Chapter 79

Su Qianqian suddenly opened her eyes, pointed a slender finger at Pei Huaiye, and said in disbelief, "Are you, are you even human?"

She looked aggrieved, held out her soft, tender arms covered in bruises toward the man, and then quickly burrowed back into the quilt. "I'm already like this, and you still..."

Pei Huaiye looked at the empty bowl, then at her small face, and rubbed his nose, saying teasingly, "I was asking if you wanted more food."

Su Qianqian blinked her large eyes, reacted instantly, and her face turned bright red. (???? ω????)?

She pulled the quilt up high and buried her head inside.

She didn't want to talk.

Pei Huaiye found it amusing and kissed her through the quilt. "I'm going to wash the dishes. I stewed a chicken at home so you can build up your strength."

"Remember to give two of the remaining hens to Sister-in-law so they can build up their strength too," Su Qianqian said, her voice muffled from inside the quilt.

"Alright."

Pei Huaiye smiled and went to the kitchen. Just as he put down the bowls and chopsticks, he heard a knocking at the door.

Seeing it was Su Qianqian, Pei Huaiye frowned immediately. Before he could refuse, Liu Guafu slipped into the courtyard like a fish past him.

"Comrade Pei, we're here to see Qianqian. Is she still not out of bed? You two just got married, you need to take it easy. Oh my, is her waist hurting? We experienced folks know how to fix that."

Hearing the words "not out of bed," Pei Huaiye froze in place.

By the time he reacted, Liu Guafu and Su Qianqian had already entered the courtyard with five or six aunts and a crowd of children following behind.

"No! She's asleep, don't go in and disturb her!"

Pei Huaiye reverted to his usual cold and ruthless demeanor, and the children hid behind the adults.

Su Qianqian smiled, looking innocent and harmless. "Brother-in-law, I'm here to see my sister. I plan to make her some egg drop soup."

Pei Huaiye didn't speak, his eyes filled with inquiry.

Seeing Li Zilan and her family arriving at the gate, Su Qianqian walked over and took her hand affectionately. "Sister-in-law, I heard Qianqian hasn't gotten out of bed, so I brought a basket of eggs to see her."

Liu Guafu beamed with a bright smile. "Comrade Pei, we also brought some fruits and vegetables. The children know you have a television and are all very curious, wanting to come and take a look."

Several women sent the vegetables they had picked from the fields to the kitchen, saying with a smile, "If it's inconvenient, never mind. We're being too intrusive."

You can't hit a smiling face.

Su Mingqiang understood exactly what was going on. These people were just brought by Su Qianqian to watch TV and mooch snacks.

"Dad, Sister-in-law, you're here? Aunts and sisters, take the children and sit in the east side room. We haven't turned the TV on yet; just right to let Master help tune the channels, and everyone can watch together."

Su Qianqian heard the conversation in the courtyard and felt utterly embarrassed. How did it seem like the whole village knew she couldn't get out of bed?

Su Qianqian thought for a moment, then gritted her teeth, changed her clothes, and came out to greet everyone.

Pei Huaiye saw Su Qianqian standing at the door, looking graceful and poised, and his cold eyes instantly turned into warm spring water.

His voice lowered naturally. "Why did you come out? Go back and lie down. Sister-in-law and Dad are here; you don't need to do any work."

"Qianqian, you've been busy with the wedding, so it's fine to rest if you're tired."

Li Zilan said this, and Su Qianqian smiled sweetly at everyone before returning to the room to lie down.

Li Zilan took Liu Guafu, Su Qianqian, and the others to the east side room, where seven or eight children stared wide-eyed at the television in curiosity.

Liu Guafu patted her youngest son's bottom, and Liu Qing asked Li Zilan timidly, "Auntie, I want to eat a White Rabbit candy."

Liu Qing was the same age as Zhuangzhuang, but his arms and legs were thin, not looking like a five-year-old at all.

Liu Guafu's other two children, the older Liu Shu and the second, Liu Nian, were also very thin.

Li Zilan knew exactly what Liu Guafu was up to, but she still went to the northwest room to tell the couple, "Hey, maybe we should take out some fruit candies to treat them. Who knows how long they'll be watching TV."

Su Qianqian frowned and said, "Two White Rabbit candies per person, then grab a plate of fruit candies, and set out two plates of melon seeds and peanuts. If they haven't left by evening, steam some brown sugar buns and stir-fry six dishes to treat them."

Li Zilan's eyebrows shot up, and she said anxiously, "Why treat them to steamed brown sugar buns and stir-fried dishes?"

Su Qianqian smiled unkindly. "Don't worry, Sister-in-law, I won't let myself suffer a loss."

Li Zilan cursed Su Qianqian in her heart for being a troublemaker. She brought the candies to the east room, and the children danced with joy. Zhuangzhuang's chubby hand had just reached out when a plate of fruit candies vanished.

He scratched his head, looking innocently at his mother.

Li Zilan was frustrated; this little blockhead only knew how to be bullied.

"Here, eat this."

Liu Shu gave his two White Rabbit candies to his younger sister and brother, and then handed a fruit candy to Su Zhuangzhuang.

Su Zhuangzhuang curved his eyes into crescents. "Thank you, brother."

Qiu Zhiyang was still squatting in front of the TV, moving the two wires on top of the set back and forth, but the screen remained full of static.

"What's going on?"

"Master, let me do it."

Pei Huaiye patiently turned the dial. Five minutes later, the static disappeared, and black-and-white figures and images appeared.

"Wow! Wow! I see people inside!"

"Is it like a movie? The screen is just small."

"It's different. TV is much more convenient; you can watch it whenever you want at home."

Adults and children alike stared intently at the TV, laughing along with the characters, eating melon seeds and peanuts, feeling quite content.

In the middle, Su Qingxi pretended to run in several times shouting, "It's bad!" but was frowned at and shooed away by several aunts. "You're just a child, why are you making such a racket?"

Su Qianqian got up in the afternoon, and Li Zilan steamed a large pot of fluffy buns and stir-fried six dishes, sending them to the east side room.

Stir-fried bacon with green peppers, stewed tofu with cabbage, stir-fried eggs with wood ear mushrooms, stewed chicken legs with potatoes, stir-fried greens with lard, and dry-fried green beans.

There were plenty of meat dishes, and the vegetable dishes were all glistening with oil.

Liu Guafu's eyes lit up, and she specifically picked the fatty meat for her children's bowls.

Li Zilan's dishes were sumptuous and generous, and the plates were empty in no time.

Su Qianqian finally brought over a bowl of egg drop soup and asked with a smile, "Aunts and sisters, I hope you've eaten your fill."

Han Fang looked at the sumptuous dishes on the table and greeted Qianqian, "You guys eat too."

"Don't worry, Sister-in-law, we're eating in the main room."

When night fell and the banquet in the east room ended, Su Qianqian ran to the main room to see what the Su family was eating and was stunned.

Su Qianqian and Li Zilan's family were sitting together, each with a brown sugar bun, a bowl of thin, watery coarse-grain porridge, and a plate of shredded pickled vegetables. That was it.

Except for Su Qianqian and Liu Guafu, the faces of the other women turned red and white, and they were too ashamed to speak.

"Qianqian, why are you eating this?" Su Qianqian asked, frowning. Who was she putting on this act for?

"This is very good; brown sugar buns aren't something you can afford to eat every day. I was happy you all came today, so I asked Sister-in-law to steam them."

Su Qianqian smiled sweetly and said generously, "Qianqian, I just got married, the banquet is over, and there's no grain or vegetables left at home. It's thanks to you bringing vegetables and eggs, otherwise, I wouldn't have known how to treat you."

Su Qianqian returned an innocent smile. "The food at my sister's house is delicious. I'll bring vegetables tomorrow and the day after, and while I'm at it, I'll have my sister tutor me. You won't mind me bothering you, will you?"