"Hello, hello… Don't just stand there—come in, quickly!"
Hearing Jiang Hai's voice, Ai Xiaoxi's parents looked a bit embarrassed. Her mother quickly wiped her hands on her apron, then seemed to recall something and hurriedly invited Jiang Hai inside. Meanwhile, Ai Xiaoxi's father and younger brother stepped forward to help carry the items.
Jiang Hai politely declined their help and first carried in the heaviest box of liquor, placing a few more items on top of it before following Ai Xiaoxi into the courtyard. Her father and brother handled the rest.
"Look at this—coming home for the holidays and bringing so many expensive things…"
Ai Xiaoxi's parents may not have been familiar with Moutai liquor or Zhonghua cigarettes, but they clearly understood their value.
Though her mother muttered a quiet complaint, her expression betrayed genuine delight.
"It's nothing, really. They weren't expensive—it's just a token of my appreciation," Jiang Hai replied with a smile.
Hearing this, Ai Xiaoxi's mother's eyes curved into happy slits. She was clearly pleased with this potential son-in-law.
Mothers-in-law often grow fond of their sons-in-law—provided the man meets certain standards.
First, he must love her daughter. Second, he should have some financial stability. And, of course, it's best if the daughter genuinely likes him.
To her, Jiang Hai seemed to tick all the boxes.
At first, she had been worried. Rumors in the village suggested that her daughter might've brought home a man in his seventies or eighties. That would've been truly embarrassing.
But now that she saw him—though older than Ai Xiaoxi—he couldn't be more than thirty. A man being five or six years older than a woman was normal. A bit of maturity meant he knew how to cherish others, and judging by the gifts, he clearly wasn't struggling financially.
After all, who brings this many high-end goods unless they can afford it?
Besides, Ai Xiaoxi had mentioned that the money they had used recently was all from Jiang Hai. Technically, it was "borrowed," but he hadn't asked for it back—implying he didn't need it.
Jiang Hai didn't look like some flashy city boy. He was tall, well-built, and though not dressed in a suit, he was clean-cut and neatly groomed—giving off an impression of competence and quiet confidence.
Overall, Ai Xiaoxi's mother was very satisfied with her first impression.
As for her father, he had even less to complain about—after all, the good wine and cigarettes were for him.
Ai Xiaoxi's younger brother, meanwhile, was watching Jiang Hai with open curiosity. He was still trying to figure out this "brother-in-law" who had just arrived.
While chatting with Ai Xiaoxi's mother, Jiang Hai took in his surroundings.
The courtyard wasn't small—about 400 to 500 square meters. Two single-story houses formed an L-shape around the spacious yard. One corner held a vegetable patch, clearly used for homegrown produce. Carpenter's tools were scattered about, and wood shavings lay nearby—evidence that Ai Xiaoxi's father had been working earlier that day.
This wasn't a purely rural area. It lay on the fringe between town and countryside.
Most families around here still made a living from farming, though Ai Xiaoxi's family had little land. Her father was a skilled carpenter, often hired for weddings and funerals in nearby villages. He could craft cabinets, beds, windows—even roof beams—with impressive skill.
But nowadays, people built modern houses with reinforced concrete. Wood wasn't needed for beams anymore—especially near the sea, where wood corrodes quickly.
Last year, though, a local warehouse was built, and wooden beams were sufficient for that. While working on that project, Ai Xiaoxi's father slipped from the roof and broke his leg. That marked the beginning of a difficult time for the family.
Now, though he still limped slightly, he could walk freely again—a huge relief.
Inside the main room, Jiang Hai found that the layout resembled that of a small city apartment.
Of course, it wasn't as spotless as an urban home, but the floor was tiled, and a large, sturdy sofa dominated the living room. Jiang Hai guessed it had been handmade by Ai Xiaoxi's father. The style was a bit dated, but the craftsmanship was solid.
Opposite the sofa stood an old-fashioned CRT television, currently playing an episode of Running Man. The room was bright, clean, and welcoming.
After placing the gifts next to the dining table, Ai Xiaoxi's father motioned Jiang Hai to sit on the sofa.
"You two chat. Xiaoxi and I will start cooking. Xiaohui, come help."
With a smile, Ai Xiaoxi's mother headed to the kitchen, pulling her daughter along. Her brother, who had already sat down, reluctantly stood up to help. He couldn't do heavy labor, but light tasks were still possible.
Of course, Ai Xiaoxi and her brother knew exactly what their mother was doing—leaving Jiang Hai and their father some time to talk alone. After all, a son-in-law and father-in-law should have a proper conversation, and there were things best said by the father.
"Uh… smoke?"
Ai Xiaoxi's father clearly wasn't the most talkative man. After a moment of hesitation, he pulled out a cigarette and offered it to Jiang Hai.
"No, thank you, Uncle. I don't smoke," Jiang Hai said with a polite smile, gently declining.
"You don't? Good. It's healthier and saves money."
Nodding in approval, Ai Xiaoxi's father lit one for himself. After taking a long drag, he looked over at Jiang Hai.
"Xiao Jiang—is it alright if I call you that?"
"Of course, Uncle. I don't mind at all," Jiang Hai replied warmly.
"I heard from Xiaoxi that you're a Dragon?"
"Yes, born in 1988," Jiang Hai said, smiling. It wasn't something he needed to hide.
"Ah, the Year of the Dragon—auspicious! Dragons are prosperous."
The old man chuckled, then continued. "Xiaoxi said you're from Bingcheng, right? But she didn't mention where you work. How are your parents?"
"I'm from Bingcheng, yes. My parents… passed away a few years ago. Now I live alone. As for work, I'm mainly based in the U.S. I own a manor there where I raise cattle and fish."
"America, huh? That's pretty far away."
Ai Xiaoxi's father frowned slightly, clearly unsure what to make of that. To him, Jiang Hai owning a manor abroad sounded impressive, but how profitable could raising cattle and fish really be?
More importantly, if Jiang Hai's life was rooted in the U.S., wouldn't that mean his daughter might move there permanently? And if something happened far away, how would they know?
As parents—especially as they age—it's hard to let children settle too far from home.
Even though they had a son, they still worried about their daughter.
But as the saying goes: children have their own fates. What they could do was limited—so long as their daughter was happy.
"It's on the other side of the world, yes, but travel's much easier these days. A flight only takes about ten hours. If you and Auntie ever have time, you're welcome to visit. My place is quite nice," Jiang Hai said, touching his nose a little self-consciously. He understood the concern—his roots were there, and that wasn't going to change.
"Oh, raising cattle, huh? I've never done it myself, but some folks around here do. Xiaoxi's second uncle has five dairy cows. Each one brings in over ten thousand yuan a year just from milk. It's a pretty profitable business."
Though not completely sold on Jiang Hai's job, Ai Xiaoxi's father didn't want to say anything negative—this was Jiang Hai's first visit, after all. So, he changed the subject.
"Yes, dairy farming can be quite profitable," Jiang Hai replied. "Not just in China, but overseas as well."
Dairy cows—usually the black-and-white Holstein breed, often called Dutch cows—were common worldwide.
While beef cattle vary by region and quality, dairy cows are fairly standardized. Though other breeds can be used for milk, meat, or labor, none quite match the milk output of Holsteins.