Chapter 18

"Brat, speak! What's going on? If you don't explain clearly, I'll skin you alive." Zhang Xiuying wished she could grab Li Han from the other end of the phone and shake him. This little brat, he already has a child and only now tells her. It’s clear this has been going on for a while.

Li Han knew this would happen, so he held the phone a bit away from his ear and rubbed it until his mother finished venting. Then he said softly, "Mom, calm down, I'll explain, okay?"

"Calm down? How can I calm down? Calm my ass! You little brat, tell me what's going on. I knew you'd bring a blonde-eyed foreigner into the family. What about the child?"

Zhang Xiuying swore, and Li Han had no choice but to make up a story. "Where is the child?"

"At the farm, Mom. Don't worry, the little one is very well-behaved and very pretty." Li Han wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and answered in a low voice.

"What are you planning to do about this? The girl gave you a child, you need to give her an explanation. Don't mess this up, brat. Your father, your sister, and I will come over in a few days to talk to her parents and set the wedding date." Zhang Xiuying scolded Li Han harshly. Li Han didn't feel much at first, but her calm words scared him. He hadn't even met the girl's mother, let alone think about getting married. How could he find someone to marry?

Zhang Xiuying pressed for more details about the girl, but Li Han could only mumble without giving a clear answer, which infuriated her. She scolded Li Han severely. Not only that, she gathered the whole family to criticize and educate him. Starting with his father, who was very strict, Li Han didn't dare say a word. His older sister, though not scolding him, didn't hold back her words. Everyone spoke until they were hoarse, and Li Han just nodded and agreed. When it was clear that it was getting late, Zhang Xiuying finally hung up the phone.

Li Han put down the phone and wiped the cold sweat from his forehead. He had tried to mention Doudou's mother a few times, but hearing his parents and sister's intentions to set a wedding date, he didn't know how they would react if he told them about Doudou's mother. He was unsure of the outcome.

Li Han thought about a good plan. Doudou was the key. He knew his mother's temper, and maybe if he could make Doudou happy, the old lady would be pleased and everything would be fine. He watched Doudou through the window, riding a small calf and playing happily with little Millie. A warm smile appeared on his lips.

After playing for a while, Doudou got tired, let the calf graze, and ran into the room, jumping into Li Han's arms. "Daddy, Doudou is hungry."

"Doudou, sit still for a moment. Daddy will make you a delicious cake." Li Han bought some fresh milk, eggs, flour, strawberries, and fruits to make a cake. Doudou had a very picky mouth, just like her mother. He had noticed that she could eat almost anything except grass.

While Li Han made the cake, little Doudou lay on the kitchen counter, her big, watery eyes blinking, and her little feet kicking around little Millie. "Good doggy, don't bark." Li Han playfully tapped Doudou's little head. He boiled the fresh milk with spring water, poured it into a large bottle, and handed it to Doudou. "Doudou, sit still and drink your milk. Daddy will start making the cake."

"Okay." Doudou nodded vigorously, looking very obedient. Although she often made Li Han laugh and cry, she was quite well-behaved and listened when he spoke. Doudou took little Millie to the living room, climbed onto the sofa, and held the large bottle, sucking on the nipple and drinking sweetly. She occasionally looked at her father, who was busy making the cake. Her little feet drew circles, teasing little Millie. Soon, the large bottle was empty. Doudou patted her little belly, smacked her lips, and said she was still hungry. Her little belly wasn't big, but her appetite was.

Doudou slid off the sofa, picked up the large bottle, and ran into the kitchen, still sucking on the nipple. She raised the bottle to show Li Han. "Doudou will play for a while. The cake will be ready soon, okay?"

Doudou was happy to hear Li Han praise her, and she nodded. She took little Millie and ran out of the house. Li Han wasn't worried; Doudou could enter the space at any time. She ran out of the small house, peeked at Li Han, and sneaked into the grain storage.

A moment later, she came out riding the calf and carrying a bag of vegetable seeds. She looked around to make sure no one was there, patted the calf, and returned to the small house. Doudou rode the calf, scattering the seeds along the way and occasionally watering them with a small water bottle from the space. She loved planting vegetables and had already scattered seeds around the farm, some of which had already sprouted. She must have planted them a few days ago. After finishing the bag of seeds, Doudou nodded in satisfaction and patted the calf's head.

"Home, Niu Niu." The Brahman dwarf cow, very intelligent, nodded and trotted back. Despite its small size, it ran quite fast. As they passed the cowshed, Doudou politely greeted Aunt Dana. The little girl had learned a lot from tutorials.

When Doudou returned, she washed her hands, as she had learned from the tutorials. Li Han brought out the small cakes he had made. Doudou was hungry and grabbed two cakes with her little hands, eating them. Midway through, she remembered something and extended her hand to Li Han, holding a half-eaten cake. "Daddy, eat."

"Very good." Li Han was delighted. Doudou smiled when praised and giggled happily. Li Han played with Doudou all afternoon until she got tired. He put her to sleep, changed her diaper, and left the room.

At the stable, Hutton and Dana were cleaning the horses. Brushing horses was a skill, and Li Han had helped Ronald with it when he worked on the farm. First, they used a hard brush to clean, then a soft brush for a thorough wash. The face of the horse could only be cleaned with a soft brush. Li Han changed into work clothes, rubber boots, and gloves to help.

"Hutton, these spotted horses are really nice. Douglas is a good man."

"Yes, these spotted horses have good bloodlines," Hutton said, pausing his work and smiling.

After a short while, they finished brushing the remaining horses. Li Han took off his gloves and said, "Dana, Hutton, take a break. I made some cakes."

Li Han brought out the small cakes and coffee for afternoon tea. The sun was gently shining, and the cattle had adapted to the farm. Old George had taken good care of the pasture, which was lush and thick. "Hutton, Dana, have some coffee. It's a beautiful day."

"Thanks, Han. The cakes taste great." Dana took a small bite of the cake. Li Han sat next to her, looking at the cowgirl with curiosity. The life of a cowgirl wasn't as glamorous as shown in movies or TV shows; it was more about hard work.

"Han, we need to buy some corn or plant more on the farm," Hutton said, taking a sip of coffee.

"Hutton, make a list. You know more about this than I do. I'll write you a check." Li Han ate a bit of the cake and wiped the crumbs from his hands. "Alright, Han, I'll get to it."

"Han, thanks for the coffee and cake. They're delicious." Dana stood up to thank him and prepare for work.

"Thanks for your praise. I'll leave now. Let me know if you need anything." Li Han cleaned up the coffee cups and cakes, returned to the small house, and the phone rang. Kelly called to say that the beer equipment company had arrived.

"Kelly, thank you for your help. I'll be there soon. Please have them wait a moment." Li Han changed his clothes and drove the pickup to the town. Brewing beer was an idea Li Han had had for a long time, but he hadn't been able to realize it due to financial constraints.