Ning Tang welcomed Zhou Caiwei into the house and asked her to sit on the recliner. She went back to the kitchen to peel some fresh fruits, opened a coconut, and inserted a disposable cork straw that she had asked Shen Lie to have someone make for her.

Zhou Caiwei thanked him and took a big gulp of the sweet coconut water. Only then did she feel her thirst was relieved a lot.

Ning Tang noticed that her eyes were wandering around the books on the small round table, and handed her a book. "Do you want to read it, Teacher Zhou?"

Zhou Caiwei blinked quickly, "Is it okay? Big Baby Mommy."

Ning Tang was happy, "Sure, you can look at it at will."

She didn't read books like Shen Lie, who finished one book and then moved on to another. Instead, she picked a few books she liked, read a paragraph from each, and then put a bookmark on them. So she picked up several books at a time.

She added, "Don't call me Big Baby Mom anymore. Just call me Little Ning."

Zhou Caiwei hesitated for a moment before saying, "...Xiao Ning."

"If these books don't suit your taste, you can go to the bookshelf in the living room and have a look. There are other books there," Ning Tang said.

Zhou Caiwei was stunned: "You still have a bookshelf at home?"

"Well, Captain Shen, my eldest, second and third children and I all like reading. We often go to Xinhua Bookstore in Jiang City to buy some books to read. We bought so many that we asked someone to build a bookshelf to store them." Ning Tang glanced at Zhou Caiwei, "Speaking of which, my family's reading habit has something to do with you, Teacher Zhou."

Zhou Caiwei pointed at herself and was surprised. "Does it have anything to do with me?"

Ning Tang: "Dawa told us that sometimes you would pick some stories you read in books and tell them in class. Daawa really likes to listen to them. It was because of this that Captain Shen and I were inspired to buy the book."

Zhou Caiwei looked through the window and saw the bookshelf in the Shen family's living room. There were many books neatly placed on the bookshelf, proving that what Ning Tang said was true. She pursed her lips and said dryly, "It's good to read more books."

Ning Tang curled his lips and said, "Yeah."

Zhou Caiwei picked up a copy of "Pride and Prejudice" and started reading.

At first, she couldn't concentrate on reading. After turning a few pages, her eyes kept wandering around Ning Tang involuntarily.

Ning Tang was half lying on the recliner, with one leg bent and the other flat, holding a book in her hand, turning the pages from time to time, drinking a sip of coconut water from time to time, and eating a few pieces of fruit, feeling extremely comfortable and relaxed.

Zhou Caiwei looked at Ning Tang a few more times and found that Ning Tang didn't seem to have any intention of talking to her. He called her in, as if he just wanted to find a companion to read books with and enjoy the afternoon.

Gradually, Zhou Caiwei seemed to be infected by Ning Tang's leisurely yet serious attitude, and seriousness yet a hint of laziness, and she began to imitate Ning Tang's movements unconsciously.

She also started reading a book and eating for a while.

Before you know it, time has passed quickly.

By the time Zhou Caiwei reacted, the sun had already set, and she had finished reading a quarter of "Pride and Prejudice".

During the period, I drank a coconut, ate fruits such as pineapple honey, dragon fruit, mangosteen, cantaloupe, etc., also ate coconut milk pancake sent by Lei Sufen, and a bowl of very sticky tremella soup made with tremella, wolfberry and red dates sent by my grandson Aiju.

Seeing the mess on the small round table, Zhou Caiwei blushed and coughed, "Hey, thank you for your hospitality."

Ning Tang closed the book and raised the corner of his mouth, "You're welcome."

Zhou Caiwei lowered her head, the reflection of her glasses made it hard to see the emotion in her eyes. "You...are a nice person." She pursed her lips. "Not like what I imagined."

Ning Tang was amused, "You are also different from what I imagined."

She looks like an old scholar, but turns out to be a little arrogant.

She stood up and stretched lazily, stretching her muscles. "It's getting late. Captain Shen and Da Wa will be back soon. I still have to cook, so I won't see you off."

Zhou Caiwei nodded, closed the book, touched the very textured cover reluctantly, put the book on the small round table, and stood up to leave.

Ning Tang suddenly said, "You probably haven't finished reading the book Pride and Prejudice in your hand yet. I can lend it to you to read at home."

Zhou Caiwei was stunned. "Is it possible?"

She liked this book very much. When she thought that she had only read a quarter of it, she felt so anxious that she would definitely not be able to sleep tonight. Unexpectedly, Ning Tang actually said that he could lend it to her to read at home.

"Sure, I've finished reading that book. Captain Shen doesn't like reading it, and Da Wa and the others can't understand it." Ning Tang stuffed the book back into Zhou Caiwei's hands and blinked, "You have to keep it safe. If it gets dirty or lost, I'll hold you responsible."

Zhou Caiwei held the book in both hands and curled her lips. "Thank you." She paused and said, "I'll keep it safe."

She took a few steps and suddenly turned back, "Do you know if anyone said something bad about you?"

As soon as she finished speaking, Zhou Caiwei's face wrinkled into a ball, she was very upset. Damn it, why did she say what was in her heart?

After being a 'voyeur', the next impression she left on Ning Tang was 'chatter'?

Ning Tang was stunned, then couldn't help but burst out laughing.

Zhou Caiwei stamped her feet and said angrily, "What are you laughing at? Someone said something bad about you, aren't you angry?"

Ning Tang waved his hands and sat on the recliner. "What's there for me to be angry about? Just let them say whatever they want."

Zhou Caiwei was speechless, "You look so happy."

"I don't call this being open-minded, I call this being clear-minded." Ning Tang said, "How does the saying go?"

She thought about it carefully, clenched her right fist, and slapped the palm of her left hand. "I remember now. The saying is, who doesn't have anyone to talk about behind their backs? Who doesn't talk about others behind their backs?"

She blinked at Zhou Caiwei and said, "Aren't we two also talking about others behind their backs? What's the difference between us and them?"

Zhou Caiwei was shocked and speechless.

Ning Tang looked at her silly look and couldn't help laughing, "Hey, tell me, what did they say about me?" She was quite curious.

Zhou Caiwei said unhappily, "They said you were lazy, sleeping until noon to go to the market to buy vegetables, and even asked Captain Shen to cook and do housework for you. They said you were not ambitious, and you have been on the island for several years, but you didn't say you wanted to find a job."

She pursed her lips, as if she was a little hesitant as to whether to continue.

Ning Tang said, "Just tell me without worry. You said it yourself, and I am very happy about it."

So Zhou Caiwei continued, "...said that you couldn't have children, so you became the stepmother to Da Wa and the others."

After saying that, she glanced at Ning Tang and saw that she was smiling with her eyes crooked. She couldn't help but ask, "They said so many bad things about you, aren't you angry at all?"

"Angry? Not angry." Ning Tang said, "I think they are right."

She is indeed lazy, and this may not change until the day she lies in the coffin.

If they don't want to find a job, then don't look for a job. No one is competing with them for the job. Shouldn't these people be happy? If one day she gets bored at home and goes out to work, what will they have to do with it?

Besides, when she is not working, she lives a very carefree and leisurely life. Every day is like the weekend. If she were to work, and want to read and eat for the whole afternoon like today, she would have to squeeze out some time in her busy schedule.

As for the inability to have children, there is actually not much difference between not wanting to have children and not being able to have children if you think about it carefully. It just means not having children.

If she doesn't want to have a baby, then don't have one. Hehehe, if you have the guts, come and watch her and Shen Lie sleeping together.

Ning Tang thought about it for a while and became happier the more he thought about it.

"What's wrong with not having children? If anyone dares to say that I don't want to have children, I will block her door and ask her for money." Ning Tang said.

Zhou Caiwei was stunned. "You want money? What money do you want?"

Ning Tang rolled his eyes. "Of course, you need money to give birth and raise the child. You have to stay in the hospital to give birth, and there are registration fees, hospital fees, and nutrition expenses during childbirth. You have to spend money everywhere."

"Raising a child is even more expensive. Let's not talk about the distant past. For example, our three kids eat more and more every day. Two days ago, our team leader Shen even discussed with me whether we should make a bigger pot to cook. Otherwise, there won't be enough to eat. And we need to make at least one or two sets of clothes for the four seasons. Where do we get the money and coupons to make the clothes?"

Ning Tang shook his head. "Tsk, tsk, tsk, these people are just talking without any pain in their backs."

Zhou Caiwei thought about it and thought, hey, it's true. Those people say every day that Ning Tang doesn't have children. Have they ever thought about the fact that the Shen family has to raise three children. Will they pay for the expenses of giving birth and raising the children?

You're not going out, so what are you complaining about?

She was already convinced by Ning Tang in her heart, but she still said stubbornly, "I can't argue with you. You have such a good eloquence, go and talk to those people." She patted the book in her hand, "Remember to call me when you quarrel. Just because you borrowed this book from me, I have to cheer you up and stand by you."

Ning Tang was happy and waved his hand, "Then I thank you in advance."

Zhou Caiwei nodded, couldn't help curling her lips, and asked, "Hey, can I still come to your house to read books in the future?"

"Come on." Ning Tang blinked. "Captain Shen is often not at home, and Da Wa and the other two like to go out and have fun. It's boring for me to read at home alone. It would be great to have a companion."

Zhou Caiwei raised her chin and hummed, "Well, then it's settled."

It was getting late, and Zhou Caiwei was getting ready to go home. When she was almost at the door, she unexpectedly ran into Da Wa, Er Niu, and San Wa.

The three little ones were all dirty, and it was obvious that they had just come back from playing outside.

One of the eldest child's pants was rolled up, and his open-toed sandals were covered with sand. The second girl's braids were crooked. She was holding a bucket in one hand and a small shovel in the other. There was quite a lot of catch in the bucket. The third child was even more wet, and it was obvious that he had just come back from swimming.

The eldest child tilted his head and said, "Teacher Zhou, why are you at my house? Are you here for a visit?"

Zhou Caiwei was very embarrassed and didn't know how to explain it to Da Wa.

When the eldest child saw the empty plate on the small round table, he pouted and complained, "Okay, you two are eating alone."

Ning Tang was just about to rush Sanwa to the toilet to take a shower. This naughty little brat, it’s already November and he still went swimming. He really deserves to be beaten up by Shen Lie’s belt.

Wen Yan said, "Who told you to go out and have fun this afternoon? There's still food in the pot. Whoever cleans himself up first can eat first."

After saying that, he pulled Sanwa into the bathroom.

When Da Wa and Er Niu heard this, they looked at each other, threw the bucket away, and ran to the kitchen.

Da Wa hadn't run two steps when Zhou Caiwei pulled him back, "Dada."

The eldest boy was stunned, "Teacher Zhou, is there something wrong?" Let go quickly, he is in a hurry to eat delicious food!

Zhou Caiwei saw his little cat-like look and felt angry and amused. "It's nothing. I just wanted to tell you that your mother is doing fine."

The eldest was even more puzzled. "My mom is very good." He puffed out his chest proudly. "My mom is the best mom in the world." He stretched out his hand and drew a big circle. "She is so good, so, so good."

Zhou Caiwei smiled and patted his shoulder, "Okay, go eat."

As soon as she let go, the eldest child couldn't wait to run to the kitchen.

She walked out of the Shen family's door, looking at the book "Pride and Prejudice" in her hand, with an indescribable feeling in her heart. She remembered what Ning Tang said, 'No one talks behind anyone's back, and no one talks behind others' back', and she couldn't help but curling the corners of her mouth.

After returning home, Zhou Caiwei and her husband, Captain Wu Dahui, had a simple dinner, rested for a while, and went to bed.

Wu Dahui asked her, "Where have you been? Why haven't you been seen for the whole afternoon?"

"Oh, I went to Xiao Ning's house and read a book with her." Zhou Caiwei pointed to the book on the dressing table, "This is the book she lent me to read at home."

"Xiao? Ning?" Wu Dahui was surprised, because among Zhou Caiwei's friends, there was no one with the surname Ning.

Zhou Caiwei said, "It's Ning Tang." When she mentioned Ning Tang, she couldn't help but flash a smile across her eyes.

"Ning Tang?" Wu Dahui was even more surprised and looked at her strangely. "You don't like her, so why did you think of going to her house to read books?"

The couple talked about Ning Tang when they were gossiping at home, and Zhou Caiwei seemed to be quite disgusted with her during the conversation.

Zhou Caiwei rolled her eyes, "It's okay if you like her now, actually she's quite nice."

He showed her books to read, lent her books, treated her to a lot of delicious food, and she quite agreed with what Ningtang said.

Ning Tang has many advantages, generosity is one of them, and insight is another.

"I was wrong." Zhou Caiwei sighed, "No, I shouldn't have listened to rumors. When judging a person, I shouldn't listen to what others say. I should actually meet them."

Wu Dahui listened to her words intermittently, and put his arm around her shoulders, "Today?...Do you want to do that?"

Zhou Caiwei nodded.

After they finished doing that, Zhou Caiwei hung her feet side by side on the wall as she did before. It is said that this can increase the chances of conceiving a child.

But as soon as she put her feet up, she immediately put them down, crawled into the quilt, and tucked it in.

Wu Dahui was surprised and gestured, "You, why don't you do that pose today?"

I don't know where she heard those unorthodox things. Anyway, Wu Dahui has always sneered at such things, but Zhou Caiwei believed them without a doubt.

Unexpectedly, Zhou Caiwei didn't do it today. If the sun hadn't set, Wu Dahui really wanted to see whether the sun rose from the west today.

Zhou Caiwei said, "Because I've come to terms with it. Xiao Ning is right, 'No one talks behind anyone's back, and no one talks behind their back.' If I can't have a child, then I can't have a child. I'm just a hen that doesn't lay eggs. Let them say whatever they want."

She seemed to have thought of something and burst out laughing, "It costs so much to have a baby and raise a baby. Whoever urges me to have a baby should pay for it. If not, don't pay. Keep nagging me."

Wu Dahui agreed with this and embraced her, "You are right to think so. Having a son or a daughter is fate."

He pondered over Zhou Caiwei's words "Who?..." and said, "What you said makes sense."

Zhou Caiwei smiled and told him what happened in the afternoon, "...That's the truth. The two of us are talking about Xiao Ning now, and we are also talking about her behind her back."

Wu Dahui slapped his thigh and said, "According to what you said, Captain Shen's wife is quite conscious."

He suddenly thought of Shen Lie. In the army, Shen Lie was a man of few words and a practical man. Anyway, he had a good impression of him. For a man like this, the lover he found should not be too bad.

He paused, "Wouldn't it be a bad thing if you spent more time with her in the future?"

Zhou Caiwei responded, "Yeah."

After the Chinese New Year, in March, Shen Lie discussed with Ning Tang whether to buy a bicycle.

"Buy a bicycle? Why?" Ning Tang asked.

Shen Lie said: "Next September, my eldest child will go to junior high school. I heard that the schools on the island will be restructured, separating the primary school from the junior high school, and setting up a new junior high school campus on the west side of the island."

Ning Tang said, "We should have done this a long time ago."

Nowadays, primary and junior high schools on the island are mixed in the same building, which is a mess.

Shen Lie continued, "The west is far from our home. If he just walks, he will die. I guess he won't be able to make it home in time for dinner. So I plan to buy a bicycle for Da Wa. I will spend more than a year teaching him how to ride. When he enters junior high school next year, Da Wa will be able to ride a bicycle to school."

He glanced at Erniu and said, "You can ride Erniu to school in the future."

The third child is still young. When he grows up, he can take over the eldest child’s bicycle, or buy a new one. It’s all up to him. By then, the family will definitely have saved up for the ticket for the second bicycle.

"Now that you've thought it through, just buy it." Ning Tang said.

The eldest child was so excited that his face turned red. One of them shouted excitedly, "Oh, there are bicycles to ride."

Bicycle, if he goes out for a ride, how many little ones will there be? His friends will envy him!

By the way, can you ride a Dahu to school?!

Imagine two brothers, one riding a bicycle and the other standing on the back seat, driving down a slope. It would be really fun.

"Is it okay to buy it?..." Ning Tang glanced at Da Wa, "Can his feet touch the ground?"

The eldest child puffed up his cheeks and said, "Mom, you are too young to look down on others."

He recalled the way he saw other people riding bicycles, and imitated their posture, half squatting, holding the handlebars with both hands, and pushing his feet. "I'm sure I can touch the ground."

He smiled at Shen Lie, "Hey, Dad, just buy it for me."

Shen Lie also said, "Don't worry, Da Wa is definitely big enough."

The eldest child took after Shen Lie and has the tall gene. After Ning Tang came, he bought them a lot of nutritional supplements, such as calcium milk biscuits. He is now about 1.56 meters tall.

Compared with Li Hai's group of eighth graders, he is a little shorter, but this height is definitely unique among a group of elementary school students.

Shen Lie glanced at the eldest boy and said, "His legs are long enough, so he can definitely step on the ground. Besides, I didn't tell him to ride it right away after I bought it. He must have grown taller during the period of practice."

"If you buy it back, I guarantee that within a month, Da Wa will be able to ride skillfully with his group of friends for a ride." Ning Tang thought for a moment and said, "Buy him a women's bicycle. It's light and compact, and the seat is not high, which is just right for him to ride."

The eldest child pouted and said, "Why do I need a women's bicycle? I want a 28-inch bicycle."

"You should go to bed early today. You will have all kinds of dreams." Ning Tang retorted and looked at Shen Lie, "It seems that Da Wa doesn't agree. Then let's not buy it."

When he heard that they were not buying it, the eldest boy quickly made a gesture to stop them, "No, no, no, no." He said aggrievedly, "Women's is women's, can't I ride it?"

That women's bicycle is also a bicycle.

He is a primary school student, and will be a junior high school student in the future, but he can ride a bicycle that only workers can ride. It's very impressive.

Although Shen Lie acted quickly, it was difficult to get a bicycle ticket. It was not until June, when Da Wa and his friends were on summer vacation, that he spent 168 yuan and a bicycle ticket to buy a brand new women's bicycle.

June 17th, morning.

Da Wa played with Da Hu and the others very late yesterday, so he got up a little late in the morning.

In the morning, when he was half asleep and half awake, he heard a noisy noise downstairs. He didn't pay attention to it at the time, turned over and fell asleep again.

At exactly eleven o'clock, he got up, went downstairs to the yard to wash up. As soon as he walked into the yard, he saw a brand new women's bicycle with its feet parked in the open space in the yard.

The eldest boy opened his mouth, let out a cry of surprise, ran to the women's bicycle, touched it left and right, and was very curious about it.

This women's bicycle is not at all as "girly" as Da Wa imagined.

Compared with the heavy 28-inch bicycle, this Phoenix brand women's bicycle, from the handlebars to the stems to the bells, is all made of steel, reflecting a silvery white light under the sunlight.

Its tires are slimmer and smaller than those of a 28-inch bicycle. As its name suggests, the tire size of a 28-inch bicycle is 28 inches, while the tire size of this women's bicycle is only 26 inches.

The eldest boy stood in front of the bicycle and compared it. The seat was just below his waist, so he should be able to ride it.

In fact, not being tall enough is not a problem at all. Once you know how to ride a bike, you can just apply the brakes, lean to the side, and stop with one foot. Height is not a hard requirement. There are some female workers who are about the same height as Da Wa, or taller than him, and they can ride bikes very well.

Shen Lie said, "How is it? Does it look good? No."

The eldest boy's face flushed with excitement, and he nodded repeatedly, "It looks good." After thinking for a moment, he added, "It looks better than a 28-inch bicycle."

He looked at Shen Lie suddenly, "Dad, please teach me how to ride."

"Why are you in such a hurry? The bike is right here and it won't move around in the middle of the night." Ning Tang said, "It's almost noon. Let's have lunch first and then let your dad teach you how to ride in the afternoon."

Erniu puffed up her cheeks and raised her hand, "I want to ride too."

It's a women's bicycle. You can tell it's the one she rides.

Sanwa also pouted and said, "I want one too."

Ning Tang was happy and patted the heads of the two little kids. "You two are still young and not tall enough. You can ride when you grow up."

Seeing the two kids puffing up their cheeks and pouting their lips, so much so that a soy sauce bottle could be hung on them, Ning Tang quickly added, "But you can let me or your dad take you for a ride."

Shen Lie was stunned. "You can ride a bicycle?"

"Yes." Ning Tang said, "You forgot, my father has a 28-bar bicycle, and I learned how to ride from him. When he was not using it, my brother would ride me to and from school, or I would ride it to and from school by myself, or go to the supply and marketing cooperative to buy things."

Of course she was trying to fool Shen Lie. She knew how to ride a bicycle, but that was all learned in modern times.

When I was in Shangang Village, I also learned it, but I was not very good at it. I had to stop riding after riding for a while.

Shen Lie became interested, "Then ride me and see?"