mijobooks Chapter 3: The family was so happy
Chapter 3: The family was so happy
Even though there were still fifty or sixty meters to go before she stepped onto her own courtyard, Xu Chunsheng had already started calling her "sister."
Perhaps it was seeing relatives he hadn't seen for many years, or perhaps it was a rebirth, so everything was still in time. All of this excited Xu Chunsheng. When he saw his own house, he couldn't hold back any longer and simply shouted.
The older sister looked up, peered out the window, laughed, and called out, "What are you doing? I'm busy cooking, come back quickly."
After saying that, the eldest sister quickened her pace, quickly scooped the houttuynia cordata from the cutting board into a bowl, wiped her hands, and went to the courtyard.
She thought to herself that Xu Chunsheng had gone there empty-handed just an hour ago, but now he had brought back a basket on his back, so she was going to come out and help him with that.
When Xu Chunsheng got closer, the eldest sister heard the piglets grunting in the basket. However, the basket was tightly woven, and the eldest sister was rather short, so she couldn't see what was inside.
She had a bold guess, but wasn't sure, and that guess was confirmed the moment she helped Xu Chunsheng unload his basket.
The older sister opened her eyes wide and looked at the pink and white piglet in the basket, its four legs tightly bound. She squatted down, gently touched its ears, and looked with some heartache at the red marks on the piglet's body caused by the basket.
The older sister turned to look at her younger brother, somewhat incredulous. "Where...where did this come from?"
Although she guessed it was a piglet, she didn't dare to guess it was a clean-cut foreign mixed-breed piglet!
"I just went to Uncle Liu to get it on credit." Xu Chunsheng squatted down and reached out to tease the piglets in the basket. "We'll pay Uncle Liu back for the piglets after we sell the pigs."
"While it's still small, you can take it out for a walk whenever you have free time, and let it roam with Xu Ermei from Kanshang." Xu Chunsheng said, grinning at his eldest sister.
The older sister was a little embarrassed by his teasing, her face burning hot. She reached out and patted Xu Chunsheng's arm, "You're teasing me, aren't you? I heard the other day that Uncle Liu's pigs were all reserved. How did you manage to bring one back?"
Xu Chunsheng replied with a smile, "I paid Uncle Liu 10 yuan first, and then he gave me one of the piglets he was keeping for feeding."
"Wow, you probably haven't even had a chance to enjoy this money before you've already spent it. Besides, it's much cheaper to buy a local piglet on credit." The older woman was a little distressed about the money, as a mixed-breed piglet was ten or twenty dollars more expensive than a local one.
"Sister, don't overthink it." Xu Chunsheng stood up, picked up the piglets, and said, "These mixed breeds are easier to feed than the local ones, they don't die easily, and they grow faster. If you raise them well, they'll definitely fetch a good price at the end of the year."
Xu Chunsheng remembered that pork prices were going to rise sharply, which was one of the main reasons he supported his older sister in raising pigs.
"Hey, hey, slow down, hold on tight so it doesn't fall." The older sister saw Xu Chunsheng casually lifting the piglet by its hind legs with one hand, and quickly reached out to help, afraid that the piglet would struggle and fall to the ground.
Fortunately, the older sister reached out. The piglet had finally gotten used to being in the basket, but when Xu Chunsheng suddenly picked it up, it squealed and strained with all its might, kicking its four legs and almost breaking free.
"Heh, this little guy is pretty strong, he'll definitely be easy to raise." Xu Chunsheng quickly carried the piglet to the chicken coop, covered it with a broken basket, and weighed it down with a brick. "This afternoon we'll straighten out the thatched hut and give it a new home."
Seeing her younger brother being so careless, the older sister quickly came over to help, repeatedly calling out, "Be gentle, be gentle, don't hurt it."
"I know, I know," Xu Chunsheng replied. "Sister, don't go to the fields later. Just stay home and cook lunch. I'll go to the fields to help out."
Actually, Xu Chunsheng couldn't remember which field his parents were working in that day; he only saw them when he came back.
After Xu Chunsheng finished speaking, he picked up a hoe from the side, slung it over his shoulder, and walked outside.
The eldest sister watched her younger brother walk down to the courtyard, then turned and went back to the kitchen. She prepared to wash her hands and mix the leftover houttuynia cordata, muttering to herself, "Second brother has improved; he even knows to bring a pig home. And he didn't fool around with Qian Junwei today..."
After muttering to herself, the older sister glanced at the stove, which was completely empty; there wasn't even a single piece of cured meat.
For a moment, the eldest sister didn't know what to cook.
……
As Xu Chunsheng reached the edge of the field, he heard his five-year-old sister calling him.
"Second brother, second brother~"
Hearing this voice, Xu Chunsheng's heart melted, and he couldn't help but smile. However, when he thought about how his younger sister had to go to work early because of poverty and had married far away, he couldn't help but feel a little regretful.
But then he thought, as long as he can support this family in this lifetime, he can watch his younger sister get married and start a career, and help her make choices and support her.
"Second brother~ Second brother~" Xu Yaomei shook Xu Chunsheng's clothes and asked, "Where's the hair accessory you gave me?"
Last night, Xu Yaomei was making a fuss about wanting to go to town with her older sister and brother. It was only after Xu Chunsheng said that if she behaved well at home today, he would bring her a hair accessory that she calmed down.
Xu Chunsheng was at a loss. He couldn't remember if he had ever made hair ornaments for his younger sister in his past life. So he put down his hoe, put his hands under Xu Yaomei's armpits, lifted her up and shook her from side to side. "I saw a lot of hair ornaments on the street today, but I don't know how to choose one. So I've decided that I'll take you to the market next time, and you can choose one yourself."
"Hmph, you just didn't buy it." Xu Yaomei pouted, on the verge of tears.
"Hey, hey, really, I'm not lying to you." Xu Chunsheng quickly took out two cents from his pocket and handed them to her. "Look, I've prepared all the money for you. There are hair accessories on the street waiting for you to buy them."
Xu Yaomei sniffed, took the money, glanced at it, and then returned it to Xu Chunsheng. "Brother, please keep it safe for me. I'm afraid I'll lose it."
Mr. and Mrs. Xu, who were standing to the side, couldn't help but laugh as they watched the two siblings. Seeing Xu Chunsheng's expression, they knew perfectly well that he must have forgotten to bring back the hair ornament for his youngest sister.
"Mom and Dad, you take a break, I'll do it."
Xu Chunsheng put down his younger sister, picked up the hoe from the ground, and began to till the soil with heavy breaths.
Seeing this, Tao Hong, the mother, went to her husband Xu Hongjun's side and whispered, "Why is our son so diligent today? He's actually helping with the chores."
Xu Hongjun nodded to Xu Chunsheng, then a slight smile appeared on his lips: "Good news!"
In his previous life, Xu Chunsheng was only concerned with appearances when he was young, so he was lazy at home but diligent outside. Therefore, in his parents' current impression, he would never take the initiative to do chores for them.
But now, having been given a second chance at life, Xu Chunsheng understands that family is the most important thing.
……
"Dad, Mom..."
About half an hour later, the older sister's voice came from the roadside, "Time to eat!" The voice echoed in the air, as if pulling Xu Chunsheng back to his old days.
Xu Chunsheng handed the hoe to his mother, then hoisted Xu Yaomei, who was catching crickets nearby, onto his shoulders and started running, shouting, "Come on, let's go home for dinner!"
Behind him came Xu's mother's laughing and scolding voice: "Xu Erwa! Don't run! Watch where you're going..."
"Hahaha, big sister, we're back!" Xu Yaomei rode on her brother's shoulders, her eyes crinkling with laughter as she was bounced around.
Xu Chunsheng placed Xu Yaomei directly in front of the basket, "Guess what's inside."
Xu Yaomei leaned closer to the basket and peered through the hole. "Wow, it's a little pig, all white!"
After saying that, he got up and ran to the intersection, "Dad, Mom, hurry up, come and see the little pig."
Mr. and Mrs. Xu exchanged a glance, quickened their pace, and were surprised when they saw the sleeping piglets.
"Erwa, where did this piglet come from?"
Father Xu Hongjun looked at Xu Chunsheng with undisguised joy and asked.
Xu Chunsheng repeated what he had just said to his sister to his parents, and then urged them to wash their hands and eat.
Tao Hong, the mother, couldn't help but click her tongue in amazement: "Erwa really knows how to come up with a solution. I never expected Liu Shubing would be willing to give us one on credit."
The older sister chimed in, "Yes, I don't know how he managed to convince Uncle Liu."
The dinner table.
A dish of pickled radish, a bowl of cold houttuynia cordata salad, and a plate of stir-fried shepherd's purse and eggs in the middle, with sweet potato rice already served in the bowl.
"Wow, there are eggs today!" Xu Yaomei leaned over the table, standing on tiptoe to look at it.
At this time of year, eggs are one of the few meat dishes available. Although there is plenty of shepherd's purse and few eggs, it is still a dish that makes your mouth water.
"Really? Let me see." Father Xu picked up his youngest daughter and sat her on a stool. "Then my little sister needs to eat more later so she can grow taller."
"It would be even better if there was meat," Xu Yaomei pouted again, turning to look at Xu Chunsheng, "Yaomei wants to eat meat!"
Hearing Xu Yaomei's words, the smiles on the family's faces faded a bit.