Chapter 103 Put on Your Head
Zhao Xiannan didn't say anything, but silently moved further away from the ox.
Shen Xuewei drove the cow into the cowshed and went home with Zhao Xiannan, carrying the vegetables.
Zhao Xiannan fetched water and squatted down next to the water vat to wash vegetables.
Seeing that he was adapting well, Shen Xuewei felt at ease and went on to do other things.
After the rice was cooked, Shen Xuewei put the pot of hot water on the stove and boiled a pot of water.
Before long, Grandpa Chen and his two companions returned from the fields.
When Chen Fangyang saw the group return, he quickly straightened his clothes and stood up.
He sidled up to Grandpa Chen and Grandma Xi, grinning mischievously, and called out, "Mom and Dad, you're back. Come on, let me help you take the baskets off your backs..."
He reached out, intending to help Grandpa Chen first.
Grandpa Chen dodged to the side and put down his basket himself.
Chen Fangyang's smile remained unchanged, but he shifted his hand to the side and reached for Grandma Xi's basket.
Grandma Xi didn't dodge and let him take the basket off her back.
She asked, puzzled, "Why did you come back all of a sudden?"
Chen Fangyang touched his nose. He couldn't let him say anything when he left. He came back originally to teach Shen Xuewei a lesson, right?
He tried to cover it up by saying, "I haven't seen you all for a while, and I missed you, so I came back to see you."
Not only did Grandma Xi not believe this, but even Big Yellow, who was lying by the door, didn't believe it and gave her a disdainful look.
Seeing this, he quickly took a few steps and pulled Zhao Xiannan, who was leaning against the pillar, over.
“I didn’t come back by myself. I brought Xiannan back with me.”
Zhao Xiannan's smile was youthful and slightly shy. He called out softly, "Hello, Grandpa and Grandma, I'm Xiannan. My mom has something to do and asked me to stay with Uncle Yang for a while."
"I'm really sorry I didn't tell you I was coming back in advance."
Grandma Xi responded with an "Ah," and looked at the refined young man in front of her with delight.
"What's there to be embarrassed about? This is your home too. Stay a few more days. Haven't you eaten yet? Sit down first, your grandpa and I will cook something, and we'll be able to eat in a little while."
Even Grandpa Chen, who was standing to the side, softened his expression upon seeing Zhao Xiannan and said gently:
"Don't be shy with your family. We're so happy that you could come back to see us."
Putting everything else aside, the elderly couple simply couldn't bring themselves to harden their hearts when a polite, fair-skinned, and refined young man stood before them.
Although they are not related by blood, he is Chen Fangyang's stepson and their grandson.
The elderly couple's initial fatigue seemed to have dissipated considerably.
Grandpa Chen caught a glimpse of the chicken that Shen Xuewei had tied up, and walked toward it with a kitchen knife in hand.
"Weiwei, get a bowl and some water, come help me catch the chicken."
Shen Xuewei put down the green beans she was processing and responded.
"Hey, here it comes!"
She filled a bowl with about half a bowl of water, took it outside, and placed it on a stone.
Grandpa Chen plucked some feathers from the chicken's neck. After Shen Xuewei grabbed the chicken's feet, he slashed the chicken's neck with a cleaver, and the chicken blood fell into a bowl of water.
Once the bleeding had stopped, he tossed the chicken aside, and Shen Xuewei took the bowl of chicken blood back.
Grandpa Chen took a basin of hot water, poured in the boiling water, then took it out and put the chicken in to soak for a few minutes before starting to process it.
Grandma Xi then took down a piece of cured meat that was hanging there, intending to add another dish that evening.
Zhao Xiannan sat on the stool, watching them bustling about, his hands tucked between his thighs, feeling increasingly uneasy.
He reached out and tugged at Chen Fangyang's trouser leg, asking in a low voice, "Uncle Yang, aren't we going to help?"
Chen Fangyang was originally lying on the recliner, but after the elders of the Chen family returned, he gave up the recliner.
He was sitting comfortably on the stool when he heard this, and glanced at him.
"There's nothing I can do to help. Just sit and wait to eat."
Zhao Xiannan was taken aback by his matter-of-fact attitude, and sighed inwardly that Uncle Yang was indeed as shameless as ever.
Chen Fangyang felt comfortable doing nothing and just waiting to be fed, but Zhao Xiannan felt embarrassed.
He stood up and looked around to see if he could help with anything, when he suddenly noticed a gaze falling on him.
He turned his head and saw that it was Granny Chen sitting in the recliner looking at him.
He stepped forward and called out, "Grandma."
Chen Fangyang glanced at it and said, "Grandma can't hear anymore, she won't hear you even if you greet her."
Grandma Chen may not be able to hear, but she has eyes, and her eyes can see.
After being deaf for a long time, she could stare at other people's mouths and roughly guess what they were saying based on their mouth movements.
When Zhao Xiannan greeted her, she smiled and responded.
Holding Zhao Xiannan's hand, he said twice, "Good boy, good boy."
Zhao Xiannan sat down beside her and occasionally spoke to her.
Grandma Chen lay on the recliner, talking to herself. Zhao Xiannan sat beside her, and after trying to talk to her but finding that she didn't respond to a single word, he stopped talking and just listened to her.
Grandpa Chen and Grandma Xi prepared the chicken and cured meat, then brought them back to cook or boil them.
Shen Xuewei added some firewood and then carried the bucket of pig feed.
Seeing that she was so small but had to carry such a big bucket, Zhao Xiannan quickly went over to help.
Shen Xuewei scooped several spoonfuls of pig feed into the bucket, then had him carry the bucket, and the two of them walked together towards the pigpen.
After Zhao Xiannan put the bucket down, he watched Shen Xuewei scoop pig feed to feed the pigs and wanted to try it too.
"Could you..."
After saying only a few words, Shen Xuewei understood what he meant and handed him the spoon in her hand.
"Here, give it a try."
For some people who have never done farm work, seeing others do something is very interesting, and some even want to try it themselves.
Having interacted with Zhao Xiannan before, Shen Xuewei had figured out his personality.
Currently, he is someone who is curious about everything in the countryside.
After feeding the pigs, the two returned, and Shen Xuewei tended to the fire in the fire pit, making it burn even brighter.
The old couple were by the fire pit. After she no longer needed to watch the fire, she went to the back door and drove the chickens back to the woods near the back door.
Seeing this, Zhao Xiannan followed.
With Zhao Xiannan's help, Shen Xuewei successfully brought back the chickens, though it took her longer than usual.
Back home, everyone chatted occasionally, and as the aroma wafted from the pot, the meal was finally ready.
After washing the dishes and serving rice to Grandma Chen, Grandpa Chen, and Grandma Xi, Shen Xuewei also served herself.
Zhao Xiannan felt embarrassed to let her serve him rice, so he followed her and served himself a bowl.
As the two passed by Chen Fangyang, Chen Fangyang opened his mouth, but before he could say anything, Shen Xuewei knew what he was going to say.
She glared at him and lowered her voice, saying, "Second Uncle, pretend it yourself. Otherwise, I'll dump this bowl on your head."
Chen Fangyang glanced at the steaming bowl of rice in her hand, which was full of rice, and got up to get his own rice.
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