"Once those words were said, the two little ones immediately shook their heads, "Mommy, we won't talk, we won't talk."
Just going out to play in new clothes today, they got robbed of their new clothes by Da Shu. If the food was told to them and they took it away, what would they eat?
Dad wasn't home, they were still young, and Mommy had little strength.
Yun Xiaoxiao began to tell them about the malice in people's hearts, even using examples to illustrate, and the two little ones listened with serious faces.
Yun Xiaoxiao had no idea how much this story would change them after they heard it and how it even helped them avoid many dangers.
"So when we need to keep a low profile, we must keep a low profile. If we have good food, we can't shout about it for the whole village to know, otherwise it would attract the envy of some people, and they would come to steal from our house."
Da Bao and Xiao Bao nodded fervently.
Seeing them both nodding, Yun Xiaoxiao reflected: Children are still quite teachable.
It's just that once their dad comes back, they would have to separate from him.
By that time, even if she wanted to take the children away, she was afraid the male lead wouldn't agree.
Lunch was egg noodles.
"Mommy, this noodle is delicious."
Each person also had an egg, which was especially tasty.
Yun Xiaoxiao knew that her cooking skills amounted to being able to only boil food properly.
This was still something she learned while helping her mother, Ms. Fan, during the holidays and festivals.
"Let's go gather firewood later."
There was plenty of firewood, but there wasn't much grass and cornstalks left for kindling.
Also, after coming here, the first thing to do was to get familiar with the place. She couldn't let people ask her something and she be clueless, right?
That would make others suspicious of her identity.
The two little ones had their fill and even cleaned up the bowls and chopsticks to wash in the kitchen.
After everything was tidied up, Yun Xiaoxiao carried a basket on her back, Da Bao also carried a small basket, and Xiao Bao wanted to carry a vegetable basket. The family of three set out.
"Educated Youth Yun, where are you all heading?"
The female supporting character, even though she married the male lead, still called her by the title used when she was sent down to the countryside.
"Auntie, we're going to pick up firewood," Da Bao answered.
Being called Auntie by Da Bao referred to a woman in her early thirties, "Educated Youth Yun, hasn't Da Bao's father come back yet?"
All the women in the brigade used to envy Yun Xiaoxiao. Although Zhao Shitou was a good-for-nothing scoundrel, after marrying Educated Youth Yun, he basically never let Yun Xiaoxiao do fieldwork for work points anymore. Even the vegetables from their homestead were planted by Zhao Shitou.
When would the male lead come back?
"He should be back in a few days. We're going to gather firewood first," she replied.
Once Yun Xiaoxiao and her kids had gone far, the woman disdainfully said, "Such a vixen. Only Zhao Shitou could be so bewitched by you. Many Educated Youths in our brigade have returned to the city. If she wants to return to the city, she'll probably never have the chance in her lifetime. She'll have to stay in this rural area with us forever."
Yun Xiaoxiao didn't hear these disdainful words. She asked Xiao Bao, "Tired?"
Xiao Bao shook his head, "Mommy, I'm not tired. I'm full and have energy."
It's only during the holidays and festivals that rural people get to eat their fill. Usually, many people only eat until they're about seventy or eighty percent full.
But these past few days, both Da Bao and Xiao Bao had eaten their fill.
Only then did Yun Xiaoxiao take a good look around. There were mountains and rivers.
As the saying goes, rely on the mountains when near mountains, and rely on water when near water.
This was the most primitive countryside, after all.
Yun Xiaoxiao once thought about earning money for a few years, then quitting her job to buy a small courtyard to enjoy pastoral life with her parents.