This is terrible! My future prime minister keeps trying to kiss me forcibly.

After breakfast, Ye Xiaoxiao told He Jing about her thoughts.

To the right of the kitchen is a storage room for firewood, with no walls, only a roof for shelter from the wind and rain.

Neatly stacked firewood stood against the wall.

He Jing hung several hemp ropes on the beam, and then draped several sturdy wooden sticks over the ropes.

He hung the cured meats on it one by one and lit cypress branches.

The fire is far from the firewood and is smoldering, so there's no need to worry about it burning the house.

Wisps of smoke rise up the steps, slowly encircling the strips of fresh cured meat. By smoking it over a low flame for seven days and seven nights, the cured meat is ready.

Ye Xiaoxiao watched as Little Black chased its tail in the yard and gave a command: "Little Black, watch our meat!"

Little Black was extremely intelligent. With its four short legs, it ran towards the storeroom to chase its tail in a different place.

......

Several more days of continuous rain fell, the spring rain misty and hazy, shrouding the small mountain village in fog, making it seem like a fairyland.

It is said that spring rain is as precious as oil. Ye Xiaoxiao looked at the vegetable seedlings in the yard that had grown much taller, and her eyes could not hide her joy.

He Jing stayed in the simple wooden cabin he built in the mountains for several days in a row. According to him, it was easier to hunt on rainy days, and he said he would come back as soon as the rain stopped.

He Wuyou and He Wuyang couldn't go out to play either, but they found a new way to pass the time—writing big characters!

The writing by several people almost turned upside down the entire yard.

"Wuyou, can you teach me to write too?"

Ye Xiaoxiao rested her chin on her hand, watching the people who ran outside to write as soon as the rain stopped, and suddenly had a whimsical idea.

She has beautiful calligraphy skills, but it's easy for people to become suspicious if someone who doesn't know how to read suddenly learns to write.

It would be better to take advantage of the opportunity when the two little ones begin to learn to read and write, and then show off a little without anyone suspecting anything.

Upon hearing this, He Wuyou realized that his sister-in-law was much older than him and actually wanted to learn to write from him. A hint of pride flashed across his small face as he said seriously, "Okay, but if you don't write well, you'll get a slap on the palm."

He completely copied He Jing's methods.

Even writing a single character incorrectly will result in punishment.

Ye Xiaoxiao looked at He Wuyou's serious little face and smiled, "Yes, little teacher!"

Upon hearing this address, He Wuyou grinned from ear to ear, but then, remembering that the teacher in the school must be as serious and unsmiling as his elder brother when teaching, he quickly tightened his lips and pretended to be serious.

"Sister-in-law! I can teach you too!"

He Wuyang raised the mud-covered branch high and jumped around excitedly.

"Okay! You two teach me!"

And so, Ye Xiaoxiao followed the two children and filled the yard with characters, stroke by stroke.

"This horizontal stroke is written too short."

"This vertical stroke is crooked!"

He Wuyou commented on Ye Xiaoxiao's handwriting with great seriousness, her earnest little face bearing a resemblance to He Jing.

Ye Xiaoxiao stood humbly to the side, exchanging a smile with Mother He, who was sitting under the eaves. This child was so amusing.

"Writing requires a calm mind; do not make noise or play around!"

A childish voice rang out, and He Wuyou looked up with a serious expression, staring at the smiling person.

Ye Xiaoxiao nodded hurriedly: "Yes, yes, yes."

When He Jing returned carrying a pile of prey, he was greeted by a scene of joy and harmony.

His mother stood under the eaves, her gaze gentle as she looked at the people in the courtyard.

In the courtyard, an adult and two children were chasing and hitting each other with thin twigs in their hands, each with a smile on their face.

The little black dog played around them.

A slight smile curved his lips, and the icy coldness in his eyes had long since melted into warmth.

"Xiao Xiao, I heard you want to learn to write?"

At dinner time, He Jing suddenly asked a question, his expression naturally calm.

"Huh?" This was the first time Ye Xiaoxiao had heard He Jing call her that, and she suddenly felt a little uncomfortable. For a moment, she didn't hear what question he asked.

He Jing's pleasant voice rang out again: "Wuyou said you were learning to write with those two this afternoon?"

"Ah—I was just writing it for fun, and I found it quite interesting."

He Jing put down his bowl, staring at Ye Xiaoxiao, his dark eyes shimmering with starlight: "Starting tomorrow, I will teach you."