country bumpkin

The next day, Mu Shuyun got up early, made breakfast, and cleaned the house.

After feeding the pigs, sheep, and geese, the chickens don't need feeding anymore; they can be let out and find food on their own.

Kong Tongming finished breakfast and went to work. Mu Shuyun and Yunya ate a little and then went to Kong Xiangdong's house.

Mu Shuyun carried a basket of eggs, a bag of brown sugar, and 200 yuan, and gave them to Zhou Caiyun.

Zhou Caiyun hesitated for a moment, but ultimately accepted it. Mu Shuyun said it was a small gift for her grandson, not much, but still quite a lot these days.

The other mothers-in-law in the village never gave a gift upon meeting the child. The person who performed the ritual would give 50 yuan, which was already considered very generous.

After Mu Shuyun arrived, she prepared the meal, boiled eggs, brewed motherwort tea, and made two spoonfuls of brown sugar, which she then handed over to Zhou Caiyun.

Zhou Caiyun recovered quickly and ate heartily, holding her bowl. Kong Xiangdong ran to the yard to fetch water to wash the boil.

After finishing her meal, Zhou Caiyun fed the baby, who drank the milk contentedly with gurgling sounds.

After eating and drinking his fill, he closed his eyes and fell asleep. Mu Shuyun smiled as she watched her grandson being so well-behaved and then went out.

The mother and child were left fast asleep.

Yunya didn't dare to make a sound, afraid of waking her little brother.

Kong Xiangdong had finished washing his boils and was preparing to buy some meat and vegetables.

Mu Shuyun stayed at their house to look after it. Otherwise, if the child woke up, there would be no one to help hold the child.

The garment factory was closed for seven days for National Day. Kong Xiufang only returned early this morning.

Kong Xiufang got off the bus at the village entrance and hurried home. When she arrived at her door, she found no one home. The door was locked.

She went to the house across the street and asked Granny Zhang, "Aunt Zhang, have you seen my mother? Why is no one home?"

Granny Zhang smiled and said to Kong Xiufang, "Your second sister-in-law gave birth to a boy, and your mother went to help take care of the child."

Kong Xiufang was delighted to hear this. She smiled, said goodbye, and returned home.

She put the cloth bag she brought back in her own kitchen, closed the kitchen door, and went to her second sister-in-law's house.

She greeted each of the elders she met on the way. The villagers all praised her for being beautiful, capable, sweet-talking, and polite.

The journey wasn't long, and we arrived at my second sister-in-law's house quickly.

As Kong Xiufang entered her second sister-in-law's courtyard, she called out, "Mother, I'm back."

Hearing the noise, Mu Shuyun hurriedly came out of the house, her face full of surprise, "Xiufang, when did you get home?"

Kong Xiufang held her mother's hand and said, "I just got home and heard that my second sister-in-law had given birth, so I rushed over to see her." With that, she went into the house.

Zhou Caiyun woke up when she heard the noise, and smiled weakly when she saw Kong Xiufang return.

Kong Xiufang leaned closer to look at the baby in the swaddling clothes and said softly, "This little guy is really handsome."

Just then, Kong Xiangdong returned from grocery shopping and greeted Kong Xiufang happily.

Everyone sat together, talking about the child's future.

Just then, a commotion suddenly broke out outside the door.

The crowd went out to investigate, puzzled, and found it was Wang Pozi, the village's gossipy old woman.

Old Mrs. Wang said sarcastically, "Oh, this young girl has come back at just the right time. Is she eyeing the money for the second son's wedding?"

Upon hearing this, Kong Xiufang's face immediately darkened. Just as she was about to retort, Mu Shuyun stepped forward and loudly rebuked Granny Wang.

"Don't gossip here. What business is it of yours if we're having a family reunion? Mind your own family matters first!"

Granny Wang, having been rebuffed, slunk away, and the family returned to their house to chat happily.

Granny Wang was upset after being verbally humiliated, so she went to Wang Cuihua's house to stir up trouble.

After hearing what Granny Wang said, Wang Cuihua's eyes lit up, and she thought she could go and cause some trouble.

So she swayed her hips as she arrived at Kong Xiangdong's house.

As soon as he entered, he yelled at the top of his lungs, "I'm telling you, you guys really don't know how to handle things. Why didn't you notify me about your wedding banquet? Do you look down on me?"

Everyone was taken aback. Mu Shuyun patiently explained, "Eldest daughter-in-law, what are you up to? Who said we were having a wedding banquet?"

But Wang Cuihua wouldn't listen and started throwing a tantrum inside the house. Just as the situation reached a stalemate, the village chief passed by the door, heard the commotion, and came in.

After understanding the situation, the village chief sternly criticized Wang Cuihua, saying that she shouldn't have been unreasonable and disrupted family harmony.

Wang Cuihua's face flushed red and then turned pale after the village chief's words, and she muttered as she prepared to leave.

Mu Shuyun called out to her, "Eldest daughter-in-law, the baby was just born yesterday, and the wedding banquet will be held in five days. Don't forget to come then."

Wang Cuihua felt that her attempt to steal a chicken had backfired, and she had even lost face in the process, so she was furious. She left in anger.

Kong Xiangdong remained silent, staying by Zhou Caiyun's side without leaving the bedroom.

The village chief turned to Mu Shuyun's family and said, "Our village is going to select model families. Families like yours, who respect the elderly and care for the young and have a harmonious family, are very good. We can't let people like this spoil the atmosphere." The villagers who were watching the commotion nodded in agreement.

After all this commotion, everyone cherished the warm moments even more.

Kong Xiufang held her little nephew and played with him, and the room was filled with laughter again, as if the unpleasantness just now had never happened.

Yunya stood next to her aunt, watching her little brother close his eyes and look at him enjoying himself, and smiled.

After finishing with the matters at Kong Xiangdong's house, Kong Xiufang put her arm around Mu Shuyun and headed back to the old house. Yunya followed behind, running around like a trolley.

Kong Xiufang said she came back this time to discuss something with her mother.

Mu Shuyun asked nervously, "What is it?"

Kong Xiufang smiled and said, "Don't be so nervous. It's just... my boyfriend wants our parents to meet. Or I can bring him back so you can take a look."

Mu Shuyun said, "Your eldest sister has already seen it, so it's fine for us to see it or not. As long as you like it."

Kong Xiufang was surprised by her mother's cheerful attitude and said, "Great! Let's find some time for both sets of parents to meet!"

Mu Shuyun nodded in agreement.

The next day, Kong Xiufang met Lin Junhui at the village entrance.

She had already arranged with Lin Junhui before she came back, so that he could take the bus to Xiangyang Town at 8 a.m.

When the bus passed through Kongjia Village, he got off and waited for her on the main road. As soon as he got off, Kong Xiufang would see him.

Kong Xiufang arrived at the location around 11 o'clock and waited.

After waiting for a while, at 11 o'clock sharp, a car stopped. Kong Xiufang looked at the people getting out, including women and middle-aged men, and finally saw Lin Junhui.

He was carrying two large bags, all of which were gifts. Kong Xiufang took the bags and helped carry them.

Lin Junhui looked very formal in his clean, stylish suit. His delicate oval face exuded shrewdness and competence.

Looking at her beloved, Kong Xiufang felt a sense of pride and honor.

Kong Xiufang took a small bundle and said, "Junhui~ what did you bring? It's so heavy!"

Lin Junhui smiled gently at her and said, "I brought some tonics and fruit gift slips."

Kong Xiufang smiled and said, "Why buy so many things? It must have cost a lot of money! You don't need to spend so much. My mother is very easy to talk to."

Lin Junhui smiled at her: "That won't do. Only a heavy gift can show how much I care about you."

Kong Xiufang felt a sweet warmth in her heart, and a happy smile couldn't help but appear on her face.

The two of them, each carrying a cloth bag on one shoulder, walked hand in hand toward the old house.