Splendid peasant girl busy farming

Chapter 12099

It was truly remarkable that something could earn praise from the Tan family, so much so that Old Yang was stunned for a moment.

When he realized what was happening, he smiled and said, "Next time I'll try the sweet one too."

"How's your salty stuff?" Tan asked Old Yang again.

Old Yang thought for a moment and said, "Well, I don't know what other customers think, but personally, I think the stir-fried shredded potatoes are a bit bland and not salty enough. Luckily, there are pickled cucumbers and pickled mustard greens in it, so it's alright and edible!"

Mrs. Tan pursed her lips, "I'm afraid it's not that the shredded potatoes aren't salty enough, it's that you, old man, have too strong a taste!"

"Last time we ate at the Luo family's, you said the food was bland. Tsk tsk, even that chubby girl said that eating too much salt is bad for us old folks. You should eat lighter food from now on!"

"Hehe, I can listen to Qing'er on other things, but when it comes to food preferences, I can't listen to her. I've been eating like this my whole life, and I can't change it!"

I'd rather live a few years less than never change my taste. Bland food is unpleasant and tastes no different from not eating anything at all.

At the front of the carriage, Liu Shi couldn't eat the last bit of rice ball she had left, so she forced it into Yang Huaming's mouth.

Liu wiped her mouth and turned to the carriage behind her, saying, "I don't think it's bland at all. This one is salty, and it's delicious, but it's too big for me to finish. Next time I'll try the sweet one..."

Madam Tan snorted coldly, her tone full of disdain: "In some people's eyes, there is nothing in this world that doesn't taste good. If this were a pig, the master would be making a fortune, it's too easy to raise!"

Liu's smile froze on her face, and Yang Huaming, who was sitting next to her eating rice balls, also changed his expression slightly.

Old Yang couldn't help but cough twice.

This Tan family, they've only been quiet for a short while, why are they being sarcastic again?
Isn't this blatantly calling Liu a pig?

After realizing what had happened, Liu was not angry this time; instead, she smiled.

"Pigs are precious treasures. Slaughtering a pig during the Lunar New Year is called 'slaughtering the New Year treasure.' Some people eat meat but don't gain weight; they're not even as good as pigs!"

As Liu finished speaking, the carriage curtain behind her was suddenly ripped open, revealing Tan's furious face behind it.

"You bastard, you've gone too far! How dare you call your mother-in-law worse than a pig!"

"Oh dear, Mother, what are you thinking? I didn't name names. I was just talking about certain people, so please don't take it personally!"

"You're talking nonsense! Do you think I'm stupid? You're just insulting me! You're calling me worse than a pig!"

"Oh dear, Mother, I really didn't scold you," Liu said, shaking her hands and suppressing a laugh. "If you insist on taking the blame, fine, I'll change my tune. You're a pig, you're like a pig. Now you can calm down, right?"

Tan rolled her eyes so hard she almost choked to death!
In his anger and desperation, he lost his mind and blurted out words that led him into the trap set by Liu. He's doomed!

"Alright, alright, you can't keep quiet once you've eaten your fill, so say less!" Old Yang said, seeing that the carriage had already passed through the town's most bustling main street and was about to enter the upscale residential area where Yang Huamei and her family lived after turning a corner.

Those who live on this street are the wealthiest people in Qingshui Town, that is, compared to before.

This street is a bit chaotic now, because several two-courtyard houses have been rented out by their owners, and more peddlers and laborers are now seen here.

Perhaps in the eyes of the original residents, the arrival of these renters has lowered the overall quality of the street.

However, compared to other streets and alleys in Qingshui Town, this street is still the most famous.

"You old geezer, can't you see I'm being humiliated?" Tan glared at Old Yang and said through gritted teeth.

Old Yang looked completely innocent and said, "We're almost at the gate of Mei'er's courtyard. We've been making a scene all the way there. Are you trying to make the neighbors laugh at Mei'er?"

If you really don't care about Mei'er's feelings, then I won't bother trying to smooth things over today.
Indeed, whenever Yang Huamei is mentioned, it's as if the Tan family has a fatal weakness.

"You bastard, I'll settle the score with you when we get back!" Madam Tan glared fiercely at Madam Liu, uttering a harsh remark while forcefully slamming down the carriage curtain.

Liu exaggeratedly mimicked Tan's fierce yet cowardly demeanor with her lips. Then, under Yang Huaming's warning gaze, she grinned and quickly straightened her posture, sitting properly beside Yang Huaming.

As long as her husband doesn't take sides, even if he doesn't help her, she can hold her own against her mother-in-law for a while!
Besides, I clearly won that round, it felt so good!

What?
Are you afraid that your mother-in-law will come after you on the way home and demand repayment, including interest?

What a joke! If Liu Shi were easily fooled by those two sentences, she would have been scolded by her mother-in-law and jumped into the village pond long ago.

Who's afraid of settling scores later!
The carriage stopped at the gate of the courtyard. Liu was the first to jump off the carriage, and looked up excitedly at the courtyard gate in front of her, as well as the courtyards on the left and right next to it, her face full of novelty.

Yang Huaming then went to the back to help Old Yang and Madam Tan get off the carriage.

Liu wouldn't help her up!

She's a daughter-in-law, so it's inconvenient for her to help her father-in-law. Besides, Yang Huaming is there, so of course he, as the son, should help him!

What?
Helping the mother-in-law down from the carriage?

Come on, they just had a fight. Even if she, as the daughter-in-law, is willing to broaden her perspective, I'm afraid her mother-in-law will slap her hand away in disgust as soon as she reaches out.

She would never do something so foolish as to offer her affection only to be met with indifference!

That kind of thing is better left to my third sister-in-law and fifth sister-in-law.

So, after getting off the carriage, Liu went to the front courtyard gate and looked around.

Behind her, Madam Tan, supported by Yang Huaming, got off the carriage.

When she looked up and saw Liu wandering around aimlessly as if nothing had happened, Tan's eyes darkened.

"He doesn't act like a human being!" she muttered to herself. "He looks like he's never seen the world before!"

Yang Huaming pretended not to hear, let go of Tan's hand, and turned around to help get things from the carriage.

Just kidding! The old folks are coming all the way to visit their daughter in town, how could they come empty-handed? They definitely have to bring something!
This time, Madam Tan brought two baskets, one slightly lighter and the other heavier. Both baskets were covered with two old blue cloths to conceal their contents.

Yang Huaming, being cautious, secretly lifted a corner of the cloth to peek inside.

The lighter basket contained several pairs of new children's shoes, as well as children's bibs, handkerchiefs, and other similar items. These were probably made by her mother for Mei'er's children.

Wow, at this age, your eyesight is still so sharp, and your fingers are so nimble. You can still do so much needlework.

The other basket contained... good heavens, a whole basket full of eggs!
"Fourth brother, be careful when you carry the basket, there are eggs in it." Tan's voice suddenly rang out from outside the carriage.

"Oh, I understand, don't worry." Yang Huaming quickly covered himself with the handkerchief again and then got off the train.

Mrs. Tan lifted the handkerchief and carefully examined the eggs she had brought, checking for any damage.

Yang Huaming also openly and legitimately watched along.

"Mom, these eggs are all so different in size and color. Where did you get them?" Yang Huaming asked again.

Ms. Tan does not currently raise chickens, so these eggs are definitely not hers.

Could it be an egg laid by the chickens raised by Zhao Liuer?

Mrs. Tan said, "These eggs were collected by your father from the families in the village who have a lot of chickens. The hens that lay the eggs are different, so the eggs are bound to be different sizes. What's the big deal?"

Of all the eggs, Tan was most pleased with the ones laid by a hen from another family. These green-shelled eggs were said to be very nutritious, so she bought nearly 20 of them. She planned to specifically tell Mei'er that the green-shelled eggs should be used to make steamed egg custard for the three children, but the adults should not eat them.

Adults wasting good food by eating it, but children get their money's worth.

Upon hearing the word "egg," Liu was immediately drawn over.

"There are green-shelled eggs too? Let me see, let me see!"

Tan was checking her eggs for any damage when she heard Liu's commotion. She immediately covered the eggs with the handkerchief again, refusing to let Liu see them.

"You want to look at everything? What, the rice ball that was bigger than your face wasn't enough to fill your stomach, and now you're eyeing my eggs?"

"Haha, even if I'm craving it, I won't eat a raw egg! Mom, don't be so stingy, let me take a peek!"

"Get out of here!"

Tan slung the basket of eggs over her arm, pushed aside Liu who was blocking her way, and strode quickly into the courtyard.

Liu pursed her lips at Tan's retreating figure and silently cursed under her breath.

Yang Huaming coughed and gave her a warning glance, "Calm down, there are three children in the house, it's not good to frighten them by startling them."

Liu pursed her lips at Yang Huaming again, feeling like her mouth was about to cramp from pursing all morning...

"Father, should we leave the carriage here at the gate?" Yang Huaming asked Old Yang.

Old Yang looked around and instructed Yang Huaming: "Leave the courtyard gate wide open, and tie the horse to this stone lion at the gate. In the past, when Lao San and the others came, they always did this with their horse-drawn carriages and mule carts. With the gate open, no one would dare to steal."

Old Yang wouldn't dare take this risk in other streets and alleys of Qingshui Town, but on this street, he felt it was worthwhile.

Because this street is the most upscale street in Qingshui Town, the village head's family and several other well-known wealthy people in Qingshui Town all live here.

Liu did not rush into the courtyard. Instead, she waited for Yang Huaming to finish preparing the carriage before following Yang Huaming and Old Yang inside.

It was breakfast time. There were a total of 8 households living in this two-courtyard house, 4 in the front yard and 4 in the back yard.

There is a gate in the backyard, so the four households in the backyard almost always enter and exit through the back gate. The house rented by Yang Huamei and Xu Yuanming is three rooms side by side under the corridor on the left side after entering the front gate.

It was breakfast time, and smoke was billowing from the chimneys of every household in the courtyard. Several women were washing clothes by the well in the middle of the courtyard, and their children were playing in the octagonal pavilion behind them.

In the two courtyards, the original owner planted different kinds of flowers and plants under the eaves, and the pavilion was also a place of leisure and elegance.

However, since the courtyard house was renovated and rented out, the pavilion has become a place for children to play, and sometimes a place for a few women to chat while picking vegetable leaves from baskets.

As for the original flowers and plants, they were all stripped bare, and the cleared land was divided up by each family and dug into vegetable plots of different shapes and sizes, where all kinds of seasonal vegetables were planted.

In the morning, the chamber pot was used to irrigate and fertilize the vegetable garden. So when Liu and his family walked into the courtyard, the smells were very mixed, with urine, stench, and other odors being the most overpowering.

"Oh my god, this courtyard is getting more and more dilapidated!" Even a strong person like Liu, who is not picky about the environment, couldn't help but raise her sleeve to cover her mouth and nose, her brows furrowed.

Yang Huaming's face was also wrinkled and he looked a bit nauseous.

As for Old Yang, he looked a little strained. Who would believe it if I told them? This street was the most upscale street in town.

Just a wall away, the neighboring courtyards are bursting with flowers and filled with the sounds of birdsong. But this courtyard is a chaotic mess, with three rooms crammed together—it's not as comfortable as living in the village!
Tan, carrying a basket, did not go inside beforehand, but stood on the porch waiting for Old Yang and the others.

So, under the pointing and whispering gazes of a group of women on the other side of the well, Old Yang and the others crawled under the clothes that were still dripping wet and hanging to dry on the porch, and then Tan went up and knocked on the door of the middle 'main room'.

The door opened, and the person who opened it was Sister Hua, who was holding her younger sister Sanjin in her arms.

"Auntie? Uncle?" Sister Hua exclaimed in surprise when she saw so many people at the door. She quickly opened the door completely and made way for Madam Tan and the others.

The commotion at the door also alerted Xu Yuanming and Yang Huamei, who were having dinner at the square table.

At this moment, Xu Yuanming was drinking porridge, Yang Huamei was holding Sijin and feeding him porridge, Wujin was walking unsteadily on the ground, and would occasionally squat down to play with the small toys scattered on the ground, Guihua was holding a bowl in her hand, following behind Wujin, feeding him and coaxing him.

When the noise came from the doorway, the people around the square table all looked up at the door.

"Oh? Father, Mother? Fourth Brother and Fourth Sister-in-law, what brings you here?" Yang Huamei exclaimed in surprise, put down her bowl and spoon, stuffed the four jin into Xu Yuanming's hand, and then got up and hurried to the door.

"Why do you think I came? It's been almost a month, and you haven't even gone back to check on things. I had no choice but to come and see you!"

Tan had a basket slung over her arm, but that didn't stop her from holding hands tightly with Yang Huamei.

Yang Huamei stuck out her tongue: "Mom, I've just been too busy. The barbecue stall has only just been set up."

"However, Old Xu said that even if you don't come today, we will definitely go back to visit your new house and new stove after a few days when they are officially lit."

"At least you have some conscience!" Madam Tan gently poked Yang Huamei's cheek, just like she did when Yang Huamei was a child.