Li Mu did not dare to agree to anything else; Li family was no longer under her charge, but a little food should be manageable.
Speaking of her grandson's glib tongue, Sister-in-law Wang sighed, "Alas—if only he were born into a wealthy family, it would be good. Born into a family like ours, this tongue really causes us no small amount of trouble."
As she spoke, she gave her grandson the pumpkin pancake, which had cooled down considerably in the bowl.
Tian Jing secretly observed the grandmother and grandson. Although the woman was dark-skinned, she was clean and tidy, with short hair neatly tucked behind her ears.
Although the boy was greedy, he didn't snatch at food like rural boys. His face was clean, without chapped skin or a runny nose. The little hands holding the pumpkin pancake were also clean, with spotless fingernails.
Sister-in-law Wang paid no mind to Tian Jing's scrutiny. While attending to her grandson, she chatted with Li Mu.
Taking a bite of the pumpkin pancake, the boy narrowed his eyes, as if tasting a delicacy that moved him. When he opened his eyes again, he noticed Tian Jing observing him. He offered Tian Jing a shy smile, then lowered his head to continue eating his delicious treat.
This grandmother and grandson were good, Tian Jing commented mentally. She wondered about the rest of the family.
Just as she was thinking this, a man and a woman appeared in her line of sight. They called out 'Uncle Zhengguo' to Li Zhengguo, who was working by the roadside, and headed towards the Li family's house.
"Mother, Grandma Li."
"Mother, Grandma Li."
After greeting Sister-in-law Wang and Li Mu, they both called out to Tian Jing in unison, "Auntie, hello."
The usually languid Tian Jing suddenly stood up. Was she the elder? She didn't mind when she addressed Sister-in-law Wang, and the little boy hadn't called her anything either, so she hadn't paid it any mind. But for people who were several years older than her to call her Auntie, it was quite a shock.
Li Zhengguo saw her sudden discomfort and quickly put down his work, walking back.
"Tiantian, this is Sister-in-law Wang, from our neighbor Uncle Wang's family to the east. Uncle Wang is the nephew of Butcher Wang, and Butcher Wang is of the same generation as my father. These two are Sister-in-law Wang's younger son Wang Hongwei and his wife, and they are also the parents of this child, Wang Xiaodong." Sudanshang.com
Uncle Wang? Could it be the middle-aged man who held a carrying pole, intending to beat Li Zhengguo when the original owner was causing trouble?
"Hello. I, I'm just not used to suddenly becoming an elder."
Seeing Tiantian so uncomfortable for the first time, Li Zhengguo's heart ached. He reached out and took her hands. "It's my fault. Next time someone visits, I'll introduce you."
It was his carelessness. Seeing her always composed demeanor these past few days, he thought Tiantian had gone through life's trials. Yet, he forgot that what she had experienced in her past life didn't count as normal social interaction.
Tian Jing was startled by his action and quickly withdrew her hands. What was he doing? So many people were watching.
When she pulled her hands away, Li Zhengguo remembered he had lost composure and forgotten the occasion. He coughed awkwardly.
Li Mu quickly came to her son's rescue, "It's my fault. I was so engrossed in talking that I forgot to introduce you to Sister-in-law Wang's family, Tiantian."
Sister-in-law Wang playfully teased, "Brother Zhengguo is a thoughtful and caring person."
These words made Li Zhengguo blush and return to making the cart frame. Wang Hongwei felt awkward among the women, so he followed to see what he was doing, and they began to murmur near the pile of wood.
Wang Hongwei's wife, Guo Hong, covered her mouth and giggled, not expecting Uncle Zhengguo to be so shy. She patted the head of her happy son.
She said to Tian Jing, "Auntie Tian Jing, I came from Sister-in-law Niu's. Her place is crowded with people. Sister-in-law Niu said she learned the skill from you, and that Li Min here also has kudzu root, so I came to take a look, and also have my Xiaodong's father recognize what kudzu root looks like, so he can go and dig for it in the mountains too."
"For this, you should find Li Min. She's frying pumpkin pancakes in the kitchen. Go take a look, and try some as well."
Guo Hong looked at Tian Jing in surprise. This beautiful young aunt was not stingy at all. "Okay, I'll go take a look and try some." With that, she turned and walked towards the kitchen.
"This child is as unrestrained as her son," Sister-in-law Wang chuckled and scolded.
"We should interfere less in the affairs of the young. Although there's a difference in generations, they are all young people. Let them communicate however they please."
Li Min was frying the last batch. Seeing Guo Hong arrive, she smiled, "I knew it. When your son came, you'd be here too. Hurry up and try these pumpkin pancakes, they're delicious. I eat them as I fry them."
Entering the kitchen, the aroma was even stronger. Guo Hong couldn't resist. She reached out, took one, and ate it, then whispered, "Doesn't your sister-in-law scold you?"
"Why would she scold me?" Li Min didn't understand.
"You eat as you fry, doesn't she scold you? Does she not keep count of these?" Guo Hong pointed at the pumpkin pancakes.
"Whether she keeps count or not, I don't know. She won't scold me for eating. She also taught me how to fry them. With so much oil, she dug it out to fry pumpkin pancakes, which pained me so much."
"However, these pumpkin pancakes are so delicious, it's worth it. You don't know what our home has been like these past five days since my sister-in-law moved in..."
Li Min chattered about the situation for the past five days. "You say, she stewed ten pounds of meat at once. Would she blame me for eating as I fry?"
Guo Hong almost choked on the pumpkin pancake in her mouth. Is Li Min boasting to her? Yes? Yes?
"We only bought two pounds of meat and are pickling it for the New Year. Oh, right, I came to learn how to make kudzu root starch, and also to have Xiaodong's father see what the kudzu root looks like. I plan to have him go dig for it, and I'll help you with chores."
"That's a nice way of putting it. You're here to steal skills," Li Min teased her.
Guo Hong didn't mind her teasing. "Will you teach me or not?"
"What did my sister-in-law say?" Li Min looked outside.
"She told me to find you, and also to come and try," Guo Hong whispered, thinking Li Min was worried about her sister-in-law's displeasure.
"Why are you speaking so softly?" Li Min scooped the last pumpkin pancake and poured the remaining lard from the pot into a porcelain basin.
"My sister-in-law won't blame me. I didn't guess it; she said it clearly, that if I have anything good to eat, I can let my playmates try it."
Li Min's face showed a proud expression, making Guo Hong unable to resist pinching her cheek. "What? You don't listen to your sister Fangcao anymore?"
This aunt, no matter how much you advise her, she won't listen. For the past two or three years, she's been like she drank Zhang Fangcao's love potion, making her unwilling to visit anymore. She gets a headache just seeing Zhang Fangcao, yet this foolish aunt stubbornly trusts that woman.
"Can we not bring up those old matters? If we don't, we'll still be good aunt and niece." Li Min was ashamed and annoyed that her past foolishness was being brought up again.
"Heh heh." Seeing her ashamed and annoyed, Guo Hong wasn't worried; instead, she continued to tease, "What if I keep bringing it up? Can our generational relationship still switch places?"
Guo Hong was also unhappy about having a lower generational status.
"You wish," Li Min scooped the oil and instructed her, "Hurry and take it off the heat."
Finally, after frying the pumpkin pancakes, Li Min started making kudzu root starch. Since she had a helper, she wouldn't waste the opportunity.
After Wang Hongwei clearly saw what kudzu root looked like, he went home to get a basket and headed up the mountain.
Xiaodong finished eating two pumpkin pancakes and went to watch his mother and great-aunt work.
Li Mu and Sister-in-law Wang were chatting enthusiastically.
Tian Jing felt too embarrassed to continue sunbathing and wanted to help Li Min. Li Min refused, "Sister-in-law, you go rest and take good care of yourself. You're even thinner than my mother, who is chronically ill."