The person who arrived was none other than Zhao Zhitong's uncle, Sun Mei's younger brother, Sun Youcai.
Seeing her three sons were all present, Zhao Guifen deliberately raised her voice and said, "Look, your brothers are all here. Our family has plenty of people, and my precious granddaughter has someone to cherish her!"
Second Uncle Sun Youli, being straightforward and honest, immediately pounded his chest and said loudly, "Mother, anyone who bullies my sister and niece, I, Sun Youli, won't let them off first!"
The youngest and oldest uncles knew they were helping their sister establish authority and immediately echoed in agreement.
At this moment, possibly hearing the noise outside, the eldest brother's wife, Ms. Zhu, opened the door and glanced outside.
Sun Mei, obliged to ask, spoke up, "Eldest sister-in-law, my family is all here. Do you need help moving as well?"
Sun Mei was genuinely offering help, but her offer was met with coldness: "Stop pretending to be nice!"
Then there was a loud bang as the door slammed shut.
The scene turned silent for a moment until Zhao Guifen finally broke the silence.
"Alright, alright, there's still a lot of work to be done. Hurry and help your sister move."
Actions speak louder than words.
The house they were moving into was an old residence of the Zhao Family, uninhabited for a long time, and needed repairs and cleaning first.
Zhao Dong naturally took on the task of repairing the house with his uncles, while Sun Mei was instructed to handle packing the luggage.
"Mother, you pack at home, and I'll go clean," Sun Mei hurried forward to stop Zhao Guifen, who was looking for a broom and basin.
"I don't know where your stuff is, better you pack, I'll go," Zhao Guifen waved her hand, "You quickly pack, and once done, go to the village head's home to borrow a cart."
Sun Mei couldn't argue with her mother and had to agree.
Unable to stay put, Zhao Zhitong eagerly wanted to go with Zhao Dong and the uncles to the new house, holding the youngest uncle's hand, excitedly hopping, "Moving to a new house, I want to go clean the new house too. I'm great at sweeping."
Since repairing the house couldn't proceed without starting work, and everyone was busy and couldn't look after Zhao Zhitong, Zhao Dong decisively rejected Zhao Zhitong's suggestion, "Nope, look how lonely mother would be packing all by herself. Dad's giving you an important task: help daddy accompany mommy, okay?"
Zhao Zhitong looked left and right, torn between wanting to play outside and leaving his mom to pack alone. After a moment, he solemnly nodded, "Okay, I'll accompany mommy."
With the plan settled, the family started moving.
There wasn't much needing packing in the house. Sun Mei found some big bed sheets and wrapped all the clothes and blankets.
They lived in a room with a kang, so there was no need to move a bed. All there was, was a large black wooden cabinet.
When Sun Mei returned with a cart borrowed from the village head, a few of her brother's boisterous children also came by. Though small, they helped clean and move some light items.
By noon, Zhao Zhitong's grandfather also returned from his visits and inspected a few things.
With the help of the grandfather and his family, by evening, the new house was basically in order.
The courtyard faced south traditionally. The main house was the largest wooden house, divided into three rooms with wooden boards, a side room to the east and west, with the main hall as the living room.
The soil inside the rooms had been renovated, new wooden boards laid down, and the whole room was cleaned, though there was still a faint smell of dust. After a few days of living, it would fill with warmth and the scent of home.
The wooden house on the east side of the courtyard was the kitchen, which was connected to a firewood room. Outside the firewood room was a small piece of land that Sun Mei intended to use for growing vegetables.
To the west, there was also a small room stuffed with miscellaneous items, a pigpen to the southwest of the house that connected to an outhouse.
The courtyard walls were piled up with clay, originally about a meter high, allowing adults outside to see into the courtyard.
But now they were rebuilt and reinforced by Zhao Dong and his uncles.
Fortunately, this new home had a bed, tables, chairs, and some furniture. Although a bit shabby, they were still usable, so they didn't have to make a bed overnight.
As the new house was set up, grandmother, the uncles, and the cousins also had to leave.
Having played joyfully with the cousins, Zhao Zhitong was reluctant, clinging tightly to them, not wanting them to leave.
Sun Mei also wanted to keep them for dinner, but they refused further insistence, hurrying out as if afraid Sun Mei would make them stay.
"Mother and the older brothers-in-law are so nice."
Standing at the doorway, watching his mother-in-law and brothers-in-law leave, Zhao Dong couldn't help but feel emotional.
"Yes, they are. In the past life, my mother was just like the mother in this world, worrying for me her entire life, yet never reaping the fruits of her labor..."
Speaking of this, she choked up.
In the past life, Sun Mei's mother had an accident after she got married, leaving her with a regret of losing the chance to repay her filial duties.
"Wife, don't be sad. This life's mother-in-law looks just like the one in the past life. Maybe it's fate giving us a chance to make amends; let's treat our mother well in the future."
"Hmm, maybe it really is fate."
While the couple was pondering destiny, Zhao Zhitong hadn't yet recovered from the sadness of the cousins leaving. Suddenly, something came to mind, his eyes sparkling as he asked Sun Mei seriously, "Mommy, can you give me a brother?"
Still immersed in her sorrow, Sun Mei was dumbfounded, "..."
Zhao Dong was taken aback, bending down to pick up his precious daughter, and laughed heartily, "Your mom doesn't have that ability."
"Why? Both Aunties can have brothers, why can't mommy?"
For a moment, Zhao Dong was at a loss for words, "Well, your mom can only give you a younger brother or sister, but she can't have a brother for you."
Zhao Zhitong still didn't understand, blinking his eyes, pondering his father's words.
Until the figures of the grandfather's family vanished at the end of the road, Sun Mei then shut the door.
Zhao Zhitong, after all, was just a four-and-a-half-year-old child. Coaxed by Zhao Dong, he soon forgot about wanting a brother and was happily playing in the courtyard.
Meanwhile, Sun Mei and Zhao Dong were facing the kitchen, worried over the only bag of flour they had.
"There's no vegetables, what do we eat tonight?" Sun Mei, rubbing her growling stomach, looked worried.
They had been living with the main family, sharing a vegetable garden. Now separated, they no longer had a share of the garden.
The remaining cabbages had been eaten at noon, leaving only flour at home, with nothing else.
Zhao Dong was also troubled but didn't show it. He thought for a moment and said, "Wife, don't worry. I'll go borrow some vegetables from the neighbors first. Let's have dinner and figure things out afterward."
Sun Mei sighed, "That's all we can do."
Zhao Dong comforted his wife a bit more and then turned to head outside.
Watching her husband's somewhat clumsy steps, Sun Mei began to worry about the future.
Just then, Zhao Dong, who had gone out to borrow vegetables, returned with a bag of rice and a box of eggs!
Before Sun Mei could ask, Zhao Dong excitedly spoke up first, "Wife, Tongtong's space traveled with us, and all our previously stored supplies are still there!"