I trade in both worlds

As soon as Xu Xu saw Xu Jin turning around, she smiled at him, trying to reassure him with her smile.

After returning home, Xu Xu remembered the rocking cradle that Xu Jin and his friends used when they were young, which was woven by his father himself with bamboo strips. So he took Yang Tiantian back to the room and asked Xu Jin to look after her while Xu Xu went to the utility room to find the rocking cradle.

After his father passed away last year, Xu Xu cleaned the rocking nest and put it in the utility room. He remembered that he wrapped it with a straw mat at that time. He didn't know if the straw mat was damaged and whether it could still be used now.

Sure enough, when she entered the utility room, Xu Xu saw the rocking nests stacked in the northeast corner, still in the same condition as she had packed them. Xu Xu moved the rocking nests down with great effort, and the entire straw curtain was covered with dust.

Looking at the dim utility room, Xu Xu decided to move to the yard to dismantle the straw curtains. Otherwise, if he dismantled them here, he would eat up all the dust.

I moved the rocking nest to the well and removed the straw curtain. I found that the rocking nest was quite clean. However, I still fetched a few buckets of water to rinse it clean, and then put it in the sun to dry, so as to drive away the insects hiding in the cracks.

Xu Xu went to the room to check on the children and found Xu Jin sitting cross-legged on the kang reading a copy of Three Character Classic. Yang Tingting was lying next to Xu Jin, looking up at Xu Zhun and Yang Qiwei doing somersaults on the kang, which made Yang Tingting giggle.

Seeing Xu Xu coming in, Yang Qiwei happily called out, "Mom."

Xu Zhun somersaulted and called out, "Sister."

Xu Jin heard Yang Qiwei calling her mother, and turned around to see Xu Xu: "Sister."

Yang Tiantian reached out to Xu Xu, wanting to hug her. Xu Xu walked over and picked her up while asking, "What do you want to eat for lunch?"

Yang Qiwei: “Eggs.”

Xu Zhun: "I want eggs too."

Xu Jin looked at his brother and then at his nephew, and asked worriedly, "Sister, are there any eggs at home? All the chickens are gone."

Before, Zhang Yunxiang raised 6 chickens. She had no shortage of eggs for daily use, and even had some surplus that she could exchange for some money at the market. But since Zhang Yunxiang fell ill, she has killed them all one after another.

Thinking that all the chickens at home had been killed, Xu Zhun also said sensibly: "Sister, don't eat eggs, eat vegetables."

Yang Qiwei didn't quite understand. He looked at his two uncles, not knowing what to say. He thought he had done something wrong and rubbed the corner of his clothes helplessly.

Xu Xu looked at the children and smiled, "If there is nothing, I will go and change it. It's not a big deal. We will catch some chickens in a few days. In a few months, our family will not be short of eggs."

Hearing that he could raise chickens, Xu Jin said happily: "I will be responsible for feeding the chickens."

Xu Zhun also said: "Then I will go catch insects. Chickens will lay eggs after eating insects."

Yang Qiwei also grabbed Xu Zhun's arm and said anxiously, "Uncle, I'll catch some bugs."

Xu Zhun nodded and said, "Okay, let's catch bugs together."

Yang Qiwei imitated Xu Zhun and nodded: "Yeah, yeah, catch the bugs."

Xu Xu looked at the twins with relief, they were finally starting to get over it, but she also felt a little sad and upset. Children have short memories, and maybe next year they won't even remember what their parents look like.

Xu Xu put Yang Tingting back on the kang. His drooping eyelids hid the loss in his eyes. His chest ached dully, and it felt like breathing was becoming a little difficult again.

He took a deep breath and told Xu Jin, "Xiao Jin, look after Tiantian and the others. You guys just stay home and play. Don't go out. I'll go get some eggs and make lunch."

Xu Jin responded obediently: "Okay."

Seeing that Xu Xu hadn't explained herself, Xu Zhun said anxiously, "Sister, I will also take good care of my nephews."

Xu Xu forced a smile and said, "Okay, thank you Xiao Jin and Xiao Zhun."

Xu Xu first found a sickle in the yard, and took the basket to the vegetable garden behind to cut leeks. After coming back, he washed the leeks and spread them on the basket to dry, and then went to Xu Jizong's house to borrow eggs.

Xu Xu stepped into the yard and saw Second Aunt Xu washing clothes. She called out, "Second Aunt."

Second Aunt Xu looked up at Xu Xu and asked, "What's wrong? Did you drop something?"

Xu Xu shook his head: "No, the kids want to eat eggs, but we don't have any at home, so we want to borrow some from you."

Second Aunt Xu rolled her eyes at Xu Xu and shouted towards the kitchen, "Lihua, give all the eggs at home to Xu Xu."

Chen Lihua poked her head out and took a look. She saw Xu Xu standing in the yard. She smiled at her and replied, "I just fried a few at noon. I still have 6 left. Sister Xu Xu, is that enough? If not, I'll go borrow a few."

Xu Xu hurriedly stopped him: "That's enough, no need to borrow." Then he walked towards the kitchen.

Second Aunt Xu advised Xu Xu: "Xu Xu, why don't you ask Lihua to borrow a few more? The chickens at home will lay eggs tomorrow, and I can return them then."

Xu Xu refused: "Second Aunt, that's enough. I'll go to the market in a few days and buy some, and also buy a few chicks to raise."

Second Aunt Xu nodded: "It's time to raise a child. I'll go with you then. You young people are not picky."

"Okay, thank you, Second Aunt." Before she finished her words, Chen Lihua came out with eggs. Xu Xu handed over the basket in his hand so that Chen Lihua could put the eggs in the basket.

After collecting the eggs, Xu Xu prepared to go back: "Second Aunt, I'm going back first"

Aunt Xu waved her hand and said, "Go back soon."

Xu Xu prepared to cook millet porridge at noon, so that Yang Tiantian would have complementary food, and then bake a few chive egg pancakes, perfect. After returning home, he first cooked millet porridge on a small stove, and then started to knead the dough.

I scooped a bowl of black flour and a bowl of white flour, mixed them together, boiled half of the flour in boiling water and mixed the other half with warm water, kneaded the dough, and covered it with a straw mat.

Xu Xu took a look at the drying leeks and decided to fry the eggs first. Xu Xu beat four eggs into a bowl, added appropriate amount of salt, and then beat the eggs. He heated oil in a pan and fry the eggs. After serving the eggs, he started to cut the leeks.

After mixing the fillings, Xu Xu began to pinch the dough into pieces. After rolling out all the pieces, he started to make leek egg pancakes.

After making the pancakes, Xu Xu served the millet porridge to the table, then went to the room to call people to eat.

As soon as he entered, he heard crying. Xu Xu walked over and picked up Yang Tiantian. He touched the diaper and found that the child had pooped, so he picked up the child and went to the kitchen to get hot water to wash it.

She also invited the other three to eat: "Go wash your hands, we are going to eat. Xiaojin, help me get a clean diaper, I want to wash Tiantian."

Xu Jin, who had already gotten off the kang, climbed back up to get the diaper.

After dinner, Xu Xu carried the dried cradle back to the main room, spread a small mat on it, and placed the sleeping Yang Tiantian in the cradle. This way, she could move the cradle wherever she went, and she no longer had to keep the children in the room to look after them.

The next day, Xu Xu used the remaining eggs to make steamed egg custard and cooked a pot of white porridge. Before the rice was ready, Aunt Xu and Chen Lihua arrived.

Second Aunt Xu called Xu Xu: "Xu Xu, have you had breakfast? Let Lihua look after the children at home. There's no need to wake them up. Let them sleep a little longer."