"Oh... So thatâs why the two of them ended up together,"
Liang Hongmeiâs words made Lin Wan lower her head and hold her forehead. Alright, Mom is much more perceptive than she expected.
Now that her son has found someone, Liang Hongmei is invested. She started preparing around nine oâclock.
She wasnât afraid of the cold anymore, she killed a chicken and cleaned the house by herself. Looking back at her clothes, she thought she couldnât embarrass her son, so she quickly changed into a new outfit, rushing and fussing for over two hours. She didnât even let Lin Wan help. Lin Wan helplessly sat by the stove, occasionally giving Mom a hand with the firewood, while knitting a scarf.
Finally, afraid she wouldnât be ready in time and not worried about any danger, Mom used gas for the first time, becoming quite adept at it.
Just as Liang Hongmei finished her work, Lin Yinghui brought Mu Qing along.
Mu Qing wore black pants and a red plaid cotton-padded jacket today, with the scarf her brother gave her wrapped around her neck.
Lin Wan had only seen Mu Qing once before. Looking closely today, Mu Qing really was quite pretty, and she and brother truly had the look of a married couple.
"Hello, Auntie. Hello, Lin sister," Mu Qing politely greeted them.
Nearby, Lin Yinghui said, "Mom, little sister. This is Mu Qing, my... girlfriend," He said this and they both saw the blush on his face.
"Hello, Sister Mu Qing," Lin Wan sweetly replied.
"Itâs Little Mu, right? Itâs cold outside, hurry inside and sit on the warm kang."
"Yes, yes, brother. You first take Sister Mu Qing inside to warm up and get familiar with our house. Mom and I will prepare the meal, itâll be ready soon."
"Auntie, Lin sister, no need to trouble yourselves. Iâm cold too, let me help," "No, no, Iâm all prepared, just need to serve it. Youâve been on the road so long; quickly go inside." Liang Hongmei warmly refused and signaled her son to lead Mu Qing inside.
The mother and daughter returned to the kitchen, Lin Wan quickly asked, "Mom, what do you think?"
"Looks nice, but I donât know about the character."
"Should be pretty good, doesnât seem like someone flashy."
Liang Hongmei nodded, "I trust your brotherâs taste. It shouldnât be too bad." Speaking of that, Liang Hongmei thought of her husband Lin Guozhi sometimes teasing her, saying the men in the Lin family have good taste.
She has never been to the Lin family, and doesnât know if other men are as perceptive as he is. Liang Hongmei served seven or eight dishes on the kang, and steamed a pot of white rice.
With the door of the main room shut, the wind howled outside, while inside, the four people warmheartedly shared dishes together.
"I donât know what you like to eat, these are all hometown dishes. Please try them."
"Thank you, Auntie, theyâre delicious. I like them very much."
The meal was fairly harmonious, during which Mom asked a lot about Mu Qingâs family situation.
Mu Qing said her hometown is Z City, she has a brother and a sister. Her father is the minister of the logistics department in the military district, and her mother is a doctor at the hospital.
Her brother is already married, and the couple are both soldiers. She and her sister are still in school.
Listening to Mu Qingâs family situation, Liang Hongmei felt a bit disheartened.
The girlâs family has good conditions, her son is a college student from the countryside, without a formal job, the girlâs family might not see them favorably.
After the meal, Lin Wan chatted with Mu Qing for a while, only then did Mu Qing present the gifts she brought for them.
The gifts for her and her mom were each a small hand warmer, just the right size for two hands to hold, and they were portable.
The craftsmanship was exquisite, made of copper, with intricate patterns carved on the surface.
"I saw these in a supply and marketing cooperative. Ah Hui said you and Auntie are very afraid of the cold, so I thought to buy these. When going to school with a pot of hot water, it can last for an afternoon."