The group finished dividing the goods and prepared to leave.
Xu Chongshan hadn’t even taken a step when he heard a familiar laugh. He imdiately asked, "Is Da Wa here?"
Gu Jiaojiao nodded. "His mother stopped by to rest for a bit today and brought the kids along. They were having so much fun with Xiao Yang that I let them stay. I figured they could wait for you to co back and take them ho."
If they were in the village, the children could have run ho by themselves.
But her house was at the foot of the mountain, and there was a deserted stretch of road on the way. It was safer for an adult to take them back.
Gu Jiaojiao went into the room to call the kids, who were still completely absorbed in their gas.
They had failed to assemble Sweet Girl’s puzzle toy several tis, but they were starting to figure out the pattern. They rembered their mistakes and had now managed to put together a larger shape.
As for Xiao Yang’s Lu Ban Lock, they had tried all sorts of thods but still couldn’t solve the second one.
The children were so engrossed that they didn’t even notice it had gotten dark outside.
Fortunately, the children knew it was ti to go ho. They helped Sweet Girl put her toys away, put on their padded winter jackets, and ca out.
Xu Chongshan patted Da Wa on the head. "Playing so late... Your mom’s going to give you an earful when you get ho."
Da Wa was quick-witted. "Dad, that’s not how it is. We were waiting for you to pick us up. You’re the one who got back late, so we have no choice but to go ho late."
"Besides, you wouldn’t make a delicate lady like our auntie walk us ho, would you?"
Xu Chongshan laughed in exasperation. "So you think you’re in the right, do you?"
The two of them, father and son, bantered playfully.
Da Hu and Er Hu stood on either side of Xu Chongfeng. Compared to Xu Chongshan, Xu Chongfeng was much calr and more serious, and his sons took after him in temperant.
They spoke up first. "Dad, Uncle Leng made a lot of toys for Sweet Girl and Xiao Yang. They’re really interesting! We thought about them all afternoon and didn’t even finish one. Can I co back to play with Xiao Yang tomorrow?"
Xu Chongfeng was about to refuse.
But Gu Jiaojiao chid in with a smile, "Of course, you can! Once you’ve solved all these toys, I’ll have your Uncle Leng make you new ones."
Seeing Gu Jiaojiao so happy, Leng Yuan added,
"Those toys are good for exercising the mind. The more you play, the smarter you’ll get."
Xu Chongfeng swallowed the refusal on the tip of his tongue. ’He would definitely bring the children back tomorrow.’
Xu Chongshan’s face lit up with understanding.
"No wonder Da Wa is so clever today! It must be from playing with those toys."
Da Wa: ...
Chen JianShe ca forward and clapped Da Wa on the shoulder. "So, all this ti your dad’s thought you weren’t very bright, huh!"
Da Wa: ...
Zhao Tiezhu looked at Gu Jiaojiao and Leng Yuan, his eyes shining. ’He wanted to send his child over, too,’ he thought, ’but unfortunately, his own wasn’t old enough.’
Xu Chongfeng looked at his young daughter, wanting to hold her. But he had just returned from the mountain and reeked of blood, so he had to give up on the idea.
He turned back to Da Hu and Er Hu and said,
"You two hold your sister’s hands. Don’t let her fall, understand?"
The two boys went and took their sister’s hands.
And just like that,
the n and the four children headed off, their laughter echoing as they walked across the silvery, frost-covered ground.
Once they were gone, Leng Yuan got to work.
He butchered the roe deer, placed the at in the large iron pot outside, and weighted it down with a heavy stone.
Overnight, the at would freeze solid, making it easy to just break off a piece whenever they wanted to eat so.
「Two days passed.」
The deadline Village Chief Xu had given Yun Hao arrived. Over the past two days, Yun Hao had figured things out.
’Since Village Chief Xu wanted him to marry Xu Wenwan, fine. He would marry her.’
’But *how* he married her... well, that was his own business.’
Yun Hao rose bright and early and headed straight for Village Chief Xu’s house.
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