Chapter 778 - 401: A Private Talk Between Mother-in-law and Daughter-in-law

Chapter 778: Chapter 401: A Private Talk Between Mother-in-law and Daughter-in-law

The Li Family was once again embroiled in a string of events. In the end, Li Laoda and his wife moved in with their younger son, Li Changliang. The whole affair was full of twists and turns, but Juhua had no interest whatsoever in prying. ’While listening to the gossip is fun, it’s not fun at all if you get dragged into it yourself.’

But Granny Hua had gone to her younger son’s home. With her personality being what it was, and Liu’er not being as blunt as Meizi, the result was predictable. The daily drama could fill a novel, interspersed with the clamor of Liu’er’s mother and Li Changliang’s furious roars. It was far more chaotic than at Meizi’s house, but there’s no need to go into the details.

Throughout March and April, various vegetables and grains were sown one after another, and more and more chicks and ducklings hatched. Juhua also had to check in on her sister-in-law and mother from time to time, keeping her incredibly busy every day.

"Young Madam, should we give a few of these kittens away? There are so many now, it feels like the whole house is full of them. I’m afraid they might accidentally scratch the baby, Banli, and Cong," Pu Pao asked.

Juhua looked at the little kitten that had just darted into the room. It was a fluffy little thing, with eyes that shone like amber, and it meowed at her coaxingly. All the kittens were adorable, sometimes rolling about and washing their faces with their paws, or spinning in circles as they chased their own tails. Though she was reluctant to part with them, she knew Pu Pao was right. There were too many, and they could easily hurt the children. After all, these were just kittens, not like the older cats and the dog, who were all fully tamed.

She was in the middle of changing Banli’s clothes. After a moment’s thought, she nodded and said, "Find a basket and put two of them inside. Have your brother take one to the Wang Family and one to the Wu Family—they have mice by the mountain fields, too. Then give another one to Aunt Zhao. She mentioned to me last time that she wanted a kitten."

Two small farmsteads had been built on the mountain, both made of stone and adobe. The Wu and Wang families had moved in to tend to the more than two hundred mu of reclaimed land nearby, one hundred and fifty mu of which was Juhua’s private property.

Pu Pao agreed and hurried out to the kitchen to find a basket.

Juhua moved Banli and Cong under the plum tree, and Grandma Liu brought little Jing’er over as well. The elderly woman smiled kindly at Juhua. "Young Madam, if you have things to do, you go on and get busy. I’ll watch the cats and dogs here."

Juhua quickly replied, "Thank you so much, Grandma. Just give us a call if you need anything. I’m going to go check on the kitchen." With that, she picked several small, coarse-cloth pigs out of a little basket and handed them to the children.

Grandma Liu hummed in agreement. After Juhua left, she watched with a broad smile as the little ones tugged on the toy pigs in their hands, laughing and playing with each other.

When Juhua entered the kitchen, she saw He washing her hands and quickly asked, "Mother, weren’t you in the garden weeding the celtuce patch? I was just thinking of going to help."

Shaking the water from her hands, He smiled. "It’s all done. Your Aunt Liu helped out; she’s a fast worker. That celtuce is growing beautifully! The leaves are so tender and plump. I just love eating the leaves. In a couple of days, we can pick some to stir-fry. It’d be a pity to pick them now while they’re still growing. We’ll be eating this until the cucumbers and peppers are ready. Juhua, is this filling you’ve mixed for making pastries?"

she asked, pointing to a large earthenware pot on the work counter.

Juhua nodded. "I realized it’s been a while since I’ve made these, so I thought I’d make some for everyone as a change of pace. Huai Zi also said this morning he was craving some, so I mixed up a big basin of filling."

He quickly rolled up her sleeves. "Let me handle the rest. Aunt Liu and I will make them. You go watch Banli and the others."

Juhua nodded and sat down at the mouth of the stove. From a nook in the stove wall, she retrieved a simmering pot. She gently brushed the ash from its surface with a small straw whisk, wiped it clean with a damp cloth, and then placed it on the counter. She lifted the lid, peeled away a layer of paper covering the contents, and a rich, meaty aroma immediately filled the air.

She said to He, "Mother, I simmered this with cured pork bones. The broth is probably a little salty. I was thinking we could use it to cook the fermented soy pulp."

He replied, "Ah, I understand. Juhua, have you been back to your family’s home to see your mother and the others? Aren’t you going to make something to send over?"

Juhua replied, "I just went over yesterday and helped cook a few dishes. My sister-in-law’s mother has come to visit and will probably stay for a few days. Uncle Ma, Aunt Ma, and Niuniu have all settled in, and the household chores are being managed quite systematically. By the way, Aunt Ma is a good cook and a tidy person, and Niuniu is very bright, so I’m much more at ease. Besides, my sister Yunlan is very capable and has everything arranged perfectly." The three members of the Ma family were newly acquired servants of the Zheng Family.

He scooped out corn flour to knead into dough, smiling as she remarked, "Her mother was probably worried about her, so she came to check in."

Juhua nodded. "Her daughter is pregnant. It’s only natural for her to come and visit."