Hua Xiaomai, however, had not noticed the reaction of the person behind her. She opened the door herself and could not wait to step inside, turning her head to instruct Luo Yuejiao, "The courtyard is very sunny. You should quickly go inside the house. I cooked so sour plum soup this morning. I’ll bring it to you to alleviate the heat so we can sit and talk for a while."
Luo Yuejiao happily agreed but scratched her forehead with a bit of worry, "But Sister Xiaomai, when we ca out earlier, Mrs. ng repeatedly told you to take a midday nap once you got ho. If... if you feel tired..."
"I’m not sleepy, I just want to rest for a bit. My mother-in-law is enjoying her drinks right now and won’t be coming back anyti soon. You don’t have to tell her, right? She would be glad if all I did was eat and sleep, to get a bit fatter, and indeed, there has been so success lately. But I think, given my weak constitution, suddenly getting too fat might not be such a good thing. Moreover..."
Before she could finish speaking, a sudden, cajoling laugh ca from behind, "Hehe, who are you?"
Hua Xiaomai was startled, exclaid, "Ah!" and hurriedly turned around, only to see a middle-aged man standing by the courtyard wall, looking inquisitive.
"Uncle, are... are you talking to ?" she asked, frowning slightly in confusion.
This seed to be her ho, after all. How could a stranger just co up and ask who she was?
"I figure you are Yuhuai’s wife?" The middle-aged man did not answer her question but waved his hand familiarly, "I’m your uncle! Oh, this Fire Knife Village is not much cooler than our place. This scorching sun is about to fry people! We’ve been squatting by that wall for half the day, waiting for soone to co ho. Quick, do us the favor and fetch a bowl of water, eh?"
With that, he turned and called the two won over while he prepared to squeeze past Hua Xiaomai into the house.
"Please wait a mont." Hua Xiaomai was truly confused and did not quite appreciate his taking it upon himself to enter her ho without permission, so she slightly blocked his way and smiled, "I apologize, I’ve not been in the village long and there are still many things I’m unclear about. You are...?"
"I’ve already told you, I’m Yuhuai’s biological uncle!" The man stomped his foot as if extrely helpless, spread his hands, and pointed to the two won behind him carrying loads of bags, "This is your aunt and your cousin—could we talk inside? It’s really not a place for humans under this blazing sun!"
The two won behind him heard this and looked up with a smile.
Hua Xiaomai reluctantly stepped aside to let them into the courtyard, yet her heart was truly filled with doubts.
Where had this uncle suddenly sprung from?
She had been in the ng Family courtyard for over half a year and had never heard either ng Yuhuai or Mrs. ng ntion having an uncle. During her wedding, these three hadn’t shown up either; perhaps they lived far away or simply had no contact whatsoever on normal days.
What could they possibly want, showing up so suddenly?
She mulled this over in her mind and quickly followed them inside while surreptitiously signaling Luo Yuejiao with a glance. Catching on, the girl imdiately ran out.
The three guests carelessly dropped their bags on the ground and sat down in a shady spot in the courtyard. Hua Xiaomai dutifully brought water for them to wash their faces and presented several bowls of sour plum soup before them, smiling apologetically, "I’m truly sorry. I’ve never t Uncle, Aunt... and my cousin before, and naturally didn’t recognize you—a slight oversight. Unfortunately, there’s no one else at ho today, making you wait outside for so long..."
"No worries, no worries." His aunt interrupted her before she could finish, handing back the towel after washing her face and waving her hands with a smile, "As you said, we haven’t t, so it’s normal not to recognize each other. We’re family. Who would hold this against you? We also didn’t know Yuhuai was married, otherwise, we would’ve definitely co to congratulate him!"
She then pulled over the girl beside her, "This is your cousin Dongyan. I think you are not more than two years older than her!"
So they really hadn’t had any contact... Hua Xiaomai silently noted this in her mind, nodded smilingly at the girl, and was drawn into idle chat by the aunt, who rely asked her about her marriage to ng Yuhuai and where she was from and so on.
About a joss stick’s duration later, Mrs. ng and ng Yuhuai were called back by Luo Yuejiao and upon entering, seeing those three visitors, both could not help but be slightly taken aback, with Mrs. ng blurting out, "How did you all get here?"
"Sister!" The uncle imdiately stood up and rushed over, a saddened expression suddenly crossing his face which had just been smiling, "Our village is just impossible to live in now!"
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