Chapter 174: I'm back too
The grandpa quickly guarded the cup of tea and called out, “Oh, slow down, slow down! Be careful lest I spill it.
Nannan specially brewed this for me to drink.”
“Yes-yes-yes, I’ll help you walk slowly. Take your time.” Liu Zhiqiu felt helpless. He was about to say something else, when his ears suddenly perked up. Joy surfaced on his face.
“Hey, the sound of horse hooves, do you hear it? It’s the sound of horse hooves. It must be Nannan. She’s back!”
Grandpa Liu broke away from Liu Zhiqiu and swiftly walked towards the door, his movements sharp and excited.
Grandma Liu followed closely behind, raging. At this moment, there was none of the decadence just now found on the two elders.
Chen Xiulan also dismissed the kitchen. She exchanged a glance with Liu Daling and quickly dashed to the door, crowding around the two elderly. Together they craned their necks towards the end of the village road for a look.
Under the curtain of the twilight, the figure of the carriage slowly appeared in their eyes, from far to near, driving towards the entrance of the Liu courtyard.
In the carriage, Liu Yusheng clenched her hands and whispered, “Feng Qingbai, we’re home.”
“Hmm, we’re home.” Gazing at her, the man smiled.
Then his hands wrapped around her and hugged her hard and tight. His nose lingered on the fragrant scent of her neck, and he didn’t let go until the carriage slowed to a stop.
Liu Yusheng merely thought he was nervous about being near the countryside, so she let him hug without struggling. Even though she was panicking and worried that the family would rush forward and lift the carriage curtain.
Outside the carriage, the family’s joyful and expectant voices already jingled, “Nannan? Is the girl back? Quickly get down!”
“Huh, why are there two carriages? Who else is visiting our house?”
“…This isn’t Xiao Jinzi’s carriage. Who is it?”
Hearing the elders’ voices, Liu Yusheng hurriedly answered, “Grandpa and grandma, parents, second uncle and aunt, second brother, I am back!”
Activity boomed outside.
“Oh, it’s really Nannan. I told you, it must be Nannan who’s back!”
“Just now I said that while we were eating, maybe Nannan will come. Didn’t I say it right?”
“Did you say it? It was I who said it. I have been thinking for a long time that Nannan might suddenly appear in front of the house!”
Amidst the joyful arguing of the family, Liu Yusheng laughed, her heart overflowed with warmth and peace.
She jumped out of the carriage curtain and plunged into her grandmother’s arms. Grandma Liu was overjoyed that she kept stroking her hair. “Oh, how grown up you are and you still like to hug your grandmother and be pampered.”
“Blast Grandma’s little granddaughter’s age! I want grandma to pamper me!” Liu Yusheng smiled and spoke sweetly as honey, coaxing the grandma into a smile.
Someone next to her coughed, “Ahem! You’re back, yet you’re hanging on to your grandmother. You’re leaving your grandfather behind. Alas, someone’s old, so no one likes him!”
This sour tone earned another round of laughter from the family.
Liu Yusheng turned around, took the grandpa’s arm, and shook it, “Grandpa, how can I not miss you outside? I missed grandpa and grandma the most.”
The old man feigned disappointment, but upon hearing his granddaughter’s petulance, how could he still be stern-faced with her? He immediately smiled and laughed.
Liu Yusheng released the grandpa and walked toward Liu Dalin and Chen Xiulan. “Father, mother, I’m back.”
“Good, it’s good to be back. It’s great to see you back safe and sound!” Liu Dalin was grinning ear to ear so much that his eyes disappeared while he nodded frequently.
Chen Xiulan was more gentle and introverted. She didn’t say much, but her eyes slightly reddened. She reached out and gently hugged her daughter into her arms, patting her back. “You just returned, so you must be hungry. Let’s go inside and eat. Where’s Xiao Jinzi? Tell him to get off. What’s the point of staying inside the carriage for so long?”
Liu Zhiqiu smiled slyly and rubbed his fists. “I don’t know what tricks this guy is going to play. I’ll go and drag him down.”
He approached the carriage while speaking. Liu Yusheng looked on nervously.
How would the family react later?
Before Liu Zhiqiu closed in, a large, clean and slender hand lifted the carriage curtain.
Then, the long and tall figure stepped out of the carriage and steadily walked toward them before the stunned eyes of the Liu family.
“Grandpa, Grandma, Uncle Liu, Aunt Liu, Zhiqiu, I’m back too.” The man had a faint smile on his face and spoke softly.
“T-This, what’s going on?” The group of people were dumbfounded and looked at each other.
They didn’t even know this man before them. How could he call them Grandma, Grandpa, Aunt Liu and Uncle Liu? He even knew Liu Zhiqiu’s name!
The family examined the man in front of them.
The tall and slender man, wearing a dark purple brocade robe, looked captivating. His entire temperament was more noble than Xiao Jinzi. He also has a calm and restrained demeanor.
He could easily gain trust and goodwill from others.
His appearance could make people find him reliable.
However, they really didn’t know him.
The family looked at Liu Yusheng. “Nannan, who exactly is this man?”
Liu Yusheng pursed her lips and stared at the tall, promising man, not knowing how to introduce him.
Should she say he was Feng Qingbai?
Or just say that he was Axiu?
The Lius’ doubts grew thicker and deeper as they frequently looked inside the carriage.
“Where is Xiao Jinzi? Nannan, you went together. How come Xiao Jinzi didn’t come back with you? Who the hell is this person?”
Before Grandma Liu could finish speaking, she saw a few more people coming down from the carriage behind the first one.
Apart from Yan Hong, she didn’t know the other three, plus there was a young boy.
“Is this Xinghua Village? It doesn’t feel bad, but it’s a little smaller.” The boy muttered under his breath.
As far as he could visually observe, this whole village wasn’t as big as the palace.
It was amazing that such a tiny place could form a village.
The two carriages came back with so much commotion that people from the surrounding neighborhood already came out to watch.
When they saw Liu Yusheng, everyone was happy.
“I knew it was Nannan coming back at first guess. Is there another guest here? You look so rich, where did you come from?”
“Why are you still standing at the door when we have guests here? Brother Liu, sister-in-law Liu, hurry up and welcome him into the house."
Liu Yusheng looked at Feng Qingbai and took up the hands of Grandpa and Grandma Liu. “Grandparents, let’s go
inside first. Let’s talk about everything at home.”
She glanced at the countryside neighbors on the left and right, who were watching, and said “Uncles, Aunts, come to my house later for a chat. I brought you gifts.”
The neighbors laughed and answered, “Okay, we’ll come there tonight. You guys go home first. You’ve rushed all the way back, right? You’re just in time for dinner.”
Not wanting to disturb the family reunion, the neighbors turned around and went home, closing the gate after a few jokes.
The Liu family still kept sizing up Feng Qingbai while entering the courtyard and sitting in the hall. The doubts in their eyes never faded away.
Especially Liu Dalin. His face was even a bit unsightly. It was reasonable to say that when guests came to the door, he should welcome them with the hospitality and warmth of the people in Xinghua Village.
However, if he remembered correctly, this guy got down from the same carriage where his daughter rode just now.
They were alone, a lone woman and man, ah!