Xiulan hesitated for a moment, but upon seeing Qingguo’s enthusiastic look, she didn’t know how to refuse them anymore.
Cheng, who had been silent on the side, also said, “Comrade Xiulan, please stay and have a meal, so we can also chat together. If you don’t have this meal, Qingguo will always feel that he owes you a favor.”
His eyes were burning with anticipation as he waited for Xiulan to agree.
He didn’t expect to run into her again today at Qingguo’s house, which was an unexpected pleasure for him.
After not seeing her for a few days, his mind was filled with her shadow.
If possible, he would like to run directly to her.
Now that he saw her, he felt that God must have heard the call from his heart.
If Xiulan could stay for this meal, then the two of them could spend more time together.
So, when Qingguo asked her to stay for lunch, he also offered his help to keep her.
Seeing that Qingguo and his wife were so enthusiastic, Xiulan looked at Cheng again.
For some reason, she heard a voice in her heart that was telling her to stay.
“Okay fine, then I thank you for your hospitality.” She didn’t pretend to be hypocritical anymore and agreed in the end.
And because of that, Cheng’s heart bloomed with joy, but his expression was a little restrained and did not show an exaggerated smile.
“Great! Then come in quickly, Sister! Drink some water first and I’ll get busy in the kitchen.” Caixia enthusiastically led Xiulan into the house, and Qingguo and Cheng followed as well.
***Original translation is from enchantesstranslations.com. Please read it on the translator’s website.***
Caixia filled the two enamel jars with water and specially added some brown sugar to them, then handed them both to Xiulan and Cheng.
In Caixia’s opinion, the two of them were both their guests. They were still in the era of scarcity and everyone could not take out many good things to entertain guests just like in the 21st century.
It was already a very high standard to be able to take out brown sugar water.
Caixia and Qingguo’s family had relatively good conditions. Both husband and wife were urban workers and could receive a lot of wages and various coupons every month.
The sugar at their home was bought with sugar coupons and they could only buy a half kilo of brown sugar. It was used sparingly on normal days. They would make some brown sugar water for their young children to drink when they were particularly greedy. But in most cases, it was reserved for entertaining guests.
“Thank you, Sister. However, this brown sugar is a precious thing and you should keep it for the children to consume. Why did you put some in the water just for me to drink it?” Xiulan didn’t take the enamel jar.
Cheng expressed the same opinion, “Sister, we’re friends and have known each other for a long time. You don’t have to always entertain me with the good things you have at home. I have been eating and drinking here for several days now, and I am embarrassed to stay any longer if you do this all the time.”
Since the day he arrived there, although he lived in a guest house, he would eat and drink most of the time at Qingguo’s house. Occasionally, he would go out and eat in a state-owned restaurant.
As long as he went to have a meal at Qingguo’s house, Caixia would try her best to take out the good things at their home to entertain him.
He had caused a lot of trouble for Qingguo in the past few days and Caixia’s warm hospitality made him even more overwhelmed.
But Caixia just smiled and said, “It’s okay. Why are you being polite now? Our children usually drink sugar water as well, so it’s not that I’m not giving them good things. It’s just that it’s rare for you to come here. But if you stay every day, then I will no longer be polite with you.”
Her husband also said, “Yes, that’s right! We don’t have any good things to entertain people at home, so we can only take out this stuff, but I still think it’s too shabby!”
When the couple expressed their opinions, both Xiulan and Cheng did not refuse their kindness, so they took the brown sugar water and drank it.