When the three of them returned home, the rain had stopped.
Awang put the umbrella on the porch to dry, rolled up his sleeves and went into the kitchen to cook dinner.
He had brought back a nest of chicks to raise before, but Qin Yao disliked the smell, so Awang built a cage for the chicks next to the livestock shed that could shelter them from wind and rain.
Since they didn't have to go to school these few days, Sanlang and Si Niang took rice from the rice jar at home to feed the cats every day, and they eventually ate enough to death.
He didn't dare tell the adults and asked Awang to help cover it up. He buried the dead chicken in the field behind the mountain. He came back secretly and bumped into Qin Yao who was going to the backyard to check the condition of the wood.
Si Niang cried out "Ouch!", and although San Lang didn't cry out, he almost fell to the ground.
Fortunately, Qin Yao was quick and caught one with each hand, so the brother and sister saved a set of clothes to be washed.
There are a lot of housework at home, and Awang can't take care of it all by himself, so Qin Yao still teaches the four brothers and sisters to do their own housework.
However, occasionally when the children were lazy and went to Awang or their father, she would turn a blind eye and not pursue the matter.
Anyway, it’s fine as long as you don’t ask her to do it.
"Where have you been? It's raining so hard and you're only wearing a hat. Your trouser legs are wet." Qin Yao asked in confusion.
Sanlang and Siniang stuck out their tongues and said in unison that it was nothing. They wanted to slip away, but Qin Yao called them back and gave each of them an armful of firewood. "Take it to the kitchen. It's time to prepare dinner. Don't run around in the dark."
The brother and sister hummed in agreement and came to the kitchen with firewood. Awang looked at them helplessly, motioned them to put down the firewood, waved them over, and sternly warned them: "Don't do it again. The life of the chicken is also a life."
The two children lowered their heads in guilt, and their “I’m sorry” was quite sincere. But Sanlang licked his lips with regret, “Next year we will have one less chicken to eat.”
Si Niang glared at the little brother with a look of disappointment, and then quickly assured Awang again: "We know we were wrong, and we won't be so impatient next time."
Awang nodded, and the matter was over.
He had soaked some radishes a few days ago, and the sour taste had now soaked through. He used a bamboo colander to scoop out two large pieces from the jar, cut them into thin slices and placed them on a ceramic plate. He cut a small piece of red pepper as garnish, and handed them to Sanlang and Si Niang, asking them to take them to the main room.
"Mom, Dad, there are pickled radishes!"
The two little ones happily walked into the house carrying pickled radishes and closed the door with their feet to block out the cold wind blowing in from outside.
The main room was warm, with a pot of charcoal burning fiercely. Liu Ji pushed Dalang and Erlang aside, occupying a seat all to himself. He stretched out his hands to warm the fire, and rubbed his face and ears with his warm hands. He thought to himself that he should stay in bed and not go out that day.
Unfortunately, there are so many things to do at home that I can’t rest at all.
Seeing Si Niang and her siblings gathered around the table eating sour and sweet pickled radishes, the sour aroma that made one's mouth water penetrated into his nose, and Liu Ji couldn't help swallowing his saliva.
"Sanlang, let daddy have a taste!" Liu Ji sat there, without moving his butt, just opening his mouth and waiting for his son to feed him.
Sanlang was innocent and responded with an "oh". He also picked out a piece that was the most thoroughly soaked and happily ran to Liu Ji's mouth.
He tilted his head and asked, "Dad, is it sour?"
"Sour--" Liu Ji frowned, but after the sour taste subsided, the unique spiciness of radish and the hotness of red pepper spread, which was very refreshing!
To sum it up, it can be summed up in two words, "It's so sour! Bring another piece to dad."
Sanlang nodded obediently, and forked another piece for his father. He tilted his head and asked in the same way, "Dad, is it good?"
Qin Yao pushed the door open with medicine and cotton cloth, and saw Liu Ji, her biological father, sitting calmly beside the brazier, with his mouth open, waiting for Sanlang to feed him.
"Liu Ji, don't you have hands?" Qin Yao asked unhappily while closing the door.
Liu Ji chuckled, waved his hand to signal Sanlang who was still feeding him to make way, and stood up to greet him.
Passing by the table, the three Dalang siblings were eating happily, and in the blink of an eye, half of the remaining plate of pickled radish was snatched away by Liu Ji's big hand.
He picked up a piece with a bamboo stick and handed it to Qin Yao, "My lady, try it. It's sour, spicy and a little sweet. It's really delicious."
Liu Ji's eyes were sparkling and very eager. Qin Yao couldn't help but comment: "You look like a dog."
Liu Ji: “Huh?”
Forget it. Qin Yao shook her head and smiled, not wanting to explain any more. She took the bamboo stick from Liu Ji and tasted it herself. It was really good. "Awang's cooking skills are so good that we can sell them."
She took two more slices and felt a sense of satisfaction from the delicious food, which made Qin Yao happy.
She put down the bamboo sticks and sat down beside the brazier, placing the medicine on the small stool beside her. Dalang sat over and showed him his injured hand.
Erlang saw the plate finally put down, so he took it away and continued eating with the twins. Liu Ji wanted to have a piece of it, but Erlang protected him and snorted at him, "If you want to eat, get it yourself. This is ours. We picked the radishes with Uncle Awang!"
My mother said, those who do not work shall not eat!
Liu Ji raised his eyebrows but was speechless.
While changing Da Lang's dressing, Qin Yao instructed Liu Ji: "This radish is really well soaked. Take a bowl of it and send it to the Lotus Courtyard as an appetizer for your master and senior brothers."
The rain had just stopped, the road outside was muddy and slippery, and it was getting dark. If it were in the past, Liu Ji would have had a thousand reasons not to go.
But today, she didn't say a word. She just responded politely, playfully took away the piece of radish that Erlang was about to put into his mouth, and walked out proudly.
“Ahhh!” Erlang was furious and chased after him. He was successfully conscripted by his father. He grabbed the boy’s neck and said, “Come on, follow dad to the Lotus Courtyard to deliver something!”
Erlang was no match for the strength of an adult male and was taken away by Liu Ji cursing.
Liu Jicai didn't give in to him. Whenever Erlang cursed him, he would reply. Sometimes when he heard the child utter a few new idioms, he would exclaim and praise him, "Not bad, not bad. You now know how to curse without using any dirty words."
Erlang: “.” Just tell me whether it’s infuriating or not!
Fortunately, the boy later realized that there was no point in swearing, so he shut up, folded his arms and followed Liu Ji, believing that silence was golden.
The father and son went out without even bringing a lantern. As the sky grew darker, Erlang walked slower and slower.
Liu Ji sighed, "Oh". As a man, how could he really bother with a little brat?
He reached out his hand and grabbed Erlang by the back of his neck, "Follow closely, don't fall into the river."
Erlang snorted. It was dark and he was indeed afraid. Unconsciously, his little hands grabbed his father's belt.
When they arrived at the Lotus Courtyard, the father and son did not go in. It was time for dinner at home, and Liu Ji could not guarantee that there would be no leftovers on the table if he stayed for another quarter of an hour.
After handing a large bowl of pickled radish to the guard, Liu Ji took Erlang and left.
Before I even got home, I could already smell the tempting aroma of food.
Looking up, a warm orange light appeared in the dark night. The father and son looked at each other, smiled and rushed towards the warm light.
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