Chapter 61
After fishing for crayfish with his father for two consecutive nights, Meng Yuxiu went alone because his father had work to do in the fields the next day and couldn't handle staying up all night every day.
On market day, the father and son got up early to prepare to take the crayfish and eels to the market to sell.
There were so many crayfish and eels stored in the yard for several days, along with basins, buckets, and a scale, that Meng's father borrowed a tricycle from the village head.
Han Shuo, bored at home, also suggested going to sell things. Since Meng's father and mother had to work in the fields during the day, they decided to let the young couple go to town.
However, if Han Shuo is going out, then he needs to make some preparations.
Without his mother's prompting, Meng Yuxiu went to the kitchen and filled a kettle with water, and also put some peach shortbread and other snacks in a bag.
Meng's mother even found a straw hat for Han Shuo to take with him. She estimated that with so many crayfish and eels, the young couple would have to sell them in town for at least a morning. So she said, "It's not hot now, but it will get hot when the sun comes out. Wearing this straw hat will help you block the sun."
"Okay, thank you, Mom." Han Shuo took the straw hat and got into the tricycle.
"Xiao Xiu." Meng's mother was worried, so she went to the front and told Meng Yuxiu, who was about to ride his tricycle, "If Xiao Shuo can't stand the heat, bring him back first."
"Okay, Mom," Meng Yuxiu said, and started pedaling the tricycle.
The market in the town is held once a week, and everyone gets there early, so the vendors have to get there even earlier.
The village is close to the town, which is convenient. The young couple arrived in town at 5:30, so they found a spot at the intersection to set up their stall. This way, people coming to the market would pass by, and the tractor would also have to be parked there.
Han Shuo got off the tricycle and started helping to unload things from it.
Meng Yuxiu forbade him to touch heavy objects, such as large buckets and basins of crayfish and eels, so Han Shuo would move lighter objects like small stools and bamboo chairs.
Han Shuo initially thought it was too much trouble and suggested bringing two small stools, but the whole family insisted on bringing bamboo chairs, saying they would be more comfortable to sit on.
Meng Yuxiu poured several buckets of crayfish into two large basins, while the eels were poured into a separate basin for customers to choose from.
After completing the preparations, he and Han Shuo sat behind the basin waiting for customers to come.
Unlike collecting recyclables, this was Han Shuo's first time doing business properly. Although the town was full of vendors and there weren't many customers, Han Shuo was still excited.
Before leaving home, Meng's mother gave him a waist pouch containing loose change. Han Shuo tied the pouch around his waist and then asked Meng Yuxiu to teach him how to use a steelyard.
Meng Yuxiu had learned it from his father the night before. He grabbed the scale bar next to him and hung the weight on it.
"Hook the basket up. We'll put crayfish and eels in it later. See? There are markings here."
Han Shuo listened attentively, "I saw it, I saw it."
"The longer marking represents one jin (500 grams), and the shorter one represents two liang (100 grams). Once you put the item on the scale, release your hand. As long as the scale beam doesn't tilt, it's fine."
"Let me try!" Han Shuo took the scale bar, hung the bag of snacks he brought today on the hook, and then slid the rope holding the weight back and forth with one hand.
Meng Yuxiu approached to offer guidance.
"Oh, hahaha! Is that so? It's not that difficult!"
Meng Yuxiu was about to nod in agreement with a smile when Han Shuo suddenly jerked the scale bar in his hand and hit him on the nose.
"Holy crap!" Han Shuo quickly put down the scale. "Did it hurt?"
Meng Yuxiu covered his nose and shook his head, saying, "You don't need to keep your hand off the scale. Just wait a second or two until it's balanced."
"Hehehe, okay!"
The location is good and business is good. Although it's in the countryside, catching crayfish and eels is a troublesome task. Farmers are busy in the fields and don't have the energy to catch them. On the other hand, the merchants in the town have little farmland and basically rely on buying and selling for a living.
So the couple's stall was constantly packed with customers. Han Shuo originally thought he would have to shout to attract customers, but now he was too busy to do so.
Meng Yuxiu was catching eels and crayfish and weighing them, while Han Shuo was collecting money and giving change.
Around eight or nine o'clock, business reached its peak. Han Shuo didn't even have time to drink water, but looking at the empty basins and bulging wallets, he felt extremely excited.
The market ended around 1 p.m., and the two of them didn't have time to go back for lunch, so they only had time to eat some peach shortbread after the crowds gradually dispersed.
After finishing the peach shortbread, Han Shuo couldn't wait to unzip his fanny pack and count his money. However, the banknotes were too small, and he felt that his memory wasn't very good these days, so he forgot the amount he had just counted after a while.
Meng Yuxiu said, "Let's order more when we get home."
Han Shuo put the money into his pocket. "Never mind, let's just pay for it when we sell our things at the market later. Hey, maybe we can go to the market twice more before we go to Hecheng for school?"
As Meng Yuxiu ate his peach shortbread and gazed at the deserted street, he pondered, "I plan to continue tutoring while I still have some time."
"Sure!" Han Shuo agreed. "Now that you're a renowned top scholar in the surrounding area, recruiting students for your tutoring center must be much easier than before, right?"
"But..." Han Shuo asked, "How will you let everyone know you're going to open a tutoring center?"
In rural areas, primary and junior high schools don't place enough emphasis on tutoring. Many students finish primary and junior high school and only know a few characters. Those who are willing to attend tutoring are mostly high school students. If you only teach one or two high school students, it's a waste of time and energy.
During the winter break, Meng Yuxiu taught students of the same grade in the school, and classes could be started as arranged before the winter break.
These people have all graduated now, so he needs to find high school freshmen and sophomores. But this era is not like the 21st century, where you can just advertise online.
How to attract students for tutoring is a difficult problem.
Meng Yuxiu thought for a moment, "I'll go back and discuss it with my dad, and see if we can use the village loudspeaker to ask."
Upon hearing this, Han Shuo's eyes lit up. "Great! Then you can have your dad go to other villages tomorrow and use a loudspeaker to spread the word. Your dad is the principal of the town's primary school, so everyone will definitely give him face."
Meng Yuxiu nodded, "That's what I think too."
Han Shuo chuckled smugly, "Tell your dad not to forget to bring your top scholar title!"
Meng Yuxiu chuckled.
There were only a few crayfish left in the bowl. After waiting a while longer and seeing no more customers, the two packed up and went home.
In the evening, Meng's parents returned from the fields and found some large snails. Today was the first time their two children had made money in business, and Meng's mother was happy. She said she would cook a good meal, and the whole family ate in the yard.
Meng's father dumped all the snails and leftover crayfish into a bucket, then took it to the stream to get a brush and washed them carefully several times.
As the sun slowly sets in the west and the sky is tinged with red sunset clouds, wisps of smoke rise from the chimneys of every household in Xiqiao Village.
The Meng family had a courtyard, but usually they ate indoors except when they were enjoying the cool air. Today, since they were out, Meng's mother was cooking in the kitchen while Meng Yuxiu moved the table and chairs out of the house.
After Meng's father returned with the bucket, he asked Meng Yuxiu to go to the small shop to buy a few bottles of beer and soda. Meng Yuxiu had gotten married and had done business that day, so he had some money on hand and didn't need his father to pay him. He went to the small shop to buy beer and soda.
Han Shuo's pregnancy symptoms have lessened recently, and his appetite has increased significantly. Meng's mother stir-fried crayfish and snails with cooking wine, and the aroma of wine mixed with the smell of firewood kept wafting from the kitchen, making Han Shuo extremely hungry. He went in and out of the kitchen several times before the meal was served.
"Mom, it smells so good! When can we eat?" Han Shuo followed Meng's mother and watched her cook.
Meng's mother lifted the lid of another pot on the stove, which was stewing meat. She took a bowl, picked up two pieces of meat, and gave them to Han Shuo. "Little Shuo, are you hungry? Eat some meat first. Mom will finish cooking soon."
Han Shuo took the bowl and ate the stewed meat while it was still hot.
After Meng's mother prepared the dishes, Meng's father and Meng Yuxiu brought the bowls and chopsticks to the table in the courtyard. The Meng family ate dinner later than the villagers, and many villagers were already eating and enjoying the cool shade under the trees outside.
Seeing that the Meng family was having dinner in the courtyard today, someone came over and said, "Teacher Meng, your family has such a lavish meal today."
Mencius' father: "Come, sit down and have something to eat."
But everyone was just joking around.
Summer dinners are simple and plain: stir-fried snails, crayfish covered in broth, braised pork that's red and juicy, and a plate of seasonal vegetables picked fresh from the field. Han Shuo drinks soda, and even Meng Mu pours herself a bowl of beer.
Before it got dark, the family was drinking and eating in the courtyard bathed in the glow of the setting sun.
However, just as Han Shuo picked up a bright red crayfish with his chopsticks and was about to start eating, Meng's mother stopped him in time.
"Oh dear!" Meng's mother said uncertainly, "Xiao Shuo is pregnant, so he probably can't eat crayfish and snails."
"No way?" Han Shuo was immediately annoyed upon hearing this.
He had never touched crayfish since he came into this world. Before his mother even served it, he was already drooling with envy.
When Meng Yuxiu heard that pregnant women shouldn't eat crayfish, he took the crayfish from Han Shuo's chopsticks and put it into his own bowl.
Mencius' mother said, "Xiao Shuo, how about we have stewed meat? Or tomorrow, I'll have your dad kill a chicken for you, and I'll make you chicken soup."
Han Shuo stared at the crayfish in Meng Yuxiu's bowl, feeling extremely uncomfortable. He asked Meng's mother, "Mom, can I eat just a little bit?"
"Can I just slurp one bite?"
Seeing Han Shuo's pitiful appearance, Meng Yuxiu looked to his mother for her opinion, "Mom, can we let him suck it a little?"
Mencius' mother hesitated, saying, "Eating a few shouldn't be a problem, right?"
Meng's father pondered for a moment and said, "It should be alright."
Upon hearing this, Han Shuo immediately slurped the crayfish in Meng Yuxiu's bowl into his mouth. The fresh and fragrant juice instantly filled his mouth, making his taste buds tingle. This one bite made him feel like he was floating on air.
Unfortunately, he couldn't eat the snails. Under the supervision of his whole family, he reluctantly ate five crayfish, and even sucked his fingers clean afterward.
However, after this dinner, when Meng's mother cooked, there were no more dishes on the table that Han Shuo couldn't eat.
She told the father and son, "From today onwards, our meals will follow Xiao Shuo's. After Xiao Shuo gives birth, we can eat shrimp and crab at home."
The father and son naturally had no objections. The father listened to his wife, while Meng Yuxiu believed that as long as Han Shuo had an appetite, he could eat coarse food and vegetables happily.
After dinner, Meng Yuxiu told his father about the tutoring program. His father then borrowed a loudspeaker from the village committee and asked the village head to help spread the word.
The next day, the father and son rode their bicycles to various villages near the town. Meanwhile, to make things easier, Meng's father gave Meng Yuxiu the key to the town's primary school, allowing him to bring his students for tutoring to study in one of the classrooms.
And so, Meng Yuxiu's tutoring class opened. Since he wanted to take in more students, he didn't set the price too high, just one yuan a day. As for the study time, it was set for the afternoon and before eight o'clock in the evening.
Because the weather was cool in the morning, many students had to help their families with farm work, and Meng Yuxiu had to go fishing for crayfish after returning home in the evening, so he had to catch up on sleep in the morning.
Seeing the faint bluish tinge under Meng Yuxiu's eyes, Han Shuo felt a pang of heartache.
Last night, Meng Yuxiu was busy until two or three in the morning before getting home. After washing up, it was almost dawn. He slept for five or six hours, had lunch, and then had to ride his bike to the town's primary school for tutoring.
It's only nine o'clock in the morning, and Meng's parents have already gone to work in the fields.
Han Shuo looked at Meng Yuxiu's face for a while, then leaned down and asked in a low voice, "Are you hungry? Do you want to eat something before you go to sleep?"
Meng Yuxiu closed his eyes and slowly shook his head, then wrapped his arms around Han Shuo's waist and said, "I want to sleep some more."
Han Shuo listened to his sleepy voice and looked at his tired face, his bones almost melting. He patted his back and coaxed him softly, "Okay, okay, you can sleep a little longer."
"Go to sleep, go to sleep." After coaxing him, he lowered his head and kissed Meng Yuxiu's forehead.
Meng Yuxiu liked it when Han Shuo coaxed him in that tone. He closed his eyes, smiled contentedly, buried his head in Han Shuo's waist, and fell asleep peacefully, smelling Han Shuo's scent.
Han Shuo held Meng Yuxiu close to the headboard for another half hour, and only got up after Meng Yuxiu had fallen asleep.
Meng's parents treated him very well. Meng Yuxiu was also starting to get busy. After returning home from the fields, Meng's mother would take the young couple's clothes to the stream to wash, while Meng's father would be busy cooking lunch and dinner.
However, the nicer they treated him, the more uncomfortable Han Shuo felt. He couldn't stay idle any longer, so after breakfast, he decided to find some chores to help out with.
He wandered around the house, threw the clothes Meng Yuxiu had changed out of the night before into the basin, and walked into the yard. He saw Meng's parents' clothes, stood there for a moment and thought about it, then threw them into the basin as well.
Then he took the soap brush, carried the basin, and went to the stream.
Today was a rare cloudy day with no sun, so when Han Shuo walked to the stream, there were several middle-aged women washing clothes.
When they saw Han Shuo coming over, they all pulled him aside and asked him to wash up on the side so they could chat.
Han Shuo wasn't as embarrassed as Meng Yuxiu. He had been married into the family for a week and would often go out of the courtyard to stroll around the village. Even Meng Yuxiu couldn't name the villagers under the big tree, but Han Shuo could already greet them familiarly.
"Where's Xiao Xiu? Why wasn't Xiao Xiu doing the laundry today?"
Han Shuo emptied the clothes from the basin onto a nearby rock, grabbed a piece of clothing, and floated it into the stream. He told the others, "He's sleeping. He came back too late last night."
Several middle-aged women saw that Han Shuo was holding a middle-aged man's clothes and praised him with smiles, "Little Shuo is so sensible, he even washed his father-in-law's clothes."
"They're busy, it's no trouble for me to wash up!"
Han Shuo was nonchalant and didn't care, but Meng's parents were extremely embarrassed.
That's how it is in the countryside; even the smallest thing spreads in half a day. So when Meng's parents were working in the fields, someone came up to them and said, "Oh, Principal Meng, Teacher Yang, your son Xiaoxiu's wife is really hardworking!"
When Meng's parents heard about Han Shuo, they stopped what they were doing and asked what was wrong.
The man said, "I just ran into Xiao Xiu's wife washing clothes by the stream, and she washed both of your clothes! You two are so lucky!"
Mencius's parents immediately froze, and his mother, in particular, was startled. She quickly dropped her hoe and ran home.
Meng's father also urged her, "Hurry up, tell him to stop washing!"
Mencius' mother, flustered, hurriedly said, "Do I need you to tell me that?"
If Han Shuo had washed the clothes of the two grown men in the house, she wouldn't have been so anxious, but if he had washed her clothes, she would have been incredibly embarrassed.
Meng's mother had probably never run so far in her life. Fortunately, Han Shuo was chatting with someone while washing clothes, so by the time she arrived, he hadn't even started washing her clothes yet.
"Huh?" Han Shuo asked in surprise when he saw Meng's mother, who was panting from running. "Mom? Why are you back?"
Meng's mother patted her chest, took a deep breath, and walked over, saying, "Xiao, Xiao Shuo...you, you leave it there, Mom, Mom will wash it."
"Huh? You don't need to wash, I'm already washing."
Meng's mother simply snatched the basin, squatted down, and said to Han Shuo and Xiao Sen, "Mom has finished the work in the fields, so Mom will wash it. You go and sit down."
Han Shuo: "Wait, you're still breathing."
Meng's mother had no choice but to say, "Your father has hidden some money in his pocket, I need to look for it. You go and sit down!"
Han Shuo's eyes widened. "Really? Dad's still hiding money at his age?"
Mencius' mother smiled sullenly but remained silent.
After being startled by Han Shuo, the couple had to find a place to hide their dirty clothes after taking a bath.
Meng Yuxiu was busy until August 22nd when he finished his tutoring sessions.
School starts on September 1st, so they need to go to the threshing ground in advance to rent a place, which will probably take several days.
So, after discussing it with them, Meng's father decided to accompany the young couple to Hecheng on August 25th.
Because he was too busy this month, Han Shuo didn't have time to go back to Xiaoshi Village. However, Han Hong took advantage of the market day to come to their town and happened to meet the young couple selling crayfish at the intersection.
Upon learning that they were going to Hecheng on August 25th, Han Hong immediately decided to wait until the 24th to stay overnight in Xiqiao Village, and then accompany them to Hecheng the next day.
For some time now, Meng Yuxiu has been extremely busy, and when he finally finishes tutoring, he goes to bed before nine o'clock at night.
Meng's mother said that since they were married, they should act like they were living a proper life. She asked Meng Yuxiu to learn how to keep accounts, so Meng Yuxiu took out a notebook and pen and went through the money he had earned from doing business and tutoring with Han Shuo.
Han Shuo sat cross-legged on the bed counting the loose change. He had gone to the market twice and sold crayfish for twenty-eight yuan. Meng Yu had rectified ten days of classes, teaching a total of eleven students, and earned one hundred and ten yuan.
"We've made it! We've made it!" Han Shuo became more and more excited as he counted, and he counted again after finishing one count.
Seeing Han Shuo like this, Meng Yuxiu was also happy, as if all the fatigue of the past few days had been swept away.
Han Shuo carefully put the banknotes into his bag as if they were precious treasures. This was his and Meng Yuxiu's living expenses. If things continued like this, they might not need to ask their parents for money for the two semesters of university in Hecheng.
After he finished dressing, he pulled Meng Yuxiu over, cupped his face and kissed him hard, then massaged his legs and back. "Baby, you've worked so hard! Come on, let me treat you today!"
Meng Yuxiu's eyes lit up as soon as he heard the word "reward". He did a quick mental calculation and realized that today was August 22nd and Han Shuo had become pregnant in mid-May. After doing this, his already bright eyes shone even brighter.
"Han Shuo, it seems like three months have passed."
Han Shuo immediately understood Meng Yuxiu's meaning, but they had been too busy to do it and hadn't done it yet. Before they knew it, three months had passed.
He pinched Meng Yuxiu's cheek and laughed, "Greedy dog! Fine! I'll feed you today!"
Meng Yuxiu immediately got up and took out two towels from the cabinet. After carefully spreading them on the bed, he checked the door again before smiling at Han Shuo and finally taking off his vest.
"Look at you, so impatient!" Han Shuo couldn't help but laugh as he watched his smooth and effortless movements.
"I didn't," Meng Yuxiu denied, but he had already started to touch and take off Han Shuo's vest.
After Han Shuo had his clothes taken off, he consciously lay down with his legs wide open.
However, he found that Meng Yuxiu's knees were kneeling beside his face.
"?" Han Shuo was taken aback, his eyes fixed on the other person's little brother.
"what?"
Meng Yuxiu bit his lip slightly, then awkwardly and vaguely said, "You said you wanted to reward me..."
"Uh..." Han Shuo twitched his facial muscles, and said stiffly, "Don't tell me you want me to help you..."
Meng Yuxiu blushed and said, "You said you would reward me..."
“Han Shuo…” He shook Han Shuo’s shoulder, “What you said…”
In fact, Meng Yuxiu had also helped Han Shuo, so Han Shuo should have been treated the same way. It wasn't that Han Shuo disliked him or anything, it was just that he had never tried it before, and now he was suddenly asked to do that thing. Looking at Meng Yuxiu's...
Han Shuo subconsciously rubbed his cheeks; they were already aching even before the game had started.
Seeing Han Shuo hesitate, Meng Yuxiu said with some distress, "You despise me?"
Han Shuo immediately denied it, saying, "Damn! What are you saying? How could I be disgusted? I just haven't tried it before, and you suddenly... Oh! I really didn't look down on you, come here!"
As if to show his loyalty, Han Shuo grabbed Meng Yuxiu's buttocks and said, "Helping you, helping you, what's the big deal? I'll just treat it as eating a hot dog."
Meng Yuxiu then happily approached Han Shuo.
However, when he looked down at Han Shuo, he saw Han Shuo's hands and pale lips, and then he saw his trembling eyelashes.
He couldn't help but tense the muscles in his arms, then slightly tilted his smooth chin up, leaving only his Adam's apple bobbing up and down.
Han Shuo felt that he had never opened his mouth this wide when he laughed out loud. Luckily it was summer; if it were winter, he suspected that the corners of his mouth would peel off.
He was struggling and wanted to catch his breath halfway through.
But Meng Yuxiu got carried away and grabbed his hair tightly, refusing to let go.
Han Shuo could only swallow hard.
At this moment, Meng Yuxiu's eyes reddened with emotion.
Han Shuo was nearly choked by a sharp weapon, and he repeatedly slapped Meng Yuxiu's buttocks.
"Fuck your grandpa!" After Meng Yuxiu let go, Han Shuo coughed twice while clutching his neck, and cursed under his breath, "Are you trying to kill me?! My tonsils are about to burst!"
"I'll be gentle, okay?" Meng Yuxiu said apologetically.
"Alright, alright." Han Shuo calmed down and muttered as he pulled Meng Yuxiu back over, "What's your rush? You've got a hair stuck in my throat."
"good."
Meng Yuxiu was overjoyed tonight, but Han Shuo was quite annoyed. Later, when they continued, he saw that the boy was getting too excited, so he reminded him to be careful and not to do it in inappropriate places.
Meng Yuxiu was so engrossed that he readily agreed, but in the end, Han Shuo's entire face was covered in it. He hadn't touched it for half a month, so you can imagine how much it had.
When Han Shuo peeled away the covering from his eyes, it felt like escaping from a spider's web, and everything suddenly became clear.
He immediately became so angry that he grabbed Meng Yuxiu and started kicking him repeatedly.
He kicked and cursed, "What the hell did I tell you? Damn it! I'll make you smear it all over my face!"
While being kicked, Meng Yuxiu used a towel to wipe Han Shuo's face, his face flushed as he could only manage to say, "I couldn't help it... I won't do it again next time."
However, when Han Shuo raised his leg to kick again, his anger subsided. This was because he caught Han Shuo's leg in time and then helped Han Shuo using the same method as before.
Han Shuo was instantly at a loss.
The two of them played until midnight, and Han Shuo was lying in bed, barely able to move.
After Meng Yuxiu secretly went downstairs to wash the towel and came back upstairs, he raised his chin at him and said, "I'm hungry. Go make me something to eat."
Meng Yuxiu asked, "What would you like to eat?"
What's in your home?
Meng Yuxiu thought for a moment and replied, "I have tomatoes and eggs, can I make scrambled eggs with tomatoes?"
Han Shuo slumped on the pillow and nodded. "Anything is fine."
Meng Yuxiu had just entered the room when he quietly left again.
Meanwhile, the parents in the other room heard a noise downstairs and initially thought it was a thief. So, Meng's mother told Meng's father to get up and go check it out.
When Meng's father got dressed and went downstairs, he discovered that his son was cooking in the kitchen in the middle of the night. He was chopping tomatoes and beating eggs, so busy that he didn't even notice the person coming downstairs.
Meng's father didn't say anything and went upstairs to his room.
What happened downstairs?
Meng's father replied, "It's nothing, it's Xiao Xiu cooking."
Upon hearing this, Meng's mother laughed and said, "I guess Xiao Shuo is hungry. Pregnant women are prone to feeling hungry."
"This kid has even learned to cook," said Meng's father.
Mencius' mother said with satisfaction, "Oh dear, you're a father now, and you love your wife so much. But our little Xiu has really grown up."
Meng's father chuckled twice, neither agreeing nor disagreeing.
Meng Yuxiu cooked a plate of scrambled eggs with tomatoes and brought it to the room. Han Shuo was already sitting up from hunger.
"I don't know how salty it is, would you like to try it?"
Han Shuo took the plate, not caring about the saltiness, and started wolfing down the food with chopsticks, leaving Meng Yuxiu dumbfounded.
After finishing his meal, Han Shuo still felt unsatisfied. He felt as if his stomach had become a bottomless pit, but he didn't want to bother asking Meng Yuxiu to cook another dish. So he put down the plate and, adhering to the principle that he wouldn't be hungry if he fell asleep, asked Meng Yuxiu to turn off the light.
On the 24th, Han Hong arrived with Han Ting.
The young couple will be staying in Hecheng until winter break, and with renting a place to go, they'll have a lot of things to bring with them.
It was obviously not enough for Han Shuo and Meng Yuxiu to make the trip alone, so Han Hong and Meng's father accompanied them, while Han Ting stayed at the Meng family home to be taken care of by Meng's mother.
Han Ting hadn't seen Han Shuo for half a month and was extremely attached to him. Seeing Han Shuo and Meng Yuxiu waiting for them at the village entrance, Han Ting got off the tractor and ran off quickly on her short legs.
The sound is like a small whistle.
"Waaaah, Uncle!" Upon seeing Han Shuo, she was happy one second, but the next she burst into tears.
"Oh, Tingting!" Han Shuo was also heartbroken and immediately picked up Han Tingting. "Uncle has missed you so much!"
In fact, Han Shuo was almost four months pregnant, and his belly was already showing. However, it was quite embarrassing for him to be showing so soon after getting married in the village, so he wore loose vests every day.
Although the villagers had long suspected that the Meng family boy's marriage was so sudden, they could only discuss it in private since they hadn't seen it with their own eyes.
As soon as Han Shuo hugged Han Ting, the villagers chatting under the tree saw his bulging belly.
Of course, Han Hong also noticed that his younger brother's belly had gotten bigger, so he quickly picked Han Ting up from Han Shuo's arms and said, "Come on, come on, how old are you? Why are you still being carried by your uncle? Get down quickly, let's go inside."
After Han Shuo and Meng Yuxiu led his brother and nephew into the courtyard, the villagers who were discussing under the tree completely erupted in chatter.
"Oh my, isn't Xiao Xiu just married? His wife's belly is so big?"
"How many months has it been?"
"I think it's been about four months."
"Oh my god!" everyone exclaimed. "Xiao Xiu and his wife are at the school... Oh my!"
Another villager proudly interjected, "I knew it! When his wife brought her older brother over, I wondered if Xiao Xiu had gotten her pregnant..."
"Hahaha, I didn't expect Xiao Xiu, who's usually so quiet, to be so bold!"
However, the gossip was just that—gossip, something to discuss over tea or after meals. The villagers still really liked the young man from the Meng family and his eloquent wife.
The two children are leaving on a long trip tomorrow, and Meng's parents are busy helping them pack.
Since Han Shuo and Meng Yuxiu would be spending the last days of summer and winter in Hecheng, they would need to bring a thin blanket and a thick quilt for winter. In this era, every household was frugal, and this was true not only for Han Shuo and Meng Yuxiu, but also for students living in dormitories in other places. They would pack their quilts and mattresses in snakeskin bags and bring them with them.
The university cafeteria served meals, but back in her rented room, she had to cook dinner, so Mencius' mother prepared a coal stove and several sets of bowls and chopsticks.
Meng Yuxiu's clothes could be taken from home, but Meng's mother didn't dare prepare too many clothes for Han Shuo.
Considering that Han Shuo's belly would grow bigger in the second half of the year, and the clothes and pants they had at home would definitely not fit, she decided to have Meng Yuxiu take Han Shuo to buy some later.
The snakeskin bags on the first floor were filled one after another. Since Han Hong was also going, Meng's father planned to bring Meng Yuxiu's bicycle along as well, so that it would be convenient for them to go to and from school.
After dinner, both sets of parents continued to carefully check the luggage. After finishing the check, they sat down at the table to discuss tomorrow's itinerary.
Mencius' mother asked, "What kind of vehicle will we take tomorrow?"
Meng's father said, "I've found out that we'll take a tractor to the county town first, and then there'll be a sleeper bus that goes directly to Hecheng."
"A sleeper train?" Han Shuo asked. "The kind where you can lie down and sleep, right?"
Mencius's father: "That kind of car."
Han Shuo: That's pretty good. If I get tired of sitting, I can lie down and sleep.
Han Hong laughed and said, "Go to Hecheng and relax for a couple of days. You'll be exhausted just from lying around."
Meng Yuxiu asked, "What time do we depart tomorrow?"
Mencius' father: "We have to leave at five in the morning."
Meng's mother said, "Then you should go to bed early, otherwise Xiao Shuo won't be able to handle sitting in the carriage for two days."
Now that everyone had packed their luggage, they all went back to their rooms to sleep.
After washing up, Meng Yuxiu entered the room and saw Han Shuo sitting on the bed, fiddling with his pants.
Meng Yuxiu went over and asked what was wrong.
Han Shuo pointed to the red band around his waist and said with a distress, "It's so tight."
Meng Yuxiu realized that Han Shuo's belly was getting bigger every day. He used to be thin, so the elastic band inside his pants was tighter, but now it was definitely not possible to tighten it like that anymore.
"I'll go ask my mom." Meng Yuxiu took Han Shuo's pants to his parents' bedroom.
Upon hearing this, Meng's mother immediately found some scissors and loosened the elastic band around the waistband of the pants. After loosening these pants, she took the scissors again and opened the snakeskin bag containing Han Shuo's clothes and pants, loosening all the pants inside one by one.
Meng Yuxiu took the pants back to the room, and Han Shuo stood on the bed and tried them on. This time they fit perfectly, and he seemed to breathe a sigh of relief.
The next day, while the young couple was still asleep, Meng's parents had already gotten up. Considering the time spent traveling by car, Meng's mother quickly boiled a dozen ears of corn and a dozen eggs in a pot for them to eat on the way.
In addition, there was a full bag of cookies, peach shortbread, and canned yellow peaches.
The couple had barely finished preparing when Han Hong came downstairs.
It's just past four o'clock, and it's pitch black outside. Several parents are busy downstairs, chatting quietly.
After the porridge in the pot boiled, Han Hong went upstairs to wake Han Shuo and Meng Yuxiu.
Han Shuo and Meng Yuxiu went downstairs to quickly wash their faces and brush their teeth before going to have breakfast.
"Doesn't Tingting call him?" Han Shuo asked his brother.
Han Hong said, "Let him continue sleeping. If he wakes up now and sees that we are leaving, he will definitely make a fuss, and Xiao Xiu's mother may not be able to handle him then."
He then said to Meng's mother, "My dear in-law, I'll trouble you to take care of Tingting these next few days."
Mencius' mother said, "Why are you being so polite? We're all family now. You can rest assured that Tingting will stay at home."
Han Hong smiled and nodded, "Okay!"
However, before leaving, Han Shuo was still reluctant to part. He put down his bowl and quietly went upstairs, then opened the door to the guest room to check on Han Ting.
Unexpectedly, Han Ting woke up.
"Uncle." He sat up from the covers and called out to Han Shuo in a clear voice.
Han Shuo turned on the room light and sat down on the edge of the bed.
"Okay, I'll sleep a little longer."
Han Hong had told Han Ting that his uncle was going to university and would be taking him to stay at Xiao Meng's house. Han Ting knew this, but knowing it was one thing, and actually seeing Han Shuo and the others leaving was another.
Han Hong was afraid that his commotion would delay the trip, so he didn't wake him up when he got up.
"Uncle, you're going to school now."
Han Shuo pulled Han Ting out of bed and held him in his arms. Afraid that the child would cry, he pretended to be relaxed and said, "Yes, Uncle is going to school! Going to university!"
"Dad said you and Brother Xiao Meng are going to study in a very far place." Han Ting slowly pouted, his little head resting against Han Shuo's chest, his eyelids drooping as his eyes drooped.
"It's not far, thankfully," Han Shuo coaxed softly. "I'll be back during winter break, and I'll bring you some nice things."
Han Ting, however, was not attracted by the good things; he sadly clutched Han Shuo's clothes.
Han Hong came upstairs to call Han Shuo. He saw Han Ting clinging to Han Shuo, so he went over to pick him up.
"Oh? Tingting's awake? In that case, let's go downstairs too."
Han Ting clung tightly to Han Shuo's clothes, refusing to let go.
Han Shuo could only carry him downstairs, and also hold him for a little longer.
Meng's father called a tractor. It would be too much trouble to take such a large load from the town to the county seat by bus, so he decided to have the tractor take them from the village to the county station.
Meng Yuxiu and his parents loaded the burlap sack and bicycle onto the tractor.
Han Ting didn't cry at first, but when she saw that everyone seemed ready to get on the bus, she finally wrinkled her nose and tears rolled down her cheeks.
Meng's mother came forward to comfort her: "Oh, Tingting, don't cry. There are lots of delicious food and fun things at home. Let's not cry. It's not like your uncle isn't coming back. He'll be back after he finishes school."
Han Ting didn't cry loudly; she just hugged Han Shuo's neck and sobbed softly.
"Don't cry, your uncle will be back during winter break." Han Shuo patted his bottom to coax him. "When you grow up, you'll also be going to college far away from home. Do you want your uncle to come with you to school? Besides, it's not like your uncle has never lived in a school before. I used to come home once a week, and you were a good boy, weren't you?"
Han Ting sniffed, but he still listened and nodded obediently, "Uncle, come back soon."
"Okay, I'll be back during winter break."
"Yes, Uncle, hurry up and get your vacation."
"Okay." Han Shuo gently stroked his cheek with his finger, smiling through his sore eyes. "From now on, listen to your father at home and study hard."
"good……"
Seeing Han Ting's obedient appearance, Han Shuo felt very sad. However, after arriving in this world, he was pushed forward by the mission in the novel, and he was also pushed forward by life in this world.
Neither he nor Meng Yuxiu could stop, because their parents and brother were unaware of their predicament.
Relatives may feel reluctant to part, but they are still proud of their successful children.
However, Han Shuo and Meng Yuxiu felt sad about the impending loss of their family ties.
Because every seemingly brief departure represents a decrease in their time in this world, and also means that they have little time left to spend with their loved ones.
Many times in the past, they hesitated and wavered. But they had people they cared about in both worlds, making it impossible for them to choose.
Now, they truly don't need to make a choice; once the child is born, they may not leave a trace in this world.
But because we know the outcome, we cherish every moment we spend together, and every separation is heartbreaking.
Han Ting stopped crying. He was led by his mother's little hand to the village entrance, watching the tractor drive further and further away.
Han Shuo saw him stomp his foot and shout from afar.
"Uncle! Hurry home!"
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