Splendid peasant girl busy farming

Chapter 11989

When the carriage arrived at the pond at the entrance of Changping Village, Yang Yongqing and his companions were setting off firecrackers with long bamboo poles, leaning against the wall of Xiao Erfang's house. They were carrying firecrackers rolled into a long string.

The rising black smoke and the red from the exploding firecracker casings tinged the black smoke with a touch of red mist, creating a large smoke screen at the entrance of the small two-room courtyard. Figures moved and ran through the smoke, their shadows overlapping and indistinct.

Luo Fengtang stopped the carriage on the dam and looked at the bustling center not far ahead. He said to Yang Ruoqing in the carriage behind him, "The Wang family's wedding procession from town is coming."

Yang Ruoqing hummed in agreement, covered Jun'er's ears with her hands, and said to Luo Fengtang, "Let's go over after the firecrackers have completely finished going off."

In fact, the act of covering ears is probably largely due to the parents' own thoughts and desires, as they always feel that children are afraid of the sound of firecrackers.

But what was the truth? Jun'er's little head spun restlessly in Yang Ruoqing's palm, his eyes darting around, trying every possible way to look towards the source of the deafening roar.

In fact, if Yang Ruoqing hadn't kept him under control, he probably would have seized any opportunity to sneak out of the carriage and go outside to take a look.

However, Yang Ruoqing still kept him firmly under control, continuing to cover his ears. Even if he wasn't afraid of the loud noise, the sound could still be a weapon if it reached a certain level. In particular, children's eardrums are delicate and easily damaged by the sound of firecrackers, thus affecting their hearing.

This is not an exaggeration. Take Yang Huazhong and Luo the blacksmith, for example. Every year during the Spring Festival, when everyone goes to the ancestral hall to set off firecrackers, the sound is so loud that it could almost blow the roof tiles off the ancestral hall.

According to Yang Huazhong and Luo the blacksmith, after they returned, they could barely hear anyone talking all night. New Year's Eve was supposed to be filled with laughter and peaceful conversation, but every year on New Year's Eve, people had to put their mouths close to their ears and shout to talk to them...

Finally, the sound of firecrackers gradually subsided, and amidst the swirling smoke, the Wang family's wedding procession came from the other end of the road.

The men from the Yang family, led by the brothers Yang Yongjin and Yang Yongzhi, had been waiting by the roadside to greet them. The meeting between the two sides was incredibly warm and welcoming.

Watching them exchange pleasantries, each finding their own friends to entertain, and arm in arm entering the courtyard of the small two-room house, the relatives and friends who had been watching the commotion at the door also followed them into the courtyard, leaving only a group of half-grown children who darted out from all directions, using sticks to poke at the pile of firecracker casings on the ground that had been set off but were still emitting black smoke, trying to scavenge for any remaining small firecrackers that hadn't been lit yet and quickly stuffing them into their pockets.

Whoever collects the most will have more face among their friends later. Some of them might even call you "godfather" so you can share a few firecrackers with them. This is the joy of boys, something girls can never understand and might even think is childish.

But boys, from childhood to adulthood, and even into old age, never really change what they like.

"Let's go. In a little while, they'll be setting off firecrackers to welcome the wedding procession from Sixi's side," Yang Ruoqing instructed.

Mingming Xiuhong's husband's family is in Changping Village, which is very close and will arrive in no time. Xiuxiu's husband's family, on the other hand, is in the town, and the wedding procession has to come from the town, which is about eight or nine miles away.

However, since the two sisters are getting married on the same day, it's necessary to distinguish between barley and wheat when harvesting them.

Yang Yongjin had already discussed this matter with the matchmakers on both sides beforehand: first the elder sister's in-laws, then the younger sister's in-laws.

Just as Yang Ruoqing had guessed, their carriage had barely entered the Luo family's courtyard, and the people hadn't even gotten out of the carriage, when a commotion broke out again on the main road outside. Then, the faint sound of gongs and drums could be heard coming from the village. Clearly, the Sixi family had received the news, and their wedding procession was heading towards the village entrance.

Jun'er got off the carriage and rushed to the courtyard gate, peering out onto the main road.

He wanted to go out, but seeing so many people on the main road, the little guy was a bit timid. After all, he was only two years old, and in the short two years since he was born, he had spent 90% of his time in the capital and Changhuaizhou. He was actually unfamiliar with Changping Village.

"Come on, your aunt will take you to find your mother." Yang Ruoqing and Luo Fengtang walked over together. Yang Ruoqing bent down and picked up Jun'er, while Luo Fengtang followed beside her. The three of them quickly crossed the more than five-meter-wide bluestone road between the two families before the wedding procession from Sixi's family arrived. Under the watchful eyes of the guests, they arrived at the courtyard of the second house.

After arriving in the courtyard, Luo Fengtang went to the main room where the men were gathered, while Yang Ruoqing took Jun'er to the kitchen to find Xiaohua.

In the kitchen, several young wives from the Yang family were busily working. Originally, Zhao Liuer was supposed to lead the team today, but since she had only recently given birth and needed to spend most of her time taking care of the baby, Xiao Mo took over as the cook and leader.

Xiao Hua and the others were all assistants. Yang Ruoqing went into the kitchen and looked around but couldn't find Xiao Hua.

"Qing'er, are you looking for Xiaohua?" Madam Mo noticed Yang Ruoqing bringing Jun'er in and asked her.

"Yes, sister-in-law, where are the flowers?" Yang Ruoqing asked Xiao Mo.

Little Mo pointed to another room next to the kitchen, which was the woodshed of the second son's family and used to store some farm tools and such.

"Xiaohua is preparing cold dishes and desserts in the next room. Go find her there."

"Okay." With that, Yang Ruoqing picked up Jun'er and went to the woodshed next door.

Unlike the bustling kitchen and the courtyard outside, the woodshed seemed rather deserted.

The woodpile in the woodshed was neatly stacked against the south wall, where it was dry and well-ventilated. On the north side were some simple farm tools, such as hoes and shovels, which Cao Bamei and her daughters used to tend their vegetable garden.

In the middle, a space was cleared out, and two large tables made of wooden planks were placed on them. On the tables, thirty or forty plates were arranged horizontally and vertically like soldiers in battle formation. The plates were all the same color, with white bases and bodies, and a blue pattern around the edge of the rim.

Some of these plates now contain candied dates, some contain salt and pepper peanuts, some contain golden egg yolk pastries, and some contain peeled oranges. The oranges are arranged very beautifully, with orange segments on the sides and a whole orange in the middle, adorned with a red date as a flower stamen. At first glance, it looks like a plate of blooming bright red flowers, which is really pleasing to the eye.

Besides these, there are many other plating options.

Stepping into the room, Yang Ruoqing's eyes lit up when she saw the plates.

She originally thought that the second son's family would not have enough bowls and chopsticks to support five or six tables of banquets. She would have to borrow from each other's houses according to the old custom and put together bowls, chopsticks and plates of various colors, because this was the most common thing to do when holding banquets in the village over the years.

If the second roommate doesn't borrow from other rooms, they might temporarily borrow a batch of bowls and chopsticks from the town's restaurants for emergencies, and then return them after they've used them up.

But the plates in front of her were brand new and unlike anything Yang Ruoqing had ever seen before; they didn't belong to the restaurant at all. Therefore, Yang Ruoqing concluded that her second brother and sister-in-law must have specially purchased these plates for the banquet.

The second brother and sister-in-law really went all out, which shows how much they value their two daughters.

"Mother!" Jun'er cheered. As soon as Yang Ruoqing put him on the ground, his feet touched the ground and he couldn't wait to run towards the flowers.

Hua'er was sitting sideways next to the platter, engrossed in cutting a pear. She was clearly thinking about something else while she was doing it, so much so that she only came back to her senses when Jun'er ran towards her.

Looking up, Xiaohua saw Jun'er and Yang Ruoqing smiling behind him. She quickly put the fruit knife in her hand in a higher place where Jun'er couldn't touch it, then wiped her hands on her apron before bending down and opening her arms to hug Jun'er.

"Jun'er, why are you back?" Hua'er stroked Jun'er's head, which was covered by a hat, and gently touched the child's face with her own to see if he was cold or warm.

Jun'er played with a strand of Hua'er's hair in her little hand and said in a childish voice, "Auntie, Uncle is driving the carriage."

Hua'er immediately understood, and then turned her gaze to Yang Ruoqing, her eyes filled with a complicated expression.

"Sister, why did you and brother-in-law have to make this trip?"

"Your brother-in-law and I are just killing time anyway. Besides, with all this excitement, I'd feel bad if we didn't bring Jun'er back!"

Well, Hua'er said nothing more, her cheek gently touching Jun'er's. She felt guilty too!
Let's bring them back. We can't deprive the child of the fun they deserve just because of adult matters.

"Mom, I want to eat that!" Jun'er pointed to one of the plates filled with oranges, his mouth watering.

"Those are oranges. Eating them cold will make your tummy hurt. How about I get you some candied dates instead?"

"No, I want to eat an orange!"

"Jun'er, be good. You eat the jujubes first, and Mom will warm up the oranges before you eat them, okay?"

Although Xiaohua was in charge of managing the cold dishes in the woodshed, Yang Yongjin and Cao Bamei had thought of everything. They had prepared a charcoal brazier at Xiaohua's feet, with a large wire mesh board on top of it. The board was not only for roasting hands and feet, but also for roasting oranges.

Of course, Xiaohua didn't warm her feet beforehand; she only stopped to warm her frozen hands over the fire after cutting some cold fruit for a while.

At that moment, she took a golden jujube and put it in Jun'er's hand, letting him play by himself in the woodshed.

She then picked a handful of oranges from the bamboo basket next to her and put them on the wire mesh to roast.

Yang Ruoqing showed no sign of leaving. She walked over and stood on the other side of the table to help Xiaohua organize the cold dishes.

Seeing that Yang Ruoqing had no intention of leaving, Xiaohua was about to say something when, just then, deafening firecrackers sounded again outside, and she vaguely heard someone shouting, "The wedding party from Sixi's family has arrived!"

Xiao Hua swallowed back the words she was about to say, and at the same time moved the stool she had been sitting on behind Yang Ruoqing.

Yang Ruoqing felt a warmth in her heart when she saw Xiaohua's concern for her. This little sister had been heartbroken by Da'an, but she still remembered to care about her older sister. Sigh, if Da'an wasn't her own brother, Yang Ruoqing would really encourage Xiaohua to divorce Da'an.

Three-legged toads are hard to find, but two-legged men are everywhere. If things aren't going well, then so be it. Anyway, the Yang family isn't short of money. Even if they don't find another man later, they can still raise their three children and live a fulfilling life.

But fate is cruel. The man who broke Xiaohua's heart happened to be her own younger brother. Even if they divorced, she couldn't get rid of Da'an's shadow. So, divorce was not worth it, not worth it at all!

Yang Ruoqing turned her head and glanced at Jun'er, who was holding golden dates in his hand, prying open the door of the woodshed, and peering into the noisy courtyard outside.

I just hope that Hua'er will give Da'an a chance to turn back from the wrong path, for the sake of the children!
The children are so adorable, especially Jun'er, who is only two years old. He needs to grow up in a healthy family environment.

After a while, the sound of firecrackers outside finally subsided, and the noisy voices moved towards the main room. However, the smell of sulfur left behind by the firecrackers continued to waft in from the doorway, making people's throats itch.

Xiao Hua went to the door, pulled Jun'er back, and closed the woodshed door.

Jun'er sat on a small stool next to the charcoal brazier, while Xiaohua squatted beside him, peeling freshly roasted oranges for him.

Yang Ruoqing glanced at the mother and daughter and said softly, "Hua'er, give Da'an a chance to correct his mistake. Even if it's not for your parents' sake, please forgive him this once for the sake of the children, okay?"

Yang Ruoqing said this with a heavy heart, because she knew that making such a request was excessive and cruel to Xiaohua.

But she had no choice; she had to say it.

After he finished speaking, silence fell over the woodshed.

Xiao Hua squatted there, head down, feeding Jun'er oranges. Although she didn't say anything, her eyes were red and her lips were tightly pursed.

Seeing this, Yang Ruoqing sighed softly and continued, "I know this is very difficult for you, and besides, you haven't done anything wrong."

"However, many things in this world are full of twists and turns, and no one's life is completely smooth from beginning to end."

"I can't force you to accept reality by using the rule that men in this world can have one wife and multiple concubines, because rules are rules, and every family's situation is different. I, your sister, also cannot accept that rule."

"But I still want to advise you, Da'an is a young man, and in his long life, he may encounter temptations of all sizes."