Her Cultivation Diary
Chapter 965 - 947. Not festive

Chapter 965: 947. Not festive

Wu Lei was shoveling cow dung in the cold wind on Riverside Beach—a task he had to perform daily. The big fermentation pond needed tending to every few days. With snot dripping down, he took the phone call and couldn’t help sniffing before letting out a sigh:

"Forget it, I don’t have time..."

Then he added, "I’m not stupid either; what girl would like me now, covered in the smell of cow dung! I’ll wait till next year, I’ll have time when I start herding cows at home."

Zhang Chen: ...

Not stupid, but not too smart either.

He hesitated for a moment and asked cautiously, "You’re dodging it like this, you sure you aren’t thinking about what’s-her-name, Fangfang Lili, or something?"

"It’s Lili!" Wu Lei emphasized loudly: "Her name is Juliet!"

Uh, something seems off?

"Oh." Zhang Chen felt relieved. It seems cow dung really can block the brain; otherwise, Wu Lei wouldn’t get the name wrong.

That’s good, that’s good.

...

Meanwhile, at Lao Song’s family, they were studying the Almanac.

"Which day is a good day to slaughter pigs?" Killing five pigs, they needed to pick an auspicious day!

Qiaoqiao opened her mouth, asked in confusion: "Should it be an auspicious day for the pigs or for the people?"

Everyone: ...

Only Song Tan flipped to the next page of the Almanac calmly: "After all, it’s a matter of life and death, let’s just pick a day that’s fortunate for the pigs... Let me check the dates, meow."

Content, Qiaoqiao followed up with another question, "Does it hurt the pigs a lot when they’re slaughtered?"

Now it was Zhang Yanping’s turn to ponder: "If it kicks me in the belly when struggling with its big pig leg... I suppose it would be quite painful for me."

After he spoke, silence fell upon the group.

He then looked at everyone with their doubtful eyes, feeling a bit embarrassed and annoyed: "What’s wrong? With my physique, do you think I’d be left out when wrestling with the pig legs?" Of course, he would be overjoyed to be included!

But you don’t do any work at home, and everyone knows you’re all show and no go, right?

In the end, it was Song Tan who had a conscience and continued calmly: "Don’t worry, it won’t kick you. I promised Qiaoqiao that the pigs won’t feel pain when we slaughter them—besides, if a three or four hundred-pound body gives you a kick, I’m afraid you’ll need to be sent to the hospital right when we’re slaughtering pigs over here."

Zhang Yanping furrowed his brows, looking at everyone suspiciously: "Why do I feel something’s off today, are you guys all targeting me?"

Xin Jun shook his head calmly: "Aren’t you being too sensitive? Maybe you’re overthinking because you haven’t had much to do lately, and it’s made you narrow-minded?"

"You’re saying you’re not targeting me!" Zhang Yanping glared at him, reproachfully.

Xin Jun paused: "You misunderstood, I was just making casual conversation, I said nothing else, maybe others misunderstood too."

Qiaoqiao, however, loudly burst his bubble: "I know, Teacher Xin is not happy because his mom asked if the school’s winter vacation starts after New Year’s Day?"

Zhang Yanping: ...

He then burst into wild laughter: "Hahahahaha that’s right, you’re going home for the New Year’s this year! Bro, I sincerely have a question, does your family’s agritainment business still take reservations for New Year’s Eve dinner?"

Xin Jun expressionless: "We’re not taking New Year’s Eve dinner reservations—but we open for business in the afternoon on the first day of the lunar year."

Zhang Yanping clicked his tongue and shook his head: "Tragic! So tragic... I’m not trying to criticize you, but that was quite a tall tale you spun. Did you really need to? How’s that free online expansion class you’re doing? I think it should be doable!"

Xin Jun didn’t even want to talk.

Taking online expansion classes at home means he naturally has time to help out with the family’s rural homestay!

And this big, silly, rough, and dark fellow here isn’t only good at taking his whole family out for a pig slaughtering meal, but he can even go back home for just two or three days during the New Year...

How can this not provoke envy?!

It’s scary when someone nearby lives more carefree than you!

He snorted coldly: "What, are you pleased about it? Are you planning to take the provincial or the national exam next year? If all else fails, why not just get married? I’ll be your best man."

Zhang Yanping: ...so as brothers we have to take a jab at each other, huh?

While they were bantering, suddenly they heard a roaring sound of a car outside, and soon a familiar person came panting to the courtyard—

It was none other than Brother Xiaozhang!

His cheeks were flushed red, and he was brimming with excitement: "Auntie! My wife has given birth!"

"Oh my!" Wu Lan hurried over, excitedly inquiring: "What did she have?"

"A girl, a girl!" Brother Xiaozhang couldn’t keep the grin off his face: "She gave birth early this morning. Now the family is looking after her, and I’m here to see if I can get a few carps to take back."

Of course, there are!

Wu Lan quickly called out: "Tantan! Tantan! Hurry up and bring your dad, take the fishing net and scoop up some carp..."

When they were fishing before, guessing that Xiaozhang’s child would be born this year, Wu Lan mentioned setting aside a few carps for them, and now in this cold winter, giving birth and having the confinement period would be so comfortable!

It’s probably a middle-aged and older generation thing, getting excited and having trouble moving when hearing about a childbirth. Wu Lan was no exception, and now she looked at Brother Xiaozhang excitedly: "I’ll also get you a bowl of rice, ours is fragrant. Take it back for the child’s mom to enjoy... Did the birth come earlier than expected?"

Indeed!

Brother Xiaozhang was overjoyed and needed to share with someone at this moment, so he couldn’t stop talking:

"Yes! It came early! Originally, according to the doctor, the due date was the end of this month, end of the 10th lunar month! But she ended up giving birth 10 days earlier..."

While rambling on: "I might not be able to collect deliveries these next few days. If there are any urgent packages, would you mind, Song Tan, driving them to town? I’ll send them to you for free..."

"Sure, sure, sure!" No matter what, welcoming a new life is always a joyous occasion. Everyone in the courtyard was bustling with laughter. Song Tan, holding the fishing net, also asked him: "When will you throw the celebration banquet?"

Brother Xiaozhang was clearly prepared: "It’s too cold in the winter. My wife will have a longer confinement period, so we won’t be doing the one-month celebration, but rather a hundred-day party directly..."

Local custom states that you can organise either a one-month or a hundred-day banquet, and therefore Wu Lan admired this young man even more:

"Your wife is lucky to be married to you, thinking things through so thoroughly... Xiaozhang, come over to our place when you have time, not just for deliveries."

She extended her hand, pointing at a few bachelors in the courtyard:

"Look, look, and there’s Wu Lei from the cattle farm, all of these guys, none of them has a partner!"

"I haven’t been pushing them to get married, but my house is full of single dogs... You should teach them a bit, see how to date and find a partner..."

As she spoke, she couldn’t help but get worried: "Otherwise, let’s do this. There are more people around during the New Year, both in and out of the village. Yanping, you and Teacher Xin take a few more strolls in the village, I’ll ask around, see if there’s anyone who can introduce a relative as a partner for you guys..."

After finishing her speech, she anxiously instructed: "Stroll separately, though. Otherwise, one being so pale and the other so dark, it looks odd together. That’s not festive for the New Year at all."