Tao Tao, who became irritable just looking at Tang Youtian, decisively chose to leave. This time, someone didn't dare to follow.
Because the onlookers had already started pointing and whispering about him. Even though he was still in town, the story of someone in Taoyuan Village giving birth to nine daughters had already spread far and wide.
"Hey, so you're the guy from Peach Blossom Village who had nine daughters?"
"I heard you finally had a son with your tenth child. What, did you really give away your nine daughters?"
"What a terrible thing! You gave away all nine of your daughters? Did you give away that little girl just now? You actually asked the girls you gave away for food? What were you thinking? How could you be so shameless!"
"Exactly, how shameless! This grown man actually asked a little girl for steamed buns, and when she refused, he pretended to be pitiful. Look how angry he made her!"
...
The attitude of the people around him completely changed because of Tao Tao's accusations and denunciations. Not only did no one care how pitiful he had been just now, but they also felt very sorry for Tao Tao's plight. This made Tang Youtian both angry and annoyed. He felt that he had followed her all the way for nothing and had not gained anything in the end. This girl was really a scoundrel.
Tao Tao took the hot buns she had taken from the warehouse home. This time, since she walked back, her grandparents had already finished work and gone home, and even her younger brother was already sitting in the yard washing clothes.
"Aren't your hands freezing in this cold weather?"
Tao Tao put down her schoolbag with concern and wanted to help, but Tao An couldn't bear to let his sister do it, so he quickly reached out to stop her.
"Don't be cold, my skin is thick and tough. You go into the kitchen and warm yourself by the fire. Grandma is making pancakes. I'll be done in a bit. The water in the well isn't that cold."
Xiao Jiu quickly took out the four steamed buns she had bought.
"Grandma, let's bake these four buns too. We can each have one later. I bought them on my way home from school."
Grandma makes sorghum pancakes without oil. She scalds them with hot water and then cooks them directly in the pan. Grandpa and Grandma have bad teeth and can't chew them at all. As they get older, they don't like to eat certain things these days, and it feels like nothing is good for them.
Moreover, Tang Su felt that they were aging at a visible rate, which was the last thing Xiao Jiu wanted to see.
She felt sorry for her grandparents and wanted to help them with some housework, but the time constraints were too strict. In the end, she found herself torn between her future and filial piety. Even though she has now chosen to go to school, she is still doing her best to make their lives better.
She also felt guilty about her choice of future.
So whenever her grandmother looked at her with a smile, listened to her talk about school, and told her to study hard, her feelings were complicated.
Knowing that the young man and she were going home on Saturday night, Grandma specially made pancakes and cooked a big pot of sweet potato and corn porridge.
The side dishes were pickled mustard greens and stir-fried cabbage. It was a bit thick, and the old man and woman both wanted to scoop it up for the two of them to eat.
"Your grandpa and I are old. Eating sweet potatoes and cornmeal gives us heartburn. We'll just drink less. You two are growing up, so come on, eat more!"
The steamed buns were hard to bite, so Xiao Jiu and Tao An tacitly avoided eating the steamed buns and even forced their grandparents to eat them.
The elderly couple knew it was their child's good intention, and besides, the unleavened flatbread was indeed too tough to chew.
I must say, these baked buns are so fragrant and soft. Paired with a hot meal, they keep you feeling warm all night.
Before going to bed, Xiao Jiu went to check on the front yard again. Knowing that her sisters were alright, she told them about her scumbag father following her.
Cuihua was furious when she heard this: "He really has the nerve to go so far as to make a move on you. What is he thinking?"
Cuiju said sarcastically, "This means that not only is his family broke, but they also have no food. It's really pitiful. All the money he worked so hard to earn was given to others to eat. In the end, the child isn't even his own. Do you think he would be so angry if he knew the truth?"
Xiao Jiu pouted: "He must have had quite a shock today. I mentioned that he sent nine daughters away, and the onlookers asked if he was from Taoyuan Village. You can imagine how famous he must be! He's probably still venting his anger when he gets home!"
The seventh and eighth siblings didn't know Tang Youtian. Although they knew he was their biological father, they didn't have much affection for him. Now, after hearing what their older and younger sisters said, they just felt that he deserved it, and their other emotions were not affected at all.
Fortunately, the eldest sister is now in charge, and she has established her own household. Otherwise, they would all be forced to serve that stepmother and stepbrother!
"Big sister, don't be soft-hearted and bring them food."
Suddenly, Cuiju made this remark, leaving Cuihua looking embarrassed.
"Second brother, what are you saying? Do I look like a kind person?"
Cuiju laughed heartlessly: "I'm just giving you a heads-up, in case you soften your heart and send it over."
Cuihua snorted, "Impossible, and I won't give myself that chance. People's hearts don't grow cold overnight. We're united against outsiders, how could we possibly hold them back? As for you, Xiaojiu, you should be happy that you dealt with Tang Youtian, so why are you in such a low mood?"
"Big sister, I noticed that Grandpa and Grandma seem to have more gray hair, their figures are getting more hunched, their teeth are getting worse, and they get acid reflux no matter what they eat. Suddenly, I realized that I can actually study at home, otherwise..."
Cuihua immediately frowned: "I thought it was something serious. You don't trust us to take care of them? The elderly need to move around a bit. I think it's good that they take turns going out to herd sheep every day. It's like taking a walk, and it keeps them warm."
When the weather is bad, the production team doesn't dare let them go out to graze sheep; they have to stay home and rest.
As for the food and drinks you mentioned, I occasionally send them porridge. They are reluctant to eat it themselves, so I cook it and send it to them. I give them egg porridge, rice porridge, fish, and meat once a week. It's not good to feed them too well, or others will notice.
"Jiu, you should focus on your studies. Once you're successful, you'll have a good job as a guarantee. They'll be waiting to enjoy your good fortune, won't they? You can't just stay at home forever, or marry some random farmer, can you?"
Cuihua earnestly advised, "Don't feel guilty. I know they love you, but only when you get better can they get better. Don't worry, I've left the red dates, eggs, millet, and all kinds of meat and shrimp you gave me with your fourth sister. I'll take them over to supplement their nutrition whenever I have time. They know who is being filial. They even say that you are much better than their grandchildren. This little cotton-padded jacket is thoughtful and warm, very good."
Feeling embarrassed by her sister's praise, Xiao Jiu went home and her grandmother boiled water for her in the kitchen.
"You're back! Come and soak your feet. After you're done, go to sleep. You can sleep in tomorrow. You have to get up at five at school. Good heavens, being a student is really tough."
"Grandma, shall I wash your feet?" I used to do this often when I was little, but now that I'm older, my grandma is afraid that I'll be disgusted by her, so she won't let me wash them.
Although it was very cold outside today, under the dim light of the kitchen, the grandmother and granddaughter sat and squatted respectively. The steam and smoke from the hot water they were stirring made it hard for them to open their eyes. The old lady rubbed her eyes, perhaps because of the smoke.
Xiao Jiu squatted there, carefully scrubbing and washing, occasionally adding hot water from the kettle, asking questions as she washed.
"Is the milk too hot?"
"It's not hot. Grandma has thick skin and isn't afraid of getting burned. Even my delicate skin got burned red."
"No, I'm warm too. Look how red my face is. I'll wash your feet every week when I come back."
The old lady's eyes were slightly moist, and she raised her hand to gently rub her head.
"Okay, it feels so good to have your little hands squeeze me. Don't you think Grandma is dirty?"
"When Xiao Jiu was a little kid, his grandma didn't mind that he was dirty when he pooped and peed!"
The old lady was amused and deliberately tapped the tip of her nose lightly.
"How do you know I didn't find it offensive? I was turning my head away and holding my breath the whole time!"
Xiao Jiu chuckled, "Anyway, I just know that Grandma doesn't mind at all. She'll even laugh and pat my bottom and pinch my cheeks."
The old lady looked at her in surprise, "You really know?"
"Yes, my favorite person when I was little was my grandma, and she still is now. Every time she sees me, she smiles at me, and I feel that smile can melt away all the cold things. It's like the kind of healing smile that people talk about."
That is to say, your smile can heal wounds and transform everything.
Grandma, you must eat well. Please enjoy whatever my older sister and her family brought. There's some wine here; I'm tutoring at school, so I can earn some. Don't worry about the food. You and Grandpa must take good care of your health. Only when you're healthy can you have everything, don't you think?"
The old lady was deeply moved. She silently patted her head and looked at her solemnly.
"Okay, I have such a good granddaughter, how could I bear to die? I must live well."
When I left on Sunday, Grandma specially steamed a pot of steamed buns. They were made from a mixture of sorghum, sweet potato, and cornmeal. She even sifted out the coarse ones. They were plump and fluffy when they came out of the steamer, and they looked very tempting.
She and her brother each had six, plus a small bottle of pickled vegetables.
The remaining eight ate together at noon because Grandma made a stew of cabbage, vermicelli, and sliced pork, which was delicious. Xiao Jiu even ate one and a half steamed buns with it.
Before leaving, Xiao Jiu secretly slipped three salted duck eggs, a bottle of soybean paste with all labels wiped off, two large white steamed buns, and three steamed buns made by her grandmother into her brother's handbag.
Xiao Jiu was thinking that her older brother was a boy, ate a lot, and was indeed at the age of growth. She couldn't let him stunt his growth, otherwise it would affect his future employment and finding a wife.
In town, the young man saw her off onto the bus, while he walked back to school. The village was not far from the national highway in town, only about three kilometers away, so he usually walked there.
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