The road back to the village has just been repaired and is extremely clean and flat.
As soon as the villagers saw this road, they praised Qi Boyan and Meng Yao. Meng Yao also received many small gifts from the villagers, such as handfuls of vegetables and wild fruits.
It was all the villagers' wishes. After Meng Yao accepted it, he would also give back some small things. After going back and forth, Meng Yao had a good relationship with many people in the village.
As soon as Meng Yao entered the village, many people greeted her, and she responded to them one by one, calling them aunt or sister-in-law, which was polite but not enthusiastic.
Meng Yao did not go back to his new home first, but went to the old courtyard where Liu Cuihua and Wu Aizhen lived.
Liu Cuihua's injury was not healed, and Wu Aizhen's stomach seemed to be bad. However, Qi Ming'an, the family's only laborer, was busy traveling early in the morning and returning late to make a living, so he could not take care of them.
Meng Yao had to be more careful.
She closed the door early today and came back early. Qi Wenye hadn't finished school yet, and there were only two people at home, Liu Cuihua and Wu Aizhen.
The Chinese New Year is coming soon, and every household in the village has begun to prepare New Year's goods, as well as various fried foods, and the village is filled with various fragrances.
Meng Yao opened the door and saw the freshly cut tofu placed on the four corner tables in the yard. The aroma of frying in the yard was particularly strong.
They should be in the kitchen.
"Mom, sister-in-law, I'm back!"
Meng Yao shouted, and after taking two steps, Wu Aizhen walked out of the kitchen.
"Yao Yao, why did you come back so early today?"
Wu Aizhen's belly was already showing that she was pregnant. When the experienced old people in the village saw it, they pointed at her belly and said she must be a boy.
Wu Aizhen also wanted a boy, but she had waited for so many years before she finally found a baby, whether it was a boy or a daughter.
“It’s almost the Chinese New Year and there’s not much business, so we closed early.”
"Where's mother?"
“Fried tofu in it.”
Wu Aizhen replied, and Liu Cuihua in the kitchen also responded: "Here, we are almost done!"
"I'm going to help!" Meng Yao wanted to go to the kitchen, but Wu Aizhen hurriedly stopped her.
"There's too much fumes, so don't go in!"
"Sister-in-law, what are you talking about? I own a restaurant, am I afraid of the fumes? But you, sister-in-law, there is a lot of fumes in there, so don't go in!"
"Hey, Yaoyao, it will be blown up soon!"
Wu Aizhen failed to persuade Meng Yao, but after seeing her go in, she followed her in again.
Liu Cuihua is frying tofu. In addition to tofu, she will also fry some meatballs and burnt leaves. She didn't have time to make the meatballs, so she will fry them later.
There are still a lot of things in the kitchen that haven't been fried yet, and it's not like Wu Aizhen said they are almost done.
As soon as Meng Yao came in, Liu Cuihua waved her hand, "Why are you coming in? Get out quickly, get out quickly, why are you coming in after everything is already done? Come in and smell of oil smoke all over your body."
"Mom, I'm coming!"
Meng Yao walked over anyway and took the chopsticks from Liu Cuihua's hand without any explanation, "I'm here, you guys have a rest!"
"Look at you kid, I've already done half of it..."
"Just leave the rest to me."
Meng Yao answered the call very smoothly.
She turned around and wanted Wu Aizhen to go out with her mother quickly, but when she saw the uncomfortable look on her face, she quickly said to Liu Cuihua: "Mom, look at my sister-in-law, does she want to vomit?"
While speaking, Wu Aizhen made a sound of "vomit" and rushed out.
"It's just morning sickness, it's okay!"
Although Liu Cuihua said this, she still asked immediately: "Aizhen, how are you?"
"Mom, it's okay!"
Wu Aizhen covered her mouth and sounded fine.
Liu Cuihua was relieved after hearing this.
Meng Yao was already furious. While busy, he said: "Sister-in-law, you can't smell the oil smoke, so don't come in."