"Second daughter-in-law, if next time there are any more of those blind and foolish women, don't be afraid of them. Just give it back to them directly - all the aunties will support you!" After that auntie left, Ma Feng Auntie said another sentence to Luo Ge.
The tall and sturdy young woman next to her also nodded in agreement, "Sister-in-law, don't be afraid. We'll all support you."
Being protective of their own family members was a common issue, nothing to be afraid of.
"Okay, I understand."
Listening to their words, Luo Ge nodded with amusement. The young woman who spoke was Sister Ya, Ma Feng Auntie's daughter-in-law.
Looking at Sister Ya, Luo Ge pondered but ultimately didn't say anything.
These past two days have been quite busy, but after the Mid-Autumn Festival passes, the season for those pear-shaped lychees would soon be over too.
Originally, she thought she was too busy and wanted to find someone else to help, but now that she thinks about it, she feels it's better to keep things as they are for now.
After all, with Aunt Zhang, Wang Sister-In-Law, and Elder Sister Xiu Niang all helping out together, they should be able to increase the yield.
...During the one-hour break at noon, she and Gu Jinchen made the red bean paste-filled mooncakes as well.
Red bean paste and lotus seed paste are made using the same method, except the red beans need to be soaked longer.
Gu Jinchen was serious about his words, and when he said he wanted to learn, he really did follow every step himself.
Following Luo Ge's instructions on proportions, he didn't make any major mistakes, and Luo Ge was there to make direct corrections.
This time, they tried baking the mooncakes directly on the stove. The stove was large enough for a big pot.
They cleaned out the inside of the stove, put in the charcoal, and then placed the mooncakes inside to bake, using a wooden board to cover the stove opening.
Although not as convenient as a proper clay oven, the result wasn't bad.
"How is it?"
When the mooncakes were ready, Gu Jinchen divided two of them into four pieces, one for each person.
Seeing Luo Ge take a bite, he watched her anxiously for the verdict, his expression slightly tense.
Luo Ge smiled and nodded, "Delicious."
The two little boys also nodded vigorously, "Delicious!"
Older Baby looked at Gu Jinchen with shining eyes, as if they couldn't believe their little uncle could make something so tasty.
"Uncle is awesome!"
Meanwhile, Second Baby was munching on the mooncake and mimicked Luo Ge's usual gesture of praise, giving Gu Jinchen a thumbs up while mumbling in appreciation.
"It's 'making progress,' not 'awesome!'"
Older Baby frowned and seriously corrected Second Baby's pronunciation.
"Making big progress!"
But Second Baby's mouth was still full, so his pronunciation wasn't quite accurate.
*sigh* Older Baby shook his head in exasperation at his younger brother's antics.
"Hehehe."
Watching the two boys, the young couple couldn't help but laugh.
The two little ones were fraternal twins. According to Gu Jinchen, Older Baby resembled his older brother more, while Second Baby took after his sister-in-law.
The two boys' personalities were also somewhat similar to Gu Jinchen and his wife. Older Baby was the more sensible and caring one who easily worried, while Second Baby was more carefree.
Seeing that Luo Ge had been doing well in the Gu family for so long, and that the Gu family's life was getting better and better, the rumors about the two little boys had gradually faded away.
During the fruit harvest season, the two boys were also frequently praised for their diligence and understanding.
Little by little, the boys became less afraid of interacting with others compared to before, becoming much more outgoing than in the past.
And their true natures slowly emerged.
It must be said that seeing them like this brought great relief to Luo Ge and the others.
Why should young children have to bear so much unhappiness? It's best for them to be carefree.
...In the afternoon, as usual, they harvested fruit.
As the sun was setting, Luo Ge gathered the dried fruit she had made and prepared it for when the shopkeeper Li would send someone to collect the goods tomorrow.
Today was the Mid-Autumn Festival. Although there was no tradition of eating mooncakes here, each household still needed to worship the Moon God and pray for blessings in the evening.
Ordinary farming families would usually offer wild fruits in the past, while those with better means would offer pastries and the like.
In the evening, when the moon came out, they would place the offerings on the table, light incense, and bow to the moon in worship.
They would pray for a favorable climate and bountiful harvest in the coming year, for the safety of their family members, or for career success.
Families in difficult circumstances sometimes skipped this festival.
For dinner that evening, Luo Ge's family made chicken soup and a double-pepper stir-fried chicken dish.
After the meal, the whole family sat in the courtyard to wait for the moon to rise.
For some reason, the moon seemed to be taking its time coming out that evening.
Luo Ge's recent issue with nausea from strong scents had improved, but she felt more sleepy now.
While waiting for the moon, she idly watched the two little boys playing with stones under the lamplight, and before she knew it, she started to doze off on Gu Jinchen's shoulder.
"The moo..."
Just as Second Baby excitedly called out after seeing the moon, his brother covered his mouth.
"Shh, Little Auntie is sleeping. Don't be so noisy," Gu Jinchen said softly as he looked at his sleeping wife leaning against his shoulder, a gentle smile on his lips.
The three of them fell silent, careful not to disturb Luo Ge's slumber.
By the time Luo Ge blinked awake from her nap, the moon had already risen high in the sky, round and bright.
"You're awake."
"Mmhmm, the moon is out. Let's quickly worship the Moon God."
Seeing the two little boys still playing with stones, Luo Ge thought she had only napped for a short while.
She yawned and stretched lazily before going to the kitchen to gather the offerings.
"Okay." Gu Jinchen followed behind her.
They lit candles and incense, placed a few peaches and mooncakes on the table, and then the family closed their eyes, facing the moon as they sincerely prayed to the Moon God.
Gu Jinchen: "May my wife always be safe and happy, and may our family be blessed with good fortune and health."
Luo Ge: "I wish for this simple and happy life to continue, for my family to be safe and sound, and for him to be safe."
Older Baby: "I want to grow up quickly. I hope Little Auntie, Little Uncle, and Second Baby will all be safe and sound."
Second Baby: "Um... I hope Little Uncle's, Little Auntie's, and Big Brother's wishes all come true."
"Alright, let's go back and sleep now."
After completing their prayers, Luo Ge was the first to open her eyes. Once everyone had made their wishes, she smiled and spoke, stifling another yawn. She was getting older and couldn't stay up late anymore - she was so sleepy.
"Okay."
"Okay."
The two little boys were very obedient. After bidding Luo Ge and the others good night, they went back to their room and snuggled into their beds to sleep.
Luo Ge fell asleep soon after returning to her room, nestled in Gu Jinchen's embrace.
As for Gu Jinchen, he held his wife close, his large palm resting on her lower abdomen as he carefully considered the matter of building a new house.
He had promised her that they would deal with the house construction after the Mid-Autumn Festival, so now was the time to start making plans.
