New ink fragrance in old times

Hu Zi's eyes lit up immediately, and he shouted excitedly, "Wow, Dou Zi, you're amazing! I love it, thank you!"

After saying that, Hu Zi couldn't wait to try playing it.

Lin Mo patiently taught Hu Zi how to play the acorn flute. He gently put the flute to his lips and blew a breath as a demonstration, and the flute sounded immediately.

Although simple, it was clear and melodious, attracting the surrounding children to gather around and stare at the flute curiously.

"See, that's it. You have to control the airflow and don't push too hard."

While explaining, Lin Mo encouraged Hu Zi to try.

Hu Zi followed Lin Mo's instructions and blew carefully. Although at first only a faint sound of air flow was heard, after several attempts, he finally heard the first note of the flute. At that moment, he jumped up with joy and shouted excitedly, "I blew it! I blew it!"

Seeing this, other children also expressed their desire to try this magical acorn flute.

But Hu Zi held it tightly, shook his head, and said seriously: "No, this is a gift from Dou Zi, I must cherish it."

Although the children were a little disappointed that they could not try out the acorn flute that Lin Mo gave to Hu Zi, they were soon attracted by the novelty of the flute and the heartwarming scene of the two playing and teaching each other.

They formed a circle and stared at Hu Zi and Lin Mo without blinking, afraid of missing any details.

"Douzi, you are so awesome!" a little girl said enviously, her eyes sparkling with admiration.

"My brother is the best!" Niu Zi said unconvinced.

Under Lin Mo's patient guidance, Hu Zi finally mastered the technique of playing the acorn flute. The children applauded, their faces full of excitement and joy.

Hu Zi: "Let's blow it together."

Lin Mo: "Okay."

The two performed a grand ensemble, and the children next to them also joined in, some whistling, some clapping the beat. Although everyone's voice and rhythm were different, they seemed to have found a wonderful resonance in this harmony and laughter.

After the ensemble ended, Hu Zi took Lin Mo to explore around the village and introduced his friends to Lin Mo. They ran and chased each other in the fields; they climbed the big tree at the entrance of the village and looked at the scenery in the distance; they sat together and shared each other's stories and dreams.

However, happy times are always short-lived.

Smoke from cooking fires rose from the village, and children were called back by their families to eat.

"Douzi, I'm going home. Let's continue playing next time!" Hu Zi said reluctantly, his eyes full of anticipation.

"Okay, I'm going home too. Thank you for taking me out today, Huzi."

Lin Mo answered with a smile, but a trace of reluctance welled up in his heart.

After saying goodbye to the other children one by one, Lin Mo turned and walked towards Xing'er and Hua'er, and set off on the road home with the others.

Lin Sizhe: "Grandma, we are back."

As soon as Lin Sizhe got home, he rushed to the kitchen. He obviously did not forget what Zhao Yue'e said to him in the morning, that he should eat delicious food today.

When Zhao Yue'e saw him, she said, "Oh, my dear grandson is back! Go wash your hands quickly, and you'll be able to eat soon."

Lin Sizhe smiled and nodded, "Okay, grandma, I'll go right away."

He skipped outside to wash his hands, and couldn't wait to taste the "delicious food" that his grandma had mentioned.

At the same time, Lin Mo sat at the dining table and enjoyed his lunch.

In front of him was a bowl of food that looked crystal clear and exuded an attractive luster. It looked like cold noodles.

Lin Mo picked up a piece with chopsticks and tasted it carefully. It had a chewy texture and tasted delicious. It tasted like sweet potato skin and looked like cold noodles. He couldn't help but become curious about what it was made of.

"This is delicious, grandma, what is this?"

Lin Sizhe asked curiously while eating, not forgetting to look at Zhao Yue'e, hoping to get an answer.

Zhao Yue'e smiled, her eyes filled with memories. "This is dough, but I added some potato starch to make it chewier. I learned this method from my sister-in-law. She often made it for me when I visited my parents' home. Later, I learned how to make it from her, and now I'm making it for you too."

Lin Sizhe's eyes widened even more, as if he had discovered a new world:

"Wow, grandma, you're amazing! You can actually make something so delicious! I want to eat it every day. I want to eat the dough made by grandma every day!"

Zhao Yue'e laughed heartily at her grandson's innocence and enthusiasm, and the wrinkles at the corners of her eyes smoothed out, as if the air was filled with happiness and warmth:

"Okay, okay, as long as you don't get tired of it, grandma will make it for you every day."

Just as the family was immersed in the warmth and anticipation of lunch, there was a sudden and hurried knock on the door, breaking the silence in the room.

Shen Xin put down her bowl and chopsticks, gently wiped the corner of her mouth, and stood up and walked towards the door. There was a hint of curiosity in her eyes, wanting to know who was visiting at this time.

The door slowly opened, and a strange woman stood outside. There was a hint of anxiety and uneasiness in her eyes, as if there was something important that needed to be resolved immediately.

Shen Xin asked politely, "Auntie, who are you looking for?"

The woman looked up at Shen Xin, a hint of nervousness in her voice: "I'm looking for Lin Xiya. Is she home?"

Shen Xin couldn't help but feel a little suspicious. She had never seen this woman before, and she had no idea what her relationship was with her elder sister-in-law, Lin Xiya.

But she remained polite and patient, preparing to inquire further: "Aunt, what do you want to talk to my eldest sister-in-law about? I can pass it on for you."

Just as Shen Xin was about to ask further questions, Zhao Yue'e came out of the kitchen after hearing the sound, with a look of curiosity and vigilance on her face.

"Who are you? What do you want to see Lin Xiya for?"

Zhao Yue'e stood at the door, looking at the woman sharply.

The woman looked around and seemed a little hesitant: "I...I'm looking for Lin Xiya. I need to discuss something with her."

Zhao Yue'e frowned. She had never seen this person before, and she couldn't help but feel a little wary. But she remained calm. "What do you want from Yaya? Just tell me directly."

The woman looked around again and felt that it was indeed inconvenient to talk at the door, so she asked cautiously, "Can we... go inside and talk?"

Although Zhao Yue'e had some doubts in her heart, out of politeness, she nodded and gestured for the woman to enter the yard.

The woman followed Zhao Yue'e into the yard, looking around as if she was looking for something.

"Why aren't Lin Xiya and the kids here?"

The woman asked, her tone filled with a hint of tentativeness and expectation.

Zhao Yue'e was even more puzzled, but she didn't show any sign of surprise. She patiently explained, "They're out. They're not home. Just tell me directly, and I'll pass it on to her when she comes back."

The woman was a little stunned by Zhao Yue'e's question. She didn't expect Zhao Yue'e to ask so directly. She hesitated for a moment, then said, "I... I have something I need to discuss with her in person."

After hearing this, Zhao Yue'e became even more alert.

She looked at the woman, her tone firm: "It's really unfortunate that Yaya is not at home now. She took the children to her grandparents' house and won't be back for a while."

In fact, when Zhao Yue'e saw that something was wrong, she asked Lin Xiya and her children who were eating to hide.

The woman was speechless after hearing Zhao Yue'e's words. She looked at Zhao Yue'e with a hint of disappointment in her eyes.

Zhao Yue'e didn't want to argue with the woman anymore and was about to send her out. The woman suddenly stopped, with a look of reluctance and curiosity in her eyes:

"Sister-in-law, I see your family is doing really well. The yard is immaculately kept, and the family is harmonious. Can I take a look around and share in the good cheer?"

Shen Xin, who was standing by, felt a little nervous. He wanted to refuse the woman, but was afraid of being exposed. He didn't know how to start for a moment.

Zhao Yue'e still maintained a warm smile on her face:

"Of course, you can take a look at it as you like. Although our Lin family is not rich, we can still get by. If you think there is something well decorated, go back and learn from it."

After hearing what Zhao Yue'e said, the woman showed a satisfied smile on her face and began to visit the Lin family's houses one by one.