Chapter 26

Chapter 26

Wang Daji lay on the ground in disarray, looking at Xiaoyu and the others in shock, "You... weren't you all in the kitchen just now?"

"Uncle Wang! It's Uncle Wang!" Minghe exclaimed in surprise.

Danzi quickly whispered in Minghe's ear, "Brother, don't call him Uncle Wang, he's a bad person."

Minghe snapped to realization, "Right, he was spying on our kitchen!"

Danzi nodded, "Yes, he's a bad person!"

Xiaoyu asked, "Brother Wang, what are you doing here?"

"I, I was just..." Wang Daji stuttered, his mind racing for an excuse, finally blurting out, "I was looking for bird nests!"

Zhang Wu and Xiaoyu were clearly skeptical.

Wang Daji, thinking he had found the perfect excuse, gained some confidence. He quickly got up, but a sharp pain in his leg made him stagger, clutching a nearby tree for support, he insisted, "That's right, I came to look for bird nests!"

"Looking for bird nests on someone else's window?" Zhang Wu asked sarcastically.

For better ventilation, Song Sanwu had intentionally carved a small window at the highest point of the kitchen wall. Smoke often escaped from there, and not even eagles dared to build nests there.

Wang Daji knew this too and defensively added, "Who said I was looking at your window? I was searching on the tree!"

Minghe asked, "Where are there bird nests in the tree?"

Danzi looked around and said, "I haven't seen any bird nests either."

Wang Daji, pretending to scrutinize the tree, explained, "It was dim at dawn, and I couldn't see clearly. Now that it's brighter, I realize there are no nests there."

"Brother Wang, do you actually believe what you're saying?" Xiaoyu calmly asked.

Wang Daji, shamelessly, replied, "What's there not to believe? I was just looking for bird nests! Ah, it's getting late, I need to go cook porridge, I have to sell it later! I'm leaving!" He nonchalantly dusted off his clothes and started to walk away.

"Wait a moment!" Zhang Wu called out.

"What now?" Wang Daji turned back, annoyed.

Xiaoyu stopped Zhang Wu and said to Wang Daji, unhurriedly, "Brother Wang, be careful when looking for bird nests next time. It's yourself who'll suffer if you're not."

Wang Daji, who had wanted to be arrogant, wilted under Xiaoyu's discerning gaze, feeling as if Xiaoyu would break his legs if he peeped again.

Unable to utter any harsh words, he huffed and weakly said, "Mind your own business," then limped away.

Zhang Wu asked, "Xiaoyu, why did you stop me?"

"Were you going to hit him?" Xiaoyu asked.

Zhang Wu grumbled, "If not to hit him, at least to teach him a lesson. I've never seen anyone so cunning and shameless."

Xiaoyu, unfazed, said, "A small-minded person like him can't be taught a lesson with just a few harsh words."

Dissatisfied, Zhang Wu asked, "So we just let him go?"

Xiaoyu countered, "Did he actually do anything wrong?"

Zhang Wu angrily said, "He was spying on our kitchen."

"He claimed he was looking for bird nests," Xiaoyu stated the fact.

Indeed.

Wang Daji was adamantly claiming he came just to collect bird nests, and no one could prove his words false.

Zhang Wu, feeling disheartened, said, “He actually came to steal the recipes for buns and spicy soup.”

Xiao Yu nodded, “If he didn’t have an ulterior motive, given his pettiness, after being pushed off the tree by Ming He, he would have definitely tried to extort us.”

Zhang Wu asked, “Is he also planning to open a breakfast shop?”

Xiao Yu nodded, “It seems so.”

Zhang Wu became anxious, “What do we do then?”

After a moment of thought, Xiao Yu finally spoke, "Now that we've seen it, we have to let them handle it."

Zhang Wu frowned, "Won't our business be affected then?"

"Hmm," Xiao Yu nodded but said, "It will get better."

Get better?

Surprised, Zhang Wu asked, "How so?"

Xiao Yu smiled and said, "Let’s not worry about them for now. We just need to focus on doing our own work well."

"But—"

"Don't worry, I've got everything under control," Xiao Yu reassured Zhang Wu.

Zhang Wu, looking at Xiao Yu's calm demeanor, felt inexplicably reassured.

"And me, if he comes again, I'll poke his butt!" Minghe, gripping a long stick firmly, looked both cute and fierce.

Dànzi chimed in with Minghe, "Brother, next time we'll poke him together."

"Okay."

Xiaoyu looked towards the tree branch near the small window with a smile.

Zhang Wu said, "Later, I'll chop down that branch."

"Alright, let's head back. We'll have customers soon."

"Mhm."

The two turned and walked towards the back door.

Minghe called out, "Uncle, wait a moment, wait a moment."

Xiaoyu turned and asked, "What is it?"

Minghe pointed at the branches on the ground, "Uncle, look, there are so many branches here. Let's pick them up. We can use them to fire up the stove for making buns and save some money!"

Since moving to Shuiqing Lane, they had been busy preparing breakfast and tidying up the shop, not having picked up branches in a long time. Minghe still remembering to do so was quite remarkable. Xiaoyu smiled and said, "Alright, let's gather them."

"I'll also come later to sweep up the leaves."

"No problem. After we sell breakfast, we can sweep up the leaves."

"And that's happily decided."

The four returned to the kitchen with their arms full of branches, ready to start making breakfast.

No sooner had they finished preparing than a steady stream of customers started to arrive.

Today, neither Mrs. Liu nor Old Master Yuan came, but Zhang Wu, working as efficiently as three people combined and perfectly in sync with Xiaoyu, along with the help of the two youngsters Minghe and Danzi, effortlessly sold out the breakfast and thoroughly cleaned the kitchen and the storefront.

Zhang Wu, with swift agility, climbed up and chopped down the branch next to the kitchen window.

Minghe and Danzi watched from below, continuously praising Zhang Wu's prowess.

When Zhang Wu climbed down, Minghe asked, "Uncle Zhang, are you like my uncle, skilled in everything?"

"I'm not as impressive as your uncle. I just do some heavy lifting," Zhang Wu replied.

Seizing the opportunity, Xiaoyu asked, "By the way, Zhang Wu, do you know how to build a clay stove?"

Zhang Wu nodded, "Yes."

Xiaoyu said, "Then, when you have time, could you help me build a couple of clay stoves in the kitchen?"

"Doesn't the kitchen already have some?"

"Not enough," Xiaoyu explained.

Business at Xiaohezi's breakfast shop was booming, so it made sense to build two more clay stoves. Zhang Wu immediately agreed and, over the next few days, constructed two clay stoves as Xiaoyu requested, complete with bellows.

"Really nice," Xiaoyu nodded in satisfaction.

"They'll be ready to use tomorrow," Zhang Wu said.

"Alright."

With nothing else to do at the moment, Zhang Wu dusted off his hands and said, "I'll head back home then."

Xiaoyu offered, "Why don't you stay for lunch?"

"No, I need to go back and cook for my mother," Zhang Wu replied. He only worked half a day and felt uncomfortable eating both breakfast and lunch at Xiaoyu's expense.

Xiaoyu asked with concern, "How is Aunt Zhang's health?"

"Much better," replied Zhang Wu. After receiving five taels of silver, he had been buying good medicine and supplementing his mother's diet daily with chicken, fish, meat, or eggs. Her health was steadily improving. "The doctor said that with more time, even if she can't do heavy work, she'll be able to handle household chores."

"That's good to hear." Seeing Zhang Wu about to express his gratitude again, Xiaoyu quickly urged him to go home.

And so, Zhang Wu left.

As usual, Xiao Yu took the two children grocery shopping and ran into Wang Daji on the way back.

He didn't know how badly Wang Daji was injured after falling from the tree, but he had seen Wang walking with a limp these past few days. Today, however, he seemed better. Xiao Yu, acting as if there were no hard feelings, greeted him with a smile: "Brother Wang, welcome back."

Wang Daji responded and suddenly remembered something. He hurriedly covered the tofu skin, wood ear mushrooms, kelp, glass noodles, and peanuts he had just bought with a cloth on his cart.

Xiao Yu glanced at him but said nothing.

Wang Daji pushed his cart home.

Xiao Yu then led the two children towards the store.

"Xiao Yu, you're back," said Yue Niang, walking towards them with her pregnant belly.

Ming He once again placed the groceries at the door and then supported Yue Niang: "Auntie."

Yue Niang's eyes crinkled with her smile.

Xiao Yu, looking at Yue Niang's large belly, asked, "Is the baby coming soon?"

Yue Niang, holding her belly, replied, "Yes, any day now. The doctor advised me to walk more for an easier birth. The weather is nice today, so I decided to step out."

"Where is Aunt Liu?" Since Song Sanwu often had to go to the escort agency and couldn't stay with Yue Niang every day, he had asked his mother-in-law, Mrs. Liu, to stay with them to take care of Yue Niang for peace of mind.

Yue Niang answered, "Mrs. Zhu next door got pricked by a cactus. Her eyesight isn't good, so my mom went to help her remove the thorns with a needle. She'll be back soon."

"Come in and sit down. I'll make you some sweet soup," offered Xiao Yu.

"Oh, that would be lovely," Yue Niang replied cheerfully, excited to taste Xiao Yu's cooking. She started following him into the store but suddenly stopped after a few steps.

"Auntie, what's wrong?" Ming He noticed something amiss.

Xiao Yu turned to see Yue Niang clutching her belly: "Sister-in-law, are you..."

"I, I, I think I'm going into labor, ah," Yue Niang suddenly cried out in pain.

Xiao Yu was shocked.

Ming He and Danzi were both stunned.

None of the three had any experience in this matter.

Yue Niang was in too much pain to speak.

Xiao Yu forced himself to stay calm, recalling some casual conversations with Mrs. Liu about childbirth. He hurriedly dropped the vegetables he was holding and, supporting Yue Niang, told the two children: "Ming He, go find the midwife."

"Who's the midwife?" Ming He looked confused.

"It's Mrs. Niu, tell her Aunt Yue Niang is about to give birth, hurry!"

"Okay." Ming He turned and ran.

"Danzi, you go find Grandma Liu."

Danzi replied, "Tell her Aunt Yue Niang is going into labor."

Xiao Yu confirmed, "Exactly, hurry."

Danzi also ran off quickly.

With no other choice, Xiao Yu lifted Yue Niang with effort and almost ran into Song Sanwu's house.

Ming He was running quickly. He had just entered Mrs. Niu's house when he dashed out again, shouting, "Ah, ah, ah, Uncle, I'm scared of dogs!"

A small yellow dog barked furiously as it followed him.

"Uncle, I'm scared of dogs," Ming He wanted to go back to his uncle, but Aunt Yue Niang was about to give birth, and he needed to find Mrs. Niu. He stopped, turned to face the small yellow dog, and whispered to himself, "Ming He isn’t scared, Ming He isn’t scared of the doggy."

Suddenly, the small yellow dog barked even louder: "Woof! Woof! Woof!"

Startled, Ming He stepped back and called out towards the house, "Mrs. Niu! Mrs. Niu!"

The small yellow dog advanced a few steps.

Extremely frightened but still brave, Ming He barked back at the dog, "Woof! Woof! Woof! Woof!" trying to scare it away.

Instead of being frightened, the dog barked even louder.

Realizing that being aggressive wouldn't work, Ming He softened his tone, "Little Yellow, please don't bite me, I'm a good person."

The dog continued relentlessly: "Woof! Woof! Woof!"

Ming He continued, "I really am a good person!"

The dog's barking gradually weakened: "Woof! Woof!"

Seeing hope, Ming He said, "Don't bite me, and we can be good friends."

"Woof."

"Then, then it's settled!"

"Woof."

After a few more words, the small yellow dog gradually stopped barking, perhaps softened by Ming He's approach. Ming He cautiously took a couple of steps forward.

The small yellow dog immediately started barking furiously.

Ming He stepped back again, nervously clutching his clothes with his little hands, complaining, "Little Yellow, you're really annoying, nothing works with you, you're just too bothersome."

Suddenly, he remembered the half piece of pastry in his pocket, bought by his uncle at the market. He reluctantly took it out and threw it far away.

The small yellow dog instantly chased after the pastry.

Ming He seized the opportunity to run into Mrs. Niu's house. He was in such a hurry that he tripped over his own feet and fell flat on the ground, but he quickly got up without any delay.

After walking a few steps, he felt a burning sensation in his palm. Looking down, he blew on his hand gently, softly saying, "Hand, don't hurt, hand, don't hurt."