Chapter 65: The Plot Thickens

  A faint white light appeared on the horizon, and a thin layer of mist shrouded the green mountains in the distance, making them indistinct. At this time, wisps of smoke were already rising from the chimney of the Chen family's kitchen.

  The door creaked open with a loud noise. Zhao heard the commotion and poked her head out, "Why don't you sleep for a while longer? It's still early."

  Xi Ju smiled at her mother, "It's not early anymore, Mother. You've been up for half a day already. There are many things to do today, let me help you with some of them." After that, she picked up the small yellow cucumber that Zhao Shi had just picked and started washing it.

  Zhao didn't say a word, just lowered his head and started throwing firewood into the stove. Suddenly he remembered something and asked Xiku: "Did Miss Wang sleep well at our house yesterday?"

  Xiju heard her mother ask, and just smiled lightly. Her hands didn't slow down at all, "I slept well, Mother, don't worry about it. Ximei and the others were quite noisy last night, and even Wang's young miss wasn't shy, sleeping soundly on the kang."

  Upon hearing her daughter say that, Madam Zhao finally put her mind at ease. "Hai, I was worried that the young mistress would wake up in the middle of the night and cry out loud, I was anxious for half a day last night."

  "Mother, don't worry, we have to hurry up too. Later on, we still need to collect pine pollen eggs." Xi Jiu reminded her mother anxiously.

  "Alright, doesn't this girl know yet?" Zhao's mother quickly put the buns in the steamer and turned around to look at her daughter's delicate face, suddenly sighing, "Ai, you're not young anymore after passing the new year, you can't stay with your mother for much longer."

  Suddenly hearing Zhao say this, Jihyuk's face suddenly turned red, and she lightly stomped her foot, saying: "Ahh, mom, why are you saying this? It's so embarrassing."

  Looking at her daughter's red face, Zhao couldn't bear to tease her anymore. She wiped the water from her hands and said seriously: "What's there to be ashamed of? You're not young anymore, many girls in the village have suitors at your age. I'm just asking for your opinion, aren't I?"

  Upon hearing this, Jixiu twisted her body and said, "Mother, if you say that again, I won't talk to you." Seeing her eldest daughter's rare display of shyness, Zhao Shi asked one last question, "Really didn't see any decent young men in the village? Ah, how about Hu Zi Ge?"

  "Mother, you..." was met with her daughter's disobedient voice and a face that was almost crying "Alright. Alright, mother won't ask anymore, isn't that enough?"

  Just as Xi Ju thought it was all over, a movement came from beside her leg. She looked down and saw Xi Mei leaning against her leg with big, watery eyes looking up at her mother, "Mother, what's going on? Why didn't you ask anything?"

  Before Zhao's family could respond, Xi Ju picked up Xi Mei and walked out, "Alright, you little girl don't know anything, what you've learned is just like the old ladies in the village who only want to gossip about others."

  Little sister Fox suspiciously looked at her older sister's face, thinking to herself. This isn't right, why is her older sister acting so abnormal today? And her face is even red? There must be a problem, there must be a problem.

  Before Xi Mei could elaborate on her rich imagination, Xi Ju took her to the water tank and picked up some slightly cool water that had just been aired out, preparing to wash Xi Mei's face.

  "Sister, I'll do it myself. I've grown up and can't always have you washing my face for me." After saying that, he bent down to scoop some water with his hands and started washing his face.

  "Sister, what were you and mom just talking about? Why is your face so red?" asked Xi Mei curiously as she wiped her own face.

  "What's going on? It's none of your business. Don't listen to so many things." After finishing speaking, she poured the water used by Xi Mei to wash her face into the courtyard.

  Hmph, something's up. Xi Mei stroked her own chin, a sly smile spreading across her face. Alright, you won't tell me, but I can still go ask Mother, right? With that thought, the little girl skipped away happily.

  "Mother, mother." Before seeing the person, Zhao heard her voice and put down the steamed egg she had just mixed in her hand, only to see her little daughter running over with a messy hair.

  "What's wrong? You're sweating all over your forehead." With a big hand wiping her face, Zhao asked curiously, "Mom, what did you just say to my sister? Why is her face so red?"

  "This girl, is this something you should be asking? Quickly tidy up and call them to come eat." Zhao Shi just casually brought the topic past.

  But how can this satisfy Xi Mei? She kept spinning around Zhao's side, grinding her teeth and saying, "Mother, just tell me, I promise not to tell anyone else."

  Mrs. Zhao, who was really annoyed by her, could only whisper to her ear, "Mother just asked if your elder sister has met someone she likes, nothing else, are you satisfied now?"

  Unexpectedly, Xi Mei's face, which had just been full of joy, immediately fell as she heard her say that. Dissatisfied, she said to Zhao Shi: "Mother, older sister is still young, why do you want to marry off older sister? Younger aunt hasn't even married yet."

  She walked away with a sulky face, and Zhao also looked puzzled. "When did I say I wanted to marry off Jihui? How could you talk nonsense." After a pause, she added, "You little girl, dare to show attitude to your mother, have you grown wings?"

  Not finished speaking, in front of him already nobody, Zhao continued the action in his hand, after a while also was laughed by himself, "Really, child still young, I blind think what, really old."

  In the courtyard, Xi Mei was kicking at a small patch of dirt with her foot, looking unhappy. She let out a deep sigh and thought to herself that her older sister would be turning ten years old during the New Year's celebration. In their village, many girls around this age were already being considered for marriage, especially if they were good-looking and capable. Who wouldn't want such a daughter-in-law? Probably not a few families had been eyeing her older sister with interest.

  Alas, our family is not very wealthy now, how can she bear to let her beautiful and kind older sister marry into a village and be a country girl for the rest of her life? Older sister deserves better, it's not just older sister, the remaining few sisters are too.

  They must find a good husband for her, right? So, she clenched her small fist to encourage herself. I guess her sisters knew that Xi Mei had such a big wish at such a young age, and they didn't know whether to cry or laugh.

  Just as she was lost in thought, Rui Xuan's warm voice came from beside her ear, "Xi Mei, what are you doing here so early? Why are you clenching your fists, who bullied you?"

  "No, no, big brother's wife has cooked the meal and is waiting for us to eat. You quickly go wash up, I'll go call second brother and them." After finishing speaking, she herself ran off swiftly. This big brother was too clever, she was still afraid of being seen through.

  Ran all the way to Rui Xuan's house, 'bang' opened the door and swaggered in. Rui Hao Xiao Wang, who was sleeping soundly, heard the commotion, but simply turned over, covered his head with the quilt and continued to sleep.

  "Oh no, Mother steamed a lot of meat buns today, if we don't hurry up there won't be any left!" As expected, after hearing this sentence, the two of them simultaneously threw off their thin blankets and hastily put on their clothes.

  Ruihao was putting on his clothes while shouting "Oh no, oh no, I'm going to be late. That Zhang Zishang is a foodie and will definitely eat all the buns. I have to hurry."

  On the other side, Little Overlord was saying anxiously, "I'm doomed, I'm doomed. That Ruihao will definitely eat everything and leave nothing behind. Ah, I have to hurry up."

  Seeing this, Xi Mei has completed her task and should retreat with honor. Shaking her head, she looks at the two fools in front of her. How can you still eat when everyone is against you?

  Smiling, she pushed open the door of her house and stretched comfortably towards the sun. Suddenly, it occurred to her that there was something she hadn't done since yesterday afternoon, and now a flash of inspiration struck her - she had forgotten someone...

  She was struck by the sudden bad news. The joyful sister was stunned, her life wouldn't be over, would it? Her heart is so cruel. A person with such a cold personality knows that she thoroughly neglected him. Alas, will we still see the sun tomorrow?

  "Xi Mei, what are you still dazing about? If you don't hurry up, there won't be any food left for you!" Zhao reminded Xi Mei at the kitchen door.

  "Got it, mom. I'm coming." He adjusted his emotions and turned around to head towards the kitchen.

  In the kitchen. Several children plus two guests surrounded the small table, which was already full to bursting. In front of each child was a bowl of golden, sticky millet porridge, with steaming hot buns in the middle and golden pancakes spread out.

  Zhao looked at Wang Wanying who still had a somewhat constrained expression, and gently pushed Xi Mei while softly saying: "Don't just focus on eating yourself, take good care of our guest."

  She gave her mother-in-law a resentful glance, put down the chopsticks in her hand and obediently said to Wang Wanying: "Miss is coming to my house for the first time, and I didn't prepare anything else. These are all ordinary things at home. You can just make do with eating them." After finishing speaking, she also picked out several pieces of pickled eggs and homemade salted vegetables for her.

  Upon hearing this, Zhao's family couldn't help but shake their heads. This girl had learned her mother's tone and demeanor perfectly, and the other children also secretly laughed. It was just like how her mother would greet people, this girl...

  "Alright, alright, eat up." He casually picked up a pickled egg and placed it on the edge of her bowl. "Hurry up and finish eating, there's still something to do afterwards."

  Munching on the fragrant and savory meat buns in her hands, Xi Mei casually asked "Is there anything else? I'm still busy myself."

  "What can you be busy with?" Xi Mei asked with ill intentions. "Of course I'm busy, I still have to go up the mountain to pick wild fruits." Xi Mei replied with discontent.

  "That's a good idea. I was thinking of having you accompany Miss Wang to the mountains for a trip, she has never seen a mountain since she was born." Madam Zhao added in time.

  "What? You want me to take them to play on the mountain? Mother, you're not kidding me, are you?" Xi Mei asked with wide eyes in disbelief.

  "Of course not, I'm not asking you to take them up the mountain, you're so young, how can I be at ease." Zhao explained.

  "Ah!" scared her to death, if she followed these few people up the mountain and ran into that person, she'd probably be really unlucky. Mother, can you please not speak so loudly?

  Just as I was about to relax, I heard Zhao say in my ear, "It's not you who will be taking them, but rather your older brother and the others will take you all."

  "What? I..." Before she could finish, Zhao stuffed an egg into her mouth. "Alright, alright, what's with the nonsense? You're usually so lively, why are you being such a wet blanket at a critical moment?"

  "Mom, I..." was interrupted again before finishing, "Don't bother me, finish eating and leave, come back a bit earlier at noon, Ruihao take care of your brother and sister."

  Now, someone has subconsciously ignored her mother's voice, and only one sentence is echoing in her mind.

  "My life is at an end... at an end... at an end..."