Chapter 6

Mom Qiuhua’s house was very large, completely different from what Chen Nongmo had imagined.

Strictly speaking, it was not located at the end of the village, but rather at the foot of a mountain, not clustered together with the other villagers.

Unlike most of the three-room houses in the village, it was a structure with green bricks and grey tiles, hidden among the vast snowy landscape. Its style resembled that of a traditional courtyard house.

It stood by the mountains and was near water.

From a distance, the ancient and charming scene gave Chen Nongmo a sense of nostalgia and a fleeting illusion that she had come for a holiday.

“The house was built just two years ago. Your Big Brother provided the blueprints, saying it was the fashionable style of J City.

When the boys reached the age to marry, they needed to build something bigger… Don’t stand out here, it’s cold. We’ll look around later; let’s go inside first.” Cao Qiuhua said as she noticed the girl’s large eyes, curious and scanning the surroundings.

Cao Qiuhua’s footsteps slowed, thinking that Chen Nongmo was interested in the size of the house. She pulled her inside while explaining.

“Yes, Little Sister, come inside first. It’s all snow outside, nothing to see. Wait until spring, there will be lots of flowers inside and outside the courtyard. You’ll definitely like it… There’s a plum tree, and over there is a peach tree… When the season comes, there will be endless fruit to eat. Second Brother will take you to climb the trees to pick them, they’re sweet and crunchy…” Cao Liu, tall and broad like a bear, had a kind smile, though his outward roughness hid a delicate heart.

Under his introduction, Chen Nongmo couldn’t help but glance in the direction of his finger. Although all she could see were bare trees covered in snow, she still felt a sense of anticipation for the harvest.

At the same time, she couldn’t help but feel that the Second Brother, whom she was meeting for the first time, had a heart that didn’t match his appearance.

His words, though ordinary, made one unconsciously feel at ease.

“This must be the Sixth Sister, right? I’m your Fourth Brother, Chen Jun, and this is your Fifth Brother, Chen Yi.”

As soon as she stepped inside, in addition to the warmth, there were also a pair of twin brothers who looked strikingly similar to each other.

Perhaps because they were still young, the 15-year-old boys were very tall but still had slender, lean frames.

One was cheerful and outgoing, while the other was gentle and shy, both with pleasant appearances.

Chen Nongmo smiled sweetly. “Hello, Fourth Brother, Fifth Brother. My nickname is Yuyu.”

Although she was still adjusting to the nickname Yuyu, she wasn’t ready to accept being called the “Sixth” just yet. She couldn’t get used to it.

His Little Sister was beautiful, and her smile made her even more dazzling. Chen Jun, a little embarrassed, raised his hand and scratched the back of his head. “I know your name is Yuyu. Mom talks about you all the time. The ‘Sixth’ is based on our siblings’ order. Do you prefer being called Yuyu? I think ‘Sixth’ is better. It immediately shows you’re my Little Sister.”

Hehe…

Chen Nongmo’s lips twitched in silent protest.

“Slap!” A loud smack echoed through the room.

After giving his silly younger brother a light smack on the back of the head, Cao Liu laughed heartily, his grin especially warm. “Don’t call a girl ‘Sixth.’ You either call her ‘Sixth Sister’ or ‘Yuyu,’ understand? Also, I’m hungry. Let’s hurry and bring the food!”

“Hiss… Second Brother… that hurts…”

“Good, it should hurt. You definitely need some discipline.” After scolding his troublesome younger brother, Cao Liu turned back to the girl, smiling at her. “Sixth Sister, I’ll show you to your room. Once you’ve put your luggage away, we can come out for dinner.”

Chen Nongmo replied, “Thank you, Second Brother.”

Cao Liu smiled. “Since you’ve called me Second Brother, there’s no need to be so polite.”

---

They had a big meat feast.

Took a hot bath.

Then she distributed the gifts her mother had helped prepare for everyone.

Once back in her own room, Chen Nongmo sat cross-legged on the kang bed, drying her damp hair.

It was only then that she had time to carefully examine the room she might live in for many years to come.

The room’s décor was simple yet elegant. It had everything from the desk, chairs, to the wardrobe, all intricately carved with delicate patterns.

During dinner, she had heard Mom Qiuhua mention that these items were all personally made by Dad Zong and Second Brother Cao Liu. It was clear that a lot of thought and effort had been put into it.

Coupled with the soft and warm new cotton quilt under her and over her, every detail seemed to tell Chen Nongmo that she was truly welcomed into this family.

Having lived through two lifetimes, from the moment she opened her eyes, it seemed like she had always been loved and cherished by everyone.

Even though she was no longer the type to easily feel melancholic, Chen Nongmo couldn’t help but admit that a corner of her heart had softened. At the same time, it also brought about more unease.

At this moment, everything in her life was going well, far better than she had ever imagined.

But what about Dad Zong and Mom? Who could she approach to find out any news?

She felt a bit greedy, hoping that the good fortune she had experienced since her rebirth could continue just a little longer.

She hoped that her parents had not been dragged into the political storm this time.

If it were really the case, Chen Nongmo was certain that she wouldn’t be able to remain unaffected.

“Knock, knock!” A sudden knock on the door interrupted her thoughts.

Chen Nongmo put on her shoes, got off the bed, and quickly opened the door.

Cao Qiuhua entered, holding a stack of clothes and smiling. “I figured you weren’t asleep yet. I used to send clothes to you before the New Year, but this year you came, so it saved the postage. Get some rest now, and after you wake up, try them on. Are they the right size? Are they warm enough? If you think they’re too thin, just take them apart and add some cotton.”

As she spoke, Cao Qiuhua placed the pile of clothes in the wardrobe, then turned to take the towel from the girl’s hand, quickly helping her dry her hair. She chattered on, “It’s really cold. You just got here to the North, so you’re not used to it yet. You’ll need to be more prepared when washing your hair and taking baths from now on. Be careful not to catch a cold or freeze yourself…”

Chen Nongmo wasn’t a quiet person; in fact, she could be quite sociable.

But the word “sociable” felt too superficial, unable to reach the depths of her heart.

Therefore, in comparison, she was not good at responding to others’ true feelings.

In times like this, she often felt clumsy.

Like right now, sitting on the bed, with her head slightly lowered, feeling the pressure of her hair being dried, and listening to the woman’s voice, which was full of genuine concern, she had no idea how to respond.

Luckily, Cao Qiuhua didn’t expect a response from her. In her view, it was perfectly normal for the girl to be shy and reserved, especially since she had come from an unfamiliar environment and was still getting used to the world around her.

“It’ll be fine once you get used to it, both you and I need time,” Cao Qiuhua said with a smile. “Your hair is so beautiful, so black and thick, and it’s as smooth as satin. I’ll go grab another dry towel.”

Chen Nongmo quickly stopped her. “No need, Mom Qiuhua. I can just dry it at the end of the kang later.”

Hearing that, Cao Qiuhua didn’t insist. She hung the towel up to dry and reminded her, “Don’t sleep before it’s fully dry, understand?”

“I know.”

“Then I’ll stay a little longer and chat with you. Otherwise, when I leave, you might fall asleep without realizing it.”

Chen Nongmo hesitated before speaking, “How about… I try on the clothes you made for me?”

“Alright!”

The clothes were quite exquisite, and they seemed to have been tailored to fit her measurements perfectly. There was one pink jacket with a cross-front style, and one bright red jacket with side toggle buttons. Both were slightly modified versions of traditional styles, just long enough to cover her hips without pushing the boundaries of current fashion.

Both jackets were made from floral fabric, though thankfully the flowers were small. If they had been larger, even though Chen Nongmo enjoyed trying to look youthful, she wouldn’t have felt comfortable wearing them out.

Once she put them on, paired with her classical, delicate features, she looked even more charming.

“I knew you’d look great in this style. I’ll make a few more for you later,” Cao Qiuhua said with delight as she had fun dressing up the girl. After taking a moment to admire her, she sincerely complimented her.

Chen Nongmo quickly shook her head. “I have enough to wear. I brought two thick coats with me.”

“That’s not too much,” Cao Qiuhua replied. “You only brought two suitcases, and half of that was gifts for us. How many clothes could you have brought? Anyway, winter’s a quiet time. We’ve stocked up a lot of fabric for you at home, all in bright colors. Besides you, no one else can wear them, so we’ll make you some clothes for spring and summer too.”

Hearing that, Chen Nongmo realized refusing any further might seem ungrateful, so she said, “Well… could I learn to make clothes from you?”

In the past, during summer breaks in high school, she had worked on an assembly line in a clothing workshop for two months. She was a little better than someone with no experience, but she was still far from being able to make a complete garment on her own.

Cao Qiuhua gently rubbed the girl’s head. “I’d love to teach you, but shouldn’t you be focusing on learning to read first? Next year, you’ll be going to school.”

A thunderclap!

A bolt of lightning!

Chen Nongmo snapped back to reality, feeling utterly devastated.

That’s right, how had she forgotten? She was still illiterate.

So… was she going to have to start learning from first grade? Or even kindergarten?

Help!

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“Are you feeling better now?” In the master bedroom, seeing his wife return with a relaxed smile, Chen Zong pulled her onto the bed, ready to cuddle and nap together.

They had taken several hours of travel to get to the city the day before to pick up their daughter, and had stayed the night at a guesthouse so they could meet her early in the morning.

His wife had suffered in the past, and her health was still not very good. After traveling for more than ten hours, she must have been exhausted.

However, seeing her relaxed expression, Chen Zong didn’t want to spoil the mood, so he decided to talk about things she liked instead.

Cao Qiuhua turned over to face her husband and said softly, “Yeah, I’m relieved. I’m happy that Yuyu is doing well. At least I can check one worry off my list. Now, I’m just concerned about Demao and Ji Mo… I don’t know how they’re doing. The little girl hasn’t said anything, but I can tell she’s still thinking about them.”

Chen Zong replied, “Didn’t you talk to the oldest about this before? Wu Wen is a dutiful son. That’s his father, and if he can help, he definitely will. Even if he can’t, it’s not a big deal. As long as we find out where Demao is being sent, I can run a few errands to deliver things to them or mail them. Don’t worry too much.”

His wife, who was usually quiet and reserved outside, would always speak more to him when she was troubled.

Cao Qiuhua let out a light “Hmm,” without saying much else. She buried her face in her husband’s chest.

Chen Zong’s strong face broke into a slight smile as he patted his wife gently with his large hand, his voice deep and soothing, “Go to sleep. After we wake up, I’ll go with you to the village committee to call the oldest. We’ll tell him that Yuyu is here, so that guy doesn’t keep worrying about it.”

At those words, Cao Qiuhua’s body stiffened slightly.

“What’s wrong?”

She lay back down and pressed her hand to her temple, looking a little helpless as she said, “I was just thinking… I forgot something. I haven’t even told the oldest that Yuyu is at our house.”

Hearing this, Chen Zong’s rugged face showed a faint smile. He gently patted his wife and said in a deep voice, “It’s alright, it’s not a big deal. When you call the oldest, just tell him. Do you think he’ll really get upset with you?”

“…Well, that’s hard to say.”

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