The courtyard: the atmosphere of human life

Darong now doesn't seem to be as sleepy as she was at the beginning. At least after sleeping for a whole morning, she can sit in the east room and watch TV in the afternoon.

Zhong Yunsheng didn’t know if it was because he failed the exam twice, but his personality had become a little weird.

He doesn't like to talk much on weekdays. Except for eating and sleeping, he basically stays alone in the side room, studying hard.

Xiaoping talked about the college entrance examination this year, but she always acted nonchalant and didn't care much about it. In addition to doing her homework every day, she also found time to watch TV programs.

"By the way, Xiao Ping, here's some bread for you."

After cleaning the table, Darong looked at Xiaoping and remembered the bread and ham that she had distributed last night. She quickly took it out of her bag and handed it to Xiaoping.

"You're taking the exam soon, and I see why you're not as nervous as your third brother?" Darong asked casually as she looked at Xiaoping, who was as happy as a flower.

"My third brother has poor psychological quality. I don't care. If he passes the exam, he will pass. If he fails, he can find a job." Xiaoping said casually.

"You should have been born before your big brother. All you do is watch TV all day long."

When Mother Zhong lifted the curtain and came in, she happened to hear Xiaoping's words. She frowned slightly and sighed.

In fact, Zhong Yunxing’s failure to complete his studies has always been a pain in his mother’s heart. Being a mother is like this. You will always feel that you have not been able to give your children better.

"Mom, I saw you cleaning up your closet the other day and found a lot of wool. Why didn't you knit?"

Darong noticed that the atmosphere was not right and quickly changed the subject.

"Our mother doesn't know how to knit sweaters. Those threads were used by my third brother to knit sweaters. After he failed the imperial examination for the first time, he never knitted again."

After being scolded by Mrs. Zhong, Xiaoping pouted and did not dare to resist. Only when she heard her sister-in-law asking about wool did she join in the conversation.

"Ah?" Darong opened her mouth in surprise. She didn't expect Zhong Yunsheng to be such a handsome and intelligent person.

"Hahaha... you didn't expect that, did you? My third brother is very skilled. He can knit sweaters and crochet hats. The hat our dad is wearing was crocheted by my third brother."

Xiaoping saw Darong's surprised expression, laughed and said proudly.

Darong turned to look at Mother Zhong, her eyes full of questions.

Mother Zhong smiled and nodded to Darong, indicating that what Xiaoping said was true.

"I didn't expect that most boys are not so dexterous." Darong racked her brains to find such a word of praise and smiled awkwardly.

"Mom, if Yunsheng doesn't want to weave anymore, come back and I'll weave. I happen to know how to do it."

"That's good, otherwise it would be a waste if I leave it alone."

After Darong got some wool from Mother Zhong, she finally had something to do to pass the time.

When Zhong Yunxing came home from get off work in the evening, Darong was still fiddling with the wool on the bed, counting the number of stitches in the pattern, and she didn't even see Zhong Yunxing enter the west room.

"What are you doing?" Zhong Yunxing leaned over to take a look and asked in a low voice.

"Oh, you scared me... I got the wool from my mom and planned to knit a sweater for Xiaoping."

"Are you tired? Why are you knitting a sweater when you're pregnant?" Zhong Yunxing frowned, not wanting to make Darong tired.

"There's no rush to put it on. I'm less reactive now, and I'm just bored when I'm free."

Darong didn't care at all. In her mind, she was just looking for something to do to pass the time.

"Hey, why are you going?"

Seeing Darong getting up and about to leave the house, Zhong Yunxing quickly grabbed Darong's arm and asked.

"Help mom cook. Yunhong will probably be back soon." Darong looked at Zhong Yunxing in front of her as if he were a fool.

Zhong Yunxing turned around, held Darong's arms with both hands, pursed his lips and blinked at Darong.

He leaned forward slightly, approaching Darong, looking funny and mean...

Darong couldn't help but chuckle at the look on his face, and reached out and gently poked Zhong Yunxing's head.

"Give me a kiss, give me a kiss." Zhong Yunxing blinked and whispered coquettishly to Darong.

Darong's cheeks flushed slightly and a shy smile appeared on her face. She knocked on Zhong Yunxing's mouth, then opened the door and left the west room.

While Darong was helping Zhong's mother cook, Zhong Yunhong also returned home from get off work.

After saying hello, Zhong Yunhong went into the east room. Darong was cutting vegetables on the chopping board at the door of the east room and happened to hear Zhong Yunhong scolding Xiaoping.

"You are already a grown-up, and you are on holiday, so why don't you help with the housework? My sister-in-law has to cook with a big belly, and you are just watching TV here..."

Darong actually didn't intend to listen. The door to the east room had never been opened, and there was only a curtain separating it from the outer room. Darong was standing close to the curtain at the moment, so it was hard for her not to listen.

However, Darong did not expect Zhong Yunhong to be able to convince Xiaoping. She had seen through Xiaoping in the two years since she knew her. Xiaoping was definitely not a diligent child.

After a while, Zhong Yunhong came out from the inner room by himself, squatted beside the stove and started cooking.

There was a heated brick bed in the east room of the Zhong family, which was connected to the stove in the outer room. At that time, cooking was basically done in a big pot on the stove. When Zhong Yunhong was at home, he would usually help to light the fire.

Darong glanced at Zhong Yunhong and couldn't help but laugh in her heart. As a brother, he didn't understand his own sister at all.

Knowing that Zhong Yunhong had secretly mentioned Xiao Ping, Darong would always glance at the two of them out of the corner of her eye after dinner.

Sure enough, Zhong Yunhong secretly poked Xiaoping twice, but Xiaoping stood up stubbornly, sat on another chair, and still refused to help clean up the dishes.

Darong calmly lowered her head to clean up the things. She was not pointing at Xiaoping, but just wanted to see if Xiaoping could listen to her brother.

Since the peak of her pregnancy reactions had passed, Darong no longer looked so squeamish.

Except for not lifting anything too heavy, she helps Mother Zhong with cooking and washing dishes.

Although Erdaohezi is not far from the town, it is still a rural area on the edge of the town. The rural areas at that time still had some shadows of machismo.

The boys in the Zhong family basically don't do laundry or dishwashing. As for why, they themselves can't explain it clearly. It just seems like every family does this, so they're used to it.

Mother Zhong is not like other women in the city who have to go to work like male employees on weekdays, so she is used to taking care of all the housework and does not think there is anything wrong with it.

"Yunxing, come and help me." After Darong put the dishes and chopsticks into the basin in the outer room, she shouted to Zhong Yunxing who was digesting his food.