After making inquiries from various sources, it was discovered that the seemingly intelligent cat belonged to Shen Wuqiu's family.
At first, Lao Du didn't think much of it, assuming it was just a cat.
To his surprise, when he arrived with a large gift and said he wanted to buy a cat, Mr. Shen didn't even bother to invite him in. "Mr. Du, you're a straightforward person, so I won't beat around the bush. If you came here today just to talk about buying a cat, then please leave."
"Hey, I was just doing this for someone else, that girl really likes him..."
"Who keeps a cat like that just because they're pretending to like it?" Mr. Shen's face darkened. "Let me be honest with you, don't even think about getting your hands on the cat. Our cat is priceless. Even if the Emperor himself came, we wouldn't sell it. So, if you really consider us friends, then don't bother with this nonsense."
Just as the two were talking, Sanmao peeked her little head out from the crack in the door. There was still a red mark on her pink nose, but it wasn't swollen anymore. These days, because of her nose problem, the little monster, who also cares about her appearance, has been staying home.
Old Du originally wanted to plead for her, but when he saw Sanmao's seemingly glowing eyes, he inexplicably swallowed his words and asked instead, "Is this the one? No wonder you can't bear to part with it, it looks so cute."
Mr. Shen deliberately blocked his view, saying, "I won't let you see how cute it is."
Old Du smiled helplessly, "Alright, alright, I'll go back to them later."
After saying that, he deliberately looked past his father to see what was behind him. In fact, Sanmao had gone back into the house. He was just teasing his father.
Since Mr. Shen's attitude was so firm, Mr. Du didn't beat around the bush and simply refused that the chili peppers weren't spicy.
Chapter 143
After seeing Lao Du off, Shen's father was still holding his anger and cursed at him with his hands behind his back.
"What are you muttering about?" Su Yunzhi poked her head out of the kitchen, craning her neck to look outside. "By the way, who just came in outside?"
Knowing that Shen Wuqiu had been busy these days, she took the initiative to come to Huashan to cook for their whole family.
"Nobody." Mr. Shen replied irritably, then, after thinking for a moment, he felt uncomfortable again and continued to grumble: "Isn't this old Du ridiculous? He comes to our door saying he wants to buy Sanmao. Does he think anyone raises their child to be sold? He's really blind."
"Alright, alright." Su Yunzhi looked at his indignant appearance, reached out and stuffed a piece of cucumber into his mouth, and said slowly, "How could they know that Sanmao is our child? It's because you love to show off and take your sisters to wander around in the rapeseed flowers all day long, that's why they have their eyes on you."
"Why are you siding with outsiders? My child is well-raised, what's wrong with me taking him out for a stroll? Let me tell you, your thinking is flawed."
Su Yunzhi rolled her eyes at him, too lazy to argue with him. After a pause, she asked, "So what did you tell Lao Du?"
"What else can I say? Of course, I'm not selling."
Su Yunzhi nodded, then turned around and wondered, "Why did Lao Du suddenly say he wanted to buy our Sanmao? I didn't see him like cats much when he came to our house before."
“It wasn’t him who wanted to buy it; he said a friend of his wanted to buy it.”
Su Yunzhi frowned and muttered to herself, "Old Du really knows how to play the good guy."
"Isn't that right?" Mr. Shen said angrily, glancing into the kitchen with his hands behind his back. He then picked up a few slices of cucumber from the cutting board. "Did you buy these? Or where did you get them? They're quite sweet."
"What's so sweet?" Shen Wuqiu had just returned when she heard her father's last sentence.
"Cucumber." Su Yunzhi rinsed the remaining cucumber under the tap and handed it to her. "Would you like to try some?"
Shen Wuqiu had been busy at Xishan and was now hot and thirsty. Seeing the fresh cucumbers made her mouth water, so she quickly took one and put it in her mouth. After eating half of it, she couldn't help but exclaim, "How can these cucumbers be so sweet?"
“These are grown in Er Aizi’s greenhouse.” Su Yunzhi pushed away her father’s hand, who was still trying to steal some. “I’ll go get some more from him later. I’ll save these for the kids. Shu and Simao both love them.”
Seeing this, Shen Wuqiu broke off half and gave it to her father, then went to talk to Su Yunzhi: "Did Er Aizi really go home and start greenhouse farming?"
"That's right. When I came back last Mid-Autumn Festival, I heard that you had come home to farm. He also said that he didn't want to go out to work anymore and just wanted to come back to farm and stuff."
"Would his parents agree?" Shen Wuqiu had heard Su Yunzhi mention this last year, but she had never taken it to heart.
Er Aizi was her childhood sweetheart. When they were young, their families lived close to each other and had a fairly good relationship. However, ever since Er Aizi's family suddenly made a fortune and built their house by the river, Er Aizi's mother became arrogant, and the relationship between the two families gradually faded.
"Of course his parents disagree." Su Yunzhi had always been at odds with Er Aizi's arrogant mother. When she talked about her, she had a gossipy expression. "You know what kind of person his mother is. She's always bragging about how capable Er Aizi is outside in various mahjong parlors. Now that Er Aizi wants to go back home to farm, isn't that a slap in her face? She's almost furious."
Su Yunzhi couldn't help but laugh as she spoke: "If you ask me, Zeng Yuzhen brought this on herself. She was so strict with Er Aizi all the time, and now she's getting what she deserved. Er Aizi doesn't care how much she throws a tantrum; he just wants to start greenhouse farming at home."
Shen Wuqiu used to dislike listening to such gossip, but now, having probably adapted to the fragmented life in the countryside, she listens with great interest. "So, did his parents agree to it later?"
"To be honest, Er Aizi is quite a man of courage. His parents disagreed, but he didn't need their help. He just went to Taoshan to set up greenhouses by himself."
The area around Taoshan used to be full of wild peach trees. Later, it was reclaimed and turned into land. Because of its good geographical conditions and the fact that there is a road leading directly there, it wasn't really abandoned. It wasn't until the last two years that fewer people started farming there.
“Peach Mountain is a nice place.” Shen Wuqiu nodded, then looked at the last bite of cucumber in his hand. “It seems he grew them quite well.”
“That plot of land was already quite nice, but it’s been lying fallow for two years. If someone suddenly starts planting things there, it won’t turn out badly if they put in a little effort,” Mr. Chen interjected. “Besides cucumbers, what else did he plant?”
"Tomatoes, green beans, and the like, they're all vegetables anyway." Su Yunzhi hadn't even looked at them. "These cucumbers were sent by Zeng Yuzhen. I guess she's thinking that she can't bend Er Duizi now. She kindly brought a basket of vegetables to our house today, saying that she wanted Wuqiu and the others to try them. I don't know what she's up to."
"What else could it be? They probably just want to get closer to Qiuqiu since they're all coming back to farm."
Shen Wuqiu smiled but didn't reply. After a moment, as if remembering something, she asked her father, "By the way, I just ran into Boss Du when I got back. He asked me to apologize to you. Did something happen?"
Mr. Shen snorted coldly, "What is it... He spouted nonsense, saying he'd help someone buy our Sanmao."
"???? Who are you buying it for?" Shen Wuqiu didn't react for a moment. She didn't like playing with her phone in the first place. After returning to her hometown, her phone became just a tool for making and receiving calls. She hadn't paid any attention to what was going on online lately.
“Who knows who we’re buying it for?” Mr. Shen said, feeling quite annoyed by the matter. After thinking for a moment, he added, “It must be those people who come here to see the flowers. Everyone in the village knows how precious our children are.”
Upon hearing this, Shen Wuqiu's nerves tensed up instantly. "With so many people coming and going these days, we really need to be careful."
Su Yunzhi quickly added, "That's right. I told your dad to stop showing off outside, and he said I have a problem with my thinking."
Shen Wuqiu was afraid of hurting her father's feelings, so she quickly said tactfully, "It's just that the children are very curious now and can't be kept at home."
Mr. Chen rubbed his nose. “Don’t worry, I won’t take them out when there are many people. I’ll just take them out for some fresh air in the morning and evening.”
"Then I'll have to trouble you, Dad."
As Shen Wuqiu spoke, she walked towards the sofa. Sanmao was obediently squatting on the sofa watching her. When she saw her approaching, it meowed softly at her.
Ever since the little guy was stung by a bee, he's probably felt guilty and has been unusually well-behaved these past few days.
Shen Wuqiu beckoned to her, and Sanmao slowly got up and sidled up to her, meowing.
"Didn't you go play with your sister and the others?" Shen Wuqiu patted her head; the smooth fur felt so good to the touch.
"Meow~" Sanmao looked up at her, her voice affected and pretentious, but also incredibly cute and charming.
Mother took them out.
Shen Wuqiu's suppressed tenderness immediately overflowed. She picked up Sanmao and pressed her forehead against hers.
Sanmao immediately rubbed it on her nose and face, then used her pink little tongue to smear it on her face.
After having her face washed by the little ones so many times, Shen Wuqiu gradually got used to this intimacy and let the little ones lick her for a while before pulling away.
After comforting her lonely daughter, Shen Wuqiu went to ask her father, "Where did Lingyu and the others go?"
"Er Mao can't stay at home and is always looking for something to do, so Lao Gu and the others took a few kids to the river to fish. They said they wanted to teach Er Mao to be more patient."
In this bright and beautiful April weather, fishing and admiring the flowers would be quite nice.
Why didn't you bring Sanmao with you?
“Sanmao didn’t want to go,” Su Yunzhi said with a smile. “I guess the little girl is vain and still has her little mark on her nose. I saw her secretly looking in the mirror three times today.”
Shen Wuqiu couldn't help but chuckle, and picked up Sanmao again, carefully examining her little nose. There were still some small marks, but you couldn't see them unless you looked closely.
"Meow~" Sanmao was shy and tried to cover her nose with her little paws.
Shen Wuqiu wouldn't let her stop him, and leaned over to kiss her little nose. "Our baby isn't ugly, she's the prettiest little kitten."
Sanmao's eyes instantly lit up.
Shen Wuqiu chuckled softly, thinking to herself, "Indeed, the prettier the girl, the more she loves beauty."
Thinking this, Shen Wuqiu gently stroked Sanmao's hair again, and then asked, "Mom, did Lingyu and the others say where they're going fishing? I'll go check and call them back for dinner."
Mr. Shen: "It should be near Xiaokou Temple. I told them to go fishing in that area."
Shen Wuqiu knew this place. It was called Xiaokou Temple, but there was actually only one well there. Before the village had running water, everyone drank water from this well. However, now that every household has running water, the well has gradually fallen into disuse. Only when the villagers perform religious ceremonies will the priest come to the well to burn incense and paper money and set off firecrackers.
Xiaokou Temple wasn't far from home, only a ten-minute walk, so Shen Wuqiu didn't plan to drive and decided to walk there.
As she was leaving, she saw Sanmao looking up at her with his little head tilted back—tsk, after being praised, the little guy gained confidence and wanted to go out and have fun.
Shen Wuqiu couldn't bear to leave her little darling behind, so she naturally packed her up and took her with her.
After walking a long distance uphill from Xiaokou Temple, Shen Wuqiu finally spotted Gu Lingyu and the others in the desolate, deep bay.
Looking from afar, she could see three figures fishing. But as she got closer, she saw four kittens nestled between Gu Junshan and Dai Ying. The kittens, of different colors, sat in a row, each with a long, thin fishing rod under its bottom, their round eyes obediently staring at the calm river surface…
"..."
A note from the author:
It's updated! Sorry for the long wait.
Chapter 144
"Qiuqiu..."
"Meow~~"
Upon seeing her, Gu Miaomiao and the kittens clung to her like a lifeline.
However, the next second, the cats were intimidated by Ms. Daiying's powerful aura and turned their heads away in unison, continuing to obediently and quietly hold their fishing rods.
"..."
The atmosphere was a little awkward.
Shen Wuqiu stood there helplessly, holding Sanmao. Looking at the few people and cats fishing quietly and obediently, she really couldn't bear to disturb them.
Just as she was hesitating whether to greet the two elders, Ms. Daiying immediately changed her expression and waved to her with a smile: "Qiuqiu, my darling, come over here, it's too sunny over there."
Her kind and gentle demeanor was completely different from what she had just half a minute ago.
Although she had already witnessed her mother-in-law's Oscar-worthy acting skills, Shen Wuqiu was still somewhat surprised.
"Am I disturbing you?" Shen Wuqiu asked in a low and slow tone, afraid of startling the fish that were about to take the bait.
Daiying clicked her tongue, indicating that she didn't like hearing such words. She then casually stuck the fishing rod into the ground, stood up, clapped her hands, and said, "It's just a pastime to bring them out to temper their tempers."
Shen Wuqiu smiled and asked, "How was your harvest today?" While speaking, she secretly glanced at the expressions of a certain cat and the other kittens—they all looked miserable, so this pastime wasn't very fun.
Daiying gestured towards the buckets placed by the river, "Look, they're all in the buckets, go take a look?"
Shen Wuqiu was quite curious, so she tiptoed over and glanced at the seven buckets. Four of them were empty.