It was getting late now. The young husband stood up from the bed. He had other things to do - such as making lunch.
There seemed to be nothing wrong with his wife, except that her face was slightly pale, which made him a little worried. However, the medicine prescribed by Dr. Poros should be able to make Yuffie better.
Belkas still had many things to be busy with, so he left the mother and daughter behind and left quietly.
"Mother."
Nia was held tightly in her mother's arms, but when Nia looked up at her mother's face, she found that her mother's eyes were not on her.
"What’s wrong with you?"
Nia asked, her eyes full of curiosity.
"Ah...nothing."
Yuffie looked away, her expression still a little dull.
Although Yuffie didn't explain, Nia saw Yuffie frowning slightly.
Nia couldn't help but become worried. After all, this was rare for her always gentle and optimistic mother. She looked towards the place where Yuffie was looking at just now.
"Mom, haven't you watered the alyssum on the windowsill yet?"
There are several bunches of alyssums planted in the flower pots on the windowsill, which are orchids that the mother and daughter cultivated together.
Although the flowering period has passed due to the arrival of autumn, we still tried hard to find some flower buds.
Their precious memories and sweat are hidden in this small potted plant. But now some of the bunches of alyssum petals have turned brown.
"OK."
Yuffie gently pinched her daughter's soft cheek and said, "Nia, the water tank at home happens to be empty. Dad is probably going to fetch water. Can you go and help dad?"
"Okay, Mom."
Nia agreed without hesitation. She was always the most willing to do the things her mother assigned her.
When Nia left her mother's arms, besides being a little reluctant to leave, she also remembered things she had almost forgotten.
"Mom, Mom! I still have something to give you!"
Nia jumped off the bed and handed the flower basket on the bedside table to her mother.
"Oh?! Really?"
Yuffie, who was still a little melancholy at first, immediately smiled. How could she be unhappy with her daughter's feelings?
She reached out and took the flower basket. Just when she was about to lift the cloth, Nia suppressed the flower basket.
"hey-hey!"
Naughty Nia stuck out her tongue and said, "Mom, guess what it is first?
"Hey, okay!"
Yuffie narrowed her eyes and scratched Nia's nose with her index finger, "Let mom guess first."
Yuffie closed her eyes, put her face slightly closer to the flower basket, and then sniffed it.
"Well... I smelled Nia's breakfast. This morning Nia had milk and a ham sandwich..." Mother Yuffie hesitated for a moment, then added, "There is also an egg."
"Yeah! Yes."
Since Yuffie became pregnant, her mobility has gradually become inconvenient, and Nia and Belkas have been competing for housework. Nia prepared breakfast herself, and Yuffie normally does not know about it.
"But what? The gifts Nia wants to give to her mother are not these!"
Nia smiled and held the flower basket tightly, then took it away from Yuffie.
Niya understood her mother's special skill. It seemed that her mother could guess what she was hiding just by closing her eyes and sniffing.
This skill is so amazing, but it's a pity that she has never been able to learn it.
Yuffie rubbed Nia's red cheek and then told her the answer.
"It's a flower, right..."
Her aqua blue eyes were full of tenderness, and Yuffie continued:
"Besides, there are many beautiful and fragrant flowers! There is still morning dew on some of the petals. Nia must have gone to the flower garden this morning. Thank you so much, Nia."
"Uh uh... I still can't hide it! Mom is so awesome."
Nia removed the cover from the flower basket, took out a pile of thick tablecloths from the flower basket, and finally took out the gifts she had prepared from underneath.
"But it's not just flowers, it's garlands! Mom didn't completely guess it right."
Nia was so proud that she held the wreath in both hands and waved it left and right in front of her mother.
"Oh! Yes."
Yuffie covered her mouth and snickered. Seeing that her daughter had stood on tiptoes and stretched out her arms, she lowered her head and let Nia put the wreath on her head.
"Mother."
Nia gently put it down, and her mother had an extra crown. She took a few steps back and looked up and down at her mother who was wearing a wreath.
"It really suits me. Mom is the most beautiful!"
Euphie held up the wreath on her head. She was already a beauty, but now she was even more beautiful with the flowers on her head.
The wasted years have not left any trace on her upright and beautiful face.
These fresh or elegant flowers are like an angel's halo on Yuffie's head, adding a sense of holiness and nobility to her already transcendent temperament.
"Actually, Nia is more suitable. Mom is not as beautiful as Nia."
But within a short time Yuffie took off the wreath and put it on Nia's head.
Then he smoothed the long hair from her face for her daughter who was still in shock. When Yuffie's cold fingers touched her ears, she immediately shrank back and blushed.
"How could it be? Mom is..."
Seemingly moved by her mother's praise, Nia blushed with embarrassment and didn't know what to say.
"Ah! I almost forgot that Nia's ears are very sensitive."
Yuffie covered her mouth and let out a slight laugh, her eyes narrowed into crescent moons. She couldn't help teasing her lovely daughter, which made Nia's little face blush even more.
"Huh, mom, I'm going to help dad."
Knowing that her mother was teasing her, Nia simply lost her temper and turned around and left.
The mother behind her gently waved to her, and Nia could feel a reassuring gaze following her until she stepped out of the room and closed the door before disappearing.
Then my mother’s instructions came from behind the door:
"Nia, please be safe on the road and don't be naughty!"
"oh."
Nia responded in a low voice, because even though she was far away, she didn't know if her mother heard her.
She went directly to the kitchen to find her father, Belkas.
At this time, Belkas was wearing an apron and cutting mutton on the chopping board with a kitchen knife. There were many vegetables soaked in the basin beside him.
Apparently Belkas has almost finished the preparations for making lunch.
"Dad, what can I do for you? Mom said the water tank at home is empty."
Nia walked up to her father and watched his skillful sword skills.
Belkas looked very attentive when cutting meat, and the kitchen knife in his hand moved very precisely like a machine.
Likewise, the meat in his hand was cut very evenly, and each piece was as thin as a cicada's wings.
These translucent and greasy mutton slices were carefully arranged into various patterns and looked great on the plate.
Whenever there is a festival or happy event in the village, Belkas will basically be invited to show off his skills at the finale dinner. Even Zamo, the old chef in the village who has studied cooking for many years, often comes to ask for his advice.
"Well, yes. Nia, can you go to the well in the center of the village to get some water?"
Seeing his daughter suddenly appear behind him, Belkas' knife-holding hand didn't even shake at all. He collected the last bit of minced meat and put it on the plate.
He put down the knife, turned to the bottom of the water tank, picked up a bucket and handed it to Nia.
"OK."
Nia took the bucket and walked outside the house.
His father started to be busy in the kitchen again. Unlike his mother, his father Belkas did not exchange much greetings with Nia.
But in fact, the father and daughter have always been like this. The father is not very talkative. Apart from the mother, he rarely has any topics to talk about even when facing himself.
But Belkas's tenderness towards his family is everywhere, such as the bucket in Nia's hand.
"Well...Dad, do you still think I'm a child? I can obviously carry water in a big bucket now."
Nia muttered quietly on the road.
Now she can carry the bucket effortlessly, holding it in her hand as easily as carrying a small bale of hay.
The water she could fetch at one time was probably only enough to make lunch.
But her parents always seemed to think that she had not grown up, and they never gave her any heavier work.
This is rare in the village, where older children are generally used as laborers.
Complaints are complaints, but Nia still has to use this small bucket to fetch water from the well in the center of the village.
"Hey, isn't that Niya, the girl from the Arobu family? Is she here to fetch water today?"
As soon as Nia entered the small square in the center of the village, an old man greeted her.
There were not many people fetching water in the village at this time, but this old man was also carrying a bucket that was of certain age, and he knew he was coming to fetch water from the well.
"Good morning, Grandpa Patsy."
Nia walked up to the old man.
The old man's left leg is sick and he limps when he walks. In addition, he has to carry the bucket, which doesn't look very light. The old man seems to have to take a breath every time he takes a step forward.
So Nia stepped forward to help the old man, and didn't let go until the old man sat by the well.
"Thank you, Nia. You are such a good child."
The old man was sitting by the well panting. It seemed that it was difficult for him to fetch water alone.
Although there are many wells in the village, the well in the center of the village is the most commonly used by villagers because the water in this well is the clearest and sweetest.
"Well, it's nothing. If it were anyone else, I would have helped you, grandpa."
Nia was a little embarrassed to receive the old man's praise, so she turned her face away and stood aside to look for the hook of the well rope wrapped around the windlass.
"Haha, kind-hearted children like you are rare nowadays."
Grandpa Patsy sat by the well and sighed, while Nia also found the hook and hoisted her bucket up.
"Grandpa, do you want me to fetch water for you?"
Nia asked the old man while turning the handle.
"No, no need."
Grandpa Paici quickly waved his hand and said breathlessly: "Although I am old, I am not useless yet! We can just do this little thing ourselves without bothering you."
"How could it be trouble? Grandpa."
Nia heard the sound of the bucket being filled with water, and after thinking that it was almost done, she turned up again.
However, the bucket was not full. Because the bucket was too light, it could only fill a little more than half at a time, which gave Nia a little headache.
"Haha, the people in the village have received a lot of care from your family. If your father hadn't gone to the city to transport food, this winter would have been very difficult..."
Old man Paici suddenly talked about their family.
This made Nia not know how to answer, so she had to stay silent and listen carefully.
But the movement in her hand did not stop. Instead, she picked up the old bucket that the old man had put aside and hung it on the hook.
"Hey, didn't you say you wanted me to do it? Forget it, Nia asked me to do it, so just help me come up with it."
The old man shook his head, seemingly dissatisfied, but there was still a smile on his face.
He stood up, stamped his aching feet, and then grabbed the handle of the pulley.
"Okay, grandpa. Don't show your waist."
Looking at the stubborn old man in front of her, Nia covered her mouth and chuckled like her mother.
Although some people say that she looks nothing like her parents, her parents' shadow is unknowingly reflected in everything she says and does.
"Haha!" the old man laughed, "Don't worry! Little girl, my old bones are still strong."
The old man put the bucket down and made a loud noise when it hit the water.
The old man was also very skillful in his movements. He swung the rope slightly and measured the amount of water in the bucket. When he was satisfied, the old man began to turn it upside down and the bucket began to rise.
"Drink! Drink!"
The weight of this bucket was not as heavy as what Nia was carrying just now. The old man shouted and turned the handle vigorously. Finally, when he reached the mouth of the well, Nia stretched out her hands to hold the handle of the bucket.
"Hey! Be careful..."
As soon as the old man finished speaking, Nia had already safely lifted the bucket and placed it on the ground. The water in the full bucket only rippled slightly, and no water was spilled.
"Awesome! Little girl."
Old man Peici couldn't help but admired.
After all, filling a bucket full of water would be a bit laborious even for an adult. He had forgotten just now that he asked Nia to carry water for him, otherwise he would not have filled the bucket.
That moment also scared him into a cold sweat. If Nia hadn't picked up the phone well just now, something might have happened.
"It's very easy! Grandpa, do you need any help from me?"
Nia didn't take it seriously and asked the old man if he still needed help.
"No, little girl. I can take it home myself." Seeing that Nia wanted to say something else, the old man added: "Your parents should still be waiting for you."
"Uh, right."
Nia patted her forehead, picked up her bucket, and walked quickly towards home.
"Ah! And, little girl, you look beautiful wearing a garland."
The old man didn't know how to repay Nia for his enthusiasm, so he simply shouted this to Nia who had gone away.
"Eh? Garland?"
Nia, who had just heard what the old man said, was still a little confused.
So she touched the top of her head and didn't react until her fingers touched those soft petals and tough stems and leaves.
"What, what's going on?"
Nia was immediately confused. When did the wreath she gave to her mother end up on her head again?
"Well! Anyway, go home quickly. You have to give the wreath to mom."
This wreath has a special meaning, Nia has always thought so. She firmly believes that this wreath can bring good luck, which is what mothers need now.
But contrary to expectations, it seems that today is indeed not a good day.
Dang! Dang! Dang! Dang!…
Suddenly, an extremely rapid sound of bells came from the "Big Bell Tower", the tallest building in the village, and spread over the sky above Difenni Village.
"ah?!"
Nia was so frightened by the sudden sound that she let go of her hands, and the bucket fell directly to the ground, and the well water inside spilled all over the floor.
The originally clear well water was stained with mud and dust and flowed around, like small black snakes crawling on the ground.
"What's going on with this bell?"
Nia looked up at the tall bell tower. She had never heard such bells since arriving in this village.
To ring such an urgent bell, how impatient and excited the bell ringer must be to ring such a bell.
Accompanied by this unusual bell, almost every household opened its doors and windows, and people looked in the direction of the clock tower with confused faces.
A shout like a thunderbolt spread through the village: