Chapter 152: Chapter 86: Paying a Visit

In previous years, Zhang Huai and his younger brother Yangzi would come over to play for a bit after New Year’s Eve dinner. This was partly because Qingmu’s family lived in a secluded house far from the village, and they wanted to keep him company. It was also a tradition for the young children, with nothing to do after the feast, to visit each other’s homes for fun.

The family’s dog, Black Dog, already knew how to guard the house. Since it was New Year’s, Juhua had given him some special treats. He also seemed to sense everyone’s joyful mood, so he was in exceptionally high spirits, his barks echoing loudly!

The moment the main door opened, Little Shitou and Gou Dan darted inside. A gust of cold air rushed in, making the oil lamp’s flame flicker from side to side. Zhang Huai and Zhang Yang followed close behind.

Little Shitou shouted, “Juhua, I’m here early to wish you a Happy New Year!”

Juhua smiled, pulled him over to sit down, and asked what he’d eaten for dinner. With every question, Gou Dan would chime in from the side, making sure to include himself. He boasted that he’d eaten two bowls of rice, lots of meat, and even fish. The two of them chattered on endlessly.

Seeing that Gou Dan had come too, Yang Family smiled and welcomed Huai Zi and his brother inside, then peered out the door behind them.

Huai Zi noticed and asked curiously, “Auntie, what are you looking for?”

Yang Family quickly laughed to cover her curiosity. “Oh, nothing! Is it just you boys? I was worried someone else might have gotten shut outside.”

It turned out that seeing Gou Dan had made her wonder if Meizi might also come looking for Juhua. She was especially hopeful that the young girls would come over to play. Meizi and her friends had visited twice near the end of the year, which had made her ecstatic. In the past, no little girls ever played with Juhua, but things were finally looking up. Juhua wasn’t so timid anymore, and she had friends. This was the most gratifying thing that had happened all year, bringing her more joy than even the money the family had earned. Because of this, she found herself constantly hoping for the girls to drop by.

But in the end, Meizi didn’t come, and Yang Family was a little disappointed. ’Then again, it’s so late. Meizi’s a girl; her mother probably wouldn’t let her go out. Only these rowdy boys can run around without a care.’

Zheng Changhe pulled Huai Zi over to the table, insisting that he join him for a drink.

Qingmu found a bowl and began to pour some wine. Huai Zi quickly protested, “Whoa! Easy there! Are you trying to make it so I can’t get home tonight? Uncle, I heard you all laughing from a mile away. What was so funny?”

Zheng Changhe squinted at him and laughed. “What was so funny? We were talking about you! About how you and Qingmu used to steal eggs when you were little.”

Stunned, Huai Zi looked up at Qingmu. They stared at each other for a moment, then both burst out laughing.

As he laughed, he glanced over at Juhua.

Juhua had overheard them. She pictured a four-year-old Zhang Huai looking up at his grandma and saying, ’This chicken probably hasn’t eaten enough. I doubt it laid an egg.’ The thought made her laugh again, which in turn made Huai Zi a bit embarrassed.

Hearing this, Little Shitou looked at Gou Dan and tattled, “Gou Dan stole eggs, too! He took them to Bianwa’s house to cook and eat. The two of them would squat by the chicken coop, and as soon as a hen laid an egg, they’d chase it away so no one would hear it go ’CLUCK CLUCK CLUCK’. They snatched the egg just like that, and his grandma never knew a thing.”

Juhua watched her brother and Huai Zi laughing. ’Their methods haven’t changed a bit!’ she thought.

The whole room burst into laughter. Gou Dan’s face turned red as he retorted, “That was ages ago! Why are you bringing it up now?”

Zhang Yang looked at Zhang Huai and said, “And here you are, always giving me a hard time, but you did the exact same thing!” His older brother had caught him stealing eggs several times.

Huai Zi didn’t blush at all. He lectured the younger boys, “How old are you guys? Qingmu and I were only three or four when we were taking eggs. Besides, we gave them to Grandma Zheng to cook for us, and she told my grandma. The adults all knew about it, so how can you call that stealing? You, Yangzi, you’re just an idiot. You hid the eggs under your pillow and I ended up sleeping on them, getting yolk all over the bed. You think I wasn’t going to tell Mom? There’s no hiding that!”

The wine was starting to get to Zheng Changhe. He looked at Zhang Yang and let out a huge laugh. “HA HA! Yangzi, don’t be embarrassed! Who didn’t do stuff like this as a kid? You were even smarter than me, hiding them under the pillow. Planning to grab them later when no one was looking, right? Who’d have thought your brother would go and sleep on them? Me, I put an egg on the lid of the chamber pot, figuring I’d snatch it when I got a chance. I was hiding under the bed and had to watch as my grandma came in, flipped open the lid, and the egg rolled right inside. Man, I was heartbroken but didn’t dare make a sound! After she left, I was still thinking, ’If the egg isn’t broken, I can just grab it and wash it off.’ But nope. It had already smashed and was all mixed in with the piss and shit. It was a total loss.”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep