Shen Xiaolong was working on a wardrobe with Lu Jiasheng. He held a plane, carefully smoothing the cabinet door. In just one month, it would be his uncle and aunt’s wedding, and he wanted to make the wardrobe as perfect as possible, free of any flaws, having made it himself under the guidance of his master.
"Brother Xiao Long, Ni is crying. Did she wet herself?" Ming Kai, holding a piece of shortbread, hopped over. Hearing this, Xiao Long quickly put down his tools and washed his hands before rushing inside.
The master had gone out to deliver goods, and the master’s wife had gone to the Head Flower Factory. He was the only decision-maker at ho. Ni, Xiao Gang, and Ming Kai were all placed at the entrance of the hall so he could keep an eye on them.
"I’m here, Ni, don’t cry. Brother Xiao Long is here. Let’s see!"
When he was ho, he often took care of his younger siblings, so now taking care of Ming Kai, Xiao Gang, and Ni was quite easy for him. He removed the diaper and saw, indeed, it was a bit damp.
"Just changing the diaper will do. Ming Kai, you’re great, taking good care of your younger siblings. Rember to drink so water after eating the shortbread, don’t choke."
"Okay!"
"Xiao Long, why are you alone here? Where is your master?" Shen ng arrived to find Xiao Long soothing the children, with no one else at ho. She frowned slightly.
"My master has gone to deliver goods. The people from the neighboring village ordered so tables and chairs. He will be back soon. Aunt, look at this wardrobe. I made it myself. How is it? This is for my uncle, for their wedding."
Shen ng held back her annoyance while examining the large wardrobe on the floor, which indeed looked impressive – it clearly showed that he had put his heart into making it.
"My goodness, it’s really quite nice. Xiao Long, you’ve learned well. It doesn’t look like it will be long before you can graduate from apprenticeship."
Xiao Long blushed at the praise, shyly smiling at Shen ng, not quite sure how to respond to such enthusiastic complints.
"This is sothing your aunt brought for you from the county, so apples, bananas, and biscuits. These are for you to keep for yourself. There’s also so for your master’s family; you don’t need to share them separately with your siblings. These are labor protection gloves for you, be careful when you work, and don’t hurt your hands."
"Ah, thank you, Auntie. I—I am not lacking food and drink in my master’s ho, I eat well every day. You don’t need to spend money on , Auntie."
"Keep what I’ve brought you, and study well. In the future, once you are skilled, I’ll set up a workshop for you. When you make money, build a big house so your parents can live in it too."
Shen ng painted a vivid picture, filling the young man’s face with longing.
"One of these days I’ll take a day off, and you co to Auntie’s house for lunch tomorrow. I’ll cook chicken for you."
"Okay."
Shen Xiaolong was very happy. Whenever his auntie cooked delicacies, he always had a portion reserved for him. Bringing goodies from the county always ant he’d be the first to receive them. He felt far better here than at ho.
After placing Ni back in her little bed, he carried the heavy items back to his room. By the ti he ca out, Lu Jiasheng had returned, hauling a flatbed cart into the courtyard and greeting Shen ng.
"Elder sister-in-law has arrived."
"Yes, Jiasheng, I ca to bring Xiao Long so items, and I also brought so for you guys. A friend from the south in the county gifted a huge box of fruits. I’ve brought so for you to try as well."
"Ah, thank you, elder sister-in-law. You’ve really given too much; this is too extravagant."
Shen ng shook her head. What she had given was not much. She still had other fruits in her storage space, just not the right season to take them out yet. When the weather ward up a bit more, she had even better things to bring out!
"Jiasheng, next ti let Xiao Long handle the deliveries. He’s a big kid now, and he should exercise that responsibility. I just saw him changing Ni’s diaper, his hands are so rough, I was afraid he might hurt her."
"Little aunt, I was gentle, I didn’t hurt my sister."
Shen ng glanced at him and remained silent. He was still a half-grown child taking care of a baby. What if sothing went wrong, could he take responsibility?
Lu Jiasheng seed to have grasped Shen ng’s concerns as well, and nodded firmly, promising to let Xiao Long take over so tasks and he would watch the children at ho.
"Besides those fruits, I’ve brought you so more groceries. I covered them up with a big bag on the way back, so nobody noticed. You and Xiao Long do physical labor, and Jinghao is busy all day long. Without good nourishnt, how can your bodies hold up?"
Lu Jiasheng was initially a little upset, but when he saw the noodles, high-protein flour, fine rice, and finally a strip of pork that Shen ng took out,
"This, this is too much, elder sister-in-law, I, I’ll give you so money. I can’t just take so much from you for nothing."
"Keep it, aside from others, don’t I know it myself? Xiao Long eats a lot. As his aunt, it’s only right for to contribute. You guys eat up, and if it tastes good, you can pay for it next ti. I’ll bring it for you. Let’s forget about the cost this ti. Oh, Xiao Long should co eat at our house tomorrow noon, so don’t prepare his al."
"Ah!"
Who doesn’t want to save a bit? Even though she has a good relationship with Xie Jinghao, when it cos to family matters, it’s better to make things clear to avoid friction over ti.
After finishing the conversation, Shen ng took Ming Kai and headed ho, and by the ti Mingyang and the three children arrived ho, dinner was already prepared.
"Mom, I kind of miss Dad. It’s been days since I saw him, I feel so empty inside."
"Dad has been gone for a few days, I’ve been counting the days on my fingers. When will he be back?"
"What are we having for dinner tonight, Mom? We eat so well, but can Dad eat well too?"
"I want to save a bowl of slippery chicken soup for Dad, he loves eating pancake soaked in it. Oh, I miss him so much I can’t sleep."
Shen ng: "...."
All this drama just during dinner, if they really felt that way, why don’t they serve themselves a little less??
"It’ll be soon, wasn’t it a week as agreed? Only five more days, go to sleep and when you wake up, it’ll be four days."
"Ah, it’s too long, does Dad even miss ?"
Ming Liang had just finished speaking when Ming Kai elbowed him.
"No way, Dad says sons are like dog poop, if he misses anyone, it’s Mom and sister. But I’m going to take a bath tonight. After bathing, a baby isn’t dog poop anymore, but a sweet-slling darling."
Shen ng: "....."
She hadn’t felt it during the bustling day, but when she lay alone in bed at night, her thoughts were turbulent and full of worries, making the bed feel much colder.
She sighed, entered the room, briefly washed up, found a drama to watch while eating, then prepared herself a steak pasta and a glass of wine, and began to enjoy her rare solitude.
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