Chapter 278 How Do You Handle Them with Such Thin Skin?
Zheng Xianghong looked at Xia Xiao and immediately said, "Jiaxing is really out of line, you should take care of a woman’s face."
Xia Xiao shook her head, "It’s fine."
Gao Guoqiang asked, "Where’s Jiaxing?"
"He went to the kitchen to get the dishes," Xia Xiao replied, even though Gao Jiaxing was actually washing dishes, but she didn’t want to say that.
Sun Yuhua said, "Is the food ready? I’m really hungry."
Xia Xiao smiled, "It’s ready." Then she poured a glass of water for Zheng Xianghong and the others.
Zheng Xianghong waved her off, "You sit, Mom will get it herself." Then she added, "Didn’t you go to the county town today?"
"We didn’t go, we’ll go tomorrow," Xia Xiao said with a slight smile. Zheng Xianghong said, "Thanks for your hard work."
Xia Xiao shook her head, "Cooking a meal isn’t hard, and Brother Gao helped too."
At this moment, Gao Jiaxing brought the food to the table and announced, "Let’s eat."
Xia Xiao also entered the kitchen to bring out the bowls, and Zheng Xianghong said, "Xia Xiao, go to the dorm and call your sister over for dinner."
"Mom, no need, I’ll go visit them tomorrow and have a meal with them," Xia Xiao said.
"Tomorrow is tomorrow, today is today. Go quickly and call your sister over for dinner, and call Yang Xuehua too," Zheng Xianghong instructed.
Calling her sister was fine, but what really made Xia Xiao hesitate was inviting Sister Xuehua. "Would inviting Sister Xuehua cause gossip?" That was Xia Xiao’s worry.
Hearing this, Zheng Xianghong also hesitated since so many eyes and mouths were in the production team, and the Gao family was already conspicuous. It would be troublesome if something bad got out.
Gao Guoqiang weighed in, "Yang Xuehua has a bad background. It’s fine to be close to her privately, but inviting her to our home for a meal needs cautious consideration. Inviting just her would make people talk. If we invited everyone, our own food supply wouldn’t suffice."
It seemed Gao Guoqiang also had reservations and this was a delicate time, a single misstep could lead to trouble.
Xia Xiao shared the same concerns and responded immediately, "Dad’s right. I was planning to cook at Sister Aihua’s place tomorrow with Brother Gao. Then invite Sister Xuehua and my sister to join us for a meal, just a small gathering."
Unexpectedly, Gao Guoqiang added, "But today it’s fine, you and Jiaxing are newlyweds, it’s appropriate for you to invite your sister and Yang Xuehua. They’ve been roommates for years, might as well invite Wang Aihua and her husband too."
Sun Yuhua moved her mouth but ultimately said nothing.
Zheng Xianghong nodded and urged Xia Xiao, "Hurry up, or the food will get cold."
Yesterday during dinner, Zheng Xianghong had wanted to invite Xia Jing and Yang Xuehua to dine, but Xia Xiao and Gao Jiaxing didn’t leave their room, so nobody called them.
Xia Xiao was unaware of this, otherwise Gao Jiaxing’s waist would have been pinched swollen.
Xia Xiao started to head out, and Gao Jiaxing said, "I’ll go too," and followed Xia Xiao out the door.
Xia Xiao said, "I can go alone, it’s just a short walk. Why are you coming with me?"
"There are so many women under the big tree, how will you cope with them if you’re so shy?"
Gao Jiaxing’s words warmed Xia Xiao’s heart. The path from the Gao family to the Youth Point passed under a big tree, which, like the one near the brigade headquarters, was centuries old. Aside from near the headquarters, the production team members liked to gather under this tree to cool off or chat.
So passing under the tree, there were still a lot of women gathered there. Now everyone could cook for themselves, but still, many chose to eat in the cafeteria, and many were squatting right there eating their meals.
"As soon as Gao Jiaxing and Xia Xiao passed by, everyone greeted them again. Xia Xiao said that when she first arrived, she was young and naive, weak in her work, and Wang Aihua and Yang Xuehua had taken care of her for years. She felt grateful and wanted to invite Wang Aihua and Yang Xuehua to have a meal at her home."
As soon as Xia Xiao said this, everyone nodded in agreement—it was the right thing to do.
When Xia Xiao first joined the production team, she was so little. She was exhausted just carrying a hoe up the mountain, not to mention doing the work.
Back then, the people in the production team used to tease Xia Xiao for her short stature and lack of strength, but that was just how things were at the time.
Although she was the older sister at home and had to do chores, those were light domestic tasks. She had never done anything as tiring as this.
Moreover, being only thirteen years old, she was skinny and frail. Her family had registered her age as three years older than she actually was, but she wasn’t really sixteen.
At that time, many people were still genuine and straightforward, and even found Xia Xiao to be a loyal and righteous person. They didn’t chat with Xia Xiao much more and urged her to quickly go and call people.
However, Gao Jiaxing was stopped by everyone. They teased him about not being able to leave his wife. Gao Jiaxing could only wait under the big tree as Xia Xiao called others, chatting with the women there.
Regarding Gao Jiaxing being so "people-friendly" now, everyone was marveling at how much Gao Jiaxing had changed; he had grown up, matured, and become more stable.
If it had been the old Gao Jiaxing, he would never have had the patience to talk to these women. Even if these women were all relatives, Gao Jiaxing would not have had the patience to deal with it.
Unlike Gao Jiaxing, He Xuebing used to be very patient. In the eyes of these older women, He Xuebing was a good boy, while Gao Jiaxing was the wild child who was hard to manage.
So now that Gao Jiaxing had changed so much, and had even become a military officer, achieving so much, everyone’s opinion of Gao Jiaxing had changed as well.
Xia Xiao first went to the dormitory to call Xia Jing and Yang Xuehua. Yang Xuehua shook her head, ’I won’t go. ’
Xia Xiao said, ’Sister Xuehua, it’s okay, don’t worry. It’s just this one time, it won’t bother anyone. ’
Finally, Xia Xiao and Xia Jing convinced Yang Xuehua, and she agreed to go with them.
Then they all went to Wang Aihua’s house. Everyone had just returned from work. Fang Yuejin was preparing to cook when he saw Xia Xiao and greeted her.
Xia Xiao asked, ’Where’s Sister Aihua? ’
’She’s lying down inside,’ Fang Yuejin responded.
’What’s wrong with Sister Aihua?’ Xia Xiao asked worriedly.
’Nothing serious, she’s just a bit tired. I told her to rest and drink some water,’ Fang Yuejin explained.
’Oh, in that case, don’t bother cooking. Come to my house and eat with Sister Aihua,’ Xia Xiao proposed.
Fang Yuejin hesitated, ’That wouldn’t be appropriate. Everyone’s food supply is limited.’
’It’s my wedding, just this once. There won’t be another chance. Sister Aihua is hungry now, and you haven’t gone to the canteen for food. How long would it take to cook something for Sister Aihua to eat?’ Xia Xiao said, then she went inside to call Wang Aihua.
Wang Aihua laughed, ’You really like making a fuss.’
’Come on, Sister Aihua, let me help you over.’
Wang Aihua stood up and waved her off, ’I’m fine, I don’t need your help.’
Xia Xiao said, ’Be careful. You’re heavily pregnant and still working. With just three months left, you should just stay at home.’
’Old folks always say it’s better to move around for an easier delivery,’ Wang Aihua chuckled, then followed Xia Xiao out the door.