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"Come rest with me for a bit!" He Zhilan kicked off her shoes and climbed onto the bed. She naturally rolled to the side closest to the wall, clinging to it like a gecko, laughing, "It’s quite cool this way~"

At that moment, He Teng genuinely couldn’t help but let out a snicker, admitting defeat to the whimsical He Zhilan.

Perhaps it was because the cicada’s song in the courtyard felt so familiar to both He Teng and He Zhilan, or maybe because they were back in a home that brought peace of mind, that even though it was hot and they were under the quilts, the two of them quickly cuddled up together and fell into a deep sleep.

When the two woke up, the evening sun had already set halfway, its blood-red hue staining most of the sky. Like a painting hung atop a mountain, the fiery clouds were so beautiful they seemed otherworldly.

Over at the mountain, occasionally a pheasant would flutter its wings, flying from the tall trees into the dense forest. The elementary school children who had come home for vacation laughed and chattered as they passed by the door, greeting He Father and He Da with a cheerful shout, calling them Grandpa He and Uncle He.

He Father and He Da were chatting as they entered the house, leaping over the sweet potato vines used for feeding pigs as they made their way into the yard, dropping the load of vines beside the haystack.

He Father glanced at the haystack and exclaimed with surprise, "How come two eggs are missing? I saw three when I left in the afternoon, now there’s only one left? Wonder which kid came in and took two."

Inside the house, He Zhilan woke up just in time to hear this and immediately climbed over He Teng to get up, put on her shoes, and flung open the window facing the courtyard. She laughed and joined in, "Dad, I know! It was Big Brother who stole them!"

He Zhilan’s tattling was done with utmost seriousness; she raised her hand and pointed at He Teng, who lay on the bed pinching his eyebrows, with an air and tone of utter righteousness.

"Yikes?" He Father jumped in shock, "When did you two get back?" Then his expression was replaced with surprise, "Not even a word to the family, giving us a surprise, are you?"

"Exactly, Dad guessed it!" He Zhilan laughed and ran out, "Brother and I arrived around three or four in the afternoon. The moment I entered, I saw the three eggs in the haystack, so I had Big Brother make me sugar syrup egg, drank a bowl, and felt so content!"

"Content, huh? Did your big brother starve you in the army?" He Father shook his head laughing, "Great, from now on, Dad will make you two every day, since the hens at home lay eggs every day—enough for our little glutton!"

"Dad is the best!" He Zhilan acted coquettishly non-stop. Seeing He Da watching her, she playfully stuck out her tongue at him, "Has Second Brother gotten a bit bigger?"

"You’ve noticed too? Your Second Brother has indeed put on some muscle.

He has always been about the same build as your Big Brother.

If Ateng can grow so tall and strong, Ada naturally can as well," He Father said with a happy smile.

Seeing He Teng emerging from the house, he then asked He Teng and He Zhilan what brought them home so suddenly.

"The army gave me some leave, so I decided to bring Zhilan back to stay for a few days and see Dad and Ada," He Teng explained.

He Father took this at face value, nodded, and mentioned he was going to cook. After hearing this, He Zhilan followed him to the kitchen, offering to help out and take the chance to learn some of the family’s signature cooking skills from her father.