Chapter 264: Are these three little ones natural-born soldiers?

Have you heard of the custom of "three generations returning to the clan"?

It means the man marries into the woman's family, eats and drinks from the woman's family, and the grandson or great-grandson takes the man's surname, and all great-grandchildren take the man's surname.

Zhou Yan had originally accompanied his wife to visit relatives, but he didn't expect to run into the fact that his wife's eldest brother had died after slipping and falling down a mountain while picking mushrooms.

Today was the seventh day after his death, not only the day of his soul's return but also the day his wife's maiden family was pulling him to discuss him marrying into their family!

"Zhou Yan, just stay. What's so good about the Sea Island?

You take Xianxian there and suffer so much; it's better to stay and marry into our Old Ji family. We have many people here, and this whole village is our own kin."

"That's right, that's right. The Old Ji family only had A-Niu as a male descendant, and now he's gone without leaving an heir. How sad your father-in-law and mother-in-law are."

"As long as you marry into our Ji family and provide for the two elders in their old age, we'll sign a contract. By the time of your grandson's generation, we guarantee they'll change back to your Zhou family surname. Isn't that great?"

"Xianxian, you say something too. Persuade your man not to be stubborn. Don't you want to stay?"

A group of aunts wearing special ethnic costumes surrounded Zhou Yan, taking turns to lobby him.

Zhou Yan's ears were calloused from listening, so he pretended not to understand their words and didn't answer easily.

In fact, he thought these people were quite bizarre.

He was a man, with good hands and feet; why should he marry into a family?

Besides, his wife was someone he had married with proper ceremony. If he married into a family at this time, would he be worthy of the ancestors of the Old Zhou family?

Even a clay figurine has a temper, let alone him.

The reason he was still sitting here was entirely for his wife.

Of course, if his wife was muddled and his persuasion was fruitless, then he would drag his wife away without hesitation.

In the future, he would lock her at home and not let her go anywhere!

What?

Did they think he would compromise?

Would he cry and wail?

Wrong!

He didn't owe his wife anything; on the contrary, his wife owed him!

Lao Mo was right: love and people, you must keep one.

If there is no love, then let it be hatred!

In the innermost room of the earthen house, Ji Xianxian's parents had both turned their hair white with worry.

They were both immersed in the pain of their son's tragic death, so how could they care about their daughter and son-in-law who had just returned to visit relatives?

Plus, relatives and neighbors were blowing wind in their ears, suggesting they let their son-in-law marry into the family so that their Old Ji family wouldn't end up without an heir!

So they thought about it and felt it made a lot of sense, so they endured their grief and did ideological work on their daughter.

"Xianxian, I'm begging you, just persuade your man to stay. Our family will never be separated in the future. Isn't that better than you marrying far away to the Sea Island?"

"That's right, Xianxian. Mom and Dad only have you as a daughter now. Your brother is gone, and everything in the family will be yours in the future."

Ji Xianxian didn't make a sound, just lowered her eyes, her haggard face even more haggard.

She really wanted to retort: Mom and Dad, that's not what you said when you sent me to the countryside.

The family conditions weren't bad; Mom and Dad were both workers in the city's food factory. When one of the children had to go to the countryside, Mom and Dad didn't hesitate to send her!

Brother is gone, and everything in the family will be hers?

She didn't believe it; it wouldn't happen. Mom and Dad were cold-blooded to the bone...

"Youngest sister, I beg you, plead with your husband to marry into the family!"

A father kneeling to his daughter—the daughter will lose years of her life!

Ji Xianxian wanted to hide, but her shoulders were pressed down hard by her mother. A desolate feeling spread from the bottom of her heart...

Her husband had told her parents last night that she had miscarried and needed to rest quietly and keep a happy mood.

One might ask, whether parents love their children or not, can the person involved not feel it?

This time, she was truly, completely dead inside.

"Brother Zhou Yan."

"I'm here."

"Take me away."

"Okay."

In March, the daytime temperature on the Sea Island was already twenty or thirty degrees.

Mosquitoes and insects had increased recently. Elder Pei prepared medicinal herbs and smoked them in the room, trying to let the infants sleep soundly.

Even this wasn't safe; the weather would get hotter and hotter. Everything on the Sea Island was good, except that the mosquitoes and insects were poisonous, and the rats were huge!

Elder Pei himself said he had never seen such big rats!

And snails, palm-sized snails!

It was terrible. Fortunately, they discovered it in time and sprinkled anti-mosquito and insect powder all over the house.

And mosquito-repellent grass, it had to be planted.

Right, mint grass, it had to be planted too.

Right, catnip, he had written to a friend, asking them to help collect seeds.

The day he was scared by a big rat, it was Tangyuan, raised by his disciple, who saved him!

To thank the little cat, he would use catnip!

"Meow-woo."

Tangyuan lay between the little masters, licking its paws.

It had just eaten a big piece of sponge cake; it was so delicious!

Under the shade of the trees, in a small shed, the three infants lying on the straw mat were sunning their butts while drooling and wriggling to reach out and grab the cat.

The cat smelled so good; it was the kind of fragrance they also wanted to gnaw on!

This was terrible. Tangyuan dodged, jumped to another direction, and after gaining some distance, continued to lie down, its tail flicking back and forth.

After being a cat for so long, it almost forgot what its original form was.

"Iya-ya."

The three infants wriggled slowly in the direction, trying hard to turn over.

But their limbs wouldn't listen to them. Tired, they lay flat, playing with their little hands and feet.

In the main room, Elder Lu, who was making milk powder, looked at the spoon hesitantly—had he just put in two scoops of milk powder or three?

After thinking for a long time, he thought, one extra scoop wouldn't hurt, but one less would make them hungry!

Just like that, he poured this scoop of milk powder into the bottle and then used boiling water to brew it.

Shake, shake, shake. He put the warm milk bottle into a basin and scooped up well water to submerge half of the bottle.

Perfect!

Three bottles of milk, shaken in exchange.

After five minutes, when the heat decreased and it was suitable for drinking, he fed it to the grandchildren.

Elder Lin was dozing in the guest room; he had helped take care of the kids last night and hadn't slept well this morning, so he was taking a nap.

Others went fishing or went to the beach to catch seafood to replenish their stock.

Tangyuan, this little cat, had truly worked hard.

If the house was missing anything, it couldn't be missing dried fish!

Just when they were busy, Section Commander Duan came again.

When the three little ones saw the visitor, they waved their hands and feet even more vigorously.

"Iya-ya."

"Dong dong dong."

It was the rattle-drum, it was the whistle.

Section Commander Duan discovered that all three little ones liked loud sounds. Every time he came to tease them, he would blow the whistle and shake the rattle-drum.

The little ones also responded, looking very happy.

Did this mean that these three little ones would be natural-born soldiers in the future?

Thinking of this, he came even more diligently!

If he could see this generation put on military uniforms in his lifetime, he would die without regrets!

"Coo-coo-coo, I am Grandpa Duan. When you grow up, will you come to join the army too?"

"Iya-ya."

The three siblings didn't understand what joining the army was; they only knew how to laugh blindly, performing for this kind old grandpa how to wave their hands and kick their legs, and how to pee their pants and poop in their diapers...