The Country Maiden: Fields and Leisure-Chapter 1655 - 1649: Second Thoughts About Having Children
Looking over by the water tank, Jinshao was with Jindao, Jinfu, and Brother Rong, clapping and laughing nearby.
Jinfu even squatted down to try and catch those two Red Carps, but ended up getting splashed all over with muddy spots by their tails. Not even angry, he just laughed.
Gu Yu stood by, completely dumbfounded.
This racket not only alarmed Wang Yongzhu but also brought out Old Granny Zhang and others to take a look.
Old Granny Zhang was amused and annoyed: "These little rascals, it’s only their first day here, and they’ve already broken the tank! All itching for a beating, are they?"
She ordered a few women to come forward and picked up Little Bean to clean up the mess.
Gu Yu snapped back to reality, blocking the other kids, trying to stop them from playing with water and mud, but she alone couldn’t stop them.
Those little beans, normally in the village, they’re the ones going to the river for fish, climbing trees for bird nests, capable of any mischief.
Every few days, they’d be chased across half the village by their mothers, learning the skills to slip away like eels.
Liu Xiaoqiao, who often exercises, couldn’t catch them, and Gu Yu, who used to look after her brother a few years ago and might have been able to hold her own, is now rusty in her skills and can only sigh helplessly.
Except at the beginning, she managed to catch Brother Rong, who was closest, but couldn’t stop the others.
Getting help from the women ordered by Old Granny Zhang to block them.
The little ones were like eels reborn, slipping through the arms of a few women, intending to run, but the courtyard was too small for them to break free.
However, it didn’t deter them. Three little rascals each found a tree and climbed up.
Jinshao, being older, climbed quickly up the Magnolia Flower Tree, while Jindao was halfway up the Osmanthus tree, huffing and puffing.
Only the youngest, Jinfu, who had mud on his hands from catching fish earlier, couldn’t run as fast as his brothers due to short legs.
Finding the two trees occupied, he looked around the courtyard and saw only the grape trellis left.
Seeing someone was about to catch him, he climbed the trellis with muddy hands, dripping all over.
The women and maids were really at a loss because if these were their own naughty boys, they wouldn’t hesitate to pull them down with a stick.
But these were Madam’s nephews and masters; they didn’t dare to lay a hand.
They could only stand under the trees, persuading them down gently, fearing that a louder voice might scare the little masters into falling.
Jinshao and the boys, knowing the adults wouldn’t really do anything, grew more triumphant.
Sitting in the trees, proudly swinging their little legs, making faces and taunting: "Come on, come and catch us—"
The courtyard was a complete mess, chaotic like a flock of chickens and dogs.
Others might be hesitant, but who was Old Granny Zhang?
Her sons and grandkids grew up under her stern voice, misbehave elsewhere but well-behaved with her.
They wouldn’t dare unless they had a death wish.
Seeing the women couldn’t handle it, Old Granny Zhang couldn’t hold back any longer.
Grabbing a fire poker, she rushed forward in a few strides.
She grabbed Jinfu’s back collar, who was only half a person high up, and yanked him down.
Jinfu held tight, but Granny didn’t have the patience, quickly pinched his ear with the poker, twisting it—
Jinfu yelped, quickly shielding his ear, and was easily pulled down, placed on the ground.
She then slapped the poker against the grape trellis, threatening, "Stand there properly, no crying! Cry again, and I’ll thrash you!"
Though small, Jinfu was perceptive.
Yesterday he saw his father and uncle kneel before this Granny. Though he didn’t understand, he knew not to provoke her.
Seeing the poker and feeling his throbbing ear, he immediately complied.
After dealing with the smallest, she moved to the older ones.
Hands on her hips, Old Granny Zhang shouted to the tree, "Get down here quickly, or don’t blame me for being harsh! Don’t think your parents can protect you! Listen, if I thrashed your behinds till they bloom, who’d dare peep? I’ll thrash your parents too!"
Jinshao, being older, had a deep impression of Granny Zhang’s fierceness.
He hadn’t recalled it when she was ignoring them.
Her scolding posture jolted his memory, scaring him into letting go and slipping, falling down headfirst.
Amid gasps, those nearby couldn’t reach him in time.
Even Granny Zhang flinched; if he fell in that position, hitting a stone below—
Before anyone could react, a figure darted from the corridor, catching Jinshao securely.
Everyone breathed a sigh of relief.
Looking closely, who else could’ve caught him but Wang Yongzhu?
Wang Yongzhu had seen the commotion from inside, already having a headache.
Changing clothes and rushing out, she witnessed it, relying on her agility and nerves to catch Jinshao in time.
Jinshao was so scared he kept his eyes shut. Only after being caught did he open them, seeing Wang Yongzhu’s face, he burst into tears, hugging her neck: "Auntie, auntie—"
Sounding pitiful.
In the Osmanthus tree, Jindao, for all his youth, turned teary-eyed seeing his brother fall, crying out for his parents.
The front yard guards, hearing the noise, rushed over, deftly pulling Jindao down.
Jindao held tightly to the guard, calling for his parents.
What a ruckus.
Wang Yongzhu thought her head would explode.
Questioning her choices, remembering Jinshao’s adorable, soft demeanor when he was just two, always cuddly.
How did he grow up to be so unruly?
Yesterday, Old Granny Zhang’s words had her considering having children, but now, after this mischief, she reconsidered.
Why have kids? One child equals a thousand ducks!
