"Get to the point, why are you bringing up that cunning girl?"
Zhang Man blushed even more as Zhang Qiu teased him in a serious manner.
"What's wrong with being clever? She's a good helpmate!" Zhang Qiu said earnestly, patting his second brother's shoulder.
He was shorter than Zhang Man, and his appearance was quite comical.
"Don't talk nonsense, let's go in and see how that little girl is fooling our mother."
Zhang Man pulled Zhang Qiu's hand off his shoulder and strode inside.
"Erniu is such a clever and eloquent girl. Among all the villages around here, I think you are the smartest."
"Auntie, you flatter me. You're making Erniu blush. If we're talking about all the villages in our area, Sister Jinhua is the most capable. Everyone says she's beautiful, virtuous, and filial to you. You're so lucky, Auntie!"
"Auntie, don't take any more. I'm afraid I won't have enough money to pay the bill."
"I'm already tired of raising too many animals, so how could I take your money? Erniu, you're reducing my burden. I should thank you."
Zhang Man rushed into the courtyard and almost fainted when he saw the scene before him.
Her mother treated the rabbits like they were free, picking them up and stuffing them into Erniu's basket as much as she could.
Although Erniu said she refused, her clever eyes narrowed into slits with laughter.
She could have easily reached out and put the lid of the basket down, but she stood there motionless beside it.
After watching her mother put the pair down, she picked up another pair and put them in.
Zhang Man was in so much pain he almost suffocated; that was all hard-earned money.
Damn it, she's all talk and no action.
Zhang Man rushed forward, his pained expression concealed.
“Mother, Erniu is a girl and doesn’t have much strength. If you pack too much, it will be hard for her to carry.”
Erniu slowly put the lid on the basket only after seeing that the little rabbits in the basket were almost squeezed into meat patties.
Then he took out a purse from his pocket and looked at Cao Shi, "Aunt, you have to take some money, I can't take advantage of you for nothing."
Madam Cao pushed Erniu's hand back and said sincerely, "Erniu, please keep it. This rabbit was a gift from the master, and it didn't cost us any money. If I take your money, wouldn't that be like getting something for nothing?"
Zhang Man couldn't bear to watch his mother's enthusiasm any longer.
He worked tirelessly from dawn till dusk cutting grass to feed the rabbits, watching them grow fatter and more numerous each day. Was it easy for him?
In his own mother's eyes, all the work he did was for nothing?
Thinking back to how her family used to be white-collar workers raising rabbits on the farm, Erniu stopped refusing and put the purse into her bosom.
"Thank you, Auntie. Please don't hesitate to ask if you ever need Erniu's help in the future."
"Okay, okay, Erniu is skillful. Next spring, Erniu, help your aunt cut out a few shoe upper patterns. My hands are getting clumsier and clumsier. The patterns I cut out are never right. Look at the pair my second son is wearing, they're so ugly."
As Cao spoke, she bent down and lifted Zhang Man's robe, revealing his large feet.
Zhang Man's already flushed face turned even redder.
"Mom, stop fooling around. I think the shoes you made are quite pretty." Zhang Man reached out and pulled the hem of the robe from his mother's hand.
Erniu could tell the size at a glance.
"Don't worry, Auntie. We don't need to wait until next spring. When it snows again, Erniu won't be able to go out anyway, so she can stay home and do needlework."
“Zhang Erge’s feet are the same length as my eldest brother’s. My family has ready-made shoe upper patterns. It’s just a matter of cutting a few more scissors. It’s a piece of cake.”
As Erniu spoke, she glanced at Zhang Man and saw that his face was as red as a monkey's bottom.
She pretended not to know and asked, "No wonder Brother Zhang said you don't need to warm yourself by the fire, you're so hot."
"Wait a minute! It's chilly outside, you haven't caught a cold and have a fever, have you?" Erniu raised an eyebrow, feigning surprise.
Zhang Man: "..."
Cao's gaze darted back and forth between her son and Erniu's faces.
One was a big, dull guy who was like a silent gourd, and the other was clever and quick-witted; they were a match made in heaven.
Seeing that Erniu was questioning her son's health, Cao quickly said with a smile, "He didn't catch a cold. My second son is in good health. He can even go swimming in the river on snowy days."
"Cough cough..."
In my haste, I almost choked on my own saliva.
Zhang Man was speechless; his mother's boasting was so outrageous it made him want to vomit blood.
At this moment, Zhang Qiu, who was standing at a distance, also came over and chimed in, "Sister Erniu is mistaken. My second brother is very strong. A few days ago, he shoveled all the snow in the yard shirtless."
"Don't believe me, Erniu. I'm not a snow pine tree; how could I not be afraid of the cold?" Zhang Man couldn't stand it anymore and quickly denied it.
If his mother and third brother kept bragging, he could break a boulder with his chest.
Erniu smiled and said, "Brother Zhang is too modest."
Zhang Man: "..."
Madam Cao smiled sheepishly, "Erniu, please don't laugh at me. This child is shy and blushes when she sees you."
Zhang Man: "..."
If there was still snow in the yard, he would wish he could just dive in and hide.
"Mother, I'm going to see if my elder brother has anything else to say." Zhang Man said, and started walking away.
"Second brother forgot? It's not like eldest brother isn't coming back. What's there to explain? He's already said everything he needed to say."
"If my brother comes home every ten days or half a month from now on, I have to ask him about it." Zhang Man gave Zhang Qiu a wink and prepared to slip away.
Cao grabbed him and said, "Wait! This is none of your business. Your older brother is talking to your father about important matters. Don't go and interfere."
Seeing that there was nothing more for her to do here, Erniu thanked them again and squatted down to prepare to carry the rabbit away.
Cao grabbed her arm with her other hand, "Don't rush, Zhang Man said it's quite heavy, it'll be hard for a girl like you to carry it, let him help you take it home."
Zhang Man: "..." Starting too early today will bring bad luck and misfortune.
"Auntie, that's so embarrassing." A rare blush appeared on Erniu's face.
"Second Brother, don't just stand there. Go and come back soon. I'll go start the fire and cook." Taking advantage of Zhang Man's dazed state, Zhang Qiu gave Zhang Man a push and ran away.
Helpless, Zhang Man had no choice but to take the rope from Erniu's hand, lift the basket, and sling it over his shoulder.
"Erniu, lead the way, or I'll drop you off at the wrong place."
"Auntie, see you later." Erniu waved goodbye and then strode after Zhang Man.
“Brother Zhang, you’re always busy with work, you never even go to the other side of the river. Once you step out of here, we’re all from the same hometown. You don’t even know where your fellow villagers live. People will laugh themselves to death if they find out.”
"If you go to the capital, will people ask you where Gou Sheng lives?" Zhang Man asked without stopping.
Erniu shook her head, "No."
"That's right. By the same token, when I go out, people won't ask me where I live."
"Fine, I won't ask. Why are you walking so fast? Nobody's chasing you."
Zhang Man was tall and strong with long legs. Although he didn't seem to walk very fast, Er Niu had a hard time keeping up with him.
Without turning his head, Zhang Man said, "My elder brother is going to the capital tomorrow, and I'm in a hurry to go home and cook a couple more dishes as a farewell gift for him and his wife."
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