CHAPTER 65: CHAPTER 62: THIS IS A REWARD

Jiang Mingyue looked at the clothes drying in the courtyard. The third sister and others didn’t have time, so it must have been washed by these little ones.

"Didn’t you wash the clothes?"

Xiao Hui: "We saw that there were a lot of clothes piled in the basket, and we were afraid you’d be too tired, so we washed them."

"Thank you!"

Jiang Mingyue looked at the height of the sun: "It’s still early to cook. Come in with me."

Jiang Mingyue went to the room and took out a package, giving each of the three little ones two sets of clothes and two pairs of shoes.

The three little ones stared with wide eyes: "New, new clothes and shoes?"

Jiang Mingyue felt a bit emotional, "You didn’t see wrong. These are rewards from your sister who specially bought them for you today." Not gifts.

"?" The three little ones had matching question marks.

Jiang Mingyue pointed to a basket of bamboo shoots, a basket of wild vegetables, and a basket of mushrooms against the wall, "You picked these, didn’t you?"

"Yeah! Sister, we only walked around the foot of the mountain and didn’t go deep into the forest. We were quick and didn’t spend much time."

"That’s right, sister. We didn’t delay our studies. We reviewed everything Teacher Yan told us to review."

"Yes, sister. We didn’t delay our studies. We recited while doing work, and wrote when we came back. If you don’t believe us, you can test us."

Jiang Mingyue thought: If children in the future are as hardworking as this, who wouldn’t be successful? It’s a pity that current children don’t have the conditions to study. Give them a chance, and they can soar.

"See, since you’re working so hard in your studies, your sister naturally has to reward you. These clothes and shoes are meant as rewards, hoping that you never forget your passion for learning, and when you grow up, you can use your knowledge to build the country."

"Can we... really?" Jiang Hui asked uncertainly, nibbling her lip.

"Of course, you can. Go, change and show me."

The three little ones hurried to find a place to change. Seeing Xiao Jiang Ran almost squeeze in with the two sisters to change clothes, Jiang Mingyue quickly pulled him away.

"Sister?"

"Xiao Ran, are you a girl or a boy?"

The little guy immediately straightened his back: "I’m obviously a man."

Jiang Mingyue: "..." You don’t even have all your hair grown, yet you say this?

"Since you’re a little boy, you need to change clothes separately from the girls. You can’t look at them, and they can’t look at you. Do you understand?"

"So does that mean my sister can’t help me bathe either?"

"...Of course, unless you are two and a half years old."

"I’m not two and a half, I’m five!" Xiao Jiang Ran held out a hand to show five fingers.

"So you can’t watch girls change clothes, nor can you change in front of them. Got it?"

"Hmm, Xiao Ran remembered. Then, can I change in front of my brothers?"

"...Yes, if you want to."

"We’re done changing. Isn’t Xiao Ran ready yet?" Xiao Hui’s voice came in from the doorway. The door was left ajar; the two girls knew Xiao Ran was changing, so they didn’t push the door open recklessly.

"I get it now, just like now. Sister, you should go out quickly."

See, they’re already pushing her away.

Children are like this; as long as you explain to them, they will try to understand.

The three little ones changed into new clothes and shoes, neat from head to toe, looking completely refreshed.

"Look at how cheerful you all are. Xiao Meng, do you want to fly?"

Xiao Hui covered her mouth: "She wants to fly around like a kite, so people can see her new clothes."

Xiao Meng: "Sister, can we go play?"

Jiang Mingyue couldn’t wait for them to make friends, "Go, go!"

Xiao Jiang Ran tugged at her sleeve: "Can I... not go?"

It was clear that this little guy was scared from being bullied by Wu Tiantian, the little tyrant, and Jiang Beishan, who didn’t know shame, and didn’t dare to approach kids outside to play.

"Why not? Is it not fun outside? Is catching butterflies not appealing? Or is playing tag too noisy?"

"No, they... might bully me."

Jiang Mingyue put away her smile, "Tell your sister, who bullied you? Your sister will bully them back for you."

But Xiao Jiang Ran shook his head: "No, they didn’t bully me. It’s Tiantian, and Sister Beishan, and..."

Xiao Hui added, "It’s Li Xiaowei who plays with Wu Tiantian. He and Wu Tiantian bully Xiao Ran together. But he’s been at his grandma’s house and isn’t in the village now."

"Besides these three, are you afraid of other kids, Xiao Ran?"

"Will they bully me?"

"You won’t know unless you try, right?" Jiang Mingyue put newly bought candies in Xiao Jiang Ran’s pocket, "Go share them with kids who want to play with you, but don’t give too many, only one each."

Jiang Mingyue also gave Xiao Hui and Xiao Meng the same candies, but didn’t require them to do the same. The two little girls understood sharing and weren’t shy; they could chat once they got familiar with others.

Only Xiao Jiang Ran... wanted him to blend with the other kids, so that when Li Xiaowei returned and tried to bully him, other kids would stick up for him.

"We’ll watch over our brother. If anyone dares to bully him, we’ll bully them back."

Such protective sisters!

"Go on, go on!"

Once the three little ones left, Jiang Mingyue slipped into the kitchen to start the fire. The large rural stove was indeed useful; each time, it could braise over twenty chickens.

Her third sister said that years ago the family didn’t have an iron pot, and the only teapot was taken away. It was only after things relaxed that her uncle secretly brought one back from outside.

The lid was simple, made by her big brother who learned it from their old home. It was crude, but after frequent use, it didn’t seem so; everything was now smooth.

She braised two pots of chickens, leaving one outside, and stored others in large tubs in her space.

Then she stir-fried three pots of spicy rabbit cubes, and it was just about time.

Jiang Mingyue first went to her big brother’s courtyard next door; the door was open and didn’t need the key from her eldest cousin.

In the courtyard, the craftsman and his apprentice were busy. Under the eaves were four freshly made beds and a wardrobe. The beds were simple, but the carved patterns on the wardrobe were extraordinary, like artworks, and Jiang Mingyue instantly fell in love with them.

She thought to herself that the master craftsman’s skills were indeed admirable.

"Master Wu, come and take a break. I’ve brewed a pot of tea and have some biscuits for you."

Master Wu was well-experienced. He put down his work and saw, strolling over: "Thank you, Mingyue, for thinking of this old man—I’m not tired."

Master Wu also invited his son-in-law, and the two sat down to drink tea and eat biscuits, taking their time. During their stay, Jiang family’s hospitality had left him stunned. They were warm and generous, sharing whatever they had, which he had never encountered before, motivating him to perfect the furniture.

"By the way, Master Wu, where’s my eldest cousin and the others?" She was initially looking for them.

Master Wu almost forgot.

"Your cousin went to the city to work, so you don’t need to worry about him. Teacher Yan and his friends were called away by someone who picked them up in a car; it seemed they had something to do."

Alright, that saved her a dinner.

Jiang Mingyue chatted with Master Wu and the others for a while, then got up to leave.

"Master Wu, I’m going to make dinner now. Take a good rest."

Master Wu waved his hand: "Off you go!"