I trade in both worlds

"Several kids know you're back and are clamoring to find you." Chen Lihua pointed at Xu Jin, Xu Zhun and Xu Qiwei.

Xu Zhun and Xu Qiwei hid behind Xu Xu embarrassedly, while Xu Jin smiled innocently at Chen Lihua.

Xu Youliang pushed the cart to the entrance of the main hall and asked Xu Xu, "Xu Xu, where should we put these?"

Looking at the two dowry boxes, Xu Xu thought for a while: "Help me move the boxes to the big room inside first, and put these quilts in the main room. I'll take them apart and put them away when I'm free tomorrow."

Xu Youliang nodded, and together with Xu Youyin, they pushed the cart and moved the boxes into the room, and placed the quilt on the table in the main room.

Xu Xu closed the gate and told the twins: "Xiao Jin, take Xiao Zhun and Wei Wei to play in the yard. Don't go out, okay? I have to work in the vegetable garden."

Xu Jin nodded obediently: "Okay, what about Tiantian?"

Xu Xu looked at her daughter in her arms, thinking that she would have to till the soil in the backyard soon, so it was not appropriate to bring her over: "I'll carry Tiantian on my back later."

Chen Lihua was looking for tools in the woodshed: "Sister, my father-in-law said that he would ask my eldest brother and Youyin to turn the land in the vegetable garden and plant vegetables. You don't have to worry about that. We still have some vegetable seedlings that haven't been thinned out yet. You can take a look at what to plant first, and I'll go with you to pull them out."

Xu Youyin also came out: "Yes, my brother and I will work on the vegetable garden, you go pull out the seedlings, and try to plant all the vegetables today."

Xu Xu smiled and said, "Thank you for your hard work. Let's have dinner at home tonight. Lihua and I will go pick the vegetable seedlings."

Although it was already mid-afternoon, the sun was still very hot and they couldn't take the children out. In the end, they decided to leave Xu Tiantian at home. Chen Lihua helped to move the cradle and placed it under the eaves so that Xu Tiantian could lie in it. Xu Xu asked the three children to look after Tiantian, and together with Chen Lihua, each of them carried a dustpan and walked towards Xu Jizong's vegetable garden.

One afternoon, Xu Youliang and Xu Youyin were in charge of tilling the soil, while Xu Xu and Chen Lihua were in charge of planting vegetables. The four of them worked together and finished Xu Xu's vegetable garden in an hour. Xu Youliang looked at the vegetable garden and just needed to water it: "Xuxu, you and your sister-in-law water the plants. Youyin and I will go cut some thin bamboo poles and build a rack."

Xu Xu looked at the sky and it was not too late. He planned to go cut bamboo poles while he prepared dinner at home and invited his second uncle's family to come over for dinner. "Okay, go ahead."

When Xu Xu was pulling up vegetable seedlings in the afternoon, she also pulled up some green onions and Chinese cabbage. She had originally planned to cook cabbage porridge and make scallion pancakes in the evening. But now that she saw this amount of food, it was not enough. After thinking about it, she decided to make porridge first and put more rice in it, otherwise Xu Jizong's family would not stay for dinner: "Lihua, I have another row for you. I'll go make some porridge first."

Chen Lihua looked at the remaining ridge that had not been watered: "Okay, go ahead and get busy."

Here, Xu Xu had just put the rice into the pot when Chen Lihua finished her work and came over to fetch water to wash her hands: "Sister, the vegetables in the garden have been watered."

Xu Xu stuffed a handful of firewood into the stove and said, "Okay, you've worked hard. Lihua, call Uncle Er and the others over for dinner later. And lend me a few eggs. I haven't been anywhere these past two days, and there's no food at home. I must stock up on some long-lasting vegetables tomorrow."

Chen Lihua laughed and said, "What are you talking about borrowing? I'll go back and get it later. Forget about eating. Let's go home and eat."

Xu Xu knew this would happen: "I've even cooked your portion. If you don't eat it, it will take me and the kids three days to finish it."

Looking at the rice in the pot, it was indeed the amount for their family. Chen Lihua said helplessly, "Why did you cook so much? Do you want some vegetables? I'll go back and pick some more."

Xu Xu remembered that there seemed to be zucchini in Xu Jizong's vegetable garden, so he asked Chen Lihua unsurely: "Lihua, are there zucchini planted in the garden?"

Chen Lihua was pouring the dirty water from washing her hands into the vegetable bucket at the door: "Yes, do you want some? Pick some for me later."

After getting a definite answer, Xu Xu decided to make dumplings tonight: "Okay, let's eat zucchini and egg dumplings tonight. I'll knead the dough now, you help me pick zucchini and bring two eggs over, and call my second uncle and the others over as well."

When she heard that there were dumplings to eat, Chen Lihua's eyes sparkled and she happily agreed, "Okay, I'll go now."

Seeing Chen Lihua leave, Xu Xu took a large basin to scoop flour and prepared to knead the dough. The green onions picked in the afternoon were saved for tomorrow's meal, and the cabbage was still used to make porridge. Xu Xu kneaded the dough, covered it with a bamboo curtain to let it rise, and then chopped the cabbage for the porridge.

Just as they were ready, Second Aunt Xu came with Niuniu and eggs. As soon as Niuniu came, she ran to play with her uncle, brother and sister, while Second Aunt Xu went straight to the kitchen.

As soon as she entered the kitchen, Second Aunt Xu tapped Xu Xu's forehead and said, "You are the only one raising several children, and you don't think about saving money and you still eat dumplings. Do you still want to live like this? Have you kneaded the dough? If not, don't knead the dough. Just cook two dishes."

Xu Xu pointed at the hair basin and said, "He's awake."

Second Aunt Xu glared at Xu Xu and said helplessly, "How come you moved so quickly? I came running as soon as Lihua said so. You should just mix the dough. Well, forget it today. Don't do this again in the future. You still need to be frugal in your life."

Seeing how big the kneading basin was, it was unknown how much flour Xu Xu had kneaded. Second Aunt Xu lifted the bamboo curtain on the kneading basin and saw that it was all white flour. She rolled her eyes at Xu Xu and said, "Just keep kneading."

Xu Xu smiled foolishly, took the eggs, and prepared to fry them first: "Where are my second uncle and eldest sister-in-law? Why didn't they come with us?"

Second Aunt Xu took over the work from Xu Xu's hands, beat the eggs and put them into the oil pan to fry them: "Your second uncle and Youliang have gone to the vegetable garden to set up the racks. Erya and Lihua have gone to pick vegetables. They will come together later." Xu Xu, who had nothing to do, had to sit in front of the stove to light the fire for Second Aunt Xu.

When Lin Erya and Chen Lihua came over with zucchini, Xu Xu also saw two cucumbers. Chen Lihua took the cucumbers and said, "Let's make some cucumbers later to whet your appetite."

"Aren't dumplings appetizing enough?" Aunt Xu said unhappily.

Xu Xu quickly said in a flattering tone: "It's appetizing, it's appetizing, everyone, come on, let's get started." As he said that, he picked up the zucchini and began to wash and cut it into shreds. Then he put it into boiling water and blanch it. He squeezed out the water, added some salt and soy sauce, and then mixed the fried eggs together. The dumpling filling was ready.

Lin Erya carried Niu Dan on her back and rolled out the dough to make dumplings with Chen Lihua, while Xu Xu and Aunt Xu were making dumplings. More people means faster work. They made dumplings while chatting, and the dumplings were done before they finished gossiping. Aunt Xu looked out of the kitchen and saw Xu Jizong and his sons coming out of the vegetable garden: "Xu Xu, boil some water and make the dumplings. I'll go make the dipping sauce."