Chapter 317: Chapter 317

Now that he has a horse, this horse is far more valuable than a mule. Let’s see how Mu Yuanxiu flaunts now.

Mu Yuanxiu, sitting on the back of the mule, turned around and smiled at him, "Thank you, Third Brother Li."

After he had walked away, Li Yuzhu laughed and said, "Third Brother, you’ve become generous towards Mu Yuanxiu now."

Li Xing’an chuckled, "When have I ever not been generous?"

Li Yuzhu found it amusing. He has been generous to others, but never to Mu Yuanxiu. Today was truly an exception.

Eldest brother Li Xingmao, remembering Li Yuzhu’s words, spoke to Chai Eying about Li Yuzhu’s idea after they had lunch and returned to their South Courtyard. Nᴇw ɴovel chaptᴇrs are published on ⓝovelFire.net

"Third Sister wants to publish booklets. She said your little animal drawings are well-liked by some children in the county. She writes stories, you do the illustrations, and we print more booklets to consign in the county. What do you think?" Li Xingmao placed his son on the small bed and said.

Li Jing got tired from running after the little puppy and was dozing off during lunch.

From the kitchen back to the South Courtyard House, walking the hundred steps, he fell asleep on his dad’s shoulder.

Now, Li Xingmao placed him on the small bed, and he was as soft as mud.

But Guoguo, leaning on Chai Eying’s shoulder, was still spiritedly listening to her dad speak with wide eyes.

Chai Eying placed Guoguo in a chair, brought a basin of water from the corner stand, placed it on the floor by the small bed, and washed Li Jing’s face and hands, smiling, "That’s a good thing. Drawing a few pictures isn’t difficult. Who knows, if business picks up, our family might even start a book society."

Li Xingmao took off Li Jing’s little shoes, looked at Chai Eying, and said, "E Ying, will this make you too busy?"

He remembered last time when she drew for Li Lixing’s booklet, Chai Eying was busy for two days and a night, sitting at the table, drawing non-stop. Apart from eating and bathroom breaks, she hardly left the chair.

Third Sister’s idea is quite good, adding some income to the family, but he was worried it might make the family too busy and worn out.

After all, money is endless; family health is most important.

Chai Eying smiled, "I can draw during my free time."

With the wet cloth in her hand, she wiped Li Jing’s face and then his little hands.

Earlier, Li Jing had been clutching a chicken claw, his hands greasy. If not cleaned properly, they would be sticky soon, attracting flies.

Li Xingmao opened the cupboard, took out a small quilt, and covered Li Jing’s little belly.

He added, "If it’s just for casual drawing, it can be done in your spare time, but if it’s as a business, I’m worried you won’t manage. Plus, you’re looking after Guoguo and Jingjing too." Guoguo was relatively well-behaved, but Jingjing was like a monkey, always jumping around.

You have to watch them without blinking to prevent trouble.

Chai Eying found it amusing, "Let’s first discuss with Third Sister and see how it goes. The matter hasn’t even started yet, and you’re worrying over it. Third Sister came up with something to do with great difficulty; can’t you give her some confidence?"

She washed Li Jing’s hands and face, changed water in a small basin, and with another cloth, wiped Li Jing’s feet.

Feet are most afraid of cold. When Li Jing’s feet touched the cold, wet cloth, he immediately shrank back, muttered something, turned over, and went back to sleep.

Chai Eying couldn’t help but smile.

Li Xingmao adjusted his son’s sleeping position and said, "Okay, I’ll go find Third Sister, and you can discuss it."

Chai Eying nodded, "That sounds good."

Li Xingmao poured out the two basins of water used to wash Li Jing’s face and feet, scrubbed the basins, and fetched a bucket of clean water into the room before going to find Li Yuzhu.

Chai Eying carried Guoguo from the chair and placed her on a small stool by the bed, letting her lean on her own leg, and took a large fan to fan the two children.

The fan was big, and the breeze was strong, blowing over both children.

Guoguo, closer to Chai Eying, played with the tassels on her skirt.

The tassels were colorful. Guoguo especially liked the red ones, stroking each strand playfully.

Chai Eying smiled and said, "Does Guoguo like red?"

Guoguo looked up at her, grinned.

Chai Eying glanced at Jingjing on the small bed and softly asked, "Does Guoguo want to sleep? Brother is also asleep, huh?"

This child really doesn’t like napping; it’s rare.

Guoguo blinked and shook her head.

Chai Eying gave up, "Alright, you play then." But she was tired.

Since Li Xingmao wasn’t around, she didn’t have to worry about appearances and comfortably stretched.

Just then, Guoguo looked up at her, "Mom."

Chai Eying rubbed her eyes and yawned, "Oh, Guoguo, be good, don’t wake your brother."

Guoguo, holding onto her leg, stood up and turned to climb onto the small bed, "Sleep, sleep."

The bed wasn’t very high, but for this little baby who was still over a month away from her first birthday, climbing onto the bed was quite a challenge.

Guoguo’s tiny short leg tried to climb up onto the edge of the bed, but she couldn’t quite make it.

She was panting with frustration as she tried.

Chai Eying laughed and picked up her little short leg to give her a helping hand.

Guoguo’s little leg finally landed successfully on the bed, and she rolled onto it, kicked off her two little shoes, and lay contentedly on the small bed.

She patted the bed and smilingly looked at Chai Eying, "Sleep, mom."

Chai Eying smiled and pinched her little ear, "Let mom get some water to wash your face. You be good and lie down, don’t disturb your brother, okay?"

Guoguo looked at her, "Okay."

Chai Eying couldn’t help but laugh.

But after all, kids are kids, and Chai Eying wasn’t at ease with Guoguo being completely out of her sight. When she went to fetch water from the corner of the room, she would glance at the bed every now and then.

Guoguo, as usual, was well-behaved, neither making noise nor fussing, smiling widely at her.

Chai Eying thought, this child is truly obedient; it would be wonderful if she had a child .

Hurriedly bringing the basin of water back to the small bed, Chai Eying started wiping Guoguo’s hands and face.

Guoguo lifted her foot to show her, "Feet."

Chai Eying laughed, "Alright, washing the feet."

She switched the basin, removed Guoguo’s socks, and wiped her feet with cool water as well.

Guoguo let out a little cry and quickly pulled her foot back.

Those little pink toes wiggled up and down.

Chai Eying couldn’t help but giggle.

Li Yuzhu came over, smiling and asking, "Sister-in-law? What’s making you so happy?" Noticing Jingjing sleeping, Li Yuzhu lowered her voice, "Jingjing is asleep?"

"Yu Zhu’s here?" Chai Eying placed the cloth towel back into the basin and set Guoguo lying on the bed properly.

Guoguo opened her grape-like eyes and cheerfully called out to Li Yuzhu, "Auntie."

Li Yuzhu put on a serious face, "Nap time, little auntie will play with you later."

Guoguo closed her eyes and even yawned.

Li Xingmao came into the room, waved at them, "You two go talk in the other room, I’ll watch the two kids." "

Chai Eying glanced at the two children, nodded, and pulled Li Yuzhu out to the outer room.

Li Xingmao took over Chai Eying’s fan and sat by the bed fanning the two children.

Guoguo quietly opened one eye to peek outside, then quickly closed it again.

She turned over, facing the door.

In the outer room, Li Yuzhu and Chai Eying were quietly discussing the book printing.

"Elder brother just mentioned it to me. He said printing books is a good thing, but he’s worried we won’t be able to manage, especially since he fears sister-in-law’s health might suffer as she also takes care of two children," Li Yuzhu laughed, "I anticipated this, and I won’t let sister-in-law be too busy."

Chai Eying said, "I can use the time when the kids are asleep to draw."

Li Yuzhu said, "The book sister-in-law sent to Li Lixing last time was mostly illustrations with some text. The album I’m planning focuses on text with illustrations as support. Sister-in-law only needs to draw a few main illustrations, which can be reused later."

Chai Eying was puzzled, "Reuse? How would people view identical illustrations?"

Li Yuzhu said, "My book is a children’s storybook, with stories in series. Sister-in-law only needs to draw the main characters; once that’s done, I’ll have someone carve them into picture templates. Whatever page features a character, I’ll just print it there. It’s a one-time effort."

Chai Eying understood, smiling, "I know what kind of book you’re talking about."

She walked into the bedroom, found an old book from the shelf, and handed it to Li Yuzhu, "Is it ?"

Li Yuzhu took it and started flipping through it.

This was a book about ghosts and deities, with an illustration at the beginning of each story, depicting the protagonist.

It was intended for adults, so the drawings were abstract and rough.

One story spanned five or six pages, but there was only one illustration.

This wasn’t a picture book; the illustration served as an insert.

Li Yuzhu said, "Almost, but because it’s for children, there will be more illustrations. We won’t draw the kind of art adults see; instead, sister-in-law will draw those little animal images as usual."