Chen Ermao bowed respectfully to Chen Xiaobei, "Village Chief, I… I am Ermao."
Before Chen Xiaobei could speak, Lidong, standing beside him, asked, "Ermao, what brings you back?"
Chen Ermao's expression suddenly turned sorrowful, and tears streamed down his face.
"Brother Lidong, my parents died on the way back."
"The officials have granted me permission to return home and observe mourning for three years."
Hearing this, Chen Xiaobei inwardly swore a string of expletives.
Chen Ermao's home had been taken over by three tigers, and even their cooking pot had been melted down for smelting.
His sudden return had caught him off guard.
Lidong clearly understood the current situation and nodded slightly.
"Oh, I see. There have been some changes in the village lately, and your house is now…"
Chen Ermao suddenly interrupted, "I know. My father said my house is already given to Brother Xiaobei."
This…
Chen Xiaobei suddenly felt like he was taking advantage of someone's misfortune.
"Alright, it's good that you know. For now, you can stay in those two rooms by the big locust tree. I'll arrange a place for you later." After speaking, Lidong exchanged a look with Chen Xiaobei.
Chen Xiaobei also quickly nodded and said, "Yes, yes, you stay there first. We'll talk about the rest later."
Hearing Chen Xiaobei's assurance, Chen Ermao suddenly bowed deeply to him, "Thank you, Village Chief Xiaobei, for taking me in. After the three years are up, I will report to the authorities again."
"Alright, you stay here first. We'll talk about other matters later."
Chen Xiaobei waved his hand, signaling for the village guards to take Chen Ermao to rest.
Watching him leave, Lidong couldn't help but sigh, "Alas, one reaps what one sows. They schemed so hard to bring about our downfall, who would have thought their family would end up like this."
Chen Xiaobei nodded, "Indeed. As the saying goes, he who does much evil will perish by his own hand. After I move, I'll have the three tigers moved to my place and leave his residence for him."
Lidong appeared genuinely surprised, "But he already said he was giving it to you."
"The premise for giving it to me was that they might not have been able to return from exile. But now that Ermao is back, he needs a place to stay. He's a grown man, and it's not appropriate for him to live in the guards' quarters indefinitely."
When Chen Xiaobei returned home, Cui Hongyu, Huang Ying, and Shen Ziyan had already prepared dinner.
They all began eating dinner cheerfully.
As they were eating, Chen Qiao'er suddenly blinked her big eyes and said, "Sister Ziyan, you are so beautiful."
This sudden remark left Shen Ziyan a little flustered.
She was a rather reserved and introverted person, unaccustomed to being praised in public, let alone in front of a man.
Huang Ying, on the other hand, watched Chen Qiao'er with a smile.
"Little girl, what do you want to say now?"
Chen Qiao'er giggled, "Sister Huang Ying, you are also very beautiful."
Huang Ying's mood brightened. She deliberately put on a stern face, "Quick, tell me, what mischievous plan do you have?"
Chen Qiao'er frantically shook her little hands, "No, no, I don't have any mischievous plans. I was just saying, wouldn't it be wonderful if we could always eat together like this, as a family?"
Her innocent words made Huang Ying blush a little. She glanced at Chen Xiaobei and suddenly stood up.
"I'm full, I'm going back now."
Then she pulled Shen Ziyan along, "Come on, let's go back."
The atmosphere suddenly became awkward. Cui Hongyu also realized something was amiss and quickly pulled Huang Ying, then turned to look at Qiao'er.
"Sister Qiao'er, you can't just say things like that. In the future, your Sister Huang Ying and Sister Ziyan will get married. Do you understand?"
Chen Qiao'er looked at Cui Hongyu, then at Ziyan and Huang Ying, utterly bewildered.
"Why can't I? After they get married, they can't eat with Qiao'er anymore?"
Hearing this, Shen Ziyan and Huang Ying exchanged glances, a hint of relief appearing on their faces.
Huang Ying glared at Chen Xiaobei, "Fortunately, you didn't teach her. If you had, I would have beaten you to a pulp." Su Dan Novel Network
Chen Xiaobei thought to himself, I'm trying to avoid you, why would I dare teach Chen Qiao'er such things?
"Miss Huang Ying, please don't misunderstand. Let's eat, let's eat."
Chen Xiaobei quickly finished his meal. He put down his chopsticks and went into the house. The firecrackers he had made should be dry after a few days. He needed to test them. He took a needle and poked a hole in the paper tube, then threaded the fuse through.
He made three in total. Chen Xiaobei lit a fire starter and went out of the courtyard, arriving at the small riverbank outside the village as usual.
He struck the fire starter, lit the fuse, and stepped back several large steps. He heard a muffled bang behind him.
His first test was a success, and Chen Xiaobei's confidence grew.
At this moment, Cui Hongyu, Shen Ziyan, Huang Ying, and the others, who had heard the commotion, also ran out.
Chen Qiao'er even shouted, "Brother, brother, what was that? Why was it so loud?"
Chen Xiaobei waved the fire starter in his hand, "Don't come over, there's more."
Chen Xiaobei lit another one. This time he ran even further; the last one had made his ears a little sore.
"Bang," another sound. A flash of fire followed. Chen Qiao'er clapped her hands in delight.
"Wonderful, so pretty!"
After Chen Xiaobei set off all three, he slowly returned to Cui Hongyu and the others.
Cui Hongyu looked overjoyed, "Husband, is it done?"
Chen Xiaobei nodded, "Half done. I'll make a few more tonight."
Huang Ying looked at Chen Xiaobei with surprise, "You can make firecrackers?"
"Firecrackers?" Chen Xiaobei was quite surprised by this name.
"Oh, you call these firecrackers?"
"Yes, yes. My master said there was something that could explode when lit, and it sounds like what you've made."
After saying that, she quickly stepped forward and grabbed Chen Xiaobei's arm, "My master researched it for many years and couldn't make it. Can you teach me?"
Chen Xiaobei looked bewildered. Just a moment ago she was fierce towards him, and now she had turned into a little fangirl.
But he was still in the experimental stage himself. "Well, Sister Huang Ying, it's not that I don't want to teach you. I'm just experimenting now. Once I make more and feel it's stable, I'll teach you, okay?"
"Okay, okay. When will you make more? I can help you," Huang Ying said eagerly.
At this moment, Cui Hongyu stepped forward and gently took Huang Ying's hand, appeasing her, "Sister Huang Ying, don't worry. You can help when my husband makes them. I'll agree on his behalf."
Chen Xiaobei looked surprised. Since when could Cui Hongyu make decisions for him? But seeing Cui Hongyu's half-smile, Chen Xiaobei vaguely felt that her words had hidden meanings.
Upon returning home, Huang Ying became like a shadow, following Chen Xiaobei wherever he went.
Chen Xiaobei took a few more firecrackers, connected them with silver wire in the middle, and then wrapped them tightly with paper on the outside.
He made them look like double-ground spinners.
Huang Ying watched this scene, dumbfounded.
"Brother Xiaobei, why are you connecting two of them?"