Chapter 21 Selling Food

  At the dinner table, several siblings curiously looked at the things in front of them. Xi He couldn't help but swallow a mouthful of saliva. At this time, no one had picked up their chopsticks yet, until Zhao Shi finished her work and sat down at the table, only to see that the children had already picked up their chopsticks.

  "Aren't you eager to taste what this is? Why isn't anyone picking up their chopsticks? Is it not delicious?" Saying that, she picked up her chopsticks and took a bite. "Not bad, it's much better than eggs! Don't just stand there, everyone try some!"

  When the old man picked up a pair of chopsticks and put a pine nut egg into Chen Tianfa's bowl, Zhao Shi only knew what the child meant. After taking a look at several filial children, her heart was warm for a moment, and she pressed down the surging emotions in her heart, also picking up a pair of chopsticks and putting them in Xi Mei's bowl. "Okay, okay, you guys eat too. From now on, we won't lack this thing. Xi Mei, think carefully about how to do it at that time. In the future, if worst comes to worst, we won't sell eggs anymore, and we'll make this dish for you all to eat."

  Girl, I know you're moved, but the whole family is relying on selling those few eggs to have some money in their hands. If we let this group of people eat them, how will we make a living in the future?

  Haha, her mother has the drive to make money, and she's no less ambitious than her father. I guess it's just that the kids are too young and a burden, but now that they can help out themselves, at the very least they're better off than their third sister.

  Her face was filled with sweet smiles, organizing her words, and casually reminding her mother: "Mother, last time we went to the market, I saw many people of your age selling food on the street, but what they made wasn't as delicious as yours."

  Zhao looked at Xi Mei suspiciously, "What made you think of this? Are you craving again?"

  Alas, girl, I'm just a foodie in your heart, right? Right? Right?...

  Seeing the increasingly disdainful eyes of her second and third sisters, the resentful child just wanted to sing a sad song, but now it's better to save her own reputation. She quickly climbed down from the chair and struggled to climb onto her father's body.

  "Hmph, I'm not craving for it, I just think that the vegetable corner the big sister gave me last time is not as delicious as what others are selling. Looked at her mother's face and saw signs of turning gloomy, oh no, forgot that her mother told her not to eat things given by strangers."

  With a proud face, she rushed to the market to make up for it. "Of course, what she makes is definitely not as delicious as her mother's." She stuck out her tongue and looked at her mother with a thoughtful expression, quickly instructing her father, "Dad, I want to eat pickled eggs, and that one too." Her small hand pinched into a lotus finger pointed at the table.

  She took a look at her brother's eating posture, it was really ugly. She would be walking the elegant lady route in the future and couldn't let her second brother spoil her. With a disgusted expression, she wrinkled up her small nose and called out: "Hey, Second Brother, stop eating! Can't you see there are only a few left on the plate? The remaining ones are all mine, mine! You're not allowed to eat them!"

  Hey, little girl, who just said they wanted to take the lady route? Don't look in the mirror and see what you look like, a lady? You're not much different from a mountain bandit.

  When Zhao returned to his senses, he saw the scene in front of him and smiled helplessly. "Alright, eat quickly. Rui Xuan, you take your younger brother and sister out to play later. I have something to discuss with your father."

  Rui Xuan heard this and smiled slightly, still saying "good". Zhao saw that he was so considerate, and his thoughts in his heart became even more determined.

  It wasn't easy to finish the meal, but Xi Mei pulled Second Brother, who was still savoring the flavor of the salted egg, and quietly crept under the windowsill of Zhao's house. "Xi Mei, you..." Before he could finish speaking, his mouth was covered.

  She quietly made a mouth shape to her second brother, "Be quiet, if mother finds out, we'll both..." and made a gesture of being spanked.

  She pressed her ear against the window and indeed heard her mother and father discussing this matter. Zhao's voice came through clearly, "Husband, didn't Jixia just say that those skills aren't as good as mine can be used to set up a stall and supplement our family expenses? I can do it too. Besides, our children are all grown up now, and this house should be renovated, we can't bear the cold in winter, let alone the children."

  "Although it's like this, but in doing so, you have to take care of both the household and business outside, how tiring is that? It's not my ability, otherwise next year I'll see if there are people renting land out, we can plant more land, I'm strong and afraid of starving your mother and sisters?" Chen Tianfa replied.

  "We can eat our fill with the land we have, but you must think ahead, our eldest child, every time he sees other people's children going to school, his eyes turn red with envy. Although the child doesn't ask for it, I feel heartache when I see him." Zhao's voice gradually took on a sobbing tone.

  "Other people's sons are fine, but ours aren't? Leaving aside the eldest, our daughters are growing up, we can't stay poor forever and not be able to prepare their dowries. They mustn't be looked down upon when they marry into another family. And Father's illness..."

  The conversation had already reached a point where they couldn't help but cry, and through the window, she saw her father walk up to her mother and gently wipe away Zhao's tears with his large palms.

  "Alright, alright, stop crying. I'll listen to you, otherwise I'll help you with it, okay? You're the eldest in our family, whatever you say goes, and I wouldn't dare utter a word of disagreement. Hurry up and stop crying, or the kids will see you and laugh at you again."

  Zhao's face turned red with anger and he slapped Chen Tianfa, "How dare they!" After saying that, he probably felt embarrassed himself.

  Sister Xi heard this and knew that the two of them were not suitable to continue listening, so she pulled her brother to leave. The silly child was still confused, wondering why they had to leave when the show was going well.

  But looking at the little sister's anxious expression, he still held back and continued to ask. The little sister was so clever that she listened accurately, and at a young age, she already had the idea of 'following her to eat meat'.

  "Hey, it's really like 'a family doesn't enter another family's door'. You look silly."

  Excitedly ran into her and her sister's room, quietly closed the door, nervously walked to the eldest and second eldest sisters' side, "Elder sisters, now there is a good news, do you want to hear it?"

  The bored Xihe, who was rolling around on the bed, asked first "What's the good news? Tell us quickly." When all three sisters looked at her with curiosity. Ximei smiled mysteriously and then quietly walked to the back of the door, suddenly opening it wide. Ruihao rushed in.

  Seeing himself exposed, he didn't care about being embarrassed anymore. He shouted at the door, "Big brother, stop stalling! We've all seen you, don't hide!" As a result, Rui Xuan also came in awkwardly.

  Seeing that all the siblings had arrived, Xi Mei said: "Alright, little ancestor, stop being mysterious and tell us what good news you have. Hurry up and say it, or else I'll..." She said, waving her magical palm to scare her.

  Seeing several people were indeed in a hurry, Xi Mei didn't keep them in suspense anymore. Clearing her throat solemnly, she announced: "Father and Mother are preparing to do some small business. From now on, our family will be busy."

  "Really? Did mom say what to do?" Xi Mei asked eagerly, "I know, I know mom was going to sell food." Ruihao hastily chimed in.

  "Really? Then our family won't lack delicious food from now on." Xi He had a look of longing.

  Everyone burst out laughing, especially Xi Mei, who opened her big black eyes wide and scratched her face with her small fingers. The little girl suddenly became shy and ran forward to chase Xi Mei.

  Watching her elder sisters hastily giving way to their younger sister, making room for them to 'move around', the anxious bride suddenly shouted that they were not being considerate.

  Two figures flitted about in the small courtyard, inexplicably adding a splash of color to the ordinary and simple farmhouse.