Free Web NovelChapter 425: Chapter 224: Liu Sanshun
After dinner, Zhang Huai said his goodbyes and departed under the moonlight.
Juhua helped Yang Family clear the table, then they washed the dishes and boiled water together.
Yang Family watched her daughter and said with delight, "Hua’er, you go take a bath. I’ll finish up here. Ah, once your Aunt Zhang moves over, on nights like this, our two families will be able to sit and chat after dinner. I won’t be so lonely then."
She had been delighted all day, and it seemed she still wasn’t finished celebrating. She had to talk about something related to Zhang Huai to fully express her happiness.
Juhua knew exactly what her mother was thinking. She didn’t reply, simply going to find her clothes and take a bath.
Yang Family watched her retreating back and smiled silently. ’My daughter hasn’t realized it herself, but I can see it as clear as day. She has feelings for Huai Zi.’ And as for Huai Zi, it was even more obvious—he clearly adored Juhua. Seeing the two of them together made her, as their mother, so happy. She wished she could just settle the engagement with He right then and there.
By the time Juhua came out from her bath, Zheng Changhe was just entering the courtyard, his face lit by the moon. He chuckled and called out cheerfully, "Daughter, Dad’s home!"
Hearing his booming voice, Juhua went to greet him with a happy smile.
She was naturally a calm and composed person, with a maturity beyond her years. Yet, under the unassuming affection of Zheng Changhe and Yang Family, she often found herself letting go of her reserve and acting like a young girl again. It was only natural. ’Who could resist such a warm and loving family atmosphere?’ It was impossible not to relax and let one’s true feelings show.
She smiled at Zheng Changhe and said, "Dad, are you tired? You should hurry and take a bath. Mom already boiled the water; she was just waiting for you to get back."
Zheng Changhe let out a long sigh of relief. "I feel fine, really. At last, the work is done. Qingmu, did you finish planting the seedlings in the paddy field?"
Qingmu replied, "We finished a long time ago. Huai Zi came to help today, too." Then, the father and son began to discuss the day’s work.
Juhua went into the kitchen, added hot water to the bath for her father, and brought him a change of clothes. Zheng Changhe was very pleased and gave her a huge smile.
Now that the family was better off, Juhua had made some improvements to their lifestyle. She made sure they had all the necessities and wouldn’t compromise on them just to save a little money. For example, she had suggested making a new wooden tub specifically for her brother and father, so that the men and women in the family would have separate bathing things.
Fortunately, Yang Family was also in agreement, which saved Juhua a great deal of effort trying to convince her.
Juhua went out into the courtyard to join Qingmu. Bathed in moonlight, they chatted idly about the crops, the fruit trees, and the vegetable garden, enjoying the rare and beautiful spring night.
A few days later, Meizi came looking for Juhua, just as expected, to get some chili pepper seedlings to plant.
Juhua had used up so much chili powder over the winter that she knew the small patch in their backyard garden wouldn’t be nearly enough. So, she had sown a huge number of seeds, planning to plant a whole plot of them on their land by the fishpond.
However, being inexperienced, she had sown far too many seeds, and now she had a massive surplus of seedlings. It would be a shame to just pull them up and throw them away. So, when Meizi came asking for some, an idea struck her. She went to call for Xiu from Shorty Zhou’s family to come get some as well.
Shorty Zhou’s family had moved in not long ago. Xiu and Cui both enjoyed talking with Juhua, but the two girls were quiet, gentle, and shy. They weren’t as forthright as Liu Xiaomei or Meizi, so they didn’t visit Juhua’s home very often. Since Juhua herself wasn’t one for making social calls, they saw little of each other.
Today, when Xiu saw Juhua come all the way to her door to ask if she wanted chili seedlings, she was delighted and quickly said, "Yes, I do! I was thinking of planting some along the base of the courtyard wall. They wouldn’t take up any space, and it would be easy." With that, she turned back, found a Lanzi in the kitchen, and prepared to leave with Juhua.
Her younger sister, Cui, who was in the middle of preparing vegetables, hesitated for a moment. Her face flushed as she whispered to her older sister, "Big sis, I want to go to Juhua’s house and see it, too!"
Seeing her shyness, Juhua smiled and said, "Come with us. It’s not far, and we’ll be back in no time. We’re neighbors, after all, and you’ve never been over to my house to visit."
Xiu nodded. "Just make sure you close the door tight so the chickens don’t get in and make a mess of the house."
Cui agreed happily. The two sisters closed the main door and the courtyard gate, and headed to Juhua’s house together.
Juhua smiled and asked Xiu, "Hasn’t your family finished planting the rice seedlings yet?"
Xiu pursed her lips into a small smile. "Not yet. We just started today. My mom and second brother are out planting in the fields, and my dad went to help out at my oldest brother’s place. Once they’re done with his family’s fields, they’ll come back to do ours." Her eldest brother was already married and lived separately.
Juhua noted her quiet and gentle demeanor and how little she spoke. ’She really is a sweet-tempered girl,’ she thought. Just then, Cui, who was walking beside them, asked, "Juhua, how come your family planted your seedlings so early this year?"
