Chapter 736 - 380: Do They Really Take Her for a Pushover?

Chapter 736: Chapter 380: Do They Really Take Her for a Pushover?

Huai Zi and Juhua stood quietly for a moment before he smiled at her and said, "We should dig a large pond at the foot of the mountain to plant lotus roots, raise fish, and store water. There’s a stream up ahead, but it’s a bit far." Farmers always have to think about water, be it drought or flood.

Juhua nodded. "That’s exactly what I was thinking. In the summer, with the lush bamboo grove and oak trees behind us and a pond full of lotus leaves in front, this place would be beautiful. And in the fall, when all the oaks on the mountain turn red, and the foot of the mountain..."

"We’ll plant wild chrysanthemums at the foot of the mountain, of course. We can fill all the empty spaces, like the ridges and edges of the fields. That way, the base of the mountain will be golden, while the mountain itself is red and yellow. Wouldn’t that be even more beautiful? We can’t let it be bare in the winter, either. We can take some cuttings from our plum blossom trees at home and plant them here. There’s no rush, anyway. We can plant things slowly, adding whatever comes to mind. If something dies, we’ll just plant another to replace it."

Huai Zi said with a chuckle.

Juhua nodded. "This place shouldn’t be short on water unless we get a severe drought like last year’s. In that case, we’d be helpless. I’m thinking this land is so large that to save on labor, we’ll also need to dig some wells—one every twenty mu or so. Actually... once the bamboo and trees on the mountain mature, and since there are already many trees at the peak, the groundwater will surely become more plentiful. As for then... well, we’ll cross that bridge when we get to it!"

She had an idea, but it hadn’t fully formed yet. It would have to wait.

The sun was warm, heating their skin. Seeing it begin to set behind the mountains, Juhua said, "We should head back. I wonder if Banli and Cong have been crying."

Huai Zi couldn’t resist putting his arm around her waist. "You finally get a moment to relax. Why are you always so worried about them? Even if they wake up hungry, don’t you think Mother knows to take them to Aunt Liu for a feeding? Ah, having twins is wonderful, but it’s so draining. We’ll have to wait a while before having another one—at least until these two are three or four and can help look after a younger brother or sister."

He could say this because Yun Ying had prescribed a contraceptive medicine for Juhua, which she was now taking.

Juhua recalled how frantic they had been last night and this morning. She smiled, pressing her lips together. "Is raising a child ever an easy thing? Everyone goes through this. Our Banli and Cong might not be as low-maintenance as Hulu, but they’re still considered good. At least they aren’t as rowdy as the Zhao family’s third boy."

At the mention of Little Shitou’s younger brother, Huai Zi burst out laughing, startling several sparrows that rustled out of the bushes and took flight.

Huai Zi said, "You have no idea. Shi Tou has been tormented by his little brother lately. But he hasn’t let the kid off easy—he’s smacked him a few times. Afterward, their Third Aunt wouldn’t let him hold his brother at all, afraid he’d hit him."

Juhua laughed too. She had heard about it from Zhao Qing, who said her older brother complained that his baby brother couldn’t possibly be from the Zhao family—’No one in the Zhao family is this difficult!’ When their father heard that, he rapped his older son on the forehead.

The two of them walked back along the mountain path. The path had only just been carved out when they cleared the land, and since few people used it, it was uneven. Dry grass and twigs crackled under their feet.

Juhua savored the tranquil winter afternoon. If it weren’t for the two little ones at home, she would have wanted to wait until dark to return. So she leaned against Huai Zi, talking and laughing softly as they ambled along. The sun had already set behind the mountain by the time they entered the village.

Mother Yang was holding Banli and sitting at the main gate, while Pu Pao sat to the side, holding Cong. When she saw them return, she smiled. "Why didn’t you stay out longer? The babies have been very good and haven’t cried. Aunt Liu just fed them. Look how lively they are!"

Sure enough, upon seeing Juhua, Banli waved his arms and excitedly blew bubbles. He could now recognize the familiar faces around him and was particularly attached to his mother, even though she was partial to holding his little sister more often.

Juhua felt tired from the long walk. Huai Zi brought over two chairs and had her sit down. He then took Banli from Mother Yang’s arms, saying, "Let Daddy hold you. Mommy’s tired. Whoa, what a heavy little guy you are!" ℯ

He lifted Banli high into the air and gave him a gentle toss, making the little fellow giggle delightedly.

Juhua sank into her chair and laughed. "He really gets excited with an audience. We gave him the wrong name. We should have called him Huangdou, since he’s always bouncing around. Pu Pao, have our guests left?"

Pu Pao smiled. "They’ve left. But it looks like more people have arrived—a big group."

Juhua asked, puzzled, "A big group? This late in the day? You don’t recognize them?"

Pu Pao hesitated and glanced at Mother Yang. "I think it’s... the Zhang family’s Eldest Madam, along with a number of other young women. I’m not sure who they all are. Young Madam, I was waiting here specifically for you. Why don’t I go back to the house to check? I can see which relatives have come and report back to you."