Luowei, Xiao Tao express gratitude.

“Our Xiao Shu, too. Let you play for another two years, and when you’re ten, you’ll go to school!” Seeing the envy in Jing Shu’s eyes, Jing Yi hurriedly reassured him. He carefully recalled that Fuyang Town was just a small town after all. There might not necessarily be a school for girls and gers there. “Or maybe when the time comes, Big Brother will invite a teacher to come to our house to teach you, okay?” He lovingly pinched Xiao Shu’s cheek.

“Mmm! Big Brother is so nice!” Xiao Shu quickly hugged Jing Yi’s waist and swayed from side to side like a rubber candy. Laughter and chatter filled the courtyard of the Jing family. Now, let’s talk about the other side of the village, the Luo family. After bidding farewell to Jing’s mother and Jing Yi, Xiao Tao rushed back home while holding the chicken. It wasn’t until he entered the house that he dared to put the chicken down. The Luo family’s courtyard wasn’t big, but there were only three somewhat dilapidated houses.

These houses were built when Luo’s parents got married. At that time, although the Luo family wasn’t wealthy, they weren’t considered the poorest in the village either. With only a small amount of money, they barely managed to build three mud houses. They planned to make repairs and additions gradually once they earned more money in the future.

However, accidents always come suddenly. When Luo Wei was seven years old, Luo’s father went to work in the neighboring town. He fell from a height and broke his leg. Although he received timely treatment and his life wasn’t in danger, his leg became lame and he had to take medicine and undergo rehabilitation from time to time.

Supporting a sick person and lacking labor, the Luo family couldn’t make ends meet. Luo Wei had been busy working since he was seven or eight years old.

While other children were still playing with cats and dogs, he was already chopping wood, fetching water, planting seedlings, and harvesting rice. Although life was tough, no one ever complained about Luo’s father. Luo’s father also contributed what he could to the family in silence.

Even Xiao Tao, who had just married into the family, devoted his heart to this home. Xiao Tao’s family was also poor, the simplest kind of poor in the countryside. There were many children but little land, and there wasn’t enough food. From a young age, he was timid and taciturn.

Unlike his brothers who received favor, he didn’t receive affection from his parents, and no one cared about him. It was a common occurrence not to have enough to eat. It was the same when they talked about marriage. In order to save on food, his parents didn’t inquire about the Luo family’s situation and quickly packed a worn bag with two sets of shabby clothes and sent Xiao Tao over. It was Luo Wei again who, regardless of whether the Yue family followed customs or not, and regardless of whether this boy liked it or not, felt responsible for the marriage. He clenched his teeth and arranged two simple banquets, hastily concluding the marriage. After getting married, Luo Wei found that Xiao Tao was a particularly interesting person. The Xiao Tao he first saw was small, skinny, and dark-skinned. But upon closer inspection, Xiao Tao had big eyes despite having single eyelids. There was even a small dimple on the corner of his right mouth. When he smiled, his eyes curved and the dimple was deep, very cute.

The Xiao Tao he initially met was timid and not good at expressing himself. He was often at a loss. After getting to know each other for a while, he discovered that although Xiao Tao had a slow reaction, he had a good memory. As long as you explained a task to him, he never made a mistake, and he was very meticulous and patient.

Most importantly, Xiao Tao’s heart was very easily warmed. If you treated him well a little, he would treat you well a lot. At this moment, when he saw Xiao Tao hurrying into the yard, his eyes swollen like walnuts, Luo Wei quickly walked over, half embracing Xiao Tao and sternly asking, ‘What’s going on? Who bullied you? Tell me, I’ll find them!'”

Luo Wei’s voice grew louder, attracting the attention of Luo’s mother, who was preparing the New Year’s Eve dinner in the kitchen, and Luo’s father, who was weaving a bamboo basket behind the house. Although this boy from their family was usually docile, he rarely spoke up when people ordered him around or made fun of him. But even a clay statue has three points of fire, and family members were his bottom line. If he was provoked, he would fight back with all his might. They needed to intervene. “Stop, stop, there’s nothing wrong. Don’t get angry.”

Seeing Luo Wei getting emotional and becoming even more anxious than him, Xiao Tao quickly tried to calm him down, holding onto Luo Wei’s arm. Seeing everyone in the family looking worried, Xiao Tao’s eyes welled up. He recounted what had happened just now in detail, emphasizing Jing’s mother’s protection towards him. “Ah! That despicable Wang Shitou’s family, this heartless woman is clearly trying to bully us!” Upon hearing the cause and effect, Luo’s mother began to curse Wang Shitou’s mother. Besides cursing, there wasn’t much else she could do. Wang Shitou’s family was considered wealthy in the village. They owned a lot of land, and the group of likeminded people in the village had close ties with them.

The Luo family couldn’t easily offend them. “Oh, Xiaoyun, you still remember what Xiao Wei did to help last year. She even gave us a generous gift when you two got married. This family is so generous.” Luo’s father sighed. Luo’s mother also sighed. People from the same village with different backgrounds could have such a huge gap. Then they thought of their son-in-law and went to their son’s side. Mother Luo took him over from his son’s hand and examined him from head to toe. He also asked, “Xiao Tao, are you okay? Let your mother see. You didn’t fight with that old hag, right?”

“Mother, I’m fine, don’t worry.” Xiao Tao replied. He didn’t want to mention the blow he took on his shoulder and make his parents and his brother worry. ”Mother, the chicken that was stewed just now, serve half of it. Also, your salted dried vegetables, serve a bowl. Father, the frozen sour fruits you picked on the mountain a few days ago, put them in a basket.” Luo Wei started arranging, and he instructed Xiao Tao, ”Xiao Tao, later you’ll come with me to Uncle Jing Rong’s house. We need to thank Aunt Xiaoyun and Xiao Yi.”

”Okay! Sure.” Xiao Tao nodded repeatedly in agreement. Luo’s father and mother also began to hurry and tidy up. It was easy to talk about everything else, but the chicken that was stewed today was the only meat they had for the New Year. However, nobody was too attached to it. This was also why Xiao Tao didn’t let go of the chicken even though he was hit.

They raised a total of five chickens at home, and they usually worked hard to collect eggs to sell. For their family, it was a considerable income. During the New Year, Luo Wei decided to stew one chicken. Now they had four left, but they couldn’t let them go easily. Life in the village was like this. If you were poor, you had to endure being bullied. Being ignored was considered good, but some people would even come to you to insult you and provoke you, making fun of you when there was nothing to do. If you got angry, they would say that poor people had small minds. If they encountered someone with poor communication skills, they wouldn’t know how much they’d suffer.

Therefore, they were very grateful to the Jing family, who had always treated them kindly and helped them in crucial moments. After packing everything, Luo Wei and Xiao Tao headed north in the village. The Luo family lived in the east end of the village, and the Jing family wasn’t far away.

”Uncle Rong, Aunt Yun, are you home?” Luo Wei shouted loudly. ”Yeah, yeah, we’re here. Xiao An, hurry and open the courtyard door.” Jing’s mother responded loudly and quickly sent Xiao An to open the door. In the village, it was a common habit to close the courtyard doors when everyone was eating meat and fish dishes, so as to maintain privacy.

“I didn’t invite you to come, so please don’t come.” So that the hard-earned meal we just had wouldn’t be taken by those troublemakers or gluttons from the village. Of course, even if they lock the door, it won’t stop some shameless people. They can just keep the meat hidden before answering or opening the door.

But this time, when Jing’s mother heard Xiao Wei’s voice, he didn’t hesitate and had Xiao An open the door. It was actually embarrassing for Luo Wei and Xiao Tao, as soon as they stepped inside, they smelled the delicious meat and saw the oil pot in the yard, along with pork, meatballs, small fish, and porridge placed nearby. They hesitated at the courtyard gate.

“Xiao Tao is here too. What are you both standing there for? Come in quickly. Auntie’s yard is not thorny or anything.”

Seeing Xiao Tao also, Jing’s mother was delighted and got up to lead Xiao Tao into the yard. Ever since Jing Yi set the marriage, he liked the considerate girl and young man.

Xiao Tao blushed and shyly called, “Auntie” then looked to Luo Wei for help.

“Auntie, we came here to thank you and Xiao Yi. My Xiao Tao is timid and doesn’t speak much, and he can be stubborn. Thanks to you both just now, or I would have been really worried that he would suffer a big loss.”

Luo Wei handed what he had in his hands to Jing’s mother and even bowed deeply, following Xiao Tao in paying respects to their elders.

“Hey hey? What are you two doing? Get up quickly. I’ve long been fed up with that old hag! You two are really something, giving gifts when you’re not well-off.”

Jing’s mother grumbled, helping both of them up.

“Alright, it’s the New Year. Let’s not mention the killjoy. You two come over here and sit by the fire. Xiao Wei, what’s your dad doing at home?”

He brought two small stools for the young couple to sit, and everyone gathered around the stove in the yard, chatting about everyday life.

Jing’s mother, Xiao An, and Xiao Shu were still busy frying food. Just before Xiao Wei and the others arrived, they had just finished frying a basin of skewers, sprinkled with sesame seeds, golden and crispy. It smelled heavenly, and it was perfect for entertaining guests.

Jing Yi went to the kitchen to make honey water, and everyone had a bowl of it with the skewers. This afternoon snack was a real treat.

Jing’s mother handed a handful of skewers to Xiao Tao and told him to enjoy them while they were still hot.

Xiao Tao had never seen fried food like this before and was at a loss.

Even the honey water was something she had only tasted after marrying into the family. Once, Luo Wei had picked up a small piece of honeycomb that had fallen from a tree on the mountain, and it still had a bit of honey in it. Their whole family had enjoyed it once.

Seeing that Xiao Tao was a bit bewildered, Luo Wei quickly patted his hand to reassure him and signaled him to eat, it was fine.

Jing’s mother saw this and smiled like an aunt but didn’t tease him, afraid that Xiao Tao would feel even more embarrassed.

Everyone sat and chatted, although mainly it was Jing’s father and Jing Yi talking, Luo Wei also answered any questions clearly and logically. He was not slow-witted or awkward like the villagers said; he was honest but not foolish.

Although Xiao Tao couldn’t speak, he was diligent. After quickly drinking the honey water and finishing the skewers in her hand, she didn’t take more. Instead, she got up and started helping Jing’s mother with frying food. She was also clean, carefully washing the oil stains from her hands before starting.

By the time the meatballs and small yellow fish were fried and they had been at the Jing’s house for almost half an hour, Luo Wei got up to bid farewell to Jing’s parents, saying that it was getting late and they had to go back.

Jing’s mother didn’t insist on keeping them, as it was New Year’s Eve, and every family had to have their reunion dinner. If they stayed for dinner, only Jing’s elder brother and sister-in-law would be left at the Luo’s house.

Jing’s mother asked them to wait in the courtyard, saying that she would fetch two baskets to give them.

She went into the kitchen and took out two bowls, one filled with fried meatballs and the other with fried small yellow fish. She placed them in another basket and covered them carefully with two pieces of cloth to avoid gossip from nosy villagers.

When Luo Wei took them, one of the baskets felt heavy, and he was eager to refuse, but Jing’s mother asserted her authority with a few words, deterring him.

Finally, Jing Yi added, “Big Brother Wei, don’t make my mom feel uncomfortable. She’d feel bad if she thought you didn’t want to visit us.”

Luo Wei was moved by their consideration. The Jing family not only gave gifts but also cared about their dignity and face. He would definitely accept this kindness and silently vowed that if he could be of help in the future, he would do his utmost and never decline.

When Luo Wei and Xiao Tao returned home and the Luo family saw the contents of the two baskets, they were deeply moved once again.