Reborn in the 1980s: I became a stepmother in the 1980s

Part 156 Adjustment

A few days later, Zhou Zehan woke up one morning to find his tooth had fallen out, marking the beginning of his lisping phase.

Si Nian, being proficient in languages, found it easy to teach her children. In her free time, she also began studying herself. The original owner of her body had been the top student in the military compound, and Si Nian soon discovered that her memory was astonishingly good.

Even though she had been a top student in her future life, the knowledge and subjects from this era were different from what she had learned. There were significant differences, which motivated her to study diligently in preparation for next year's college entrance exams.

What surprised her was the original owner's exceptional memory. As she reviewed the material, the knowledge that had once been stored in the original owner's memory flooded back effortlessly, as if triggered by familiarity. It was like having a superpower, allowing her to grasp concepts instantly without needing to study them extensively.

Both children also exhibited remarkable learning abilities. Zhou Zedong, in particular, amazed Si Nian with his photographic memory. Anything she taught him, he remembered perfectly after just one lesson.

The younger child, though a bit careless, was also quite diligent when it came to studying. At their current pace, by the time both children reached middle school, they would be well-prepared to attend school in the city without any worries of falling behind.

Si Nian sighed, thinking that characters capable of being villains in novels were never ordinary people. Feeling bored with reading, she decided to grab a bamboo basket and head out.

At the village entrance, the osmanthus flowers were in full bloom, filling the air with their rich fragrance. The Zhou family's house was nearby, and the scent constantly wafted into Si Nian's nose. Although she didn't particularly enjoy overly fragrant foods, she remembered her promise to make various pastries for the children. So, she thought she might as well gather some osmanthus flowers before they all fell.

As she stepped out with her basket, she saw Zhou Zedong watering the vegetable garden and Zhou Zehan weeding. Since they had planted vegetables in the garden, not a single bug or weed could survive for more than a day. The children were vigilant, ensuring that any weed sprouting was promptly removed before heading to school.

In just over a week, the once barren yard had transformed into a lush patch of green seedlings. The vegetable leaves, covered in water droplets, looked incredibly appetizing. A few rabbits constantly tried to sneak in, and the previously small white rabbit had grown quite large, now plump and round from being well-fed.

However, the two kids were reluctant to let the rabbits damage their vegetable garden, so they fed them grass regularly. On their way home from school, they often picked up a bunch of wild grasses that rabbits loved. As for Dahuang, it wouldn't spare a glance unless it was about meat, showing its interest in only that.

Yao Yao had been learning more vocabulary lately, perhaps due to Dahuang barking frequently these days. She even added "woof" to her vocabulary, mimicking Dahuang's barks every day.

After greeting the children and letting them play on their own, Si Nian grabbed her basket and headed out. At the village entrance stood a small osmanthus tree, not large but in full bloom. Si Nian didn't pick much; she only needed the fragrance.

With her basket lightly filled, she headed home and saw Yu Dong standing at the door with his bicycle, holding a large piece of pork ribs.

Upon seeing Si Nian returning, he immediately called out loudly, "Sister-in-law, you're back! Eldest brother asked me to bring you some pork ribs."

Si Nian hurried over. "Thank you. Come in and have some sweet soup."

Yu Dong shook his head. "No thanks, sister-in-law. I have other things to do. Just let me know if you want anything in the future, and I'll deliver it to you."

Si Nian glanced at the pork ribs and thought for a moment. "Alright, next time, tell your eldest brother not to send pork ribs anymore. Send some pig kidneys, intestines, and trotters instead."

Compared to pork ribs, Si Nian preferred braised meat, especially the unique flavors of braised trotters and intestines. Pig kidneys were particularly savory when chewed thoroughly. She had a penchant for rich flavors.

Surprised by her request, Yu Dong suddenly became quiet. Si Nian was puzzled. "What's wrong?"

Looking around to ensure no one was listening, Yu Dong whispered, "Sister-in-law, I understand."

Si Nian raised an eyebrow. "Understand what?"

"Don't worry, I won't tell the eldest brother," Yu Dong said with a sly grin before quietly walking away, leaving Si Nian bewildered.

Was there something strange about enjoying these foods? She scratched her head, about to enter the house, when Zhang Shen suddenly appeared from nowhere. Seeing Yu Dong leaving, she hurried over and pulled Si Nian aside, whispering, "Nian Nian, tell Auntie honestly, is Brother Zhou not capable?"

Si Nian was taken aback. "What are you saying, Auntie Zhang?"

Si Nian initially thought the same way, but now she wondered why Zhang Shen and others also held this belief.

Zhang Shen continued, "Don't hide it from me. I've been seeing things like wolfberries and Chinese yam at your doorstep recently. And now you've asked Yu to bring those things over. If it's not for Brother Zhou's health, then it must be for your own, right? You see, a perfectly fine person suddenly not wanting children for no reason... It's because he's incapable, isn't it?"

She had suspected as much. How could such a capable man inexplicably refuse to have children?

Zhang Shen looked at Si Nian with pity. Although Si Nian had agreed to Zhou Yue Sheng's request, as an elder, Zhang Shen still believed that a woman should have children.

She had previously thought that Zhou Yue Sheng was only refusing because he was currently concerned about his three children. Now she realized it wasn't that he didn't want them, but that he couldn't have them.

Zhang Shen sighed again.

Si Nian awkwardly rubbed her nose. While she had indeed misunderstood before, she preferred to keep such matters private. If word got out, Zhou Yue Sheng might face difficulties in social situations in the future.

Si Nian tried hard to explain, "Zhang Shen, it's not like that. Actually, I'm taking those things for my own health."

"Who are you trying to fool? Look at you, all plump and healthy-looking. I can tell you're fertile. I'm not naive," Zhang Shen retorted.

Thinking about how Zhou Yue Sheng's previous wife hadn't conceived in their year together, Zhang Shen was convinced something must have happened between them. If the previous wife hadn't conceived, it must have been his problem.

Si Nian was kind-hearted, even at this point, she was still considering his reputation and speaking up for him.

"I'm not trying to be harsh, women need to have children,