Chapter 26: The Younger Brother's Descent

  "Alright, you help Xiao Fan clean up, I'll go take a look." As soon as she entered the courtyard, Yu Xiaohuo heard the voices inside and handed over the things in her hand to Yu Xiaoxi before walking into the house.

  Su Xiaofan heard the commotion outside and ran out wearing a small apron, asking in confusion: "Why are you guys so early?"

  "My sister said she guessed your mother would give birth today, so she came early. Who knew it was really today?" Yu Xiaoxi put the things in the kitchen and then turned around to pick up the things she had just put on the ground.

  "What did you bring?" Su Xiaofan followed her in.

  "Oh, here are dozens of eggs, two chickens, look, this is the broody hen I told you about yesterday, take it to hatch eggs." After Yu Xiaoxi handed the chicken over to Su Xiaofan, she carried the other two to the chicken coop and threw them in. Then she shouted in surprise: "Heavens, Xiaofan, are you feeding the chickens rice?"

  Su Xiaofan helplessly shrugged her shoulders: "What else can we do? I forgot to prepare food for the chicken."

  Yu Xiaoxi furrowed her brow and thought for a moment before saying, "This won't do either. You should keep the rice to eat yourselves. I'll go back and bring some corn over to you."

  "It's not good." Su Xiao Fan arranged the eggs they brought, looking uneasy. After all, she was also living in her sister's house now, with a big family, if this caused trouble at home, it wouldn't be good.

  "It's okay, my brother-in-law bought a lot back yesterday, I secretly brought some over to you for emergency use, and then you can go buy more later." Yu Xiaoxi saw that the firewood in the stove was about to burn out, so she sat down to add more firewood.

  "It's always troubling you, I'll make something delicious for you to eat another day." Su Xiao Fan didn't say anything more. Only those who lend a helping hand in times of difficulty are true friends. If her own life becomes better in the future, she can repay them then, and won't worry about not having an opportunity to return their kindness.

  Yu Xiaoxi's eyes sparkled: "Good."

  Yu Xiaoxi fell silent for a moment before continuing: "As for what happened at the Su Bing Lou, have you given it any more thought?"

  "I've already thought it through, I'll go after Mother gives birth. It just so happens that I need some silver to buy a few things." The rest of the explanation was cut off as she untied her apron and stood at the door facing Xiao Yi Mo: "Little treasure, are you hungry? Do you want me to prepare something for you to eat first?"

  Xiao Yi Mo glanced at her as usual, carelessly and replied faintly: "Don't treat me like a child."

  "This isn't just for kids who get hungry, adults get hungry too." Su Xiaofan pouted and turned into the kitchen.

  "You're almost spoiling him rotten." Yu Xiaoxi had a look on her face as if she wanted to give Xiao Yiming a good scolding.

  "Xiao Xi, once you have kids in the future, you'll understand. These little ones are just meant to be spoiled." Su Xiao Fan checked the fire and then pulled Yu Xiao Xi's hand, saying: "Let's go take a look at the situation."

  Yu Xiaoxi nodded and stood up, muttering: "He's not your child, he's your husband, you can't measure him by the standards of a little kid."

  Su Xiaofan smiled indifferently.

  As soon as they walked to the gate of the main house, they heard a loud cry from inside the house.

  Su Xiaofan excitedly grasped Yu Xiaoxi's hand and was so happy she almost jumped up: "It's born, Xiaoxi has given birth."

  "Alright, don't get excited, it's not me who gave birth, it's your mother who did." Yu Xiaoxi pressed down on her jumping body and said softly: "Go prepare some lotus seed pods, I heard that after giving birth, one needs to eat something."

  "Shall we take a break?" Su Xiaofan nodded vaguely, turned around and walked back to the kitchen. When she reached the kitchen door, she turned around and said: "You go and see if it's a younger brother or sister."

  "Good." Yu Xiao Xi nodded slightly and walked into the inner room.

  Su Xiaofan took the stewed chicken soup and put it aside, then started making poached eggs.

  Just done, ready to serve in, Yu Xiaoxi rushed out: "It's a boy, and he looks so handsome."

  "Really?" Su Xiaofan smiled and asked: "Do you want me to bring it in now?"

  "Go ahead and have some, your mother looks exhausted." Yu Xiaoxi glanced at the other bowl on the stove and asked: "Did you make this for your little treasure?"

  "Hmm, he didn't sleep all night either." Su Xiaofan took the small bowl and placed it on the table in the main room, saying to Xiao Yiming: "Little treasure, come over and eat your egg before playing."

  Xiao Yimao lazily moved his body and reluctantly walked towards the table.

  Then the two of them carried another bowl and entered Jia's room.

  Yu Xiaohe was holding her newborn baby at this moment, Ye Shi and Liu Xiu were busy tidying up the room. The not-so-large room seemed very crowded for a while.

  "Grandma, I'll put the food here." Su Xiaofan put down the bowl in her hand and walked up to Yu Xiaohua's side to take a look at the newborn baby. The baby's face was all scrunched up and its eyes were still closed. She couldn't help but whisper a complaint to Yu Xiaoxi, "Where's the cuteness?"

  "You've never seen a newborn baby in someone else's family, you'll understand when you see it." Yu Xiaoxi remembered that this child was much better looking than her own sister's child at birth.

  "Really?" Su Xiaofan asked with a hint of doubt, glancing at Jia Shi, who was now resting with her eyes closed, leaning against the pillow, apparently truly exhausted.

  "Uh-huh, Fan'er, go get some more food." Ye Shi finished what she was doing and walked over to pick up the bowl, preparing to feed Jia Shi.

  Su Xiaofan glanced at the midwife who was rubbing her waist and wiping sweat beside her, smiled: "Okay, I'll go now."

  After everything was settled, Jia's family also finished eating the steamed buns and drinking chicken soup and rested. Then Ye's family took out the only few pieces of silver at home and handed them over to Liu Xiu, saying apologetically: "Sister, there is not much money, don't be disgusted."

  Liu Xiu smiled and took it: "Old sister, what are you talking about? Originally, I shouldn't have accepted your money..."

  "It's not like that, I've been troubling you all day, how can there be no payment? Wait till another day, when our family's situation has improved a bit, I'll bring my little grandson to personally deliver the thank-you gift to your doorstep." Ye Shi laughed so hard her mouth was almost closed. Her husband had passed away, but fortunately, before his death, he had left behind a pregnant Zhiyan, which counted as leaving behind an heir.

  In the past, because there was only one girl under her knee, she had been talked about by people in the village.

  "Elder sister is serious, so you all take good care of the mother and child, I'll be leaving first." Liu Xiu pocketed the silver and stood up to bid farewell.

  "Alright, I'll see you off." Ye Shi escorted her all the way out of the courtyard before turning back.

  "Grandma, here's yours." Su Xiaofan handed her a bowl of food as she walked back, at her age, she must have been exhausted after staying up all night.