Xiao Yunying thought it would be good to clean up the stray dogs around there.

Don't think she's heartless; there are just too many stray dogs, and they're becoming a menace to the neighborhood.

Unlike other wild animals such as foxes and weasels, wild dogs do not come down from the mountains unless they have absolutely no food.

The stray dogs are afraid of people because they grew up around the village. But they are not that afraid. They run away when chased away, and they come back when no one notices them. As long as they are not caught, they will keep circling around the village.

There have been many incidents of stray dogs injuring people in the village. Stray dogs carry many germs, and if you are bitten, you may get rabies or something similar, even if you don't die.

Especially in winter, most of the small animals on the mountain hibernate, and there are no wild fruits left. When wild dogs have nothing to eat, they will run into the village.

In this era, animal sterilization surgery is not widespread, there are no deworming drugs, and no rabies vaccines. If left unchecked, there will be more and more stray dogs carrying pathogens, and who knows, one day they might bite some of the children in the family.

"Mom, when you tell Dad and my brother to catch the dog, they must be very careful not to get bitten or scratched. Also, you can't eat the meat of wild dogs."

Mu Lianrong said, "We can't catch them. Those dogs are very clever. They run away as soon as they see people. We'll have your dad buy some rat poison and mix it into chicken intestines and pig offal for them to eat. That'll kill them. Everyone in the village does it like that. If no one eats the poisoned dog, we'll just dig a hole in a place where no one goes and bury it."

"That's good."

A lively voice came from the courtyard. Mu Lianrong said, "It must be the elders. I'll go out and see."

Xiao Yunying sat up straight: "Mother, do you want me to go with you?"

This is her home, so she should go out to greet you.

Mu Lianrong pressed her back down: "You should stay here quietly. You don't need to go out. I'll just tell the elders. Don't go out for dinner either; you can eat in your room."

Xiao Yunying didn't really want to chat with the group of unfamiliar people outside. Most of them would ask her about the greenhouse, and she didn't know whether to answer or not. So she leaned back and said, "Thank you for your hard work, Mother. I'll take a good rest."

Mu Lianrong left the house and closed the door behind her.

Xiao Yunying fiddled with the little girl's little pigtails: "Xin'er, Mother can't cook dinner for you today."

Luo Xin obediently sat cross-legged next to her: "It's okay, Grandma's cooking is also very good. The big bone stew with sour cabbage that Mom taught me is so fragrant."

"Really? Then Mother will allow you to gnaw on a big bone by yourself tonight."

Luo Xin grabbed Xiao Yunying's sleeve and asked, "Mother, does your hand hurt?"

She moved her wrist: "It hurts a little."

There was no one else in the room. She said, "Xin'er, wait a moment, Mother will go get some medicine."

Xiao Yunying got off the kang (a heated brick bed) and used her body as a cover, pretending to take out ointment and plasters for external injuries from the cabinet where various small items were kept.

The abrasions on her palms had been rinsed away by the water after washing her hair, and they were a bit whitish from being soaked. She then applied some topical ointment.

After tearing off two plasters and sticking them on her wrists, Xiao Yunying frowned: "The plasters smell really strong."

She doesn't need to apply medicine to the bruises for now, because medicines that promote blood circulation and remove blood stasis require massaging, and she's afraid of the pain...

After playing with Luo Xin for a while, Xiao Yunying felt her hair was dry, so she tied it up with a wooden hairpin and quietly led the little girl to the kitchen.

Mu Lianrong was picking up large steamed buns when Xiao Yunying held her breath and leaned closer, suddenly saying, "These steamed buns are really big."

Mu Lianrong was startled and slapped her, saying, "You unlucky child, you scared me half to death."

Xiao Yunying cried out in pain, clutching her arm and giggling foolishly.

Mu Lianrong put down the shovel: "Did I hurt your injury?"

Xiao Yunying deliberately feigned a pitiful look: "Yes."

Mu Lianrong picked up the steamed bun and placed it beside the stove: "You're a mother now, yet you still don't behave properly. It's good that you feel some pain; otherwise, you won't learn your lesson and will know to take care of yourself in the future."

"Mom, you've changed. I feel like you don't care about me as much as you used to."

Madam Zhang chimed in, "How could I not care about you? You're the one who's changed first. I say you've become much more sensible now, but you still get confused sometimes. I can't spoil you like a little girl who hasn't left home yet. I have to keep reminding you to remember things."

Xiao Yunying felt a little guilty when this was mentioned. She hadn't just changed; she had completely transformed.

However, in the process of interpersonal interaction, changes in one person's personality and way of dealing with people can indeed affect another person.

Xiao Yunying subtly changed the subject, asking what they wanted to eat that night.

In previous years, the dishes served after slaughtering pigs were always the same: cabbage stewed with pork bones, radish stewed with meat, and potato stewed with pork spine – just different soups with the same ingredients.

With Xiao Yunying's help this year, Mu Lianrong and her two daughters-in-law used the seasonings she gave them and the pickled vegetables and peppers she taught them to make fresh dishes. Whether stewed or stir-fried, the taste was much better than before.

Xiao Yunying stopped in front of the iron pot of sauerkraut stewed with pork bones and took a deep breath of the aroma: "It smells so good, it makes my mouth water."

Mu Lianrong brought over a large iron ladle, lifted the pot lid and put it aside: "Hurry back, the food is ready, I'll bring it to you."

Xiao Yunying took out the family's bowls and chopsticks from the cabinet: "Then I won't be polite. Today I'll try the cooking of my mother, my eldest sister-in-law, and my second sister-in-law. Xin'er, have your brothers wash their hands and come to my room to eat."

The clan elders and their families ate in the reception room. Her house was spacious enough that there were long tables that could be joined together for the family to have two separate tables, and her nephews also had seats.

Xiao Yunying ate alone with the children in her room. Mu Lianrong knew that the Luo family children were uncomfortable with unfamiliar people, so she didn't say anything.

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