Zhao Xiaoxiu was halfway through eating her candied hawthorns when Sister Monkey came over, drawn by the aroma.
Faced with a pair of big monkey eyes, Zhao Xiaoxiu hesitated, licked her lips, sighed inwardly, and took the initiative to stuff the remaining three candied hawthorns into those three mouths.
Monkey Sister's happiness was very obvious; she was jumping and dancing, almost as if she was about to give Zhao Xiaoxiu a dance performance.
There were only two candied hawthorns in total. Zhao Xiaoxiu and Sister Hou shared one, leaving one whole.
Under the watchful, lingering gaze of Sister Monkey, Zhao Xiaoxiu gritted her teeth, found a clean plate, and carefully placed the string of candied hawthorns away.
Monkey Sister asked, puzzled.
Zhao Xiaoxiu said earnestly, "This is what I'm saving for Master. Sister Monkey, you're not allowed to steal it!"
The two tentacles following behind the cub also opened their fleshy buds menacingly, glaring at the monkey sister with their bloodshot eyes, indicating that they would be watching her.
The monkey sister made an ugly face at the two tentacles in annoyance, turned around and left gracefully. She had no intention of thinking about this candied hawthorn.
The tomatoes in the greenhouse will be fully ripe in a few days, and then it can eat as many as it wants.
The sunflowers we planted have already grown stalks over half a meter tall. Once spring is over, they'll be able to eat sunflower seeds again!
The snow that had been falling for a week suddenly stopped.
On the morning the snow stopped, Sheng Qingyang appeared at the entrance of Territory No. 13.
Zhao Xiaoxiu had just finished her basic training and was wielding her twin swords, practicing on the snow. Her chubby baby face was serious, and her eyes were focused.
Sheng Qingyang moved lightly, appearing silently behind Zhao Xiaoxiu like a ghost.
The little guy suddenly turned around, and his serious expression instantly turned into surprise.
"Master!" Zhao Xiaoxiu happily rushed over.
Sheng Qingyang dodged the knife in her hand, raising an eyebrow in surprise. He hadn't expected his 'hiding' ability to be discovered so quickly.
She caught the soft little body that rushed towards her, hugged her, kissed her rosy cheeks, and then put her down.
Zhao Xiaoxiu asked happily, "Master, why did you suddenly come?"
"The snow has stopped, so I came to see if you've been studying hard," Sheng Qingyang said, half-jokingly.
Zhao Xiaoxiu chuckled, confidently raising her twin swords to give her master a demonstration, so she could check if she had put in the effort.
Sheng Qingyang didn't stop her. He stood aside with his arms crossed and nodded to signal her to begin.
When her master suddenly became serious, Zhao Xiaoxiu didn't dare to be careless and practiced the set of moves that her master had taught her from beginning to end.
The force was sufficient, but the movements were not smooth, making it seem like a mere show without much actual power.
Sheng Qingyang corrected his movements step by step and explained some key points, eliminating redundant habits brought about by bodily instincts.
Before they knew it, the master and apprentice had practiced for an hour.
The rest of the people who were still sleeping gradually got out of bed.
Zhao Xiaoxiu wiped the sweat from her forehead. After receiving her master's order to rest, she couldn't wait to drag her to the kitchen.
"What's all the secrecy about?" Sheng Qingyang asked, amused. But he still obediently sat down at the dining table as arranged by his disciple.
Zhao Gang's tentacles had already lit the charcoal fire early on, using the charcoal that Granny Meng had brought yesterday. Perhaps it didn't burn completely, because it produced some smoke.
Sheng Qingyang used his hand as a fan to brush away the smoke that drifted in front of him, squinted at the window, and heard footsteps moving in the backyard.
Remembering that his apprentice had mentioned a new person visiting his home, he casually asked about it.
While briefly telling her master about the Meng family mother and her two children, Zhao Xiaoxiu climbed onto a chair and onto the cupboard, carefully bringing the candied hawthorns she had hidden there the night before to her master.
Looking at the glistening candied hawthorns coated in sugar in front of him, Sheng Qingyang was quite surprised.
Zhao Xiaoxiu chuckled, tiptoed closer to Sheng Qingyang's ear, her eyes warily scanning the surroundings, and whispered, "Master, this is something I specially saved for you."
The next second, Monkey Sister's furry monkey face appeared on the back window, startling Sheng Qingyang.
However, she quickly realized why her little apprentice in front of her had such a strong sense of stealth.
It turns out there were monkeys eyeing the candied hawthorns made from raw tomatoes.
"Is this an evolved tomato?" Sheng Qingyang looked at the tiny tomatoes coated in sugar on the plate in surprise. To be honest, this was the first time she had ever seen an evolved fruit and vegetable up close.
The evolved potatoes that were planted in the ground before don't count; those were a staple food.
Zhao Xiaoxiu nodded expectantly: "Yes, Master, please eat, it's really delicious."
The little one herself said she was craving it; she didn't get enough yesterday either. I really hope the evolved tomatoes ripen quickly!
Otherwise, she wouldn't have enough sugar at home to make two more strings of candied hawthorns.
Of course, her father would definitely agree if she really wanted to do it, but she herself felt it was wasteful.
Sheng Qingyang saw the little guy's expression and curiously picked up a crystal-clear candied hawthorn from the plate. He took a small bite and his eyes immediately narrowed with delight.
The pure sweetness of the sugar coating mixed with the unique sandy texture of the tomato brought back a fleeting moment of happiness from her childhood.
Sheng Qingyang's eyes were a little moist. She thought, "If only my mother could have held on until now." She wanted her to know that the disaster was not as terrible as she thought.
"It's delicious!" Sheng Qingyang exclaimed.
She didn't eat a second one, but handed the rest of the skewer to Zhao Xiaoxiu, whose eyes were practically glued to the candied hawthorns.
"Huh?" Zhao Xiaoxiu was stunned for a moment, then realized that her gaze might have been too intense. She awkwardly showed her small, white teeth and tried to smile.
"Xiaoxiu, eat. Master can't eat too many sweets," Sheng Qingyang said.
When Zhao Xiaoxiu asked again, she said she was on a diet.
"Then, then I'll really eat it?" the little guy asked tentatively, his big eyes blinking.
Sheng Qingyang nodded gently, "Eat quickly, or the sugar threads will melt."
The indoor temperature was high, and there was a charcoal fire burning brightly in front of them; the sugar threads were already showing signs of melting.
Zhao Xiaoxiu swallowed hard, jumped onto the stool, sat down, and held the remaining five candied hawthorns in both hands, savoring them slowly in small bites.
On her face, Sheng Qingyang saw tangible happiness and contentment.
Seeing her like this, she felt the same way, and her heart swelled up with warmth.
"Brother Gangzi! Let's go!"
Meng Er burst in carrying an axe and shouted for Zhao Gang to go to the poplar grove.
Now that the wall is built, it's time to build a bridge too, so we don't have to take a detour to the poplar grove every time.
The river level is currently at its lowest point of the year, making it easier to implement.
Meng Er, completely at ease and without any sense of boundaries, went straight to the kitchen. It wasn't that he came looking for something delicious; he simply saw the light on in the kitchen and heard movement inside, so he assumed Zhao Gang was there.
Unexpectedly, when I walked in, I saw a completely unfamiliar face.
He has short black hair, a tall and slender figure, a small mole on the tip of his nose, and gentle features. When he looks up at you, he has a smile on his lips, which gives people a sense of closeness.
She's a young and beautiful woman!
Meng Er blushed instantly from his neck to the tips of his ears, and scratched his head and neck to hide it, looking around the rest of the kitchen. "Xiao Xiu, where's your dad?"
His voice was noticeably tense. Zhao Xiaoxiu gave him a strange look. What are you so nervous about?
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