When Liu Jian woke up again, it was already the next morning. His head still hurt, and he struggled to sit up. He found himself in the west room, wearing the pajamas Ren Shanshan had bought him. He wondered when he had changed clothes and why he didn't remember anything. After a while, he finally remembered that he had drunk too much last night. It was Ren Shanshan and her sister who helped him back, and he seemed to have kissed Ren Shanshan.
He couldn't help but smile wryly at this thought. Who would have thought that the people in these mountain villages could drink so much? In the end, he was so drunk he didn't know which way was up. Luckily, he liked to sleep when he was drunk. If he had acted crazy, he might have left a really bad impression.
He left the room and found Ren's mother tidying up in the yard, muttering something under her breath. Liu Jian smiled and said, "Auntie, what's wrong? Is someone dissatisfied?"
As soon as Ren's mother saw it was Liu Jian, she immediately smiled happily and said, "We're all very satisfied. These guys have plenty to eat and drink, and they're all praising Shan Shan for finding a good boyfriend."
Liu Jian smiled shyly and said, "Then what were you angry about just now, Auntie?"
Ren's mother said a little embarrassedly, "It's those guys. They actually stole all the wine bottles. They were such nice-looking bottles, I wanted to keep a few at home."
Liu Jian said, a little amused, "Auntie, those bottles aren't worth anything, they're all from our own winery. If you like them, I'll bring you a few more next time I come."
Mother Ren quickly shook her head and said, "Don't bring anything, it's such a long trip. Shanshan told me, your home is half of China away from here. Shanshan took several days by train just to go to school back then."
Liu Jian smiled and said, "It's okay, Auntie, we have our own car. We'll come back to see you whenever we have time in the future."
Mrs. Ren smiled and said, "No need, as long as you're doing well out there, your dad and I are content. By the way, Shanshan and Yingying took some things to their teacher's house. Alas, Shanshan being able to get into university is all thanks to her teacher's help, and now she's helping Yingying review her lessons, we really need to thank her."
Liu Jian deeply agreed and nodded. After arriving, Liu Jian realized how difficult it was for Ren Shanshan to get into university and leave this place. Just to go to high school, she had to walk over ten li to the town, spending several hours on the road every day. She persevered for three years, and you can imagine how difficult it was for her. Moreover, a girl leaving home before dawn and returning from school after dark every day, you can imagine how much suffering she endured. Ren Yingying was a bit better off; after Ren Shanshan sent money back each year, she boarded at school and didn't have to walk back and forth every day.
With nothing to do, Liu Jian remembered that he hadn't heard from his parents in a long time and made a phone call: "Mom and Dad, where are you?"
Liu Fu laughed heartily and said, "Your mom and I are in Hainan!"
Liu Jian was taken aback and asked, "Dad, how did you end up in Hainan?"
Liu Fu laughed and said, "Your mom and I ran into my old commander from back in the day while we were traveling in Beijing. He's retired, and he's also traveling this time, so we decided to travel together. I have to say, Jian, after traveling around, your mom and I have really seen a lot of the world. It's just like you said, the whole country is developing rapidly, and we need to take bigger steps."
Liu Jian smiled. His purpose in letting Liu Fu and his wife go out for a walk was also this: always staying in this small place of Panshi would make their perspective somewhat narrow. Going out to see the world could broaden their knowledge and liberate their minds. Liu Jian knew that although the real estate business had made money, Liu Fu was always a little scared. This trip, he believed, would change Liu Fu's thinking. As expected, Liu Fu was now taking the initiative to bring it up, and Liu Jian was very pleased. He had always felt that Liu Fu was someone who could accomplish great things, but unfortunately, he met his Waterloo in his previous life and had no opportunity to develop. In this life, Liu Jian would never let something like that happen to Liu Fu again.
After chatting with Liu Fu for a while, Liu Jian hung up the phone, feeling very gratified. As long as Liu Fu could accept these new things, Liu Jian would have the opportunity to make his family's path smoother and their development greater.
When Ren Shanshan and the others returned, Liu Jian was boredly reading a book. There was no cable TV in the countryside yet, only a few channels, and Liu Jian couldn't bring himself to watch them. Fortunately, the Ren family had some old books, from who knows when, and written in traditional characters. Liu Jian was struggling to read them. Liu Jian didn't like studying, but he really liked these miscellaneous books. As long as it wasn't a textbook, Liu Jian could keep reading until Ren Shanshan and the others entered the house, and only then did Liu Jian come back to his senses.
Liu Jian asked with concern, "Shanshan, how is your teacher? She must have been overjoyed to see you."
Ren Shanshan smiled and said, "Yes, the teacher is still in good health. She praised me a few times and also praised Yingying, saying that Yingying's grades are even better than mine and she will definitely get into a prestigious university."
Liu Jian turned to look at Ren Yingying and asked, "Really? I didn't realize your grades were so good, Yingying."
Who knew that Ren Yingying, who was so close to him just yesterday, glared at him and turned away, ignoring him. Liu Jian was stunned, wondering what was going on. Ren Shanshan's face darkened and she said, "Yingying, what are you doing? Why aren't you talking to your brother-in-law?"
Ren Yingying pouted, glared at Liu Jian, and snorted, ignoring even Ren Shanshan, and turned to walk out of the room. Liu Jian felt strange and asked, "Shanshan, what's wrong with Yingying?"
Ren Shanshan said amusingly, "What's wrong? Isn't it your own fault?"
Liu Jian was stunned and asked, "Me? How could that be, I don't have any recollection of it at all."
Ren Shanshan chuckled for a long time before saying, "You forgot, what did you do after you returned to the room yesterday?"
Liu Jian thought for a moment and said, "I only remember I kissed you a few times and touched you a bit, I didn't do anything else."
Ren Shanshan really couldn't hold back anymore, laughing so hard she couldn't straighten her back, she said, "The one you kissed yesterday wasn't me, the one you touched wasn't me either, haha, whoever caused the trouble should deal with it themselves, I'm not going to bother with it."
Liu Jian was stunned for a moment, could it be that the one he kissed and touched yesterday was Ren Yingying, his sister-in-law? Thinking of this, he felt both embarrassed and stimulated. The only pity was that he was drunk. How wonderful it would have been if he had been sober. While he was still in a daze, Ren Shanshan pinched him.
Ren Shanshan said with a smile, "What, still savoring it? Want to do it again?"
Liu Jian hurriedly shook his head and said, "No, no, how would I dare?"
Ren Shanshan snorted and said, "That's my own sister, you better not get any ideas about her."
Liu Jian was a little embarrassed, thinking to himself that the sister-in-law and brother-in-law relationship was quite normal, but he said obediently, "Shanshan, I was really drunk yesterday, don't worry, I'll go apologize to Yingying in a bit."
Ren Shanshan smiled and didn't say anything more, taking Liu Jian's hand and leaving the room. Since yesterday, Ren Shanshan had become much more open. She didn't shy away from holding Liu Jian's hand in front of her parents anymore. Ren's parents seemed to have also accepted their relationship, not asking any questions, and acting as if they didn't see them holding hands. This was what Liu Jian didn't understand. In Ren Shanshan's mountain village, as long as a wedding banquet was held, it was equivalent to officially getting married. In Ren's mother's eyes, Liu Jian and Ren Shanshan were as good as married, so naturally they turned a blind eye to their intimacy.
Ren Shanshan took Liu Jian's hand and said, "Come on, I'll take you somewhere." Saying that, she pulled Liu Jian towards outside the village. In the yard, Liu Jian saw Ren Yingying. Ren Yingying still didn't give Liu Jian a good look. After all, she was a young woman and had her first kiss taken by Liu Jian, and Liu Jian even touched her chest, taking full advantage of her. Anyone would be angry, how could she possibly treat him well?
Liu Jian embarrassedly rubbed his nose, looked at Ren Yingying's well-developed breasts, and his heart couldn't help but stir. He squeezed Ren Shanshan's hand tighter. Ren Shanshan looked at Liu Jian with amusement, not saying anything. The strange smile still made Liu Jian break out in a cold sweat. Luckily, Ren Shanshan didn't say anything.
Liu Jian followed Ren Shanshan, not knowing where she was taking him. He asked several times, but Ren Shanshan mysteriously wouldn't say, piquing Liu Jian's curiosity. After leaving the village entrance and walking a long way, Liu Jian saw a small river. In winter, the river had already frozen over, and many children were playing on it.
Ren Shanshan pulled Liu Jian to a rock and they sat down. Fortunately, they had both returned from the Northeast and were wearing thick clothes, so they didn't feel too cold.
Liu Jian asked strangely, "Shanshan, did you just bring me here to look at this?"
Ren Shanshan smiled and said, "Xiaojian, do you know, when I was little, I was so envious of other people's children. When it was vacation time, they could come out and play. I always wanted to sneak out and play, but I couldn't. My younger sister was very young, and I had to take care of her."
Liu Jian said, "Oh," and then said, "Then you could have brought her to play together?"
Ren Shanshan shook her head and said, "When I was little, my family was very poor. My parents had to work in the fields. Usually, I was the one taking care of my sister. In the winter, we couldn't afford coal to burn, so my parents had to walk a long way to the mountains to gather firewood. The cotton clothes at home weren't enough. In the winter, we didn't have thick clothes. For me to go to school, my parents made me a set, but my sister had nothing. I couldn't let her freeze. After my parents left, I would put the cotton clothes on my sister and take her out to play. I would squat here and watch my sister play. I remember winter was so cold, and once it snowed, my hands were so frozen that I couldn't feel them. Hehe, but my sister had so much fun, and I felt very happy."
Liu Jian couldn't help but be deeply moved, reaching out to grasp Ren Shanshan's hand and saying, "Don't worry, Shanshan, as long as I'm here, you'll never live like that again."
Ren Shanshan leaned into Liu Jian's arms and said, "I know, meeting you is the greatest happiness of my life. But what I want to say isn't about that!"
Liu Jian was puzzled and asked, "Then what do you want to say?"
Ren Shanshan chuckled mischievously, "I want to talk to you about Yingying."
Liu Jian was taken aback. Thinking of his sexy sister-in-law, his heart couldn't help but heat up. He tightened his grip, pulling Ren Shanshan closer, and said a little guiltily, "What about her? I really didn't mean to yesterday."
Ren Shanshan laughed in Liu Jian's arms, "Whether you meant to or not, you know yourself. I know what you're thinking, right?"
Liu Jian said guiltily, "I don't have any ideas, Shanshan, you're overthinking it!"
Ren Shanshan said with a mischievous smile, "Really? Then who was it who said last night while drunk: 'The sister-in-law's buttocks are half the brother-in-law's.'"
Liu Jian exclaimed in surprise, thinking, how did I say what was in my heart? He had no choice but to explain, "Shanshan, I was drunk then, talking nonsense, don't take it seriously."
Ren Shanshan shook her head and said, "Xiaojian, I know what you're thinking. Don't worry, I'm not actually angry. I've come to understand what this society is like over the years. If I hadn't met you, I don't know what I would be like, so no matter what you do, I won't be angry."
Liu Jian exclaimed in surprise, "You really don't object?"
Then he exclaimed again and was pinched by Ren Shanshan. Ren Shanshan snorted and said, "Revealing your true colors, huh? And you said you didn't have any bad intentions."
Liu Jian felt a little embarrassed, unsure of what to say. Then, Ren Shanshan said something that filled Liu Jian with surprise and delight.