Chapter 52

The fish were thrown into the wooden bucket, splashing water everywhere. One fish, perhaps having been out of the water for too long, flipped belly up as soon as it entered the water and floated to the surface.

Mu Jin picked it out and said to Bai Qiqiu, "We're eating this today. Qiqiu, could you help me scrape off the fish scales?"

Bai Qiqiu took the fish and said with a smile, "Don't worry, big brother, I'll make sure it's cleaned spotless."

Mu Jin smiled, took the money, went to Aunt Wang's house, and bought two pieces of tofu.

At noon, only Mu Jin, Zhou Si, and Bai Qiqiu ate at home. They ate a simple meal, and the fish would be stewed when Zhou Lin and Wen Zhaoran returned in the evening.

Bai Qiqiu ate quickly, and after finishing the last mouthful of brown rice porridge, he neatly put down his chopsticks.

He scaled the fish early in the morning, cleaned its gills, left the swim bladder, and scraped the black membrane inside its belly clean by hand, then rinsed it several times with water.

The cleaned fish now lies peacefully on the cutting board, waiting to be stewed into a delicious dish with tofu.

“Brother, after I came to our village, I cleared out an acre of land in the spring and planted half an acre of ramie and half an acre of sorghum. Since we share a kitchen, the harvest from that acre will be combined.”

After thinking for a while, Mu Jin nodded and said, "Okay."

Seeing Mu Jin nod, Bai Qiqiu smiled, hesitated for a moment, and said, "Brother, I originally wanted to weave hemp cloth from that half acre of ramie. Now that I made a bet with that man named Zhaoye, I might need to use it to weave fishing nets."

Mu Jin was surprised, "You really know how?"

Bai Qiqiu nodded. "The fishing net is simple, it's just that making the rope is a bit of a hassle."

Zhou Si's mouth dropped open. "Qi Qiu, is there anything you can't do?"

Bai Qiqiu actually sat down at the dining table and thought about it carefully. "I'm not very good at embroidery, weaving, or other delicate crafts."

Mu Jin smiled and then praised, "Whoever marries you will be incredibly lucky. That half-acre of ramie was originally yours, and you can do whatever you want with it."

Bai Qiqiu was a little embarrassed, "I only know some manual labor, nothing special."

Mu Jin took a sip of brown rice porridge, shook her head upon hearing this, and felt that Bai Qiqiu was quite contradictory. He was efficient and generous in handling affairs, but deep down he looked down on himself.

After Bai Qiqiu finished eating and cleared away the dishes, he said, "Brother, that acre of land, once I marry Zhou Qiang, I'll leave it to you and me. It's small and wasteland, so please don't mind."

Mu Jin shook her head. "This land is yours because you cleared it. You can take it with you when you get married. How could your elder brother and I take your land?"

Bai Qiqiu wanted to say something, but he saw Mu Jin looking at him seriously.

"Qi Qiu, you don't have to feel like you owe your older brother and me anything for living here. To be honest, I will ask you for what you deserve. You've been busy with all this time. If we're really talking about outsiders, it's your older brother and I who owe you."

Bai Qiqiu was somewhat at a loss. "Big brother, please don't say that."

Mu Jin smiled and said, "Then don't be so formal. We're already settling accounts clearly as brothers, so don't always feel indebted to me."

Bai Qiqiu nodded heavily. "Big brother, I understand."

Zhou Si put the clean chopsticks into the chopstick holder, secretly sighing that although his eldest brother was quite cunning, he was soft-hearted and good.

It's getting hot, so it's time to start seedlings for the summer vegetables.

A few days ago, Mu Jin had Zhou Lin buy seeds from town and set aside a plot of land in the yard specifically for seedling cultivation.

Bai Qiqiu wielded his hoe and turned the soil over again, while Zhou Si quickly sprinkled some water.

It is best to separate the seeds used for seedling cultivation so that the roots will be less damaged when transplanting.

Tomatoes, cucumbers, green beans, eggplants, peppers...

They planted many vegetables, and the hibiscus was planted in separate plots, categorized by type.

Zhou Lin returned home before sunset. The western sky was a deep orange-red, and the distant mountain peaks stretched out in a picturesque scene.

As soon as I entered the courtyard, I smelled a rich aroma of stewed fish.

"Fish today?"

Zhou Lin went into the kitchen and placed the bamboo basket outside.

"Your nose is so sharp." Mu Jin smiled. "You must be tired after a long day. I heated some water for you while I was steaming buns in another pot. Go back to your room and wash up to relax. The fish will be ready soon."

Zhou Lin bent down and whispered, "Come and help me scrub my back. I can't wash myself properly."

Mu Jin's ears turned red, and seeing that Zhou Si and Bai Qiqiu hadn't heard, she gently slapped him.

"Go then."

Since Zhou Lin separated from the family, he has been able to eat his fill at every meal, if not completely full, then at least seven-tenths full.

During this period, he worked in the town, whether at the Zhao family's or the Qian family's residence, and he was able to have some meat with every lunch.

Although there wasn't much meat, it was a very generous meal for him.

Over the course of three or four months, Zhou Lin gained a lot of weight and was no longer as skinny as before.

He also looked much more energetic.

Mu Jin wondered if it was just her imagination, but lately she felt that Zhou Lin was more handsome than before.

The water flowed down the large muscles on his shoulders.

Mu Jin looked somewhat lost in thought, unsure whether Zhou Lin or Mu Zhaoye was stronger if they were placed side by side.

I couldn't help but touch it with my hand, only to feel the body beneath my fingers stiffen for a moment, feeling like a stone.

"Ah Jin, stop touching me."

Zhou Lin's voice unconsciously carried a hint of restraint.

Mu Jin gently patted his shoulder with a cloth, "If you won't let me touch you, who else do you want to touch you?"

Zhou Lin pressed down on his hands that were wandering around, and sighed, "If you keep touching him like this, you won't be able to leave this room later. Wait until tonight, then you can touch him however you want."

Mu Jin blushed, withdrew her hand, and coughed lightly.

"My back is washed, I'm going out now."

This time, Zhou Lin dared not stop her. Watching Mu Jin's retreating figure, which seemed to be fleeing in panic, the corners of his mouth unconsciously curled up.

When the fish is stewed with tofu, the tofu absorbs all the broth and tastes even better than the fish.

He picked up some tofu for Zhou Lin and also gave him a fish head.

Eat more.

Zhou Si glanced at Mu Jin and Zhou Lin with a mocking look.

Compared to when they first got married, he felt that since they separated from the family, his relationship with his eldest brother seemed to have improved.

Wen Zhaoran ate quite a bit at the Mu family's house at noon, so he didn't have much of an appetite for dinner. He picked up two pieces of fish and then put down his chopsticks.

"Zhaoran, what's wrong? Is it not to your liking?"

"I've cleaned this fish two or three times carefully. It's not bitter or fishy at all. Have a couple more bites."

Wen Zhaoran waved his hand, "Brother Si, Brother Qi Qiu, at noon, Uncle Mu stewed two fish, and I'm stuffed."

Mu Jin chuckled, "If you're already full, then stop eating. Just drink the rice porridge."

Zhou Si teased, "What's wrong? Is your future father's cooking so delicious?"

Bai Qiqiu said enviously, "I've never eaten a meal cooked by my future mother-in-law before."

Wen Zhaoran blushed slightly as the two of them amused her. She quickly picked up the bowl of rice soup next to her and drank it all in one gulp.

He wiped his mouth and said, "I'm full, I'm going back to my room now."

Zhou Si chuckled, "You're even shy now."

Mu Jin gave him a playful glare, "He's still young. How can you talk to him like that? Aren't you ashamed?"

Zhou Si hurriedly picked up some meat from the fish's belly with her chopsticks and put it into the hibiscus bowl.

He laughed and said, "Brother, please have mercy on me. I know I was wrong."

Zhou Lin smiled slightly and glanced at Zhou Si with a smile in his eyes. Ever since his third brother separated from the family, his personality had become more and more lively.

Thinking this, I sighed softly to myself.

“I just remembered that I ran into Brother Feng today. He told me that my grandfather’s birthday banquet is in five days.”

Upon hearing this, Zhou Si slapped his forehead, "I had completely forgotten about that."

Zhou Lin was also somewhat embarrassed, realizing that he had forgotten his grandfather's birthday, which was truly inappropriate.

"What kind of gift should I buy?" Zhou Lin mashed the tofu, broke open a rough steamed bun, and stuffed it inside.

Hibiscus pondered and thought, her mind racing.

Finally, she sighed and said, "It would have been most appropriate for you to carve a peach-shaped ornament to give to your grandfather as a token of your filial piety. However, you have been busy with work lately and are unable to spare the time. After thinking about it, I think I will make a peach-shaped steamed cake this year. You can buy the ingredients and bring them home in the next couple of days."

Zhou Lin thought for a moment and said, "I can carve it at night."

Mu Jin shook her head. "If you don't get enough rest at night, you'll be easily distracted while working during the day. The wood in the Zhao family's house is extremely valuable. If there's even the slightest mistake, I don't know if I'll be able to pay back the Zhao family in this lifetime."

Zhou Sishen agreed and quickly followed Mu Jin's advice.

Mu Jin smiled and said, "Filial piety has no limits. Whether it's steamed cakes or decorative items, they are all expressions of our feelings for our grandfather, aren't they?"

Zhou Lin nodded. "I understand, A-Jin. I'll buy the things tomorrow."

Zhou thought for a moment and realized that he didn't have much money, so it would be good to embroider a birthday handkerchief with the three gods of fortune, prosperity, and longevity on it for his grandfather.

The next day, Zhou Lin went to town early in the morning. After Zhou Si had breakfast, she went back to her room and hurriedly embroidered the birthday handkerchief.

Hibiscus sprinkled some water on the newly sown vegetable seeds in the garden and waved a pole to scare away the birds that came to peck at the food.

There were chores to be done in the fields and at home. Bai Qiqiu used straw to make straw figures and picked out his own tattered clothes to dress the straw figures.

They stand among the vegetable gardens to keep watch on the birds, so people don't have to be there all the time.

The bamboo poles at home were almost dried, and on a sunny day, Bai Qiqiu quickly set up the pigsty shed.

The pigsty at home was finally completed, and Mu Jin was filled with joy. She used a broom to sweep the floor of the pigsty clean.

The heavy bamboo door used for the pigsty was installed, and it opened and closed without any problems. Mujin couldn't be more satisfied.

Wen Zhaoran exclaimed, "Brother Qi Qiu, if you were a real man, I would definitely marry you."

Bai Qiqiu was delighted by the flattery and the praise from the beautiful girl; it was more exhilarating than drinking ten kilograms of deer blood.

"What about that wooden boat? Why don't you give it up and be with me instead? Even though we're both guys, I'll try my best, and it should work out."

Knowing that Bai Qiqiu was joking, Wen Zhaoran nodded vigorously in agreement.

“Okay, I’ll tell him when we get back from the boat.”

As she spoke, she hugged Bai Qiqiu's arm, looking like a little bird clinging to him.

Mu Jin patted each of their heads and handed them the broom.

"Stop playing around, clean up the pigsty, lay down straw, and I'll go buy the piglets right now."

Wen Zhaoran smiled and took the broom from Bai Qiqiu, then pinched Bai Qiqiu's arm.

"Brother Qi Qiu, to be honest, your arms feel even stronger than Mu Zhou's."

Bai Qiqiu smiled and said, "The man in the wooden boat uses a pen, while I use a bamboo pole."

Wen Zhaoran laughed and said, "It seems that it is better to use a bamboo pole. When he comes back, I will have him help with some work. He is too thin and weak, and doesn't look like a man. He is not even as good as Brother Qi Qiu."

Mu Jin chuckled, shook her head, and went back inside to get the silver.