Chapter 119

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Protagonist:

Song Miao

Cheng Erniang behind them heard this and said, "It's nothing, just a bit of torn clothing; she probably has her own careless spots, I'll mend it up and it'll be fine, she's just a child, no need for you to compensate!"

Xiao Lian threw herself into her birth mother's arms, her crying had already begun to subside, but hearing this, she couldn't help herself and started sobbing again.

Cheng Erniang patted her lightly and said, "Perfectly fine, not hurt at all, what are you crying for again?"

She had also raised children herself; ever since becoming an older sister, and then a mother, she had been constantly tense, truly with no spare energy, but Song Miao's past days had been too fortunate, so when she got a moment's leisure, she could guess a bit of a child's mind.

Early this morning, upon learning she could go out with them, and to an Old Courtyard at that, after Xiao Lian ate breakfast, she used sweating as an excuse and specially ran back to her room to change into a whole new set of clothes.

Living and eating together, Song Miao naturally knew she only had three sets of summer clothes total: one brown, with patches at the cuffs; one gray, mended at the shoulder; the one she wore out today was the prettiest color, the one Xiao Lian liked best, a blue-green, though also patched, but patched under the armpit, invisible unless she raised her arms.

Now she'd taken a fall and torn a big hole in the elbow of her clothes; with Cheng Erniang's skill, she'd definitely sew a big patch on it, how could that not make her heartbroken and upset?

Moreover Cheng Erniang was just speaking polite words, "she probably has her own careless spots," but to Xiao Lian's ears, it was simply her own mother's elbow turning outward, clearly not her fault yet still blaming her, how could she not feel wronged?

A birth mother teaching her daughter, Song Miao naturally shouldn't interfere, she was just thinking how to help add a word, when she saw the child reveal a difficult expression, hesitate a moment, and say, "Then let me buy a piece of clothing for Younger Sister?"

Speaking, he turned to leave.

Although Xiao Lian was crying, her eyes had been looking this way the whole time, her ears perked up; hearing this, she hurriedly wiped her tears, chased over, and grabbed Song Miao's hem, shaking it left and right.

Song Miao understood her meaning, so she called the boy to stop.

Hearing the call, the other party turned and stood still, looking quite honest.

Having heard the earlier dialogue, one could already see this child was very stubborn, and seeing his difficult appearance, and hearing him say he wanted to "save money," he was clearly also someone with an empty purse.

She stepped forward and said, "Though it was unintentional, you did scare her into a fall; how about this: if you have no other matters waiting, why not stay here and help Xiao Lian rub green bean skins, peel garlic, count it as helping me out; when tomorrow's matters are done, I'll buy Xiao Lian a set of new clothes, treat it as exchanged for your help, give it to Younger Sister as apology, how about that?"

That boy instantly let out a long breath, nodded repeatedly, and said, "I have nothing to be busy with, I'll help you!"

Then to Xiao Lian he said, "You sit, I'll do the work!"

Hearing this, Cheng Erniang hurriedly said, "There's no such principle, I'll buy it, how can we let the Young Lady spend money……"

Song Miao turned her head and waved her hand at her, smiling, "Next month is Xiao Lian's birthday, originally I'd also give her a set of clothes for growing a tail, Er Niangzi don't be verbose, rare to have a good person deliver themselves to help us work."

Then smiling she asked the boy his name and origin.

That boy said, "I'm called Liang Yan, my dad is an escort guard."

He also said he's eight years old this year.

An eight-year-old child following along on escort runs is really not often seen.

But Song Miao only thought the world is vast, nothing too strange, it's just her seeing too little and making a fuss, and didn't think too much; since she knew his origin, she didn't inquire further.

That Liang Yan then hurriedly washed his hands, wanting to go take over the bean-rubbing work.

Seeing this, Xiao Lian had already stopped her tears, still a bit embarrassed, and followed over to help.

She usually doesn't like speaking to strangers, but this time was different; two children working together, whether rubbing beans or peeling garlic, though all trivial small matters, there were still quite a few particulars.

You ask one thing, I answer one; sometimes Liang Yan didn't ask, and Xiao Lian seeing him not do it well enough, would also actively correct him; by mid-afternoon, they were familiar enough to start exchanging experience.

Song Miao occasionally passed by, and heard the two little ones huddled together talking.

Liang Yan said, "I see using a rolling pin to rub these beans isn't as fast as using hands!"

Xiao Lian just hmphed and said, "You rub one handful of course it's fast, wait till you've rubbed ten handfuls, then come see if your hands hurt!"

When it came time to peel garlic, Xiao Lian was quite kind-hearted and said, "Don't use your fingernails to dig, otherwise at night your fingertips will tingle with spice."

Song Miao wasn't really making them do much work either; seeing they'd done half an hour, she went over to inspect once, then announced it was already done.

That Liang Yan still wouldn't leave, only saying, "Jiejie, I see there's still quite a lot of garlic cloves, let me do a bit more work for you!"

Song Miao was about to decline, but unintentionally her peripheral vision swept over a string of wet footprints on the ground; she looked down and saw it was Liang Yan's cloth shoes soaking wet, and looking closely at his clothing, though coarse cloth, still quite new, only the hem, elbows, collar and such places were all washed half-clean, probably his parents didn't have much spare time to care for him.

Ever since entering the door, she'd kept hearing this child sniffing non-stop, not knowing if he was still sick.

So she went to the stove, picked out some firewood, carried a small brazier and placed it outside the door, called Liang Yan over, and said, "Feet wet this whole half day, why didn't you say? First move a chair over and sit, bake your shoes dry, careful not to catch a chill and get sick."

That Liang Yan said, "Thank you Jiejie, I don't have a cold."

But shoes full of water, feet soaking inside, how could that be comfortable?

He still honestly moved a chair over, looked back once, turned his back, and secretly took off his shoes.

Just then Song Miao turned back, originally wanting to ask another question, but saw his socks not only old and torn, but the front also rotted with two big holes, both big toes sticking out.

Socks rotted with holes, walking is uncomfortable, yet he looked like he was used to it.

This child obviously cared extremely about face; Song Miao closed her mouth, pretended she hadn't seen, turned and returned to the room, just about to go work again, when Xiao Lian quietly ran over, lowered her voice and said, "Jiejie, just now when Liang Yan was rubbing beans with me, his stomach kept rumbling, rumbling, so loud!"

She spoke to here, not knowing what she thought of, but imitated an adult's manner, sighed a breath, and said, "When the stomach rumbles that loud, you're really hungry, especially uncomfortable, and your mouth flows especially much saliva."

Song Miao heard and felt her heart couldn't bear it.

At this time the stove in the kitchen was already heated, currently organizing the ingredients needed for tomorrow one by one, some still needing advance processing.

She had made many red bean rolls this morning, gave more than half to Zhu Shi, kept some herself, prepared for noon and evening if too busy to cook, to make do as rice; right now she simply picked out a few, put them in the steamer basket to heat over water.

When Liang Yan had baked his shoes and socks dry, and carefully washed his hands several times with soapberry, and returned wanting to help work again, Song Miao smiled and said, "No need to rub beans anymore, come help me wash vegetables in a bit."

Then she held the steamer basket over, padded a dried lotus leaf underneath, placed it on a small wooden stool, and said to the two children, "You peeled so much garlic, rubbed a whole big basin of green beans, counted as helping me a great job, this is your reward!"

Xiao Lian had gotten the reminder early, said thanks, and immediately took one in hand.

The red bean rolls had cooled a while, temperature just right for eating.

She took a bite, turned her head to Liang Yan and said, "Did you thank Jiejie?"

That Liang Yan nodded, but hesitated a bit, and said, "I only did this little bit……"

Xiao Lian said, "You helped me rub so many beans, and peeled a whole basket of garlic, how is that only a little bit?"

Then she pushed the steamer basket in front of him and said, "Eat quick, Jiejie said red beans don't keep, if you don't eat now, who knows by evening they might be spoiled!"

Liang Yan then hurriedly reached out and took one as well.

The red bean rolls were fist-sized, four steamed in a basket, fragrant and sweet; though reheated, the taste was still very good.

But Xiao Lian had eaten a lot in the morning and also ate at noon; at this moment she slowly tore and ate half of one, and was already a bit unable to eat more; turning her head she saw that Liang Yan, wolfing it down, had already finished a second one.

Seeing him staring straight at the red bean rolls in the steamer basket but never reaching for another, Xiao Lian said quietly: "I can't eat any more, you help me secretly eat it okay? Don't let my mother see!"

Speaking, she passed the remaining half roll in her hand over from underneath.

Liang Yan was so surprised his eyes widened, and he asked quietly: "Such delicious food, how can you not eat it down?"

Xiao Lian was anxious beyond measure, and hurriedly pressed her right index finger vertically against her mouth, saying: "You lower your voice!"

The latter took it, and in a few bites had eaten it all clean.

When Song Miao came over to collect the steamer basket, seeing there was still one left inside, she asked Xiao Lian first; seeing her shake her head, she then said to that Liang Yan: "If you can't eat it down now, shall I wrap it in a lotus leaf for you to take back and eat tonight?"

Liang Yan immediately performed a "can eat it down now" for her to see.

After finishing eating, he insisted on peeling the half basket of garlic heads clean with Xiao Lian before he would leave.

For Song Miao, this child named Liang Yan was merely a passerby; she only regarded this matter as ended, and in the future there would mostly be no opportunity to meet again, so naturally she did not take it to heart.

It was rather Xiao Lian who rarely had a companion; she played for half a day, and seeing the person leave, she kept mentioning it many times over the span of a single meal.

Come evening, Zhu Shi came again, only saying there was a matter at the slaughterhouse, her old father could not return for a while, and also saying because tomorrow perhaps acquaintances and old friends of that guest might come to see him off, one couldn't be sure which one might want to stay and also eat a bite of breakfast, so letting Song Miao make a bit more was no matter.

"Actually if they can't finish eating, I can help eat it too!"

Song Miao agreed, smiling: "Actually this time quite a few dishes take effort; not making more at once would truly be a waste."

Not long after Zhu Shi left, someone came to deliver ice; after a while more, servants delivered a lot of fresh meat that Song Miao had previously instructed would be useful, and also a small packet of ten-odd chicken feet; they also said some pig blood and pig liver she wanted, and would deliver immediately after slaughter.

Seeing the hour was not early, Song Miao took the chicken feet, washed them clean then chopped off the nails, added ginger slices, cooking wine, and white vinegar, put them in cold water in a pot and boiled them cooked, fished them out and dried them, then took hot oil and fried the chicken feet until their whole bodies were golden yellow, fished them out, and immediately plunged them into ice water, letting them crackle and pop, slowly soaking.

After frying the chicken feet, she put the dough that had been washed of gluten in the afternoon and clarified, on the stove top to let it dry on its own, checked through the remaining prepared ingredients with Cheng Erniang once, confirmed there were no mistakes, then went to the room Zhu Shi mentioned, and slept a light nap.

Early the next day, the sky still black, almost just past Ugly Hour, Song Miao climbed up.

Just finished tidying up, arrived at the kitchen, and servants delivered fresh meat together with pig liver, pig blood, and live shrimp.

Slaughtering pigs is generally done at midnight; after killing, delivering all the way to each household's stalls, it's about dawn.

This time because delivery was early, the pork placed on the stove counter even seemed like it would still bounce, extraordinarily fresh.

The live shrimp were also extremely fresh, lively to the point of almost wanting to leap out of the wooden buckets holding them.

With so many good things, Song Miao counted them once, and in her heart was very satisfied; she hurriedly instructed Cheng Erniang to proceed according to routine, while she herself quickly set to work, fearing to waste these fresh ingredients.

Although there were only two people in the back kitchen, it was likewise busy with a bustling heat.

And in the back courtyard, likewise everywhere were people, re-tying cargo, all fearing a mishap on the road might cause some problem.

In the crowd, a man leading several subordinates inspected cart after cart.

He looked about forty, appearance upright, square face, large ears, wearing a baozi headwrap, narrow sleeves, narrow trousers, belted boots; although the clothing material was ordinary, the color was a kind of blue not commonly seen in the markets, a bit lighter than indigo.

While inspecting, he instructed the steward beside him: "When it's packed later, you look carefully again, don't let anywhere come loose and leak."

That steward hurriedly agreed.

Just finished inspecting, jumped down the last mule cart, this person heard a burst of even more lively voices outside; not long after, several people carrying lanterns entered, and as they entered the lead one called out: "Xiang Xiong!"

This person hurriedly went forward to greet: "So early, Older Zhu Lao Xiong how did you come?"

And said: "All said no need to see off, instead making me uneasy!"

That Older Zhu Lao Xiong was Zhu Shi's father.

Zhu Butcher laughed: "If it were only me alone, then naturally there'd be nothing to see off; the truth is I thought Xiang Xiong has been here these days, you and I both busy with business matters, haven't even eaten a proper meal once, today specially found a formidable cook, helped make a breakfast, though a bit rushed, also counts as seeing you off, brother!"

And said: "I know you've always been meticulous, food and drink expenses, everything you're very particular about..."

That Xiang Xiong hurriedly shook his head, saying: "So last time Older Brother asked about my arrangements, this was the meaning? Your such kind heart, younger brother can only accept the sentiment; really today rushing to set off, time is very tight, you and I brothers will definitely have another gathering in the future, eating then is the same!"

Zhu Butcher then said: "Even if you don't need to eat, the others coming to help don't need to eat? Let people go hungry-bellied for you?"

And said: "I've already arranged their portions..."

Just as he spoke, he narrowed his eyes and looked around, pointing at the corner where Cheng Erniang was placing portions of glutinous rice rice on the table there, saying: "People are already dividing portions; eat then go, it's the same!"

Speaking, he dragged that Xiang Xiong Xiang Yuan forward, and called to the people in the courtyard: "Everyone, there's breakfast over there! Finish work and go eat a bite of hot breakfast!"

Xiang Yuan had no choice; seeing he was about to be dragged away, he hurriedly seized a gap, grabbed the steward behind him and quietly instructed: "You stay alert; after eating a couple bites, watch my move, once you see me shake my head, urge me to hurry, say we'll be late, be forceful, I'll naturally act reluctant, you mustn't weaken the momentum, just keep dragging me away forcefully, understand?"