Siheyuan (traditional courtyard house): Don't touch my parents!

He completely forgot about Jia Dongxu's existence.

Who is Jia Dongxu? I have no idea!

Just then, another series of footsteps came from the doorway.

He Yuzhu turned his head to look.

He Daqing walked into the hanging flower gate with his head down.

He was also carrying a bulging cloth bundle in his hand.

"father!"

He Yuzhu's eyes lit up.

He threw the snowball in his hand on the ground and ran over.

He Daqing saw his son.

A smile immediately broke out on his tired face:

"Zhu Zi, were you a good boy/girl at home today? Did you take good care of your mother and sister?"

"You're such a good girl! I even helped Mom with a lot of housework!"

He Yuzhu looked up with her little face upturned, her voice full of excitement.

Yi Zhonghai and Jia Laonian also gathered around.

He greeted me with a smile.

Yi Zhonghai's gaze fell on the cloth bag in He Daqing's hand.

With a smile, he asked, "Da Qing, what are you carrying? It's so bulging!"

He Daqing tossed the cloth bundle upwards and said in a relaxed tone:

"Sigh, I've been searching all day and haven't found a single ewe that's going to produce milk."

"Fortunately, someone I know helped out and gave me two pig's trotters to help your sister-in-law produce milk."

After saying that, he turned and walked home.

They stopped again after taking only two steps.

He turned to Yi Zhonghai and Jia Laonian and instructed them:

"Zhonghai, Lao Jia, come over for a simple meal after your sister-in-law finishes her postpartum confinement."

"On the day she gave birth, it was thanks to your family's help that she was able to get through the ordeal; otherwise, it would have been a real disaster."

Yi Zhonghai quickly waved his hand to decline:

"Your Majesty, that's too formal. We're neighbors, and everyone helps each other out sometimes. It's just what we should do."

Old Jia nodded in agreement.

"Yes, yes, Great Qing, don't be so polite."

He Daqing grinned.

Then he turned around and continued walking home.

That was just a polite remark.

If you take it seriously, then you're truly being immature.

He knew perfectly well who had contributed the most.

But the neighbors did help each other out after all.

I should at least express my gratitude.

Otherwise, it would make you seem like you don't understand social etiquette.

Xu Damao saw He Daqing return.

He glanced around again in the direction of the entrance.

I did not see my father.

A hint of disappointment flashed across his face.

He then turned to He Yuzhu and said:

"Brother Zhu, I have to go home for dinner. I'll see you again tomorrow!"

"Okay, then you should go back now."

"Goodbye, Brother Zhu! Goodbye, Uncle He!"

He shouted it out crisply, then took off running away.

He Daqing paused slightly upon hearing the two children's conversation.

He looked up and around.

A snowman piled up in the corner of the yard.

And then there's Xu Damao, who hopped and skipped through the hanging flower gate.

His expression darkened slightly, and he muttered under his breath:

"Isn't that little brat from the Xu family always most afraid of pillars?"

"Why are you all playing together again today?"

Just then, He Yuzhu caught a faint voice:

"That little brat from the Xu family doesn't know any manners at all. He doesn't even greet people when he sees them."

"And Zhu Zi, why isn't he playing with Dong Xu? Instead, he's hanging out with that bad boy Xu Damao?"

"Is she planning to go astray?"

He Yuzhu frowned and immediately turned to look.

Yi Zhonghai was seen pushing open his own door.

They walked in slowly and deliberately.

This old man... how could he be so petty?

In the original story, Sha Zhu chased after Xu Damao and beat him up every day.

Could the root of the problem lie here?

Besides, how old is Jia Dongxu now?

He wasn't even his apprentice yet, and he was already eyeing him?

There must be some hidden story behind this.

He Yuzhu glanced at He Daqing again.

The other person seemed not to have heard the gossip at all, and simply waved to him gently.

"Zhu Zi, let's go home. Your mother is still waiting for us there."

After saying that, he lifted his foot and continued walking forward.

He Yuzhu quickly jogged a few steps to catch up.

The father and son stepped into their house one after the other.

As soon as he entered the room, He Yuzhu couldn't wait to ask.

"Dad, how are you planning to cook the pig's trotters? Is stewing them especially delicious?"

He wasn't actually particularly greedy, but this body was extremely greedy.

This statement perfectly captures how children of this era should react when they see meat.

He Daqing gently placed the cloth bundle on the table, and while unbuttoning his cotton-padded jacket, he laughed and scolded.

"You brat, all you ever think about is food."

"These pig trotters need to be singed off with fire first, and then cleaned thoroughly."

"Blanch it again to remove the fishy smell, then simmer it over low heat."

"Add another handful of soybeans and simmer until they are soft, tender, and flavorful."

"If your mother eats this, her body will recover well, and she will be able to produce milk."

"Pig's trotters are delicious, of course!"

He Yuzhu's Adam's apple bobbed slightly uncontrollably, his throat tightened, and he swallowed hard, swallowing a mouthful of dry saliva.

In the remnants of the previous life's memories, the braised pig's trotters cooked by He Daqing smelled so incredibly delicious that they seemed to steal one's soul.

Hearing the noise outside, Chen Shuxiang, who was on the kang (heated brick bed) in the inner room, spoke softly to them.

"The Qing Dynasty is back? You must be exhausted after running around all day!"

He Daqing stepped into the inner room, his gaze falling on his wife wrapped in a thick quilt on the kang (a heated brick bed) and his baby daughter sleeping soundly in her swaddling clothes.

The hardness in his eyes melted into a honey color in an instant, as soft as the spring sun that could not be melted.

"I'm not tired. As long as you and your daughter are safe and sound, it's all worth it."

"Don't forget about your son!"

With a slightly reproachful expression, Chen Shuxiang gently poked his arm with her fingertip.

"Oh yeah, oh yeah, and our family's pillar too!"

He Daqing turned and stepped into the kitchen, steadily lifting the dark iron pot off the stove.

He picked up the chopsticks, skewered the dark brown pig's trotter, and brought it close to the flickering fire to carefully singe off the remaining short pig hairs on the surface.

"Sizzle—"

A faint smell of burning suddenly wafted out, quickly coiling around the entire room like a thin snake.

Chen Shuxiang, who was huddled in the inner room, felt a tightness in her chest from the sudden odor and couldn't help but gag twice.

He Yushui, who was sleeping soundly in her swaddling clothes, was also disturbed by the smell. Her little body trembled violently, and she cried out "waa waa".

"Honey, hurry and comfort the baby! I'll be done here almost there, just one more step!"

He Daqing panicked immediately, frantically spinning around, his ears turning a little red with embarrassment.

In this freezing weather, the windows can't even be opened a crack for ventilation. How can a new mother and her swaddled baby withstand the draft blowing straight in?

"It's nothing, I just didn't realize it at first."

Chen Shuxiang's voice was as gentle as if it had been soaked in warm water, and there was not a trace of blame in her tone.

He Yuzhu stood to the side, his gaze fixed on He Yushui, who had her eyes tightly closed and was howling at the top of her lungs.

He raised his hand to touch his sister's soft little face, but was afraid that he might hurt the delicate baby with his heavy hand.