CHAPTER 69: CHAPTER 067 XIAO LIU IS A LITTLE GROWN-UP

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"Xiao Liu can do it!"

Xiao Liu hastily patted his chest to assure her, repeatedly patting two or three times. Zhang Shanni caught a glimpse from the corner of her eye: with each pat, a small muddy handprint was left on his shirt, the dirt-yellow hue becoming more noticeable after several pats.

"Xiao Liu is a good boy, be careful and don’t play with water. Go on now." Zhang Shanni held back her laughter, sincerely praising him. Seeing him happily dashing off, her face was already beaming with a suppressed smile.

With Xie Jingchen watching in the courtyard, she felt quite at ease.

Although this era is somewhat impoverished and tough, it’s a good time – people are at least genuine and sincere.

She noticed the water in the pot was finally boiling, hurriedly grabbed the sharpened kitchen knife which she had smeared with peanut oil [from her Space inventory], and gripped the kneaded dough in her hand. She sliced the dough into pieces as long as a finger, about one or two millimeters thick, peeling and twisting the dough in her hand. In just a few minutes, the small pumpkin-like dough was tumbling and boiling in the large pot.

As the pot was already simmering with some dried small shrimps and shrimp shells, a seafood aroma pervaded the air. While no one was around, she had already taken out the soup base seasoning she saved before, scooping a little with a bowl that had a small chip missing. She poured a thumb-nail-sized amount into the bottom of the pot, enriching the strong soup flavor even further.

Once this aroma wafted out, Xiao Liu hurried in from the front door, exclaiming, "Second Aunt, it smells so good, Xiao Liu is hungry!"

Xie Family children, when they are little, generally eat whenever they are hungry. The only good thing is they only eat what adults give them, never daring to search for food in the kitchen by themselves. The downside is, they grow up without the concept of waiting for the adults to eat together.

"It’s getting dark, Xiao Liu, tell Second Aunt, how old are you this year?"

"Xiao Liu is five this year, I’m already grown-up!"

"Oh, so Xiao Liu is a little adult now! Then Xiao Liu, do you want to wait for Grandpa and Grandma to eat together?"

Xiao Liu tilted his head, glanced at Second Aunt, then rubbed his rumbling belly, "Wait for Grandpa and Grandma?"

"Of course, look at Uncle and the others, don’t they wait for Grandpa and Grandma and eat together?"

"Hmm!" Xiao Liu thought for a moment, "Xiao Liu, eat together!"

"Xiao Liu is such a good boy, Second Aunt will serve you a bowl now, and when Grandpa and Grandma come back, the noodles will be cool and you won’t be scared of getting a hot mouth, okay?"

"Okay!" Xiao Liu nodded, his eyes lighting up, "Should I say thank you?" His fourth brother had told him that when someone is good to him and he receives a favor, he should say thank you.

"Do you think you should say thank you?" Zhang Shanni looked down in surprise and squatted to look at the little kid, asking in return.

"Should say! Thank you, Second Aunt!" Xiao Liu immediately beamed a grin, revealing his small canine teeth.

"Such a good boy, no need to say thank you, this is what Second Aunt should do." She happily patted his little bald head and continued to stir the pot. This was the third time she had added cold water; after another boil, it would be ready to serve.

"Should do?" Xiao Liu curiously replied. At the age of five, Xiao Liu was at the stage where he was curious about everything. Hearing Second Aunt’s words, he inquired about the unfamiliar term.

Zhang Shanni was surprised. She was genuinely taken aback; she hadn’t expected a child of merely five years old to be able to grasp the essence of her words, which showed how intelligent he was.

"Because Xiao Liu is young, he should receive affection from his elders. When you grow up, you’ll need to repay and show filial piety to your elders by caring for them in their old age, and be kind to the younger ones."

"Elders! I know this, it means Grandpa and Grandma! Fourth brother told me!" Xiao Liu clapped his hands, happily responding.

"That’s right! Xiao Liu is so smart. The elders include Grandpa, Grandma, as well as your dad and mom, and even uncles and aunts, all of these people are your elders~~"

While speaking, Zhang Shanni picked up Xiao Liu and placed him on a small stool nearby, "Xiao Liu, sit here and don’t move. Second Aunt is going to ladle out the noodles, the soup is boiling, don’t get close, or you’ll get scalded, understand?"

"I know, Xiao Liu is good, won’t move." Xiao Liu nodded, his big eyes wide open, hands on his knees, nodding earnestly.

Xiao Liu knew all too well what scalding meant. Even the youngest member of the family, Little Qi, was the one most afraid of getting burned!

In a farmer’s family, a five-year-old isn’t actually considered young. In the Xie Family with many children, firstly the older brothers set a good example, and secondly, the kids are actually more sensitive than the adults. They know what to do to win more affection and care from the adults.

So, despite being just a five-year-old boy, Xiao Liu was indeed very sharp.

"Xiao Liu is so good!" Zhang Shanni had already cleaned the large bowl and prepared it. After drizzling the previously fried meat sauce over the noodles, a rich meaty aroma wafted through the air, which even Xie Jingchen, who was washing up outside, could smell.

Others who caught the strong fragrance of food were Xie Tiesheng and Zhou Xiuhua, the old couple returning home. Their dark old faces revealed a brief moment of astonishment before they turned to look at each other—one could only find the Xie Family living at the bottom of this hill, and the closest neighbor, Mao Mao’s house, was a few minutes’ walk away. The meaty aroma was definitely coming from their house.

At this point, the only person who could be cooking at home was the new daughter-in-law, Zhang Shanni, who had just entered the household yesterday. After all, the other three daughters-in-law all had various reasons to be away and not stay at home.

They had assumed that the daughter-in-law, as a newlywed, would keep to herself and not step into the kitchen, especially since the atmosphere wasn’t great when they parted last night. Unexpectedly, she didn’t hold any grudges and was willing to cook when no one was home. And as a final surprise, the little girl’s culinary skills turned out to be so good that such a rich and enticing food aroma was rare even in town!

"Dad, Mom, it’s perfect timing, Ni is inside preparing dinner; I think she’s done. The smell has wafted so far," Xie Jingchen was pumping water to wash his face at the well when he saw his parents stepping into the courtyard and called out loudly.

"Ah, we’re here." Zhou Xiuhua’s heart filled with gratitude for Zhang Shanni’s understanding and compliance. She smiled broadly, put down the bamboo basket she had been carrying, and saw San’er already bringing them a towel and basin to wash up, which made her feel even more content.

"Mom, Dad, you’re back just in time. I made noodles for dinner. If you had come back any later, they would have been overcooked." Zhang Shanni, noticing Xie Jingchen’s look, blushed and hastily directed her gaze to her in-laws at the kitchen door and spoke.

"Mm." Xie Tiesheng nodded with a smile, his dark and wrinkled old face crinkling at the corners of his eyes, clearly delighted.

"Xiao Liu, go sit down nicely." Zhang Shanni, smiling, spoke to the little kid who, clearly excited about the grandparents returning and the upcoming meal, was clinging to her pants leg.

"Mhm!" Xiao Liu beamed with a broad smile and scampered back to sit at the small low table in the kitchen. As per custom, the family typically had their meals in the kitchen unless there were formal guests, or when the whole family was present and they couldn’t all fit, that’s when they would use the main hall.

Zhang Shanni carefully placed the prepared large bowl in the center of the table, warning Xiao Liu, "Xiao Liu, these noodles are hot, don’t touch them!"

"I know, Second Aunt, Xiao Liu won’t touch!" he said.

"My wife, I’ll watch him," said Xie Jingchen as he stepped into the kitchen upon hearing his young wife’s stern voice and seeing his obedient nephew, smiling as he spoke.

"Mm!" Zhang Shanni’s ears reddened at the intimate way he addressed her in front of the younger family member. She swiftly turned to get the bowls and chopsticks, and took a wooden spoon for Xiao Liu, making sure to set aside a portion for Xiao San, who hadn’t returned yet, and placed it in the cupboard.