The Shen and Su families live across from each other, so the Su family can hear anything that happens in the Shen family without having to raise their ears.
Ning Xue saw the whole process of Mrs. Luo coming to see Ning Tang, especially the scene where Mrs. Luo gave food to Ning Tang, which Ning Xue found particularly eye-catching.
It was obvious that Ning Tang’s popularity in Shangang Village was never better than hers.
How come after coming to Hailang Island, Ningtang made friends before her?
Ning Xue felt a little uncomfortable, and stared at the gate of the Shen family's courtyard as if she wanted to poke a hole in it.
When Shen Lie returned home in the afternoon, he saw a basket of vegetables on the table.
Shen Lie picked up an eggplant and asked Ning Tang, "Did you buy this eggplant?"
"No." Ning Tang said, "This was given to me by Mrs. Luo. She also told me to go to her house to pick it if I want to eat it."
Shen Lie knew that Mrs. Luo had cleared a vegetable plot in her yard, but Mrs. Luo had always treasured her vegetables. Once upon a time, a child was ignorant and stole a few cucumbers from her house. Mrs. Luo grabbed his ears and scolded him for an hour.
Unexpectedly, she allowed Ning Tang to pick the fruits as she pleased. It seemed that Ning Tang really pleased Mrs. Luo.
Shen Lie looked at Ning Tang seriously for a few times, which made Ning Tang a little scared. "Why are you looking at me?"
"I thought you wouldn't be able to get around on the island." Shen Lie shook his head. "I didn't expect that appearances are not what you get."
It’s no wonder Shen Lie thinks this way. After all, Ning Tang sleeps until noon every day. Apart from staying at home or going to the vegetable market, he doesn’t have much social interaction.
"Tsk." Ning Tang pouted, "You underestimate me, don't you? Let me tell you, when I go to the market to buy vegetables, people will give me a little extra. Do you know why?"
"Why?" Shen Lie asked.
Ning Tang patted his face and said, "Because I'm good-looking."
Shen Lie took a look at Ning Tang. She had a porcelain-white face, almond eyes, peach cheeks, and a red mole between her eyebrows. She was indeed good-looking, but he still said, "Just brag."
Ning Tang didn't answer, but circled around Shen Lie for a few times, almost confusing him. She reached out to stop him, "What are you doing?"
"Have you changed into a different person?" Ning Tang said, "I remember that you didn't talk much when you were in Shangang Village. My dad even said you were a piece of crap."
"You are the wooden stake." Shen Lie said without thinking, "I am a human being, why can't I speak? It depends on whether I want to speak or not."
He was not familiar with the Ning family before, and Su Junyan was showing off everywhere, so he didn't want to talk much and adhered to the principle of saying as little as possible.
But now that the matter is done and Ning Tang is not a difficult person to get along with, Shen Lie naturally starts talking more.
"Dad, I'm hungry!" Big Boy interrupted the two.
Shen Lie held his forehead and muttered to himself, "My sons and daughters are all debts, my sons and daughters are all debts." He turned around and went to the kitchen to cook.
Soon three dishes and a soup were served. Today, thanks to the gift from Mrs. Luo, Shen Lie only made one seafood dish. The remaining two dishes were made from the vegetables that Mrs. Luo gave him, namely mashed eggplant with garlic and stir-fried green beans.
Ning Tang picked up a piece of fried beans with chopsticks and put it into his mouth. "Captain Shen, how about you cook lunch from now on?"
Shen Lie's cooking skills make her praise him every time she eats his food.
Shen Lie put a piece of garlic-mashed eggplant in her bowl with his chopsticks and said, "You wish."
The next day, Shen Lie went to the army, and Ning Tang got up as usual to buy groceries and cook.
After dinner, Ningtang was about to take a nap in the rocking chair when he saw the eldest child leading the second and third children coming over hesitantly.
Ning Tang also got up and asked the three children, "What are you doing?"
The eldest boy turned his head away and didn't dare to look at her. He just glanced at a package in the corner of the wall.
He saw it all yesterday. Ning Tang took out the dates from the package and gave them to Mrs. Luo.
Ning Tang understood what Da Wa was thinking at a glance and curled up her lips, "You want to eat red dates, right?"
The eldest child choked and pushed the food onto Erniu, "Erniu wanted to eat it."
Erniu pushed it to Sanwa, "It's Sanwa who wants to eat!"
Sanwa looked around at his brothers and sisters and raised his hand, "Yes, Sanwa wants to eat."
Ning Tang was amused. He stood up and took out a bag of dried red dates from the package. He took one and put it into Sanwa's hand. "Give one to the most honest child as a reward."
When Sanwa saw the red dates, his eyes lit up and he grabbed the dates with his little hands and stuffed them into his mouth.
These dried red dates had their pits removed, and Ning Tang was not afraid that he would choke, so she let him eat them.
When Da Wa and Er Niu saw San Wa eating red dates, they were so greedy that they looked at Ning Tang with sparkling eyes.
The dates are big, red and sweet, and they are something he has never eaten before, so how could he not be greedy?
Ning Tang was happy and took two red dates and put them in his palm, "Who wants to eat red dates?"
Da Wa and Er Niu quickly raised their hands and said, "I want to eat red dates."
Ning Tang gave one to each person and said, "Next time if you want to eat it, just tell me directly. Don't push it onto San Wa. What can a three-year-old kid understand?"
Da Wa and Er Niu took the dates and stuffed them into their mouths, nodding as they ate.
After eating one, the eldest child was still not satisfied. He kept looking at the big bag of dates in Ningtang's hand, "Stepmother, I want to eat more."
Erniu said, "I want to eat too."
I thought Ning Tang would give them another one, but Ning Tang shook his head and said, "No more."
"Nonsense." Big Boy shouted, "Here's a big bag."
Erniu put her hands on her hips and said, "Mom, didn't you say you wanted to eat it? You lied, shame on me."
"How did I lie?" Ning Tang said, "I just told you to tell me if you want to eat it, but did I say I would give it to you if you told me?" She looked at Da Wa and Er Niu, "No?"
The eldest boy and the second girl looked at each other and started to act like a spoiled brat by sitting on the ground, "I don't care, I just want to eat."
Oh, Ning Tang is not someone who can be moved by trickery.
She put the dates on a high cabinet, clasped her arms around her chest and leaned against the cabinet, watching Da Wa and Er Niu playing around.
As soon as Da Wa and Er Niu saw Ning Tang's performance, they knew that they couldn't get the dates by just cheating.
The two children got up from the ground, patted their buttocks, and looked resentful.
Ning Tang was happy, "You can eat if you want—" She gestured to Da Wa and Er Niu to look at the unwashed dishes on the table, then held up a finger, "One red date for each time you wash the dishes, how about that?"
The eldest boy recalled the sweet taste of the dates and held up two fingers, "Two dates for each wash." He quickly put the two fingers down and held up three fingers, "No, no, three dates."
Erniu agreed with him, "Yes, three dates for each time you wash the dishes."
Sanwa is small and has a small appetite, so one red date is enough for him and he doesn’t care how many he has.
"Why are you two asking for a higher price?" Ning Tang said, "No, two red dates at most."
Da Wa put his hands behind his back and shook his head, saying, "Three means three."
Ning Tang: "Forget it, I'll just wash it myself."
Upon hearing this, Da Wa and Er Niu panicked and quickly held Ning Tang, "Then two."
"Hehe, now I regret it. I will only offer one red date." Ning Tang said.
Da Wa was shocked, "Didn't you just say you would give me two dates?"
Ning Tang pointed at herself and said, "I am a woman. Don't you know that women are fickle?"