Splendid peasant girl busy farming

Chapter 12066

Yang Ruoqing breathed a sigh of relief as she watched the children walk away.

"Brother Zuo, I'm sorry you had to see that." She was a little embarrassed to have performed what she had just done in front of others.

Luo Fengtang smiled and added, "These kinds of things are commonplace in our family."

However, Zuo Junmo said, "You've misunderstood. I don't find it funny at all; on the contrary, I find it very interesting!"

"Interesting?" Yang Ruoqing and Luo Fengtang looked at each other in bewilderment.

Zuo Junmo continued, "This is what real life is like. It's very interesting, and it makes people yearn for and envy it!"

Longing?

envious?

Yang Ruoqing and Luo Fengtang were completely speechless!
“Our Zuo family is just too desolate, so desolate that it doesn’t even feel like a home,” Zuo Junmo continued. “Fortunately, Jinling came along later, and it gradually started to feel like a home again.”

"But now, the warmth of family life is even stronger. Only when Wuyou marries into our family will our family be truly complete."

Yang Ruoqing and Luo Fengtang both fell silent.

Zuo Junmo's words were so frank that neither of them could laugh. In fact, Yang Ruoqing even began to reflect on herself.

Indeed, dealing with disputes between children often becomes a headache for Yang Ruoqing.

You might think, "Why are these kids so annoying? They start arguing over the smallest things all the time. Can't they just let the kids have a break?"

But after hearing Zuo Junmo's words, Yang Ruoqing realized that many of the daily chores that she found annoying might be the most heartwarming and desirable family routines in other people's eyes.

"Brother Zuo, don't worry, everything is moving in the best direction," Yang Ruoqing said.

Luo Fengtang nodded, "In two years, we'll let them get married. Then we'll be grandfathers and grandmothers together! We'll take care of our grandchildren together!"

……

At noon that day, the group went to a farmhouse by the water at the foot of the mountain to eat a meal cooked over a wood fire.

"The food here is all made with local ingredients, mostly fish and shrimp from the lake," said Zuo Junmo.

Yang Ruoqing said, "That's great, that's great. Our whole family loves to eat fish and shrimp."

Take Tuantuan for example. She doesn't like beef or mutton, saying that it's too much trouble and tiring to eat!
Sigh, a boy's throat seems even narrower than a girl's. He can swallow a whole, round thing the size of a fist in just a few bites, while a whole, round thing needs to chew a dozen or twenty times before swallowing. After a few more bites, he says he's full, stuffed, or tired, and he won't eat anymore...

But it seems better to eat fish and shrimp instead, because you can eat more of them. Maybe it's because the meat of fish and shrimp is more delicate than beef and mutton!

Soon, the dishes were served one by one.

Steaming hot, with a wonderful aroma.

The dry-pot-cooked prawns are highlighted by the water celery and white sesame seeds.

The oval-shaped stone pot grilled fish, with water celery, lotus root, and potatoes at the bottom, is very appealing to children.

The plump grass carp was pan-fried until the skin was golden brown, then laid out on top of the vegetables, garnished with a pinch of cilantro, making it as beautiful as a work of art.

In addition, there's stir-fried snails with chives, and stir-fried small white shrimp with millet peppers, ginger, and garlic.

Braised eel with cured pork, braised turtle with chicken, and Four Happiness Meatballs made with a mixture of shrimp paste and minced pork.

Finally, there was a bowl of cold water celery salad.

The rice is steamed white rice with sweet potatoes. The white rice is very chewy, while the sweet potatoes are very glutinous, the kind that oozes oil when you break them open.

"This is a simple farm-style meal, so please make do with it," Zuo Junmo said, picking up serving chopsticks to invite everyone to eat.

Yang Ruoqing said, "Brother Zuo, you're really going against your conscience! This meal is just too good to be true!"

"I'm glad you don't mind." Zuo Junmo's eyes were full of smiles.

He was getting restless, wanting to pick up a shrimp for Yang Ruoqing, and his fingers holding the serving chopsticks were secretly gathering strength.

Then, Luo Fengtang placed a peeled shrimp into Yang Ruoqing's bowl: "Qing'er, eat shrimp. The shrimp in this lake are so plump and delicious."

"Really? Let me try some." Yang Ruoqing picked up a shrimp and tasted it, nodding as she ate. "It's so delicious!"

Zuo Junmo's fingers, which had been secretly gathering strength, suddenly lost all power.

While he was hesitating about whether to pick up a shrimp for Yang Ruoqing, Luo Fengtang had already peeled the shrimp clean for her.

Luo Fengtang seems so quiet, but he's incredibly capable! No wonder he was able to take advantage of his proximity to Qing'er, win her trust, and have Yang Ruoqing willingly bear so many children for him over the years!

Even when it comes to peeling shrimp, Zuo Junmo admits he can't compare to Luo Fengtang.

I lost... and I accept it wholeheartedly.

"Brother Zuo, I've noticed that water celery is the most frequently seen food at today's dinner table." While eating and drinking, Yang Ruoqing couldn't help but strike up a conversation with Zuo Junmo.

"Don't you like the taste of water celery?" Zuo Junmo quickly asked.

Although he knew he couldn't compare to Luo Fengtang, he thought he could learn something from him.

"If they don't like it, I'll tell them not to put water celery in the dishes next time they cook..." he quickly added.

Yang Ruoqing quickly shook her head: "No, no, no, Brother Zuo, you've misunderstood me. It's not that I don't like to eat it, I really love water celery!"

This water celery is so tender, so tender you could squeeze water out of it, and it has a unique, fresh aroma of wild vegetables.

Moreover, water celery is great because it is rich in dietary fiber, which is good for the stomach and intestines. It is a great side dish, and even if you accidentally eat too much, it will not increase the burden on your body because water celery is very low in calories.

Truly healthy and delicious.

Upon hearing Yang Ruoqing's explanation, Zuo Junmo suddenly understood.

“It’s rare that you like to eat it. This water celery isn’t anything special; it grows in shady places along the ditches on the island,” Zuo Junmo said.

"The villagers picked them themselves. If you like, we can have them pick some for us to take back and eat when we leave."

"Won't this cause them trouble?" Yang Ruoqing asked again.

You can't let your own momentary cravings burden others.

Zuo Junmo shook his head: "No, besides, I won't mistreat them. You can just accept it without worry."

Don't worry about anything else, I'll take care of everything.

Although Zuo Junmo didn't say the last sentence aloud, his eyes made it very clear.

Yang Ruoqing pretended not to understand, nodded, and buried her head to continue eating.

She thought to herself that she should not do this again next time. She could not fulfill Brother Zuo's wishes, but she was always asking him for things.

I felt really bad about it.

But what could she do? She couldn't possibly remarry him; that was impossible. The only person she ever loved in her life was Luo Fengtang. Besides, love loses its meaning when used as a tool to repay others.

……

After having lunch that day, Yang Ruoqing and the others sat on the bed and returned to the shore.

As for exploring the underwater town at the bottom of the lake, Zuo Junmo said that he would study it further and if he found the best entrance, he would send a message to Yang Ruoqing and Luo Fengtang.

Moreover, even if there were an entrance now, it wouldn't be suitable to go down.

It's still the first month of the lunar calendar, so it's too cold, and we have a small child with us, which makes things very inconvenient.

“Okay, then let’s meet again next time we have a lead.” Yang Ruoqing nodded.

Back in Zuo Family Village, Yang Ruoqing stayed with Old Madam Zuo, while Zuo Jinling and Luo Wuyou spent all their time together.

Everyone deliberately created this opportunity for the two of them, because after the Luo family returned in a few days, Zuo Jinling's side would also be heading to the capital.

After achieving the third-highest rank in the imperial examination, he could no longer stay at home; he had to go to the capital, where the court needed to assign them tasks!

Ten years of hard study, overcoming numerous obstacles to reach the imperial examination, was not only to prove himself, but also to achieve success, realize his own value, and at the same time, to secure a position for his wife and children and support his entire family.

This is the responsibility and duty that the times have bestowed upon a man.

So once Zuo Jinling leaves, it's unknown when she'll return. The young couple is currently in the midst of a blissful period of love, so the elders tacitly understand and try their best to create opportunities for them to spend time alone together!
However, things often go against human will.

For example, Yang Ruoqing and Luo Fengtang, along with the Zuo family, originally intended to allow the two children to spend more time together, so Yang Ruoqing and Luo Fengtang would stay at the Zuo family's house for a few more days.

At the very least, they would stay for six or seven days, which is equivalent to giving the young people a golden mini-vacation to spend time together.

As a result, on the evening of the third day, which was the same evening that Yang Ruoqing and the others had just returned to the shore from Nianqing Island, Ping An was waiting on the shore with a look of anxiety on his face.

When he saw the large ship dock, Ping An immediately came forward, helping the two young masters off the ship while whispering to Yang Ruoqing.

"Madam, an hour ago, the general's bodyguard came by, saying that the old lady and the old master had sent a message that the young lady of the Zhou family might not make it!"

"Is it going to be too late?" Yang Ruoqing turned around and went to find Luo Fengtang.

Luo Fengtang was talking to Zuo Junmo, and as if he had noticed something, he turned his head to look over.

Their eyes met. "What's wrong? Did something happen at home?"

Luo Fengtang asked because he saw Yang Ruoqing's complicated expression and Ping An's anxious face.

Yang Ruoqing said, "Your Aunt Da'e is probably not going to make it. Your uncle sent someone over with a message."

These words naturally reached the ears of Zuo Junmo, Luo Wuyou, and Zuo Jinling.

Immediately, the joy that everyone had experienced during their previous outing subsided, replaced by a sense of worry rather than excessive sadness.

This worry is for Luo the blacksmith, who is far away at home...

Luo Da'e is truly dying. The only truly grieving people, besides the Zhou family themselves, are probably Luo the blacksmith.

Luo Fengtang glanced at Luo Wuyou.

Luo Wuyou nodded gently, "Father, I know what's important."

Luo Fengtang blinked with satisfaction, then looked at Yang Ruoqing.

Yang Ruoqing said, "No need to ask me, I naturally share the same attitude as you."

Luo Fengtang nodded, then approached Zuo Junmo, clasped his hands in an apologetic gesture, and said, "Brother Zuo, I'm sorry, we'll have to take our leave now..."

Zuo Junmo raised his hand to support Luo Fengtang's arm: "I heard everything. This is a big deal, of course I won't stop it."

"However, I'm afraid it's too late today. It's inconvenient to bring the children along. How about I take you away first thing tomorrow morning?"

Luo Fengtang hesitated a bit because Tuantuan and Yuanyuan were too young, and traveling with them overnight would be too much of a hardship.

However, it's just suffering; there's no safety involved.

He and Qing'er are both experts, their daughter Luo Wuyou is also very powerful now, Ping An is also skilled, and the guard who came to deliver the message earlier is also here now.

With so many people traveling together, we have no fear of any petty thieves on the road...

"Brother Zuo, we'll go back to the estate later to apologize to the old lady and then set off." Yang Ruoqing stepped forward and stood beside Luo Fengtang, but her words were directed at Zuo Junmo.

"Although you mean well and what you said is reasonable, if we set off early tomorrow morning, we won't get home until this evening, no matter how fast we go."

"So let's set off tonight, and we'll be home by tomorrow morning at the latest."

If Luo Da'e's condition hadn't been so dire, Luo the blacksmith wouldn't have so readily sent his bodyguards to Huguang County. Since the old man had sent his bodyguards on this trip, it meant that Luo Da'e was truly on her deathbed.

So at this moment, the uncle must have panicked, and the aunt was no better off. The two old people had lost their pillar of support and were definitely hoping that Yang Ruoqing and Luo Fengtang could go back as soon as possible.

Seeing Yang Ruoqing like this, Zuo Junmo looked down at Tuantuan and Yuanyuan at his feet.

The two little ones seemed to understand something, and they both remained quiet and stopped playing, waiting for the adults to make a decision.

"Okay, then I respect your decision."

Half an hour later, Yang Ruoqing and the others bid farewell to Madam Zuo and boarded the carriage back to Wanghai County.

They arrived in two carriages; the front carriage carried people, and the back carriage carried gifts.

On the way back, there were four carriages.

The first carriage carried people, while the three carriages behind it carried goods.

Zuo Jinling, on horseback, personally escorted the Luo family back to Wanghai County with a group of men.

“Mother, my father-in-law said that Jinling should go with us to Zhoujia Village to pay respects.”

"What do you think about this?"

The carriage caravan traveled through the night.

Luo Fengtang rode ahead to clear the way, while Zuo Jinling rode behind to bring up the rear.

Inside the carriage, Tuantuan and Yuanyuan were already asleep, lying side by side on the soft mattress next to each other, covered with blankets.

Yang Ruoqing and her daughter Luo Wuyou sat facing each other, each with a warm blanket draped over their laps.

“Since it’s your father-in-law’s wish, then we won’t object,” Yang Ruoqing said after a moment of thought.

“In the past, it would have been inconvenient for Jinling to go to Zhoujia Village to offer condolences. But things are different now. You are engaged, which is a legitimate relationship. Last time, when the Zuo family came to deliver the engagement gifts, all our relatives and friends came, and all the relatives from Zhoujia Village were also present. Everyone has officially recognized each other. Therefore, it is perfectly reasonable for Jinling to offer condolences as the prospective grand-nephew-in-law.”

Furthermore, given Jinling's status and the distance between the two places, outsiders would only praise the Zuo family for their good manners.

"Okay, that's fine then. Let him go with us," Luo Wuyou said softly.

A secret thrill quietly rose in my heart.