Shen Xiaoyan and Yue Qingxin did not accompany them. The two of them ate in the main house of the back courtyard, while Bai Yonggui and his companion ate in the main house of the front courtyard.
With the master of the house absent, Lu Taobao was unwilling to be in the back courtyard. Therefore, when he arrived earlier, he spoke in the main house of the front courtyard.
After finishing lunch, Shen Xiaoyan asked Huo Fen and Huo Ying to pick all the ripe red berries. They left one basket and loaded the rest onto Lu Taobao's carriage.
Wu Yong, who helped load the cart, tried to take out money, but Shen Xiaoyan stopped him, "This is a gift for your young master, no money needed."
Wu Yong opened his mouth to refuse, but Shen Xiaoyan stopped him, "Alright, you don't need to say more. Regarding your young master, I will talk to him later."
When they reached the front courtyard, Shen Xiaoyan repeated this to Lu Taobao. Lu Taobao was not pretentious and thanked her with a smile. After exchanging pleasantries with Bai Yonggui, he left.
Shen Xiaoyan and Bai Yonggui stood by the main gate and watched Lu Taobao's carriage leave before turning their gazes back.
"Xiaoyan, thank you so much this time." Bai Yonggui looked at Shen Xiaoyan and said gratefully.
"What are you saying, Village Chief? I am also a member of Baiyun Village. It is my duty to do things for the villagers." Shen Xiaoyan said.
"Alas, you are a good child, and so is Zheng Wei. It's just that some people in the village are ignorant. Please rest assured, such a thing will absolutely not happen again in the future." This was Bai Yonggui's assurance to Shen Xiaoyan.
Although Shen Xiaoyan knew in her heart that Bai Yonggui was being so humble because her actions had brought tangible benefits to Baiyun Village, she did not feel unhappy or sad because of it.
Regardless of the time and place, people are only remembered and appreciated for their value.
"Thank you, Village Chief. I feel reassured now." Shen Xiaoyan smiled sweetly.
"When Zheng Wei returns before the New Year, you two should come and visit me." Bai Yonggui said and then stepped out of the door.
"Village Chief, please wait a moment." Shen Xiaoyan called out and stopped him, looking back.
Huo Fen, who was standing behind Shen Xiaoyan, stepped forward and handed the basket in her hand to Shen Xiaoyan.
Shen Xiaoyan took the basket and extended it to Bai Yonggui, "These are red berries grown at home. Please take them back for your family to try. You must not refuse, it is my good intention."
Before Bai Yonggui could finish speaking, Shen Xiaoyan directly blocked his words.
Bai Yonggui had no choice but to accept the basket. Looking at the plump, bright red berries in the basket, he was happy in his heart.
He had heard last year that these red berries sold for a lot of money. He just hadn't thought of planting them because it was troublesome and required meticulous care. Most importantly, he had to plant enough staple food first.
Bai Yonggui left carrying a basket of red berries, and Shen Xiaoyan turned around and returned to the back courtyard.
The courtyard was quiet. Shen Xiaoyan glanced at the window of the east side room of the main house.
Seeing that Yue Qingxin was not there, she knew she must have gone for a nap.
Yue Qingxin was about the same time as her when she was pregnant, but their symptoms were completely different.
She could eat and sleep, was fine, and was in good spirits.
But Yue Qingxin was different. As soon as she found out she was pregnant, she had continuous morning sickness, and after vomiting, she lost weight.
Now that she had finally stopped vomiting, she was excessively sleepy. All day, she did nothing but eat and sleep, and she didn't even have time for prenatal education with her.
Shen Xiaoyan smiled at the door of the west side room and then walked towards the main house.
Entering the room, Shen Xiaoyan said to Huo Fen, who had been following her, "Go and rest. Come back before dinner."
Huo Fen agreed and then withdrew.
Shen Xiaoyan actually disliked being followed closely by someone. However, Madam Qu had said that as she was pregnant and her due date was approaching, it was best to have company when going out.
Shen Xiaoyan knew she meant well and did not object for a while.
Therefore, as long as she left the room, Huo Fen would follow her closely. Huo Ying, on the other hand, stayed by Yue Qingxin's side.
The two sisters were not old, but they were very obedient and sensible, diligent and sweet-mouthed. Both Shen Xiaoyan and Yue Qingxin liked them.
Therefore, when they received their wages last month, they gave the two sisters a raise.
Another half a month later, the striped watermelons ripened. Shen Xiaoyan still invited Bai Yonggui first and explained to him in her melon patch how to judge if a striped watermelon was ripe, so that Bai Yonggui could teach it to the villagers when he returned.
Two days later, Lu Taobao sent people to transport the striped watermelons.
The price for Shen Xiaoyan was the same as last year, still 15 wen per jin. Shen Xiaoyan had no objections. Lu Taobao was not short of this money, and besides, her striped watermelons were naturally more delicious than those in the village.
Picking, weighing, and transporting – Shen Xiaoyan did not need to worry about any of it. She only had to sit under the milk fruit tree and watch.
After picking the striped watermelons here and weighing them, they were loaded onto the carts, and then they came to pick the milk fruit.
After a year of careful cultivation, the milk fruit trees had grown much larger this year, and the fruits were even more densely packed. In the end, the total harvested amount was more than half of last year.
Shen Xiaoyan was very satisfied with this. The money from selling these two items was enough for her to give birth to her child and provide them with a comfortable life.
After receiving the money from Wu Yong and watching the carts leave one by one, Shen Xiaoyan took Huo Fen back to the main house.
Huo Fen placed the wooden tray containing the money on the table and withdrew, closing the door behind Shen Xiaoyan.
Shen Xiaoyan looked at the more than two hundred taels of silver in the wooden tray and remembered the first time she earned so much money last year, when she and Zheng Wei sat together counting the money.
This year, she had earned so much money again, and she was more than three months pregnant, but Zheng Wei didn't know where he was.
She also wondered if Zheng Wei could rush back before her delivery.
Zheng Wei had said before he left that he would definitely return before the New Year. Her due date was in mid-February next year, so he should be able to make it back, right?
Shen Xiaoyan was lost in thought, and Luoluo lazily lay on the side watching her. Seeing that she hadn't spoken for a long time and her expression kept changing, Luoluo finally couldn't help but say, "Master, do you have prenatal depression?"
"What syndrome?"
"Prenatal depression." Luoluo rolled her eyes and repeated it.
"Nonsense, I don't." Shen Xiaoyan couldn't help but laugh and cry. Where did this cat learn that she was depressed?
Would a depressed person have such a good appetite as her?
"Then why are you always moping around?" Luoluo asked confusedly.
Shen Xiaoyan chuckled softly. How should she explain to Luoluo that she wasn't moping, she was just deep in thought?
Unable to come up with an answer, Shen Xiaoyan decisively changed the subject, "Luoluo, speaking of which, you've lived for a very long time, haven't you?"
"Yes, this cat has lived much longer than you." When talking about her proud age, Luoluo raised her chin very proudly.
"Then, why don't you find a companion?" Shen Xiaoyan asked and then looked at Luoluo with her big eyes.
"What companion?"
"A companion, meaning a wife." Shen Xiaoyan explained, and then with a gossipy expression, she asked, "Why don't you find a cat wife?"
Luoluo looked at Shen Xiaoyan with a completely bewildered expression. After a long time, she reacted and said blankly, "Before you, the space couldn't be opened, and I was the only one inside. Where would I find one? Should my left paw marry my right paw?"
By the end, Luoluo had gone from bewildered to contemptuous, and finally completely ignored her.