NOVEL WEB Chapter 10: A New Addition
A swirl of yellow and gray darted ahead, their agile steps marked by playful strides, occasionally doubling back as they wagged their tails in sheer delight.
Behind them, Ling Yi walked alongside Zhang Lei, their pace steady and unhurried.
Ling Yi's hands were empty, his gaze drifting not towards the path before him, but surveying the expansive field of "Blue Silver Grass" with satisfaction.
Most of these plants, except for a few already existing ones, were the fruits of seeds sown by Ling Yi and Zhang Lei during their escapades around Shanhai Village over the past two years.
Observing from the sky, Shanhai Village is now an island wrapped in a sea of blue—courtesy of the spreading "Blue Silver Grass."
Soon, the two returned to the small courtyard of the Ling family.
No sooner had they entered, a loud cry pierced the air, prompting Zhang Lei to glance at Ling Yi. He shrugged slightly, hefting two live hares and three dead pheasants before heading silently towards the Ling family kitchen.
Watching Zhang Lei's retreating figure, Ling Yi shook his head, veering towards his house surrounded by Ah Huang and Meow Meow.
Before reaching the door, another wail echoed, alternating with the first, creating a duet-like symphony that set Ling Yi's mind buzzing.
With a composed demeanor, he stepped inside, finding the interior dimmer but more soothing compared to outside. Ling Yi's eyes adjusted to the change in light, revealing two figures seated at the table in the center of the room.
Or more accurately, four figures—two large, two small.
"Xiao Yi, you're back!" his mother, Zhang Xiaoyu's face, once creased with worry, softened upon seeing Ling Yi. "Come quickly and see what’s wrong with your little brother—"
As she spoke, the aunt, Aunt Ling He, offered the small baby in her arms toward Ling Yi's direction.
"And here’s this little one~" Aunt Ling He, holding another little one in her arms, stood up, gently swaying as she spoke.
Ling Shan was born this past spring, in March, and is now not even seven months old—Ling Yi's younger brother.
Zhang Xin was born in the depths of winter last year and will be ten months old in a few days—Zhang Lei's younger brother.
Before the two mothers could move, Ling Yi quickly stepped forward, cutting the distance in half, and reached out to gently touch the cheeks of the two little ones.
His touch was gentle, his presence imbued with a serene calm.
With slightly bent index and middle fingers, he brushed the backs of them against their soft cheeks as if skimming over tender tofu.
Miraculously, with Ling Yi's touch, the two little ones who had been crying nonstop gradually quieted down, eventually stopping altogether, left only with a pout and an expression of discomfort.
Observing closely for a few moments, Ling Yi's eyes slightly moved. With his left hand, he adjusted the old thin cotton blanket wrapping Zhang Xin in Aunt Ling He's arms, remarking, "Aunt, you've tied this blanket too tight. Little Xin's feet are uncomfortable."
Aunt Ling He suddenly understood, "No wonder this little one has been kicking his legs so much today—"
Ling Yi then pulled back his left hand, extending both hands forward to take his brother Ling Shan from their mother Zhang Xiaoyu's arms, cradled horizontally in his left arm.
He loosened the thin cotton blanket in front of him with his right hand, slipped it in, and gently placed his palm on the baby's stomach, softly massaging it.
After a few gentle motions, the little one opened his mouth with a "hic—!" releasing a puff of air, and the previously crumpled little face relaxed.
“Alright~” Ling Yi handed Ling Shan back to his mother, Zhang Xiaoyu, saying, “Little Shan was just having some gas from nursing, he’s fine now~”
“Next time when you’re feeding him, pay attention to how you’re holding him, and make sure his little tummy stays warm…”
Ling Yi patiently and meticulously explained to the two nursing mothers.
Although they each had sons as old as Ling Yi and Zhang Lei, these village women were only in their early twenties. When it came to infant care, their knowledge was largely limited to basic feeding, bathing, lulling to sleep, and changing diapers.
Most of the time, when a baby cried, their first instinct was to feed him and check for wet or dirty diapers. If the baby refused to eat and the diaper was clean and dry, then they could only begin trying different remedies to pinpoint the cause.
Often though, before they managed to figure it out, the baby would naturally settle, no longer fussing.
Living amidst the fields, even nursing mothers had little time for meticulous newborn care. Survival meant their energy was largely spent working the land to secure their food supply.
Compared to other children in the village or neighboring villages, Zhang Lei actually received more care than most.
As for Ling Yi, as his uncle Zhang Dahe often said, he was the most well-behaved and worry-free child anyone had seen in years for miles around.
At midday, Ling Xiaoshan and Zhang Dahe returned one after the other. One had a machete at his waist with a bundle of firewood strapped to his back, while the other carried a fishing basket.
“Dad~” Ling Yi called out.
“Daddy—!” Zhang Lei's voice rang out.
The two children ran to their fathers with smiles naturally appearing on their faces.
“Daddy~” Ling Yi glanced at the firewood behind Ling Xiaoshan and asked, “Did you go to the old forest?”
“Mm~” Ling Xiaoshan nodded, reaching over to pick up Ling Yi as he walked towards their courtyard without stopping his steps. He said, “I noticed yesterday that our firewood was running low. Since there wasn't much to do in the fields this morning, I went to the old forest to gather some.”
“Uncle~” Zhang Lei, cradled in Zhang Dahe’s arms, retracted his gaze from peeking into the fish basket over his father's shoulder and turned to Ling Xiaoshan. He remarked, “So you also went to the old forest? If I had known, Ah Yi and I would have come to find you.”
“Oh?”
Hearing this, Zhang Dahe raised an eyebrow and asked, “From what you're saying, did you two little guys go to the old forest this morning as well?”
The question, coming in an indifferent tone, made Zhang Lei shrink back, muttering, “We... we just wandered around the outskirts, didn’t go deep inside...”
“You two,” Ling Xiaoshan frowned slightly as he shifted his gaze from Zhang Lei to Ling Yi in his arms, lowering his voice a little, “That old forest is very dangerous. Besides wild dogs, snakes, big spiders, and black scorpions, deep inside there are wolves, boars, and leopards.”
“If you run into those, it won't just be troublesome for you two little ones, even we adults would have a hard time!”
“Daddy~ Uncle~”
Ling Yi understood his father’s and uncle’s concerns, pursing his lips before softly assuring them, “We know. We only stayed at the outermost edges, we wouldn’t go deeper inside.”
"Furthermore," Ling Yi paused for a moment, his gaze resting on the cat and dog that had somehow found their way to circle around their feet. He continued, "We have Ah Huang and Meow Meow with us, too."
Upon hearing this, Ling Xiaoshan and Zhang Dahe also directed their eyes towards the yellow dog and grey cat at their legs, whatever words of caution they had intended to speak now swallowed back down.
It was unavoidable—two and a half-year-old Ah Huang looked incredibly robust, on par with the wild wolves they had seen hunters selling to wealthy families and restaurants at the market in Beikouhe Town in earlier years.
As for the similarly aged Meow Meow, while not as large as Ah Huang, its sleek body and agile figure made it resemble a small leopard.
With these two guardians, given their capabilities and alertness, Ling Yi and Zhang Lei's safety was assured within at least the outer three to five li of the old forest.
"Alright," *2
Ling Xiaoshan and Zhang Dahe exchanged glances, helplessly nodding their heads.
It couldn't be helped. Not only was Zhang Lei turning six soon and about to undergo the martial soul awakening ceremony, which would grant him his own soul and some independence, but even Ling Yi, despite being obedient since young, always had firm ideas. His whimsical yet persuasive reasons and thoughts often won them over.
As the two pairs of fathers and sons conversed, the two women of the house had already prepared meals and called the four of them inside to eat.
Their living conditions had greatly improved compared to before. With Ling Yi and Zhang Lei now able to take care of themselves, Ling Shan and Zhang Xin were nearing their first birthdays, and both families were considering a third child.
It was foreseeable that the Ling and Zhang families would be prosperous and thriving in the future!
(End of Chapter)
