The reservoir’s water level has dropped? Xu Mumu was stunned for a mont; the reservoir here is very large, so if the water level has dropped, the amount of water reduced must be significant.
"How much has it dropped?" Xu Mumu asked with a slight frown.
"It’s just a bit higher than when the reservoir burst last year. Many people have gone to the reservoir to catch fish, but there are patrols over there, so you can’t just catch people as you wish. If you get caught, you’ll be held and criticized," Xu Jiaojiao thought for a mont and said.
"It’s dropped that much?" Xu Mumu was montarily stunned. Although water had long been pumped for the fields and the reservoir’s water had been released continuously, although not much, there was still so flow back, but this year’s water level is much lower than in previous years.
Xu Mumu looked at the scorching sun outside; it shouldn’t be a drought year, right?
However, it’s indeed hotter this year than in past years. Even soone as heat-tolerant as her felt hot, and the temperature outside was really not low.
After resting at ho for a while, Madam Chen returned with her little grandson, contented but with much sweat on her forehead, holding her little grandson with one hand and fanning herself with the other. The little guy looked listless, clearly feeling the heat.
Concerned about the little one getting heatstroke, Xu Mumu wiped him down with warm water and then fanned him with a leaf fan.
In the kitchen, Qian Ying was already busy. Xu Mumu didn’t offer to help; instead, while fanning Xu Mingfeng, she held a junior high school textbook and began to read.
The reservoir isn’t sothing she should worry about; even if there might be a drought, it’s the governnt’s concern. Even if she’s worried, she can’t help much.
So, in this world, she’d rather prepare her lessons well.
The lunch was quite sumptuous. The whole family gathered to eat, and the Xu He brothers did ntion the dropping water level, but it was only briefly. Even if there was a shortage, they wouldn’t be affected, so they didn’t think much about it.
After an afternoon nap, Xu Mumu gathered the children around, and even Xu Wan ca along. Stimulated by her younger brothers and sisters, she didn’t want to fall behind.
Xu Mumu was satisfied with the outco. All the children had textbooks, with Xu Wan using Xu Xue’s old textbooks since Xu Xue had gone to college, leaving them at ho for her to use.
Xu Mumu intentionally sped up the lessons since the children had pre-studied so materials, and the idea of skipping a grade had likely been discussed long ago.
Knowing their learning progress, Xu Mumu taught the lessons even faster.
However, Xu Mumu controlled the pace well, stopping just before they reached their limit.
Teaching the children how to read was quite interesting; at least Xu Mumu enjoyed it.
But after the little brother woke up, he was a bit mischievous, pulling one brother’s book one mont and grabbing a sister’s hair the next. It was quite tempting to kick him out.
Once back ho, the child adapted perfectly, playing happily everywhere. Missing his parents wasn’t even on his mind.
It was only after Qian Ying noticed the little one disturbing them that she coaxed him away with a piece of egg cake, and the little guy wasn’t afraid of strangers.
In the second room, there was another child about his age. Although Kangkang couldn’t walk on his own yet, little friend Xu Mingfeng was very curious about this little brother.
On the bed in the second room, the two little ones quickly started playing together. Although Xu Xue was sowhat reluctant, she dutifully kept an eye on little friend Xu Mingfeng.
Looking at the healthy Xu Mingfeng and then at the frail Kangkang, Xu Xue felt her heart wrench. Fengfeng seed much taller than Kangkang, almost as if Fengfeng were the older brother.
The small courtyard was very quiet, with Xu He and the couple from the fourth house each at work, and the elderly couple out playing, probably boasting.
The elderly couple returned by evening, carrying a lot of items, so from other people’s private gardens, and others were fruits given by other team mbers.
"Mom, did you bring back so much stuff again?" Sun Huiping said with so emotion as she wiped her face with cold water. Yesterday they also received quite a lot of vegetables from team mbers, and they hadn’t even finished them yet. Now there’s even more; her mother-in-law sure has skills.
"Of course, I’ll make them into pickled vegetables," Madam Chen said proudly, finding the two daughters-in-law from her hotown more agreeable now.
"Got it, Mom. I’ll go wash them and put them in the pickling jar right away," Sun Huiping said with a smile. The pickled vegetables were quite appetizing, and the pickled vat never lasted long.
After the pickled vegetables were ready, dinner preparations began. With a bit of money in the family now, they were more liberal with oil and salt, and the food tasted quite good. Even the wild vegetable cakes were much more aromatic, unlike when she first ca, when the cakes had no flavor and were slightly bitter, even scratching the throat.
Although the cakes were still made with coarse grains, they were ground finer, without things like rice bran, and they added salt and eggs, naturally improving the flavor.
Little friend Xu Mingfeng was happily munching on a cake, but as for Kangkang, his health wasn’t very good, so he was still on formula, with little of the food given to him, only letting him taste a bit.
Seeing how carefully the child was being raised, Xu Mumu didn’t say much, and Madam Chen and the others didn’t either. They’d already divided the household, and the formula wasn’t sothing the elderly couple would have to pay for, so he could eat if he wanted to. After all, that troubleso girl Xu Xue was quite a handful.
The night was still a bit hot. Fengfeng slept with the elderly couple, while Xu Mumu sat in the courtyard with a palm-leaf fan. The evening breeze was quite cool, and everyone else in the house had already gone to rest.
After sitting outside for a while, just as Xu Mumu was about to go back inside, Xu Xue ca out too.
Suppressing her desire to return, Xu Mumu saw Xu Xue walking toward her. What did she want? Did she have sothing to discuss?
"I want to ask you sothing," Xu Xue sat down not far from Xu Mumu, her eyes on her. Under the hazy moonlight, she couldn’t see Xu Mumu’s expression clearly.
"What is it?" Xu Mumu paused her fan, asking sowhat nonchalantly.
"It’s about Huo Qingze. Does he have soone special?" Xu Xue pursed her lips and asked; she wouldn’t be at ease without clear answers.
"Soone special? No," Xu Mumu shook her head, looking at Xu Xue with so gossiping intent, "Did he reject the letter you asked to deliver last ti?"
"Yes, he rejected it," Xu Xue pursed her lips tighter, feeling very upset. She thought her relationship with Huo Qingze was good enough, and she wasn’t any worse than others. Why did he reject her?
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