go. After all, she didn’t know the Xue family at all. What was the point of having dinner together? And those people lived in the big compound—she’d probably have no idea where to put her hands or feet.

“Why don’t you go? Just go hang out with Xue Mian yourself. I won’t come along.”

“That’s even worse. They specifically invited you. If I go and you don’t, won’t they think we’re being rude?”

Sun Qiufang found herself in a bind. Reasonably speaking, there was no need to go. But since the Xue family had gone out of their way to be polite, the ball was now in her court. If she didn’t go, it would seem impolite. But if she did, she’d feel completely out of place.

In the end, Sun Qiufang relented. “How about you ask your classmate tomorrow what his family likes? We can buy a gift, go sit for a bit, and then leave. Since they’re inviting us over for a meal, it means they really value your friendship. We should at least show some appreciation.”

“That works. I’ll ask Xue Mian tomorrow.”

At that moment, Xue Mian was feeling pretty down at home.

Su Min hadn’t agreed to come for the meal, and when he got back and said so, his grandfather simply said, “If she doesn’t want to come, don’t force her. Otherwise, people will start thinking you have ulterior motives.”

Xue Mian understood that, but he still thought—if Su Min came to his house, it would bring them closer.

Of course, he didn’t dare call it “meeting the parents.” He just secretly hoped this could be part of getting to know each other better. After all, he’d already been to Su Min’s house and eaten with her parents.

Old Lady Xue, watching TV, said, “If this were a male classmate, their family probably wouldn’t be so cautious. But since you brought home a girl, they’re bound to be more hesitant about coming over.”

Xue Mian looked up at her. “If I brought home a male classmate, you’d all cry.”

Old Lady Xue replied, “When your dad brought home a bunch of male classmates, I didn’t cry. I even made a huge pot of braised cabbage and pork. That was good stuff. Those young boys loved it and ate it all up. When your grandpa got home, there wasn’t even a drop of oil left for him. But when your dad brought your mom home, that’s when I cried. I made braised pork, and she complained that it wasn’t refined enough, said it lacked sophistication. I thought your mom was too picky. She’d clearly never suffered hardship—only knew how to nitpick.”

Old Master Xue, hearing his wife start to ramble on about the past again, quickly motioned to Xue Mian to be careful what he said and not agitate her.

Lately, her health had been getting worse. Even her speech had started to sound more and more disconnected. She could take a topic miles away and somehow connect it back to her son and daughter-in-law.

After a while, she was too tired to continue. She didn’t even want her husband to accompany her and went upstairs to sleep on her own.

Watching her go up, Xue Mian said, “Grandpa, could you ask my parents to come back for a visit sometime? I might be the son, but I still have a responsibility to my grandmother.”

“‘Familiarity breeds contempt.’ If they come back, she’ll probably just get angry.”

His grandfather shook his head. His wife had never gotten along with their daughter-in-law from the beginning. Who knew when that grudge would ever be resolved in this lifetime? And now that the doctor had said the old bullet lodged in her head was starting to cause complications, she’d be having fewer and fewer clear-headed days. That only made him more worried.

“Sigh, I’ll go keep her company. You get some rest too,” the old man said, getting up. After taking a few steps, he turned back and looked at his grandson. “Mianmian, you’re still young. Don’t overthink things. When you make friends, your intentions should be proper. You’ll grow up eventually, and whatever’s meant to be will be. But for now, don’t rush it, understand?”

“Got it,” Xue Mian nodded with pursed lips. It’s not like I was thinking anything weird, he thought. I just quietly like someone—is that really improper?

The next day, when he saw Su Min and heard that she would be visiting his house, Xue Mian finally felt happy.

“My grandparents don’t really have any particular preferences. You don’t need to buy anything.”

“This isn’t about buying stuff—it’s about etiquette. Never mind, I’ll choose something myself. Oh, by the way, my mom’s feeling a lot better today. I want to bring her along too. Let’s go to that place we talked about yesterday. I haven’t been yet.”

This time, Xue Mian welcomed Sun Qiufang coming along. At least for now, he didn’t mind having Aunt Sun there—maybe in the future, Aunt Sun wouldn’t mind him hanging around, either.

Along the way, Xue Mian was especially attentive to Sun Qiufang—even more so than to Su Min. When she mentioned wanting to buy water, he ran off quickly and brought back some iced water. During lunch, he also took the initiative to chat with her. He was so thoughtful that Sun Qiufang felt this boy had really been raised well—so sensible, even more considerate than her own daughter.

Since they were going to the Xue home the next day, Xue Mian went home early that afternoon to inform his grandparents. Meanwhile, Su Min and Sun Qiufang went shopping for a gift.

After moving to the county town, Sun Qiufang had become more conscious of social niceties. Although she didn’t know what the Xue family might like, she made a special trip to the department store to ask the sales clerk what kind of gift would be appropriate for a visit like this.