"Oh Lord, when did you arrive? You frightened the life out of my wife just now."
"Hehe, grandma, I've been here for a while now, but you were all chatting so enthusiastically that I didn't dare interrupt. Here, have some sunflower seeds, don't be shy, what's going on, who's got their eye on whom?"
Shen Meng took out a big handful of plain sunflower seeds from her pocket, giving everyone a small handful each. Gossip is a catalyst for human connection, and once the old ladies got their hands on their snack, they popped a seed into their mouths and sighed at its fragrance.
Eating someone's food obligates you, so naturally Shen Meng was pulled into their circle of gossip, and one kindly grandma even made room for her at the center.
"Who else could it be but Lai Zi? You don't know, yesterday, during the grain and meat distribution, I noticed those two hadn't come to postpone, oh my, it was such an eyesore."
