Rebirth in 1980: The Farm Wife Makes a Comeback
Chapter 442: Sisters

Chapter 442: Chapter 442: Sisters

After all, they are sisters, right? She may not agree, but she wouldn’t kick someone when they’re down, would she?

"Grandpa, this is my girlfriend," Song Wang brought Qin Xiangmei to meet Mr. Sun. The atmosphere here isn’t great; her parents really disapprove of Qin Xiangmei. Qin Xiangmei has also graduated, and although he has found her a good job, if it drags on, who knows when she’ll be able to get married.

He has to come up with a solution, which ultimately led them to Mr. Sun.

Mr. Sun scrutinized Qin Xiangmei from head to toe. He really didn’t like her loud red and green clothes and her heavily made-up face, but since she was a guest, he didn’t show a long face and had his spouse prepare a table full of dishes.

Mr. Sun rarely spoke. Although Qin Xiangmei’s behavior was quite decent, she still came from a modest background. For someone like Mr. Sun, who’s been through the wars, there was still some fear, so compared to her usual behavior, she seemed somewhat diminished.

"Grandpa probably doesn’t know, right?" Song Wang chimed in at the right moment to smooth things over, also to avoid the too awkward silence. If nobody talked, it was almost suffocating.

"Know what?" Mr. Sun’s attitude was just as aloof as ever.

Song Wang couldn’t help feeling disappointed. It looked like Qin Xiangmei didn’t catch grandpa’s eye. He really didn’t understand what charm Qin Xiangnuan possessed that even the typically haughty grandpa took a liking to her. Even though she was married, he still wanted him to woo her away.

They were both born to the same father, so Qin Xiangmei should not be too bad, right?

As he carefully considered the similarities between Qin Xiangmei and Qin Xiangnuan, he seemed to realize they really had nothing in common. Although they were sisters, if said aloud, it was unlikely anyone would believe it. They looked different, and their temperaments were worlds apart. One could say that neither sister resembled Qin Guohua; one took after Du Ping, and the other after Hu Li, so on the surface, indeed, no one could see the other’s shadow in them.

He placed his hand on Qin Xiangmei’s shoulder and nudged her forward.

"Grandpa, can’t you see who Xiang Mei resembles?"

Mr. Sun didn’t even lift an eyelid, "I haven’t noticed her resembling anyone."

"Her name is Qin Hemei, grandpa, doesn’t that remind you of someone?" Song Wang steered Mr. Sun’s thoughts towards another person.

Mr. Sun slightly squinted his eyes, a glint briefly flashing in his gaze, "What’s her relationship with that young girl?" And by that young girl, he naturally meant Qin Xiangnuan, whom Mr. Sun truly liked—for her composure, her ability to live well independently, and most importantly, her calligraphy that caught his eye, as well as the set of clothing she made every year which was not in vain.

And as one related to Qin Xiangnuan, naturally, his affection could extend by association, and it seemed his attitude toward Qin Xiangmei wasn’t as stern as before.

"They are sisters," said Song Wang with a smile, "Grandpa, don’t you think this is fate?"

Mr. Sun observed Qin Xiangmei for a while, not seeing any resemblance.

Song Wang felt a bit embarrassed, "Not every pair of sisters look alike, right?"

Mr. Sun didn’t quarrel with his granddaughter-in-law about this. He stood up, walked into the house, and left Song Wang and Qin Xiangnuan exchanging puzzled glances, not understanding what had upset the old gentleman this time. Soon, Mr. Sun emerged, holding paper and a writing brush in his hand.

He placed the paper and brush properly, then stood aside with one hand also behind his back.

"Come here and write a few characters."

"Grandpa..." Song Wang was somewhat dumbfounded. What was all this about? Qin Xiangmei wore the same expression. Write? Write what? She could handle a pen, but she had no clue how to use a brush. She had even forgotten how to hold it, let alone write with it.

"That little girl writes beautifully," Mr. Sun stated without moving, his expression unchanging. "Since you’re sisters, if she can do it, surely you must know some too, right?"

"I..." Qin Xiangmei clenched her pants tightly, feeling her face burning.

"Mhm," Mr. Sun was waiting, "What’s the matter, come and write."

"I..." Qin Xiangmei nearly choked on her own saliva and after a long pause, whispered embarrassingly, "I don’t know how to write."

"You don’t know how to write?" Mr. Sun’s eyes rounded in disbelief. "Aren’t you said to be sisters? It doesn’t make sense that one can write and the other can’t. Could it be that your parents focused all their efforts on Qin Xiangnuan and paid no attention to you?"

But if that were truly the case, how could that young girl have been selling things alone in the park, enduring the sun and wind? She had said she was earning her tuition and living expenses. What about Qin Xiangmei then? Could it be that they both grew up neglected by their parents?

Qin Xiangmei naturally dared not mention what Hu Li and Qin Guohua had done in the past. Whoever heard it would surely criticize them. They had abandoned their sick daughter and didn’t even save their seriously ill son over some tens of yuan needed for living expenses. That’s why Qin Xiangyang and Qin Xiangnuan, still children at the time, had endured their suffering silently and chose to sever ties with Qin Guohua, not for any other reason than the simple desire to survive.

The matter was no small affair in Dadao Village, nor was it secret. After all, it had only been a few years, and most of the villagers would have heard something about it.

Mr. Sun was thoroughly disappointed. Although they were sisters, he really couldn’t find anything likable about this Qin Xiangmei. She lacked steadiness and was not spirited. Even though she was pretty, one glance revealed her poor temperament.

What good is a pretty face for a woman? He didn’t understand what sort of spell Qin Xiangmei had cast on Song Wang, as he seemed blindly devoted to her.

By the next year, as winter approached, Qin Xiangnuan’s store was finally renovated. The construction team that Jian Zhiqing knew used the best materials without cutting corners. The style of the renovation was Qin Xiangnuan’s own idea – bright and beautiful colors. The place was large and therefore, looked both high-end and elegant.

The name was quite nice, too.

Cafe Women’s Fashion

Chosen by Qin Xiangnuan, it was a chic name that included foreign words, and it would be a top choice for fashionable women.

The interior decor followed the style of future brand name women’s stores. Unlike other small and large stores that cluttered walls with hanging garments, hers was different. The clothes were displayed on racks, arranged seemingly haphazardly, yet there was an order to be found upon closer inspection.

To the right were a row of fitting rooms. Outside each fitting room was a tall mirror. The entrance had been replaced with clear glass, making the inside completely visible from the outside. A few mannequins in the window struck unique poses, sitting or forming various shapes. They were beautiful and had hair. If a bald figure were placed there, Qin Xiangnuan felt it would spoil her mood.