Just before noon, Wu Aihua and his wife Miao Cuixian arrived with their son Niuniu. Miao Cuixian was not very tall, looked pretty, had a good complexion and didn't have the usually spoken of ruddy complexion of the people from G Province. When she spoke, her voice was small and slow.
Niuniu was a lively and active child. As soon as he arrived, he ran straight away, hugging one person and then another, playfully chasing the other children.
Wu Aihua was a southerner, radiating an air of scholarly elegance. He greeted Gu Xiaobei with a smile and then went to watch over his son, ensuring he didn't knock over the little ones.
Miao Cuixian entered the kitchen laughing, offering to help. Gu Xiaobei politely declined, "You don't need to lift a finger. I'm almost done, just a little stir-frying left."
"It's okay, I can wash some dishes." Miao Cuixian said, still laughing.
