Chapter 55: Artificial Rain

Li Xiangdong, as her son, naturally knew what kind of personality his mother had.

When other families had some excitement to watch, she could stand by and watch for half a day.

Now, it was her turn to be complimented and praised by others, and it was because of her youngest son who had never brought her any glory before.

Li Xiangdong felt it was doubtful whether his mother would even remember to go home and make dinner!

He stepped through the main gate into the courtyard.

Li Xiangdong saw his son and three nephews squatting under the jujube tree with their butts in the air, picking up jujubes.

The sisters, Xiaomei and Xiaolan, flanked his daughter, Li Xiaozhu, making her stand at the entrance of the west wing to watch her brothers play in the courtyard.

After the heavy rain, the red jujubes on the tree in the courtyard had fallen all over the ground.

Red jujubes were a top-quality nourishing food at this time. Mother Li usually wouldn’t let the children in the family mess with the jujube tree.

But she wouldn’t bother with the jujubes that had been knocked down by the heavy rain, just treating them as their snacks.

Li Xiaomei saw her third uncle come home and was about to call out.

Li Xiangdong quickly put his index finger to his lips and then pointed at Li Xiaojiang and the others who were busy picking up jujubes.

Li Xiaomei smiled and whispered something to her younger sister, Li Xiaolan. The two of them also covered Li Xiaozhu’s mouth.

Li Xiangdong tiptoed over, suddenly accelerated, kicked the jujube tree, and then quickly ran out from under it.

With a ‘pitter-patter’ sound, the rainwater from the tree, mixed with jujubes, fell down!

“Ah~!”

“Run!”

“Quick, run! It’s raining again!”

The four boys under the tree, Li Xiaojiang and the others, scattered like headless flies, ducking and running in all directions.

‘DONG’

Li Xiaohai, running head down, bumped his head into Li Xiangdong’s thigh.

Li Xiaohai was knocked back a meter and sat on the ground. He rubbed his head, looked up, and shouted, “Dad~”

Li Xiangdong laughed heartily, “Hurry up and get up.”

“Oh.”

Li Xiaohai twisted his body, pushed himself up with both hands, and stood up.

Originally, only his open-crotch pants were dirty. Now, half of his body was covered in mud!

The three nephews who had run a few meters away realized that it was their third uncle who had been playing a trick.

Li Xiaojiang said angrily, “Third Uncle, how can you be so mean!”

Li Xiaobo said aggrievedly, “Third Uncle, my clothes are all wet.”

“Look what this is!”

Li Xiaotao pulled a jujube out from his collar and said with a grin, “It hit me on the head, hahahaha, and rolled right into my clothes.”

He rubbed the jujube in his hand, threw it into his mouth, chewed it a couple of times, swallowed, and spat out the pit. Then he touched his head and said in a simple-minded way, “Jujubes aren’t very filling. It would be better if it were an apple.”

Li Xiangdong looked at his foolish second nephew. He was looking for an upgrade!

The three Li Xiaojiang brothers curiously gathered around Li Xiangdong and asked, “Third Uncle, what kind of clothes are you wearing? They look so good!”

“Third Uncle, what’s in these bags?”

“Is it something good to eat? Third Uncle, I’ll trade you with jujubes.”

Not only the Li Xiaojiang brothers, but Li Xiaomei, holding Li Xiaozhu, and Li Xiaolan also came to his side, sizing up their transformed third uncle.

“Dad… hold… hold…”

Li Xiaozhu looked at her dad, opening her arms and calling out.

“Be good, Xiaoqi. Dad will hold you after putting the things in the house.”

Li Xiangdong saw his son reaching out with a pair of black hands to touch the coat he was carrying. He quickly lifted it higher. “You guys, hurry up and pick up the jujubes. I just kicked down a lot. Xiaolan, go to the door and bring back the broom.”

“Yeah, let’s go pick jujubes~”

“Don’t you guys fight with me!”

Li Xiaojiang and the others turned and ran towards the jujube tree.

Zhou Yuqin, who was busy in the house, along with the two sisters-in-law and the grandparents, came out of the house. Seeing Li Xiangdong in a brand-new railway uniform, their eyes all lit up.

Li Xiangdong greeted his grandparents and was about to go over and talk to them when he was startled by a shout from Zhou Yuqin who had walked up to him!

“Li Xiaohai! You get over here!”

Seeing her son covered in dirt, Zhou Yuqin’s good mood was instantly blown away.

“Mom, what do you want?”

Li Xiaohai, who had just run to the jujube tree, looked back timidly at Zhou Yuqin, turned around, and slowly shuffled his feet towards his mother.

Seeing him dawdling, Zhou Yuqin strode over, pointed at his pitch-black clothes and dirty body.

“I just changed your clothes not half an hour ago. How did you get them like this again? Are you looking for a beating?!”

Li Xiaohai tilted his head up and said, “Mom, it wasn’t me, it was my dad…”

“What does it have to do with me? You didn’t watch where you were going. Don’t push everything onto me.”

Li Xiangdong quickly interrupted his son’s tattling.

Li Xiaohai was indeed tricked by him. He had to leave this place of trouble quickly. After speaking, he turned and walked towards his own room.

Eldest Sister-in-law stopped Zhou Yuqin, who was about to hit the child. “What child isn’t mischievous? A few words of reprimand are enough. He’s still young, you can’t hit him.”

Zhou Yuqin said angrily, “Eldest Sister-in-law, you don’t know, he’s already changed three sets of clothes today. Where are there so many clothes for him to ruin like this!”

“It’s okay, it’s okay. Xiaohai, come with Second Aunt. Let’s go wash up first. You can wear your brother Xiaobo’s clothes later.”

Second Sister-in-law walked over, bent down to touch the head of the dejected Li Xiaohai, and took his hand to walk towards the sink.

Old Man Li and Old Lady Li also came over to persuade Zhou Yuqin for a bit. Only then did they all go to the west wing together.

Li Xiangdong had just put all his things on the kang bed when he saw his grandparents and eldest sister-in-law follow his wife into the room.

“Why did you two come over? It just rained, the bricks in our courtyard are so slippery. What if you fall?”

He walked over, supported one with each hand, and helped Old Man Li and Old Lady Li to sit at the head of the kang.

Old Man Li asked, “Dongzi, why are you back so early?”

“It’s my first day of work. My leader gave me special permission to come back early.”

Li Xiangdong said with a chuckle, not explaining the specific details.

Old Lady Li took Li Xiangdong’s hand and touched the uniform he was wearing. “So good. Our Dongzi has made it.”

As she spoke, tears started to fall. Li Xiangdong felt a pang in his heart.

Old Man Li said, “Dongzi has a formal job. We should be happy. What are you crying for, you old woman?”

Old Lady Li wiped her tears, “I’m just happy. What? Can’t people cry when they’re happy?”

Old Man Li couldn’t win an argument with his wife. He turned around, picked up the bundle of clothes Li Xiangdong had placed on the kang, untied the rope, stood up, shook out the coat, and held it up to himself to measure.

“This is a good thing!”