CHAPTER 322: CHAPTER 324: THE SCARIEST THING IS CHANGE OF HEART

Being first is good, but Xia Xiao did not want Xia Hua to take being first too seriously; sometimes, valuing it too much might not be a good thing.

Xia Xiao patted Xia Hua’s head and looked at Xia Lin, hoping that her brother and sister’s dreams would come true.

Thinking about Xia Hong, she didn’t know how things were going now, but with Xia Fei there, Xia Xiao felt somewhat reassured.

The family had dinner together, full of joy. Gao Jiaxing, Xia Weiguo, and Xia Chunrong had a few drinks. After sitting for a while, Xia Xiao and Gao Jiaxing went to Grandmother’s house.

When leaving, Xia Xiao ran into Li Dongqing and took the initiative to greet him, "Happy New Year, Director Li."

"Happy New Year."

Xia Xiao was somewhat surprised by Li Dongqing’s response, having expected Li Dongqing’s cold face or anger, or even to be ignored and walked past, but did not expect such calm.

Li Dongqing looked at Gao Jiaxing and had to admit in his heart that this young man was excellent. He nodded and said, "You have good taste, you chose a good husband."

Xia Xiao smiled and introduced, "This is my husband, Gao Jiaxing, from the army."

Gao Jiaxing nodded politely to Li Dongqing and greeted, "Hello, Director Li."

Li Dongqing also nodded and asked Xia Xiao, "How is Hao, how is Yan Hao?"

Xia Xiao shook her head and said, "He arrived at the farm on New Year’s Eve. It was a fellow train conductor who sent him there. When I first saw him, he looked like a refugee. He had a tough journey. Fortunately, the farm was touched by his sincerity and took him in. Now he has settled in with everyone else at the farm, working to contribute to the national construction."

Xia Xiao did not bring a message from Yan Hao. She had thought about it, but after some consideration, decided it was better for Yan Hao to send it himself.

If she brought it, she worried that Li Dongqing might just tear it up; better for Yan Hao to send a letter himself.

"When are they getting married?" Li Dongqing asked.

Xia Xiao replied, "My sister and Yan Hao are still young. Let’s wait a few more years, let them date first."

Li Dongqing snapped, "My son ran all the way from north to south for your sister, and she still doesn’t want to take responsibility?"

These matters should not have been discussed between Li Dongqing and Xia Xiao, but since they ran into each other, Li Dongqing asked casually. He expected to hear about an upcoming wedding, but was not expecting to be told to wait a few more years.

"The marriage is something Yan Hao and my sister have decided together, not me. I do hope they get married sooner; Yan Hao is kind-hearted and has gone through great lengths to come to the southern farm to find my sister. They’re moved by each other. But the young people want to date, and they are not thinking about marriage so soon, there’s nothing I can do. Director Li can try persuading Yan Hao, or talk to my parents about it, to encourage them to settle down earlier," said Xia Xiao.

She was not trying to trouble Li Dongqing, nor was she deliberately causing Xia Jing to drag Yan Hao along. Getting married wasn’t urgent.

It could be next year or the year after, but definitely not now, not in such a rush.

Furthermore, Xia Jing and Yan Hao’s relationship wasn’t like hers and Gao Jiaxing’s, which had the approval of both parents. Li Dongqing was not satisfied with Xia Jing, so Xia Jing couldn’t just rush to marry Yan Hao.

Seeing Li Dongqing’s angry attitude, Xia Xiao was actually calm. She hoped Li Dongqing could accept Xia Jing peacefully. Even if he wasn’t satisfied, he shouldn’t interfere with Yan Hao and Xia Jing’s relationship.

Xia Xiao understood that as a mother, perhaps the defiance of a son who was always obedient for a woman could be heartbreaking.

But Xia Jing was the person Yan Hao liked, and she wasn’t bad either. Although Xia Xiao stood by her sister’s side, their family was from a worker’s background, had good social status, and there was nothing inappropriate or shameful about Xia Jing.

Even if Li Dongqing was dissatisfied, he couldn’t break them up. His son had gone to the countryside as an educated youth and settled down there, and that couldn’t be changed; it was better to respect his son’s choice.

With the choice of daughter-in-law, a mother’s opinion might differ from the son’s. The mother’s preference isn’t necessarily what the son likes.

After all, marrying a wife and having children are for the son and daughter-in-law, not for the mother to do.

It’s not like the mother can decide on a girl and expect her son to marry her immediately—the son has to agree too.

If the mother disapproved and the son couldn’t marry, then it was up to the son.

If Xia Jing were unacceptable or of poor background, Xia Xiao wouldn’t say more, but Xia Jing was her sister, whom she knew very well.

Xia Jing might have been a tomboy, getting into fights with boys when she was young, but who doesn’t have a youth, who doesn’t change over time?

Women change as they grow, and although Xia Jing still wasn’t the quiet type of girl, she was now an energetic, positive and vibrant young woman; moreover, Xia Jing wasn’t ugly. Xia Xiao did hope that Xia Jing would get Li Dongqing’s approval.

So facing Li Dongqing, Xia Xiao was amiable, hoping to soften her up.

Hearing that Xia Xiao too wanted Yan Hao and Xia Jing to settle down sooner, Li Dongqing was not in a hurry anymore and calmed down, saying, "It’s up to the young people, they’ll handle their own affairs. I can’t manage that far."

As Li Dongqing left, he left Xia Xiao with a posture trying to display indifference.

Xia Xiao smiled and continued walking forward with Gao Jiaxing, no longer paying attention to Li Dongqing.

Gao Jiaxing said, "It was you who suggested Xia Jing and Yan Hao date for two more years."

Xia Xiao said, "After all, she will be Xia Jing’s future mother-in-law. I can’t be too harsh on her, right? If I upset her, Xia Jing would be the one in trouble later. See how my words eased her up and her mood softened quite a bit."

Gao Jiaxing asked, "Do you think she will urge Yan Hao to marry Xia Jing soon?"

"Yan Hao won’t let Xia Jing down; otherwise, I won’t forgive him," said Gao Jiaxing.

Xia Xiao laughed, "Not now, but who knows about the future." Looking at Gao Jiaxing, she said, "Right now, Brother Gao, honestly, I am not worried about how you might turn out. I’m young, even if we split up, I’m not afraid. But when people reach middle age, that’s when emotional changes are the scariest."

To experience a change of heart in middle age is the most devastating.

Even if divorced, life might still be okay, but the emotional trauma is difficult to erase.