"You all!" Xiong i's body quivered in sheer disbelief as they shalessly continued their ramblings right in front of her. Whirling around, she discovered Zhang Wei, his laughter dancing mischievously, teasing her, "Co on, ii, spill the secrets to them. Why not—"
"Shhh! Don't utter a word of that in front of everyone!" Xiong i's face blazed a deep crimson as she leaped to cover Zhang Wei's mouth. Zhang Wei wore a helpless smile, his head shaking softly.
These villagers, they seed to possess no concept of restraint whatsoever!
Sighing in both exasperation and relief, Xiong i clasped Zhang Wei's hand and shot a pointed look back at the villagers. "You lot, since you derive so much pleasure from making fun of , no gifts for any of you!" She declared, her lips forming a determined pout as she led Zhang Wei indoors, her steps purposeful and resolute.
"Aiyo, it seems we've truly ruffled this young girl's feathers," the woman from earlier chuckled awkwardly, her eyes darting around the village square.
....
"Sister..." Xiong Rui tried to interject, but Xiong i's frustration had already reached its peak. "Rui, get inside! Don't linger with these villagers; they'll corrupt you!" She yelled, making sure her words were heard by all.
"Ah, okay..." Xiong Rui reluctantly nodded and followed her sister. She felt a mixture of embarrassnt and confusion as Lisa also trailed behind them.
While walking, Xiong Rui suddenly froze in her tracks, utterly taken aback.
It seed that Zhang Wei had turned around and winked at her.
'...Was that real, or just my imagination?' Xiong Rui couldn't help but ponder, her erald eyes blinking in confusion.
But as quickly as it had happened, Zhang Wei continued walking inside with her sister, not giving her another glance.
Lisa couldn't suppress a wry smile, recognizing that Zhang Wei had already taken an interest in this new arrival.
She leaned over to Xiong Rui and whispered, "Looks like you caught his eye," she chuckled, continuing the walk.
Xiong Rui blushed slightly, flustered by the wink and Lisa's comnt. "I-I'm not so sure," she stamred, her heart racing as she followed her sister and Zhang Wei inside, wondering if there was more to that wink than t the eye.
_____________
Inside the house, the atmosphere shifted from the frenetic energy of the village square to a quieter, more intimate setting.
Xiong i, still aflutter from the earlier commotion, turned to Zhang Wei with a faint smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. "Sorry about that circus," she said, her tone carrying a hint of embarrassnt. "The villagers can be a bit... overwhelming."
Zhang Wei, his deanor calm and collected, waved off her apology with a gentle smile. "It's quite alright. It's not every day one gets such a lively welco."
Then, turning towards Xiong Rui, Xiong i's expression brightened. "Oh, Rui, this is Zhang Wei," she said, gesturing between them. "Zhang Wei, this is my little sister, Xiong Rui."
Zhang Wei extended his hand, his smile faint but present, eyes scanning Xiong Rui from head to toe in a subtle appraisal.
Xiong Rui, unaccustod to such formalities in the simplicity of village life, hesitantly extended her own hand.
The mont their hands touched, a jolt of surprise seed to pass through her.
!!?
She quickly retracted her hand, her eyes wide as she murmured, "Brother-in-law?"
Her gaze flitted between Zhang Wei and Xiong i, seeking confirmation or perhaps understanding.
Xiong i, however, seed to deliberately ignore her sister's questioning look, turning away to attend to sothing else in the room.
Zhang Wei, on the other hand, caught the whispered title and a small, knowing smile flickered across his lips, his eyes betraying a hint of amusent at Xiong Rui's innocent astonishnt.
As Xiong Rui stood there, her mind a whirlwind of emotions and questions, the sound of the front door opening again, drew everyone's attention.
Qiu Xingyu, a woman of elegant age with her hair pulled back into a neat bun, entered the room. Her warm eyes, a shade similar to Xiong Rui's, scanned the group, a hint of surprise flickering across her face.
"Ah, Mom! You're back early," Xiong i exclaid, moving towards her. "...Mom, this is Zhang Wei, my... boyfriend," Xiong i said, her voice a mix of pride and bashfulness.
"... Boyfriend? Well, this is a surprise," Qiu Xingyu exclaid, her tone laced with both delight and astonishnt. "I always teased you about bringing soone ho, but I never imagined..." Her gaze then quickly shifted to the foreigner lady, Xiong i quickly taking the things under own hands recognizing her mother's curious eyes.
"Mom, this is Lisa, his assistant," i added, gesturing towards Lisa.
"Oh," Qiu Xingyu brow arched subtly at the word 'assistant,' a flicker of concern passing through her eyes. Xiong Rui, too, looked at Lisa with newfound curiosity. In their village, an 'assistant' often carried connotations different from the professional respect it might elsewhere.
Lisa, sensing the shift in perception, maintained a poised deanor, though a hint of discomfort was evident in her polite smile.
"Assistant, is it? Well, we are honored to have you both here," Qiu Xingyu said, her tone warm yet carrying an undercurrent of inquisitiveness. "And that car outside... it's quite remarkable. Zhang Wei, does it belong to you?"
Zhang Wei nodded, "Yes, it's one of the perks of the business. I hope it didn't cause too much of a stir."
Qiu Xingyu chuckled, "Oh, just a small village spectacle. But let's not stand here in the entryway. Please, co in. You must be hungry."
As she led them to the dining area, Zhang Wei
reached into the bag Lisa handed him and presented Mrs. Xiong with a beautifully wrapped box.
"It's a small token of our appreciation for welcoming us," he said, his voice carrying a sincere tone.
Afterall, he knew, money might not buy people, but it definitely makes the process easier.
Curiosity piqued, Qiu Xingyu carefully opened the box to reveal a pearl necklace, its luster catching the soft light of the room. A gasp escaped her lips, her hand coming up to touch the pearls gently. "Oh, this is far too generous," she murmured, a flush of modesty coloring her cheeks.
Zhang Wei smiled, his charm effortless. "Perhaps you could consider making us one of your favourite breakfasts in return?" he suggested, the corners of his eyes crinkling with his smile.
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