Shen Heng never used to take a nap. He used to laugh at Bai Jiaojiao for taking naps, saying it was a city person's routine. But after only a few days, he's already gotten used to it.
Only Shen Heng himself knew what he was thinking: if he rested well at noon, he would have energy in the evening, right?
He didn't dare tell Bai Jiaojiao. He glanced down at Bai Jiaojiao, who was still sleeping, and walked out as the clock struck to signal everyone to get to work.
In the afternoon, Bai Jiaojiao went to the small hill behind their house and cut a bundle of bamboo to build a fence so she could raise a few chickens inside. Not only would they lay eggs, but if she raised them now, she could slaughter them and eat them after the New Year.
Shen Heng was willing to take on farm work, and she also had time to cut some grass to feed the chickens. Their yard was big, and the chicken coop was far away from the bedroom window, so if they cleaned it frequently, there would be no smell.
Bai Jiaojiao had already honed her practical skills in her previous life. When Shen Heng returned home, he saw that there was a fence more than a meter high next to the toilet.
"You want to raise chickens?"
"Um."
"Okay, I'll ask around and see if anyone has chicks hatching." Without Bai Jiaojiao having to say anything, Shen Heng took on the task himself.
Bai Jiaojiao smiled and seemed quite pleased: "Brother Heng, pack your things, and we'll go to Big Brother's house."
In the afternoon, Bai Jiaojiao went to the supply and marketing cooperative. In addition to buying ingredients for making glutinous rice strips, she also bought a bag of fruit candies, which she planned to bring to the two little children, Bai Manzhi and Bai Manlin.
Because of the recent heavy rain, strong laborers like Shen Heng were assigned to clear ditches, and his trouser legs were covered in mud. He needed to wash them thoroughly and change his trousers.
"Heng-ge, you can keep these and I'll rub them on you during the day," Bai Jiaojiao said when she saw Shen Heng throw the pants he had taken off aside.
Shen Heng also came back with muddy pants last night. Bai Jiaojiao originally planned to wash them for him, but somehow he ended up on the kang (a heated brick bed). When she woke up this morning, she found that the pants had been washed and were hanging in the yard.
"With those two little hands of yours, how long will it take you to finish rubbing them?" Shen Heng felt sorry for Bai Jiaojiao, but he deliberately didn't speak kindly.
However, Shen Heng's clothes were indeed large; his vest could cover Bai Jiaojiao's buttocks.
"Take your time washing it."
The well in Shen Heng's courtyard was already a hundred times better than the conditions in those places where people could only wash clothes by the reservoir or river. Bai Jiaojiao had nothing to complain about.
"I said no, and that means no. If you keep arguing with us, I'll teach you a lesson tonight!"
"Brother Heng!"
"Alright, let's go." Shen Heng finished packing and gave Bai Jiaojiao a kiss on the cheek before leaving, as if he couldn't get enough of taking advantage of her.
"If you keep doing this, I'm not going to be friends with you anymore." Bai Jiaojiao wrinkled her nose.
"What do you mean by that? Tell me."
Shen Heng nudged Bai Jiaojiao with his elbow, knowing that Bai Jiaojiao would be too embarrassed to speak on the street.
Sure enough, Bai Jiaojiao glared at him again and turned her head away, ignoring him.
There seemed to be a person between them. Now that everyone had finished work and there were many people outside, seeing the distance between them and Bai Jiaojiao's expression, people assumed that the couple had a fight.
Bai Jiaojiao's face turned bright red from Shen Heng's teasing, but people misunderstood: "Did Shen Heng slap her? I knew it, how could someone like him not beat his wife? Bai Jiaojiao didn't go to work today, and she got beaten tonight. Sigh..."
People were whispering amongst themselves at home, but Shen Heng couldn't hear them.
If Shen Heng knew, he would definitely grab this person's ear and show him the little teeth marks Bai Jiaojiao had bitten on his shoulder, and then ask him who was abusing whom.
"Alright, we're almost there. If you keep acting like this, your brother will think I've done something to you."
Shen Heng smoothed Bai Jiaojiao's ponytail, as if coaxing a child, "I'll listen to you tonight, okay? I won't bully you, alright?"
Bai Jiaojiao looked up at Shen Heng: "Really?"
"Of course it's true."
Shen Heng saw Bai Jiaojiao's eyes light up suddenly, looking especially beautiful in the afterglow of the setting sun: "But if you keep staring at me like that, it might not be real."
"Hmph! You filthy scoundrel."
Bai Jiaojiao quickly entered the Bai family's house, as the courtyard gate was not closed while waiting for them.
Bai Manzhi was helping Deng Min mix chicken feed in the yard. She was small, but still as tall as the basin, and it looked like she was working very hard.
"Manzhi, let your uncle dry it, come and have some candy."
As soon as Bai Jiaojiao finished speaking, Shen Heng snatched away the chicken feed in front of Bai Manzhi as if he were robbing her.
Bai Manzhi was terrified and forgot to cry, looking helplessly at Deng Min.
"Oh, brother-in-law, no need, no need!"
Shen Heng is a guest, and Deng Min has absolutely no reason to ask a guest to do anything.
Shen Heng waved his hand: "It's nothing."
Bai Manzhi ran over and hugged Deng Min's leg, hiding behind Deng Min and watching Bai Jiaojiao.
My aunt just said she brought her some candy?
Bai Manzhi was still wondering if she had misheard when she saw Bai Jiaojiao pull out a package of oil paper bags with words printed on them.
"The branches are full, take some and eat them. The branches are small, so eat less sugar."
Bai Manshu is still young; this candy is mainly for Bai Manzhi.
Bai Jiaojiao knew how good her older sister Bai Manzhi was to her younger brother, and even gave her special instructions.
"Little sister, what are you doing?" Deng Min was very embarrassed. They were the ones who were treating everyone to dinner, so why did Bai Jiaojiao bring things?
"Can't I, as an aunt, even show some affection to my nephew?"
Bai Shiqing came out: "Manzhi, just take what your aunt gave you."
Bai Manzhi still didn't dare.
"I don't know where he got this personality from. We don't have noodles that don't cook properly in our family, and my sister-in-law isn't like this either."
Bai Jiaojiao kept her hand raised, and Bai Shiqing could only take the candy from Bai Jiaojiao's hand while talking.
He opened the bag and popped one into his mouth: "Manzhi, the rest are yours, here you go."
Bai Manzhi only dared to take what Bai Shiqing gave her.
Deng Min nudged Bai Manzhi: "Hurry up and thank your aunt."
"Thank you, Auntie."
Bai Manzhi is not shy.
It was purely because of the impression Bai Jiaojiao had left that I didn't dare to take anything from her.
But she only dared to take it after seeing her aunt eat it.
Deng Min smiled and said, "You two hurry up and wash your hands and get on the kang (heated brick bed), the food will be ready soon."
Shen Heng has also started feeding the chickens, strictly following orders, hoping his wife will reward him handsomely when he gets back for his good behavior.
The two got onto the kang (a heated brick bed), and saw Bai Zhiman holding Bai Manlin on the kang. Shen Heng, along with Bai Jiaojiao, called out "Dad."
Bai Jiaojiao went to the kitchen to help, while Shen Heng stood alone by the door.
"Sit on the kang (heated brick bed)."
Bai Zhiman raised his chin, and Shen Heng sat on the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed). The father-in-law and son-in-law looked at each other in silence.
It wasn't until Bai Manzhi came in to feed Bai Manlin candy that Shen Heng said, "Didn't your aunt tell you to give this little one less food? How can someone so small eat candy? What if he chokes?"
Shen Heng's tone was consistently unfriendly, which frightened Bai Manzhi into tears.
"Wow--"
Hearing her sister cry, Bai Manlin, who was unaware of what was happening, also started to cry.
"Wah wah—"
Bai Zhiman frowned and glared at Shen Heng: "What are you doing?"
"Father, I..."
Shen Heng looked at his father-in-law staring at him, and his nephew and niece wailing, his head buzzing.
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