My humble days in ancient times

In the evening, everyone gathered around the stove, the warm air filling the room. Xu Ruyi suddenly hit on the idea of ​​a morning jog. "Let's go jogging together starting tomorrow," she said excitedly. "We can get some fresh air and exercise at the same time."

Xu Qinghe, Xu Ruyuan and Xu Qingyan were all surprised, their eyes wide open.

Xu Qinghe was the first to ask, "What is morning jogging?"

Xu Ruyi explained solemnly: "It means getting up early in the morning and going for a run outside."

Xu Ruyuan and Xu Qingyan pouted when they heard this and shook their heads reluctantly to express their disagreement.

Xu Qingyan grumbled, "Big sister, it's too cold to get up so early in the morning. The wind outside is biting. I don't want to go out! I want to sleep in bed."

Xu Ruyi patiently told him, "If you run, you won't be cold in a short while. When you exercise, your blood circulation speeds up, and your whole body becomes full of energy and warmth."

Xu Ruyuan said, "Sister, the children in the village don't run, so why should we run?"

Xu Ruyi looked at them and said seriously, "It's best not to compete with others in everything we do. The children in the village don't run because there's no one to lead them. If we get up early and run, maybe they'll see us and try to follow our lead."

Xu Ruyuan thought for a moment and said, "I don't believe it. The bed is so warm, why should I get up so early and suffer so much? My brother and I ran around the village during the day and were exhausted."

It seems that it is difficult to cheat if the wish is too big.

Xu Ruyi thought for a moment and said, "If you get up early and go for a morning run, I'll give you some money. With the money, I'll take you to the county town during the New Year, and you can buy whatever you want."

Now, Xu Ruyuan and Xu Qingyan finally stopped objecting.

The next day, the four siblings got up early for a morning run.

The four siblings ran around the village and found that the only ones who got up early in the village were Zhuzi and Uncle Zhang's family. Uncle Zhang got up early in the morning to make tofu, and Zhuzi got up early in the morning to prepare egg pancakes and rice balls.

The four brothers and sisters passed by Zhuzi's house and entered Zhuzi's kitchen. At this time, Zhuzi was busy steaming rice.

Seeing them, Zhuzi asked curiously, "You kids are really not afraid of the cold. What are you doing up so early?"

Xu Qinghe took a breath and replied, "We are exercising."

Xu Qingyan tilted his head and said, "The more I run, the hotter I get. Now I'm not cold at all, I'm sweating all over."

Xu Ruyuan also came over and told Brother Zhuzi: "Brother Zhuzi, I can earn money by running a lap."

When Zhuzi heard this, he laughed and said, "Whose idea was this?"

Xu Ruyi raised her hand and said playfully, "It was the beautiful lady's idea."

When Zhuzi heard Xu Ruyi bragging about her beauty, he couldn't help but burst into laughter, and his laughter echoed in the kitchen.

Zhuzi was busy, so Xu Ruyi quickly took them away.

They ran around the village and then headed to the new house. There, Xu Qinghe and Xu Qingyan were practicing martial arts with great enthusiasm. Xu Ruyi and Xu Ruyuan watched, eager to imitate their movements.

Du Xiaoyue and Du Xiaoxing also got up. Ever since Xu Qinghe became their apprentice, they had to get up early every day to practice martial arts and learn to read during the day. Their days were busy and fulfilling.

Ye Mei and Song Ping'an also got up and started to make breakfast quickly.

Seeing Xu Ruyi and his three siblings coming over, Ye Mei specially made an extra portion.

Xu Ruyi and her four siblings had fragrant millet porridge, steaming buns, and an egg for breakfast, while the rest of their family had the slightly rougher coarse rice porridge and coarse flour buns.

Ye Mei said apologetically, "I didn't know the young lady and young master were coming, and we didn't have anything good to entertain them at home, so this is all we have."

Xu Ruyi smiled and nodded, saying, "These are already very good. Besides, we four brothers and sisters are not that delicate. There is no need to be so polite."

Xu Ruyi tasted a bun and said, "Although it's vegetarian, it's quite delicious."

Ye Mei smiled and said, "This is stuffed with vegetables and a little oil residue."

Xu Ruyi nodded and said, "That's good. From now on, we'll come in the morning and eat whatever's available at home. Don't be too busy."

Ye Mei thought to herself: How can that be possible? This is just what the eldest lady said. I must understand the rules and have the proper etiquette.

When Xu Ruyi and his two siblings left, Du Xiaoxing hurried over and said to Xu Qingyan, "Don't leave. Stay and play."

Xu Qingyan looked at Xu Ruyi and said, "If you want to play with me, I can take you around the village."

Du Xiaoxing looked eagerly at Du Lei, eager to go. Du Xiaoyue also had an idea and walked over to him, saying, "I want to go too. It's really boring being cooped up at home with my brother all day. Dad, let's go."

Xu Ruyi said to Du Lei, "Master Du, why don't you let them come and play with us? We won't let them go to a dangerous place like the river, and we will definitely take good care of them."

Du Lei looked at his children's eager eyes, thought for a moment and said to them, "Go and have fun, but don't be naughty or cause trouble. Listen to Sister Ruyi and the others."

Xu Ruyi smiled and said, "Most villagers are honest people. We will avoid those who are unreasonable and aggressive. Master Du, don't worry."

After getting Du Lei's consent, Du Xiaoyue and Du Xiaoxing cheered and ran out of the yard like two happy little birds.

The few of them talked and laughed all the way back to the village.

When passing by Uncle Zhang's house, Old Li also walked over slowly.

Uncle Zhang saw them and asked curiously, "Hey, who are these two children?"

Xu Ruyi smiled sweetly: "It's Master Du's daughter Xiaoyue and son Xiaoxing."

Uncle Zhang nodded thoughtfully and said, "It's about the same size as the Ruyuan Qingyan Feast, so we can play together. It's so nice for the children to be together and have fun!"

Old Li happened to walk over here and said cheerfully, "That's good. There are two more children in the village. It will be a little more lively."

Du Xiaoyue and Du Xiaoxing arrived at Xu Ruyi's house. Du Xiaoyue looked around like a curious kitten, finding many interesting things in the house. She looked at the stove and found it interesting. Seeing the gloves, she asked curiously, "Sister Ruyi, what is this?"

Xu Ruyi gently put the gloves on her hands and said patiently: "These are gloves. They are very warm when you put them on your hands."

Du Xiaoyue saw the guzheng and pipa again, and her eyes lit up, like twinkling stars in the night sky. She reached out to touch them and gently plucked them. The guzheng immediately made a crisp sound. Du Xiaoyue was slightly startled and patted her chest.

Du Xiaoxing was also there, looking at Xu Qingyan's flute curiously. He held it in his hand and couldn't let it go, looking at it over and over again.

After a while, Xu Qingyan took Du Xiaoxing, Xu Ruyuan and Du Xiaoyue and ran happily to the village to play.

Xu Ruyi watched them leave and suddenly thought: It would be nice if Du Xiaoyue could be Ruyuan's maid and Du Xiaoxing could be Qingyan's servant. As she thought about it, she couldn't help but laugh.

At lunch time, Xu Ruyi showed off her cooking skills and made bright red, fat but not greasy braised pork, delicious and tasty ants climbing a tree, and steaming, fragrant pork rib soup.

Du Xiaoyue and Du Xiaoxing ate with such relish that their mouths were stuffed full and their cheeks were bulging.

In the afternoon they continued to have fun, running around like wild horses. Xu Ruyi looked at their backs and really admired their energy.