After returning home, Li Mai put down her things and took Zhu Zhu to wash her hands and change her clothes, while Old Man Zhou took Zhou Lei and his son to build a temporary burrow for the rabbits.
Zhou Tao was the messenger; she was responsible for going back to her house to tell her mother about her extraordinary adventure that day.
Zhou Quan was the only one waiting anxiously on the kang (a heated brick bed) inside the house.
He would exercise for a while in the afternoon, then read a book when he got tired, and then exercise again. When he saw that it was almost 5 PM and guessed that they would be back soon, he stopped exercising and just held his book, but he couldn't concentrate on reading it at all. He kept his ears focused on listening to the sounds outside.
When he heard Zhuzhu say "I'm back," the corners of his lips curved into a smile. She was finally back.
However, although everyone returned, none of them came into the house to see him; they all seemed to be very busy.
Li Mai helped Zhu Zhu wash her hands, then took her back inside to change into her usual clothes. She then went out into the yard, picked up the basket of shepherd's purse, poured it out in the yard, went to the kitchen to get a bamboo basket, and sat on a small stool in the yard to pick vegetables.
After removing the roots of the shepherd's purse and washing the tender green leaves in a bamboo basket, I quickly took a basin to the kitchen, scooped out some flour, and started kneading the dough.
There was a batch of starter dough that Zhao had been soaking in the kitchen. She first dissolved the starter dough in water to make starter water, then poured it into the dough and kneaded it. In order to make the dough rise faster, Li Mai also asked Zhao for some white sugar to add to it. She also added a fire to the stove, warmed half a pot of water, and put the kneaded dough in to rise.
After preparing all this, she went back to her room to change her clothes.
Zhao came out of the house after Zhou Tao finished telling her story. However, she seemed to be in a bad state, looking dazed. She looked at Zhuzhu and Limai as if they were gods.
"Mother, we're having steamed buns for dinner. I've already prepared the dough; it should be ready in about half an hour. You can deal with the pheasant first. I'll change my clothes and come out to mix the filling," Li Mai instructed Zhao Shi.
"Oh? Oh, oh, oh!" Zhao slowly came to her senses and responded.
As Li Mai entered the room, she met Zhou Quan's gaze.
"I'm back!" Li Mai waved and said, then began to undress.
Zhou Quan coughed lightly, "Are you all alright when you went out? Did something happen?"
Li Mai shook her head. "Nothing bad happened."
She took off her old clothes, put on new ones, and fastened her belt. A smile appeared on her face. "But some good things happened."
Zhou Quan was taken aback. "Good news? You found silver?"
This should be considered a good thing, right?
Li Mai chuckled. "Not bad, Comrade Zhou Quan. You're not very capable, but you have big dreams. You're even thinking of going out and picking up silver?"
Zhou Quan coughed lightly, a slight smile playing on his lips. "I was just kidding, tell me, what good thing happened to you?"
In the past, when his parents and younger brother came back from the mountains, he rarely asked them what had happened to them, and they felt there was no need to tell him those things.
But now, for some reason, he really enjoys hearing Li Mai tell him about things happening outside, especially good things; he wants to hear even more then.
Li Mai sat on the edge of the kang with a smile and laughed, "You're quite clever. You guessed right. We really did find some silver. It's not much, but it's real silver. Xiao Tao gave it all to Mother. You can ask her at dinner tonight if you don't believe me."
Zhou Quan looked at her in surprise, "No way, I really guessed right?"
"Well, but that's not the only good thing that's happened to us." She then smiled and told him about the amazing things that had happened to them that afternoon.
Zhou Quan found it incredible. "I don't think I've ever heard of my parents having such good luck when they went to the mountains before."
“Well, we tested it, and it’s only when Zhuzhu and I go out together that we’re more likely to find things,” Li Mai said, chuckling. “So, we’ve decided to go fishing in the river the day after tomorrow and see if we can catch any.”
Zhou Quan stared at her blankly. He knew it was her. It was because she had brought good luck to the family and to Zhuzhu after she entered the house. She was truly a blessed person.
"Thank you!" Zhou Quan looked at her for a long time and said softly.
"Why thank me? I've tried it too. When I go out alone, I find nothing. But when I go out with Zhuzhu, I never come back empty-handed." Li Mai waved her hand. She dared not take credit for this kind of lucky streak. She had never had such luck when she went out alone.
“Yes, I know. Before you came back, Zhuzhu couldn’t find anything good when she went out. So, you’ve brought us good luck.” He said softly.
"Could you call Dad and Xiaolei for me? I want to go to the yard too." Zhou Quan was also feeling eager; he wanted to go out and see the vegetables they had dug up and the rabbits they had caught.
Li Mai responded and went out to call Old Man Zhou and Zhou Lei.
The two men washed their hands, went inside, and carried Zhou Quan to the outhouse. When they returned, they put him in the yard to let him get some fresh air.
Zhuzhu was happily petting the little rabbit in her arms. Seeing her father come out, she squatted down beside him, still holding the rabbit, and asked, "Daddy, isn't the little white rabbit cute?"
Zhou Quan turned his head to look and gently stroked the little rabbit with his hand. "Hmm, very cute!"
At this moment, Li Mai came over carrying a large white rabbit and placed it in Zhou Quan's arms, saying, "This is a white rabbit, you can hold it for a while too."
After the family returned, they blocked the front door to prevent the rabbit from escaping.
Zhou Quan was taken aback, subconsciously hugged the little white rabbit tighter, looked up at her, a hint of surprise on his face, then lowered his head and gently stroked the rabbit, the corners of his lips curving up.
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