When Ruan Changgui and Sun Xiaohui arrived home, the brothers Ruan Yuejin and Ruan Yuehua were playing with spinning tops outside the house, while Ruan Zhigao, Liu Xinghua, Ruan Changsheng, Ruan Xi, and Ruan Jie were sitting in the main hall eating.

Ruan Changgui looked into the house and asked Ruan Yuejin and Ruan Yuehua, "Have you eaten?"

Ruan Yuejin stuffed the rope in his hand into Ruan Yuehua's hand, panting slightly and said, "Grandpa and grandma said that we have separated and will eat separately in the future. They didn't cook for us, but only for the five of us."

Ruan Changgui turned around and went to the kitchen in the side room, and saw that the two iron pots were clean. Not a grain of rice was left. He felt uncomfortable and said with a sigh, "It's really amazing. There are really grandparents like this..."

Sun Xiaohui followed him and didn't say anything. She whispered, "Forget it. Anyway, the food has been distributed to us. We can just cook it ourselves. Do you still want to eat pickled vegetables?"

Ruan Changgui thought about it and felt that it was true. It would be pickled vegetables anyway, so it would be better to cook it by ourselves.

Sun Xiaohui was hungry, so she turned around and scooped rice and washed it without hesitation.

The newly built firewood stove was in the small thatched shed opposite. It would take a few days for it to dry out before it could be used. Now they could only use the stove in the side room temporarily until the new stove could cook.

Now Ruan Zhigao and Liu Xinghua still eat in the main room with their children. After the stoves are separated and new tables and benches are set up, they will eat directly in the side room instead of in the main room.

Sun Xiaohui put the washed rice into the pot, walked out of the stove room and shouted to the main room: "Xiaojie, come and help me light the fire."

Ruan Jie hadn't finished the rice in her bowl yet, so she bit her lip and looked out.

Before she could say anything, Liu Xinghua said: "Xiaojie is eating, so I don't have time to light the fire for you."

Sun Xiaohui was still a little afraid of Liu Xinghua, probably because she had been controlled by Liu Xinghua for more than ten years, which had created psychological pressure. Even though they were separated now, she didn't dare to speak to Liu Xinghua.

So she calmed down and said, "Then eat quickly."

Seeing Ruan Jie open her mouth to respond, Ruan Xi quickly picked up a carrot with sauce and stuffed it into her mouth, so that she could not respond.

Ruan Zhigao saw the situation and spoke again, "Whoever eats, cooks it." Sun

Xiaohui stood outside with her eyebrows raised - hey! My daughter can't be ordered around, why bother meddling in other people's business!

But she didn't get angry. She held her breath and went back to the kitchen to light a fire. She said to Ruan Changgui, "Go pick two eggplants and a handful of peppers from the private plot that was allocated to us, and then go to the chicken coop to pick up some eggs. We'll have something good to eat tonight."

There were a total of ten old hens in the house, and five were allocated to them. The chicken coop was also divided.

Ruan Changgui went out to pick eggplants and peppers from the field, came back to wash them and put them on the chopping board, and then went to the chicken coop to pick up some eggs. Five hens laid three eggs, and two of them did not lay any.

After picking up the eggs, Ruan Jie had just finished her meal.

Sun Xiaohui stuck her head out from behind the stove and called her, "You silly girl, why don't you come and help?" Ruan

Jie was holding a pile of bowls in her hands, and didn't dare to speak loudly to Sun Xiaohui, "But I still have to wash the dishes." Sun Xiaohui was lighting a fire, and said with some temper, "Who gave birth to you?" Ruan Jie pursed her lips and said nothing. Liu Xinghua's voice came from behind her, "You gave birth to her, but you didn't raise her. Xiaojie will be raised by me from now on. She won't eat your food, and you don't have to order her to do things." What kind of logic is this? Sun Xiaohui then said, "If that's the case, I won't let her be with you." She's already thirteen years old, a grown-up girl who can do anything. Why should she let Liu Xinghua order her around? At this age, she can help the family with many things, so she can just eat more. Just let her eat less. Liu Xinghua has never liked Sun Xiaohui. This time, Sun Xiaohui and Ruan Changgui were playing a double game to separate the family, and she disliked Sun Xiaohui even more. She promised to protect Ruan Jie, and Sun Xiaohui would not make the decision on this matter. She said in a firm voice: "Xiaojie was brought up by me. It doesn't matter whether you let her or not. She must follow me. As long as I am alive, no one is allowed to bully her, whether at home or outside, not even her own mother!" Sun Xiaohui was afraid of Liu Xinghua's momentum and was afraid that she would suffer if they quarreled, so she held her breath and didn't say anything. She put the firewood into the bottom of the pot angrily, thinking in her heart - wait, if she can't deal with this old woman, can't she deal with her own daughter? All the children she gave birth to must listen to her for the rest of their lives, don't even think about getting out of her palm! Ruan Changgui has always been soft and timid, and he doesn't like quarrels, especially when one is his wife and the other is his mother. He walked up to Sun Xiaohui and said to her, "You go cut the vegetables, I'll cook." Sun Xiaohui didn't say anything, stood up from behind the stove, and swallowed her anger for the time being. She planned to make a plate of pounded peppers and eggplants, and then steam a bowl of eggs. Steaming eggs is very simple, just crack the eggs and add water, and put them in the pot when the rice is almost done, and steam them together with the rice. Pepper and eggplant pounding is a little more complicated, mainly to pound garlic and pepper. After Sun Xiaohui beat the eggs and put them into the pot to steam, she turned around and found the garlic jar at home to start pounding pepper and garlic. The peppers are green and red, and they are put into the garlic jar together with garlic and pounded hard with a garlic hammer. Sun Xiaohui's hands are strong, as if she is pounding Liu Xinghua's head. While pounding, she muttered: "In the future, we will eat delicious food and drink spicy drinks every day, and we will feed you to death!" Of course, it is impossible to eat delicious food and drink spicy drinks every day, so she just wants to have fun. However, with two good laborers, she and Ruan Changgui, supporting a family of four, it was better than the life of Ruan Zhigao and his wife supporting five people, and they had to save money to marry Ruan Changsheng. After pounding the peppers and garlic and smelling the spicy aroma in the garlic pot, Sun Xiaohui was in a good mood. When the spicy and refreshing pounded peppers and eggplants and the hot steamed eggs were served on the table, she smiled happily, and even called Ruan Yuejin and Ruan Yuehua to eat in a high tone. She even deliberately said loudly: "Today we have pounded peppers and eggplants, and steamed eggs!" After dinner, Ruan Zhigao and Ruan Changsheng went out for a walk, while Liu Xinghua, Ruan Xi and Ruan Jie stayed in the house. Hearing Sun Xiaohui's voice, Liu Xinghua sneered, "What a joke!" Ruan Xi also laughed and shook her head, with nothing to say. Ruan Changgui still had some shame, holding the rice bowl and said to Sun Xiaohui, "Aren't you afraid of people gossiping and scolding you?" Sun Xiaohui picked up a piece of eggplant covered with garlic and chili, "What's wrong with scolding? It won't hurt. Besides, I've already been scolded for proposing to divide the family, so what's the point of scolding more or less?" Ruan Changgui felt that what she said was unreasonable, but it seemed to make some sense.

Forget it, nothing is more important than living a comfortable life.

This kind of comfort naturally does not belong to Ruan Jie.

Liu Xinghua struck a match and lit an oil lamp in the house.

The wick burned, she threw away the burnt matchstick, looked at Ruan Jie and asked, "Do you regret it?"

Ruan Jie shook her head, "No regrets."

Ruan Xi smiled beside her, "Good, you have principles."

Ruan Jie looked at her and Liu Xinghua and said, "I'm not a fool, I know who really loves me. Even if they eat delicious food and drink spicy drinks every day, I choose to follow my grandparents. I am not afraid of hardship."

Ruan Xi still smiled . "Don't worry, you won't suffer for too long."

Hearing this, Liu Xinghua suddenly remembered, turned her head and looked at Ruan Xi and asked, "By the way, I forgot about you. Xiaoxi, how was your learning from the old tailor today? Did he teach you how to operate the sewing machine?"

Ruan Xi nodded, "He not only taught me how to operate the sewing machine, but also taught me how to make marks and some sewing methods, such as straight line sewing, pinch sewing, and leaking sewing. " There are some manual techniques, such as sewing and stitching."

Neither Liu Xinghua nor Ruan Jie had touched a sewing machine before, nor did they understand the stitching, but Liu Xinghua's eyes still lit up as she listened, with the flame of the oil lamp reflected in her pupils. She confirmed again, "Is it true?"

Ruan Xi looked at her, "If it's false, how would I know this? I can't make up these weird words. He is indeed very weird, and his words are unpleasant to listen to. "It's okay if you don't take it to heart. I don't care."

Liu Xinghua smiled, her hair shining silver in the light. "Since he is willing to teach you, then you should learn from him. If you can really learn the craft, it's worth it to suffer a little. It's not a loss anyway."

Ruan Xi nodded vigorously, "Yes, I will definitely learn it well."

The three of them talked under the flame of the oil lamp, with red light and shadow on their faces.

The next morning, Ruan Xi got up and washed as usual. After washing, he and Ruan Jie accompanied Liu Xinghua to cook, and then washed the dirty clothes that they took off yesterday. After dinner, they went to Jinguan Village to find the old tailor to continue learning the craft.

After breakfast, Ruan Zhigao went out with a hoe on his shoulder to call the members of the production team to work. Ruan Changsheng, for the first time, followed him with a shovel on his shoulder, whistling as he walked, not looking serious.

Ruan Zhigao looked back several times, and seeing him following him, he finally couldn't help but ask, "What are you doing?"

Ruan Changsheng said, "It's obvious, I'm going to work."

Ruan Zhigao sneered, "Why? The sun is rising from the west today?"

Ruan Changsheng ignored his sarcasm, whistled as he walked past him and continued forward.

He still knew why Ruan Zhigao and Sun Xiaohui wanted to separate, because he was the youngest son in the family, and he was a bit of a mess because of his accustomed life, but he was not to the point of being conscienceless. Since it was his business, he would take it on himself!

After walking two steps, he stopped again, turned around and looked at Ruan Zhigao and said, "A man should look like a man!"

Ruan Zhigao narrowed his eyes.

"Treasure..."