The bed had been around for nearly twenty years. He had slept in it since primary school, and it was starting to show its age.
If he hadn't planned on rebuilding the house, he would have bought a new bed long ago.
Now, he was just waiting for the new house to be finished before buying new furniture, appliances, and the like.
“Uncle, didn't you say you were going to take us crawfishing? When are we going?” Yaoyao sat back on the bed, her face full of anticipation.
This was her first time in a rural place like this, and everything was so novel.
Liu Yifeng checked the time. It was just past three o’clock. “I’ll take you at four. Do you want to play in the living room or stay in bed?”
“I want to play in the living room with Dabai and Xiaoyuer!” Yaoyao raised her small hand, like an eager student answering a question, incredibly cute.
“Alright, then get up quickly. I’ll cut you some watermelon!” Liu Yifeng said, turning and leaving the room.
Although Yaoyao and Tongtong were only a little over three years old, they had already learned to put on their shoes and clothes by themselves. He didn't need to help them.
He went into the living room, opened the refrigerator, took out the watermelon that had been chilled in advance, cut a large piece for the two children, and placed it on the table so they could eat it when they came out.
Dabai saw the bright red watermelon and wanted some too, so it barked at Liu Yifeng.
Liu Yifeng looked down at Dabai, who was anxiously pacing, and smiled as he cut a piece for it as well.
After being fed for so long, Dabai now weighed about ten pounds and had gotten noticeably rounder.
After cutting the watermelon into small pieces, he put them into Dabai’s food bowl. Seeing the watermelon, Dabai was as delighted as if it had found an oasis in the desert, and began to eat happily.
Just then, Yaoyao and Tongtong also came out of the room. Each of them picked up a piece of watermelon and prepared to eat.
Seeing this, Liu Yifeng quickly tied a clean towel around their necks to prevent them from getting watermelon all over themselves.
The two children and the dog then began their watermelon-eating contest. However, Dabai ate the fastest, finishing half a bowl of watermelon in a short time.
It still seemed unsatisfied, pacing back and forth between Tongtong and Yaoyao, its eyes never leaving the watermelon. Such a little glutton.
“Do you want more? I’ll feed you!” Yaoyao looked at Dabai and offered it the watermelon she hadn’t finished.
Dabai also ate the watermelon very carefully, afraid of biting Yaoyao’s hand. As it ate, it wagged its tail happily.
This was also why Liu Yifeng felt comfortable letting Yaoyao feed Dabai. Although Dabai was still young, it knew what it could and couldn’t do.
When eating by itself, it gobbled everything up, but when being fed by others, it was careful and very sensible.
Soon, Dabai finished the watermelon in Yaoyao’s hand. Tongtong wanted to feed its own watermelon, but Liu Yifeng stopped him.
“Tongtong, Dabai is still young. It can’t eat too much cold watermelon, or it will get a stomachache.”
“Oh, then I’ll just eat it all myself.” Tongtong was a little disappointed but obediently finished his watermelon.
Liu Yifeng turned to Yaoyao and asked, “Yaoyao, do you want anything else? We have bread and other fruits at home.”
Yaoyao shook her head. “No, thank you, Uncle!”
“Then go play for a while. I’ll take you crawfishing at four o’clock,” Liu Yifeng said, then went to find the tools for catching crawfish.
The tools for catching crawfish were essentially fishing tools. Find a stick, tie a string to it, and then put some bait on the string, and you could catch crawfish.
The crawfish in his pond were so numerous that he could catch them no matter how he fished.
At four o’clock, Liu Yifeng took them to the crawfish pond.
It wasn’t very far, so he didn’t drive. Along the way, they encountered quite a few villagers.
Everyone saw the adorable Yaoyao and couldn’t help but ask about her identity.
In fact, rumors had been circulating since early morning that Liu Yifeng had picked up a mother and daughter that morning.
As for their relationship, there were all sorts of speculations.
Now that the child was still there, the gossip started again.
Liu Yifeng explained that she was a friend’s child, not catching the undertones of their questions.
Li Dongmei had also heard about this. Upon learning that Liu Yifeng had taken the little girl to the crawfish pond, her curiosity got the better of her, and she went too.
She wanted to see if the girl’s mother was indeed Liu Yifeng’s new girlfriend.
Although she knew her own circumstances were less favorable, having two children, Liu Yifeng would surely not fancy her.
But she was still very curious about what kind of woman could catch his eye.
She considered herself to have some looks in the village, but her husband had died young, and she had been living a widow’s life.
She also hoped to find someone who would accept her and her children.
In the past, people had tried to introduce suitors to her, but those men were either extremely poor or only interested in her looks; none of them were sincere.
After that, she stopped considering marriage, wanting only to raise her two children well.
It wasn’t until recently that Liu Yifeng’s special care for her had made her develop a sense of dependence.
If it weren't for Uncle Liu revealing their situation, perhaps her relationship with Liu Yifeng would have progressed further.
Before long, she arrived at Liu Yifeng’s crawfish pond.
From a distance, she saw the little girl in a princess dress, as cute as a Barbie doll. It was a pity her mother wasn't there.
However, anyone who could give birth to such a beautiful daughter must have a mother who was not far behind.
“Sister Li, why are you here?” Liu Yifeng asked, having just taught the two children how to catch crawfish, when he saw Li Dongmei walking over.
“I needed to go to the fields, and I happened to pass by here!” Li Dongmei casually made up an excuse.
Liu Yifeng didn’t think much of it. “Then Sister Li, you get back to your work. I won’t keep you any longer!”
Seeing that Liu Yifeng didn’t have much to say to her, Li Dongmei felt a little disappointed. “Yifeng, are you afraid that interacting with me will affect your reputation?”
Liu Yifeng was stunned. He didn’t understand why Li Dongmei would ask that, but he had never thought that way.
Widows had the right to make friends. If he were truly afraid of something, he wouldn’t have taken pity on her and helped her.
“Sister Li, you’re overthinking things. You’re not some fallen flower or rotten willow, so why would I think that way!”
“Really?” Li Dongmei asked, surprised and delighted.
Liu Yifeng nodded. “Yes, we’re all from the same village. We see each other every day, so it’s quite normal to say a few words.”
“This little girl is so cute. Who is she?” Li Dongmei looked at Yaoyao and asked with feigned surprise.
“She’s my friend’s daughter. The two children go to the same kindergarten, and she came to play today,” Liu Yifeng explained casually.
“Then where is your friend? I don’t see her.”
“She’s dealing with some matters. Do you need her for something?”
Li Dongmei immediately shook her head. “I don’t know her, so what business could I have with her? I heard from the villagers that you had found a girlfriend, and I thought it was this child’s mother!”
Liu Yifeng was speechless. “Who is so bored that they would spread such nonsense? She and I are just ordinary friends. If people misunderstand, it’s not a big deal to me, but it could ruin her reputation.”
“You know how people gossip in the countryside. If a sheep dies in one village, by the time it reaches another, it becomes someone’s mother who has died,” Li Dongmei said with a smile, genuinely happy at this moment.
If they weren’t a couple, did that mean she still had a chance?