Chapter 333: Lest retribution would be unavoidable

“Okay, I’ll go home and get ready. You guys hurry up and come. It’s almost noon, and it will be dark soon.”

“We will go there after lunch. A large group of women are very fast and can finish half a day’s work!”

On the side, Liu Yusheng was already patting her small red face. “Auntie, hurry home to wash and change clothes. Even your hair is covered with cow dung.”

When the woman heard this, she gritted her teeth again, and walked home while cursing, “These little brats. Let me see them next time. I must beat their bums!”

Behind her, Liu Yusheng and Fu Yuzheng couldn’t stand it any longer and shook with laughter.

“That’s enough. These two girls, you’re still laughing! We wouldn’t have fared better if we weren’t farther away. Let’s go home quickly and make cakes after lunch.” The old lady laughed and snapped at them, then she walked with Grandpa Liu to the front. “Let’s stew another cabbage at noon. Nannan and Yuzheng love them.”

“Okay, it’s your call. I’ll pass by our vegetable patch later and pluck fresh ones.” The old man nodded.

The two elderlies slowly walked away, talking about family matters and leaving the two little girls to laugh enough before following behind them unhurriedly.

Fu Yuzheng wiped the tears of laughter from the corners of her eyes. “How did those little kids come up with it? They were only playing with firecrackers, but they could come up with so many tricks.”

“This is not a new trick. It’s all my elder brother’s brainchild.” Liu Yusheng raised her eyebrows. “You probably don’t know. It’s my brother who first played blasting cow dung with firecrackers.”

“…”

“You probably can’t imagine it, hahaha!”

It was indeed inconceivable.

The serious face of Liu Zhixia popped into her mind, and then she imagined him as a child like the group of little babies just now, with ram horn braids and blasting cow dung with firecrackers…

“Pfft!” Fu Yuzheng was in stitches.

When they returned home, both of them were paralyzed with laughter.

“What has made you laugh to this extent?” Liu Zhixia was helping his grandmother wash cabbage at the door of the kitchen. When he saw their states, he casually asked.

The two burst into laughter once more. Fu Yuzheng looked at him and matched the handsome young man in the robe in front of her with the little boy with ram-horn braids, then burst out laughing again, covering her stomach and going to the hall.

Liu Zhixia was confused and looked at his sister. “What’s going on?”

His sister spread her hands, innocence all over her face. “I just casually mentioned that you were the first to blow up cow dung with firecrackers, and Yuzheng laughed like this.”

“…” Liu Zhixia’s mouth twitched. “Nannan, I have many other great achievements.”

“I am most impressed with this.”

Liu Zhixia took a deep breath and turned toward the kitchen. 

She was his baby sister, someone he couldn’t dislike!

“Hahahahaha!” Arrogant laughter erupted in the courtyard.

Grandma Liu poked her head in front of the stove and laughed, “What’s wrong with Nannan? She’s laughing so happily.”

“I’m afraid our Nannan has been naughty again.” Grandpa Liu also laughed. Listening to his precious granddaughter’s laughter drove him into a pleasant mood.

“Nannan has just bullied her big brother. She is proud of it,” Liu Zhixia said impassively. He put the clean cabbage in the wooden basin and said, “Grandpa, Grandma, call me if you want to wash anything else. I am going to the hall. Don’t touch the cold water by yourselves because it’s freezing cold.”

“There is nothing to wash. Go with Zhiqiu and prepare a few more baskets. We’ll use them tomorrow morning for the rice cakes. Prepare a few more earthen pots as well. If there isn’t enough, go to your Uncle Li’s house to get a few pots to make up for it.”

Liu Zhixia nodded and got out of the kitchen. By then, the little girl had already slipped away.

He smiled and turned towards the hall.

There were only youngsters of the family in the house. The first Liu couple went to the mill to grind rice flour, and the second Liu couple went to the neighbor’s house to pound sugar fillings.

Liu Zhiqiu was listening to Xue Qinglian boasting about his newly developed poison, while the two little girls were huddled together, whispering something in each other’s ears. 

“Zhiqiu, you and Qinglian go to Aunt Guihua’s house to borrow some baskets. We need to use them for the cakes tomorrow morning.”

“You’re ordering me again!” Liu Zhiqiu was very dissatisfied. He was captivated by the story. “Then what are you going to do?”

“I have to go to Uncle Li’s house to get some earthen pots. You can exchange them with me if you want.”

“I’ll go with Qinglian to borrow baskets!” Liu Zhiqiu immediately pulled Xue Qinglian and ran outside.

Xue Qinglian almost stumbled. “Why are you running so fast? Maybe your brother has pitted you again!”

“What’s the pit? Uncle Li’s house is at the other end of the village. It’s far away! Aunt Guihua’s house is not far next door. We can take the basket and continue warming ourselves by the fire when we return!”

The two voices disappeared in the doorway.

Liu Yusheng quietly rolled her eyes. If her elder brother did not have bad ideas, she would write her name backwards. Otherwise, how could he let her second brother pick up the bargain?

“You’ve seen the winery in the morning. Do you want to visit the place where the wine jars are burned?” The man sat down, first warmed his hands that were frozen red when washing vegetables, and asked seemingly without thinking.

Fu Yuzheng’s heart immediately skipped, as if there was something wispy winding up. It made her panic, uncomfortable, and couldn’t help but… yearn.

She dropped her trembling lashes and said, “Then, let’s go and take a look. I can help you carry the pots later. Nannan, let’s go together…”

“I’m not going. I’m afraid of the cold. I’m not even going to step a foot out today!” Liu Yusheng shrank her neck and shook her head into a rattle.

She knew that her brother was harboring grudges. If she went along with them, her brother would probably hate her.

She just provoked him once, so forget it this time. Lest retribution was unavoidable. When she would be with Feng Qingbai in the future, her elder brother would definitely take the opportunity to retaliate.

Liu Zhixia raised his head and grinned towards his own sister.

Liu Yusheng secretly hissed, but unfortunately, Yuzheng was looking down. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have thought her brother was a serious man.

Liu Yusheng saw the two out of the house, stood up, patted the ash dust on the hem of her coat, and walked slowly towards the kitchen alone. She would accompany her grandparents and gossip about her brother in passing.

“Nannan, why did you come to the kitchen. The fumes are heavy here. If you have nothing to do, go to the hall and warm yourself by the fire.” As soon Grandma Liu saw her coming, she drove her away.

“I want to stay with you,” the young girl’s mouth was coated with honey and delivered sweets for free. She crowded her grandpa’s side, so the grandfather and granddaughter baked by fire in front of the stove, hot and cozy.

Grandpa Liu pulled out the charcoal that was left behind after the firewood in the stove was burned out to make his little granddaughter warmer. Then he teased, “Your brother went out with the others. It’s only when no one accompanies you that you remembered your grandparents.”

“How could that be?  I am the happiest when Grandpa and Grandma are with me!” Liu Yusheng immediately hugged the old man’s arm and pampered him. “So Grandpa and Grandma must pay attention to your health. Drink more of my medicinal tea and wine, and live a long life!”

“Okay! Both your grandma and I will live long and stay with you!” The two elderls were coaxed into smiling. Then they asked, “Has your brother gone out with Yuzheng?”

“Yes. Grandpa, Grandma, if your grandson enters the court in the future, he will definitely be a shameless man. Second elder brother is always fooled by brother, yet he has to be grateful to him every time.” Liu Yusheng didn’t spare any effort to speak ill of her elder brothers in front of them. “Look at my elder brother. Are you still worried he can’t marry someone like that? Don’t worry about him in the future. Worry about my second brother!”