Chapter 191: Xiao Mo’s Disdain

In the days leading up to Lu Xiaotang’s departure, he had stopped going to the fields. If he wasn’t heading up the mountain, he was at home spending time with the family.

After lunch, he grabbed his basket, intending to go up the mountain again. But Xu Ning urged him to rest for a while. “You’ve been working non-stop during the day and taking care of the kids at night. You haven’t been sleeping well lately.”

The kids were already asleep, and the house was quiet, so Xu Ning suggested, “Take this chance to get some proper rest while it’s peaceful.”

Looking at the sleeping children on the kang, Lu Xiaotang smiled and said, “Alright then, no mountain this afternoon. I’ll stay home and rest. Let me lock the door first.”

He went out, locked the outer door, and then shut the door to the room as well. Xu Ning, puzzled by his thoroughness, asked, “Why lock everything up so tight? It’s stuffy enough in here.”

“There’s wind today. I don’t want you and the kids catching a cold,” Lu Xiaotang explained.

Xu Ning glanced outside at the bright sun, puzzled. How could there be wind in such weather? She found his behavior a bit strange but didn’t say much.

As soon as Lu Xiaotang climbed onto the kang, he began undressing. Before Xu Ning could react, she was already wrapped in his arms.

When she woke up, it was nearly dark. She dragged her aching body off the kang, feeling as though her waist was about to give out.

Lu Xiaotang was in the kitchen making dinner, while Xiao Mo and the kids were playing in Xu An’s room. The children were giggling as their little uncle entertained them.

Xu Ning first shot a glare at Lu Xiaotang in the kitchen before heading to check on the kids.

As soon as Niu Niutang saw her, he ran over and called out, “Mom-ma!”

Xiao Mo also asked, “Sis, why are you up? Does your head still hurt? You should lie back down on the kang! When dinner’s ready, I’ll have my brother-in-law bring it to you.”

Xu Ning cleared her throat and smiled, “Xiao Mo, I’m fine now, really. There’s no need to worry.”

In the kitchen, Lu Xiaotang overheard the siblings’ conversation and couldn’t help but chuckle. He worried that if Xiao Mo kept asking questions, his wife would get upset with him.

Lu Xiaotang quickly called out, “Xiao Mo, let your sister watch the kids. Come help me with the fire.”

Xiao Mo walked into the kitchen and asked, “Brother-in-law, what are you planning to cook? Why don’t you let me handle the cooking and you just take care of the fire?”

As he spoke, he made his way to the stove, where Lu Xiaotang was stirring the lumps in the pot. Xiao Mo took one glance and sighed, “Brother-in-law, you’ve made the lumps so big. How are my niece and nephews supposed to eat that? Just go tend to the fire, and I’ll take over the cooking.”

With that, he took the bowl from Lu Xiaotang’s hands and started stirring the mixture himself. Muttering under his breath, he added, “You’re all grown up, yet you can’t even make lump soup properly. Sigh, none of you are easy to deal with.”

Watching Xiao Mo muttering to himself while skillfully stirring the lumps in the pot, Lu Xiaotang felt a mix of amusement and affection.

During the year he was away, Niu Pi Tang had been well taken care of, largely thanks to Xiao Mo. Without him, Xu Ning would have had a much harder time.

Once Xiao Mo had stirred the lump soup well, he noticed a bowl of steamed egg custard on the table. It was likely prepared by his brother-in-law for Niu Pi Tang, and he suddenly felt a bit guilty for assuming otherwise.

He stole a shy glance at Lu Xiaotang.

“Xiao Mo, the lump soup you made is really good. The lumps are all evenly sized. I can tell you’ve made it quite a few times,” Lu Xiaotang praised.

“Just as well, I steamed a bit less egg custard. Let Niu Pi Tang have some of the lump soup as well,” Lu Xiaotang said, ruffling Xiao Mo’s hair in praise.

Hearing this, Xiao Mo’s mood brightened again.

Just as they finished setting the table, Xu An returned home from work, carrying a half portion of pig offal.

Lu Xiaotang took it from him and placed it in a basin.

“Brother-in-law, we couldn’t get any meat today. Sun Hao and I stood in line for half an hour this morning just to grab this offal. We split it between us,” Xu An explained.

After parking his bicycle, Xu Mo brought him some water to wash his face and hands before he entered the house.

Lu Xiaotang chuckled, “Pig offal is pretty good. It tastes even better than pork. I’ll clean it up, and tomorrow your sister can cook it herself.”

Xiao Mo remembered how his sister made pig offal and swallowed hard. “Tomorrow I’ll come again to see Niu Pi Tang.”

Looking at his thin little face, Lu Xiaotang said indulgently, “Alright, just tell your sister how you want it, and she’ll make it for you. Tomorrow, I’ll head up the mountain and see if I can catch something for you. I’ll make sure to bring some back for the cowshed as well, so everyone can replenish their strength.”

Xiao Mo’s eyes lit up at the mention of going up the mountain. “Brother-in-law, how about I go with you tomorrow? I’m bigger now, and I can help you out!”

In the past few days, there had been a lot of mosquitoes in the mountains, and Lu Xiaotang didn’t want Xiao Mo to suffer.

He smiled and said, “Xiao Mo, your sister hasn’t been feeling well these past couple of days. Why don’t you stay at home and help take care of Niu Pi Tang? I’ll take you up the mountain in a few days, okay?”

Remembering that his sister had been complaining about a headache earlier, Xiao Mo nodded. “Brother-in-law, you have to keep your word. Once my sister feels better, you have to take me hunting.”

“Alright, I promise you,” Lu Xiaotang replied.