January 29, 1994, the eighteenth day of the twelfth lunar month. Light snow.
Though it was not yet year-end, everyone from the Li family had gathered at Li Ye's home today. Even Li Kaijian, the bargain-bin father who was always too busy with work to visit more than a few times a year, had come.
The reason for this massive mobilization was that today was the birthday of Li Ye's bargain-bin younger sister, Li Juan.
Ordinarily, a girl's birthday should not have been celebrated with such fanfare. But a few days ago, the precocious Little Pouch had overheard her "Third Aunt" making a phone call, acting all mysterious as if she were dating someone.
Li Juan was in a free relationship? This was no small matter. Grandmother Wu Juying and the others immediately began questioning her, but Li Juan clenched her teeth and refused to admit it even if beaten to death. If Li Ye had not stopped her, Grandmother Wu Juying might have employed the methods she had once used to interrogate traitors.
But after playing the good guy to her face, Li Ye kept watch instead. Following a period of careful observation, he felt that this younger sister of his really did seem to have something going on.
A sister who was dating was different from one who was not. Li Juan herself could not tell, but she could not escape Li Ye's sharp eyes.
But this was a new society now, and young people all had their own insistence on freedom. Since Li Juan would not say anything, they could not exactly press her. After everyone discussed it, they decided to celebrate Li Juan's birthday and use "family affection" to move her together.
*You won't admit it, will you? Fine, then. Your brother agreed with you back