Chapter 42 has a slightly sultry feel to it.
Zhou Yue placed his daughter on his shoulder, steadied her with his right hand, grabbed the little girl's waist, and used his left hand to grab a tree branch, pulling her close to his daughter.
Little Lingxiao sat on his father's shoulders, reaching out his little hands to pick loquats, a smile playing on his lips, "Mommy, hat!"
She can't carry it all!
Upon hearing this, Cheng Cheng rushed over to help, stuffing the loquats the little guy had picked into his hat. The straw hat was almost full, so she put some on the ground.
He casually picked a yellowish-green loquat from among them, waved it around, and asked, "Would you like to try some?"
Zhou Yue saw a sly glint in his wife's eyes and a bad feeling rose in his heart. But then his daughter on his shoulder nodded quickly.
"Uh-huh!"
Cheng Cheng broke the loquat in her hand in half, and looked at the father and daughter with a smile. She still had a motherly heart and couldn't bear to hurt the little one.
His gaze fell on Zhou Yue, and he offered the man a piece of loquat, gesturing for him to open his mouth.
Zhou Yue lowered his eyelids, glanced at his wife, and finally obediently opened his mouth and took a bite.
The sourness made my teeth ache, my brows furrowed, and my lips pressed into a straight line.
Seeing that Zhou Yue had fallen for the trap, Cheng Cheng's eyes suddenly lit up. She blinked and pretended to be innocent, but the next second her mouth involuntarily stretched into a grin, like a child who had successfully pulled off a prank.
The man ultimately didn't spit it out and swallowed the small amount of loquat flesh.
Just then, the little guy called out, "Mommy, Mommy! Xiaoxiao wants to eat too!"
Little Lingxiao sat on her father's shoulders, her little hands on his head, unable to see the expression on his face. Seeing her mother feeding her father, she quickly urged her mother to feed her as well.
"Xiaoxiao—"
Before Zhou Yue could finish speaking, and before he could stop her, his wife put the loquat flesh to their daughter's mouth.
The next second I heard my daughter inhale.
Caught off guard, the moment the fruit touched the tip of her tongue, the sourness made her face contort in pain, her nose and mouth twisting together, revealing a mask of agony.
"Hahahahaha..."
Cheng Cheng, clutching her aching back, laughed heartily and asked the little one, "Is it delicious?"
"So sour!"
Little Lingxiao spat out the fruit from his mouth, looked at his mother with his big, bright black eyes, pouted, and accused, "Mom is bad!"
Cheng Cheng, far from being ashamed, raised an eyebrow and nodded in agreement, "That's right, Mom is a bad person, hahaha..."
Zhou Yue's gaze fell on his wife's smiling eyes, and the corners of his mouth unconsciously turned up as well. His previously furrowed brows quietly relaxed, and his Adam's apple bobbed slightly.
He smiled helplessly; his wife was sometimes even more childish than his daughter.
He couldn't understand why his wife would still come to pick loquats when she knew they were so sour and difficult to eat.
He voiced his question, and Cheng Cheng blinked, keeping him in suspense, "It's a secret for now, you'll find out when we get back."
"I promise it will taste delicious!"
"Hurry up and pick them, Xiaoxiao. Mom promises I won't lie to you this time!"
Little Lingxiao looked at his mother and finally believed her, reaching out to help her continue picking loquats.
Back home, Cheng Cheng instructed Zhou Yue to help her daughter wash the loquats they had picked while she started a fire to cook rice.
The eldest sister's family has already gone back home. Dawei and the others have gone off to play somewhere, and none of the children are home.
After washing the fruit, Cheng Cheng flattened it with a knife. She prepared a large basin, put some water in it, and placed the flattened fruit in the cold water. She then vigorously washed the fruit with both hands until the juice came out.
This step was actually quite strenuous; Cheng Cheng's arms ached from swinging them so much, and she still hadn't produced more than a third of the fruit pulp.
Zhou Yue washed his hands. "Let me do it."
"OK!"
Cheng Cheng gave up her seat. She had some fruit juice on her fingers, so she put it to her lips and took a small bite. It was indeed very sour, but she could taste a little bit of sweetness.
At this moment, Xu Fengying and Cheng Aiguo returned from work.
Seeing them making jelly, Cheng Xiangming glanced at the loquats in the basin and said disdainfully, "Why did you only pick such a small amount?"
If you're going to do it, make more so that the adults can have a bite too!
Cheng Cheng glanced at him and said, "Then go pick some more, and make your own pulp when you get back."
It's exhausting!
Without saying a word, Cheng Xiangming picked up a bucket and turned to leave.
After vigorously kneading the fruit to extract the pulp, pour it into a gauze bag, remove the peel to obtain a thick pulp, and finally pour it into a large bowl and place it in a hanging basket.
They're hung in a well to cool and solidify naturally. If things go smoothly, you can enjoy the pure, natural chilled jelly around 7 or 8 pm.
Not long after, Cheng Xiangming returned carrying a bucket of loquats, followed by Dawei, Wei Yong, and the others.
Cheng Xiangming directly instructed the children to wash the fruit. He flattened four or five pieces at a time and had his son, Dapeng, pick out the pits.
Cheng Xiangguang took over, vigorously kneading and flattening the fruit to squeeze out rich fruit juice; the whole family worked together.
Zhou Yue was also assigned the task of kneading. The children worked on two basins at the same time, and they were overjoyed. They worked harder and harder, and today was even more enjoyable than the New Year!
Iced jelly is difficult to make. Although the raw materials are available in the village, it is troublesome to make. Unless it is a family that loves their children very much, they will only make it once in a while to satisfy their children's cravings.
Anything more than that is just wishful thinking and asking for a beating!
By the time it was finished, it was almost dark, and it was past nine o'clock when we finally got to eat the chilled jelly.
"Is it delicious? Did Mommy not lie to you?"
"Uh-huh!"
Little Lingxiao held the bowl, her face beaming with joy; her mother hadn't lied to her.
It's icy cold and has a sweet and sour taste, though it's mostly sour with a hint of sweetness. It's very chewy and bouncy, perfect for a hot summer night.
No one can resist a bowl of cool, sweet and sour, all-natural ice jelly.
The only downside is that it's really troublesome to make, and in order to neutralize the sourness of the loquat, Cheng Cheng asked Xu Fengying to add some white sugar, which is quite extravagant by today's standards.
After taking a shower and washing her hair, Cheng Cheng lay on the bed, playing with the pair of jade pendants depicting intertwined branches and twin flowers, putting them together and separating them, then putting them together again.
Thinking about what happened that afternoon, Cheng Cheng turned her head to look at the man in front of the desk, who was focused on carving with his hands. Her tone was a little curious and inquisitive, "Zhou Yue, what kind of person do you think Grandpa is?"
He sacrificed his life for his country and to save his comrades; he must have been a great person!
Cheng Cheng searched through her memories and found that her grandparents rarely mentioned the deeds of this great-grandfather to them, only paying their respects during festivals.
All they knew was that their great-grandfather sacrificed himself to save their grandfather, making him a great benefactor to the Cheng family. They also knew that their grandfather had changed his surname to that of their great-grandfather, and that they had heard this from the villagers. Their grandfather's surname was not "Cheng" but "Zheng".
Grandpa and Zhou Yue's grandpa were comrades-in-arms and knew each other. So Zhou Yue's grandpa and great-grandpa should also have been comrades-in-arms and should know about great-grandpa's deeds.
"A revolutionary martyr who was fearless in the face of death and whose faith was as bright as a torch, and a revolutionary veteran who was devoted to the greater good of the country, deserves our learning and respect!"
Cheng Cheng nodded, straightening her expression. "Do you know about your great-grandfather's life? Did he ever mention him to you?"
This grandfather must be referring to Zhou Yue's grandfather. Zhou Yue shook his head; this was the first time he had learned about this revolutionary martyr.
"All right."
It seems we won't be able to find out.
Cheng Cheng put the matter aside with some regret, raised her hand to touch her hair, which was already dry.
Go to sleep!
-
When Cheng Cheng woke up the next morning, Zhou Yue and Xiao Xiao were no longer in the room.
She stretched and went out of the house; only her mother was in the yard.
"Mom, where did Zhou Yue and Xiao Xiao go?"
Xu Fengying was feeding the chickens when she heard her daughter's words. She continued working and replied, "Xiao Yue went to work for me."
"Xiaoxiao went to play in the fields with Dayong and Dawei."
"What's wrong with you? Xiaoxiao is already up, and you, her mother, are still sleeping in. Don't you even know what time it is? Aren't you ashamed?"
Cheng Cheng used a ladle to fill it with water to brush her teeth. She glanced at her watch and realized it was only seven o'clock. It wasn't late!
And she's so shameless!
She listened to what Ms. Xu Fengying was saying, letting it go in one ear and out the other, and never thought of refuting Ms. Xu Fengying.
During this period of time, under Ms. Xu Fengying's strict discipline, she had figured out her mother's temperament and quickly developed a way to deal with her mother.
As she brushed her teeth, she winked at her mother and asked, "Mom, what do you think of this son-in-law? Is he alright?"
Cheng Cheng first gave Zhou Yue a thumbs up in her heart. He even knows how to please his mother-in-law and help her with chores. He should show more of his abilities. Not bad!
Upon meeting her son-in-law, Xu Fengying was extremely satisfied, except for this brat.
Xu Fengying lifted her eyelids slightly, glanced at her, and warned her daughter through gritted teeth: "You brat, you better use your brain! If you lose my good son-in-law, I'll beat you to death!"
"After all this, you should know exactly what you should and shouldn't do! Let me tell you, from now on, you're only allowed to keep your eyes on your man. If you're caught looking around like that, you're dead meat!"
Cheng Cheng shrank back and immediately moved away from Ms. Xu Fengying.
Wasn't she just trying to distract Ms. Xu Fengying? How did she end up getting herself into trouble?
The conclusion was that her mother's misunderstanding of her was far too profound.
Cheng Cheng deliberately misinterpreted the situation, saying, "Mom, don't worry. Once I go to the Northwest, I will keep a close eye on your good son-in-law and make sure no one takes advantage of him."
But to her surprise, no sooner had she finished speaking than she saw Zhou Yue and her daughter at the door.
The little one sat on her father's shoulders again, her two little hands holding her father's head, looking at her with her eyes crinkled, as if greeting her.
Cheng Cheng glanced cautiously at the man's expression, wondering how much Zhou Yue had overheard.
They must have just arrived, right?
Cheng Cheng waved and said hi.
The man stood still, his gaze fixed on her, his eyes calm as a deep pool, veiled by a thin mist, revealing no true thoughts.
"Dad, put me down."
Xiaoxiao broke the silence, and Zhou Yue moved, putting his daughter on the ground.
As soon as Xiao Lingxiao stepped onto the ground, he ran towards his mother and grandmother, took out a bunch of wildflowers from his pocket, and gave them to his mother and grandmother.
"Oh my! Did Xiaoxiao pick these for Grandma?"
The little girl held her head high, her eyes sparkling as she looked at her grandmother, and nodded her chin.
"Xiaoxiao is so sweet! Grandma loves it so much. I'll find a jar and put it in a pot to keep it!"
Cheng Cheng watched in disbelief as her mother's face lit up with a wide smile. Ms. Xu Fengying had a completely different attitude towards her and towards her precious Xiao Xiao. Her mother's mood changed way too quickly!
However, when she saw her daughter's bright, pleading eyes, Cheng Cheng exclaimed, "My daughter is amazing! Xiaoxiao is the most thoughtful child in the world!"
Before long, the main force returned one after another.
We ate porridge and cornbread for breakfast. Shortly after breakfast, the whistle blew over the loudspeaker again, and the team leader urged everyone to get to work.
Zhou Yue picked up his hoe, put on his straw hat, and followed the group.
Her son-in-law offered to take her place at the work site, and Xu Fengying stayed without hesitation.
I stayed at home, but I wasn't idle. My daughter is going back tomorrow, so I need to prepare her things in advance.
Then Cheng Cheng saw her mother busily packing dried goods for her, asking her if she wanted to take this or that, such as dried bracken, dried bamboo shoots, dried radish, dried eggplant, dried green beans, dried preserved mustard greens, dried perilla leaves, and so on.
Dried radishes, dried eggplants, and dried green beans are freshly sun-dried this year and haven't been put into jars yet. Xu Fengying was preparing them for her daughter while teaching her how to pickle them.
Surprisingly, Cheng Cheng didn't find it annoying at all despite the chatter. A feeling she couldn't quite describe welled up inside her, and she reached out to hug Ms. Xu Fengying's neck, affectionately pressing her face against her back.
"Mom, I want to bring the chopped chili peppers you make."
"Okay, I'll scoop out two jars for you. Write back after you finish them, and Mom will send you more."
It took me all morning just to pack and check what I needed to bring, and now it's almost lunchtime.
Cheng Cheng helped her mother cook. After the dishes were cooked, they were left to cool on the table. Not long after, her father and Zhou Yue returned.
Zhou Yue's face, neck, and arms were all red from the sun, showing how hard it was to work in the fields.
After lunch, Cheng Cheng noticed that Zhou Yue still wasn't taking a nap and was sitting at his desk continuing to carve the seal.
The boss's energy is terrifying. She has never seen Zhou Yue take a nap. He can still maintain a full energy level in the afternoon.
With that energy and physique, he's definitely suited for scientific research!
Cheng Cheng thoughtfully asked if he wanted to take a nap.
The big shot shook his head and refused.
Cheng Cheng ignored it and lay down on the bed with Xiao Xiao to sleep for a while.
She woke up to the sound of footsteps and voices outside and saw the man about to go out.
She yawned, lazily sat up, and looked up at her. "You still want to go to the fields? Maybe you shouldn't?"
It's like this when you first start doing it. Right now, it seems like there's nothing wrong with my body and I can handle it, but when I wake up tomorrow, my back will ache and I won't be able to lift my arms.
Zhou Yue clearly has no experience working in the fields. I hope she doesn't injure herself and end up in trouble when her superiors ask her for help in the Northwest.
Moreover, Zhou Yue's role is not in these areas. Isn't this just using a sledgehammer to crack a nut? It's a waste of talent!
Zhou Yue sensed his wife's worry and unspoken meaning, and strode over.
He stood in front of the bed, staring intently at the woman on it.
He reached out his left hand toward the woman on the bed.
Cheng Cheng was confused and looked up at the man.
Zhou Yue gestured for his wife to hold his arm, and Cheng Cheng did so while asking in confusion, "What are you doing?"
The next second, Cheng Cheng screamed in fright: "Zhou Yue!!"
The man's left hand was tightly held by his wife, while his right hand encircled the back of the woman's knees. Cheng Cheng was lifted into the air and forced to rise higher, pressing herself against the man.
Cheng Cheng was about to scold Zhou Yue when she was suddenly thrown into the air, startling her so much that she had to grab the man's neck.
They held on tightly!
Then a soft laugh came from above, a clear and cheerful voice with a hint of mischief!
A pair of beautiful eyes stared at him. Cheng Cheng was about to speak when she saw that the door had been pushed open at some point, and she saw her mother and her two sisters-in-law staring at them intently.
Xu Fengying glanced at her daughter and son-in-law, a smile appearing on her lips, and said, "Go away, go away, it's alright!"
The young couple has a good relationship and are having fun!
Chen Meiling nudged her sister-in-law with her shoulder, winked and gestured towards the people in the room, smiling with her lips pursed, her eyes brighter than a light bulb at night.
Wu Yufang's lips also curled up. Seeing that her younger sister had discovered them, she smiled at her and pulled her second sister-in-law to leave.
Chen Meiling hadn't had enough of looking yet, lingering and turning back every few steps, her eyes and brows revealing a teasing smile.
Cheng Cheng: "..."
Unable to resist, Zhou Yue reached out and pinched the man. He winced in pain and looked in the direction his wife was looking, just in time to see his sister-in-law and second sister-in-law leaving.
He immediately understood that his wife was shy. He smiled, looked down at her with tender eyes, and asked in a gentle tone with a hearty laugh, "Ah Cheng, do you think I have the strength right now?"
"Yes, yes, yes! You're the best!"
"Put me down!"
Upon hearing this, Zhou Yue readily agreed, bent down, and placed his wife on the bed.
"Hehe~ Mom and Dad, I didn't see anything!"
Upon hearing their daughter's voice, the two looked over at the same time, clearly not expecting their daughter to witness this scene.
Cheng Cheng immediately pushed the man and glared at him.
Does this count as good deeds going unrewarded?
She should have known better than to ask. Her mother and sister-in-law saw it, and Xiaoxiao saw it too. Doesn't she have any dignity left?
The little guy covered his face with his hands, but his fingers were forked, peeking inside.
"Xiaoxiao, would you like to try the big swing?"
Cheng Cheng decided to shift the blame, glancing at the man meaningfully and saying, "Your dad is incredibly strong!"
"Mom, what is a big swing?"
When Xiao Lingxiao heard that there was something fun, he immediately put down his hand and looked at his mother with expectant eyes.
Cheng Cheng held up a pillow and demonstrated to the father and daughter, basically telling Xiao Xiao to hug Zhou Yue's arm and sway back and forth like she had just done.
This is just a big swing, the meaning is easy to understand.
"Daddy, I want to play! Xiaoxiao wants to play, Daddy!"
Xiao Lingxiao immediately got out of bed and stretched out his hands to his father.
Zhou Yue understood his wife's meaning, stretched out his arm, let his daughter hug his arm, and used his other hand to protect his daughter, swaying his arm from side to side.
Cheng Cheng watched from the sidelines. The man's biceps were bulging and bulging. You wouldn't believe it. Zhou Yue's arm strength is pretty good!
Although she had just experienced it, she was too scared to properly appreciate it, but now she was interested in watching it.
Little Lingxiao had a great time, his face was flushed, and he was extremely excited.
Zhou Yue put his daughter on the bed and explained to his wife, "My job involves more than just sitting and calculating; it also requires climbing up and down scaffolds."
Therefore, he was quite skilled and physically strong. Moreover, he grew up in a military family and received training from a young age. Although he did not ultimately choose the path of military service, he did not give up training in his daily life and strictly demanded of himself.
"Oh! You'd better get out of here, my dad and the others are leaving."
For some reason, Zhou Yue really wanted to pat his wife's head at that moment, but he held back in the end. If he really did that, his wife would probably get angry.
Let's save it for next time, next time for sure!
After the man left, Cheng Cheng lingered in the room for a while before finally going out.
Xu Fengying didn't tease her daughter, but seeing the commotion between her daughter and son-in-law, she felt slightly relieved.
I still had some doubts, so I decided to listen to what was happening that evening.
"Mom, what are you cooking?"
Cheng Cheng curiously leaned closer. What was her mother doing lighting the fire at this hour?
She opened the pot lid and found a pot of mung beans, which her mother had prepared to cool her down in the afternoon.
The mung bean soup had turned into a sandy consistency, so Xu Fengying scooped it into a wooden bucket and then lowered it into the well to cool it down.
Around three or four o'clock, Xu Fengying carried a wooden bucket, while Cheng Cheng had a bamboo basket slung over her elbow, with a small floral cloth draped over it, and a stack of bowls underneath.
Heading off to the fields.
Although the work in the fields is not as busy as during the busy farming season, the task is still very heavy, as we need to reclaim and cultivate new land.
Today, they are clearing land on a hillside. The weeds have been cleared, and nearly a third of the land has been turned over. The land on this low hill is going to be cleared for planting.
The land is not good land. It is wasteland because there are many stones and pebbles in the soil. To reclaim the land, you have to dig the soil. Every time you dig with a hoe, you only dig up small stones. You have to bend down and pick up the stones while digging.
It takes time to remove the stones before planting anything, which slows down the process.
The entire Cheng family wasn't all in one place. They went to the women's side first, and then Xu Fengying shouted for Cheng Aiguo to bring his son and son-in-law over for some mung bean soup.
Cheng Cheng saw that Zhou Yue's face was flushed from the sun, his trouser legs were still covered in fresh mud, and his shirt was soaked and stuck to his back, revealing the broad shoulders and waistline that were strong and powerful.
He was walking towards her, his posture upright. When he noticed her gaze, the man's calm and resolute face seemed to soften a little.
Cheng Cheng took a bowl from the bamboo basket and scooped mung bean soup from the bucket. She scooped out a lot of mung beans, and her hands didn't shake at all.
"dad!"
When Xiao Lingxiao saw his father, he immediately ran over to him.
Zhou Yue was sweaty and, instead of carrying his daughter, walked over holding Xiao Xiao's hand.
Cheng Cheng handed him the bowl, lowered her voice, and teased him, "Strongman, how are you feeling now? Still have energy?"
Zhou Yue steadily took the bowl, but didn't drink it immediately. He looked at his wife with a smile in his eyes and asked in return, "Would you like to try it?"
Cheng Cheng smiled and said, "No, thank you."
As expected, Zhou Yue smiled slightly and asked Xiaoxiao if she wanted some mung bean soup.
The little girl shook her head. She had already drunk mung bean soup at home and given it to her father.
The wooden bucket has excellent heat retention; the temperature didn't drop along the way and remained icy cold, making it very refreshing to drink from.
One bite, and it's the perfect way to beat the summer heat! Especially for those whose lips are chapped from working in the fields in the sun.
Just as the Cheng family was comfortably enjoying their mung bean soup, a dispute arose from nearby.
"Zhao Xuan, you shameless thing! Do your own thing! Didn't your mother teach you that? You think you're so great because you're from the city? What you've done is truly disgraceful! A disgrace!"
“Xia Zhenzhen, shut up! It has nothing to do with Zhao Zhiqing. I did it willingly on my own.”
"Yang Shuxin, you big idiot! You're so stupid! Are you blind? Can't you see that Zhao Zhiqing doesn't like you? She just wants to use you to do her work!"
"Xia Zhenzhen, I'll say it again, this has nothing to do with you! Please stop slandering Zhao Zhiqing!"
Wow!!!
Come to the field and we'll bring you mung bean soup, plus a big melon!
Upon hearing the commotion, the Cheng family members didn't hesitate and headed in that direction.
Cheng Cheng was no exception. She was sitting on the rock with the little one in her arms. As soon as she heard there was some gossip, she immediately stood up with the little one in her arms.
Without looking back, she followed in her mother's footsteps.
Upon arrival, the best spots for watching the melons were already occupied, surrounded by a crowd that was gradually expanding to three or four layers deep.
The three main characters in the middle are: one with two thick black braids, his skin tanned to a healthy wheat color, and quite tall; he glares angrily at the girl opposite him wearing a white shirt with small yellow floral print.
The girl was graceful and delicate. When the wind blew, the hem of her dress swayed gently. She looked frail, her shoulders trembled slightly, and large tears fell one by one.
It was heartbreaking to see, especially for the only male protagonist present.
Cheng Cheng watched as her mother, eldest sister-in-law, and second sister-in-law, taking advantage of the unique advantages of the Cheng family, pushed through the crowd and squeezed to the front row to watch the show.
Cheng Cheng was holding the little one in her arms, and she couldn't squeeze in!
Looking left and right, without saying a word, he shoved his daughter into the arms of Zhou Yue, who had arrived later.
Then she plunged into the crowd without looking back. Whenever someone glared at her, she would smile and say, "Excuse me, I'm looking for my mom."
Seeing his wife's actions, Zhou Yue was stunned for a moment, then couldn't help but chuckle.
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A word from the author: My friends, if you experience tooth pain when exposed to hot or cold temperatures, be sure to see a dentist as soon as possible! Also, make sure to go for your regular dental checkups! Don't wait until your teeth start hurting, or it will be too late!
I wasn't aware of this and suffered a huge loss as a result. I went to the dentist this morning and spent the whole morning treating my teeth. Two teeth needed root canal treatment, and another tooth with apical periodontitis needed deep root canal treatment. I also had four teeth filled. It was a complete shock! I spent nearly eight thousand in just one morning, and the dental work was so painful. Although I had anesthesia, I have a natural fear of dentists, and I get scared as soon as I hear the sound of the drill.
Even if you're afraid, you still need treatment; teeth must be treated early! Lesson learned! A lesson learned through tears!
Goodnight, my babies! [green heart][blue heart][cyan heart]
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