Chapter 105: Little Gourd

Seeing that their mother-in-law hadn't come out for a long time, Huang Xiulan and Zhao Liuniang exchanged a look and stepped into the kitchen.

As soon as they entered, they saw the vegetable boxes in the basin.

"Whoa, Third sister-in-law made so many!" Zhao Liuniang restrained herself, not letting the smile at the corner of her mouth be too obvious, so as not to sting her mother-in-law's heart.

Huang Xiulan felt a pang of heartache, but she didn't say anything.

The third daughter-in-law used her own oil, not the public's, so it wouldn't be appropriate for her to say anything.

Adhering to the principle that family harmony brings prosperity, she didn't call it wasteful, only saying Lin Zhao was hardworking.

"Big cub's mom started cooking as soon as she got back, without even waiting for us. It's so hot in the kitchen in the middle of summer, no wonder I see her face is red. Don't let her get heatstroke."

Gu Mu's attention was diverted.

"It does seem a bit red. There's mung bean soup in the well, I'll go scoop a bowl for her."

As soon as she finished speaking, she hurried to the backyard.

Zhao Liuniang wanted to say something, but looking at her mother-in-law's back, she could only swallow it back.

"Big sister-in-law, it smells so good." She stared at the vegetable boxes, her eyes glowing. "I heard Tie Chui say they're all eggs inside, even better than dumplings."

Huang Xiulan hadn't eaten in the afternoon either. Her stomach was empty, and she was also craving it. Her stomach growled, but she picked up the bamboo basket on the side and covered both the basin and the vegetable boxes.

"Let's cook." She squatted down, dragged a snake-skin bag from under the cutting board, and took out a few crooked potatoes.

"..." Zhao Liuniang said resentfully, "At least let me smell it more."

"Isn't the kitchen full of fragrance? We still have to cook," Huang Xiulan said.

Zhao Liuniang sighed and cooked with her sister-in-law.

Outside the courtyard.

Gu Chenghuai finished trimming the hair of the boys one by one. Lin Zhao looked at the fourth cub, half-squatted down, brought her face close to her, and said with a smile, "Cub, how about Mom trims your hair too?"

The fourth cub could understand her. She blocked her head with her short, fleshy hands and shook her head like a rattle-drum. "No, no."

"If not, then not." Lin Zhao didn't force it. She had originally wanted to trim a cuter hairstyle for her daughter.

If the cub didn't agree, then forget it.

Bang Bang and Lai Mei took the initiative to clean up the hair on the ground.

"Big cub, second cub, I should go home. Let's play again tomorrow," Mao Dan said. He left the fish he had caught, his attitude firm.

Lin Zhao accepted the fish and turned to pack a few vegetable boxes for him, stuffing them into the little boy's hands without allowing refusal. "We accept your fish, this is a return gift, you can't refuse."

Mao Dan thought of his grandma and didn't refuse. He thanked them earnestly, "Auntie, thank you."

"I accept this thanks." Lin Zhao's smile was gentle. "You can cook?"

Mao Dan said honestly, "I can cook it until it's done, but it doesn't taste good."

He paused and added, "My grandma doesn't know how to cook either, and no one taught me."

Gu Mu, who had brought the mung bean soup, heard this.

She said, "Of course your grandma doesn't know how to cook. When your grandpa was still here, your grandma never entered the kitchen door, and never even washed a bowl."

Later, the daughter-in-law who married in was very capable, so she didn't need to do anything. It's a pity that daughter-in-law passed away early; otherwise, the grandmother and grandson wouldn't be unable to even eat a mouthful of hot food.

Lin Zhao spoke up, "Mao Dan, come again in the future, I'll teach you how to cook."

She had four cubs at home and didn't have much energy to manage Mao Dan's affairs, but teaching him to be independent was fine.

Mao Dan's eyes lit up. "Thank you, Auntie, I will learn well."

He learned everything fast, so he would definitely learn early and wouldn't trouble his aunt too much.

"Okay." Lin Zhao hesitated for a moment, then rubbed his head. This child was so sensible it made one's heart ache. Seeing him reminded her of the twins in the original book——

In the original book, they had it even worse than Mao Dan, her obedient cubs. Just thinking about it made her heart ache.

The second cub's petty jealousy flared up. He squeezed between them without a sound and looked at Lin Zhao. "Mom, my brother and I will send Mao Dan off."

"Call Da Huang." Lin Zhao instructed.

"Okay!" A clear voice rang out.

Tie Chui followed, with Da Huang and Hu Po close behind.

The few children had just left the Gu family's main gate.

Yuan Bao's loud and excited voice rang out, "Big cub, second cub... there's something exciting at the village entrance, are you going to watch?"

The second cub rushed over and asked repeatedly, "What excitement, what excitement?"

"I don't know, they say someone was sent to the village... to receive education. Are you going to watch?" Yuan Bao was very anxious, his toes spinning on the mud, ready to rush off at any time.

The second cub still remembered the main business and shook his head. "You go first, I'll come later."

"Okay."

As the word "okay" dissipated, the little boy's figure disappeared in a flash.

Mao Dan knew the second cub wanted to watch the excitement and said embarrassedly, "Second cub, it's okay, I can go back by myself."

"No, we'll send you." The second cub's words were full of dominance. "What if Wang Yaozu is hiding somewhere to block you?"

"Exactly, exactly." The big cub also said, "Watching the excitement isn't a must."

However.

He still wanted to watch a little bit.

So the big cub changed his tone, "It's fine to watch later. Yuan Bao is there, he can watch for us and tell us about it later."

Mao Dan raised a brilliant smile. "Big cub, second cub, you are so good."

Glancing at Tie Chui next to him, he added, "Tie Chui is good too."

The second cub hooked his shoulder. "We are good brothers, and good brothers should help each other."

Mao Dan's eyes curved with happiness, and only then did he look a bit like a child.

"Let's go, I'll take you to my house. In the future, if you want to find me, you can go directly to my house."

The Ning family stood alone at the entrance of the village. It was a tiled house with years of history, square and square. At first glance, there were four rooms. The roof built of tiles was covered with clumps of weeds, but in this small courtyard, it didn't look messy or decadent; instead, it had a different kind of vitality.

Especially.

Beside the persimmon tree sat an old grandmother with a kind smile, making this courtyard even more unique.

She wore ordinary clothes, but her temperament was extraordinary. Her face was white and firm. It was inevitable for a person in her sixties to have wrinkles, but even with wrinkles, she didn't look bad; it was as if they were a gift of time to a beauty, very unique.

Except for Mao Dan, the few children who saw this scene were all stunned.

... They had never seen such a grandma.

Hearing the sound of footsteps, Grandma Ning turned her head and skillfully hid a small bowl. Seeing her grandson's shortened hair, she was a bit surprised, then smiled and beckoned to the little cubs, "Mao Dan brought friends home."

As soon as she moved, Mao Dan knew what the situation was.

The little boy tightened his dark, thin face and said sternly, "Grandma, you're stealing sugar again!"

"You child, what do you mean stealing!" Grandma Ning didn't admit it.

"I saw it!" Mao Dan puffed out his cheeks, his little brows knitted tightly. "And you put so much in, I saw a black patch. You put so much brown sugar in the porridge, your teeth will fall out."

"Nonsense!" Grandma Ning pretended to be serious. "I brush my teeth every morning and evening, my teeth are even straighter than yours."

Not wanting to listen to her own grandson chanting, she looked at the big cub and second cub. "You two are the Gu family's twins, right? You look so handsome and neat."

She didn't forget Tie Chui either. "This little guy also looks tiger-headed and tiger-brained, looking... steady."

The three little cubs grinned.

The big cub spoke on their behalf, his words clear and polite: "Hello, Grandma Ning, I am Gu Seeing Seeing Dazai, Mao Dan's good brother. We came to send Mao Dan home."

The second cub said in a loud voice, "I am the second cub."

"... I am Tie Chui."

Grandma Ning loved excitement. Seeing these energetic children, she felt she had become several years younger.

"Good, good, good, all good children."

Mao Dan put down the tin thermos and said, "Grandma, this thermos is an imperfect item brought back by Auntie Lin from the supply and marketing cooperative. She and Grandma Gu said they would give it to us."

He told Grandma Ning the situation in detail.

Grandma Ning didn't go out much, but she knew the situation of each family and knew who the Auntie Lin Mao Dan was talking about.

"Grandma, Auntie Lin made vegetable boxes. I ate two, and Auntie Lin also let me bring back a few. I'll go cut them for you." Mao Dan knew his grandma's habit. He took the vegetable boxes to the kitchen, cut them with a knife, put them on a plate, grabbed a pair of chopsticks, and came out of the kitchen again.

Grandma Ning didn't touch anything with her hands when eating. It wasn't that she was poor and fastidious; this was a habit she had developed when she was a young girl, and she had been like this all her life. Now, asking her to change, the old lady wouldn't be happy.

Moreover, the family was willing to spoil her, and it didn't hinder anyone else.

"Grandma, eat quickly, it's still hot. Auntie Lin's skills are very good, the vegetable boxes are especially delicious."

The twins straightened their chests, full of pride.

That's right, their mom is just that great!

Grandma Ning only needed one look and one sniff to know the taste wasn't bad.

She could be considered born with a silver spoon in her mouth. She hadn't suffered the hardships of life in the first half of her life. Later, when the white-haired sent the black-haired, she didn't feel she couldn't go on living. Her son sacrificed for the righteousness of the nation, and she was proud of her son.

The daughter-in-law was gone, the old man was gone, and she had survived it all. The dead are gone, and the living must live well.

In her life, what hadn't she experienced?

"It looks good at first glance," Grandma Ning said with a smile. "After your grandpa passed away, I hadn't eaten a decent meal for a long time. Today, I borrowed the Gu family's light."

Mao Dan said earnestly, "Auntie Lin said she would teach me how to cook in the future. Grandma, I will learn seriously. When I learn, I will cook for you."

"I promised my grandpa that I would take good care of you." Thinking of his grandpa, Mao Dan's nose felt sour.

His grandpa was so, so good to him. His grandpa could do everything; he could make him bamboo frogs, bamboo dragonflies... and his cooking was delicious too.

Just as the little guy was about to fall into melancholy, Grandma Ning stuffed a piece of vegetable box into her mouth, squinting with delight.

She teased her grandson, "Missing your grandpa?"

"Your grandpa worked hard all his life. He wants to rest. Don't look like this, or he won't be able to rest in peace."

Mao Dan hadn't even started to be sad, and that little flame of sadness... was extinguished by a ladle of water from his grandma, and not a single spark could be spit out.

"..."

Grandma Ning felt the twins hadn't exaggerated; their mom's skills were indeed not bad.

Truly fragrant!

"Mao Dan, get me something." Grandma Ning ordered her grandson. "There are three jade gourds in the vanity case on my dressing table. Go get them."

Mao Dan went to get them without a word.

The Gu family's children grew up in love. They were never timid when seeing people and were open and aboveboard. They looked around the Ning family's courtyard, compared it to their own, and looked for differences.

The second cub was a baby who talked a lot. After the Ning family's grandmother and grandson finished talking, he asked impatiently, "Grandma Ning, is this tree in your yard a persimmon tree?"

His eyes were dark and bright, looking very clever.

Grandma Ning's smile was kind. "Yes, it will bear persimmons in September. You can come and pick them then."

Little children don't know how to be polite; they will respond to whatever people say.

"Thank you, Grandma Ning." The second cub thanked her politely, and without being polite, said, "I will come. Grandma Ning, ask Mao Dan to call me then. The pomegranates at my grandma's house are about to ripen. My second uncle said he would bring us the biggest and reddest ones, and I will share them with Mao Dan too."

Mao Dan heard this as soon as he came out. His heart felt hot, and his eyes curved with a smile.

"Second cub, I know where there are bird eggs. I'll take you to pick them tomorrow."

The second cub's eyes lit up. "Great."

He turned his head to look at the big cub, his tone full of excitement, "Brother, Mao Dan knows where there are bird eggs. We can roast bird eggs for Mom tomorrow."

Grandma Ning thought the children were greedy, but she didn't expect them to be thinking of their mom.

The old lady's expression was a bit dazed.

She remembered that her son was also so filial, and he would think of her, his mother, whenever he had anything good.

"Grandma, the jade gourds." Mao Dan handed over the jade gourds.

Grandma Ning came back to her senses instantly, took the jade gourds, and beckoned to the twins and Tie Chui.

"Children, come here."

The three children walked up in a daze.

Grandma Ning gave them each a jade gourd.

"A meeting gift, keep it, and play with Mao Dan in the future." Her voice was gentle, and she had a smile on her face.

The children didn't know the value of this thing and accepted it with a smile.

"Thank you, Grandma Ning. This gourd is really good-looking. Mao Dan is our good brother, we won't let anyone bully him," the big cub said earnestly.

The second cub also said, "Mm-hmm, whoever bullies Mao Dan is bullying me, Gu Hearing Hearing Erzai. I'll beat him to death!"

Tie Chui scratched his head honestly, "I listen to Seeing Seeing Dazai and Hearing Hearing Erzai."

The personalities of the three little boys were exposed very clearly.

Grandma Ning couldn't stop laughing.

Truly interesting.

"Mao Dan, what's up with your hair? Who helped you trim it?" Only then did she remember to ask about this.

Mao Dan wasn't surprised at all and answered calmly, "The twins' dad, my Uncle Chenghuai."

"The skill is quite good, not bad. It looks much more spirited. Having hair covering your eyes is so gloomy, like a male ghost drowned in the river." This was a complaint from his own grandma.

She said she would trim it, but this kid wasn't happy.

She had completely forgotten how terrible her own skills were. Not only was it trimmed unevenly, but every time, Mao Dan would end up with several cuts on his head.

Hearing Grandma Ning's description, the three cubs covered their mouths and laughed loudly.

Mao Dan was a bit embarrassed, but the corners of his mouth curled up.

The Ning family had always been quiet, but it was truly lively today. He was so happy.

"Grandma Ning, Yuan Bao said there's excitement at the village entrance. Can Mao Dan go watch with us?" The second cub was still thinking about his little friend's words.

"Yes," Grandma Ning laughed.

"Mao Dan, Grandma Ning agreed, let's go quickly!" The second cub pulled Mao Dan and walked outside.

The big cub and Tie Chui also walked hurriedly.

What was the excitement at the village entrance?

Mao Dan remembered something and turned back to say to Grandma Ning, "Grandma, the vegetable boxes are for you. Eat them all, I'm full."

Grandma Ning waved at him.

She would only eat one and keep the rest to eat with her grandson in the evening.

The four children arrived at the village entrance, but the excitement Yuan Bao mentioned was long gone.

The second cub's chubby little head drooped. Seeing his little master dejected, Da Huang swept his hand with his big tail.

The little boy grabbed the furry tail and rubbed it, and the depression in his heart dissipated quite a bit.

"Second cub, what are you doing at the village entrance? Everyone has gone to the old broken house at the foot of the mountain," someone passing by said when they saw the few silly little cubs.

They shook their heads when they left; they couldn't even catch the hot stuff when eating shit. ===== CHAPTER 106 =====