Chapter 56: A Handsome Guy Fell from the Sky (Part 1)

  In the early morning, Xi Mei pushed open the window and looked outside at the continuous light rain, feeling that even Zhoujia Village seemed to be locked up by this rain.

  She gently pushed open the door, opened an oil-paper umbrella and walked towards the kitchen which had already been bustling with activity. As expected, Zhao Shi had already lit the fire and started cooking porridge in the kitchen.

  Zhao turned her head and saw that it was Lao Yao who had woken up. She picked up a sugar cone and stuffed it into her little mouth, "What's wrong? Little lazy pig is hungry again?"

  "No, I just missed Mom so much that I got up early to accompany her." Xi Mei explained with a disgruntled tone, as if others were pigs.

  "Alright, I know I wronged you. But usually when I call you, you can't wake up. How come you're waking up so early today?" Zhao asked in confusion.

  Yes, why did she get up so early? She didn't know either, it's just that this leisurely day felt like it hadn't happened in a long time.

  Yes, now they no longer set up stalls at home, just because of the few pickled eggs on the table.

  Xī Jiě still remembers what Zhāng Zhōng said to Chén Tián Fā when he sent her off, very clearly telling him the value of the pickled eggs they were holding.

  So, the Zhang family hopes to cooperate with the Chen family and operate pickled eggs together. They want to take advantage of the current situation where not many people know about it yet and make a profit before this wave passes, estimating that the popularity of pickled eggs will also subside afterwards.

  However, at first, both Chen's husband and wife disagreed.

  From then on, the three members of the Zhang family almost went to Chen's stall every day. Zheng was for Xi Mei, Zhang's father was to persuade Chen Tianfa to agree, and Zhang Zishang came to quarrel with Xi Mei every day as if he was looking for trouble.

  So those few days, Xiaobao's expression would change between happiness and worry every day. If they didn't argue every day, Jixia would have thought he had a crush on her second sister. Every day, it was 'stinky girl, stinky girl' on his lips.

  According to Chen's family, selling tofu brain and other snacks at a stall is also good. Although they can't make a lot of money, it's no problem to live a relatively comfortable life. They don't seek wealth or nobility, just hoping to live a peaceful and safe life.

  But the Zhang family guaranteed that they would absolutely not let others know that Fangzi came from their hands, so there was no need for them to show up. The raw materials, delivery, and sales were all handled by the Zhang family. All the Chen family had to do was make the pickled eggs well.

  After half a month, the Zhao family was successfully persuaded and agreed to Zhang's conditions, operating pine flower eggs together, but they only took 10% of the profit. Even so, Chen Tianfa, this honest fellow, felt it was too much.

  So, now they don't set up stalls at home anymore. They've completely switched to a handmade workshop route. The two sisters-in-law of the Chen family didn't want to get involved in Zhang's and Xi Mei's affairs, let alone Fang Zi and the others who are still from Lao San Jia. How could they possibly intervene again?

  So no matter what Zhao said, the two were dead set against each other, and had no choice but to let Zhao withdraw, and the two families continued with their old ways.

  Yesterday was the day when Chen's first batch of pine flower eggs were released, and under the cover of night, Zhang's housekeeper came to take them away. He also brought with him a handwritten challenge letter from Xiao Ba Wang, inviting her second sister to a 'battle to the death' in five days.

  Unfortunately, his second sister didn't even notice him. Just as the housekeeper had left for less than a short while, Xiao Bao Wang personally wrote a challenge letter that even his mother couldn't recognize and it was thrown into the chicken coop.

  So today is a rare leisure day, even Chen Tianfa is still sleeping in the house.

  Mr. Zhao's suspicion is not unreasonable either, and I don't know which nerve Xi Mei touched wrong, getting up so early today.

  However, no one had the energy to pursue this, only because a "gurgling" sound suddenly came from the kitchen, Xi Mei covered her stomach with embarrassment and smiled foolishly at her mother.

  "Daughter, I'm hungry." Zhao put the steamed buns with three fresh fillings in her hand into the steamer and opened a freshly baked crispy pancake, took out some meat and handed it to Xi Mei.

  "Who said they were just not hungry, and whose stomach is growling?"

  "Who is it? Who is it? I don't know who's so shameless, Mother, you say that's right?" With a hot and steaming bun in her hand, Xi Mei smiled with an unusual flattery.

  "Alright, if you have something to say, just say it. Why are you staring at me with such enthusiasm? It's really annoying." Zhao said bluntly.

  "Hehe, mom, I'll just say it then. After I finish eating, I want to go out and play for a bit, just for a little while." Looking at her with big, hopeful eyes.

  Zhao didn't want to agree at first, after all, the last time her sister went missing was still stuck in her heart. But looking at the pitiful little girl, she couldn't bring herself to refuse. The child was still young, and loving to play was her nature, no matter how many times she was taught, it wouldn't change.

  Forget it, forget it, nothing will happen in our own village anyway. Let's wait for the eldest and second eldest to wake up and then go out with her together.

  Thinking of this, his complexion improved a lot. "You can go out, but you must listen to your brothers' words honestly, otherwise I won't let you go out."

  She finally managed to sneak out alone when no one was looking, wanting to take a look at the original ancient village, but then two people followed her, what's the point of that?

  Her eyes rolled around, clinging to Zhao's thigh, and said with great emotion: "My good mother, I promise that even if we play under the big pagoda tree in our village, there are no outsiders, only Xiaohua, Er Niang and them. I don't want to play with boys, Mother, please let me go."

  Twisting her body until she was almost a knot, Madam Zhao finally relented, "Alright, alright, let you go, but you'd better behave yourself and not cause any more trouble for me."

  "Ah, ah, I know, I know. Mother is the best." After hearing this, Zhao's wife couldn't help but cry and laugh at the same time, "You still dare to say that mother is the best? Don't you know who was bossing your father around yesterday with a thick face, and coaxing your father saying that only fathers are good in the world? Your father didn't sleep almost all night last night."

  Alas, I don't know who this girl will follow in the future, and who will marry her. Look at this anxious mother, worrying about future things when the girl is still so young.

  I picked up my little sister and sat her on a chair, braiding two small pigtails with the silk ribbon sent by Zheng's family, only exposing the excess ribbon. In an instant, the little girl was different, with big watery eyes and two dimples when she smiled, and her pale face wasn't like a Bodhisattva under the Guanyin statue?

  Of course, at that time she didn't speak and didn't eat, but suddenly Xi Mei who was eating happily called out "Mother, I want more meat."

  One sentence woke up Zhao's daughter who was staring at herself in a daze, shaking her head helplessly, this girl is really lucky.

  Now there's no shortage of meat at home, the two big ladies are making an effort to send meat to our house, and Zheng Shi occasionally sends some pastries and fruits through someone. Which kid in the village has such a good life as hers?

  Although she kept saying that she couldn't spoil her too much, looking at her little daughter's innocent smile, she just couldn't refuse. Forget it, forget it, Xi Mei wasn't a child who would become bad if spoiled, and teaching had to wait until she was older anyway. After comforting herself, Zhao Shi got up to give her meat.

  "Xǐ mèi, don't always eat meat, mom has cooked some congee that smells great, there are several types of beans and pumpkin in it, I'll scoop a bowl for you?" Although it's a question, the hands have already started moving.

  "Good." A soft and gentle voice came from behind, which made people suspect that someone was acting cute, but for Zhao, her heart had already melted.

  When the younger sister opened her eyes to eat again, in front of her were already placed golden and fragrant millet porridge, peeled eggs, stir-fried green vegetables, and homemade pickled yellow cucumbers.

  She savored the sweet porridge, took a big bite of the pancake with meat filling, and enjoyed Zhao's occasional feeding her a mouthful of dishes. She ate so happily that it felt like this wasn't an ordinary meal but rather a delicacy from the mountains and seas.

  Finally, Xi Mei put down her bowl, contentedly let out a burp, jumped off the chair and shouted to her mother "Mother, I'm going out to play!"

  Who would have thought that just as she was about to leave the door, Zhao's voice called out to her, "Xi Mei, wait." Confused, she turned back, but it wasn't raining anymore, so why couldn't she go out?

  When Zhao walked up to her, Xi Mei only then discovered that her mother had wrapped two meat-filled buns and three eggs in oil paper for her. After packing them well, she carefully put them in her special small shoulder bag and casually let her carry it on her back.

  "Mother, I'm full." She looked at Zhao in puzzlement, wondering if her mother was worried that she would be hungry later and had prepared some dry rations for her.

  Who would have thought, Zhao's eyes sparkled as she tapped her forehead, "Who prepared dry rations for you? I told you to take them to Er Ya and the others to eat. They're older than you, and it's been a long time since you've played with anyone. Let them eat some too, and they can also take care of you. Don't let people bully you."

  After finishing, she tidied up her little jacket. "Alright, go." Just as she lifted her head, she was suddenly ambushed with a kiss on the face. Zhao wiped off the saliva mark on her face and looked at her daughter who had already run far away, laughing and scolding, "Silly girl."