Chapter 623 - 536: Building a New House
Chapter 623: Chapter 536: Building a New House
Xinghua heated enough hot water for Xiao Man to wash her hair and bathe. She then helped Yu Wumei finish all the kitchen chores and reminded her younger siblings to wash up. Grandpa and Grandma always washed up right before bed, and Yu Wumei would look after them.
Once all the chores were done, Grandma urged Xiao Man to get some rest. Just as Qiuyan was about to lock the door for the night, Xinghua knocked and came in. She straightened Qiuyan’s bedding and reminded her to wrap the terrycloth blanket around her stomach so she wouldn’t kick it off in her sleep. Then, blushing, she told Xiao Man she was going to stay with Jiang Junlin over at the herb garden. She promised to be back early in the morning and told Xiao Man to rest well.
Xiao Man tactfully didn’t say anything more, just smiled and nodded.
It was a little chaotic with so many people around right after her return, but by the second day, everything was back to normal. Xiao Man helped Grandma, her aunt, and Xinghua with the housework, went to the backyard vegetable patch to pick some vegetables and fruit, and took the opportunity to water the flowers she used to care for. Before, when she was at home, Xiao Man would periodically add Space Spirit Spring water to the well. She couldn’t do that while studying in Beijing, so she’d come up with a new method. After adding a sufficient amount of spiritual spring water to the well, she had tossed in a few colorful stones she’d retrieved from the bottom of the Space Spring Lake. The colorful stones and the spiritual spring water could interact to generate Spiritual Energy. Judging by the water quality and the health and growth of the people, animals, and plants in the Mo Family Courtyard, her trick had clearly worked.
’But I only threw them in that one time,’ Xiao Man thought. ’I can’t bear to part with those colorful stones. What if throwing in too many affects the Treasure Pearl Space?’
Qiuyan followed alongside, chattering incessantly. She was a little busybody and a flower fanatic, loving and protecting the flowers even more than Xiao Man. She forbade anyone from casually picking them, not even letting them be pruned. That patch of climbing roses had grown wild, forcing Grandpa and Mo Jiabao to build a new trellis. They must have also pruned it behind Qiuyan’s back; otherwise, the wall of flowers wouldn’t have just extended more than two meters sideways while staying the same height. In the morning light, the roses, crowned with dewdrops, bloomed with abandon—cluster after cluster of lush, vibrant blossoms, a feast for the eyes.
After breakfast, the men, young and old, prepared to head out, each with their own tasks. Dazhuang and Dapeng were in charge of the cattle and sheep. Grandpa, Mo Jiabao, and Jiang Junlin were heading to the herb plantation by the reservoir to work. Yu Wumei and Xinghua had also changed into old clothes and picked up bamboo baskets and back-baskets, looking as though they were going along too. Although the mountain plantation had hired workers, it was so large that extra help was always welcome—many hands make light work.
Grandpa’s newly expanded, large-scale herb plantation was situated between two large mountains by the reservoir and included a canyon. The largest part of it was on a mountain called White Hat Mountain. In the South, it hailed during spring and summer and dropped ice pellets in winter; fluffy, sugar-like snow was a rarity. However, that mountain’s peak was covered in a light layer of snow each year, which is how it got its name. Behind White Hat Mountain was Qingniu Mountain, which was considered deep, old-growth forest. Other than Grandpa, who went there to gather herbs, very few people ever ventured inside.
Xiao Man also wanted to go see what Grandpa’s new herb plantation looked like. The last time Mr. Tang visited, he had taken many photos of the plantation from various angles with his camera, but that had been in winter. It was summer now and would surely look different.
But Grandma stopped her. "It’s not like you’ve never been in the mountains," she said. "You just got back. You should rest at home for a couple of days. If you’re really itching to go out, you can take a walk around the small herb garden on the hill out front. You have a long vacation ahead of you. The mountain isn’t going anywhere; you can go anytime!"
Grandpa knew that Grandma couldn’t bear for Xiao Man to leave and wanted to spend more time with her granddaughter, so he said with a chuckle, "Your grandma’s right. Our Xiao Man is a university student now, spending all her days in a classroom, sheltered from the wind and rain. Suddenly going out to bake under the hot sun might make you sick. Why don’t you stay home for now? We can go play on the mountain in a couple of days."
Xiao Man remembered that Guan Ailan and her friends had said they would visit today. ’It wouldn’t be good if I wasn’t here when they came.’ So she agreed not to go out and decided to stay home with Grandma.
Mo Jiabao then told Xinghua not to go either, but to stay home and keep Xiao Man company.
Xinghua agreed out loud, but her eyes went to Jiang Junlin. They shared a loving look, their smiles tinged with helplessness and reluctance to part.
Xiao Man was speechless. ’Uncle Jiabao, what are you thinking? Breaking up a lovey-dovey couple just so I have someone to keep me company? You’re lucky Xinghua is so good-natured. If she were the impatient type, you’d just be making an enemy of her.’
Since Xinghua’s father had spoken, and Grandma had agreed, Xiao Man didn’t feel it was her place to say anything.
Those who were heading out to work had all left, not to return until evening. The newly built house on the mountain was fully equipped, so they would cook and eat lunch right there. With not much to do, Grandma and the girls started to unpack all the boxes and packages Xiao Man had brought back, sorting and storing the contents. Just then, Fifth Auntie, Eighth Aunt, and a few others dropped by. The gifts from Grandma Tang for each family had been wrapped separately, and Grandma found and handed them out. The clan aunties marveled at how kind and generous Grandma Tang was, smiling from ear to ear as they told their grandsons to run home and get someone to help carry the items.
Xinghua and Xiao Man together carried a bag over to the Liang family’s home. Grandma mentioned that since no one from the Liang family had come over for the pig feast the day before, she was sending them a four- or five-pound cut of fatty pork to render into lard.
At the Liang family’s home, however, only Aunt Liang was busy in the courtyard. She was chopping pig feed while loudly shooing away chickens and ducks. Her complexion was rosy and her voice was strong. Anyone who didn’t know her story would never imagine that just a few years ago, she had been so ill she could only lie in bed, unable to move.
When she saw Xiao Man and Xinghua enter the courtyard, Aunt Liang quickly stood up, went to a basin to wash her hands, and said with a smile, "You two are here! Quick, have a seat. Oh, Xiao Man, your Uncle Man Cang knew you were back as of last night. Just this morning, he was saying that the men and boys would make one last trip to the mountains, each carrying back a log, and then they’d be done for the afternoon. He said he’d let the kids go find you and hang out! He also said he’d check the river tonight to see if he can catch a big fish, so we can have you over for dinner."
Xiao Man exchanged a few polite words with Aunt Liang. Noticing two piles of lumber in the courtyard and hearing that Uncle Man Cang was taking the children into the mountains to carry more today, she asked, "Auntie, are you planning to build a new house this year too?"
"Yes, we have no choice," Aunt Liang sighed. "Your brother Xiuming is in college, and while he doesn’t use our money, your brother Xiu Yong also got into the provincial university this year. His future tuition and living expenses won’t be on us either. But school is about to start, and we have to get him a decent set of luggage, don’t we? We don’t want his classmates looking down on him. That’s a big expense right there. And Xiuzhen needs money every month for the county high school, while Xiuzhu is about to start junior high... The costs are piling up. We originally didn’t plan to build a new house right now, but this place is just too old and dilapidated. It sways when the wind blows, and when it pours outside, it drizzles inside. It’s nerve-wracking. When your brother Xiuming came back, he spent ages trying to convince us, saying we should build a new house even if it means borrowing money. He said, ’What if the house collapses and injures you? What would we do then?’ See? He even brought up such ominous things. So, your Uncle Man Cang and I discussed it and decided to just go for it. At worst, we’ll be in debt for a few years. At least the boys can study without worrying about us."
Xinghua laughed and said, "Xiuming is sharp; he always makes a good point. My dad says he’s going to do great things in the future!"
"Oh, who knows about that? He’s still just a student, learning from his professors." Aunt Liang said with a modest smile, though she was clearly delighted inside.