| TBBOTOF | 266
On the afternoon that Wei Dong left, Tang Mei was sitting on a bullock cart, heading towards the Tang Xu family's front gate.
The person driving the cart was Tang Zu, who was always restless. Not long ago, he had been busy with some work, but now that he had a few free days, he decided to resume his business.
He had bought more of Tang Xu's special seasoning, because relying solely on his own efforts wouldn't work, and he could risk ruining the good reputation that had been built.
So today, when Tang Mei said she was coming over, he agreed.
Sun Yang himself jumped off the cart and, with great understanding, helped his mother bring down the two bundles from the cart.
"Mom, take it slow," he said, standing by the cart and watching Tang Mei.
Tang Mei laughed and asked, "Who did you learn this from? I'm not made of paper; there's no need to worry about me."
Sun Yang, with a serious little face, looked at her and said, "Grandma says Mom isn't well and told me to pay more attention. I can't let you get tired."
Although he was young, he already understood a lot.
Before, when they lived at home, his mother was thin and had to work, and there was hardly a smile on her face.
Now, living at his grandmother's house, although his mother was kept on the kang, not allowed to move, she was always served delicious food, and she smiled more.
Children are sensitive to people's emotions. They may not express themselves well, but they can feel who treats their mother well.
So, when it was time to leave, Luo Pingping repeatedly reminded Tang Mei not to overexert herself. Sun Yang listened carefully and remembered it.
Tang Mei looked at his little adult-like expression as he spoke to her, and her nose felt tight, her heart heavy.
When they were still at the Sun family's house, this child was often quiet. He didn’t fight, didn’t make a fuss, and was the opposite of the saying "the crying child gets the milk." Her second son was just the opposite.
Before she had her younger son, she could still manage, but after having the younger one and with her own health declining, she had really neglected him these past two years.
"Eldest sister, let's go. What are you standing there for?" Tang Zu tied the reins of the bullock cart to a small tree near the gate and turned to see the mother and son standing there, staring blankly at each other.
He walked over, took the two bundles from Sun Yang's hands, and patted him on the head. "Let’s go. You’re more familiar with this area than we are."
Sun Yang staggered from the pat and, grumbling, ran to knock on the big gate.
Normally, when Wei Dong wasn’t around, the large iron gate of the Wei family was always closed.
The large gate was quickly pulled open, and Liu Ge’er, initially looking puzzled, immediately smiled when he saw Sun Yang. "Xiao Yang is here."
Earlier, Tang Xu had already told him that Tang Mei would be bringing the two children to stay for a while until the house was finished. He had already tidied up the room where Tang Mei would stay the night before.
"Hello, Uncle~" Sun Yang greeted him.
Liu Ge’er smiled and stepped aside to let him in, but then he saw Tang Mei, who was holding the youngest son.
"Hello, Sister Tang, I am Liu Ge’er," he said.
Tang Mei nodded at him with a friendly smile and returned the greeting.
Tang Mei’s mother had already told her about the people on Tang Xu's side, so she wasn’t surprised to see the others.
As soon as she entered the courtyard, Tang Mei was drawn to the spaciousness of the place. She had never seen a courtyard so open and airy, with a corridor and a vegetable garden that had just been tilled. Some early spring vegetables were already starting to sprout.
As they passed the corridor and the east wing, she heard the sound of reading from inside. Tang Mei paused and looked inside. Liu Ge’er explained, "Old Sun is giving lessons to Wei Xi and Tang Yang, and Da Bao is also in the room."
Sun Yang, curious, tiptoed over and peered through the window gap to look inside.
In the study, Old Sun noticed the shadow cast on the paper from the window. He got up to open the door and, upon seeing it was Sun Yang, smiled and waved at him.
Sun Yang quickly ran over, calling out, "Grandpa Sun~"
"When did you come back?" Old Sun asked as he patted Sun Yang’s head. He then looked up and saw Tang Mei in the corridor with the youngest child in her arms.
Goudan seems weaker than other babies, perhaps because he hadn’t been nourished well in the womb. He was born frailer than other children, and now, at one year old, he still couldn’t walk. He looked so small and thin, and being held in his mother's arms, he didn’t seem like a child who had just turned one.
Tang Mei quickly bent her knees slightly in respect and performed a small bow to Old Sun.
Sun Yang looked up at Old Sun with eager eyes and asked, "Grandpa Sun, can I come listen to you teach later?"
Old Sun nodded. "Sure." He was always very patient with children.
Tang Xu wasn’t at home; he was outside preparing food for the men working on the land.
"Cousin, you’ve finally arrived." Tang Yang, hearing the commotion, came out of the study. He smiled at Tang Mei as she walked over. "I’ll take you to the room where you'll stay. My older brother specifically told me to do so."
Tang Mei nodded in agreement and followed Tang Yang deeper into the courtyard.
As they walked, Tang Yang introduced every part of the yard to her. "Don’t be so formal, we’re family."
"I really feel bad about causing so much trouble for Xu Ge’er," Tang Mei said with a bitter smile, still feeling unsure about whether her separation from her husband had been the right decision.
Tang Yang wasn’t good at comforting people, so he turned to Liu Ge’er. "Can you go over there and tell my older brother? Let him know my sister has arrived, so he doesn’t worry."
Liu Ge’er smiled at him. "It’s no trouble. I’ll go right now. Ze’er is over there too."
"I’ll go with you," Tang Mei quickly added.
Tang Zu also said, "I’ll go check on things as well."
Liu Ge’er paused, turning his head to look at Tang Yang.
After a moment of thought, Tang Yang lowered his gaze to Sun Yang and asked, "How about you come with me to the study?"
"Okay, okay! Why hasn’t Uncle Xi come out?" Sun Yang asked. "What about my little brother?"
"He’s memorizing his lessons and can’t move around. I got permission from the old man to leave," Tang Yang said, holding his hand. "Come on, let’s let them be and go read together."
Tang Zu and Tang Mei entered the room and found that the kang was warm, the cabinets and tables were clean, and the kang was covered with a thick quilt, with two more cotton blankets neatly folded on top.
A quick glance showed that while there wasn’t much furniture, everything that was needed was there, and the room was set up in a way that would make it comfortable to live in right away.
Tang Mei’s eyes became misty as she sniffed.
Tang Zu remarked, "Xu Ge’er is really thoughtful; he even set up a bed just for the little ones."
Tang Mei nodded and looked at the little child in her arms, Goudan, who had somehow fallen asleep. She gently took a breath.
"Sister, why don’t you put Goudan down? It’s not convenient carrying him around like that," Tang Zu suggested.
Tang Mei shook her head. "There’s no one else at home to watch him. I’m afraid he won’t be used to the change of place and will cry if he doesn’t see me."
Tang Zu gave a soft "oh" and didn’t say anything more.
As Liu Ge’er led them through the courtyard, Tang Mei was once again surprised by the sight of so many livestock.
Even though Tang Zu had visited a few times, he was still amazed and couldn't help but ask, "Did you buy more chickens and ducks again?"
"The chicks hatched a little while ago," Liu Ge’er explained.
When they reached the construction site, Tang Mei saw a bamboo structure set up as a temporary shelter.
Tang Xu had just put some cabbage into a pot. When he looked up and saw Tang Mei and the others, he smiled and waved. "Cousin, you’re here!"
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