Yang Chuxia thought about it and nodded, "Sure, I have no objections if you want to join. Just ask mom and dad, if they don’t object either, it’s settled."
"Oh, if Sister doesn’t oppose, it’s settled. Mom and Dad would love it." Yang Qingrui cheered. "Sister, you didn’t see the relieved look on mom’s face every day as she watched Zi’an and me learn to read. It could drown someone."
"Mom is just happy for you. Qingbao from the first branch of the family is also planning to join a school, and Qingwen from the second branch has been attending one all along. Before we separated households, our step-grandmother never planned on letting you and Qingtong attend. Mom probably knew and felt sorry for you two all this time. Now that she sees you and Brother An learning to read, she can’t help but be happy."
Upon hearing this, Yang Qingrui clenched his small fists, "Hmph, in the future, I’ll also become a Cultivated Talent to make our mom happy. Just look at Yang Qingwen, with a Cultivated Talent for a father, he’s as arrogant as a rooster."
"It’s good to have ambition. You should study hard with Brother An, and once we’ve sold the crabs, I’ll take you to sign up for the school."
"Mmhm," Yang Qingrui nodded vigorously.
As they spoke, the brine was ready. Yang Chuxia began scooping it into pottery jars. When both jars were filled enough to cover the crabs, she put in the leftover dried tangerine peels and other items before sealing the jars with alcohol and finally covering them with lids.
After finishing, she placed the crabs directly in a wooden barrel to later transfer them to a pit at their home. Ye Zi’an’s family would need to add even more later.
"Is it done?" When Yang Chuxia opened the door, a handsome figure slowly turned around.
The sun reddened the other party’s cheeks, and as they looked at Yang Chuxia, their eyes held laughter, completely different from their cold demeanor toward Yang Lichun earlier. Caught off guard by his youthful smile, she was lost for a moment before Ye Zi’an bashfully lowered his head, and she regained her senses, cursing herself for being so infatuated. However, recalling Ms. Hua Junior’s words at lunch, saying that she had her eyes on Ye Zi’an, it was quite funny. She had the soul of a twenty or thirty-year-old, so fancying Brother An was akin to an old cow eating tender grass, wasn’t it?
But upon further thought, she would eventually have to marry in this new life. Otherwise, she wouldn’t be able to get past her parents, Yang Dachuan and Ms.Wang. Ancient times weren’t as open-minded as modern times, where one could choose to remain single.
Actually, if she really had to marry, Ye Zi’an would be a good choice. At least they had neither elderly nor children, so their life after marriage would be quite free and easy.
However, her current body was still young, and Brother An wasn’t very old either. She could continue to observe and just let things take their natural course.
"Let’s go inside; it’s too sunny out here."
"I’ve noticed that you’re very clean." Walking into Brother An’s house, Yang Chuxia took another look around. There was a bedroom inside, and the room outside seemed to function as a living room.
Inside was a table and two stools, a cabinet connected to a bookshelf that had a few books on it, as well as some scroll papers with ink traces.
The simple furnishings suggested frugality, but everything was very clean and tidy. Yang Chuxia had noticed this when she first came to make drunken crabs. The boy’s home, be it the kitchen or main room, was spotless and a far cry from the messy picture she’d imagined.
"I’m by myself, so there isn’t much stuff. It just looks a bit empty, so it seems clean."