Chapter 27 Are you a man too?

Aunt Xu picked up the hoe very unskillfully and said with a wry smile, "I'm really not very good at this. How about we switch? You go cook and I'll help you dig the hole?"

She herself didn't mind eating worse. If Xu Yu just cooked porridge every day like before, it would be fine.

But after Sang Zhixia made it a few times, the family members were so used to it that they couldn't swallow anything that tasted bad.

She didn't want to embarrass herself.

The old lady, because of the old man's majesty, put aside her comfortable airs today and helped out a little. Hearing this, she said in agreement, "That's good."

"Cooking doesn't require much effort, so it's just right for you to do it."

No one wants to suffer from the pain of the mouth if the food is a little more palatable.

Since other jobs have been taken up by others, the first choice is of course to move the person who can cook to the stove, which is the best way to make the best use of his talents.

Even Aunt Xu, who is always talkative, didn't say much.

Sang Zhixia was happy to do the less strenuous tasks. Seeing Aunt Xu take the hoe from her, she said generously, "Then I'll go cook. Is there anything Grandpa and Grandma would like to eat?"

The old man said indifferently that it was all right.

The old lady was too tired to be picky. She waved her hand and said, "Whatever you think is right, do it."

Anyway, she is the only one in the family who cooks the most delicious food.

Sang Zhixia suppressed her laughter and sighed, waving at Xu Mingxu: "Mingxu, let's go and cut some leeks."

Xu Mingxu cheered and ran after her, and Xu Mingyang was also tempted when he saw this.

He wants to go too.

Aunt Xu quickly pushed him away and said, "You can't help here, go help your sister-in-law cook."

Sang Zhixia readily said to him, "Mingyang Yanran, come too. Let's go together."

Xu Jinxi is sleeping in the room, so it would be nice to take the three little ones away at once.

Xu Mingyang quickly put down the basket and followed her. With Aunt Xu's approval, Xu Yanran also took the initiative to run over and hold her hand.

Seeing Sang Zhixia taking away several small children, Aunt Xu smiled and said, "I'm not saying anything, Xia Xia has a good temper and is loved by children."

Xu Yanran has been in poor health since childhood and has been spoiled by her parents. People who are not very familiar with her cannot get close to her, but this child inexplicably likes Sang Zhixia, and the delicate little girl is willing to follow her around.

Xu Wenxiu thought about how good Sang Zhixia was to Xu Mingxu and Xu Jinxi, and she also smiled.

"The little ones call her sister-in-law, so she naturally treats them well."

Aunt Xu thought about it and said for some reason: "Sister-in-law is so lucky."

Even if she had a very unpresentable personality, she had been a marquis's wife for half her life. Even after her husband died, she was still protected by her son and daughter-in-law. Others could not envy such a blessing.

The end of the sentence was a little unexpected, but it couldn't delay the work.

The people holding the hoes didn't know why they had to dig the holes, but they gritted their teeth and worked hard.

In the front yard, Xu Yanran grabbed the leeks in her hand and whispered, "Sister-in-law, is it picked like this?"

Sang Zhixia took the children away to prevent them from getting bored and making trouble, but also to prevent them from being idle, so she simply gave the cut leeks to them to pick.

Children don’t have as many complicated thoughts as adults. Even if it’s just a small thing like picking yellow leaves, they will be very active as long as they feel involved.

She lit the fire, looked back, and gave a thumbs-up in appreciation: "Well done!"

"Where's mine? Look at mine, sister-in-law!"

Not wanting to be outdone, Xu Mingyang raised the leeks in his hand and said excitedly, "I've picked them too!"

Sang Zhixia rubbed his and Xu Mingxu's heads one by one and said with a smile, "You're all very impressive. I underestimated you."

Without the interference of adults, aren’t these all capable little helpers?

Xu Mingxu, who was half a step behind in trying to take credit, proudly raised his neck and asked curiously, "Sister-in-law, how do you eat this? Is it delicious?"

Sang Zhixia was thinking about the dishes for dinner and teased him, "Want to know?"

Xu Mingxu swallowed his saliva and nodded vigorously.

"think!"

She squatted down and pulled Xu Yanran's sleeve up a little bit, looked at the children's expectant eyes and said mysteriously: "Then how about letting you taste it first when it's done?"

"It's out of the pot, you are the first to taste it."

As soon as these words were spoken, Xu Mingyang and Xu Mingxu inexplicably felt that they had an important responsibility, and they all smiled, clapped their hands and nodded.

Even the shy Xu Yanran pursed her lips and murmured "OK".

Xu Yu, who had walked out of the door at some point, took in this scene. He caught the unique tenderness in Sang Zhixia's eyes towards children, and the corners of his mouth rose slightly uncontrollably.

He still looks like a child, but he seems to like children very much.

Uncle Xu San, who had rarely come back early, felt his eyes watery when he saw this. He turned around and glared at Uncle Xu Er in anger: "Open your eyes and see who is causing this trouble!"

"Look at your shameless appearance! Aren't you afraid of being laughed at by the children?"

Uncle Xu snorted heavily with a purple face, strode forward and pushed open the door.

"Dad, you're back!"

Xu Mingyang ran over with pride and said, "Dad, look at the leeks I picked. My sister-in-law said I did a great job. I..."

"Good-for-nothing!"

Uncle Xu roughly pushed his son, who was blocking his way, away and said with a sullen face, "You don't even know the rule that a gentleman should stay away from the kitchen. You're so useless as to follow an ignorant woman to the stove! What did your mother teach you?!"

Xu Mingyang was pushed to the ground and sat down. He looked at his furious father with red eyes and dared not speak.

Xu Yu walked over and pulled him up. Ignoring Uncle Xu's anger, he pointed at the leeks in the wooden basin and said, "Zhizhi, do we need to wash these?"

Sang Zhixia hummed with the corners of her lips, then reached out and pulled the trembling Xu Mingyang behind her.

"Don't be afraid, Mingyang. Grandpa and Grandma asked you to come and help. An obedient child is the best."

She squatted down and wiped the tears from the corners of Xu Mingyang's eyes, and said softly: "Our grandfather is the one who understands the truth. As long as you listen to him, you will be right."

He is too old to even move a few bricks, but as soon as he gets home he takes his anger out on his ignorant children.

Are you a man too?

Uncle Xu was trembling all over because of her implication, but Xu Yu had already rolled up his sleeves and was preparing to wash the vegetables.

He pulled a small stool over and sat down, then said, "Mingyang, come and help big brother fetch water."

Xu Mingyang looked around and held back his tears out of fear.

Uncle Xu couldn't bear to see his child being wronged, so he snorted and said, "Mingyang, listen to your eldest brother and sister-in-law. Your father's brain is muddy and muddy. How can he know what is right and wrong?"

"Yanran, go wipe your brother's tears and help your sister-in-law cook."

Xu Yanran took out her handkerchief and handed it to Xu Mingyang. Xu Mingyang's sleeve blurred his eyes and he said sullenly, "I listen to my grandfather."

Mother and elder brother have already told him that he must listen to his grandfather.

As long as my grandfather says it is right, it must be right.

He wiped his tears and went to scoop water with the ladle.

Uncle Xu didn't expect that he was ignored after he vented his anger, so he was so angry that he wanted to take action.

But Sang Zhixia said coldly, "Uncle, Grandpa and Grandma are busy in the backyard. If you still have the energy, why don't you go over and lend a hand?"

What's the point of taking your anger out on your child here?

If you have the guts, go yell at the old man!

No matter how brave Uncle Xu was, he couldn't get close to the old man. He took a deep breath, twisted his face, and walked into the west room, slamming the door with a dull bang.

Uncle Xu also sighed and went into the house. Sang Zhixia squatted beside the basin and said, "I've boiled the hot water for you. Why don't you go wash up first?"

Xu Yu carefully picked out the withered and yellowed chive leaves and said calmly, "No rush."

"Isn't Auntie San cooking today? Why are you out?"

Sang Zhixia added a few more sticks to the stove and said nonchalantly, "Aunt San thought I wasn't very strong, so she gave me a lighter one."

Compared to swinging a hoe, cooking is of course easier.

Xu Yu hummed with an emotion that could not be discerned, washed the vegetables and prepared to change his clothes, with a little tail following him.

Xu Mingxu looked at him eagerly and asked curiously, "Brother, what does it mean that a gentleman should stay away from the kitchen? Why did my second uncle and mother say that too?"

Xu Yu paused inexplicably, squatted down, looked him in the eye, and said, "Did mother tell you?"

Xu Mingxu nodded in confusion.

To be precise, his mother didn't really talk to him. Most of the time he heard her talking to herself.

Xu Yu thought for a moment and then asked, "Did mother tell your sister-in-law about this?"