Wang Cuihua was cooking under the eaves when she turned her head and saw Anning serving tea and water to the Su family's visitors. Her face immediately darkened.
She added some firewood to the stove and got up to go inside the room.
On the bed, Lin Anjie was still lying down.
She was covered with a new quilt, sleeping so sweetly, with the room warm, her cheeks both rosy and flushed.
Wang Cuihua looked at Lin Anjie's rosy, glowing appearance and couldn't help but seethe with anger.
She went over and lifted the quilt, taking a whisk broom and starting to hit Lin Anjie with it.
"What are you doing?"
Lin Anjie, her pleasant dreams interrupted and feeling a string of pain on her backside, became impatient, opened her eyes to see Wang Cuihua hitting her, and angrily snatched the broom away.
"Mom, what are you doing? Aren't you supposed to be cooking, why are you going crazy?"
Wang Cuihua grew even angrier, her eyes reddening: "Me, cook? What do I owe you? Today is the day the Su family is coming to discuss the engagement, and look at you! Instead of being proactive and helping to serve the guests, you hide in here, sleeping like a log, letting your little sister serve tea and water instead. How shameless can you be? You're not the least bit embarrassed."
Lin Anjie suddenly woke up with a shock.
She then remembered that today was indeed the time for the Su family's marriage proposal visit.
She didn't have much of a clear memory of this day.
In her previous life, she had already eloped with Xue Feng by this time, so she didn't know what it was like when the Su family came to propose.
But later on, she did hear people talk about it.
It seemed that when people from the Su family came and didn't see her, there was a ruckus, and Lin Aiguo was both angry and anxious.
The Su family sent more than a dozen sturdy men who swore and demanded Lin Family turn over the bride, and with no other solution, Lin Aiguo had to consult Lin Anning to take Lin Anjie's place and marry into the Su family.
Afterwards, both families negotiated and came to a settlement on the issue.
Thinking of these things, Lin Anjie's face became ugly.
She sprang out of bed: "Mom, I couldn't sleep at all last night, and I slipped into deep sleep today. I'm getting up now, right now."
Wang Cuihua's countenance softened slightly.
She threw down the broom: "Hurry up, come and help me cook."
Lin Anjie quickly agreed and hurried to put on her shoes.
Wang Cuihua left the room with a stern face.
When she reached the eaves, she saw Lin Anning wearing an old cotton-padded jacket, bustling around the cooking pot.
Seeing her younger daughter's thin and frail yet sensible and industrious demeanor warmed Wang Cuihua's heart.
She thought to herself that Anjie was always complaining about the family being biased, saying no one liked her and everyone favored Anning.
But she never took a look at her own behavior compared to Anning's.
Anning had been sensible and hardworking since she was young, always speaking gently, never quarreling with others, and being extraordinarily filial towards the family. Moreover, Anning's academic performance was good; since starting school, she had always been at the top of her class, never causing the family any worry.
But what about Anjie?
She was hot-tempered, lazy, gluttonous, and always begrudging, throwing a fit at the slightest inconvenience.
Anjie's performance at school was poor; after failing to pass the entrance exam to senior high school, she quit, saying she would not study anymore.
However, when Anning got into senior high school, she started causing a scene, complaining that the family was biased towards Anning and only allowed Anning to attend but not her.
Because of this, Lin Aiguo nearly fell seriously ill.
Comparing the temperaments of Anning and Anjie, not only did the family prefer Anning, but even the villagers liked Anning more.
With these thoughts, Wang Cuihua picked up a spoon: "Okay, you rest a bit. Hurry back inside to get ready, you'll have to go to school soon."
Anning smiled, "It's not late yet. I'll help you light the fire. Two people cooking is always faster than one."
Wang Cuihua also smiled along.
She quickly stir-fried a dish of cabbage. "An Jie, An Jie."
Lin Anjie had finished braiding her hair and came into the main room. When she saw Su Zhiqiang sitting there, she pursed her lips and gave him a shy smile, her face flushing with embarrassment.
Sitting next to Su Zhiqiang was his own brother, Su Zhijian.
Su Zhijian watched the meaningful glances between Lin Anjie and Su Zhiqiang, and he snickered at the other young men with suggestive eyebrow twitches and winks.
Lin Anjie came out of the room to help Wang Cuihua serve the dishes.
Anning was holding a chopping board, cutting the warmed sausage.
She finished slicing the sausage, placed it onto a dish, then chopped some green onion shreds, drizzled vinegar and sesame oil on them, and put it into a small bowl.
After preparing this, Anning quietly said to Lin Anjie, "Sister, bring this one in too."
Lin Anjie smiled at everyone else, but her face was without a trace of a smile towards Anning, her eyes and brows filled with frustration.
She carried the plate and turned to leave.
Anning seemed not to notice and continued chopping vegetables with her head lowered.
Su Zhiqiang watched Lin Anjie serve the dishes with a smile on her face, and his smile became a bit forced.
His gaze unintentionally swept past Anning cooking under the eaves, then quickly lowered his head to conceal the tenderness in his eyes.
Su Zhijian thought that Su Zhiqiang was just shy in front of Lin Anjie.
He laughed heartily, took a sip of water from a cup and teased Lin Anjie, "Sister-in-law, why don't you sit down and have a drink?"
Lin Anjie glared at Su Zhijian, "Drink what? I still have things to do. You guys should drink less too."
Su Zhijian nodded, "Okay, we'll drink less, drink less."
He nudged Su Zhiqiang with his arm, "Brother, did you hear that? Sister-in-law said you should drink less."
Su Zhiqiang remained silent and bowed his head. Everyone thought he was shy and held back their teasing.
No one knew that Su Zhiqiang was actually quite uncomfortable inside.
Since he was young, Su Zhiqiang knew he was engaged to Lin Anjie, and when they grew up, he was supposed to marry her.
But, he didn't really like Lin Anjie that much.
Compared to Lin Anjie, he liked Lin Anning more.
Not just him, in Xiaogou Village, how many unmarried young men didn't like Lin Anning?
However, though everyone liked her, not one dared to harbor any desire for Lin Anning.
For most, Lin Anning was like a fairy in the sky, admired but unattainable.
Su Zhiqiang shared this sentiment.
He secretly liked Lin Anning but was also afraid to let this feeling show.
When his engagement to Lin Anjie became final and the two families started the betrothal ceremony, he thought that with his family's conditions, marrying Lin Anjie meant great fortune, and he couldn't have any more foolish thoughts.
He straightened out his emotions, determined to live a good life with Lin Anjie.
But today, seeing Lin Anning, waves inevitably stirred again in Su Zhiqiang's heart.
Trying not to like Lin Anning was indeed a very, very difficult task.
Anning finished cooking with Wang Cuihua, then washed her hands and went into the house.
Inside, Anning picked up a large bundle of clothes that had already been packed. She placed the bundle on the bed and turned it over; sure enough, she saw the stitching at the bottom of the pack had come loose. With just a few more steps carrying the bundle, it was likely that everything inside would fall out.
Anning's lips curled into a smile, pulling the clothes out of the bundle. At the bottom, she found a men's white shirt.