As "Sister-in-law" Niu Xiaomei stepped into the main room, she unexpectedly bumped into Xue Huaimin and gave an awkward laugh: "Dr. Xue!"
Taking advantage of the situation, Chen Yu said, "Little sister, I haven't finished my work yet. Why don't you chat with Doctor Xue for a bit?"
"Hey, sister-in-law!" Niu Xiaomei couldn't stop Chen Yu, but instead, her little Fu Bao giggled and said, "Uncle... Uncle, Uncle."
Niu Xiaomei blushed and said, "What uncle? Don't call me that!"
Xue Huaimin stood up, picked up Xiao Fubao, and said, "She didn't get the name wrong, she'll be it sooner or later!"
Niu Xiaomei sighed, sat down in the chair, and decided to be honest, saying:
"What does Dr. Xue see in me? I'm a woman who's been married before, has had two children, and might not be able to have any more."
Niu Xiaomei has an inherent inferiority complex.
“That’s not your fault, and even if you can’t have children, I don’t mind,” Xue Huaimin said, sitting down in the chair next to Niu Xiaomei and holding her hand.
"If you don't mind, what about your mother? Dr. Xue comes from a good family, has good character, is good-looking, and is an only child. Why would she want to get entangled with a woman like me?"
Niu Xiaomei said with a mournful expression, "Besides, what you're doing is ruining my reputation!"
"As long as I marry you, no one will gossip. And if anyone dares to, I have plenty of ways to deal with them," Xue Huaimin said. "I will definitely marry you."
“But I don’t like you,” Niu Xiaomei gritted her teeth and said fiercely, “Please, Dr. Xue, stop bothering me!”
Xue Huaimin stood up and placed Xiao Fubao on a chair. He seemed not to have heard what Niu Xiaomei said, and said, "I will definitely marry you, a proper marriage, with a grand wedding procession."
Then, they left.
Niu Da was cutting grass for the calves and pigs when he ran into Xue Huaimin. "Little Dr. Xue, why don't you stay at home a little longer?"
"I also have some outpatient appointments, so it's inconvenient for me to sit for long. Thank you for your kindness, brother!" Xue Huaimin spoke as gently and politely as if bathed in a spring breeze.
"Well then, Dr. Xue, take care!"
After a while, Niu Da said again, "Wife, what did Doctor Xue call me just now? He called me Big Brother!"
Shen Yu laughed and said, "This young Doctor Xue has taken a liking to our little sister and wants to be your brother-in-law!"
Niu Da found it hard to believe. Although his younger sister was still young, she had been married and had children.
Inside the house, Niu Xiaomei looked worried, yet her face was slightly flushed. Seeing that Xue Huaimin had left, leaving behind Lingzhi, Chen Yu said:
"Little sister, what are you thinking?"
“What can I think? I am not good enough for him. Even if he doesn’t mind now, how can he not think that I have had other men when he sees two children around in front of him every day and in bed with them?” Niu Xiaomei said, and then leaned against Shen’s arms and cried.
Little Fu Bao slid down the chair, hugged Niu Xiao Mei's leg, and said, "Auntie, no, no!"
"Little sister, do you like Doctor Xue or not? If you do, give him a chance and see what he does. It doesn't matter if he loses; he can always come back. Our Niu family can still support you and your two children!" "If you don't like him, and he comes back again, I'll chase him out with a big broom!"
Chen Yu's words were so funny that they made Niu Xiaomei laugh.
Chen Yu said, "But there's one crucial point: don't cut off the only path, leaving no chance for others or for yourself. Otherwise, it will be too late for regrets."
Niu Xiaocao said, "Sister-in-law, I...I like him, but I'm afraid. I'm afraid that one day he will despise me because I've been with other men, and he's a doctor while I'm illiterate. I'm also afraid he'll become like Huang Zhigao."
Chen Yu said, "I don't think Doctor Xue is the kind of person Huang Zhigao is. If he dislikes you, he won't like you."
Niu Xiaomei remained silent.
“Little sister, if he is sincere, you should not miss this opportunity,” Chen Yu said. “I’ve already said what I meant!” Chen Yu replied.
"Uncle, uncle, uncle," Little Fu Bao called out in a chattering voice.
In August, the private school in Niushan Village opened, and Niu Da sent Niu Er and Niu Cuihua to study.
Private schools were for children from poor families, and generally not a single grain of food would be wasted, so Niu Er couldn't find any leftovers to feed the pigs.
The chickens and geese at home were well cared for by Chen Yu, and none of them were injured or died. After two months of feeding, the chickens and geese gradually grew bigger and were able to eat some coarse rice, rotten vegetable leaves and wild grass.
Only after Chen Yu succumbed to his embarrassment did things become a little easier.
To prevent insect infestation and bird damage, Niu Da bought several packets of traditional Chinese medicine to kill insects that day, brewed them, and sprinkled them around the fruit trees.
Fruit trees and piglets are things that require a long investment of time; a tree takes at least two to three years to grow and bear fruit.
Although Niu Da and Shen Yu had unearthed a treasure, they were both restless people, and they bred all the pigs in their house.
The chickens and geese have grown up. Each of her chickens can lay three to four eggs, and her geese can lay two to three eggs.
Thirty chickens: twenty-five hens and five roosters intended for breeding.
Other geese can only lay one egg.
Moreover, goose eggs are more nutritious and sell for seven coins each. They have ten geese, eight females and two males.
Every morning, Chen Yu steamed a bowl of egg custard for Niu Baolan and Xiao Fubao, and also steamed an extra bowl of goose egg custard for them.
Children have poor digestion, so they need to eat soft foods.
Niu Baolan is more than half a year older and has already started walking and can eat on her own, while Xiao Fubao is less than a year old.
"This is steamed egg custard, steamed egg custard," Shen Yu said as she fed Xiao Fubao and taught him to speak, her voice incredibly gentle. In Shen's heart, Xiao Fubao was just like her own child.
Little Lucky Egg, with a mouthful of steamed egg custard, rubs himself against Chen Yu, a cute and lively little rascal.
"Mother"
Little Fu Bao started speaking early.
The sound of her calling "Mom" brought tears to Shen Yu's eyes. Her son, Fu Bao, was so cute and lovable.
Meanwhile, Niu Baolan, looking every bit the little foodie, finished her steamed egg custard in big mouthfuls and held out her small bowl, saying, "Mommy, Lan'er wants more!"
Little Fu Bao, as if vying for attention, said in her childish voice, "Mommy, I want one too, I want one too!"
Shen Yu smiled and said, "Yes, we have them all! We have them all!"
With so many chicken and goose eggs at home, Niu Cuihua decided to start a brand that wholesales chicken and goose eggs.
Eggs are common in many households, but when sold wholesale, they cost only one cent for two, and many small vendors still buy them.
Goose eggs cost five coins each at wholesale price.
Most of the chicken and goose eggs in the family were sold wholesale, while a small portion was taken out to sell by Niu Cuihua and Niu Er before dawn every day, once in the morning and once in the evening.
All the money from the sale was given to the Shen family.
Most of the eggs sold wholesale were bought by people from Niushan Village. The villagers were familiar with the eggs and knew their quality, so many of them bought them on credit and paid after the eggs were sold.
By the end of September, while the weather was still relatively warm, Niu Da and Shen Yu were busy breeding pigs, chickens, and geese. They were also busy cleaning the pigsty, goose pen, and chicken coop every day. Six-year-old Niu Meihua would take three-year-old Niu Baolan to let the chickens and geese roam around every day.
At such an young age, they knew nothing, yet they could do so much work. But they were also extremely happy, as many families couldn't even afford meat for a month.
At that age, many children are herding cattle or planting rice.
In the past, Niu Dajia's conditions were not good. Even though Chen Yu knew some techniques for raising chicks and piglets, she couldn't cook without rice.
Niu Da admired his wife even more from the bottom of his heart, feeling that being able to marry her was truly a blessing he had earned in his past life.
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