Chapter 41 p1
Never mind Yangyang, Yangyang, the lice on the children’s heads were the real headache.
With one pass of the fine-toothed comb, four or five lice fell out, making Ye Qingzhi and Yang Xiaorou’s scalps tingle.
The few children were very happy, scrambling to crush the lice with their fingernails. The two fools, Anjie and Haohao, were even competing to see who had more lice, which made Ye Qingzhi and Yang Xiaorou laugh in exasperation.
The lice were one thing, but the main problem was the nits. They were on a lot of hair. If they couldn’t be combed out, they had to be pulled out by hand.
Yang Xiaorou was extremely disgusted, but Ye Qingzhi found it more and more interesting, a bit like popping pimples. Although it was disgusting, after they were squeezed out, there was a special sense of accomplishment.
For a whole afternoon, Ye Qingzhi was busy catching lice for the four children. It wasn’t until she saw He Qiming come back that she realized it was already getting dark outside.
“Oh my, it’s almost six o’clock. I haven’t even cooked dinner yet,” Ye Qingzhi said, patting Yangyang’s little bottom. She got up and stretched. “I’ll go and cook now.”
He Qiming took off his hat and scarf and asked in confusion, “What were you just doing?”
“Catching lice. Papa, my brothers and I all have lice on our heads, so many. Yangyang has them too. I killed a lot of lice, and also a lot of lice eggs,” Yangyang said, running to He Qiming and showing him his hair.
“Lice? Passed on at school, right?” He Qiming ruffled Yangyang’s hair. Never mind the lice, even the nits had been cleaned out. He gently rubbed his head. “You’ve been at it all day, right?”
“Yes. Anjie said his head was itchy this morning. I leaned in for a look, and my god, there were lice crawling in and out. It gave me goosebumps all over. I’ve changed and washed all the bedsheets, quilt covers, and pillowcases at home. I also took the children to the bathhouse to take a bath. You check me. Did you get any?” Ye Qingzhi asked, standing on tiptoe to check He Qiming’s hair, still worried.
He Qiming smiled and bent down to let Ye Qingzhi see more clearly.
He washed his hair every day. It was impossible for him to have lice.
Sure enough, Ye Qingzhi didn’t find any. She breathed a sigh of relief. “The children have roasted peanuts and potatoes. You can have some to fill your stomach first. I’ll go and cook now.”
He Qiming followed Ye Qingzhi into the kitchen. “I’ll help you.”
It was good that he had come in. Ye Qingzhi had been wanting to ask about that Yangyang.
She closed the door, washed her hands, and asked casually, “Do you know someone named Yangyang?”
“Yangyang?” He Qiming thought for a long time, then shook his head. “I don’t know.”
“Really? Or rather, a woman with ‘Yang’ in her name,” Ye Qingzhi said, deciding to rephrase her question.
He Qiming looked at Ye Qingzhi suspiciously. “Why are you suddenly asking this?”
“I ran into Cao Liyan at the bathhouse today. She said that when her Sister Yangyang comes, you’ll kick me out,” Ye Qingzhi said, looking at He Qiming with a half-smile.
“Nonsense! Old Wu’s younger sister is getting more and more out of line,” He Qiming said, frowning and thinking for a long time. “A woman with ‘Yang’ in her name, and who has a connection with me? I think I know who it is.”
Ye Qingzhi raised an eyebrow, looking at him with amusement. She tilted her chin, signaling him to hurry up and say it.
“My comrade’s younger sister, Li Yang. I told you, she was my second blind date. She’s already married with children. When I was transferred here, she already had a son and was pregnant with her second. I have nothing to do with her. Besides, we’re already married. It’s a military marriage. What ‘kick me out’? That Cao Liyan is really reckless with her words. I must have a good talk with Old Wu,” He Qiming said, a little angry.
So it was her. Ye Qingzhi nodded in understanding. “Cao Liyan said she’s coming over. Is her husband being transferred here?”
He Qiming shook his head. “I’m not sure. I’ll ask Old Shen tomorrow.”
It was a little late. Ye Qingzhi didn’t cook rice. She made a one-pot stew with dried potatoes and eggplants and a little beef. She put a steaming rack on top and placed some of the steamed buns, dumplings, and buns she had made a few days ago. When the food was ready, the steamed buns and the others were also steamed.
As the family was eating, Zhang Dama came in with a broad smile and gave Ye Qingzhi a handful of fruit candies, saying that Liu Yuqin was pregnant.
“She’s pregnant? Congratulations, congratulations! How many months?” Ye Qingzhi asked, taking the candy and pulling a stool for her to sit on.
Zhang Dama waved her hand. “I won’t sit. One and a half months. Oh my, she’s finally pregnant. When her pregnancy is stable, we’ll go back to our hometown. We should be able to spend the New Year at home.”
One and a half months? Counting the days, did she get pregnant on the first try?
Liu Yuqin was indeed fertile, but with her body, could she really carry a child?
Looking at Zhang Dama’s happy expression, Ye Qingzhi of course couldn’t say such a buzzkill. “You’re going back before the New Year? You’re not having the baby here?”
Although Zhang Dama had said from the beginning that she would go back to her hometown after Liu Yuqin got pregnant, wasn’t this a bit too rushed?
“No. How can this place be as convenient as back home? I raised a few chickens myself, and they lay eggs every day. Yuqin can eat as many as she wants. Besides, this place is not as nourishing as our hometown. Our mountains and rivers, the scenery is good, and the water is better. So it’s better to go back to our hometown to have the baby,” Zhang Dama said, having made up her mind to go back to her hometown.
This was someone else’s family business. Ye Qingzhi was just asking. She smiled and walked Zhang Dama out. Looking at the fruit candies on the table, a full five pieces, it was a grand gesture.
“Liu Yuqin’s body doesn’t look good. She’s so thin. To get pregnant at this time, I’m really afraid she can’t take it,” Ye Qingzhi said, giving each of them a piece of candy and putting the rest away.
“If she takes good care of herself during her pregnancy, she should be fine,” He Qiming said, picking up a piece of beef and putting it in Ye Qingzhi’s bowl. “We were supposed to go hunting, but we couldn’t because of something. The weather has been alright these few days. We’re planning to go into the mountains tomorrow.”
“Is it dangerous?” Ye Qingzhi asked with concern.
“We’re bringing guns. We’ll be fine,” He Qiming said, tapping Yangyang’s bowl with his chopsticks. “When did you learn to be a picky eater? Pick it up and eat it.”
Only then did Ye Qingzhi notice that Yangyang had secretly given his green onions to Ye Anjie. Hearing He Qiming’s words, he was now looking at her with a wronged expression.
“Children can’t be picky eaters,” Ye Qingzhi said, indicating that she was on He Qiming’s side.
Many people had trouble eating now. They really didn’t have the right to be picky.
Seeing that his mother was not on his side, Yangyang glanced at his older brothers, obediently picked up the green onions from Ye Anjie’s bowl, and ate them in one bite.
“Good boy. Here, have some meat,” Ye Anmin said, giving Yangyang a small piece of beef.
After dinner, Ye Qingzhi went to wash the dishes. The three older children swept and mopped the floor, then went to wash up by themselves. Not only did she not have to worry about them, but they would also help her with chores.
“Ma, the foot-washing water is ready,” He Jingyan said, coming into the kitchen.
He Qiming, who was clearing the ashes behind the stove, was taken aback for a moment. He watched as He Jingyan left, then looked at Ye Qingzhi in disbelief.
“What did he just call you?”
“Mama. He called me ‘Ma’ this morning,” Ye Qingzhi said, raising her chin proudly.
He Qiming happily hugged Ye Qingzhi, his eyes slightly red. “Jingyan is a good child. He just hasn’t met a good mother. Qingzhi, thank you for being willing to treat Jingyan as your own and finally giving him a mother.”
Ye Qingzhi was a little embarrassed by what He Qiming had said. She really couldn’t treat He Jingyan as her own. She just treated the few children equally in life and had a clear conscience.
“I’m not as good as you say,” Ye Qingzhi said sincerely.
“No, you’re very good. Wife, I must have accumulated good fortune in my past life to have married you,” He Qiming said excitedly.
He Qiming had always felt indebted to He Jingyan. It was because of his negligence that he had been abused by Xu Baoli, which had made him taciturn and no longer smile. Sometimes his eyes were empty, as if he had lost his soul.
Ever since he married Ye Qingzhi, with Ye Anmin and Ye Anjie’s two brothers playing with him, he had become more lively. Now that he would call Ye Qingzhi “Mama,” it meant that he had opened his heart to her and had taken a big step in the right direction.
“Alright, alright. The children have prepared the foot-washing water. Let’s go quickly. The water will get cold soon,” Ye Qingzhi said, gently patting He Qiming’s arm.
He Qiming calmed down, lowered his head, and kissed Ye Qingzhi’s forehead. “Wife, I’m really happy. Thank you.”
“We’re a married couple. Why are you being so formal?” Although she said that, Ye Qingzhi’s lips still curved into a slight smile.
It was a very pleasant thing to have her efforts seen and reciprocated.
The next day, Ye Qingzhi was knitting a sweater when she saw Li Jinfeng come in with one arm in a sling.
“Qingzhi, do you know that Liu Yuqin is pregnant?”
“I know. Zhang Dama came to give out wedding candy yesterday. You should have gotten some too,” Ye Qingzhi said, picking up the basket and making room for Li Jinfeng to sit down. “Did you come just to say this?”
From Zhang Dama’s actions yesterday, the whole family compound should know. Li Jinfeng must have something else.
“Qingzhi, my family sent thirty catties of rice. Um… can I return ten catties to you first? I want to make some rice cakes. I don’t know why, but I’ve been craving rice cakes these past few days, so much that my mouth is watering,” Li Jinfeng said with embarrassment.
“Alright. You can just return it when you have it. You know how to make rice cakes? I’ll make some with you,” Ye Qingzhi said. She also wanted to eat rice cakes, but not as much as Li Jinfeng.
But how could she crave something so much that her mouth watered? Li Jinfeng was not that greedy.