In the kitchen, four people heated up their meals and ate at the square table in the kitchen.
Li Weiyan picked up a piece of cured fish for Li Wanzhen: "It's just the four of us now, so eat slowly and have more."
Li Wanzhen nodded. She really liked cured fish, but it had many bones, so she ate slowly. If she wanted to eat more, she would be the last to finish, which made her feel very embarrassed. Li Weiyan, the gruff man, was always so considerate of her.
Li Weiyan contentedly picked up a piece for himself: "The cured fish at home this year is delicious."
Li Weihao also noticed the difference: "It tastes very much like Grandma Niu's cured fish. We must have asked Grandma Niu to help us cure it."
Li Weiyan glanced at the Li sisters who were eating with their heads down, winked at Li Weihao, and asked, "What are your plans for next year?"
Li Wanjing paused, then looked up at Li Weihao and said seriously:
"On the way back just now, I've been thinking, no matter what we do, it's the first time in our lives. We need to explore and learn as we go. No one can teach us because we are just us, and everyone's life is different. I, I like late autumn."
"Good," Li Weihao smiled and nodded at her. "Before that, you have a few months to prepare yourself mentally."
He had just completely opened this woman's heart; he couldn't let her go back to how she was before.
Li Wanjing smiled charmingly at him.
Li Weihao picked up a piece of cured fish for her: "Eat slowly, be careful of the bones."
Li Weiyan, jealous, glanced at the two people opposite him, then pulled up Li Wanjing, who was eating fish with her head down, and domineeringly kissed her on the mouth:
"You prepare yourself mentally too."
Li Wanzhen raised her hand and wiped away a grain of rice from his mouth: "You've already said that. I'll wait for your notice."
"Talking back!" Li Weiyan put down his rice bowl, and with a forceful push, Li Wanzhen sat on his lap: "The best punishment for talking back is to shut you up."
As he spoke, his lips were about to fall.
Li Wanzhen quickly raised her hand to cover his mouth: "I want to eat. Who told you to disturb me while I'm eating?"
Li Weiyan raised his eyebrows: "Oh? You have a temper now?"
Seeing their actions, Li Wanjing opposite couldn't help but laugh:
"Li Weiyan, my younger sister is protective of her food. It's only you; if it were my younger brother or me, she'd scratch people."
A little kitten?
Li Weiyan immediately thought of a kitten protecting its food. He raised his large hand and stroked Li Wanzhen's hair a few times before letting her sit back down: "Eat."
Li Wanzhen blinked. Li Weiyan's actions seemed a bit off, but she couldn't figure it out. Forget it, eating was more important. She lowered her head and continued eating fish.
Li Weiyan, Li Weihao, and Li Wanjing couldn't help but burst into laughter.
Li Wanzhen looked up at the three of them blankly.
The three of them lowered their heads and ate.
She also lowered her head and continued eating fish. Li Weiyan picked up another piece of fish for her: "Eat, don't rush."
"Mm."
...
After eating, Chen Fu and Grandma went to the east room to see their son.
Lin Hua'er already knew that her husband had returned with Haohao Ge and the others. She didn't dare to approach, fearing that her husband would scold her in front of the Li sisters.
Seeing her husband come in, she quickly approached him: "Xiaofu, I'm sorry, I will definitely change."
Chen Fu's gaze fell on Lin Hua'er. He didn't know why, but he didn't care how Lin Hua'er dressed before.
Now, he felt a trace of disgust towards this woman who had become somewhat unkempt due to breastfeeding.
"Xiaofu?" Lin Hua'er called out in panic. Her husband's gaze was a little unfamiliar.
Chen Fu turned to look at his two sons on the bed. Forget it, Hua'er's unkempt appearance was also because of the two babies:
"When spring comes, you can go to the county town with your cousin-in-law and the others to buy some clothes."
"Okay," Lin Hua'er nodded.
Her heart didn't settle because of this seemingly compensatory remark from her husband; instead, it became more anxious.
She could feel a rift had formed between her and her husband.
This rift hadn't appeared even when she was slapped. It seemed her husband was truly hurt this time. She needed to be careful.
Mother Li also noticed that her eldest grandson's attitude towards Lin Hua'er had become much colder. She sighed silently, women really shouldn't be so reckless.
"Grandma, we're back."
From the courtyard, two loud shouts were heard, followed by the low whines of Xiao Xiaohei.
"Xiao Xiaohei, don't make trouble," Li Weibo's voice could be heard.
Hearing these voices, Mother Li cast aside all her worries and ran out to greet her grandson and granddaughter-in-law:
"Eh, eh, An'an, Xiaoyu, Xiaobo, Ziyu, you're back? You haven't eaten, have you? Come in quickly and warm yourselves up. I'll cook for you."
Chen An and Li Weiyu, who had just rushed to their grandma's side, hadn't even extended their hands when their grandma swung her arm and pushed them aside.
Their grandma, as agile as a young person, darted to her second daughter-in-law (cousin-in-law) and linked arms with her:
"Ziyu, quickly, quickly, come inside and rest. Are you tired?"
Chen An and Li Weiyu were filled with a sense of loss. In their grandma's eyes, they no longer held any status.
The cousins looked towards the room in the front yard from which Xiao Xiaohei had just rushed out. Standing there was the youngest brother in the family.
Li Weixin shrugged. This time, although his cultivation and Xiao Song had improved his state of mind, he was still adjusting to the sudden loss of favor. He was officially an elder now, so being out of favor was to be expected.
Tian Jing and Ouyang Meihua from the east ear room also came out, and immediately, Yu Ziyu was surrounded by the Li family.
Chen An, pulling his cousin's arm, bypassed the enthusiastic crowd, carrying a sense of 'desolation,' and called out to the equally out-of-favor Xiao Xiaohei, heading towards their younger cousin's room.
Li Weiyu hugged Li Weixin tightly, his voice full of grievance: "Ranran~ We've all been abandoned."
Li Weixin turned and shook Li Weiyu off: "We are elders; we must have magnanimity. Haven't you seen little Xuanxuan?"
Li Weiyu and Chen An shook their heads.
Li Weixin proudly raised his chin: "Xuanxuan is as beautiful and lovely as a little princess. Yesterday, when I came back, she only let me hold her for a moment, and then Grandma and Mom wouldn't let me hold her anymore, saying I was a rough man and clumsy. Hmph! I'll steal some time to hold her again."
Li Weiyu and Chen An hadn't seen their new niece and didn't understand Li Weixin's feelings. Since no one was looking after them, they decided to fend for themselves: "Where's our room?"
Li Weixin pointed to his room: "It's here. Grandma said that since there are so many people at home this year, the three of us single guys will share a bed."
"Ah?"
"Ah?"
Li Weiyu and Chen An were extremely disappointed. Sharing a bed was worse than going back to their own homes to sleep.
Li Weixin looked at their expressions: "Grandma said that if you go back to sleep, you can, but don't expect her to save you breakfast."
"Why?" Li Weiyu and Chen An were annoyed.
Li Weixin smiled: "Grandma said that squeezing together is lively. Later, when you find girlfriends, no one will want to squeeze with you."
"Big Brother is sleeping alone in a room, and Brother Yanyan was kicked out last night, so he decided to stay tonight too. Grandma has already made a bed for him, so you two will squeeze with me."
"Impossible." Li Weiyu looked at Li Weixin: "There are so many rooms in the front yard. Including the storeroom and a small utility room on the west side, there are five rooms. How come there's no room for us?"
Li Weixin put his hands behind his back: "Grandma said there are no bedding and no time to tidy up the rooms."
Li Weiyu and Chen An exchanged a look and, with perfect默契, pounced on Li Weixin and pushed him onto the bed: "Xiao Xiaohei, quickly get on top."
"Woof woof woof."
Xiao Xiaohei whined excitedly and leaped onto the three of them.
Being pounced on like this, Li Weiyu felt like he was being crushed by a mountain. He endured it and asked his younger cousin beneath him: "What else did Grandma say?"
Pressed down like this, Li Weixin's expression didn't change: "Grandma said that if you don't find girlfriends soon, she'll find them for you from the Koushan area and make you go on blind dates."
Chen An squeezed his younger cousin's face with his hands: "You're talking nonsense, taking liberties. Tell me, is it your fault we don't have a room?"
"Grandma said..."
"Pah! I'll smother you..."
"Grandma said..."
"Ah, help! Who will knock out this 'Grandma said'?"