CHAPTER 42: CHAPTER 42: NOT GIVING DADDY THE BEST ANYMORE

On the small bed, Xiao Mi listened clearly to what her parents were saying, made a few grunts, and pretended she didn’t know anything.

She wouldn’t say anything about mistaking sorghum for corn.

"Xiao Mi, keep it up! You’re almost flipped over!" Ernie waved a big tree leaf, fanning herself and her younger siblings on the small bed.

Xiao Mi refocused her attention and with a forceful effort, turned from lying on her back to her stomach.

"Xiao Mi is amazing!" Ernie immediately jumped up joyfully, then shouted to Jiang Hu and Ernie, who were not far away: "Mom and Dad, Xiao Mi flipped over again!"

Ernie stopped looking at the extra corn and turned her attention towards the small bed, slightly surprised: "Really, did Xiao Mi flip over by herself?"

Ernie nodded quickly: "Yes, it’s true. I told you yesterday, Xiao Mi can roll over by herself now."

Ernie walked over; she indeed heard Ernie yesterday, but they didn’t see it themselves, and thought Ernie might have been mistaken.

And now, Xiao Mi had once again exerted herself and flipped back over.

Ernie believed it: "Wow, Xiao Mi is so amazing! Only three months old and already able to roll over."

Xiao Mi proudly grunted a few times, of course!

She had been trying for days, but the strength of infant hands and feet is very small, and she’s not quite used to it yet.

Yesterday was just practice; she used too much strength, got tired, and by the time Ernie told mom, she didn’t have the energy to demonstrate.

Ernie touched Xiao Mi’s hands and feet, and seeing there were no injuries, she was relieved.

Iron Egg was also trying hard with his limbs, probably wanting to practice rolling over too, but unfortunately, since birth, he was much weaker than his sister, and the same is true now.

Ernie patted Iron Egg’s little butt: "Is Iron Egg anxious because he saw his sister so capable?"

Then she picked up Iron Egg: "Don’t worry, you’re younger than your sister, let’s take it slow."

Jiang Hu came over with a dustpan at this time, and Ernie was surprised: "Brother Hu, why did you pull up the corn that’s growing so well?"

More than a dozen stalks, if matured, could make two or three pounds of corn kernels, more than enough corn flour to make many pancakes.

Jiang Hu gestured: "It’s okay, look, I dug them up with the roots. The sorghum grows taller than the corn stalks, shading the sun, so the corn doesn’t grow well. I’ll replant them in the vegetable garden."

Xiao Mi pretended not to hear.

Jiang Hu placed the dustpan in a shady spot, wiped his sweat, looked into the distance, and then at his family’s field.

"Ernie, did you notice that our crops are growing better?"

From sowing in January to now the end of April, nearly four months with two rainfalls and two waterings. Everyone else did the same, of course.

But Jiang Hu always felt their crops were growing better.

Whether it was the sorghum in front of them or the corn planted later,

Ernie also looked at the sorghum field beside them. Indeed, just like Brother Hu said, their family’s sorghum had thicker stems and slightly wider leaves.

Compared one by one, it might not be obvious, but comparing a whole patch, their crops were clearly much more lush and exuberant.

"Indeed, ours are better, but our working method isn’t any different from others."

Ernie was puzzled, then suddenly thought of something and looked over at Jiang Hu, just as he also looked over.

The two exchanged a glance, and finally looked at Xiao Mi and Iron Egg in unison.

Xiao Mi completely ignored what her parents were saying and pretended not to hear, excitedly flipping over and over again.

With her mother holding Iron Egg, Xiao Mi had the small bed to herself. She rolled from one end to the other and back again.

Jiang Hu saw Xiao Mi, playful as an eel, with a head full of black lines, and finally shook his head: "It shouldn’t be. We haven’t watered the crops with the water from washing Xiao Mi and Iron Egg’s diapers."

With several acres of corn and sorghum, you’d wash quite a few diapers.

Ernie realized as well, nodded, and then shook her head: "Forget it, maybe we’re just more diligent with watering and weeding. Anyway, it’s almost noon, and Brother Hu, let’s go back for lunch."

Everyone had gotten used to coming to the fields together and going back together.

After all, with children so young, spending half the day in the fields made it impossible to feel at ease leaving them at home.

This was also why Jiang Hu didn’t mind making a little grass hut like this near almost every field.

"Alright, let’s go. The day’s starting to heat up, and in another month, it’ll be summer."

"Dad, can we have popsicles this summer? I heard last year that some people sell popsicles for a copper coin each, sweet and cool."

Xiao Mi perked up her ears immediately. Wow, this world already has popsicles!

So what about her space collection, could she have a chance to bring them out later?

She didn’t know if there was chocolate. If not, she couldn’t bring out those chocolate ice creams.

Jiang Hu, holding Xiao Mi in one arm, patted her butt: "Little glutton, always so focused when you hear about something delicious."

Then he looked at Dawa: "No problem, we’ll go to town and have some there."

"Yay, thank you, Dad." Dawa was so happy he jumped up.

Jiang Hu looked at his two increasingly well-behaved children, whose skinny cheeks were gradually filling out.

Then he glanced at Xiao Mi in his arms and Iron Egg in his wife’s, unable to help but smile contentedly.

Though they were raising four children, they didn’t feel overly burdened or strained.

And ever since the children were born, their luck had been good, never going hungry or feeling cold, and occasionally affording little treats they’d never had the chance to try before.

The more he thought about it, the more Jiang Hu felt his initial decision was right, as life was just right now.

Xiao Mi, lying on her dad’s shoulder, could clearly feel the joy emanating from him, making her curious. What could be making him so happy?

Was it because of the popsicles?

Xiao Mi suddenly understood.

Of course, it was because Dad heard Big Brother mention popsicles that he’s so happy. It turns out Dad likes popsicles too!

Xiao Mi decided that in a couple of years, when she could openly bring out the popsicles, she’d give Dad the biggest and most delicious one from her collection!

As she was happily thinking about it, her butt was patted again: "What is the little one laughing about, giggling non-stop."

Thinking about giving Dad the best popsicle ever.

Xiao Mi said loudly, and Jiang Hu chuckled even more: "Look at that, Xiao Mi already knows how to scold Dad, such a brave little one."

Xiao Mi was annoyed, huffed, and decided she wouldn’t give Dad the biggest and best one anymore but save it for Mom! Dad could have the second biggest and second best!