Joyful Motherhood in a Rural Family

Chapter 96:  Chapter 94: Sisi Seeks a Way Out: Nan Tianzong’s Suspicions

Zhang Peng patted him hard on the shoulder: “Don’t think about it too much. People inevitably get sick while eating all five grains, and if you run out of silver, you can earn more. I think your little sister is quite capable! Once you catch more game, you can sell them directly in the county town. Although it takes more time, you can still earn more silver, right?”

“Right! This Liuping Town is really too small. We might as well catch more game and sell it together in the county town. It’s better than selling game at a low price now.”

Li Wu, who was next to him, also agreed with Zhang Peng’s words.

“Brother Zhang is right! Macheng County City and Yanqing County are said to be relatively small, but Lin County’s Raoping County, and Dacheng County are much more prosperous. We can also try our luck in other county cities.”

The two hunters nearby also came over and said.

Di Yelei thought for a moment, thought of his father, lying in bed, and the recent events. The urgent desire to make money weighed on his heart.

Then he clenched his teeth: “Alright! If that’s the case, we’ll go straight to the county town after hunting. We could have your kid at home send the news. What do you think?”

The “kid” he mentioned is Li Wu’s son, Li Qi.

“Good! Let’s do it this way!”

As everyone dispersed in twos and threes, Zhang Peng sighed and patted his shoulder again.

Only then did he say: “Although I don’t know what happened between you and your sister-in-law, Brother Zhang, who is several years older than you, was entrusted by Hongyuan to take care of you before he left. I have always treated you as my own brother, and there are a few words that I shouldn’t say, but I still have to tell you.”

Di Yelei immediately looked up, his eyes shining as he stared at Zhang Peng.

“Brother Zhang, I, Di Yelei, have always regarded you as my real big brother. Just say whatever you want!”

The Hongyuan mentioned by Zhang Peng is Di Yelei’s eldest brother, Di Hongyuan.

Initially, Elderly Mr. Di’s taking of a new wife met with Di Hongyuan’s opposition. After Ms. Zhang entered the family, she naturally treated Di Hongyuan as a thorn in her side and forced him to leave home for the exam, never to return.

When the news of Di Hongyuan’s success in the exam reached the Di family, it was already several years later.

Di Hongyuan and Zhang Peng were childhood friends.

Before leaving, he entrusted his younger brother Di Yelei to Zhang Peng, which is why Zhang Peng has been taking such good care of him.

“You’re a man, and you’re a father of two children! You should be more accommodating to her when you should. Your sister-in-law is such a soft woman, and if a fight really breaks out and she gets hurt, you will not only regret it but also have to spend silver to treat her illness.”

“I didn’t hit her.”

Di Yelei said just one sentence, then tightly pursed his lips and refused to speak.

Indeed, he had not laid a hand on her yesterday.

Although he was angry and bit her lip, although his thoughts wandered off, he wanted to make Sisi his real woman.

But in the end, it was ruined by a few children.

At that time, he was angry, but later he was extremely grateful that he didn’t take her in a fit of rage.

Otherwise, even he couldn’t forgive himself!

“As long as you didn’t hit her, it’s fine!”

Seeing Di Yelei’s stubborn and flushing face, Zhang Peng laughed secretly in his heart.

This person obviously cares so much, yet insists on pretending to be indifferent, only bringing trouble to himself!

“You know what kind of person your second sister-in-law is, and what kind of character she has. Who in the village doesn’t know? You got angry with your sister-in-law because of such a shameless woman, and it was your fault!”

Zhang Peng said solemnly, seeing Di Yelei lower his head and not speak, he patted his shoulder again: “Go hunting! Catch more game and sell them to bring more silver back. Then coax your sister-in-law well. Let’s go!”

After Zhang Peng finished speaking, he went straight past Di Yelei and ran quickly in the other direction.

Di Yelei drooped his shoulders, feeling particularly disheartened in his heart.

However, after a short while, he regained his spirits, realizing that at the moment, it was more important to hunt more game and earn some silver.

That night, Di Yelei didn’t return home.

Liu Sisi didn’t mind and sorted out the things brought by Zhang Yun yesterday.

She fried the perishable vegetables first. There were also some dried goods like broad beans, peas, and green beans, which she stored in pottery jars and put them in the cellar. She also hid some of the miscellaneous grains, such as millet, sorghum rice, and corn, in the bowl cabinet. She held a small bag of pure flour in her hands, which she thought was enough for a few meals.

She used a small amount of flour to make the dough, intending to make vegetable buns.

No matter if the stuffing was made from wild vegetables grown or dug, the vegetable buns were always better than a mixture of flour and water cooked with vegetables.

The next day, Di Yelei still didn’t come back. Liu Sisi finished sewing a pair of shoes she made for Di Yelei a long time ago, but it was only today that she finished.

In modern times, giving shoes as a gift represents a breakup, but here it represents a lifelong commitment. People here were conservative, only husbands could see the jade feet, so giving shoes was a very intimate act, similar to giving underwear as a gift nowadays.

She casually threw the shoes on the head of the bed, thinking that she didn’t intend to give them away.

She spread out the papers she had brought back, ground the ink, and started copying the “Standards for Being a Good Pupil.”

She had memorized the “Standards for Being a Good Pupil” long ago. At this moment, she was actually writing from memory. She quickly finished copying the pages and was completely engrossed in her work.

Tomorrow was Market Day, and she hoped to finish copying the book in its entirety before tomorrow morning.

The two children behaved well. Di Xuan silently watched Liu Sisi writing as he practiced his own brushstrokes. Ying’er also changed her mischievous ways, learning to help Liu Sisi add water and grind ink.

As darkness fell, she finally finished writing, put down the brush, and stretched her weary body.

She was really exhausted!

She hadn’t used a brush for a long time, and her right arm was so sore and swollen that it didn’t feel like her own, not to mention her swollen right hand, which was difficult to bend.

She arranged the papers one by one and put them away before she got up to cook.

The next day, Liu Sisi got up before dawn.

After eating, she carried Di Ying and led Di Xuan to the small town in the dark.

By the time the sky gradually brightened, the three of them had arrived in the small town.

The door of the bookstore hadn’t opened yet. Liu Sisi bought a sesame stick candy for each of the two children to eat, and she sat on the stone steps in front of the door, thinking about recent events and waiting for Nan Tianzong to open the shop.

“Mom, come and have some candy; it’s delicious.”

Di Ying laughed happily, holding the sesame stick candy near Liu Sisi’s mouth.

“Ying’er, you eat it. Mom doesn’t like sweets.”

Liu Sisi smiled and hugged Ying’er tightly: “Later, Mom will work here, and you and Xuan’er should play quietly on the side. Don’t talk to strangers, don’t run around or touch other people’s things. Understand?”

Ying’er nodded vigorously: “Ying’er understands! Mom, I’ll play quietly by the side and won’t cause trouble for you.”

Liu Sisi laughed and pinched Di Ying’s cheek: “You! You little smart one!”

While they were talking, they saw Nan Tianzong walking towards them from a distance.

When he caught sight of Liu Sisi and her children, he couldn’t help but pause, and his eyebrows furrowed into the shape of a stream.