Dragon Boat Festival: Let his grandpa teach him.
All seven of her roommates came. Short-haired Sun Fangfang was there. Zhang Ying and Wang Yue sat together. Zhou Wenjing, Lin Shuijuan, and Xia Chunxia, who sang in the art troupe and liked music and instruments, sat together as usual. Qin Shanshan sat beside Su Xiaoman.
At the round table, Qin Shanshan sat on Su Xiaoman’s left, and Xie Mingtu sat on her right. This had already been arranged beforehand. The state-run restaurant served dishes quickly, and since they were all girls, there was no alcohol, only tea.
Compared with the bland food at the art troupe canteen, this table of dishes looked much more colourful, fragrant, and delicious.
In this era, there were few overweight people, and no one needed to diet. Even the girls from the art troupe ate heartily during a gathering.
“We’ve actually seen each other before.”
“We all performed on stage that day!”
“Sister Xiaoman doesn’t even need to introduce him. Isn’t this the most handsome new recruit from the fifth row that day?”
…
Qin Shanshan picked up a pig’s trotter and said while eating, “Sister Xiaoman, you and Brother Xie really match.”
Sun Fangfang said, “I really didn’t expect you two to be husband and wife!”
“Truly didn’t expect it!”
“Sister Xiaoman never introduced him to us before.”
Su Xiaoman said, “He was training before and didn’t have a chance to come out.”
“Now there’s finally a chance.”
The most gossipy one, Zhang Ying, asked curiously, “How did you two meet and get married? Did you grow up in the same village?”
For one ordinary rural village to produce two such outstanding people really was surprising.
“We’re from the same village. Once, I accidentally fell into the water, and he saved me.”
“Wow, a life-saving grace repaid with marriage!”
…
Lin Shuijuan, who was usually quiet, suddenly sighed. “Brother Xie, you’re really blessed. You married our troupe’s Su Xiaoman early. Sister Xiaoman is almost becoming the new flower of our art troupe now.”
“Yes, that dance shocked everyone.”
“She even won an award!”
…
“Being able to marry Manman is my greatest fortune.” Xie Mingtu smiled, took Su Xiaoman’s hand, and looked at her deeply.
Su Xiaoman could not shake him off even if she wanted to.
“How lovely!” Lin Shuijuan, Zhou Wenjing, and the others could not help feeling envious. They did not ask to marry a man from some powerful family background. Like Su Xiaoman, marrying a young man they liked would already be enough.
Not to mention, this man was a promising young talent and exceptionally good-looking.
Seeing this, Wang Yue immediately felt unhappy and deliberately said, “Then you really have to cherish our Xiaoman. You’re lucky to have married her so early, but Xiaoman wasn’t necessarily that lucky. If she hadn’t married so early, who knows, she might have had an even better future.”
Qin Shanshan said, “Wang Yue, what are you saying?”
“I’m not saying anything. I’m just stating facts. Xiaoman is so beautiful, and she’s the new flower of our art troupe. Plenty of people like her. Didn’t Madam Jiang once say she wanted her as a daughter-in-law?”
“Brother Xie, do you know who Madam Jiang is? She’s Chief Jiang’s wife. If Xiaoman hadn’t married so early, maybe she could have become the Jiang family’s daughter-in-law.”
After Wang Yue said this, Zhang Ying, Sun Fangfang, and the others all stopped eating. They had come to eat a meal someone else was treating them to, yet Wang Yue’s words were full of thorns, clearly trying to provoke trouble between the couple.
What did she mean, “If only Xiaoman hadn’t married early”? What did she mean by saying she might have become the chief’s daughter-in-law?
She was implying that Su Xiaoman should not have married Xie Mingtu, and she was also hinting to Xie Mingtu that his wife might not be very settled. Perhaps in the future, if her ambitions grew, she would cast him aside and climb higher.
The expressions of those at the table did not look very good.
The smile on Xie Mingtu’s face faded. “Is that so? Madam Jiang came to the art troupe to look for Manman?”
Wang Yue said, “I personally heard Madam Jiang say it when I went to visit my Grandpa Wang.”
“She said, ‘If only Xiaoman were willing to be my daughter-in-law.’”
“You were lucky to marry Su Xiaoman. You’d better keep a close eye on her in the future. There are many people around who have their eyes on her.”
Seeing that Xie Mingtu’s expression did not look good, Wang Yue felt much more comfortable. Unfortunately, the two questions Xie Mingtu asked made her feel a little awkward too.
Normally, after hearing such words, who would ask, “Did Madam Jiang come to the art troupe to look for Manman?” It sounded as if Madam Jiang really would personally go looking for Su Xiaoman. Because of this, Wang Yue said a few more excessive things.
She wanted to imply that Su Xiaoman was flirtatious and restless. It would be even better if the couple quarrelled.
Zhang Ying advised from the side, “Wang Yue, say less.”
“Exactly. Why say these things while eating?”
“Brother Xie and our Xiaoman are clearly a match made in heaven.”
Su Xiaoman tightened her hold on Xie Mingtu’s hand, interlacing her fingers with his. She raised her brows and looked at Wang Yue. “Wang Yue, if you don’t want to eat this meal, please get out of here.”
“If I don’t eat, then I don’t eat.” Wang Yue suddenly stood up and turned to leave. Who knew that after only a few steps, she collided with someone carrying dishes, and soup immediately spilled all over her clothes.
“Why did you deliberately bump into me?” The waiters in state-run restaurants at this time had very bad tempers.
Wang Yue was equally angry. “You dirtied my clothes!”
“I was standing here properly, carrying the food, and you deliberately bumped into me! Pay compensation!”
…
After Wang Yue left, the meal continued. The atmosphere became much more harmonious and lively than before. After eating, they returned to the art troupe together.
On the way, Zhou Wenjing and the others apologised to Su Xiaoman.
“Xiaoman, when you go back, explain things to Brother Xie. Don’t let Wang Yue’s words hurt your relationship.”
Qin Shanshan said, “Why is Wang Yue like that?”
“She went too far!”
Lin Shuijuan said, “Isn’t she just relying on her good family background? She deliberately acts like a tyrant in the dormitory.”
“Xiaoman, don’t take it to heart.”
Su Xiaoman smiled. “I didn’t take it to heart. Wang Yue said those things today; I just hope she doesn’t regret it herself later.”
“You and Brother Xie are doing well. You’ll definitely be a loving couple in the future.”
“Exactly. Wang Yue’s words are ridiculous. Does she think becoming a chief’s daughter-in-law is that easy?”
“She wants to climb higher herself, yet she talks about others. She even wants to be the female lead in the provincial song-and-dance drama. Xiaoman, don’t give way to her. She still wants to rely on her background to persuade Director Zhang…”
When Zhang Ying and the others returned, Wang Yue’s face was extremely ugly. Today, because she wanted to compete in beauty, she had worn her prettiest outfit. Who knew something like that would happen halfway? Not only had her prettiest clothes been dirtied, she had also paid several yuan in compensation.
Now the oil stains on the clothes could not be washed out.
“Hey, Zhang Ying, what was Su Xiaoman’s expression like afterwards?” Wang Yue thought that if she could make the couple quarrel, that would be best.
Zhang Ying said, “Nothing much. Xiaoman said she hopes you won’t regret it later.”
“Regret? What would I regret?”
“Her current husband has already been selected as a flight trainee. That day, we heard people say he was the most outstanding new recruit.”
“If he really becomes a pilot in the future, then Xiaoman married very well. Even if you searched with a lantern, it would be hard to find someone like that.”
Qin Shanshan, who had suddenly overheard their conversation at the doorway, interrupted, “Exactly. Some people couldn’t find someone like that even if they wanted to marry one.”
When Wang Yue heard this, she immediately exploded. “Qin Shanshan, what did you say? You’re a countryside girl with no knowledge at all. Do you think just because I said Madam Jiang liked Su Xiaoman, she would really take Su Xiaoman as her daughter-in-law? Is Su Xiaoman worthy?”
“My grandpa and Grandpa Jiang are neighbours and old acquaintances. Our two families have a very good relationship. Grandpa Jiang clearly intends to form a marriage connection with our Wang family. If not for the fact that I’m not very willing…”
Su Xiaoman entered the dormitory just in time to hear Wang Yue shouting.
“Which Grandpa Jiang are you talking about?”
Wang Yue dragged out her tone. “Which Grandpa Jiang could it be? Do you want me to tell you about his achievements?”
Su Xiaoman changed the subject. “Do you know Wang Feifei and Wang Xuanxuan?”
Wang Yue froze. She had not expected Su Xiaoman to know the Wang family’s two real granddaughters. Her expression immediately turned ugly.
“I… of course I know Feifei and Xuanxuan. We often play together.”
Su Xiaoman said, “Then how come I’ve never heard them mention you?”
Wang Yue had not expected her to say that. “What do you mean?”
The others were now drawn in by their conversation. Feifei? Xuanxuan? Zhang Ying seized the chance to explain, “Wang Feifei and Wang Xuanxuan are the real granddaughters of that Wang family.”
Zhou Wenjing froze. “Then what about Wang Yue?”
Zhang Ying shook her head. “She’s probably some relative. Same surname Wang.”
“…So that’s how it is.”
“So she isn’t actually that Wang family’s real granddaughter… But she’s always calling him Grandpa, Grandpa.”
“I misunderstood before.”
Wang Yue’s face became extremely unpleasant.
“I’ve also never heard that Grandpa Jiang intended to form a marriage connection with the Wang family.”
“You haven’t heard because their relationship with you is ordinary, and because I wasn’t willing.” Wang Yue’s smile was twisted. She had a very bad feeling. Su Xiaoman had mentioned Wang Feifei and Wang Xuanxuan—did she know the Wang family?
Was Su Xiaoman deliberately testing her? How could she possibly know the Wang sisters? Had they even chatted before?
…
After that, Wang Yue no longer dared mention the Wang family in the dormitory. In reality, her parents were not important people either. Her father was only an ordinary worker. Her family had some connection with the other Wang family, but they were not close.
The other girls in the dormitory became more distant from her. Zhang Ying also rarely followed behind her flattering her anymore, which made Wang Yue feel very uncomfortable.
Su Xiaoman’s solo dance won an award, and those above selected her and Qin Shanshan to rehearse important female roles in another revolutionary dance drama.
Xie Mingtu stayed for several days. When Su Xiaoman went to the art troupe to work, he accompanied Grandpa and Grandma. Grandpa loved dragging him around and chatting about all sorts of things, while Grandma sat to the side, shaking her head at the grandfather and grandson.
As soon as Su Xiaoman returned, Xie Mingtu’s radar automatically lit up. He stuck closely beside his Manman. Naturally, at night, he worked extra hard.
At first, she indulged him for two or three days, but she had not expected him to keep pushing his luck. His tricks became more and more varied. He really could not be spoiled. Su Xiaoman scolded him for half a day and punished him by making him step on the sewing machine pedal.
Su Xiaoman felt she needed to find something to channel this husky’s endless energy.
Yes, she felt he was now like a house-destroying husky who deserved discipline.
He just loved running wild on her.
He was clingy too—rubbing against her one moment, kissing her the next. As for everything else, there was no need to even mention it. He seemed to have no idea what kidney deficiency was.
Su Xiaoman felt the one thing she urgently needed to learn now was how to kill rabbits. If he used that thing to bully her too much again, she would kill a rabbit as a warning.
She went to Grandma Zeng’s house in the compound and brought back two cute little white rabbits. She kept them in the courtyard, asked Xie Mingtu to make a wooden box for them, built them a little grass nest, and fed them vegetable leaves.
When Xie Mingtu saw her holding two little rabbits in her arms, he suddenly thought of the way she had danced that day. She had been like the high and distant moon goddess from the Moon Palace, cool and ethereal, yet now she was gently holding little rabbits in her arms.
Only he knew she was not cold at all. When she was in his arms, she was soft like water.
She was very good to his little rabbit.
She gently stroked the rabbits. The two tiny rabbits were soft like marshmallows, their fur white and fluffy, their long ears naturally drooping…
Xie Mingtu’s heart melted at the sight. He walked over, picked up one rabbit, and fed it a piece of carrot.
“Manman, after I leave in a couple of days, will you think of me when you look at the little rabbits?”
“Are you raising them so you can miss me later?”
Su Xiaoman held the remaining little rabbit in her arms and gave him a sideways glance, thinking, you stupid dog, your face is really big.
She was raising rabbits for future rabbit-killing warnings.
Su Xiaoman held out her index finger and made a slicing motion under the little rabbit’s short neck.
Xie Mingtu: “…”
He somehow felt a subtle pain.
As if he understood something.
Xie Mingtu put the little rabbit back into the rabbit box he had made and murmured, “In the future, Manman will have to work hard to raise the little rabbit.”
Su Xiaoman: “?!”
She always felt like he was making a double entendre. What was she supposed to use to raise his little rabbit?
She immediately regretted bringing back two little rabbits. Was this stupid dog using the little white rabbits to tease her on purpose?
Su Xiaoman felt she was no longer pure either. It was all because of several days of indulgence. Her own mind was now full of dirty thoughts.
“You’re not allowed to say it anymore. Don’t say little rabbit again.”
“Why can’t I say it? Manman will give birth to a little rabbit for me in the future.”
Su Xiaoman exploded with anger. She put the little white rabbit back into the box and chased after Xie Mingtu to hit him. Xie Mingtu laughed and dodged symbolically, then hugged his little grass nest in his arms. Su Xiaoman viciously pinched his waist several times.
“You’re clearly a stupid dog. How could I possibly give birth to… a little rabbit with you?” Su Xiaoman nearly bit her own tongue when she said this. After saying it, she felt something was very wrong.
Dog, rabbit—she was not giving birth to either.
She gave up and simply looked at him with disdain. “You’re a rabbit killer from the mountains. Who knows how many little white rabbits you killed before? And now you have the nerve to call yourself a little rabbit?”
Did he think what he had done in the past could be washed clean now? Just because she had called him Xiaotu for a few days, he could safely become a rabbit?
Xie Mingtu smiled and kissed the tip of her nose. “Then am I a big rabbit now?”
Clearly, it was not small. It was very big.
“You’re not allowed to say big rabbit either.” Su Xiaoman domineeringly tugged at his handsome face.
Xie Mingtu smiled and pressed his forehead against hers. “But Manman has also eaten many little rabbits.”
Su Xiaoman’s face flushed bright red. Angry and embarrassed, she glared at him, then simply grabbed his ear and dragged him into the house so he would stop teasing her outside.
Seeing them like this, Grandma Jiang quickly asked what had happened. Xie Mingtu only obediently let his ear be tugged while smiling. Grandma Jiang immediately glared at him.
“Did you bully Manman again?”
Su Xiaoman said, “Grandma, I want him to learn how to use the sewing machine from Grandpa.”
Grandma Jiang said, “Yes, he should learn properly. Let his grandfather teach him.”
Xie Mingtu: “…”
“Grandma, Manman is what I call her.”
“Old Jiang, come out quickly and teach your youngest grandson.”
Grandpa Jiang, suddenly called out, was very helpless. Under the supervision of Grandma Jiang and his granddaughter-in-law, he led his youngest grandson to use the sewing machine. Xie Mingtu actually obediently made his grandfather an old-man shirt, fulfilling a touching grandfather-grandson moment.
Grandpa Jiang resisted to the death. “I absolutely will not wear this shirt!”
Xie Mingtu: “…”
Grandma Jiang flipped through the plain old-man shirt and gave a surprised “eh.”
“Xiaoman, Xiaotu seems to have made it pretty well.”
Su Xiaoman glanced at it and agreed, “Yes, Grandma. I also found that Xiaotu is very talented. In the future, let him make one for you too.”
Xie Mingtu was truly a handicraft master. Not only could he weave bamboo, make wooden furniture, carve, and build snowmen—now he had even learned how to make clothes.
The men of the Jiang family really had to be this capable and virtuous, just like his grandfather.
Xie Mingtu could not stay for many more days. He had to leave again for training. It was not too far away, and they could occasionally see each other, but Grandpa Jiang said he did not recommend it, as it would distract him. Xie Mingtu gritted his teeth and said he absolutely would not be distracted.
“Alright, go.” Su Xiaoman kissed his face, then hugged his waist tightly, burying her face in his chest.
Although her mouth told him to go, her body held onto him tightly.
She could not bear for him to leave.
When he was around, she disliked how he kept calling “Manman” this and “Manman” that, finding him annoying. But when he was about to leave, she felt extreme reluctance, and something filled her eyes.
Xie Mingtu kissed her eyes. Afraid she would feel sad, he deliberately changed the subject.
“Manman, next time I come back, I’ll make you a little dress.”
Su Xiaoman did not know whether to laugh or cry. Who wanted a little dress made by him? She herself was good at making clothes.
After Xie Mingtu left, life returned to its previous pattern. The batch of dance costumes Su Xiaoman made received praise from the leaders, and she, Qin Shanshan, and the others began rehearsing another stage play.
Although she had not managed to become the female lead last time, that experience had helped Su Xiaoman understand the requirements of song-and-dance dramas in this era. This time, she offered many suggestions during rehearsal. It was then that Teacher Sun discovered Su Xiaoman had talent in choreography, so she asked her to assist from the side.
“Yes, here. Make the curve of your hand wider.”
“You two switch positions.”
…
Su Xiaoman adapted well to this new work. She acted as the female lead while also leading rehearsals. She also helped the art team make stage costumes. Her days were extremely busy, but also fulfilling. She did not want to let herself be idle.
When she was idle, she would think of someone.
At this point, the people in the art troupe discovered that Su Xiaoman, who had only joined this year, was truly outstanding. She was capable herself, and also good at leading and directing others. People were convinced by her, and she established her own authority. The others no longer treated her as a newcomer.
Su Xiaoman was preparing several performances for the Dragon Boat Festival. Coincidentally, two days before the festival was Wang Xun’an’s birthday. Wang Xuanxuan had been instructed by her grandmother, so after school, she passed by the art troupe and invited Su Xiaoman to come to their house for dinner.
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