country bumpkin

Chapter 346 Another May Day Holiday

After the meal, everyone sat around the table and chatted.

Luo Wanjun served everyone local delicacies. As they enjoyed the food, they listened to Luo Ziyan recount the interesting stories of Luo Quanzhuang, finding it all quite fascinating.

Before they knew it, it was getting late. Although they felt a little reluctant to leave, they still got up to say goodbye.

Luo Wanjun and Luo Ziyan's family saw them off at the door and made a promise to come and visit often in the future.

Bai Rui and Luo Yunxiang drove a tricycle to take them there. The group rode back to the factory, filled with memories.

After the Little New Year, everyone's life returned to normal. Those who needed to go to school went to school, and those who needed to go to work went to work; everyone got busy.

Time flies, and two months have passed in the blink of an eye, like water slipping through your fingers—you can't hold onto it no matter how hard you try.

In the warm spring of March, the peach blossoms in the village orchard burst into bloom as if they had been holding back all winter. The pink blossoms were so vibrant that the petals would flutter down in the wind, like a gentle rain.

You can smell that sweet scent as you walk down the street, and even the air feels soft and fluffy.

Jiang Yuqing stood on the stone steps, tiptoeing to look out. Pink and white petals fell on her shoulder, like someone had scattered a handful of snowflakes.

There are fewer people here.

Shen Xingchen's voice drifted from behind her. When she turned around, she saw him raising his hand to brush away the petals from her hair.

My fingertips gently brushed against my earlobe, like being pecked by a spring breeze, a tingling, numbing sensation.

He stepped aside, revealing a small, secluded peach grove behind him.

Sunlight filtered through the branches, casting dappled patterns of light on his white shirt.

Jiang Yuqing suddenly dared not look into his eyes, and lowered her head to count the petals falling on her shoes. She heard her own heartbeat mixed in the wind, fluttering and opening along with the peach blossoms on the tree.

“Last winter you said you wanted to see peach blossoms,” he suddenly said, his voice softer than the spring breeze, “and we finally made it this year.”

She looked up abruptly and met his arched eyebrows, more dazzling than the most beautiful flower on a branch.

Jiang Yuqing, as if possessed, leaned in and pressed her lips to Shen Xingchen's cheek.

Shen Xingchen's heart raced, and she dared not move, blankly savoring that moment of softness and tenderness.

Jiang Yuqing stared intently at her beloved with seductive eyes, her smiling face as radiant as a peach blossom.

After a long pause, Shen Xingchen finally came to his senses and said to his girlfriend with tender eyes, "Qingqing, let's get engaged!"

Jiang Yuqing was overjoyed and nodded emphatically, "Okay! I'll do whatever you say."

The two had gone on many dates together, but this was the happiest and most special one yet.

Because they had decided to get engaged, they each wrote letters to their families after returning home to explain their decision.

A week later, a reply was received. Jiang Yuqing's family said they wanted Shen Xingchen to visit their home so that they could give him a good vetting experience.

Shen Xingchen's family responded in the same way, saying they needed to first see what the person looked like, and then consider their character and personality.

The two replied to the letter, saying that during the May Day holiday, Shen Xingchen went back to Jiang Yuqing's hometown with her, bringing betrothal gifts, and they got engaged directly.

There are still two months until May Day, so we definitely need to deal with the Shen family first. His family lives nearby, so it will be more convenient for Jiang Yuqing to visit his parents first.

On a Saturday, Jiang Yuqing went with Shen Xingchen to his home to meet his future in-laws.

When Shen Xingchen arrived home on his motorcycle with Jiang Yuqing, his parents had already eaten breakfast and were sitting in the living room waiting for them.

Upon arriving at the Shen family home, Jiang Yuqing's mother, Yan Ruochu, warmly greeted her and led her into the house.

"Daughter, we've been waiting for you! Come in quickly," Shen Xingchen's father, Shen Chengye, greeted her with a smile.

His younger brother, Shen Yuxuan, came out to say hello and then went back to his room, not coming out again.

The room was spotless, and the table was covered with various fruits and snacks.

After sitting down, Yan Ruochu began to carefully examine Jiang Yuqing, which made Jiang Yuqing feel a little nervous.

"Daughter, we all know about you and Xingchen. You're such a lovable child," Yan Ruochu said with a smile.

Next, Yan Ruochu asked Jiang Yuqing about her family situation, her work, and other questions, which Jiang Yuqing answered carefully one by one.

Shen Xingchen occasionally chimed in to add a few words for her, his eyes full of concern.

Shen Xingchen's father listened silently the whole time, and finally spoke up: "Daughter, Xingchen can be stubborn sometimes. If you two are together in the future, you'll have to be more tolerant of her." Jiang Yuqing nodded, blushing.

After a pleasant conversation, Jiang Yuqing gradually relaxed.

She knew she had successfully passed the first hurdle, and now she just had to wait to go back to her hometown during the May Day holiday to see how her family reacted.

However, she didn't listen to her family's arrangements. Bringing Shen Xingchen back to her family to see her was just for their reference and wouldn't change her decision at all.

After dinner, Shen Xingchen wanted Jiang Yuqing to stay at his house for the night and he would send her back the next day.

Jiang Yuqing insisted on going back to her dormitory, and Shen Xingchen didn't force her, so he could only obediently take her back to the shoe factory.

After sending her back, Shen Xingchen didn't go home but went straight back to her dormitory where she worked.

When Jiang Yuqing returned to her dormitory under the moonlight, her good friend Qi Qiaodi immediately came over to ask her where she had been, guessing whether she had gone on a date.

Jiang Yuqing felt it was time to tell her best friend her secret. After all, they were about to get engaged, and it wouldn't be right to keep it from her best friend any longer.

So Jiang Yuqing quietly whispered in Qi Qiaodi's ear what had happened.

Qi Qiaodi wasn't too surprised; she had already guessed that this guy was in a relationship, but she didn't expect it to have progressed to the point of engagement.

Qi Qiaodi didn't say anything more to stop her, but simply congratulated her on her upcoming marriage. She also advised her to learn to protect herself and maintain a good relationship with her mother-in-law, among other things.

Jiang Yuqing then inquired about Qi Qiaodi, who said she wasn't sure what kind of boyfriend she wanted. She suggested meeting him when she went home for the May Day holiday.

At first, Qi Qiaodi kept receiving his letters but didn't reply. After seven letters in a row, she felt she should reply out of politeness, and the two even found common ground.

They exchanged letters and got to know each other for a while. They felt things were going well and had more and more to talk about. The only question was what he looked like and whether they were compatible.

Jiang Yuqing comforted her, "Don't overthink it, the soldier brother is definitely right, he must be a handsome young man."

Qi Qiaodi smiled helplessly, "I hope so!"

…………

Time flies by, and soon it's time for the May Day holiday.

Yunya and the others took a direct bus home. Qi Qiaodi, on the other hand, took the train home.

Jiang Yuqing and Shen Xingchen took the train home together. They brought a lot of things, including gifts and a bankbook.

This bankbook contains the betrothal gifts that Shen Xingchen gave. However, his parents live far away and cannot go with him now. They will go after the woman's family agrees.

The car arrived at its destination smoothly and without any major setbacks. The train sped along the tracks, and after an overnight journey, it also arrived at its destination peacefully.

As soon as Qi Qiaodi got out of the car, she saw a tall figure in military uniform looking around in the crowd.

Her heart skipped a beat, and she felt inexplicably nervous.

The soldier seemed to have seen her too, and strode over, smiling as he said, "Hello, Qi Qiaodi, I'm Gu Jingxuan. I'm so glad you're back."

Qi Qiaodi looked up and was immediately drawn to his deep eyes, thinking that this soldier was indeed a handsome young man, just as Jiang Yuqing had said.

Her parents, who were there to pick her up, were already waiting at the exit. When they saw their daughter and the young man her sister had introduced them to come out together, chatting and laughing, they felt that things were going well.

As Qi Qiaodi walked, she asked him in confusion, "Gu Jingxuan, how did you recognize me? We've never met before."

Gu Jingxuan smiled slightly, his face warm and friendly. "Your aunt showed me your photos."

Qi Qiaodi blushed, lowered her head shyly, and complained, "Auntie, how could you just show my photos to other people like that?"

Gu Jingxuan smiled and coughed lightly, finding the girl's personality even more interesting than what he had learned from her reply.

The two walked out of the station side by side. Qi Qiaodi looked up and saw her parents. She ran over and hugged her mother.

Her mother, Liang Qian, hugged her daughter and gently patted her back, saying, "It's good that you're back, it's good that you're back."

Her father, Qi Donghai, looked at her with a smile and said, "My child is back. Come on, let's go home."

Gu Jingxuan carried her luggage to a car parked by the roadside, opened the door, and invited them to get in…