Chapter 107 - 107: Talking About Moving
Han Qiao invited a few uncles to her house after dinner to discuss their move to the county town.
Meanwhile, Sun Ke immediately handed over a peeled orange. “Mother, you eat.”
“Mother ate on the way here.” Han Qiao patted Sun Ke’s head.
“Mom, can we go pick oranges too?” Sun Ke asked.
“Of course, I’ll bring Cousin Yuanyuan and the others along.”
Sun Ke was extremely happy when she heard that.
After a trip to the county town, her youngest child became more lively, cheerful, and courageous.
Aunt Zhao had already cooked mung bean porridge and pumpkin steamed buns, and also minced meat and tofu buns.
They were all Grandpa’s favorites.
Grandpa did not want to go to Eldest Uncle’s house now. He said that he wanted to stay at his Eldest Granddaughter’s house.
Eldest Uncle could not force them back.
Grandpa couldn’t sit still, and Eldest Uncle couldn’t always keep an eye on him. Grandpa would sometimes call Grandma so they could leave Eldest Uncle’s house.
He would find his eldest granddaughter’s house, and when he arrived at her place, he would stay put. He would even help his wife make the bed, and he would help Han Qiao watch over the children and prevent them from playing by the well, pool, and stream.
Actually, Grandpa’s dementia was getting better.
They ate well and slept well. The relationship between the old couple was stable, and the children were sensible and filial.
Han Qiao would talk to him and tease him whenever she had nothing to do.
Dinner would be served in the courtyard. Grandpa could eat three bacon and tofu buns and drink a bowl of green bean porridge.
After dinner, he would walk hand in hand with Grandma from the front yard to the backyard.
He remembered his eldest granddaughter saying, “If you take a walk after dinner, you can live 99 years.”
Han Qiao was very supportive of the old couple walking around.
When her uncles and aunts came over, Han Qiao not only served oranges, but also melon seeds, peanuts, and tea.
Mother Han had mentioned the jade bracelet on Grandmother’s wrist several times with envy.
After all, even she, who didn’t know what was good, felt that it must be something valuable.
Because it looked very smooth and delicate.
Han Qiao smiled but didn’t say anything. She didn’t have time to give the gold bracelet to Han Yuan.
The uncles and aunties praised her for being good-looking and Han Qiao for being filial.
Han Qiao smiled and said, “I actually bought a gold bracelet for my mother too, but I was too busy to give it to her.”
“Aiyo.”
“Hurry up and show us.”
Mother Han was so happy that she didn’t know what to do.
Han Qiao went into the house and took the presents out.
The golden bracelet glittered with golden light, and Mother Han fell in love with it at first sight.
She felt that it was much more beautiful than the jade bracelet.
But to Han Qiao, gold and silver were priceless. In her heart, Grandma was much more important than Han Yuan.
That was why she bought her a jade bracelet.
She could not be blamed for measuring this kinship. How they treated her was very different from the start.
The uncles and aunts were extremely envious.
They didn’t even have a silver bracelet.
Han Yuan was enjoying herself.
When Han Qiao said that she wanted to move to the county town, her family was stunned. She wanted to bring her grandparents with her, which shocked them even more.
“It’s said that having an old man is like having a treasure in the family. Heng Yi and I are still young, and it’s a blessing to have an old man in the family.”
Father Han and the others looked at their smiling parents, who were sitting at the side, looking very well-treated.
They couldn’t let them stay in Xishan Village against their will.
They wouldn’t be able to take good care of them even if they stayed, and they wouldn’t be like Han Qiao’s family, who had meat every day, ate their fill every meal, and had three meals on time.
Uncle Han then said, “In that case, I will also prepare a portion of food-”
“No need.” Heng Yi said.
He was very honest.
If he said he didn’t want it, he really didn’t want it.
Han Qiao smiled and held Heng Yi’s hand. “I agree with Heng Yi.”
Perhaps she didn’t care if the elders in her family loved her or hated her.
However, Heng Yi needed to be present in her life.
He didn’t need to be doted on. When he got home, he would call her once or twice and only say a few words.
Slowly, the wounds in his heart would be healed.
Forgetting the past and being reborn.
When Han Qiao and Heng Yi told them about the house and the soon-to-be restaurant in the county town, the Han family was shocked and envious, but most of them were happy for them
“Then you should choose a good day to move.” Uncle Yao said.
“We should choose a good day.”
As a family, they couldn’t hesitate when choosing a good day.
In addition to the manor, it would be best for them to live there and tidy it up.
“You don’t have to worry about the work in the fields. We have the cows and the people who could do the work. When the time comes, we will go to work and take care of the food.”
The Han family did not have many things, but they did have many men available for work.
When her cousins, sisters-in-law, and children came over, they even brought their own benches and sat together.
They enthusiastically discuss Han Qiao’s move.
There was still work to be done at the manor.
“There are so many people in our family. Each of us will dig a hoe and turn the ground over for you in less than two days.”
Heng Yi nodded.
The corners of her eyes were also filled with smiles.
He liked the atmosphere in the Han family very much. No matter what they did, the whole family would always work together.
“Heng Yi, Ah-Qiao, if you move to the county, what will happen to this house?”
“We will come back occasionally. During the New Year and holidays, when the uncles celebrate their birthdays, and when my nephews and nieces get married, I have to come back and celebrate with them. I just have to trouble you to help me look after it.” Han Qiao said.
Han Qiao wouldn’t give this house to anyone.
She still had to keep it for herself.
Although it was lively here, according to the Han family’s wishes, they plucked the oranges in the manor, turned over the ground, and scattered some seeds. So they didn’t have to buy vegetables in winter.
Han Qiao tried to save as much as she could before opening her restaurant.
“Ah-Qiao, why don’t we grow vegetables and raise chickens and sell them to you? We’ll sell them at 20% lower than the market price.”
“This is a good idea. I can even raise pigs. I don’t just grow vegetables and raise chickens.”
Han Qiao slowly told everyone about how she made sweet potato noodles.
“Crush the sweet potatoes hard, then wash them in the basin, rub them, put them on a cotton cloth, scoop some water, and rinse them. Leave the water in the wooden bucket to settle overnight. When the excess water is poured away the next day, the sweet potato flour will settle.”
She was afraid that the Han family would not understand. So she went to get two sweet potatoes and cracked them for everyone to see.
The last of the water finally settled in the bucket.
“There will be sweet potato flour in here tomorrow?”
“At the bottom. This thing can make a lot of food.”
Han Qiao asked Aunt Zhao to make some sweet potato flour and sweet potato balls.
The sweet potatoes were cooked and crushed. She added some sweet potato powder into them and rubbed them into a ball. She placed them into the pot and cooked them before bringing them out.
The adults took a look and thought that it looked shiny and beautiful, so the children split it up.
“These bunch of gluttons.” Han Qiao sighed fondly.
She asked Auntie Zhao to make more for the children.
The children liked to come to Han Qiao’s place because she doted on them and was willing to give them food.
All of them happily went to help peel the sweet potatoes and light the fire for Aunt Zhao.
Aunt Zhao was also happy to dote on these children.
After all, they were obedient, sensible, and had sweet mouths. They would even often lend a hand. Every time they called Granny Zhao, her heart warmed.
Life in the village was bustling, but they were interrupted when Han Xiang returned to her mother’s home crying with a swollen face, messy hair, and torn clothes..