Chapter 160: Chapter 156: Oh Mama, This Duck Is Really Ugly

Xiao Chengguang came here for business, and Mrs. Xiao was perplexed and muttered, “Acting all high and mighty, there are so many capable kids in the army, why on earth did they transfer you from the Northwest?”

Xiao Chengguang: “…”

He was speechless, “Mom, when you talk about me behind my back, remember to keep your voice down, I’m not deaf, I can hear everything.”

“Oh, now you’re not deaf?” Mrs. Xiao rolled her eyes, “Well, if you can hear, you can hear, just worried you can’t!”

After complaining about her son, Mrs. Xiao couldn’t help but inquire, “Are you having dinner at home tonight?”

“Yes.”

“Alright,” Mrs. Xiao turned warmly to the four people, “Since that’s the case, everyone don’t leave, have a simple meal at my home tonight.

Can’t promise much, but we’ll have enough hot food.”

“Okay!”

Wen Ran lingered at Mrs. Xiao’s place for a while, then went home to prepare lunch first, otherwise Hongguo would have to handle the kitchen when she returned.

The lunch was not complicated, she kneaded some dough and made handmade noodles. Then, she put a chicken into the pot to stew.

Once the chicken was cooked, she prepared dipping sauce for shredded chicken, using the chicken broth for the noodles.

Hongguo ate until she was stuffed, “Sis, it’s so delicious!”

“Eat more if you like,” Wen Ran saw Hongguo eating with her head down, feeling a huge boost of confidence.

Hongguo spoke sincerely, “Sis, your cooking skills have improved so fast, it’s amazing! This chicken is stewed so fragrantly, and the broth is, um~ delicious!”

Wen Ran felt a bit guilty, just a little bit.

Her cooking skills didn’t improve suddenly; she happened to find a treasure while idly rummaging the storage space at noon!

Originally preparing for the apocalypse, she stocked up on many things, and today she stumbled upon the seasoning section.

A variety of hotpot bases, dipping sauces, condiments…

Oh~

Girl, feel the technology and hard truths from the 21st century!

A spoonful of evaporated milk, I seasoned fiercely.

“By the way, sis, it’s spring plowing season, and there’s no school in the afternoon, is there any work at home? I’ll go with you to help.”

Wen Ran, upon hearing this, almost burst into tears.

Oh dear, students at this time are truly fortunate, one holiday follows another.

Spring plowing break, summer break, autumn harvest break, winter break…

Thinking back to her school days, waking up before the chickens, sleeping later than the dogs, not to mention holidays, even weekends were spent in extra classes…

Winter and summer breaks were unbelievably short.

She looked at Hongguo, full of nostalgic sighs, “Ah, back in my day, I didn’t have your kind of benefits.”

Hongguo: “?”

Confused jpg.

~

There’s no work, Wen Ran already completed the task of collecting three baskets of pigweed with help from young soldiers.

However, looking at the hens at home, Wen Ran decided to go to the river to catch some small fish and shrimps for the chickens to add nutrition, to fortify them with calcium, so the eggs laid are nutritious and delicious.

“Hey~” Bao Wenxuan hopped and waved, “Ranran, I’m here!”

Bao Wenxuan is now an expert at duck herding, looking at the ducklings floating in the creek, her eyes are full of gentleness.

Maternal love, almost overflowing.

“Oh my gosh,” Wen Ran looked at the ducks floating in the creek with disdain, “They’re really ugly.”

Currently, it’s the awkward stage for ducks, their feathers are all gray and look like they’ve been whipped, completely fluffy, not cute at all.

Bao Wenxuan retorted, “What do you mean? Ducklings are so cute. How can you say they’re ugly! You’re going too far!”

Since she doesn’t have to work in the fields, Bao Wenxuan adores the ducklings with all her heart.

“Your sense of beauty, if it’s not too much, go see Xiao Fang for an eye check-up, oh~ starting to speak nonsense with your eyes open.”

Bao Wenxuan was so mad she almost jumped, Wen Ran chuckled mischievously, feeling triumphant.

Hongguo also giggled along, but she didn’t idle, skillfully tossing a basket into the creek to seriously catch fish and shrimps.

Truth be told, without proper tools, catching fish and shrimps is labor-intensive.

Occasionally, the caught little fish and shrimps leaped to escape.

Hongguo felt somewhat frustrated, then an old lady on the other side smiled and handed over a basket, “Girl, try this.”

Wen Ran looked, it was a coarse version of wickerwork.

Made with large holes but lightweight, wider at the bottom, narrower at the top, with a neck in the middle; once fish enter for food, 70-80% of the time they can’t escape.

“Ah?” Hongguo received the basket, a bit surprised, and thanked, “Thank you.”

“No worries, give it a try.”

“Okay.”

The item needs time to verify results, she tossed the basket into the creek, first breaking a piece of cornbread, crushing it into small bits and scattering it inside.

The weather was cold now, going into the water wasn’t practical, so Hongguo squatted by the bank, casually scooping up a few snails.

She didn’t think much of it, after all, these things didn’t have much meat, troublesome to eat, and a waste of oil and salt.

Just, since she already touched them, might as well crush and feed them to the chickens.

Bao Wenxuan herds ducks, Wen Ran minds Hongguo; as long as confirmed no lost ducks and Hongguo isn’t fallen into the water, then no problem.

The two hadn’t chatted for awhile, nestled together and happily cursed out every gossipy woman in the brigade, then each satisfied stopped talking.

Such happiness, days chirping away with friends.

“Hey,” Bao Wenxuan nudged Wen Ran with her elbow, with a gossipy face, “I heard, you and that Xiao Chenye from the Xiao Family…”

She didn’t finish her sentence, just laughed slyly.

Wen Ran: “?”

She was speechless, pinched Bao Wenxuan’s chubby cheek, “Just say it, don’t act all mysterious.”

“I’m just worried you’d be embarrassed,” Bao Wenxuan winked, “And, have you really thought it through? The policies are getting more relaxed now, maybe exams will be reinstated.”

Who knows what Bao Wenxuan’s imagination conjured, looking worried, “Then what will you do? What’s your future plan?”

Wen Ran replied calmly, “Even if exams return, they didn’t say married people can’t take exams.

I’ll study my study, life goes on, learning continues. Besides, can’t we have it both ways?”

“You think it’s simple,” Bao Wenxuan sighed, “Once married, people can’t just live for themselves anymore, then you’d need to consider not only your parents but also your husband and in-laws.”

Wen Ran, in her composed manner, said, “No worries, everything works out eventually. No point in stressing over non-existent matters now.”

“That’s easy to say, but I…”

“Splash~”

A loud sound of someone falling into the water.

Wen Ran’s heart leapt to her throat.

My goodness, my goodness, could it be that unlucky Hongguo fell into the river?!

She turned to look, Hongguo was still on the riverbank, lying down with a bewildered face toward afar.

“Blub blub~”

Wen Ran: “…”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep