| TBBOTOF | 36
Tang Xu couldn't believe it. He had only intended to help Wei Dong improve his favorability in the old house, but now he was in trouble himself!
Aunt Luo poured a bowl of sweet soup and placed it on the kang table, then took out some melon seeds and handed them to him, saying, "Xu Ge'er, drink some water and eat melon seeds."
Tang Xu: "...” There's really no need to be so obvious about eating melon seeds.
Aunt Luo helped herself to some melon seeds and looked at the old lady, "Mother, did you ask? Whose kid is he?"
Wu Guizhi gave her a glance and said impatiently, "We've only just started talking, and you're already here."
Aunt Luo grabbed some melon seeds for the old lady too, "Mother, have some. Let's chat while we eat."
Tang Xu cracked some melon seeds, "Who roasted these seeds? They're really good, very fragrant!"
Aunt Luo gestured towards the old lady, "Your grandmother roasted them. With decades of experience, how could they not be fragrant?"
"Next time, grandmother should roast some for me too. I'll sneakily hide them and eat them without giving any to them." Tang Xu grinned and winked at the old lady, "Ah Yang's nose is too sensitive. If he catches the scent of these fragrant seeds, he'll confiscate them all in a day."
This joke made the old lady laugh heartily. She reached out and lightly pinched his ear, "Look at you being so stingy! When the new seeds come, grandmother will roast some for you. I'll roast a whole bunch for you to hide and eat."
"Thank you, grandmother. Grandmother is really kind." Tang Xu chuckled and sipped his sweet soup from the bowl.
Aunt Luo chimed in, "Your grandmother is good to you. She's always thinking about finding a suitable family for you."
Tang Xu smiled knowingly. He thought it was time to be straightforward about this matter, rather than letting them guess randomly and create unnecessary drama.
"No need to trouble Aunt Luo," he scratched his jaw lightly, "I've found someone I like."
Wu Guizhi and Aunt Luo exchanged a glance, then both turned to look at Tang Xu. The old lady spoke first, "Whose family? How old are they? How many people are there in their family? Are they poor?"
With four consecutive questions, Tang Xu laughed so hard his shoulders shook.
Aunt Luo lightly patted him, "Your grandmother is asking you a question, why are you laughing?"
"Being asked in such detail all at once, I'm not sure how to answer," Tang Xu chuckled and explained, seeing them both starting to glare, he quickly added, "Aunt Luo's guess just now was right. He gave me the fish, and today I went to his house to help him with a small favor."
"You went to his house?" Aunt Luo exclaimed.
The old lady frowned disapprovingly, "You haven't even confirmed your relationship and you went to his house? His elders might dislike you."
"He doesn't have any elders," Tang Xu muttered.
Wu Guizhi raised her eyebrows in surprise, "No elders? Not a single one? That's not good. Without elders to support him, how can the situation at home be good?"
The old lady thought it wouldn't do for Tang Xu to find someone on his own. She suspected the guy he chose was probably just a smooth-talking poor boy who managed to charm Tang Xu away.
The clueless and unable to speak well, Wei Dong: ...
Aunt Luo also frowned beside them, looking at Tang Xu with disbelief, speaking urgently, "Xu Ge'er, you can't be easily swayed by someone's sweet talk. These young people nowadays are very good at talking, but their words might not mean much."
Tang Xu's eyelids twitched. He thought if Wei Dong could really sweet-talk him, he'd probably have thrown himself at him by now. As a single man in his thirties who had been single for over twenty years, encountering a handsome man, he was not just talking.
Seeing him silent, thinking he had listened to her words, Aunt Luo glanced at her mother-in-law, "Mother, Xu Ge'er is still young. It's normal for him to be fooled by others. As elders, it's our job to help him see clearly."
Wu Guizhi nodded, patting Tang Xu's head, "You, you've always been obedient since you were young, and your mother isn't the type to teach people. There's no hope for her to help you find a good match."
"Last time, when your Aunt talked about that scholar, I thought it was fine. Although their family is a bit poor, he seems knowledgeable and well-spoken. If he succeeds in the imperial examinations, he might achieve some fame. Even if he doesn't pass the imperial examinations, being a scholar can still secure a government position, which gives hope,"
Tang Xu's mouth twitched as he looked at the old lady. "Grandmother, I don't like weak scholars who don't bother with family matters and only focus on studying. It's not enjoyable."
"Who wouldn't be like that? As long as he can farm and keep you from starving!" The old lady's expression turned serious, losing her smile.
"Can scholars farm?" Tang Xu wasn't afraid of the old lady's stern face at all. He casually cracked some melon seeds. "Besides, if a family can't afford to support a scholar, they probably aren't very prosperous."
He glanced at Aunt Luo, his tone somewhat mocking. "Aunt, am I wrong? His family probably has no siblings and it’s just him and his parents, right? Or maybe there's a younger sister or a few younger sisters, probably not very old. If they're old enough to help out in the fields, they wouldn't be so poor as to marry off their son."
Aunt Luo was taken aback, thinking about the situation of her sister-in-law's nephew's family, which was indeed similar to what Tang Xu said.
The scholar was Zhao Chenhui, the eldest son of the Zhao family in Pingtian Village. They had only one son, and the four siblings below were all daughters. Except for the eldest daughter, who was sixteen and could help with some farm work, the other sisters were all younger, with the youngest being only four years old.
Zhao's parents valued their son greatly and were fond of him. However, one daughter after another was born, all girls.
Zhao Chenhui, nineteen this year, started studying when he was ten years old. At thirteen, he passed the exam for Tongsheng. His parents were overjoyed and boasted that their son was a star of literature who would surely become the top scholar.
Zhao Chenhui studied diligently, almost oblivious to everything else.
Because of years of hard labor, his parents' faces were weathered, and their backs were bent. They couldn't even see properly. When the eldest daughter reached the age to be married, there were many suitors, but the parents refused to let her go.
Their reasons for refusing were even more absurd than Liu Xiangxiang's twenty-two taels. They firmly believed that their eldest son would achieve top honors and become an official in the future. They wanted to marry off their daughters to good families, hoping that their daughters' wealthy husbands would support their son's future career prospects.
To put it simply, Zhao's parents dreamed of their son becoming a top scholar and indoctrinated everyone in the family with this belief. Even if others criticized them, they remained steadfast in their conviction, stubborn to advice.
Aunt Luo was not familiar with them and had only heard a few things from her sister-in-law, so she wasn't entirely clear on the details.
According to her sister-in-law, their family had only one son, and the rest were all daughters.
Although they had a considerable amount of land, they lacked manpower to cultivate it. Even if they rented out the land for farming, they would only earn one or two taels of silver a year, which was insufficient to support a scholar, thus their family remained impoverished.
Tang Xu could tell from her silence that he had guessed correctly. He snorted disdainfully and said, "His parents toiled and labored to support his education. If he really had the conditions to study, he should have done so. Ignoring the family's hardships and focusing solely on studying Confucian classics—what kind of character is that? It's almost like studying too much makes one foolish."
Aunt Luo opened her mouth but couldn't argue with that logic. It made sense.
"Moreover, now that his family claims to be poor and their son is getting older, they want to marry him off first, so he can help support the family. Once he succeeds, they'll kick his spouse, who's been slaving away, to the curb and marry him off to a young and beautiful daughter from a wealthy family, enjoying a carefree life.
Everyone knows that it's not easy to raise sons. In wealthy families, sons don't have to work all day. It's considered a great blessing to have two children in a lifetime, let alone a son who hasn't been carefully nurtured?
If he works himself to exhaustion and can't even produce a son or daughter, they'll find some excuse to kick him out. Who can say they lack conscience? On the contrary, they'll say it's his bad luck, that his body is not up to the task.
Tsk tsk, who wouldn't envy him, becoming an official and marrying a beautiful wife? Who would remember the poor ger who sacrificed so much for him? Families like these will marry anyone, so don't come to me with this marriage, I can't afford it." Tang Xu's eyes grew colder as he spoke, his tone full of mockery.
Even Aunt Luo was stunned by what he said. Without deep thought, it seemed entirely plausible that things could end up like this. Think about those wealthy families— who doesn't have concubines in the backyard? It's the same for officials, whether they're high-ranking or low-ranking, the backyard is always bustling.
A few years ago, Wu Guizhi had heard about a wealthy local landlord who divorced his first wife, who had endured hardships with him, to marry a beautiful woman. His first wife went crazy and stabbed him to death with a knife.
Wu Guizhi grew increasingly worried as she thought about it. She turned to her eldest daughter-in-law and said, "This matter is not to be taken lightly. You go back and tell your sister-in-law. Don't let them think our family has any intentions. If they really want to marry Tang Xu over there, that would be jumping into a fire pit!"
Aunt Luo nodded vigorously. "Yes, yes, you can't marry him. Absolutely not."
Tang Xu achieved his goal and lightly brushed off the melon seed shells on his hands. The attention of the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law returned, only to see him sipping the sweet soup from the bowl, his lips bright red, his brows and eyes seemingly naturally carrying a hint of a smile.
With a palm-sized face and fair skin, a high nose bridge, and a small mouth, Tang Xu's appearance was captivating. Wu Guizhi stared at Tang Xu's face for a while, feeling an inexplicable sense of unease.
"Grandmother, why are you looking at me like that?" Tang Xu noticed the old lady's distracted gaze and raised his hand to touch his face, smiling with narrowed eyes. "Have you noticed that I'm becoming more and more handsome?"
Wu Guizhi nodded slowly and said, "Not only are you becoming more and more handsome, but you're also becoming much more smart."
"After a trip through the gates of hell, one becomes more insightful," Aunt Luo chimed in.
Tang Xu chuckled lightly and said, "Having been through death once, it would be foolish not to see through things. In my earlier years, my mind wasn't clear, and I always thought my mother's words were gospel. Now I understand that I have to live my own life. Whether it's comfortable or not, it's all up to me. Grandmother should be happy for me. It's much better than living in a haze all the time."
Wu Guizhi sighed heavily. "What about the person you're interested in? Is he really that good?"
"I think he's quite good. He's handsome, tall, and strong. Although he doesn't have parents anymore, he has many relatives, including a younger brother. I visited his home, and it's quite grand, with a large courtyard and spacious rooms!"
As Tang Xu spoke, he observed the expressions of the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law. The old lady didn't show much change, but Aunt Luo's eyes widened as he closed his mouth.
Aunt Luo couldn't wait to ask, "Is he from the neighboring village? Is his surname Wei?"
Tang Xu raised an eyebrow and smiled, "Does Aunt Luo know Wei Dong?" "Indeed, it's him,"
Aunt Luo sighed heavily. "After all this time, you've only picked him?"
"What's wrong with him? He's reliable and capable. Yes, his brother has been sick and taking medication for years, but they haven't been borrowing money to get by. It doesn't matter if they can't save money; as long as they can earn, it's fine."
Tang Xu took another sip of sweet soup. "We've met a few times, and every time he's offered to help me. Although it wasn't anything major, he didn't ask for anything in return. Today, I went over to help him weave baskets, and we had lunch at his place. He bought meat and spare ribs the day before and even grilled a big fish for me to take home."
Tang Xu looked at the old lady, his eyes sparkling. "Grandmother, honestly, did Wei Dong create his current situation himself? He managed to raise his younger brother and build his house; that shows capability."
Wu Guizhi frowned, finding his reasoning sound. She looked at her eldest daughter-in-law. "What's Wei Dong's situation exactly?"
"You've probably seen him. For the past two years, he's been selling wild chickens and rabbits in the village. He's tall and well-built, but his face lacks expression, giving him a cold look."
Aunt Luo looked at her mother-in-law and continued, "I heard from the gossiping women in the neighboring village that the Wei brothers have had a tough time. After their mother died, Wei Dong himself didn't have any issues, but he had to take care of his dependent younger brother. Even their relatives in the Wei family didn't treat them well, causing quite a bit of unpleasantness. Eventually, Wei Dong cut ties with them. I'm not sure what exactly happened."
"Is that all? How old is he?" Wu Guizhi felt there should be more to the story.
"He's around twenty? Not sure. I don't go to the neighboring village much," Aunt Luo said, somewhat surprised as she looked at her mother-in-law. She thought the old lady might be interested.
After a moment's thought, she turned to Tang Xu and advised, "But he has a hot temper. I heard he used to get into fights often, and many young men in the neighboring village have been beaten up by him. He's quite fierce."
Tang Xu shrugged indifferently. "Everyone has a temper. If someone provokes me, I'd fight back too."
It didn't take much thinking to realize that the reason Wei Dong resorted to violence was probably because those people had badmouthed Wei Xi. After relying on each other for so many years, Wei Xi was Wei Dong's sensitive spot, and anyone who stepped on it would face his wrath.
Tang Xu believed that this approach was right. Being kind often invites exploitation. Simply tolerating would only encourage those shameless individuals to take advantage of you further, making them perceive you as weak, and they would bully you even more fiercely.
First, you need to hit them where it hurts, make them feel pain and fear, so they understand the consequences of their words. Only then would they stop talking ill of others arrogantly.
The old lady inexplicably shivered, sensing suspicion in his eyes.
She didn't dare to admit that she favored Tang Xu. She felt that Tang Xu had changed too much from what she remembered.
Thinking back to the incident where he had crossed the river, and then he turned out like this after recovering from his illness, the old lady, being old and reverent of ghosts and deities, started imagining things.
She had to admit that her nephew seemed to have a bit of a wicked side. She swallowed and nodded, saying, "Yes, Grandmother always hopes for the best for you."
"Right, Grandmother, rest assured, I will definitely live a prosperous life," Tang Xu said with a sincere smile, then turned to Aunt Luo, "And you too, Aunt, don't worry!"
Aunt Luo sighed. Well, if it weren't for Tang Xu bringing her some money, she probably wouldn't even remember him. Mainly because he had his own parents, and she was just an aunt, talking too much would annoy people.
Now that Tang Xu had made his decision, she didn't say anything more.
"You've grown up, with big ideas. You always have a comeback for everything others say," Aunt Luo said helplessly. "Alright, let's eat here tonight. I'll go stew the fish."
Tang Xu waved his hand and got up. "I brought the fish over because I thought of giving you all a health boost. Everyone's been tired lately. We have a few left at home; I'll stew them later for my parents. Aunt, you've been busy. Grandmother, when I get something good again, I'll bring it for you."
Wu Guizhi nodded with a smile, and both the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law escorted him a few steps outside.
After Tang Xu left, and Wu Guizhi's smile instantly disappeared from her face. She grabbed Luo Pingping's arm with such force that Luo Pingping let out a gasp.
"What's wrong, Mother?" Luo Pingping asked, startled by the sudden grip.
Wu Guizhi's aged eyes were cloudy as she pulled Luo Pingping closer, lowering her voice to ask, "Daughter-in-law, do you think something is off about Tang Xu?"
"What's off?" Luo Pingping thought for a moment, assuming she understood her mother-in-law's meaning. "He has changed quite a bit, but I think he's doing fine. If he were still his old self, Liu Xiangxiang would have sold him for money long ago."
Luo Pingping had been bombarded with questions from everyone she met today, even though she had nothing to do with the matter. Just being questioned made her feel embarrassed.
Wu Guizhi glared at her. "Who told you about that?"
"That's what you meant, right?" Luo Pingping didn't quite understand.
Wu Guizhi pursed her lips, contemplating for a moment before leaning in closer, speaking sternly, "You know about this, and that's enough. Don't tell anyone."
"I understand, Mother. What is it?" Luo Pingping asked.
"Tang Xu is too good-looking," Wu Guizhi paused, thinking, then continued, "He's the best-looking in the entire Tang family."
Luo Pingping was puzzled. The best-looking in the Tang family? That statement sparked her imagination.
She racked her brain, recalling her more than twenty years in the Tang family. She couldn't remember seeing anyone in the Tang family who was more handsome than Tang Xu.
She hadn't noticed it before, but now that her mother-in-law had mentioned it, she felt strange.
"Mother..." Luo Pingping looked at her mother-in-law uncertainly, trying to decipher the meaning behind her words. Then, her heart tightened, and she stammered, "Are you suggesting that Liu Xiangxiang, she... she..."
"She what?" Wu Guizhi's expression turned serious, her eyes cold and sharp as she interrupted Luo Pingping's words.
"She and Erhu are living well!"
Luo Pingping choked for a moment but couldn't hold back her thoughts. "Mother, are you saying that Liu Xiangxiang stole someone?" She immediately denied it herself. Liu Xiangxiang wouldn't dare.
But Tang Xu's face was just too handsome, and there was nothing resembling Liu Xiangxiang in him.
She widened her pupils for a moment, her voice trembling: "Mother, could it be that Xu Ge'er, Xu Ge'er isn't... isn't her child?"
Wu Guizhi's face turned cold as she patted her arm, "Shut up, lower your voice! Keep this to yourself, and don't mention it to anyone else!"
Luo Pingping looked at her blankly, "Mother, what if this is true? Won't Erhu beat Liu Xiangxiang to death?"
"Erhu hasn't noticed after all this time. As long as you don't say anything, he won't find out," Wu Guizhi stared at her intently. "Just pretend we never had this conversation today. If Erhu finds out because of you, I'll make Dahu divorce you!"
Luo Pingping was speechless. "Mother, can I not hope for the best for our family? Don't worry, I won't mention this to anyone else." With their own thoughts, the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law returned to the house. The old lady leaned against the kang, her mind full of Tang Xu's excessively exquisite and beautiful face. Her mind wandered, considering not only the possibilities but also the impossibilities.
What was impossible?
Tang Xu was a kind-hearted but pitiful spirit, the river was unwilling to let him drown, so he possessed him! Now, the person who's alive isn't the original Tang Xu but the spirit!
It is said that mountain spirits are all very beautiful, intelligent, and eloquent. The old lady scared herself into a cold sweat, clasping her hands together and closing her eyes, chanting "Amitabha" incessantly.
On the other hand, Luo Pingping's thoughts were simpler. She only thought that perhaps Liu Xiangxiang had known early on that the child wasn't hers; otherwise, she wouldn't have treated him so poorly from a young age. In her memory, Liu Xiangxiang had never shown an ounce of motherly love towards Tang Xu.
Luo Pingping sighed, forcing herself not to think about it anymore. If she thought about it too much, she might talk in her sleep at night.
…
Tang Xu had brought up the name of Wei Dong to the old lady, and from what she understood today, the old lady didn't seem to want to meddle in his own affairs anymore. It wasn't a very familiar relationship between a grandmother and grandson anyway, so why bother with so much? Just live your own life well.
With things as they were now, everyone was happy. If they didn't cause trouble for themselves, they could also help block Liu Xiangxiang's nagging at the right time. Tang Xu returned home in a very good mood, cleaned up all the fish, cooked the offal, chopped it up, and asked Ah Li to feed it to the chickens.
"Big brother!!! Wow, you're finally back!!!" Tang Yang ran in from outside, seeing Tang Xu scaling fish, and rushed towards him, yelling, "I'm starving to death!"
Tang Xu shrugged, "Seeing me and all you can think about is food?"
Tang Yang blinked innocently, stood properly, and said, "But I haven't had lunch yet, I'm so hungry. And why didn't you tell me you were coming back? Mother said you went to a wild man's house, is it true? Big brother, who's the wild man?"
Tang Li's mouth twitched slightly as she stood beside them. She felt like her brother was saying this on purpose. "Do you want to know?" Tang Xu wasn't angry, smiling as he looked at him sideways. "Hmm?"
Tang Yang shuddered and shook his head vigorously, "I don't want to know, I don't want to know anymore, big brother, please don't be angry."
Tang Xu raised an eyebrow, "How old are you?"
Tang Yang was puzzled, "I'm six." He didn't understand why his big brother was asking him this.
Tang Xu smiled gently but his words pierced straight into Tang Yang's innocent heart, "Ah Yang, big brother is going to get married, and there will be a long time when you won't see me. Are you going to argue with mom and dad every day?"
Tang Yang's eyes widened in shock.
"I... I..."
Seeing his eyes turning red, Tang Xu leaned forward and bumped his forehead against Tang Yang's, "Ah Yang, you're already six years old. There are many things you don't understand, not because you can't, but because you don't want to. You're the youngest in our family, mom and dad love you, even if they scold you or spank you, it's because you provoked them first, right?"
Tang Yang pouted, sniffing.
"Big brother, I was wrong."
"When dad comes back, you should apologize to him. Ah Yang, you're already a little man, you can bravely admit your mistakes." Tang Xu bumped his forehead again.
Tang Yang nodded, "I understand."
"And in the future, you can't cry and wail every time something happens," Tang Xu took the opportunity to teach the young boy, "If you keep doing that, your family won't like you anymore."
Tang Yang nodded again, then went over and hugged Tang Xu's neck, rubbing his face against his, cooing, "I know I was wrong, big brother. I won't do that again. Can you please not get married?"
"Sorry, little guy," Tang Xu chuckled softly, "Older gers and women will get married when they're older. When your big brother is old enough, I'll get married too. And when you grow up, you'll get married too."
Tang Yang pouted. Of course, he knew all that. But when he thought about his big brother getting married, going to someone else's house, and not coming back often, he felt very sad. He realized that he wouldn't be able to eat the food his big brother made every day anymore.
"Wuwuwu, I'm so sad. Big brother, please take me with you when you get married. I want to get married with you!" Tang Yang wiped his tears, his words full of genuine emotions.
"What did you just say, you little rascal!" Tang Erhu stormed in and heard Tang Yang's words immediately, getting furious.
Liu Xiangxiang's face also changed. She ran over and dragged Tang Yang away, shaking his shoulders hard. "How could you say such things? If others hear it, they'll laugh at you! How could I have such a useless son like you!"
Tang Yang was shaken so hard that his face twisted in pain, struggling and waving his arms.
Tang Xu reached out to stop her, "Mother, Ah Yang was just joking. Don't shake him."
Liu Xiangxiang always wanted to find fault with Tang Xu at every opportunity. When she saw him leaning over, she followed Tang Yang's struggling force and let go. This time she didn't grab Tang Xu's face but his hand back.
Tang Xu's hand stung, and his expression darkened.
He looked down at his hand, it was okay, just a red mark but not broken. "Mother, you scratched me," he said, his eyes slightly widened and red, blowing on his hand. "It hurts."
Tang Erhu glared at Liu Xiangxiang, "Why did you scratch Xu Ge'er? Are you doing it on purpose?"
Liu Xiangxiang was furious. She had been teased all day long today. She had been laughed at all day long, feeling aggrieved in her heart. But she dared not argue with Tang Erhu, so she just stood there, fuming.
"I didn't do it on purpose. Xu Ge'er, how are you feeling? Let mother apply some medicine for you." She said so, but she didn't move from where she was standing.
Tang Xu felt physically disgusted whenever he saw her now. He shook his head, forced a smile, and said, "It's okay, Mother. Keep the medicine for yourself."
After saying that, he turned to Tang Erhu, smiled brightly, and raised his eyebrows, pointing his finger, "Dad! Look, Wei Dong gave me a lot of big fish. I just went to the old house and gave two to Grandma and Aunt. They were very happy."
Tang Erhu snorted, not in a good mood. "He brought you back?"
"Yeah, Dad, how did you know?" Tang Xu sat back on the small wooden bench, continued to scale the fish, and caught a glimpse of Liu Xiangxiang bending down to pick up Tang Yang, probably planning to give her youngest son some affectionate education.
As for what education, Tang Xu didn't want to guess.
In this family, Tang Erhu was always the one in charge.
Making his cheap father happy could save him a lot of trouble.
"I saw it," Tang Erhu snorted again and asked, "Did your grandma ask you about it when you went to the old house to deliver the fish?"
"Yeah, she asked, and I told her. Wei Dong is really a good guy, it's not like I made it up." Tang Xu said confidently, brainwashing Tang Erhu with the same story he told the mother and daughter-in-law earlier, emphasizing that if he was overworked and injured, it might affect his ability to have children in the future.
Tang Erhu's eyes widened as he listened, completely swayed by Tang Xu's words.
"Alright, alright, I got it. He's fine, different from what's being said outside. You don't need to say anymore," he waved his hand tiredly, "You're too headstrong now, not listening to anyone."
"If someone says something reasonable, I definitely won't ignore it," Tang Xu said playfully, trying to hook his arm around Tang Erhu's, but Tang Erhu dodged to the side with a look of disgust, "Go away, you smell of fish."
"Father, what you're doing is not right. Even if the fish is delicious, it needs to be cleaned properly. How can you dislike the smell of fish?" Tang Xu reached out to grab him, but Tang Erhu dodged and glared at him. "Go, go, go, go cook."
After saying that, he hurried away, looking afraid that Tang Xu would approach him again.
Everyone in the family was very happy during dinner. The fish was large and had few small bones, making it easy to eat. Tang Erhu nodded while eating and finally praised, "Wei Dong is quite skilled."
Tang Xu held his bowl of soup and nodded in agreement, "More than just good. If he didn't have some skill, how could he have built such a grand house? I've never seen such a big house before. So many rooms, and the yard is especially large. Oh, I also picked some locust flowers. Tomorrow, I'll steam some locust flower buns for breakfast."
Tang Erhu knew nothing about cooking, and he had never heard of locust flower buns, but based on his trust in his child's culinary skills, he was looking forward to breakfast tomorrow.
After clearing the dishes, Tang Li held three pieces of linen cloth she had woven and went to find Tang Xu, but he wasn't in his room. Tang Xu came from the backyard and saw her standing outside his door. He called out to her, "Ah Li, do you need something?"
"Brother, how should I sew this?" Tang Li showed him what she had in her hands. Tang Xu asked her to come in and lit the oil lamp.
"When you're sewing with linen thread, make sure to align it properly, insert the needle into the hole, and sew along the edge without leaving too much, or it will be uncomfortable to wear."
Tang Li nodded and followed his instructions to sew a few stitches. "Is it like this?"
"Yes, Ah Li, you're very clever." Tang Xu leaned on his chin with one hand and his elbow on the table, watching Tang Li sew for a while. "You're ten years old this year, right?"
Tang Li looked up at him, "Brother, why are you suddenly concerned about how old I am compared to Ah Yang?"
"You two are four years apart, and you're much more mature than him." Tang Xu chuckled. Tang Li didn't seem like a typical ten-year-old girl. She was very mature, probably due to being from a poor family and having responsibilities at a young age. She was usually quiet, but she was quite thoughtful.
A precocious and intelligent young girl indeed.
This kind of child, if taught well, will be outstanding in the future. If not taught well, one dare not imagine what they will become.
In the past month of getting along, from initially having to remind this girl about everything she says and does, to now seeing that she has her own initiative and is quite serious about everything, you can tell that her mentality has changed a lot.
Tang Li pursed her lips, smiling shyly, her cheeks flushed.
"Brother, I hope to live a good life in the future," Tang Xu said, looking at her.
Tang Li continued her movements, "I've noticed that Brother has changed a lot. This kind of Brother is especially good, and he's good to me too. Brother knows a lot of things, and I want to learn from him."
Tang Xu chuckled and reached out to gently pat her head. "Hmm, Brother will teach you."
This little girl is so interesting.
The siblings chatted for a while before going to sleep.
…
The two brothers in the Wei family, however, didn't rest so quickly, especially Wei Xi, who was only allowed to drink a bowl of soup at night by his brother. He wasn't hungry, but he wanted to eat.
Wei Xi, lying on the kang, covered himself with a blanket and pretended to cry softly. His voice was not loud, just enough to ensure that his older brother washing clothes in the yard could hear.
He didn't dare to cry too much, in case he got sick, his brother would definitely get angry.
Wei Dong finished washing the clothes and hung them on the clothesline. With his good hearing, he heard the whimpering coming from Wei Xi's room, and he sighed, thinking about the expression on the child's face during dinner. He shook his head and went to open the door and entered the room.
Wei Xi heard the sound and quickly peeked his head out from under the blanket, looking eagerly at his brother, whimpering like a little kitten, "I'm hungry~ I'm so hungry I can't sleep~!"
"You had a bowl of soup, three pieces of radish, four pieces of ribs, and even ate a piece of steamed bun," Wei Dong mercilessly exposed his brother's poor acting skills, "Tang Xu said you ate too much today, so eat less at night."
Wei Xi covered his face and whimpered, while Wei Dong felt a headache coming on.
He wasn't good at comforting children.
Pinching the bridge of his nose, Wei Dong said, "If you don't behave, next time Tang Xu comes, I'll tell him." Wei Xi widened his eyes, unable to believe that his brother, such a cold-faced man, would actually tattle on him!
Oh no!
He felt so aggrieved, caught in a dilemma.
"Fine, can I have shredded meat with porridge tomorrow morning? The shredded meat made by Brother Xu is so delicious!" Wei Dong nodded expressionlessly, he didn't even get to taste the shredded meat.
Thinking that it was a gift from Tang Xu to Wei Xi, and remembering that he himself was wearing a gift from Tang Xu on his feet, his slightly suppressed mood improved considerably.
"Go to sleep," he said, turning and leaving the room.
After taking a cold shower, Wei Dong returned to his room and sat on the kang, staring at the hemp-thread socks placed beside him for a while before suddenly furrowing his brows.
He remembered the conversation with his elder aunt when he went to get clothes from her, and his mood soured again.
…
Let's rewind the time.
Wei Dong went directly to Wu Weiming’s house after returning to the village. He didn't enter the house but instead handed the copper coins to Wei Zhonghong in the yard and intended to leave with the clothes. However, Wei Zhonghong stopped him.
"Dongzi, don't leave yet. Sit for a while. I'll make you some sweet soup," Wei Zhonghong said.
Wei Dong shook his head, "No need. Does my elder aunt have something to tell me?"
Wei Zhonghong handed him two small wooden stools, indicating for him to sit down, and they sat facing each other.
"You used to move around the village quite often in the past two years, right? Have you met someone named Xu Ge'er?"
Wei Dong nodded, "Yes, what about him?"
"How is he as a person?" Wei Zhonghong knew her nephew's temperament and didn't beat around the bush, getting straight to the point.
Wei Dong's heart stirred, thinking about being asked about Tang Xu as soon as Wu Weiming returned home. He guessed that his elder aunt must have heard about their relationship from Wu Weiming.
It seemed his elder aunt was planning to inquire about his personal matters.
"He's very good."
Those dry three words left Wei Zhonghong at a loss, unsure how to continue the conversation.
Wei Dong also realized that he seemed to have killed the conversation, so he recalled Tang Xu's demeanor when they were together, feeling a warmth in his eyes. "He's good at making up stories, knows a lot about wild vegetables, very capable, and cooks delicious food."
Wei Zhonghong nodded and then asked, "What does he look like?"
Wei Dong: "..."
He rubbed his finger on his nose, and nodded, "Of all the people I've met, he's the most good-looking."
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