USWHC -Chapter 163 Flying Flower Snow (Part 3)

Since hearing the good news from Er Gou’s mother, Old Madam Ji couldn’t sit still. Bright and early, she had already gathered the whole family to set off.

“Ji Yi’s family, put on your best clothes! We’re going out to pay New Year visits!” Old Madam Ji called loudly from the courtyard, deliberately making them wear their finest outfits.

What was this about? Were they visiting some bigshot today?

Zhu Jie hesitated for a moment but decided to go along—life in the countryside was boring! Why not take a stroll?

“Mother, whose house are we visiting today?” Zhu Jie asked, stepping out in her sky-blue embroidered dress, looking stunning.

Old Madam Ji and Ji Mei glanced at her outfit and felt a twinge of envy and pride. Old Madam Ji snorted coldly, saying, “The Hua family!” Then she quickly added, “The Hua family girl is far more talented than you!”

A Hua family girl is more talented than her? Zhu Jie pouted inwardly. She didn’t think anyone had ever considered her particularly talented. Heh, did Old Madam Ji think she was talented? Was this a compliment?

Seeing Zhu Jie smile to herself, Old Madam Ji was even more displeased and rolled her eyes, muttering, “A simpleton really found herself a simple-minded daughter-in-law!”

Zhu Jie didn’t hear this at all. Instead, she grabbed Ji Yi and asked curiously, “Have you met this Hua Feixue? Where does she live? What does she look like? Is she really that talented?”

Hearing her barrage of questions, Ji Yi smiled and said, “Why are you so curious about her?”

“Because she sounds impressive! Just trying to find out a little,” Zhu Jie said, sticking out her tongue mischievously.

Ji Yi leaned closer and lightly tapped her little nose, teasing, “You really are quite the gossip!”

Indeed, Ji Yi was right. Zhu Jie’s curiosity was piqued because Er Gou’s mother had mentioned Hua Feixue—the same girl admired by Madam Sun—so naturally, Zhu Jie was more interested.

“Then, who do you think is better, Meizi or her?” Zhu Jie asked quietly, leaning in.

Unexpectedly, Ji Yi frowned slightly and let out a deep sigh. “You’ll see when we get there. Her family lives on the west side of the village, near the town.”

“Really? Then we pass by there all the time. Why have we never seen you visit?” Zhu Jie asked, puzzled.

Ji Yi didn’t answer. He helped her onto the ox cart and stood at the front, guiding it forward.

Xiangshui Village was actually quite large. The ox cart jolted along from the east end to the west end of the village, and it was nearly noon when they finally reached the Hua family.

Before the cart even stopped, Ji Laoda jumped down, knocking on the door and shouting, “Uncle, we’ve come to pay our New Year respects!” So the Hua family was Old Madam Ji’s uncle’s branch of the family!

The courtyard gate creaked open, but the person who answered wasn’t an uncle—it was a fierce-looking old woman, roughly the same age as Old Madam Ji.

“Uncle… Aunt!” Ji Laoda’s voice trembled as he spoke.

Hua Daniu merely glanced at him sideways and said sarcastically, “What wind blew you here?”

“A good wind, of course!” Old Madam Ji wasn’t embarrassed at all and stepped right in. “Where’s my brother? Is he home?”

This was a smaller courtyard than Ji’s, and the house was clearly older. Upon entering, one could see the faded walls and large cracks, which made Zhu Jie pause. So Ji’s family wasn’t bad off for a rural household, huh?

At that moment, a commotion came from inside the house: “I’ve told you countless times, that’s my dowry! No one touches it!”

“Touch it? It’s just a few bolts of cloth! Xue’er needs some good clothes! Don’t you want her to marry well?” a man’s loud voice called out.

A woman’s sharper voice retorted, “Marry well? I see now—no matter how well your sister marries, our family gains nothing from it!”

The noise inside the house was lively, and Old Madam Ji couldn’t help but chuckle. “The Hua family is still full of energy, as always!”