Xiao Chenye, who said he could finish the work in the time it takes to fart, got kicked in the butt by Mrs. Xiao, "Speak properly! Every time you open your mouth, it’s about bodily functions. Is this how I taught you?"

Xiao Chenye: "..."

Isn’t it?

When his mother gets angry, nothing, including talk about bodily functions or relatives, is left out.

If someone offends her, it’s as if their whole family is tainted, even if their ancestors are well-known.

But, she is his mother after all.

"Mom," Xiao Chenye apologized sincerely, "I was wrong."

"Good that you know you were wrong," Mrs. Xiao felt appeased, planning to watch the Xiao Family spectacle and then add some fuel to the fire.

Hey!

Just thinking about it made her very happy.

The whole family happily returned home, gathered their tools, lime, and stuff like wormwood, and went to the blue-brick tile house.

Whether or not it keeps warm is another matter, but during the scorching summer, it’s really cool.

The blue-brick tile house doesn’t occupy much space, but Mrs. Xiao’s fenced yard is large.

The front façade uses blue bricks, while the sides are made of adobe.

Saving where necessary and spending where needed is one thing; on the other hand, having too much money always brings all kinds of trouble.

Mrs. Xiao felt their lives were troublesome enough.

No need to add more complications to an already tumultuous life.

Life, what grandeur, it’s all hot air.

Ordinary is real.

A doghouse is built in the corner; since Old Wolf arrived unexpectedly, Mrs. Xiao even thoughtfully made three little kennels.

"This is the firewood shed, I purposely made it larger so we can chop and store more firewood. Next to it, there’s a storage room for placing plenty of stuff."

Mentioning this, Mrs. Xiao chuckled, "Mainly thinking, if given the chance, we could use coal one day and have a place to store it."

Coal needs waterproofing.

"By the way," Mrs. Xiao pointed to the new well, "this well cost a pretty penny too. Come midsummer, we can put fresh fruits inside to chill them."

A sip and the freshness spreads to every pore.

Mrs. Xiao seemed like a busy bee, introducing the house one by one.

Wen Ran was very satisfied, while Xiao Chenxing and Hongguo had already conscientiously picked up mops to clean things.

Of course, these two together have already become instinctive, a question asked, and answered.

Though initially slow, they gradually turned into rapid questions and answers.

Making the Xiao Family seldom bother conversing with them.

Darn it, these two little girls seemed obsessed now.

Better not to provoke.

"How is it?"

"Pretty good."

Limestone scattered in the corners to prevent insects and ants, and wormwood was also used for fumigation.

Mrs. Xiao stood in the courtyard, inspecting the little yard, feeling quite emotional, "I didn’t think I’d live in such a little yard one day."

"What are you saying?" Mr. Xiao gently put his arm around Mrs. Xiao’s shoulder, "Someday, you’ll live in an even better little yard."

"Counting on you?" Mrs. Xiao teased, "Money earned from farmwork might just wear you out to death."

Mr. Xiao laughed heartily, "I may not have the ability, but my son does!"

He nodded toward Xiao Chenye, "Son, tell your mom, can you let her live in a better house?"

Xiao Chenye: "...Maybe."

Mrs. Xiao: "... Little rascal, it’s either yes or no. ’Maybe.’

Do you believe you’re about to get smacked?"

Xiao Chenye was stunned.

Not believing anything else, but certainly believing this statement.

"I believe, believe!"

Xiao Chenye conceded, "It’s getting late, everything’s tidied up, the spring planting is complete, how about we gather up and move tomorrow?"

He thought it through well, moving first, and then he would gradually prepare for those minor issues.

Like Double Happiness, even though it’s out of style, posting one or two inside the house, no one would object.

As for red paper, it all needs planning ahead.

Plus peanuts, longan, red dates, sunflower seeds, all need to be prepared.

Thinking about it made Xiao Chenye grin widely.

These days are really looking promising.

On the way home, Mrs. Xiao bumped into two familiar aunties, walking together and chatting a bit.

"Ah, just back from the blue-brick tile house?"

"Yes."

"Wow, your family sure is having a double celebration, when are you moving? For the housewarming, you must invite us!"

"Of course," no matter who asked, Mrs. Xiao always responded with a beaming smile, "We’ve been neighbors for years, closer than some animal-like relatives."

"Oh, Shilan, speaking of relatives reminded me, what’s up with the Zhou Family?"

Whoa.

That news about the Zhou Family came quickly, which Mrs. Xiao didn’t expect.

Curious herself, "The Zhou Family? What’s up with them?"

Seeing Mrs. Xiao’s curious expression, the aunties exchanged glances, puzzled, "You don’t know?"

"No," Mrs. Xiao feigned innocence expertly, "Our families have grudges, this time we went purely to freeload."

She changed the topic, "Hahaha, you should’ve seen, my mean mother-in-law was so amused when we arrived empty-handed."

"Really don’t know?"

"Don’t know."

The two aunties lowered their voices immediately, "Then you left early, I heard Zhou Xiuying wailing, claiming innocence."

Wen Ran and Xiao Chenye exchanged glances; could it be, Zhou Shanshan’s unwed pregnancy and miscarriage got exposed?

Though it didn’t seem likely.

If such news spread, it would be a major headline.

The narrative should have been a mix of shock and excitement, but it felt more disdainful.

So...

There must be some minor hitch somewhere.

"What child?" Wen Ran inquired nonchalantly, "Whose kid?"

"Hehe, you don’t know, but I think Zhou Xiuying, at her age, might be pregnant again."

"Yeah, I saw the Zhou Family members come over too."

"Tsk tsk tsk, if it wasn’t something major, why gather at such a time?"

"Exactly, exactly."

The two aunties, self-assured of their "truth," chatted more animatedly, becoming sneakier-looking.

Meanwhile, the Xiao Family: "..."

They could’ve been fooled if they didn’t know the backstory.

"Hey, by the way, your sister-in-law, Xiao Hua, seems to have taken Chu Jiaojiao to see the team leader with gifts. Is a celebration coming?"