Chapter 2: Chapter 2 : Jianyi Mingwei and Jianyi Mingyuan
His house had gray-white walls and dark blue-black roof tiles. The courtyard was square and tidy. In the northeastern corner grew a tall pear tree, its branches bent low beneath clusters of large green pears.
Just as he reached the entrance, he saw two children crouching in the corner of the courtyard with their little backsides raised, their round black eyes fixed intently on something on the ground.
Hearing footsteps, the two children turned their heads.
The moment they saw Jianyi Wentian, bright smiles bloomed across their faces. They immediately ran toward him while shouting.
"Father! You're back!"
"Father, it's big grass carp! I want to eat big grass carp!"
"No problem," Jianyi Wentian said with a smile. "But the first mouthful of fish soup must be given to your mother. Understand?"
The slightly older child nodded obediently.
"Mother is carrying little brother. It must be very hard for her, so Mother should eat first."
"Shitou is such a good boy."
"What about me, Father?"
The younger child lifted his head and asked expectantly, his eyes blinking brightly.
"You're a good boy too."
The elder child was Jianyi Mingwei, five years old. His nickname was Shitou.
The younger was Jianyi Mingyuan, three years old. His nickname was A'Yuan.
"By the way, what were you two looking at just now while lying on the ground?"
Jianyi Mingwei pointed toward the corner of the wall.
"There are lots of little ants on the ground. They're all lined up neatly and crawling together."
"Ants moving house?" Jianyi Wentian said thoughtfully. "Looks like it may rain tonight."
"Father, what does 'ants moving house' mean? Will it really rain tonight? How do you know?"
Jianyi Mingwei tugged at the corner of Jianyi Wentian's clothes and began asking questions one after another.
Jianyi Wentian gave a helpless smile.
"Do you still want fish soup tonight?"
"If you keep blocking Father's way, there won't be any fish soup to drink."
The moment the two boys heard this, their expressions changed as if the sky were about to collapse.
They hurriedly moved aside at once.
Then they pushed Jianyi Wentian toward the kitchen, urging him anxiously.
"Father, hurry! Hurry and go!"
At that moment, Bai Jing came out while supporting her swollen belly. One hand rested against the doorframe. There was still a faint red mark on her cheek from sleep.
"Husband, you're back. I overslept. I'll go make dinner now."
"No need. Wife, you should rest. I'll make dinner today."
Jianyi Wentian smiled gently and entered the kitchen.
First, he washed the rice, lit the fire, and set the meal to cook.
Then he took up the kitchen knife, scraped the scales from the fish, and cleaned out the organs.
After that, he made seven or eight cuts along both sides of each fish so that the flavor would seep into the meat more easily while cooking.
Jianyi Mingwei and Jianyi Mingyuan stood quietly at the side and watched.
Drool gathered at the corners of their mouths and dripped onto the ground with little pattering sounds.
"Shitou, go check the chicken coop and see whether there are any eggs."
"Okay, Father!"
Jianyi Mingwei ran off eagerly. His little hand reached into the chicken coop and searched around before he pulled out two eggs. Then he ran back to Jianyi Wentian in high spirits.
"Father, here!"
Jianyi Wentian took the eggs and placed them aside.
He planned to make a simple dish of stir-fried eggs with scallions later.
"Also, take A'Yuan with you and drive all the chickens in the courtyard back into the coop."
Jianyi Mingwei grabbed Jianyi Mingyuan's little hand, and the two boys went off to herd the chickens.
A short while later, Jianyi Mingyuan's crying suddenly rang out from the courtyard.
Jianyi Wentian stopped what he was doing and hurried over.
When he arrived, Bai Jing was already holding Jianyi Mingyuan in her arms, gently patting his back and comforting him.
"What happened?" Jianyi Wentian asked.
Jianyi Mingwei answered seriously, "Father, A'Yuan was knocked down by the rooster's wing. He fell to the ground, and then he started crying."
"A'Yuan," Jianyi Wentian said, looking at his younger son, "a man must be strong. How can a real man cry so easily? In a few days, Father will avenge you."
Jianyi Mingyuan sniffled twice.
Sure enough, his tears stopped flowing.
"Father, you mean it?"
"When has Father ever failed to do what he promised?"
"Come. Let's make a pinky promise."
"Mm."
The father and son hooked their fingers together solemnly.
Only then did Jianyi Wentian return to the kitchen and continue cooking.
More than half an hour later, the family sat around the square dining table, eating together in warm harmony.
The two little ones remembered Jianyi Wentian's words clearly and gave the first mouthful of fish soup to their mother.
Bai Jing was deeply moved.
Night fell.
As expected, heavy rain began pouring from the sky.
Inside the room, Bai Jing suddenly said, "Husband, the third child will be born soon. You should add another layer to the bunk bed."
"There's no rush."
Jianyi Wentian smiled faintly.
"The third child can sleep in a cradle for now."
"As for later, I plan to expand the house in a few years. At the very least, we should add three more rooms. The courtyard is also a little small. Once there are more people in the family, the children won't have enough space to move around."
"I'll listen to you, Husband."
Bai Jing nodded.
Then, as if thinking of something, she added, "Should we rent a few more mu of fields? After all, there will be another mouth to feed soon. Shitou and A'Yuan are eating more and more as well."
"My wife is very thoughtful."
Jianyi Wentian looked at Bai Jing and smiled again.
"But there's no need to rent land. Starting from last year, the ten mu of fruit trees began to bear fruit. This year, the yield will only be higher."
Bai Jing did not say anything more.
After marriage, a woman followed her husband. Everything in the Jianyi household was naturally for Jianyi Wentian to decide.
Besides, she knew very well that Jianyi Wentian was an extremely capable man.
Ever since she had married into the family, the Jianyi household's life had visibly improved year after year.
And more importantly, Jianyi Wentian treated her with great care and affection.
She had not married the wrong person.
There was only one thing she found somewhat regretful.
Jianyi Wentian possessed such vigorous energy and vitality that she could not fully satisfy him.
Bai Jing's gaze slowly drifted downward. A trace of shyness appeared on her face.
"Husband… tonight, this wife can help you."
"Then I will have to trouble my wife."
Before long, soft breaths and murmured praise rose quietly within the room.
Outside, rain continued to fall.
Inside, warmth lingered long into the night.
Ding!
The Bloodline Family System has detected stable family growth.
Current Family Head: Jianyi Wentian.
Family Development Status: Steady.
Current Family Members: Wife, Bai Jing; Eldest Son, Jianyi Mingwei; Second Son, Jianyi Mingyuan; Unborn Child.
Reminder: The prosperity of a family begins with its roots. The stronger the bloodline, the greater the future of the clan.
Jianyi Wentian's eyes narrowed slightly in the darkness.
A faint smile appeared at the corner of his lips.
His path in this life was already clear.
He would not rush into danger.
He would not seek glory overnight.
He would farm, accumulate wealth, raise his children, strengthen his bloodline, and slowly build a family that could stand above the world.
One generation.
Then another.
Until the Jianyi family name spread across mountains, rivers, sects, kingdoms, and even the heavens themselves.
For others, cultivation began with a single person defying fate.
For Jianyi Wentian, cultivation would begin with a family.
And one day, that family would become a clan.
A clan that even immortals would not dare to underestimate.