1940s: I supported my wife and sister-in-law by hunting.

After a lot of fuss, I finally got the two little girls clean and tidy and carried them onto the kang (heated brick bed).

Xinghua and Lianhua each held one of the babies, leaning against the kang (heated brick bed) to breastfeed them. The two babies, suckling at each other, had droopy eyelids and soon became so sleepy that they kept nodding off.

Chen Gaoshan sat on the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed), leaning against the fire wall, looking at the two sisters sitting on his left and right.

He suddenly had an idea: it would be great if he could feed Xinghua and Lianhua together, one on the left and one on the right.

After all, they had shared the same bed and worked together, going in and out of the same place, and were inseparable. He had nothing to be ashamed of, and nothing he couldn't say in front of the two of them.

Whatever I was thinking just came out of my head.

"You two leaning on each other like this looks really good. If you could each feed me a little while you're at it, my life would be so wonderful I'd be snotty-nosed."

Lianhua blushed instantly. Her sister was still in the room, and this guy dared to say anything outrageous. Since you've already married Shuanghong, why don't you use your dirty tricks on her?

I have to mess with them.

She was still holding Da Mao in her arms and couldn't get up to pinch him, so she could only glare at him.

"Chen Gaoshan, are you trying to seduce us to death? Is your brain only interested in women and things like that in bed? Can't you think before you speak? You're so arrogant, all you do is show off the few hairs on your butt all day long."

"Hurry back to the new house in the backyard and find Shuanghong. We won't let you mess around and humiliate us. Don't make me angry here. If you dawdle any longer, Shuanghong will get impatient waiting alone. Let's go."

He wasn't angry at all. Instead of moving, he shamelessly scooted his buttocks further into the kang (heated brick bed).

"Lotus, I was just discussing this with you and Xinghua. If it can't be done, then forget it. Why are you cursing? Luckily, Da Mao and Er Mao are still young and can't learn to talk yet. If these two girls were a few years older and could chatter, they would definitely take after you, always babbling on and on, afraid of losing money no matter what you do."

Although Xinghua's face was also burning and she was too embarrassed to look up, she was much calmer than the impatient Lianhua.

As the older sister, she knew perfectly well what kind of fiery temper her younger sister had and how she couldn't keep anything to herself; Lianhua was practically raised by her.

Besides, she's from the first wife's family, so even if she were jealous, it wouldn't be her place to be.

She glanced at Gao Shan and breathed a sigh of relief when she saw that he wasn't angry.

Shanzi is a good person, but he loves to mess around on the kang (a heated brick bed). When he's with the two sisters, he almost never gets off the kang. As for men, unless they're as lazy as Xu Laifu, they're all into this kind of thing.

Lotus really needs to change her fiery temper; it's really hurting feelings.

If Shanzi feels uncomfortable and doesn't want to come to their room anymore, Lianhua will cry.

After putting Er Mao to sleep, I buttoned up my clothes and quickly tried to smooth things over.

"Alright, Lianhua, that's enough. It's late at night. Shanzi, there's still some hot water left in the pot. Come on, let's go to the yard. I'll rub your back to help you relax."

Good heavens, pregnant women have such a fiery temper.

Lotus's rebuke just now was like a barrage of gunfire, leaving no room for compromise.

Pregnant women are known for their volatile tempers; they can easily get angry. I wouldn't dare approach them. If I can't afford to offend them, I'll just stay away and that's the best course of action.

He bent down, picked up the large wooden bath tub from the ground, turned around, and walked out of the house.

In the corner of the yard, he found a few broken door panels and wooden strips and nailed them together to make a makeshift bathing shed.

In the summer, you can shower here instead of getting water everywhere indoors.

He quickly took off his jacket and pants, and, shirtless, scooped up warm water from the basin and splashed it all over himself.

After getting an injection, I vigorously rubbed my entire body with a towel.

After washing up, he handed the towel to Xinghua, who had followed him in from behind.

"You really are more sensible than Lianhua; you know how to care for others and your younger brother."

"I was just talking to you two about that. Could you take some time to try and comfort Lianhua and persuade her? If it works out, I'll grant you one request."

Behind her, Xinghua's hand holding the towel paused noticeably for a moment.

She didn't say anything, but stood quietly behind him, rubbing his back gently, one stroke at a time.

After rubbing her back for a while, she finally spoke.

Turn around and face me, let me wipe your arm.

The small wooden shed was already cramped, and the two of them were so close together that they couldn't even stretch their arms out. They were so close to each other that they could almost touch each other while breathing.

Xinghua, with her pregnant belly sticking out in front of her, couldn't even see her own toes when she looked down.

"Lianhua is all bark and no bite; she won't give in, so you turn around and pester me. I must have owed the Chen family something in my past life!"

"I owed your brother a lot before, and now I owe you a lot. I'm the one who's losing out no matter what."

"I can't agree to that right away. Let me think about it, until I've figured it out..."

"But let me make this clear first: without my consent, you're not allowed to sneak into the house in the middle of the night and mess with us, understand?"

Upon hearing Xinghua's words, Chen Gaoshan was overjoyed, thinking that there was finally a chance.

How could he refuse such a good offer? He smiled and raised his arm to make it easier for her to rub his armpits.

"Okay, I'll do whatever you say. I promise I'll behave myself. But I can warn you in advance, don't let it be you two sisters who start thinking about me in the end."

Xinghua flicked his chest with a towel and glared at him.

"You jerk! You take advantage of my kindness. You get all cocky when I say you're fat. I don't need anything from you."

She kept wiping his shoulders with her hands.

"Shanzi, I have only one request. No matter how many more wives you add to your family in the future, don't forget that Lianhua is your lawfully wedded first wife. She is straightforward, outspoken, and not a bad person. You can hit us or scold us, but you just can't look down on us."

The more Chen Gaoshan looked at the apricot blossoms in front of him, the more rare they seemed.

As expected, my older sister is more sensible, insightful, and has a long-term perspective.

She's easygoing, doesn't throw tantrums, is clear-headed, and knows how to care for a man.

Knowing kung fu, they also know how to cooperate with you in certain situations; a single tap and they're back on their feet.

In the summer, he loves to eat freshly picked melon seeds from the field, which are juicy and sweet.

Chen Gaoshan reached out and wrapped his arm around Xinghua's waist, pulling her into his embrace.

"Apricot Blossom, you and Lotus will always be unique in my heart, and no one can replace you."

"I, Chen Gaoshan, am not some corrupt, shameless scoundrel. I will not mistreat you two sisters."

After he finished speaking, he lowered his head, buried his face in Xinghua's neck, and took several deep breaths.

It still has that familiar, light milky scent, a little less so than when I was first pregnant, but it still smells nice.

Touching her belly.

"If this pregnancy results in a boy, you should take a good rest. Too many children are hard on the mother, and you and Lianhua have suffered. Let's wait a couple of years before having another baby. There's no rush."

Xinghua nestled against him, burying her face in his firm chest.

"Shanzi, you've been so good to me. I'm willing to have your children if I don't suffer. If I can't have a son, I'll keep having them."

As the two were talking, Xinghua mentioned that she had run out of clothes and had hung them on the wooden door.

"You little rascal, you've got foam all over my hands, how am I supposed to wash you now..."

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