Xiao Chenyue managed to maintain her composure, holding Minmin, and glanced at Xiao Chenye, "We’re just having a heart-to-heart as young girls, and you want to eavesdrop? Aren’t you embarrassed?"
"Whose heart-to-heart is as blatant as yours?"
Xiao Chenye retorted, found sothing in the house, and went out.
Wen Ran chuckled on the side, Xiao Chenyue helplessly said, "Stop laughing, it’s a bit embarrassing."
"I didn’t say anything."
"Forget it, forget it," Xiao Chenyue still reminded, "We can’t lose our books. If we want Huaxia to prosper more, we must have intellectuals."
"Yeah," Wen Ran turned serious a bit, "I understand everything you’ve said, you told before when you left.
Although I’m a bit foolish, I’m not unaware of good words, I keep studying, flipping through books whenever I have ti, rest assured."
"That’s good then."
...
Gula ca over shortly, not only tidied himself up but also carried a lamb, "Uncle, Auntie, I’m here."
Mr. Xiao and Mrs. Xiao were dumbfounded seeing the lamb in Gula’s hands, "Oh, you child, we just called you for a al, why did you bring sothing?"
Gula smiled, his usual seriousness diluted, looking a bit naive.
He held up the lamb, explaining, "It’s fragrant, ho-raised, brought for Uncle and Aunt, and the younger ones to taste."
"Such a waste."
"It’s not a waste, I can eat too. If I don’t bring sothing, I’m embarrassed to eat."
With warm greetings on one side, Mr. Xiao and Mrs. Xiao, the old couple, inquired about Gula’s family in a roundabout way.
Hongguo ca over, tugged Wen Ran’s arm, whispered, "Sis, he likes Sister Xiao Yue."
Wen Ran: "... Didn’t we just ntion that?"
"It’s different, what you said was just words, I figured it out myself."
Hongguo declared confidently, "Just like that person who likes you."
Wen Ran: "Have you beco a spirit?"
"I just grew eyes."
"Alright, alright," Wen Ran couldn’t outtalk her, pinched Hongguo’s mouth, shaping it into a little beak, "I’m hungry, go fetch sothing to eat."
"Okay!"
With Wen Ran’s order, she imdiately forgot everything, happily ran into the house, and fetched a piece of jerky for Wen Ran.
The two sisters took half a piece each, sitting against the wind, slowly gnawing.
On that side.
"Let do it," Xiao Chenyue looked at Gula fiddling with the lamb, ridiculing, "Such a good thing, if it’s in your hands, it’ll be ruined."
"No need," Gula’s deep blue eyes were full of gentleness, "You rest, I’ll do it."
Xiao Chenyue glanced at her parents, confird the old couple wasn’t looking in her direction, then lowered her head, gritting her teeth, "I know you want to show off, but make it clear.
With your skills, is cooking really a positive demonstration?"
His skills were indeed not worth ntioning.
"If I don’t show, how would you know?"
Xiao Chenyue: "... Is there really no room for negotiation?"
She didn’t want to eat charcoal tonight.
Gula smiled, the ssage was clear, no negotiation.
He pulled out two jars of honey from his pocket, handed one to Xiao Chenyue, "Take it for everyone to make tea."
"Alright then."
The silly son-in-law, trying all ans to show off, Xiao Chenyue didn’t stop him. If his performance splits...
Deal with it then.
Mr. Xiao and Mrs. Xiao were busy preparing dishes, Xiao Chenye quickly repaired and reinforced everything at ho that was already or almost broken.
Everyone had their duties.
Xiao Chenxing finished her howork in the house, took advantage of the wind calming down, brought Minmin out, and put her in Wen Ran’s arms.
The three big and one small sat in a row, enjoying the prairie sunset together.
"Oh no! Ranran, Minmin is gnawing on your jerky!"
"Huh?"
Wen Ran looked down, saw Minmin’s red little mouth sucking on the jerky, biting with vigor.
Seeing Wen Ran looking at her, she grinned, the saliva on the jerky stretching thin.
Wen Ran: "..."
Her eyes betrayed, what to do? Soone save her?
Is this jerky to eat, or not to eat, or not to eat?
Everyone laughed heartily at the scene, Xiao Chenye revealed a mouthful of white teeth while laughing.
He washed his hands, took Minmin from Wen Ran’s arms, and deftly stuffed the jerky into his mouth.
"It’s fine, kids teething uncomfortably, just find sothing to gnaw on."
Mr. Xiao brought out a teething stick made from a wild pepper tree, which finally ca in handy.
After checking it carefully, put it in a pot to boil, then handed it to Minmin.
Minmin stretched out her chubby little hand, hugging the teething stick tight, gnawing adorably.
Watching from the side, Gula couldn’t help it anymore, stood up, and reached out his hand to Minmin, "Hug hug."
"Ah yay~" Minmin giggled, opened her little hands into Gula’s embrace.
Gula wiped Minmin’s little face, holding her back by the fire, carefully roasting the lamb.
That skilled look, surely hadn’t missed holding often.
Xiao Chenye’s heart, which was hanging in midair, eased a bit.
This man looked fierce and intimidating, but actually...
Tough on the outside, tender on the inside.
Xiao Chenyue tidied up the house, turned around to see, that little lamb roasted by Gula looked decent, even brushed with honey, golden and fragrant.
Xiao Chenyue: "???
She was stunned.
She dashed over and said curiously, "Aren’t you unable to cook?"
Gula hugged Minmin, and said in a muffled voice, "When did I ever say I couldn’t cook?"
"No, it’s just that-that one ti, when I went to find you, the food in your pot was almost burnt to charcoal."
Gula: "... I was injured and overslept that ti."
So, all along, it had been her own wishful thinking.
"Then why didn’t you say anything afterward?"
She was grateful that Gula saved her, and since she had accidentally hurt him before, she cooked a little more and sent it to Gula.
Gradually, the two beca more familiar with each other.
"If I had said sothing," Gula raised his head, a subtle smile in his deep blue eyes, "would we be like this now?"
Xiao Chenyue was dumbfounded, "You set up?"
"If you insist on understanding it that way, then sure."
Xiao Chenyue couldn’t suppress her smile, raising her hand to punch him twice, "Just wait, I’ll settle the score with you later."
Seeing the two so sweet, Wen Ran’s mouth was about to split from smiling.
But, in this world, most things co with both blessings and misfortunes; the happier you are now, the more likely you’ll be crying later.
Dinner was quite sumptuous, with chicken stewed with mushrooms, spicy stir-fried chicken, pork and vermicelli stew with cabbage, and a small honeyed lamb as an extra.
All solid dishes.
Just as the food was served, Xiao Chengguang returned.
"Hey~ such a feast tonight," Xiao Chengguang took off his hat, "did you know I’d be back?"
Mrs. Xiao glanced at him with mock annoyance, "Stop flattering yourself, grab the chopsticks so we can all enjoy a good al."
Wen Ran’s first bite was the pork and vermicelli stew.
The little boar didn’t have that strong of a taste; it was tender and had just the right balance of fat. With just one bite, Wen Ran felt her cravings satisfied.
She had a couple of sips of mare’s milk wine, feeling completely at ease~
In the candlelight, Wen Ran’s cheeks were flushed, and seeing this, Hongguo was frightened, "Sis! Stop drinking, you’ll get drunk if you keep going."
"I’m not," Wen Ran argued, "Mare’s milk wine is mostly milk, just a little alcohol, don’t worry, I won’t get drunk."
Hongguo: "."
Sis, have you forgotten the last disaster?
She was helpless and could only watch Wen Ran continue drinking.
Mrs. Xiao reassured, "It’s okay, we’re at ho, nothing will happen."
Alright then.
Everyone was very happy, even Minmin was in Gula’s arms, licking the sweet honeyed lamb.
Gula hadn’t eaten much spicy food before, so he found Mrs. Xiao’s spicy stir-fried rabbit to be novel.
His mouth was red, but his eyes were bright, "This is good, it warms you up."
"Hahaha, you like it? I brought a lot of chilies this ti; I’ll leave you so seeds so you can plant them when spring cos."
"Thank you, Auntie."
After eating and drinking, Gula was leaving, and Xiao Chenyue stood up, "I’ll see you out."
Xiao Chenye: "..."
He pulled Xiao Chenyue back, "Knock it off, you’ll walk him ho, and then what? He’ll walk you back?"
Xiao Chenyue stifled, "You little punk, only you have a smart mouth."
"I’ll go," he stood up, smiling, "it’s perfect, I can see where Gula lives and find him for a stroll in the future."
"Alright," Gula said good-naturedly, "let’s walk together."
The two figures disappeared into the courtyard, and Xiao Chenyue was a bit worried. Mrs. Xiao reassured, "Relax, Chenye is a lot more reliable now."
"Yeah, I know, it’s just..."
Heartstrings tugged.
"What’s wrong?" Wen Ran stood up, feeling dizzy; she realized her brain had been taken over by alcohol, "It’s late, ti to sleep."
Xiao Chenyue caught the staggering Wen Ran with a scream, "Heavens, how much did you let her drink?"
How did she get so drunk?
Wen Ran felt the world spinning, but her mouth was still stubborn.
She struggled to stand straight, extending a finger seriously, "I’m not drunk."
Everyone: "."
People who say they’re not drunk are definitely drunk.
Hongguo shakily lifted her bowl with a mournful face, "Sister Xiao Yue, my sister drank hers and finished my mare’s milk wine too."
Oh no.
Xiao Chenyue now put aside her worries about Gula and Xiao Chenye, focusing entirely on taking care of Wen Ran.
She washed her hands and face, and even went to wash her feet.
"Let do it."
Hongguo ca over, "I can give my sister a massage too, she worked hard hunting today."
"It’s okay," Xiao Chenyue smiled, "I’ll do it, you’ve studied all day, you should rest."
The two couldn’t agree, and Mrs. Xiao ca over, "Then, can I do it?"
"No need, just don’t add to the chaos."
In the end, it was Hongguo who washed Wen Ran’s feet, claiming she knew acupressure.
"Oww~~~"
Startled from a dying state, Wen Ran held her foot, bewildered, trembling, "Murder?"
Hongguo blankly extended her hand, "Sis, it’s your kidney that’s not good."
"Wen Hongguo, I’ll throw you up the mountain to feed the wild boars!"
"Hahahaha~"
The small house was filled with laughter and joy.
User Comments
0 comments from readers