101: Rice turns into millet porridge

Tran Thi Bao Anh watched as Li Qinghe easily carried the water buckets into the kitchen and poured the water into the water vat.

Tran Thi Bao Anh pursed her lips. It was good to have a man in the house. This kind of heavy work, which was very strenuous for women, was nothing to this man.

He had a strong body, ample strength, and lasting stamina. It was a pity that Nguyen Thi Linh had met such a good man.

Tran Thi Bao Anh felt she should go to the temple to worship and thank all the gods and buddhas for sending such a man to their family.

As soon as Li Qinghe came out of the kitchen, Tran Thi Bao Anh quickly stepped forward to take the empty buckets.

"Aunt Bao Anh, where is the place to fetch water? I'll go fetch a few more buckets."

Li Qinghe avoided Tran Thi Bao Anh's outstretched hand, a smile on his face. Although he had only fetched water as a child, with muscle memory, he knew how to use this kind of carrying pole.

"Let me do it. You've been tired all night."

After Tran Thi Bao Anh said a word of concern, she realized something was wrong, and her face immediately turned red.

Li Qinghe froze for a moment, a smile playing on his lips: "Let me do it. It's no problem; I have good stamina."

"Mom, I'll take Brother-in-law."

Nguyen Thi Shui, yawning, bounced out of the adjacent room and volunteered to lead the way.

Because she was going to school today, she had already changed into her school uniform, transforming from the glamorous city girl of yesterday back into the pure student of today.

Nguyen Thi Shui

She handled the change in style very well.

"Okay, A Shui, take me. Let's quickly fill the water vat before we go to the county town."

Li Qinghe walked towards the door, carrying the water buckets.

"Brother-in-law, wait for me! A Qiu, use my towel to wash your face. We'll be back soon."

Nguyen Thi Shui quickly dropped a sentence and hurried out, following closely behind Li Qinghe.

Luong Thi Thu's small head peeked out from the doorway, nodding. She had slight dark circles under her eyes.

Last night, Tran Thi Bao Anh underestimated her alcohol tolerance, thinking she, like Nguyen Thi Shui, would sleep until morning after two spoonfuls of wine.

However, she woke up in the middle of the night. In her daze, she heard sounds like a cat's meow, initially thinking it was a stray cat nearby.

But the subsequent sounds made her instantly clear-headed and also made her blush.

At the same age, she understood more than Nguyen Thi Shui because she had heard the same sounds at home, from her brother and sister-in-law.

She knew this was Brother He and Sister Linh's happy life.

It just went on for too long, and she didn't know how long she listened before she eventually drifted back to sleep in a daze.

Because she heard some sounds she shouldn't have, Luong Thi Thu woke up with dark circles under her eyes.

When Nguyen Thi Shui greeted her, Luong Thi Thu peeked out with her small head, looking at Li Qinghe's departing back and sighing, "Brother He is as strong as Superman."

"Brother-in-law, are you coming to the county town with us today?" Nguyen Thi Shui walked ahead of Li Qinghe, hands behind her back, skipping along. Occasionally, she would turn around and walk backward, facing Li Qinghe, looking innocent and carefree.

"Yes, we plan to build a new house at our current location. Mom will come to the county town to stay with you and A Ming for a few months, specifically to take care of your daily life and cook for you."

"Really? Is our family building a new house? And Mom is coming to the county town? That's great! I can eat Mom's cooking every day!"

Li Qinghe's news made Nguyen Thi Shui cheer with joy. She hadn't expected to hear such good news first thing in the morning.

In the future, she would have a new house to live in when she returned home, and she could hold her head high in the village. This was all thanks to her Brother-in-law.

Thinking of this, the young girl, with tears in her eyes, bounced over to Li Qinghe and hugged the arm not carrying the water bucket.

"Brother-in-law, let me be your Two Rice Grains!"

"Why do you suddenly want to be Two Rice Grains?"

"You've brought a good life to the family, and you're very good to me. I want to stay with you forever."

"When A Shui goes to university, she'll meet even more excellent boys."

"Sister said that you can't find a man as excellent as Brother-in-law even in Hanoi's universities, and Vietnamese men are not as considerate as Brother-in-law. For things like fetching water, Vietnamese men rarely help the women in their families."

Although Nguyen Thi Shui had this sudden idea, her thoughts were very clear. She firmly argued that it was hard to find a man as considerate as Li Qinghe and willing to spend money on his family.

"If you want to be Two Rice Grains, then Brother-in-law's Two Rice Grains will cry."

"Ah? Brother-in-law already has Two Rice Grains?" Nguyen Thi Shui's excited expression suddenly froze on her face, and her small face instantly crumpled.

She thought for a moment and then brightened up again: "Brother-in-law, since Sister is Da Mi Fan, then let me be your Rice Noodles."

"Brother-in-law already has Rice Noodles too."

"Then, Rice Noodles?"

"Rice Noodles are also taken."

Hearing such ruthless news, Nguyen Thi Shui's small mouth drooped, and she was about to cry.

From childhood, even though her family was poor, her mother, brother, and sister had always doted on her and never let her suffer much hardship.

But today, Nguyen Thi Shui, who was determined to be Two Rice Grains, encountered the greatest setback in her life.

Seeing that she couldn't even be Rice Noodles, Nguyen Thi Shui was extremely sad. If not for her deep attachment, she would have turned and left.

Looking at the girl in front of him, head bowed and on the verge of tears, Li Qinghe was also very surprised. Was she that determined?

He hadn't fully realized the immense impact that the changes he brought to this family's life in just a few short days would have on an innocent girl.

Beautiful clothes, a phone, a motorcycle.

It is human nature to pursue a better life, and Nguyen Thi Shui did not want to follow others and be far from this good life.

To continue enjoying this life, Nguyen Thi Shui made a very important choice in her life: to become Li Qinghe's Two Rice Grains, following the tradition of Xiangyang Mountain Region.

As a result, as soon as she confessed her feelings, she was so severely struck that she began to doubt life itself.

However, Li Qinghe's words also made her alert. Such an excellent and handsome Brother-in-law couldn't have been discovered only by her sister; there must be many competitors.

She couldn't let such a good Brother-in-law become someone else's, so she gritted her teeth, tears welling in her eyes, her voice even a little choked.

"Bro... Brother-in-law, then... then I'll be instant noodles."

"Boo hoo hoo, but I don't want to be instant noodles. I don't want to be instant noodles that can be eaten or not eaten. Brother-in-law, are instant noodles also taken?"

Nguyen Thi Shui, walking on the country road, finally burst into tears of injustice.

Looking at Nguyen Thi Shui, crying like a little calico cat, with tears streaming down her face.

Li Qinghe didn't immediately pull her into his arms but instead gave Nguyen Thi Shui a science lesson.

"A Shui, do you know that besides rice, there's another staple food called millet? This grain is very popular in the northern part of China..."

"We Dragon Country People usually use millet to cook porridge. millet porridge can strengthen the spleen and stomach, and improve sleep..."

Li Qinghe's explanation made Nguyen Thi Shui a little confused: "Brother-in-law, why are you talking about millet porridge?"

"Since A Shui wants to be with me forever, you don't have to be instant noodles; just be my millet porridge."

Li Qinghe said the answer with a smile. Since Nguyen Thi Shui had openly expressed her feelings, he didn't want this innocent and lively girl to become someone else's.

Fortunately, Vietnam has such an excellent tradition, so he would have them all.

Hearing Li Qinghe make his intentions clear, Nguyen Thi Shui paused for a moment and immediately understood.

"Okay, I'll be Brother-in-law's millet porridge alone."