Chapter 90: The Little Puppy

Third Uncle Tang first took Tang Dafu, Li Peach Blossom, and the others home, then returned to pick up the villagers. When he arrived back, the villagers had already been waiting for a while. Third Uncle Tang was nearly becoming Tang Dafu’s exclusive driver; seeing him, the villagers inevitably grumbled again.

Third Uncle Tang knew he was late today and didn’t respond to their complaints.

“There’s a smell in the ox cart,” Mrs. Wang said, covering her nose. “Third Uncle, couldn’t you have taken us home first? After you took Li Peach Blossom’s family, the smell in the cart just won’t go away.”

Third Uncle Tang’s usually amiable expression darkened. “On ordinary days, I haul your chickens and ducks, a cart full of manure, and none of you complain about the smell. Their things were packed tightly in buckets—how could there be a smell? Fine, if you dislike the odor, I’ll refund your money; you can walk home.”

“Third Uncle, that’s not fair. I only said one thing, and you react like a cat whose tail has been stepped on. I wasn’t blaming you, but you defend their family so fiercely. What benefit do they give you?”

“Oh, neighbors shouldn’t quarrel over such trivial matters,” Mrs. Zhang smoothed things over. “Look, it’s getting late; we still have to hurry home for lunch. Let’s get going and not delay.”

Third Uncle Tang’s face remained cold. “I’m not in a hurry. If you have more to say, say it now. Anyone who doesn’t want to ride can get off. At my age, I don’t have to drive this cart.”

Hearing this, the villagers quickly spoke kindly. “If you stop driving, won’t we have to go to the next village for a ride? We can’t do without you, Third Uncle. Please don’t give up.”

“That’s right. Mingkui’s wife just has a sharp tongue; don’t take it to heart. Mingkui’s wife, say something.” The others glared at Mrs. Wang.

Mrs. Wang was unwilling. When Third Uncle Tang wasn’t here, many complained about him, but now it seemed she was the only villain and everyone else the good guys.

“I’m sorry, Third Uncle. It’s my fault,” Mrs. Wang said stiffly. “I was just anxious and spoke without thinking; please don’t hold it against me.”

Third Uncle Tang calmed down a bit after hearing this, got on the ox cart, and said, “Sit tight, we’re leaving soon.”

Meanwhile, Qin Huayin squatted in the courtyard, watching the two tiny puppies in front of her.

Tang Yixiao mimicked her posture, amazed as he stroked the puppies’ fur. “Second Sister, weren’t we supposed to pick a fierce one for guarding the house? What use are such tiny things?”

Qin Huayin pointed to the big dog nearby. “We use it for now, and later we’ll use them.”

Today, they went to the dog vendor to buy a dog. They had only planned to buy one big dog, but the vendor said this pair of puppies had just lost their mother and might not survive. When they learned the big dog they’d picked was the puppies’ older brother, they asked the vendor for a better price and took all the siblings home together.

Tang Lüwu came out holding a bamboo bucket. “Third Sister Tang’s family has a ewe that just gave birth to a lamb; there should be sheep’s milk. Mother told me to buy a bowl of sheep’s milk to feed the puppies.”

Li Peach Blossom saw the children getting along so well and became increasingly kind toward them. Although she couldn’t love them as much as Qin Huayin, she could at least be a caring stepmother.

“I’ll go with you,” Tang Yixiao stood up.

“No need, I’ll do it myself!” Tang Lüwu took the bamboo bucket and went out.

The puppies were soft and adorable, irresistible to affection. But they were so small it was worrisome whether they could survive. Tang Yixiao and Qin Huayin watched them closely until Tang Lüwu returned with the bucket of milk.

The three squatted beside the puppies, watching their every move.

“Why aren’t they drinking?”

“They’re so little—maybe they don’t know how?”

Qin Huayin slapped her forehead with a loud smack, startling the other two.

“They’re too small to drink on their own; we have to feed them,” Qin Huayin said. “Let’s use a small wooden spoon to feed them.”

The puppies were so tiny that feeding them milk with a spoon needed to be done carefully—not too much at once, not too quickly, or they might choke. Most importantly, for their first feeding, since it was sheep’s milk, it had to be diluted first. Feed them a small amount and observe their reaction. If they show no discomfort, gradually increase the amount.

Qin Huayin explained the precautions while Tang Yixiao and Tang Lüwu listened, wide-eyed. They hadn’t expected raising puppies to be so complicated.

Even so, they didn’t lose patience. The siblings looked at the puppies with special tenderness, as if seeing themselves, motherless from a young age.

Li Peach Blossom stood at the door, watching the three small figures squatting before the puppies. The big dog, newly arrived in the family, was frisking around, but it seemed to be adapting quickly.

The big dog was large, clearly a hunting dog, and its barking was quite intimidating. However, the vendor said this breed was intelligent and wouldn’t bark unnecessarily—hunters didn’t want their dogs to scare off prey. These dogs only act when needed; otherwise, they behave like ordinary house dogs.

The big dog’s fur was black, while the two puppies were mottled, making it hard to see they were siblings. Yet the big dog often wandered near the puppies, as if inspecting whether the new owners would bully its little brothers.

Tang Dafu returned home, seeing the three children still fussing over the puppies, and smiled helplessly. “Let’s prepare tomorrow’s goods and let them relax a bit.”

“It’s rare to see them so childlike. Especially Yin Yin—usually she acts like a little adult, worrying about everything inside and outside the house. Today I realize she’s still just a child.”

“Yin Yin’s a few months younger than Lüwu!”

“You know that?” Li Peach Blossom said irritably. “Who worries the most now?”

“It’s Yin Yin. She’s always been capable,” Tang Dafu said. “Wife, I’ll handle today’s work—won’t let Yin Yin fret over it.”

Qin Huayin and Tang Lüwu struggled to feed the puppies properly. Once they were fed, they prepared a kennel for them.

Time was short today, and they still had to prepare the ingredients needed for tomorrow, so a better kennel would have to wait until after business was done.

“Mother, I’m here,” Qin Huayin entered the kitchen.

“Your Uncle Tang and I have nearly finished; you kids go play for a while,” Li Peach Blossom said.

Qin Huayin saw the kebabs were already skewered, and all sorts of ingredients had been threaded onto bamboo sticks. Tang Dafu sat nearby, working efficiently and making the skewers look neat and appetizing.

As for the chopped meat for the stuffed flatbreads, Li Peach Blossom was seasoning it.

The flour for the flatbreads was already kneaded. Cooking them was a skilled job; currently, only Qin Huayin and Tang Lüwu did it well, so Li Peach Blossom didn’t take charge.

Also, they were switching from cold noodles to stir-fried noodles, and Qin Huayin had long prepared pea flour. The stewed meat was the usual, but with a refined flavor, using the expensive spices Qin Huayin had bought last time—truly exceptional.

Qin Huayin realized that, imperceptibly, the Tang family had become so well-organized that even if she were absent for a day, the rest could still manage the business.

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