When the pears are green

Chapter 242 Returning on a Snowy Night

In the warm kitchen, Song Changhe stood in front of the steaming stove and shouted, "Xiaoyue, do you want me to scoop some more sweet potatoes for you?"

Song Li glanced at Zhang who was playing with Jiang Huan, pushed the stool away, walked to Song Changhe and said, "Dad, Yueyue is getting married today and won't be back for dinner."

Song Changhe paused and explained to Song Li in a self-deprecating manner: "Oh, I'm really getting old and always forgetting things. I remember you like to eat sweet potatoes, so I'll scoop some more for you."

Song Li took the bowl handed to her by Song Changhe, which was almost entirely filled with sweet potatoes.

"Xiao Li, you don't have to pay attention to him. When you got married, he often called your name to Xiao Yue. You eat first, and then take Huan'er to rest." Zhang said as she carried Jiang Huan to the stove and sat down, facing the stove, which was very warm.

Song Changhe walked over with the bowl and sat down opposite Song Li, then pushed the fried tofu and pickled radish on the table in front of Song Li.

"Your mother only knows how to criticize me. She is not much better than me. When you first married Qingzhou, she hid in the quilt and cried for half the night. She was afraid that you would not have enough food and clothes in the Jiang family, and that you would be bullied." After Song Changhe finished speaking, he put a few pieces of pickled radish in the steamed bun, smiled and walked towards Zhang, who had a gloomy face.

Song Li looked back at Song Changhe who was squatting in front of Zhang to apologize, and picked up the sweet potato in the bowl with a chuckle.

As the night grew deeper, Song Changhe sat alone in the main room waiting for Song Xing to come back, constantly adding wood to the brazier.

The cold wind rushed into the room and almost blew out the oil lamp on the eight-immortals table.

Song Changhe hurriedly moved the oil lamp to a sheltered corner, stood at the door and looked at the snow in the yard.

The snow was still falling, and the road that had been cleared after dinner was covered with snow again.

There were creaking sounds of footsteps outside the yard. Song Changhe hurriedly opened the gate with an oil lamp in his hand. It turned out that the bridegroom had returned.

Song Changhe invited Song Ershun, Song Sanshun and others into the house to drink some hot water.

The slightly drunk Song Ershun held Song Changming's arm and waved to Song Changhe: "Changhe, it's still snowing, so we won't go in. Wait for the girl to come home, and then we can talk again."

Song Changhe asked Song Xing to go home first, and took the oil lamp to send Song Ershun, Song Sanshun and others back home.

Song Xing walked outside the west wing, knocked on the window and shouted, "Sister, are you asleep?"

Song Li, who was tossing and turning, quickly responded: "No, have Qingzhou and the others returned?"

Song Xing stamped her cold feet, her voice trembling, "Sister, my brother-in-law, Qingye, and uncle went back together. They went back as soon as they arrived at my second brother-in-law's house. They didn't wait until the wedding ceremony. They should be home now."

"Well, there's some warm sweet potato soup in the kitchen. Go drink some to warm yourself up." Song Li's voice was a little loud and woke Jiang Huan up. Jiang Huan cried softly twice, then grabbed Song Li's collar with his little hands and continued to sleep.

Song Li then heard the creaking sounds of footsteps and the creaking sound of a door being pushed open. It should be Song Xing who went to the kitchen.

When Song Li fell asleep, Song Changhe had not returned yet.

After an unknown amount of time, a "creak" broke the tranquility of the night. Song Xing, who was warming himself by the fire, looked up at the courtyard gate. It turned out that Song Changhe had returned.

Large flakes of snow fell in the yellowish light, like moths flying into a flame.

"Xiaoxing, there's warm soup in the pot, go and have some." Song Changhe said to Song Xing while stomping on the snow on his cotton shoes.

Song Xing couldn't help but stomped his feet twice, saying that he had already drunk.

"You're quite smart. You knew to save some soup for you." Song Changhe patted Song Xing's shoulder with satisfaction.

Song Xing quickly shook his head and explained: "My eldest sister told me."

Song Changhe frowned and looked at Song Xing and said, "She has been back to her room for a long time, why is she still not asleep?"

"My eldest sister and my brother-in-law have a deep relationship. She must be unable to sleep because she is worried about my brother-in-law. Dad, my brother-in-law told you not to buy pork. He will slaughter a pig tomorrow and bring half over the day after tomorrow." Song Xing's voice became smaller and smaller, and he lowered his head and did not dare to look at Song Changhe.

Song Changhe grabbed Song Xing's ear with a gloomy face and scolded: "You little brat, don't you know how to say no? They have to raise a child and pay for Qingye's education, which is much more difficult than ours."

Song Xing covered his ears and explained aggrievedly: "Dad, I refused, but my brother-in-law didn't listen. He said it was to thank mother for taking care of my eldest sister during her confinement."

Song Changhe sighed when he heard this, and then asked Song Xing about the wedding banquet.

Song Xing quickly told Song Changhe: "It snowed so heavily that we couldn't set up a banquet in the yard. Uncle Wu only invited close relatives to the banquet in the house. The rest of the banquet was served to the villagers. Each family had two bowls, one of meat and one of vegetables."

Song Changhe admired Wu Wei very much. He thought that Wu Wei's approach was a good idea. It not only avoided wasting food, but also shut up the villagers.

Song Changhe wanted to chat with Song Xing for a few more words, but Song Xing couldn't help yawning a few times, so Song Changhe hurriedly asked Song Xing to go back to his room to sleep.

The wind and snow slowly stopped.

The red candles in the new house were burning, and the flickering candlelight reflected the red "囍" character pasted on the window.

Listening to Wu Mingde's steady breathing, the shy Song Yue secretly poked her head out from under the quilt and turned her head to look at the sleeping Wu Mingde.

"It's so cold, and you don't even cover yourself with the quilt." Song Yue muttered softly while stretching out her arms as white as jade to tuck in the corner of the quilt for Wu Mingde.

Wu Mingde turned around and hugged Song Yue who was lying down again. He couldn't help but raise the corners of his mouth where Song Yue couldn't see.

The sunny day after the snow was unusually cold, and Song Li and Jiang Huan stayed in the room for the whole day.

Jiang Huan, who hadn't gone out for a day, pouted and refused to sleep. Song Li lay on her side and tickled Jiang Huan's little feet. Jiang Huan happily put his right hand into his mouth, laughing "ah, ah, ah".

"Huan'er, your father will come to grandma's house tomorrow. If you don't go to bed, you may not be able to see your father until very late tomorrow." Song Li rubbed Jiang Huan's little hand and educated Jiang Huan who knew nothing.

Jiang Huan raised his little hand and grabbed Song Li's hair and tried to put it into his mouth.

Song Li quickly pried Jiang Huan's hands apart and took out his hair. She patted Jiang Huan's hands pretending to be angry, then smiled and picked up Jiang Huan to feed him.

Jiang Huan stared at Song Li with his bright eyes. Song Li lowered her head to rub Jiang Huan's head. Jiang Huan reached out and grabbed Song Li's sleeve and slowly closed his eyes.

The next day was still a sunny day, and the snow in the sunny area began to melt slowly.

Jiang Qingzhou arrived at the Song family in the afternoon.

Song Li carried Jiang Huan to Jiang Qingzhou's side, and Jiang Huan pulled out his little hands to let Jiang Qingzhou hold him.

Jiang Qingzhou reached out and touched Jiang Huan's forehead, and explained with a smile: "It's not that Daddy doesn't want to hug you, Daddy's body is cold, can I hug you later?"

Jiang Huan buried his little head in Song Li's arms, stuck out his butt and no longer looked at Jiang Qingzhou.

"Hahaha, Huan'er is really a little whim." After Song Changhe said this, he gently patted Jiang Huan on the back, and then he and Jiang Qingzhou carried the pork on the donkey cart into the kitchen.

Song Changhe took out one or two taels of silver and stuffed them into Jiang Qingzhou's pocket. Jiang Qingzhou quickly hid behind Song Li and refused to accept it.

One insisted on giving it, and the other refused to take it, so the two men confronted each other in the yard.

In the end, it was Zhang who ended the dispute. She stuffed the silver into Song Changhe's pocket and whispered to him, "Huan'er will be 100 days old in a dozen days. Xiaoli and Qingzhou will definitely hold a 100-day banquet for Huan'er. Buy more things for Huan'er then."

Song Changhe then accepted the silver and began to think about what gift to prepare for Jiang Huan.