country bumpkin

Chapter 338 Xiang Hong escorts him home

After all the food was served, Nie Dayong opened a bottle of baijiu (Chinese liquor), poured a glass for the old man first, then for Kong Xiangwei, and finally for himself.

The three raised their glasses together, took a sip of wine, and began to politely offer each other chopsticks to eat.

Li Chunmei sat next to Fang Jinxiu, while Nie Xianghong and her younger brother sat side by side. Kong Xiangwei sat opposite her.

Those drinking didn't interfere with their meals; everyone ate their own food. The women and children ate heartily, while the men mainly drank alcohol.

After the meal, Kong Xiangwei felt a little dizzy. He doesn't usually drink alcohol, so he can't hold his liquor very well.

This time, I was drinking with my father-in-law, so naturally, my main task was to keep him company. Only when he was happy could I gain his approval.

He wouldn't say anything flattering, but he could certainly drink with his father-in-law.

We ate lunch until after 4 p.m., and it was time to go home. The roads outside were very slippery; the snow had melted into water, which then froze into thin ice.

Li Chunmei was worried about Kong Xiangwei going back alone; she could tell the young man was drunk.

She instructed her daughter, Nie Xianghong, to take Kong Xiangwei back. So, on the way back, Nie Xianghong rode a tricycle with a dizzy and disoriented Kong Xiangwei on the back.

A net bag was hanging on the handlebars; it was a gift for returning home. Originally, I wanted to carry the whole case of wine back, but with Kong Xiangwei on the truck, there was nowhere to put the wine.

Nie Xianghong felt that returning only the cigarettes and fish was a bit too little, but Li Chunmei said that was fine, as this was the usual way to return gifts in the village.

Nie Xianghong didn't quite understand either, but she still drove Kong Xiangwei home. The temperature was very low, the weather was very cold, and there wasn't a soul on the streets or alleys.

Perhaps everyone is indoors keeping warm! No one wants to come out and freeze. Nie Xianghong pedaled her tricycle forcefully, slowly arriving at Xie Wenli's house.

She pushed open the gate and rode her bike directly into the yard. Nie Xianghong parked the bike, got off, and called for help from inside the yard.

Is anyone home? Are the elderly folks home?

Hearing the commotion, Xie Wenli came out of the house and saw his drunken son and Nie Xianghong, whose face was flushed from pedaling.

She said with a big smile, "Oh, Xiang Hong, you're here. Come on in and warm up inside."

Nie Xianghong said shyly, "Auntie, Awei is drunk. Why don't we call Grandpa out and carry him into the house first?"

Xie Wenli looked at his drunken son and tried to help him up, but he couldn't budge him at all. It seemed he would have to call his father for help.

Kong Xiangwei was already asleep at this time, probably because of the alcohol, which made him sleep very soundly.

Xie Wenli called into the house, "Old man, come quickly and help me get my son inside."

Kong Tongyuan was listening to the radio in the inner room when he heard his wife calling him from outside. He came out to see what was going on.

As soon as he came out, he saw that his daughter-in-law had also arrived. Wasn't today a festival? Why did his daughter-in-law come along too?

Looking at her son sleeping on the tricycle, she suddenly realized that her son was drunk. Her daughter-in-law had come to drop her son off.

Nie Xianghong called out "Grandpa", glanced at Kong Tongyuan quietly, and then quickly looked to the side.

She used to call them "Grandpa" and "Grandma," but after the engagement, she changed it to "Uncle" and "Aunt." After the wedding, she will call them "Father" and "Mother."

Her father, Nie Dayong, used to call Kong Tongyuan "Grandpa" along with his brother-in-law, Li Fugui.

Everyone still calls Kong Tongming "Third Uncle," but now they all have their own way of addressing him. Only the eldest brother, Kong Tongyuan, has changed his address to "Older Brother."

Because they became in-laws, they were now of the same generation.

Nie Xianghong was still a little afraid of Kong Tongyuan. She didn't know why, but she always felt that her future father-in-law didn't like her dating Kong Xiangwei.

Although she hadn't mentioned it to his face, she just felt that way inexplicably.

Kong Tongyuan put his arms under his son's armpits and lifted him up. Xie Wenli stepped forward to help, steadying Kong Xiangwei's body.

He was finally woken up after being dragged and pulled around. He opened his eyes groggily and saw Nie Xianghong's anxious gaze.

The two were very close. He swayed and leaned forward, immediately pressing himself against Nie Xianghong and hugging her tightly.

He called out, "Honghong...wife...wife~"

Nie Xianghong's face turned even redder, all the way down to her neck. She looked as if she were drunk.

Kong Xiangwei's entire body slumped onto Nie Xianghong, who was losing her balance and about to collapse when Xie Wenli quickly caught her.

Kong Tongyuan could hardly bear to look at his youngest son; how had he become like this? He'd never realized before that this kid was obsessed with finding a wife!

He was still standing there wondering when Xie Wenli shouted, "Old man, what are you standing there for? Hurry up and lend a hand to get it inside."

Kong Xiangwei was still chuckling to himself when Kong Tongyuan and Xie Wenli, each holding one arm, carried him back into the house.

Nie Xianghong followed closely behind them, as if she were afraid that Kong Xiangwei might turn around.

After the elderly couple put their son down on the bed, Kong Xiangwei fell asleep again.

Kong Tongyuan saw that his son had fallen asleep again, and there was nothing more for him to do, so he went back to his room to listen to the radio.

Xie Wenli then took Nie Xianghong's hand and said gently, "Good child, you've really gone to a lot of trouble to bring him back."

Nie Xianghong smiled and said, "Auntie, it's no trouble at all, it's all what I should do."

Then she remembered the return gift and continued, "Auntie, the return gift is still hanging on the tricycle handle! My mother originally planned to give back a case of wine, but with Awei on the back, there was nowhere to put it, so she changed it to fish instead."

Xie Wenli smiled and said, "Silly child, there's no need to explain. It doesn't matter what kind of gift you give back. It doesn't matter if it's a lot or a little. As long as you two are together and doing well, that's more important than anything else."

Nie Xianghong smiled slightly, her eyes filled with happiness and joy! Xie Wenli could tell from her expression that the two of them were indeed attracted to each other.

She was always worried that since the child was so young, what if, in a couple of years, her son was left waiting in vain, and the girl found him too old and started dating someone else?

Now she could rest assured, because Nie Xianghong was sitting by the bed, looking intently at the sleeping Kong Xiangwei, her face full of affection.

Xie Wenli sat for a while, feeling a little awkward. His daughter-in-law was looking at him with such affection, and he felt like a third wheel, which was really uncomfortable.

She coughed twice and said, "Ahem... Well, child, it's getting late. You should go home soon! Otherwise, it will be dark outside and the roads will be slippery."

Nie Xianghong realized that she should go back. Otherwise, her family would worry.

She slowly stood up, smiled and said goodbye to Xie Wenli, then turned and left Xie Wenli's house.

Xie Wenli saw her to the gate and watched her walk away before closing the gate and going home.