Siheyuan: Banggeng and I are classmates

December 25th——

Hu Lai and his four companions sent Li Muhua and Zhou Ru to the village entrance, said goodbye to everyone, and the two got on the ox cart back to the city.

Zhou Ru wore a thick tweed scarf and a large felt hat. Her entire head was wrapped tightly, leaving only a pair of eyes exposed, looking like glass.

Li Muhua thought about her family's situation and informed them in advance: "My parents both work in the mall. You know, they are the busiest at the end of the year. I don't think they will be able to pick us up tomorrow."

After thinking for a while, Li Muhua added, "It was the same when my second sister-in-law went back last year. My sister and I went to pick her up."

Zhou Ru smiled and said, "I know. Sister Yujie told me about this. She will come to pick us up."

"What about your home?" Li Muhua asked again.

Zhou Ru said: "My parents and my brother said they would come to pick me up, but I refused."

"Let's go to your house first, and then you can come home with me to meet my parents!"

Li Muhua nodded in agreement, feeling a little nervous about meeting his father-in-law. He hugged Zhou Ru and said, "After I come to your house this time, I will be a person of status. I just don't know if your parents, your brother, your younger brother, and your younger sister will think highly of me."

Zhou Ru is the second child in the family. She has children and everything goes well for her.

Zhou Ru was delighted to hear that Li Muhua was worried about this matter, and replied with a smile on her face: "Don't worry, if even you and the others are not satisfied, who else can I turn to..."

The cold wind blew, the sound was not clear, and the ox cart gradually went away.

The next morning——

Li Muhua glanced outside after leaving the station, and immediately pointed to a red couplet and said, "My sister is here."

After hearing this, Zhou Ru looked in the direction Li Muhua pointed and said, "You have a very good eye. You were able to find Sister Yujie so quickly."

Li Muhua smiled and said, "No, no, it's not that I have good eyesight, it's that she and I welcomed my second sister-in-law last year, and I guessed that she would definitely take out the red couplets again this year, and it turned out to be right."

"Oh, so that's how it is!" Zhou Ru finally understood.

The two walked up to Li Yujie, and Zhou Ru greeted her first, saying, "Sister Yujie!"

Li Yujie pulled her scarf slightly to reveal her face, looked at the two of them and said with a smile: "My mother and I were right. Look at you, you can take down this kid!"

"Sure enough, it's only been half a year and you two are back together talking about marriage!"

Li Yujie was full of joy, and patted Li Muhua on the shoulder and said, "Brother, you can do it too, you're fast enough."

Li Muhua smiled and said, "It's all thanks to you, my sister, for your keen eye for talent. You were like the reincarnation of the matchmaker, and you picked the right person for me right away."

"I think you shouldn't be a salesperson. You should put a peanut-sized mole on the side of your nose and become a matchmaker."

"What nonsense are you talking about?"

Li Yujie spit at Li Muhua in annoyance, then looked at Zhou Ru and said, "Are you tired after sitting in the car all day? Let's go home first and talk slowly after we get back."

Zhou Ru said: "The car ride is not tiring, it feels like traveling, and the northern scenery of thousands of miles of ice and snow is in sight."

Li Yujie said with a smile: "That's good, winter is better. When we went to your educated youth camp in the summer, the smell in the carriage along the way..."

The two were having a pleasant chat.

Li Muhua took the couplet from Li Yujie, folded it, and interrupted to ask, "Where are Aihua and Qinghua? Will they come back this year?"

"Neither of them will come back. My eldest brother was promoted to squad leader in the military corps this year, so it's hard for him to ask for leave. My second brother said that he and his wife spent the New Year here last year, and they want to spend it over there this year."

"Hey!"

Li Muhua shook his head helplessly and said, "Out of 365 days in a year, he spent 355 days at his father-in-law's house."

"Now he hasn't come back for the last ten days. I think we have raised this son in vain!"

After hearing this, Li Yujie glared at Li Muhua and said unhappily, "If you don't know, don't talk nonsense. There is a reason why my second brother is spending the New Year at his father-in-law's house."

After hearing this, Li Muhua said nothing, and the group walked back.

When they entered the yard, Zhou Ru was a little surprised and kept praising. Li Yujie smiled and told her how she bought the house and pulled Zhou Ru into her room.

Li Muhua did not follow to join in the fun. She pushed open the east wing and saw that everything in the room had been tidied up, just as it was when she left last year.

On the bed was a new army green jacket, thick velvet pants, and shiny big-toed leather shoes.

There were net bags and several cardboard bags on the table.

Li Muhua walked closer and took a closer look. In the net bag were two bottles of Fenjiu, a pack of Mudan cigarettes, five boxes of canned meat, and some cakes, candies, tea and sugar in a paper bag.

I know that these were the gifts prepared for him by his family and asked him to bring to the door. These things are not cheap, at least forty or fifty yuan, which is already a very expensive gift for the first meeting.

However, after thinking about his own situation, Li Muhua felt that the gift was appropriate. It did not look like he was trying to be rich, and it also showed that he attached great importance to the visit.

But looking down at how dirty she was, Li Muhua went out and yelled to the other side: "Why don't we go get a haircut first, and then take a bath."

"To dress me up nicely so I won't be embarrassed when I come to your house?"

"it is good!"

Zhou Ru agreed and walked out, holding a similar set of clothes, and said with a smile: "You won't embarrass me. Even if we are wearing this, I dare to take you home."

"Well, why waste time? Let's go quickly. I'm anxious to eat the meal my mother-in-law prepared for me." Li Muhua took the opportunity to leave.

"Okay, let's go. I'll ask my mother to make you whatever you like to eat." Zhou Ru walked forward and agreed with a smile.

Seeing Zhou Ru holding his arm, Li Muhua said with a wry smile, "I'm just kidding. If I dare to wear this outfit to your house, even if your parents are happy, my parents will beat me to death when they come back."

Without waiting for Zhou Ru to say anything else, Li Muhua quickly turned around and went back to the house, holding clothes in one hand and a net paper bag in the other.

"Let's go to the barber shop first."

Li Yujie looked down at her watch and said, "It's ten o'clock now. Don't rush to get your things. It's past dinner time if you pack up."

"When the time comes, let's go find a restaurant to eat. You can come back in the afternoon to get your things and go visit Zhou Ru's parents. How about that?"

Li Muhua felt that Li Yujie's arrangement was reasonable, but looked at Zhou Ru.

Zhou Ru said with some embarrassment: "I told my family that we would arrive in Sijiucheng this morning. If it's too late--"

Seeing her say that, Li Muhua immediately made the decision: "Then don't talk about it, let's go to the barber shop and the bathhouse!"

"This is my first visit, so I can't let my parents-in-law wait for me."

Zhou Ru glanced at Li Yujie, her face slightly red as she said, "What nonsense are you talking about? You have to wait until we get the marriage certificate before you can change your mind."

"What's the big deal? Isn't it just a matter of time?"

Li Muhua agreed, then looked at Li Yujie and said, "Then you don't have to follow us, sister. We have to go there quickly after we finish packing."

Seeing that Li Muhua was so anxious to go to Zhou's house, Li Yujie even pushed her away.

Li Yujie felt a little lost, always feeling that as they grew older, the four siblings were no longer as close as they were when they were children.

We are now far apart and cannot even be together for the New Year. In the future, everyone must have their own life.

But the sadness lasted only for a moment, and Li Yujie caught up and said, "I'd better follow you. After you go to the bathhouse, are you going to take your dirty clothes with you?"

After hearing this, Li Muhua thought to herself that she had lost her mind due to anxiety, and turned back to praise her, "Sister, you are really careful."

"It's not that I'm being attentive, it's that you're too happy." Li Yujie said bluntly and mercilessly.

"Yes, yes, yes..." Li Muhua echoed.