The three of them entered the house, and Miao and others brought a brazier to Li Shimian to warm up the fire.
"Mom, please sit closer and bake. The water is dripping outside and turns to ice. I have to go and see it myself."
"If I don't go, you can't call him back."
Ma pushed the brazier, moved closer to the old man, and went to pull her great-grandson, "Sheng'er, come and warm yourself by the fire, don't freeze."
"Sheng'er is not cold."
"It's okay to bake it even if it's not cold, to get rid of the cold." Mrs. Miao pressed her grandson on the small square stool and put a hand stove into his little hand.
Children don't know whether it's cold or hot. By the time they realize it's hot or cold, it will be too late.
Li Shimian washed his hands and feet with warm water, put on cotton-padded shoes, sat in front of the brazier and was warmed by the smoke from the fireworks.
Seeing her granddaughter-in-law Bai carrying her great-granddaughter Xi'er out of the house, she straightened her neck and whined a few words with her great-granddaughter. While stretching her hands and feet to warm herself by the fire, she chatted about household matters with Ma and others.
"It's the New Year's Day again soon, and I don't know if they have received the things we sent to Sister Ning and Nian'er. It's also really cold this year, so I'm afraid there will be delays on the way."
Ma was a little worried.
It was too cold on this day this year, and she felt freezing even while huddled at home. The old man still ran to the fields every day.
"We sent it early this year, so I might not have received it by now." Mrs. Cui responded.
Miao also agreed: "Yes, don't worry, mother. We can always send the clothes and shoes for the two children before the year. But now Sister Ning and Nian'er are not short of manpower for sewing..."
Ma interrupted her, "It's true that they have needlework and thread, but Sister Ning and Nian'er like to wear the clothes I sewed stitch by stitch."
"Yes, you are right. Your grandchildren look forward to the clothes and shoes you send every year. They are better-looking than those made elsewhere."
"That's not the case."
Ma looked very proud.
Her eyesight was bad, and her daughter-in-law and grandson-in-law told her not to do it, as long as they did it, but she did it because she wanted to do it. Her sister Ning and Nian'er lost their mothers at such a young age, so she gave them to Rou'er.
What's wrong with making some clothes?
If she does it slowly, she will finish it slowly. If she does it earlier, she can send it in time.
"However, this year's New Year's gift for Sister Ning has not been delivered yet..." Miao muttered again.
Li Shimian said: "It's cold and it's inconvenient for us to get in and out here. I'm afraid we might be delayed on the way."
"No, Sister Ning delivers packages seven or eight times every year. How could she forget the New Year's gift? She must have been delayed on the road."
Ma also glared at her angrily, then looked at her grandson-in-law Bai, "How about Yunling, go back to your parents' house and ask your father to help you find out?"
Just as Bai was about to agree, he heard Li Shimian say: "What are you asking about? We are on the way, what's the hurry?"
"Are you not in a hurry? You can't see me when you look at me? You stretch your neck and look at the road every day, ten to eight times a day. Who is looking forward to letters from Sister Ning and Nian'er?"
Is she just looking forward to it? Hey, this old man gets tougher and tougher as he lives.
Li Shimian turned his head and did not intend to pay attention to her.
Seeing her granddaughter-in-law Shui coming out with her great-granddaughter Sister Heng in her arms, she stretched her neck to look.
When Mrs. Cui saw it, she said angrily: "It's very cold outside, what are you doing out here holding Sister Heng in your arms?"
Walking over and picking up the child, Ma and Li Shi hurriedly moved over, squeezing their faces and shaking their little hands. Sister Heng raised a big smile to her great-grandfather and great-grandmother, and responded with a whimper.
Sister Heng is Li Xi's daughter. She is only a few months old now. She is wrapped in a thick cotton bag and has a round head and round head. She is very cute.
Now Huo Xi's cousins, Li Zhi and Li Xi from the first house, are all married and have children. Li Mingjin also married Shao Geng, the grandson of Shao Ji in the exile village, and gave birth to a son.
The second wife, Ming Yue, married into a nearby village and has no children yet. The only one left, Li Ji, is still unmarried.
Li Dianzang and Mrs. Cui were worried because they couldn't stand each other's eyes.
"It's such a cold weather, shouldn't Dianzang and the others be able to come back from the dam earlier?" Ms. Cui was very worried.
It can freeze to death on this day, and the men at home have to go to work every day, so their legs are soaked in water and turn purple from the cold. When they get home, they have to bake for a long time before they can recover.
Every time they saw it, they shed tears.
Li Shimian and Ma paused while teasing their great-grandson. It was meat falling off his body. How could Ma not be worried?
Sighing, "What's the use of worrying? Everyone is the same. How can they not go? Go to the kitchen to simmer some ginger soup and give it to them as soon as they come back."
"Mom, it's cooking on the stove."
Li Shimian turned his head and looked at the steamy sky outside the house. It was gray and without a trace of sunlight, just like his state of mind at this time.
It was like a huge boulder was stuck in his heart, weighing him down and making him unable to breathe.
Bang bang bang... there was a knock on the door, interrupting his melancholy.
"Who is it? It's such a cold day. It's coming!" Miao responded loudly and trotted to open the door.
"Who is here?"
"She's from the village. I'm afraid she's here to get work as a female worker."
After a while, the sound of rapid footsteps came, and Miao's voice was excited: "Father, mother, look who is coming!"
Li Shimian and Ma Shi quickly turned to look, Zhufeng? It's the Zhufeng next to Sister Ning!
"Zhufeng? Why are you here in person?" Could it be that something happened to Sister Ning and Nian'er? The old couple hurriedly helped them stand up.
"I've met the old man and the old lady. It was our girl who sent me to come here personally to tell you something important."
"Okay, come in the house quickly!" Seeing Zhufeng, he felt very happy.
"Father and mother, Zhufeng came in a carriage."
"Oh, hurry up, help unload the carriage, and feed the horses some fodder, water, and some warm water. It's freezing cold today, and it's been very hard for the horses to walk all the way."
"Yes, my daughter-in-law will go right away." The whole family started to move.
When a carriage of things was unloaded into the hall, I asked, "Why did you bring so many things here?" This is both a waterway and a mountain road. It's thousands of miles away. How could you bring so many things here?
Li Shimian and Ma were chatting and trying to wipe away their tears.
"The girl also said that this time was special, and she didn't plan to let me bring so many things, but as I was packing, I packed up a pile, and Master Nian also added more and more, so there was a whole car.
"
"These two children..." Ma was excited, raised her arm, and pressed the corner of her eye with her sleeve.
"Why are you here in person? Sister Ning is the same. He sent you all the way here and asked the inn to deliver it." I heard that Zhufeng also gave birth to a son, who was only one younger than Xiao Yu'er.
Yue, why are you sending someone here when the New Year is approaching?
"This time I have something important to explain to the old man and the old lady. If the girl hadn't been able to leave, she would have made the trip herself."
"Is there something important? What's the matter? Did something happen to Sister Ning and Nian'er?" It's a pity that they were sitting in this place and couldn't exert any effort at all.
The two children could not hope to live up to their grandfather's family.
"The girl and the young master are fine. It's a good thing, a great good thing! The girl begged the emperor, and the Li family was freed from the crime! The emperor pardoned the Li family, and your family is innocent. The emperor allows you to return to your original place of residence!"