There are flowers and wine, hoeing and farming

Chapter 7

Because of Cheng Qiaoqiao's recovery, the depression and nervousness of the family dissipated all of a sudden.The five of them were lively and active at home again.

Because of Cheng Qiaoqiao's doctor's instructions, Ning naturally didn't let her go out, and didn't let her go out of the house. She was wrapped tightly in the house, and the two brothers were naturally responsible for playing with her.

Cheng Daman was chopping firewood in a corner of the yard. The weather wasn't too hot, but after working for a while, he still took off his shirt, revealing his dark and firm upper body, with sweat dripping down his chest.

Ning went to the simple shed she had set up and released the chickens from the cage, sprinkled some crushed grain in the yard, sipped her lips and croaked a few times, and the little hens ran towards her feet clumsily. Go, peck it up one by one.

Qiaoqiao was not so honest and obedient, and instructed her elder brother to take her to the window sill, put her arms around his neck, saw her father's figure outside the window, she turned her head and pressed his arm holding her, her little brow frowned slightly, it was still not enough Be strong and keep exercising.Standing there watching for a while, Qiaoqiao pointed to Ning's outside the window, stretched out her hands, trying to trick her elder brother to take her out.

Cheng Zhigao had long felt guilty about his sister's illness that day, so he wouldn't be easily seduced by her. He glanced at her and immediately turned his head away to ignore him.He didn't notice Cheng Qiaoqiao's opened mouth either.

How to do?Do you really want to cry?Although it's not like I haven't played this kind of trick.She has become more and more babies, and she really feels that her skin is getting thicker and thicker, and she can do anything, but at this moment, she is really a little embarrassed.

The little chicken was chattering happily, and Ning turned around to tidy up the vegetable garden. Seeing her son standing on the window sill with her daughter in his arms, she walked over: "No trouble?"

Cheng Zhigao shook his head: "No trouble, Qiaoqiao is being good. I just saw you and wanted you to hug me."

Cheng Qiaoqiao took the opportunity to pout aggrievedly, and stretched out her small arms to reach Ning.Seeing her small appearance, Ning's heart softened, and she walked around the room to pick her up.

She took out a small red hat from the sewing basket. The big one was already there, but the flowers on it were not yet embroidered, and she put the little hat on Cheng Qiaoqiao's head: "Zhigao, come here with your mother, help me put it away." Take those dishes."

After speaking, he carried Cheng Qiaoqiao to the yard.

A large piece of land on the left side of the yard was planted with vegetables. Ning squatted down with her daughter in her arms. This small piece was planted with wax gourds, which were densely overgrown. A few big ones almost bent the bamboo frame. Taking a closer look, he pointed to a few of them and asked Cheng Zhigao to pick them off, and carefully put them on the straw mat that had just been laid on the ground.

"Daman, you come here first."

After Ning called Cheng Daman who was chopping firewood, he pointed to the big and round wax gourds and said: "These are almost the same. You can use our small cart to see if anyone comes to town. We sold it a little later."

"Okay." Cheng Daman turned his head, wiped his sweat with the towel on his shoulders, put on the jacket tied around his waist, patted his son and let him push out the small wooden cart under the simple shed, and put the winter melon carefully go up.

After Cheng Daman went out, Ning continued to look at other vegetables. Cheng Qiaoqiao also looked at them seriously at this time. She found that the vegetables grown at home included wax gourd, loofah, beans, and some radishes. As for potatoes, celery, etc. No, she didn't know about this in her previous life, and she didn't know whether there should be potatoes in this season, but thinking about eating potato stew before, probably there are still some here.She felt relieved, because these two things are her favorite food, especially the hot and sour potato shreds, she can never get tired of eating them.

While she was looking around, Cheng Daman came back with an empty cart.

"Uncle Li just went to sell some vegetables yesterday, and he said he would go tomorrow. Anyway, winter melons are fine for a day or two, so I let him have them there, and let him help sell them tomorrow. He said that the winter melons are very rare these days. The price is not bad, these heads are big and look fresh, they can probably be sold for half a penny."

"Well, when Uncle Li gives you money later, you give some to others. How much you can decide."

"I know."

Several people were talking, when Cheng Qiaoqiao saw a few people approaching the open door, a man, a woman and three children of different ages around him, it should be a family visiting, so Qiaoqiao called out , pointing to the past.

Ning looked over, first yelled in surprise, and then stood on the spot, Cheng Daman reacted quickly, stepped forward and greeted: "Brother, sister-in-law, come in quickly."

Cheng Qiaoqiao didn't recognize them and just watched quietly.

The man who came should be around 40 years old, tall and thin, fair-skinned, with a beard, wearing blue-gray clothes, with a strong bookish look, and nodded to Cheng Daman with a slight smile.The woman next to her was younger than him, with average looks, her hair was neatly pulled into a nice bun, and a light green jade hairpin was inserted on it, which looked generous and elegant.

There are three children beside me, two boys and one girl, the eldest is a boy, eleven or twelve years old, with a small bun on his head, with thin skin and tender flesh, smiling shyly, the middle one is a girl, eight or nine years old , following her mother's characteristics, although her appearance is not outstanding, she stands there quietly, with a sense of generosity, the youngest is a boy, four or five years old, a little mischievous, eyes rolling around, looking around of.

Ning returned to her senses, hurriedly took two steps forward, and shouted: "Brother, sister-in-law, why are you here?"

Ning Weizhi smiled, twirled his beard, which was not too long, and pinched Ning's delicate little hand in his arms: "I'll come and see my niece."

Ning glanced at the oldest child, and said with some complaints: "Xiao Kui told you, right? It's all right, you are so busy, you still have to find time."

Ning Weizhi didn't speak, and the woman beside him, Ning's sister-in-law, Du Shi pursed her lips and smiled: "Sister, it's okay, now, when it's time to take the county test, many people have gone, your brother heard yesterday As soon as Xiao Kui came back and said something, he was in a hurry and spun around the room, wishing he could fly over with his wings. No, he woke up our family early in the morning."

Ning Weizhi glanced at his wife, coughed, took out a small jade token from his pocket, and stuffed it into Cheng Qiaoqiao's hand.

As soon as Ning grasped the jade card, she was about to push it back immediately. Ning Weizhi glared and snorted: "The one I gave to my niece is not for you. Why do you want to give it back to me? Go, go into the house, Brother-in-law." He took Cheng Daman's arms and walked into the house.

Ning opened her mouth and wanted to shout, but was persuaded by Du: "Your brother picked it for a long time, and it wasn't worth much. He just bought it because of the auspicious pattern on the jade plate. You can keep it. He has such a temper. Stubborn, push and push again, and he will start to play those literati tempers again. It's just like that, can you bear it?"

Mrs. Du blinked, with a look of helplessness. Ning felt that she was getting closer to her sister-in-law whom she had not seen for many years, and said with a smile: "Okay, I will accept everything according to my sister-in-law. These two children are Xiaoxuan and Xiaorui?"

"Call Auntie."

The two children obediently called their aunt, Ning quickly hugged Qiaoqiao and led them into the room.

The room was full of people, and it seemed a bit crowded, Ning put the child into Du's arms: "Sister-in-law help me to see Qiaoqiao, I'll pour a pot of water to drink, you must be thirsty after driving all the way here. "

"Okay, I'll hold it. Come on, dear girl, can you let my aunt hold it?"

After Ning's hot water was boiled, she took out some tea leaves that she specially bought at home to entertain guests, and filled a large pot of tea.

"Is Xiaokui 12 years old this year?" Ning sat next to Ning Weizhi and looked at Xiaokui.

"It will be twelve at the end of the year." Du Shi said while teasing Qiaoqiao.

"They're all big kids." Ning said in a trance: "That day, when he called me, I almost didn't recognize him. This kid has a good memory and is very smart. I haven't seen him for many years. He is so young. Child, you can still recognize me at a glance, and you can tell me that you have followed my brother, and you will definitely be a well-learned person in the future, maybe you can win the number one prize."

Ning and Kui blushed, but couldn't help but feel happy, their chests puffed up slightly.

Old San Ning and Rui snorted, stretched out their chubby hands, and secretly pinched his elder brother's hand while no one was paying attention. Hearing his ouch, he covered his mouth and lowered his head to laugh secretly.

"Why didn't Xiaokui take the county test this time?"

Ning Weizhi stroked his beard, shook his head and said, "Not yet, this kid's foundation is not solid enough, so I'll keep it for this year and wait until next year to see it. But Xiao Zhigao, will you go to my place?"

Ning looked at Cheng Daman, Cheng Daman looked away, and looked to the other side, to tease Ning Yurui who had already got together with his second son.

Ning sighed and shook her head: "I won't go. I have taught the children to read and count since they were young, and they haven't fallen too far. I have also seen the children in my family. They don't have those talents, so they just stay at home. Just live your whole life honestly, as long as you can count and read a few words, that's fine."

Ning Weizhi didn't force it either. Looking at her younger sister, she knew that she didn't want to say more. I'm afraid the children didn't have any talent as she said, but she herself didn't want to get involved in those right and wrong grievances. , I would rather work harder than live in this simple field.

"By the way, your second brother..."

Before Ning Weizhi could finish his sentence, he heard two childish laughs. Naturally, it was Cheng Zhiyuan and Ning Yurui.The two of them had already quietly ran out of the house to play in the small courtyard.I don't know what bad things I did, and I laughed so happily.

Cheng Daman hurriedly got up and walked out. After coughing, he raised his eyebrows and stared: "Boy Yuan, what are you doing?"

Cheng Zhiyuan raised his hand and squeezed a hard-shelled worm he had just caught: "Father, we caught it just now, pulled off its wings, and couldn't fly anymore. Throw it to the chickens, those chickens They all pecked at it, and it spun around in fright, hahaha..."

"Don't go out of the house, just play in the yard."

The two children responded, squatted down again, and started a new way of playing in a chattering voice.

Cheng Qiaoqiao heard it in the room and wanted to laugh. This little brother finally found a like-minded kid. Although the big brother can play with him, he is several years older than him anyway, and he can't play with him many times. Together, it made him unable to enjoy himself to his heart's content, this is good, the flowers and plants in the yard, as well as the little bugs and chickens are out of luck.

"Brother, what did you say about the second brother? Is there any news about him these years?"

"Well, I received a letter from him a few days ago. I wrote the general situation in the letter and sent a copy to your sister. After all, it is inconvenient for her to go there. You can talk about it here. It just so happens. Come and see little girl, let me tell you about your second brother's situation."

Cheng Qiaoqiao was laughing at her little brother in her heart, when she heard what Ning Weizhi said, so she knew some more information. It turned out that besides the brother in front of her, her mother also had a brother and a sister.

A small bubble was blown out of a not-so-clean nose by her breathing, and it hung transparently on the tip of the nose, which happened to be seen by Ning Weizhi. He froze for a moment, pointed at Qiaoqiao and laughed out loud .

When he smiled, the others looked over and laughed too, even Du Shi and her daughter Ning Yuxuan covered their mouths and laughed.Cheng Qiaoqiao didn't understand why other people laughed for a while, but when she looked down and there was a slight pop on her nose, she realized that the snot was about to come out, and she blew a bubble.

Although she is still a child, she is not young at all. Cheng Qiaoqiao's "old" face turned red, and she hugged her mother's neck quickly, and buried her face in her shoulder, letting others laugh even more. Loud, no matter how refused to come out.

Ning took out the small handkerchief in her sleeve, pinched Cheng Qiaoqiao's nose, and wiped out the snot: "I had to go to the river that day, it was cold after blowing the wind, and it was better after taking the medicine. Now Just a little runny nose."

"The child is still young, so be careful not to catch the wind." Du Shi said hastily.

Children are not easy to raise, and many of them with poor physique died of illness when they were young.Mrs. Du also had personal experience. A child died within five months of being ill.

Ning gently patted her daughter's face, and patted her on the back: "I saw the doctor that day, and said there was nothing wrong with me, so I was relieved. I'm not afraid of my sister-in-law's jokes. I have two sons above me. After thinking so much about it, when I saw this girl, I felt weak in my heart, wishing I could give her all the good things."

"Isn't it? People say that my daughter is my mother's little padded jacket. This sentence can't be faked. I also see that my family's Xuan Nier is considerate." Du Shi continued, and Ning Yuxuan beside her smiled slightly.

Two big men sat aside, listening to them, Cheng Daman got up and refilled Ning Weizhi's tea.

Ning Shi and Du Shi communicated for a while, and Ning Shi remembered the interrupted topic just now, hugged Cheng Qiaoqiao and asked: "Brother, you just said that you got news from Second Brother? But he is coming back soon? Or what? "

Ning Weizhi's eyes lit up, and he nodded and then shook his head. Although Ning was anxious, she knew that the second brother must be fine when she looked at the elder brother's appearance, and there might be something good about it.

"That's right, your second brother..."

"Ah ... ah ..." The little girl Ning and Xuan, who were still sitting there, jumped up suddenly, and the sharp throat screamed, only to shake everyone on the spot.

(End of this chapter)