Joyful Motherhood in a Rural Family

He quickly handed the candies to YingEr before turning back to look at Di Xuan and then shaking his head with a face of confusion, “Actually, I was very curious too. At the time, when Xuan’er passed the test, the old gentleman asked my name and asked why I participated in the test. After thinking, I just answered truthfully.”

“What did you say?” Liu Sisi asked curiously.

As Zhang Yun spoke, several people gathered around to listen to his answer.

Zhang Yun looked at Di Xuan with some embarrassment, “I didn’t say anything, I just said that because Xuan’er participated, I participated. I want to protect Xuan’er and never let him suffer!”

“Just like that? And he let you pass?”

Liu Sisi was a bit incredulous.

“No! He then came closer and felt the muscles on my arms. He must have thought that my muscles were a lot, so he nodded his head and then let me pass!”

It was clear that Zhang Yun was very happy.

“Why did he feel your muscles? Was it to feel your bones?”

On the contrary, Di Ye Lei raised another idea.

Zhang Peng also scratched his head, “This… Shouldn’t it? Going to village school and feeling bones? This is the first time I’ve heard someone say that.”

Di Ye Lei was also a bit hesitant, “I used to hear about it when I went out to do odd jobs for others. Some people can judge a person’s honor and fortune by feeling their bones, as well as their future fortune. I don’t know if it’s true?”

“So you mean…”

Liu Sisi swallowed her saliva, “Elder Mr. Xu can judge a person’s fortune and choose students by feeling their bones? That can’t be right?”

“This… I don’t know, after all, no one knows the purpose of his actions!” Di Ye Lei hesitated as he spoke.

Everyone stared at each other, unable to figure it out, they could only let it be.

The next day, as Di Ye Lei was busy making the last small lantern, there was a barking sound at the entrance.

“Old Cheng, Old Cheng!”

Di Ye Lei yelled twice, but didn’t hear Old Cheng’s reply. So he got up to open the door himself.

Liu Sisi, who had just finished coaxing Da Mao to take a nap, also poked her head out from the room, “I asked Old Cheng to send some preserved tofu to Land Officer’s home, he should not be back yet. Who’s here?”

This preserved tofu was made from the leftover tofu from before the year. Liu Sisi had squeezed it out in her spare time.

At that time, since there were two families to eat, Liu Sisi made so much tofu. Because there were no containers, she wrapped them in filter cloth and put them in one corner of the large water tank. After eating all kinds of meat for the year, there was still a lot of tofu left. Two days ago, when they opened the bottom ones, they found mold on the top. Seeing that there were so many moldy tofu left, it was a pity to throw them away, so Liu Sisi had a bright idea and decided to make preserved tofu.

That’s why she was busy this morning and happened to be seen by Land Officer’s wife who was visiting. Smelling the fragrant seasonings, the woman couldn’t help but drool, and Liu Sisi offered to give her a jar.

So after sealing all the preserved tofu, she left a small jar and asked Old Cheng to send it to Land Officer’s wife.

As Liu Sisi asked, she looked towards the entrance to see who had come.

As the courtyard door was opened by Di Yelei, an unexpected figure appeared.

The visitor looked embarrassed, glanced up at Di Yelei, and then at Liu Sisi, standing still and dumbfounded.

“It turns out that Lady Mother-in-law is visiting. Please come in quickly!”

Di Yelei was the first to come to his senses, hurriedly inviting Ms. Yao inside.

Ms. Yao’s head hung low, and after barely raising her eyes to look at Liu Sisi, she lowered her head again: “Sisi…”

While talking, she subconsciously hid the three lanterns she was holding behind her, one large and two small.

Liu Sisi’s gaze darkened slightly: “Mom, did you come here alone? Oh my! Look at all the snow on you! Hurry! Come inside and rest, it’s so cold outside!” Liu Sisi went forward and helped Ms. Yao into the house.

Ms. Yao was shivering from the cold. With Liu Sisi’s help, she cleaned the accumulated snow off herself and finally entered the house.

Elderly Mr. Di also heard the noise at the entrance and came out with his crutch to greet Ms. Yao.

After the greetings, Liu Sisi quickly helped Ms. Yao to sit down by the bonfire.

She also helped her remove the outer straw coat and bamboo hat. Seeing that Ms. Yao’s shoes were soaked, Liu Sisi hurriedly went back into the house and brought her own cotton shoes for Ms. Yao to change into.

“Mom, take off your wet shoes first. Cold feet can make your whole body freeze!”

As she spoke, she bent down to put down the shoes, but Ms. Yao took the opportunity to help her up.

“Sisi, don’t worry about it. I’ll be going back in a while. Your father is still waiting for me to cook at home.”

“What do you mean ‘going back’? On this cold day, you rarely come here. You should stay and rest for a few days before going back. Isn’t your oldest daughter-in-law at home? What are you worried about? Quickly, take off your wet shoes.”

Liu Sisi became a little angry and tried to pull off Ms. Yao’s shoes.

Ms. Yao quickly reached out and grabbed Liu Sisi’s hand. Her icy cold hand made Liu Sisi shiver involuntarily, but she couldn’t break free. It’s hard to believe, Ms. Yao looked petite, but her grip was exceptionally strong!

“Sisi! What about your older brother… if I don’t go back tonight…”

Ms. Yao’s words stopped abruptly.

Mentioning Liu Baihan made Liu Sisi furious!

“Mom! How can you still spoil him? Look at what he’s done!”

Liu Sisi angrily recounted what Liu Baihan had done that day: “If he hadn’t sent a lantern, Sisi wouldn’t have been angry. But what he sent was a stick with a noisy half-piece of red paper. How can that be called a lantern? All he ever talks about is money, and even his two young nephews have learned how to scam money by pretending to be dead. It’s outrageous!”

“What? Is it really as you say?”

Ms. Yao was surprised: “But your brother said…”

“Hmph! I don’t know what my brother said. But the whole village was watching at the time. In the end, the fellow villagers threw my elder brother out of Upper Village. Mom, if you don’t believe me, you can ask any villager about that day’s events, and you’ll know the truth.” Liu Sisi’s face didn’t look good either.

“Is it really like that? I… I’ll ask about it in detail when I go back, and I won’t let you be wronged.”