mtl008 Chapter 299 Here we go again
Chapter 299 Here we go again
"Great! After dinner, we'll go to Uncle Er Gou's house to see the golden eagles. Sister Ying, eat up!" Li Xiaohua said excitedly, then put a chicken leg on Wang Ying's plate, not even using chopsticks for herself.
Li Xiangyang smiled and shook his head: "Eat slowly, no one's going to take it from you."
"Xiaohua, a lady should be more elegant and slow down," Li Xiaoyun gently reminded her, her eyes full of doting affection.
Wang Ying sat to the side, equally expectant, but much quieter, occasionally glancing at Li Xiaohua with envy in her eyes.
In her heart, Li Xiaohua's unrestrained lifestyle was a way of life she longed for but dared not try.
"Is the golden eagle really that big?" Wang Ying asked softly. "It doesn't peck people, does it?"
"Adult golden eagles are quite large, but the one at your Uncle Er Gou's house isn't an adult yet, it's smaller. As for pecking people, you'd naturally stay far away if you encountered one in the wild, after all, it's a bird of prey. But with Uncle Er Gou watching over it, you can touch it."
Seeing that everyone had almost finished eating, Li Xiaoyun cleared away the dishes and said softly, "You all go see the golden eagles, I'll rest at home for a while."
“That won’t do,” Li Xiangyang immediately took the bowl from his wife’s hands. “You sit down, I’ll wash these.”
“You take the kids, there aren’t many bowls anyway,” Li Xiaoyun insisted, gently nudging her husband. “Besides, I want to sew up your shirt while it’s cool in the evening.”
Li Xiangyang glanced at his wife, and seeing that she was about to get angry, he didn't insist anymore: "Alright, I'll take the kids to see the golden eagles first, and I'll be back in a bit."
After quickly tidying up, Li Xiangyang took the two girls out the door.
On a summer evening, while it was still light, the village was filled with farmers who had finished their day's work, gathering in twos and threes and chatting idly.
"Xiangyang, where are you taking the children?" A passing villager greeted him warmly.
“Let’s go to Er Gou’s house to see the golden eagles,” Li Xiangyang replied with a smile. “The kids are curious.”
"Look at your little flower, she's growing more and more beautiful," the villager said with a smile. "And this little girl, she's really pretty too."
When Wang Ying heard the praise, she lowered her head shyly, her cheeks slightly flushed.
Li Xiaohua smiled generously, pulled Wang Ying along, and greeted everyone with a smile.
Before long, they arrived at Wang Ergou's house.
Wang Ergou was busy in the yard when he saw Li Xiangyang and his group. He immediately put down what he was doing and came over to greet them.
"Just finished eating?" Wang Ergou asked with a smile. "My wife just went out; she'll probably be back in a bit."
“It won’t cause any delay,” Li Xiangyang said. “The children just want to see the golden eagles.”
Wang Ergou's smile widened even more: "You've come at the perfect time! I just fed it, and it's full of energy."
He led everyone around to the back of the yard, where a spacious shed had been set up, with a simple scaffold inside.
At this moment, the little golden eagle was standing on the shelf, resting with its eyes closed.
"Wow!" Li Xiaohua exclaimed in surprise, but quickly covered her mouth, afraid of disturbing the majestic bird of prey.
Wang Ying held her breath, her eyes fixed on the golden eagle, her small face filled with surprise and awe.
The golden eagle seemed to sense someone approaching, and slowly opened its eyes. Its sharp gaze swept over everyone, causing the two little girls to involuntarily take a step back.
"Don't be afraid," Wang Ergou said softly, "it won't hurt anyone."
"What's its name?" Li Xiaohua asked, mustering her courage.
“Little Jin,” Wang Ergou replied, “a name is just a label; it doesn’t understand anyway, and I was too lazy to put any thought into naming it.”
"How big of a prey can it catch?" Wang Ying asked softly, her eyes never leaving the golden eagle.
Wang Ergou gestured, "An adult lamb can catch a small lamb. Little Jin now struggles even to catch a rabbit; he's not fully grown yet."
Upon hearing this, the two little girls widened their eyes and looked even more awe-inspiring.
"Uncle Er Gou, why doesn't it fly away?" Li Xiaohua asked in confusion.
Wang Ergou squatted down and patiently explained, "Because it's safe here, and there's food. Besides, I don't keep it locked up; it has enough freedom, so I let it settle here."
“Uncle Er Gou, you’re amazing,” Wang Ying said softly, “You even managed to tame a golden eagle.”
Wang Ergou laughed: "What's so great about me? If it weren't for your brother Xiangyang, I wouldn't have this golden eagle. He's the one who took me hunting in the mountains and found it on a cliff. I picked it up and raised it when I was a kid. As for eagle training, Master Zheng taught me."
The two little girls looked at Li Xiangyang with admiration in their eyes.
Li Xiangyang smiled and patted their heads: "Don't listen to your Uncle Er Gou's modesty, he's really quite capable. If you want to touch them, ask him to help you massage them."
Under the adoring gaze of the two little girls, Wang Ergou whistled, beckoned Xiao Jin over, pressed his head down, and let them touch it.
Afterwards, he even took out a dead rabbit to demonstrate how the golden eagle tears its food with its sharp claws and beak.
Although the two little girls were a little scared, they watched intently.
"It's getting late, let's go back," Li Xiangyang said, glancing at the sky. "Your sister-in-law is waiting for you at home."
As Li Xiaohua left Wang Ergou's house, she was reluctant to part, turning back every few steps: "Uncle Ergou, can I come see the golden eagle again tomorrow?"
“Of course,” Wang Ergou replied with a smile, “You’re welcome anytime.”
On his way home, Li Xiangyang deliberately broke off a few willow branches, varying in length and thickness.
"With this, plus cloth and glue, you can make a good kite," Li Xiangyang said, handing the willow branch to the two little girls for inspection. "I'll teach you tomorrow."
"That's wonderful!" Wang Ying carefully took the willow branch. "I want to make a kite like a golden eagle, so it can fly in the sky."
Li Xiaohua was even more direct: "I want to make a kite bigger than a golden eagle!"
When she got home, Li Xiaoyun had already lit an oil lamp and was mending clothes under the lamp.
Seeing them return, she smiled gently and asked, "Finished watching? How was it?"
"That's amazing!" Li Xiaohua immediately ran to Li Xiaoyun's side, excitedly describing the golden eagle's appearance. "Its claws are this big, its eyes are incredibly bright, and Uncle Er Gou even feeds it rabbit!"
Wang Ying nodded, but her attention was more focused on something else: "Brother Xiangyang said he'll teach us how to make kites tomorrow; he's already found willow branches."
"Really?" Li Xiaoyun put down her needlework and smiled at her husband. "Looks like you'll be quite busy tomorrow."
Li Xiangyang placed the willow branch in the corner, walked over, and sat down next to his wife: "You should get some rest early, don't stay up late."
Li Xiaoyun nodded and put away her needlework: "Okay, the children should wash up and go to bed now."
“We’ll start making kites tomorrow morning,” Li Xiangyang said, “but you all need to get a good night’s sleep and be well-rested.”
"Okay!" the two little girls answered in unison, and then obediently went to take a bath and go to bed.
“The children really liked the golden eagle,” Li Xiaoyun said with a smile. “They kept talking about it on the way back.”
Li Xiangyang gently stroked his wife's abdomen: "How are you feeling? Are you feeling uncomfortable?"
"It's fine," Li Xiaoyun rested her head on her husband's shoulder, "just a little tired, probably because of the heat."
"Then get some rest," Li Xiangyang said softly. "I'll take care of anything."
"here we go again……"