Chapter 3

When Song Dashan came back, the house was quiet. He put down his hoe and looked back and forth. He didn’t see anyone. When he finally walked into the room, he saw a sweet scene of Xioabao and Li Mo sleeping together.

Song Dashan stared at the two people embracing each other. He was in a daze, and his heart was a bit touched as if he felt for the first time what it felt like to have a wife and child at home.

It seems that there is nothing wrong with marrying and having a wife.

Without disturbing the two people who were sleeping, Song Dashan quietly came out of the room and went to the kitchen. He started to prepare their dinner.

When Li Mo woke up, she saw the little boy in her arms looking at him with his big black and white eyes, without speaking.

Li Mo smiled and gently pressed a kiss on Xiaobao’s forehead, “Xiaobao is already awake?”

Xiaobao did not expect to be kissed, so he immediately felt shy and stretched out two small hands to cover his little face.

Li Mo was amused by his little reaction. She kissed him again and then hugged him, “Xiaobao, it seems that it was already late. We need to get up and see if your father comes back. “

Xiaobao slowly lowered the hands covering his face, nodded, and got up immediately. He picked up the little clothes placed on the bedside and put them on himself.

Li Mo found that the child was very sensible. At a young age, he would eat by himself and put on his own clothes. Could it be that the children of this period learned to be independent?

Li Mo dressed properly, took Xiaobao off the bed, helped him put on his little shoes, and led him out of the room.

Hearing a movement coming from the kitchen, Li Mo led Xiaobao to the kitchen door and saw Song Dashan sitting behind the stove, burning some wood to make a fire.
“Brother Dashan, are you back?”

Song Dashan nodded when he saw them, “Wait a little longer, and the rice will be ready soon.” Li Mo was a little embarrassed for a while, and he had to cook after working in the day, and all she did was sleep at home, just like a rice bug. This action should not be seen by the villagers, right? In the future, this can’t be done again.

But when she saw the burning stove, Li Mo remembered that she didn’t know how to light such a stove. Even if she was to cook, she didn’t know if she could do it.

Li Mo felt that the first thing she had to do was learn how to make a fire.

Even before Li Mo could see how to burn a fire, the dinner was ready. It was the same as the one they ate at noon, except that it was thicker.

Li Mo didn’t eat much at noon. The original body was hungry for several meals. At this time, she felt very hungry. So when she was eating, even though it was still difficult to swallow, Li Mo tried to eat it.

Halfway through the meal, someone came inside the house.

Xiaobao first saw the people coming in and shouted: “Grandma.”

Li Mo and Song Dashan only saw the people coming.

The visitor was an old woman who looked like she was in her 50s. She was thin, with a slightly curved back, rough and dark skin, most of her hair was gray, and her clothes were shabby. She looked like a person who had been tired for years.

It turned out that this was Song Dashan’s mother and Xiaobao’s grandmother.

Seeing his mother, Song Dashan quickly got up and welcomed Mother Song in. He made her sit in a chair, “Mother, we are eating. I will serve you a bowl. “

Then he went to the kitchen.

Mother Song hurriedly held her son, who was going to the kitchen, “You don’t need to. I have already eaten. You guys eat it quickly. “

“Mother, have you really eaten?”

Mother Song nodded, “Yes, hurry now and eat.”

Song Dashan nodded and sat down to continue eating.

Mother Song glanced at Li Mo a lot since she came in, knowing that this daughter-in-law bought it by her son with his money. People in the village were talking about how his second son bought a wife at a high price. Her eldest daughter-in-law also said it to her at home. She didn’t believe it at first. Seeing Li Mo, she had no choice but to believe it.

Mother Song cleared her throat and asked Song Dashan, “Dashan, is this the wife you bought yesterday?”

Song Dashan glanced at Li Mo, saw her head bowed down to eat. He nodded and answered his mother, “Mother, her name is Li Mo.”

Mother Song glanced at Li Mo again, secretly saying that she had never seen a beautiful young girl like this in her long years of living, but she just looked good, and beauty can’t feed you. Look at that weak and delicate look. She looks like she can’t lift heavy things. Well, besides, she was bought for two taels of silver. If you add a little more, you can buy a cow.

She couldn’t help but complain that her second son didn’t know how to discuss her first before buying her.

Mother Song wanted to say a few words about Song Dashan, but it was useless since he had already bought her and she couldn’t say it in front of Li Mo. She swallowed her words again and remembered the eldest son’s wife. The purpose of dropping by here. She didn’t know how to speak for a while。

Seeing Mother Song sitting there without speaking, the atmosphere was a bit awkward for a while. Song Dashan took the initiative to speak, “Mother, what did you come here for today?”

Seeing Song Dashan taking the initiative to speak, Mother Song was relieved and answered Song Dashan’s questions: “Well, Dashan, it’s like this.”

Her expression was a bit stiff, and she glanced at Li Mo, who was sitting down and eating seriously. She bit the bullet and said, “Your Eldest Brother’s son will be here soon. Your elder brother is in a difficult situation and wants to ask if you have any money in your hand to give to your nephew. “

Mother Song said, lowering her eyes, not daring to look at the eyes of her second son.

In fact, it was her daughter-in-law who heard that her second son spent two taels of silver on buying a wife. She thought that the second son had hidden a lot of money, so she regretted that she didn’t ask for more money the last time, and now she let her come here and ask for more money.

Song Dashan’s voice was a little heavy, “Mother, I have already paid for the support for my older brother and sister-in-law.”

Mother Song was a bit silly, rubbing her hands, “Dashan, you have not been at home for so many years. If it weren’t for your older brother and sister-in-law to raise Xiaobao, Xiaobao wouldn’t have survived either. You should thank your older brother and sister-in-law for taking care of Xiaobao for many years you are gone. “

Song Dashan remembered that when he came back, he saw his son’s skinny look, but his elder brother’s son, Xiao Ming, was fat and white, and his son was only wearing shabby clothes that could not be seen decent clothes. Standing on the ground, the rice bowl lay heavily on the table with a loud noise. His eyes sank suddenly, his lips tightened, his aura suddenly became a bit terrifying, and the scared Xiao Bao didn’t dare to eat anymore. He glanced at Song Dashan, then looked at Li Mo timidly. His eyes seemed to be seeking shelter.

Li Mo hurriedly took Xiao Bao over and sat in his arms, patting his little back.
Seeing Xiaobao seemed to be a little afraid. Song Dashan restrained his emotions, his expression improved. He looked at his shivering mother, his eyes were a bit complicated, and his voice was a bit difficult, “Mother, my disability allowance totals 15 taels of silver. I have already given 8 taels to my eldest brother and sister-in-law. I didn’t get anything when I came back. I still spent two acres of land on buying this house. The remaining money was used to buy Li Mo. The money on hand has long been gone. “

Mother Song was a bit uncomfortable being told by Song Dashan, and she didn’t feel guilty in her heart.

In the past, the family needed to send a soldier to serve the country. Otherwise, they would have to pay 50 taels of silver. Their family couldn’t afford to pay 50 taels, so they pushed the Song Dashan to enlist. Now that Song Dashan was crippled when he came back from the battlefield, he had to take Xiao Bao out to live by themselves and separate from them. As a mother, she knew that she should be sorry for her second son, but she couldn’t help him. Now the eldest son is in charge of the family, and she has to rely on the eldest son and let him support her.

Mother Song thought of this and couldn’t stay any longer, so she stood up awkwardly, “Okay, mother knows, Mother is going now.”

Mother Song went out quickly, Song Dashan did not send her away, but the atmosphere after that was low.

Li Mo heard a little bit. Song Dashan should have gone out to serve as a soldier for many years, but now he is returning home. His older brother and sister-in-law asked him for money.

For the rest of the story, Li Mo doesn’t know. She could figure it out later if he had a chance.

After the family had dinner in silence, Li Mo cleaned up the dishes and took them to the kitchen to wash.

After cleaning up, the night was approaching, the surrounding started to get dark.

Song Dashan boiled hot water for them to use.

In fact, Li Mo was feeling uncomfortable. She wanted to take a good bath. Looking at Song Dashan, who was sitting under the stove boiling water, Li Mo said, “Brother Dashan, I want to take a bath.”

Song Dashan paused and thought of his home. There is no bathtub, only a small basin for washing his face and a footbath. He usually takes a bath directly with cold water and does not need a bathtub.

Song Dashan hesitated for a moment and said, “I don’t have a bathtub at home, so I can only wipe it with the washbasin first.” But he secretly remembered that a bathtub must be made.

Li Mo nodded. Wiping with water is better than not washing.

After the water started boiling, Song Dashan filled the wooden barrel with hot water and brought it to Li Mo’s room. Then he gave her the basin to wash. After thinking about it, he found a good linen cloth and handed it to Li Mo as a towel. Finally, he found one of his best clothes for Li Mo to change and wash temporarily.

“Thank you, Brother Dashan.” Li Mo truly appreciated his thoughtfulness.

Song Dashan didn’t say anything, nodded, walked out of the room, and closed the door as he went out.

Li Mo took off her clothes and washed her body with a linen cloth dipped in the basin’s hot water. When the water started to get cold, she added some hot water.

Finally, after washing, she feels refreshed.

Li Mo put on Song Dashan’s clothes. Although there were patches on them, they were not as many as what he wore. Li Mo doesn’t dislike it. Some of them are good, but for her, the clothes are a bit too big. When she wore it, it was too big for her. Li Mo thought for a while. She tore off a piece of cloth from the old clothes, turned it to a belt, and tied it tightly around her waist…

Li Mo opened the door of the room and saw Song Dashan making up something in the moonlight. Hearing the sound, he looked up.

Li Mo smiled embarrassedly, “Brother Dashan, I am done. I’ll pour the basin.”

Song Dashan nodded, put down the things in his hands, walked into the room, and was about to take out the basin.

Li Mo was surprised and quickly stopped him, “Brother Dashan, no, I will do it myself.”

Song Dashan easily avoided Li Mo and continued walking outside, “It’s heavy, I’ll do it.”

Li Mo pursed her lips, a little ashamed. This was the first time someone helped her pour the bathwater.