It was rare for her son to praise others, so when she heard this, Lu Jueyu smiled and said, "Indeed. Since Teacher Lin helped Xiao Huang before, we should repay her kindness. Tomorrow, Mother will go visit her."
Hearing this, Li Chenmo said, "Wife, take the bicycle when you go out tomorrow. I will be working in the farmland in the morning, so we will continue building the greenhouse after I return."
When Dong Li heard this, he looked at his father and asked curiously, "Father, what is a greenhouse?"
"A greenhouse is a structure designed to regulate the temperature and humidity inside. With it, we can grow sumr vegetables even in winter," Li Chenmo explained.
The children's eyes widened with amazent the mont they heard their father's words. This was the first ti they had heard of such a thing.
Villagers typically used dried straw to cover crops from the cold wind, but they still couldn't grow sumr vegetables in winter. The thought of eating fresh vegetables instead of pickled ones every day thrilled them.
Noticing their excitent, Li Chenmo asked, "How about you two help us build the greenhouse tomorrow?"
Dong Li and Dong Huang eagerly agreed, "Okay!"
Dong Huang was excited by the novelty, while Dong Li was keen to learn. He knew that acquiring new skills and knowledge could increase his and his family's chances of survival in the future.
While Li Chenmo and his family were discussing the bamboo greenhouse project, Zhang Ermu was kneading dough in his house.
After paying off his debt, his family could finally enjoy noodles and stead buns every day. Although he could only use a mix of half white flour and half coarse grain flour, it was still much better than before.
As he kneaded the dough, his mind wandered to the ti he overheard Liu Hua talking to Liu Piao about introducing her to a man. He knew it would be better for her to marry soone from a farming family than to marry him.
Not only was his family's social standing the lowest in the village and he was poor, his mother also still harbored resentnt toward Liu Piao's family for breaking off the engagent without reason.
Yet, even though he understood this, he couldn't bring himself to accept it. Seeing her in a wedding dress for another man once had been painful enough—he didn't want to experience that pain again.
At the thought of this, Zhang Ermu's hands froze.
All along, he had been waiting for her to co back. Now that she has finally returned, he shouldn't just wait for her to find him. If he couldn't let go, he should take the initiative to chase after her.
Even if he failed to marry her, at least he wouldn't have any regrets in the future. Perhaps then he could finally let her go and marry soone else.
Having made up his mind, he placed the dough into a basin and covered it with a cloth. He quickly washed his hands and went to find his mother.
His father had gone to the foothills to gather firewood while his sister went to send the clothes she sewed to the production team, so only his mother was at ho.
Standing outside her room, Zhang Ermu took a deep breath before he knocked on the door.
"Mother, it's . May I co in?" he asked.
Mother Zhang, who was nding clothes in her room, replied, "Co in."
Seeing her son's solemn expression, she put down the clothes on her hands and asked, "Ermu, what's wrong?"
Sitting on the kang bed, Zhang Ermu hesitated briefly before saying, "Mother, I went to see Liu Piao."
Mother Zhang looked at her son but said nothing. She had noticed him visiting Liu Piao since her return from the city. While she had hoped her son would give up his one-sided feelings, she couldn't bear to force him.
After a mont of silence, she asked, "Ermu, do you still want to marry her?"
Zhang Ermu nodded and replied, "Mother, I know you still resent her parents for breaking off the engagent and insulting , but I can't give her up—not even after all these years."
Knowing how stubborn her son was, Mother Zhang could only sigh and say, "Since you have made up your mind, then go ahead. No matter the outco, you must accept it and move on with your life."
"Mother doesn't want to see you trapped in the past and wasting your life. You are not young anymore, it's ti for you to get married and have your own children."
Taking his mother's hands, Zhang Ermu nodded and promised, "Mother, if I can't be with her, I will marry soone else. I just want closure for my feelings and our relationship."
"As long as you know what you are doing, Mother will support you," Mother Zhang said.
Zhang Ermu was both delighted and surprised by her response. He had thought it would take a lot of persuasion to win her over, but she supported him wholeheartedly as soon as he told her his decision.
Feeling warmth in his heart, he smiled and said, "Thank you, Mother."
Mother Zhang nodded and resud nding clothes, while Zhang Ermu returned to the kitchen in high spirits. With his mother's permission, he now only needed to talk to Liu Piao.
If she was willing, he would do his best to give her the wedding she deserved. Even if it ant using all his savings, he would prepare the best betrothal gifts he could afford.
Motivated by his goal, Zhang Ermu finished steaming the flower buns and wrapped three in a clean cloth. He filled a bamboo bottle with boiled water and prepared to leave.
Before heading out, he inford his mother. Knocking on her door, he said, "Mother, I have left so buns on the stear. I'm going to the mountain foothills to gather mushrooms and will return before sunset."
Due to her leg condition, Mother Zhang couldn't climb mountains or walk far, so she stayed ho doing needlework.
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