Chapter 651 - 338: The Poor Country Scholar

Chapter 651: Chapter 338: The Poor Country Scholar

An early update today!

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Yun Ying watched Juhua’s proud expression, so much like any doting elder praising a child, and found it rather amusing. But the tiny infant was indeed so delightful that one couldn’t help but feel happy just by looking at him. So, she cast aside her melancholy and joined Juhua in playing with Hulu. In no time, the courtyard was filled with endless sounds of laughter and joy.

This Hulu was incredible. Without making a peep, he somehow got everyone around him to wave their hands and feet, giggling and chattering away to themselves. He, on the other hand, remained as composed as an old master, silently directing them to get him this and that.

Seeing the three of them having such a lively time, Liu Yunlan smiled and used the moment to get some chores done. After feeding the pigs, she spread out a few bundles of firewood to dry—the continuous rainy weather had left them damp, heavy, and difficult to light. Next, she went to the garden to pick a handful of vegetables, then came and sat under the peach tree, cleaning them while watching Juhua play with her son.

When Hulu saw his mother coming over, he eagerly stretched out his little arms, his face alight with excitement as he looked at her.

Liu Yunlan smiled at her son and cooed softly, "Be a good boy, Hulu. Mommy’s cleaning vegetables. After I clean the vegetables, I’ll make dinner for Daddy, Grandpa, and Grandma, and I’ll steam an egg for my baby Hulu. How about you play with Auntie for a little while longer, okay?"

Seeing that his mother wasn’t going to pick him up, little Hulu didn’t cry or fuss. He just smiled at her for a moment, then suddenly tilted his head back to gaze at the peach tree, chuckling happily as a silvery line of drool trickled from the corner of his mouth.

Juhua quickly came forward, lifted the bib on his chest to wipe away his drool, and murmured, "Does Hulu want a peach? How about we wait for Daddy to come home and pick one, hmm? Here, let’s have a cherry first."

While eating cherries herself, she popped one into Hulu’s mouth, then offered a few to her sister-in-law. "Sister Yunlan," she asked, "can Hulu eat solid food already?"

Liu Yunlan nodded. "Mhm! I steamed an egg, mixed it with some rice, and fed him a little. He ate it quite happily. Mother said he’s big enough now that we should be feeding him some rice. He even had a small bowl of corn porridge this morning when we did."

Juhua looked at her little nephew’s thick, shiny black hair and his rosy complexion. The baby was the very picture of health. She couldn’t help but praise, "Sister Yunlan, you’re raising Hulu so well. Look how adorable he’s become."

Liu Yunlan’s heart swelled with joy to hear this, and she gazed at her son, beaming from the inside out.

Yun Ying glanced from the mother and son to the farmhouse courtyard, which was neat as a pin. Quilts and pillows were laid out to dry in the sun. In the center of the yard stood several lush peach trees, the fruit nestled between their leaves blushing an inviting red. Near the front wall, a dense grove of emerald bamboo rustled softly in the wind. Along the base of the side walls, clumps of wild chrysanthemums stretched their thick, green leaves toward the sunlight. A black dog and a gray one lay sprawled across the courtyard gate, staring out like a pair of guardian generals.

A sudden wave of envy washed over her. ’This kind of life is wonderful, too,’ she thought. ’No need to run all over the place, scheming and maneuvering around people!’

Mrs. Yang, Zheng Changhe, and Qingmu came back from the fields around noon. They were delighted to see their daughter and Yun Ying playing with little Hulu. "Hulu!" Mrs. Yang called out joyfully. "Grandma’s precious grandson, did you miss your grandma?"

When Hulu saw the three of them, he stood on his tiptoes in his walker and bounced around, making the little vehicle shake and inch forward. Mrs. Yang immediately declared that her grandson must have missed her, which was why he was so excited to see her.

And so, a few more people joined the chorus in the courtyard, all chattering away to themselves in their own happy worlds.

Qingmu quickly drew some water to wash up, then lifted his son out of the walker. The two of them, father and son, stared at each other for a moment—big eyes meeting little eyes—before they started laughing and playfully butting heads.

Zheng Changhe, for his part, grabbed a small stool and sat down beside Juhua. He looked fondly at her belly and asked with a smile, "Your mother tells me you ate a lot this morning. Are you hungry again now?"

Mrs. Yang chimed in, "There’s nothing to be done even if she is hungry. Both Doctor Qin and Doctor Yun said not to let her eat too much, so she’ll just have to bear it. Doctor Qin did say that loach and tofu soup would be good, though. Since Huai Zi isn’t home, have your brother go catch some loaches tomorrow morning."

Qingmu nodded. "I’ll go catch some first thing tomorrow. Juhua, is there anything else you’re craving?"

Juhua smiled. "What else could I possibly want to eat? All of this is already wonderful. Everything is delicious, and these aren’t things we get to eat every day." She felt perfectly content, not longing for anything she didn’t have.

Both her own family and her in-laws doted on her, and the boisterous, laughter-filled atmosphere was intoxicating. But Juhua always felt that something was missing. She missed Huai Zi terribly.

And as it happened, Huai Zi was missing her, too.

In all the time they had been married, he had only left Juhua twice. The last time was to escort Zhang Yang to an examination in Qinghui. This time, he had traveled even farther, all the way to Huzhou.

He couldn’t just drop them off and head back, either. He had to wait until the younger ones had participated in the Prefecture Examination before he could leave. If they passed the exam, he would leave them there to study on their own for the College Examination at the end of the sixth lunar month. If they didn’t pass, he would have to bring them back home.