The next day, Li Weibo prepared to take his girlfriend to Hot Spring Valley.
Li Zhengguo also wanted to go, he wanted to soak in the hot springs, and after more than two months, they should be clean.
Mother Li was unwilling to go; she had to steam the New Year's buns at home.
Tian Jing advised her husband not to be a third wheel. Although there were still many villagers staying in Hot Spring Valley, none of them would make Yu Ziyu feel as uncomfortable as the future in-laws.
Li Zhengguo could only stay home and chop the filling for his mother and daughter-in-law.
"Wife, after the New Year, shall we go to the Yu family with Xiao Bo?"
Tian Jing asked him back, "Have you discussed the wedding of the two children with Yu Jinghai?"
Li Zhengguo nodded, "I mentioned it on the phone, and he didn't object, but some details are inconvenient to discuss on the phone. I want to talk face-to-face."
"Besides, how can children get married without their parents meeting each other?"
Tian Jing nodded, "Okay, let's go together."
Li Zhengguo smiled happily, "Let me take some time to write down the work arrangements for the coming year, so I can ask for leave to go out."
Seeing the curve of her husband's grin, Tian Jing teased, "Are you so happy to see an old comrade-in-arms?"
Li Zhengguo chopped the filling with more force, "A little, but more importantly, I'm happy to become in-laws with an old comrade-in-arms."
"Little sister-in-law, little sister-in-law," Li Min called out as she entered the second courtyard.
Tian Jing responded to her from the kitchen.
When she entered the kitchen, she asked her little sister-in-law why she was busy preparing wild eggs, dried vegetables, and game.
Mother Li, who was kneading dough, chided her daughter, "What for? To take back for Ziyu. You should learn from her. Xiao Fu's wife is from our village, and you married her without any effort.
"If An'an brings a girlfriend back, what will you do? Just watch your little sister-in-law and you'll know."
Li Min picked up a cleaver and helped chop the filling, "Learn from little sister-in-law? I can't. She just bought a car on impulse. I heard from Big Brother that it was to transport local specialties back.
"I'm not saying the local specialties given by little sister-in-law are too much, nor am I saying that this first meeting is so grand. I just want to ask, what if she spoils them?"
"Then it proves she's not spoiled," Mother Li answered for her daughter-in-law.
"People who are not spoiled don't need to be treated well in the future. Like you, you are called spoiled."
"Mom~" Li Min said aggrievedly, "Isn't this me worrying about my elder brother and sister-in-law? Why are you bringing me into this again?"
"Worrying for nothing!" Mother Li glared at her daughter, "Does your little sister-in-law need you to worry? You should worry more about yourself."
Li Min's hand paused, "What's wrong with me?"
Mother Li pointed at her, "You wander around all day, have you taken care of Xiao Fu's child?"
"No," Li Min shook her head, "Xiao Fu said he would take care of it himself during the off-season if I helped during the busy season."
Mother Li was helpless at her daughter's carefree demeanor.
Li Zhengguo waved his hand at his sister, "Go pick up Jiqing and Jixiang to play."
Li Min didn't want to go, "Why?"
Li Zhengguo glared, "I miss them, okay?"
"Okay, you're the elder brother, you have the final say."
Li Min put down the knife, washed her hands, and left.
Li Zhengguo rubbed his temples, "Mom, you gave birth to her with half a brain less."
"Why blame me?" Mother Li refused to take the blame, "That's because the King of Hell didn't bestow it upon her."
"Hahaha," Tian Jing chuckled, "Even if you two argue to death, she'll still be the same. I only treat her as half-witted, so I'm not in a hurry."
Mother Li thought about it and agreed, "She shouldn't be treated as a normal person. Fortunately, Xiao Fu and An'an are like Suozhu."
Li Min soon brought the two children over, and asked them if they missed her.
The two children asked her in unison, "Why didn't Grandma come to see us?"
Li Min paused and said, "Because juniors visit elders, how can elders visit juniors?"
The two children nodded in unison, "We visit you every day."
Li Min: "..."
"Hahahahaha," Tian Jing burst into laughter.
Mother Li lightly pointed at her daughter, saying she deserved it.
Li Zhengguo gave the two children a thumbs-up, "Well said."
The two children then greeted them, "Great-grandmother, little great-uncle, little great-aunt."
The three being addressed responded cheerfully.
Li Min rummaged through the counter, "What did you eat this morning? Get it out for Jiqing and Jixiang."
Mother Li pointed to the rice cooker, "It's all in the rice cooker, there are still vegetable buns and salted eggs left."
Chen Jiqing and Chen Jixiang quickly reached out to wash their hands.
Mother Li scooped some warm water for them to wash their hands, then asked them to sit at the dining table and eat the buns. "Did you have breakfast at home?"
The two children shook their heads.
Chen Jiqing, while eating a bun, said, "Dad said that the younger brother needs to sleep."
Mother Li was stunned and immediately raised her hand to hit her daughter, "There's no such grandmother. Fortunately, it's Hua'er, otherwise, someone else would have made Xiao Fu disown you as his mother."
"I'll see how you get along with An'an's wife in the future."
Li Min didn't understand yet, but she reacted quickly, and with a downward glance, Mother Li's palm missed. "Mom, why are you hitting me?"
Tian Jing quickly stopped her husband, who also wanted to hit her, "Li Min, Hua'er is probably pregnant again."
"Pregnant again?" Li Min repeated, then realized, "Jiqing, are you saying your mother's younger brother in her belly needs to sleep?"
Chen Jiqing nodded, "Mom is tired."
Li Min immediately sprang into action. She circled the kitchen and a basket full of things appeared in her hands.
"Mom, I'm going to see Hua'er. Please stew a wild chicken soup for me at noon."
Saying that, she was already gone.
Tian Jing shook her head with a smile, "Mom, just treat her as a child who hasn't grown up, don't get angry with her."
"For Suozhu's sake, let's all take care of her."
"Zheng Ge, go catch a wild chicken, I'll chop the filling."
Li Zhengguo went out with a cleaver, "It's almost done, don't get your hands sticky. I'll chop it after I kill the chicken."
Tian Jing also disliked chopping filling. Since her husband said so, she stopped bothering and sat at the dining table with the two little ones.
She patted the two children's heads, "From now on, come downstairs every day to invite your grandmother to dinner."
The two children nodded.
Chen Jixiang glanced at the door and whispered, "Dad said, Grandma has to say it."
"Don't worry," Mother Li comforted, squatting by the stove to add firewood, "When your grandmother comes back, I'll ask her to agree."
The two little ones thanked her in unison, "Thank you, great-grandmother."
Tian Jing squeezed Chen Jixiang's little face, "Eat slowly."
"It's delicious, great-grandmother made it, it's delicious."
Mother Li's eyes crinkled with a smile, "Eat more if it's delicious."
Li Zhengguo came in and scooped a basin of hot water. Soon, a plucked wild chicken was brought in.
It was placed on the chopping board, and with a few chops of the knife, the wild chicken was split open, its belly exposed, and then chopped into pieces with a few more bangs.
Mother Li got up and went to the gas stove to busy herself.
Tian Jing wiped the children's mouths. Li Min rushed in like a gust of wind.
"Mom, Xiao Fu said Yuan Man took her pulse, and Yuan Man said it's twins. They asked to go to the health center for an ultrasound after the New Year."
Mother Li clasped her hands in surprise, "Thank heaven, it's really twins."
Chen Jixiang looked up at Tian Jing, "Little great-aunt, my brother and I, we are, right?"
Tian Jing paused, then nodded, "Yes, are you happy with Jixiang, brother?"
Chen Jixiang nodded, "Happy, brother lets me."
Tian Jing was relieved. A happy childhood was more important than anything.