Chapter 12
“Brother?” Li Hong exclaimed in surprise. “Why are you hitting the pillar?”
“So fierce…”
“Ling!” Li Mother’s voice carried over, stern and commanding. “What nonsense are you talking? Are you acting like an old woman who knows everything?”
Ling dared to murmur back, pouting, “Just because he’s older… even hitting the grandson, he still dares to show off!”
Li Mother, holding the meat, stepped forward just in time, kicking lightly. “Hmph! If my son bullies the little one, he needs a lesson! That way, he’ll learn accountability too!”
Ling got kicked and clamped her mouth shut, daring not to say another word.
Meanwhile, Li Zhu, who had been crying, suddenly smelled the meat. Turning around, he saw that Grandma was holding a bowl of meat. He scrambled to stand, snatched the meat from Li Mother, and cried, “Meat! Meat!”
Li Mother, trying to prevent the meat from being taken, blinked—but Li Zhu slipped away with it. She quickly called out, “Zhu, leave some for Grandpa Gou Dan!”
Little Gou Dan, Ling’s son, ran after him immediately.
Li’s daughters, Li Sao’s daughter, and Ling’s two daughters all looked expectantly at Li Mother, but they didn’t get any response.
Of course, Li Mother ended up returning the meat, but there wasn’t enough for Grandpa Gou Dan either—because he was crying, and Brother had eaten all the meat.
Li Mother felt a chill run through her instantly.
Naturally, Li Zhu, as a grandfather, cared most for his grandchildren. Seeing them cry so pitifully after being hit by Li Chen, he felt sorry for them. He took some meat for Shen Yiyi too, partly to comfort her.
But as for the rest of the meat—there wasn’t much left. It had to be shared between the two grandchildren, Gou Dan and Li Zhu, and Li Father.
Even though dividing it was tiring, Li Father felt it was fair to make the effort.
Yet Li Zhu just finished it all himself.
Seeing how he hogged the meat, Li Mother realized for the first time just how selfish Li Zhu could be.
But she let it go.
Meanwhile, Shen Yiyi quietly took care of a few things in between the commotion.
The meal continued, filled with children’s voices saying things like, “Mom!” “Thank you, Mom, hehe,” “Dad, pick me up, Mom, give me meat,” all warm and sweet.
After the meal, Shen Yiyi started cleaning the bowls and chopsticks, but Li Chen beat her to it.
He took the bowls and chopsticks to the basin, squatted beside the water jar, and began washing them silently.
Under the bright sun, his skin gleamed with sweat. His broad, strong frame, sharp features, and practiced movements all revealed a disciplined, capable youth.
Shen Yiyi returned from the kitchen with beans and sugar, passing through the hall, and picked up Li Chen’s military-style water pot.
She first soaked the beans, then washed the pot using water from the jar. Once clean, she placed it aside to cool.
Little Gou Dan followed her closely, curious as ever, asking, “Mom, what are you taking?”
“The pot.”
“And the beans?”
“The beans, we’re going to make bean porridge, of course.”
“Oh, we all get some?”
“Yes, all of you.”
“Good boy,” Shen Yiyi praised.
The children blushed slightly but held back their shyness.
“Mom, why soak the beans?”
“Because they need to be soaked before cooking.”
“Oh, shall I help, Mom?”
“Yes, help Mom.”
“I’ll help too, Mom.”
“Me too, Mom.”
When Shen Yiyi refused, Bao (Gou Dan) spoke up, serious and determined, “We’re all too little to be burned! Brother, help Mom with the fire while we play.”
“How old are you now?” Bao added.
“Brother too,” Bao added nervously. “Grandma said go first.”
“From now on, call him Brother,” Bao added.
“Brother, itchy?” Bao raised his fist playfully.
Facing 9-year-old Li Zhu, Bao swung his fist—so did Zhu. But when facing Brother’s punch, Bao puckered his lips in frustration and went to Mom, complaining, “Mom, Brother is bullying me…”
Shen Yiyi stifled a laugh, taking moments to gently rub each child’s head. “Good~”
She didn’t take sides.
Bao’s mother helped, humming softly like a little calf.
Bao boldly tested his older brother.
After finishing the dishes, Li Chen returned them to the hall, the sounds of bustling preparations for the next meal filling the air.
It was about time.
Li Chen, however, didn’t speak much, quietly observing.
“Brother Chen!”
A soft voice called, followed by a gentle pat.
Li Chen snapped back to attention, coughed, and picked up a hoe and sickle. Just as he turned to leave, a delicate voice called, “Brother Chen, wait a moment.”
He quickly turned back and saw a pretty young girl holding a pot, coming over to the hall and handing it to him.
“Here.”
Li Chen took the pot, now clean and polished, its fair, slender surface shining. The girl smiled sweetly, and he silently accepted it.
“Thank you for your hard work,” Shen Yiyi reminded. “Be careful not to burn yourself. Take care of Bao while you’re at it.”
“Mm,” Li Chen pressed his lips together and finally turned to go.
