Due to going to bed early the previous night, Ji Wan'er woke up at the slightest disturbance early the next day.
Upon waking up, she opened her eyes and saw Xiao Qingming sitting on the floor, lost in thought.
She was still a little drowsy, but seeing the situation in front of her, she instantly became wide awake.
"Why are you on the floor?" she asked.
Upon hearing her words, Xiao Qingming turned his head to look at Ji Wan'er.
Seeing his cold expression, Ji Wan'er felt a sense of alarm.
She had originally thought that maybe this bookworm had fallen on his own, but judging from his gaze, it didn't seem likely.
Considering that she was not a quiet sleeper.
Last night, she had been sleeping against the wall, but now she had ended up by the bed.
"Could it be... I kicked you off?" Ji Wan'er guessed.
Otherwise, why would Xiao Qingming react this way?
Xiao Qingming furrowed his brow, his eyes revealing a complex mix of emotions.
However, just like yesterday, he ignored her.
It wasn't until Xiao Qingming lifted the blanket, moved the bedding aside, that Ji Wan'er's memory started to come back to her little by little.
It seemed that the previous host had a bad relationship with Xiao Qingming, as he had been sleeping on the floor all this time.
Xiao Qingming had been sleeping on the floor for several months now.
The more Ji Wan'er understood the situation, the more uneasy she felt.
In the book, the previous host was an unimportant character, a cannon fodder, and there wasn't much description about her.
But now that she had entered the book, those things that were not described in the book about the previous host slowly started to emerge.
Rome wasn't built in a day.
There must be reasons why Xiao Qingming hated the previous host so much.
It turned out that the previous host had treated Xiao Qingming poorly in their daily interactions.
"Ah-choo!" Xiao Qingming sneezed when he reached the doorway.
This sudden sound brought Ji Wan'er back to reality.
Was it because of the cold?
Ji Wan'er's eyes caught sight of the blanket on her body, and she suddenly remembered something.
The blanket she had covered herself with last night belonged to Xiao Qingming...
Oh my goodness, she had done something even worse than the previous host.
Wasn't she just adding fuel to the fire?
No wonder Xiao Qingming looked at her with that kind of gaze and didn't even bother to respond to her.
Ji Wan'er irritably scratched her head.
At that moment, a cold breeze blew in through the cracks of the window, causing Ji Wan'er to shiver and clearing her muddled mind a bit.
Oh well, since the deed had already been done, there was no point in regretting and wishing to change the past.
It would be better to think about how to remedy the situation.
Looking at the hazy sky outside, Ji Wan'er lay back down.
On such a cold day, and with no need to study, there was no use in getting up so early.
After lying in bed for about half an hour, feeling incredibly bored, Ji Wan'er finally got up.
Perhaps it had been a long time since she had done any physical work, as she discovered that her arms were a bit sore after getting up.
After tidying up the bedding, Ji Wan'er went outside.
Although it was slightly brighter than before, it was still early morning, and the sun had not yet risen.
Despite the cold, the air was exceptionally fresh, and a hazy mist enveloped the mountains behind the house.
Thatched houses, fields, bamboo forests, and green mountains—when these elements were combined, they were incredibly beautiful.
However, it was a pity that the thatched house leaked when it rained, the windows were drafty, and there wasn't even a decent piece of furniture in the house.
There wasn't much rice, noodles, or vegetables in the kitchen either.
For someone who couldn't even solve the problems of food and shelter, no matter how beautiful the scenery was, there was no time to appreciate it.
At this early hour, Ji Wan'er freshened up and headed to the bamboo forest behind the house.
With nothing else to do, Ji Wan'er decided to keep herself busy and exercise her body a bit. Although her hands were still a bit sore, they felt much better than the previous day. She had already grasped some techniques for cutting bamboo.
To the south of the Xiao family's house was farmland, to the west was more farmland, and to the north was a mountain. To the east, there was the village.
Just a few meters away from their thatched house, there was another household, also named Xiao. They were relatives of Xiao Qingming within the fifth degree of kinship.
Sun Xinghua was the mistress of this household.
On this day, as she was pouring out some spoiled water, she noticed Ji Wan'er chopping bamboo behind the house.
The bamboo forest wasn't large, and its entirety could be seen with just a glance.
At first, she thought her eyes were playing tricks on her.
She took a look and turned back, but when she arrived back home, she felt that something was amiss. Setting down the basin, she went back outside.
It turned out to be that spirited and unconventional young wife from next door!
Sun Xinghua remembered that this young wife never got up before the hour of the Snake (around 9 a.m.), and she had never seen her doing any work. After finishing her meals, she would rush outside.
What happened today? She had actually started doing some work?
Could it be that she was up to something again?
Sun Xinghua stood at the door, observing for a long time before going back home to feed the pigs.
After a quarter of an hour, once she finished feeding the pigs, she couldn't help but come out for another glance.
She's still here!
The sun must have risen in the west today, as even the lazy woman has become diligent.
After watching for a while, and hearing her own one-year-old child crying, Sun Xinghua went back home.
Ji Wan'er was unaware of the onlookers, fully engaged in her battle with the bamboo.
Last night, Yun Shuang had a long chat with Zi An and woke up a bit late.
By the time the hour of the Snake arrived, Yun Shuang was awake.
Ji Wan'er got up every day at the hour of the Snake, and Yun Shuang would wake up half an hour earlier to prepare meals.
Before that, she would sometimes wash clothes or sweep the floor.
Today, there were no clothes to wash, so Yun Shuang wasn't in a hurry.
However, as soon as she woke up, she heard a familiar sound coming from behind the house.
She and her younger brother had also heard it in the house yesterday morning.
Could it be...
Yun Shuang quickly put on a thin coat and shoes before heading to the back of the house.
Sure enough, it was her sister-in-law.
Seeing Ji Wan'er chopping bamboo, Yun Shuang couldn't describe the feeling that welled up within her.
Yesterday, she had been worried that everything was just an illusion, afraid that she would wake up and return to her old life. So she didn't dare to sleep at night, fearing that it was all a dream and that everything would disappear when she woke up.
But now, her sister-in-law is still here, just like yesterday, chopping bamboo.
Ji Wan'er smiled at her.
"Yun Shuang, you're awake."
Yun Shuang snapped back to reality and approached her, saying, "Sister-in-law, take a break. Let me do it."
Ji Wan'er noticed Yun Shuang's disheveled hair and knew that she had come right after waking up.
She gently touched Yun Shuang's hair and said with a smile, "No need, I'm just idle and came to chop some bamboo. You go freshen up, and then we'll cook together."
No one had ever treated her like this before, and Yun Shuang felt a bit uneasy. She replied softly, "Okay."
Ji Wan'er tidied up the chopped bamboo and went to the front.
By the time Yun Shuang finished freshening up, Ji Wan'er had returned from the bamboo grove behind the house.
She even asked Yun Shuang a question she had never asked before.
"Yun Shuang, what does your brother like to eat?"
Having just offended Xiao Qingming the previous night, Ji Wan'er thought about putting some effort into cooking to see if she could appease him with some delicious food.
But she had no idea what Xiao Qingming liked to eat.
She couldn't possibly ask Xiao Qingming that question.
She imagined that the wooden block wouldn't pay any attention to her.
What her brother liked to eat... Yun Shuang truly didn't know.
Her brother had never mentioned his food preferences to her.
Seeing Yun Shuang shaking her head, Ji Wan'er felt a bit disappointed.
However, she had expected this outcome.
Xiao Qingming was a quiet person, and Yun Shuang wasn't much of a talker either. It was likely that these siblings hadn't had many conversations.
She shifted her focus and asked another question, "What food does your brother eat more often?"
Yun Shuang knew the answer to this one, and she blurted out, "Yesterday, my brother ate more than usual."
"Ah?" Ji Wan'er didn't expect Yun Shuang to say that.
"The food you cooked was delicious. Yesterday, I noticed my brother eating more than he usually does," Yun Shuang explained.
Did this mean that Xiao Qingming actually liked the food she cooked?
If that was the case, it would be much easier to improve their relationship.
She just needed to cook more meals, and their relationship would gradually improve.
"Besides yesterday, what does your brother eat more often on regular days?" Ji Wan'er asked again.
In the past, they ate coarse flour mantous and clear soup. But yesterday, she had added more oil and eggs. It was normal for that bookworm to eat a bit more.
There wasn't much of a comparison.
Yun Shuang pondered for a while and said, "Noodles! I remember my brother once ate two bowls at the old house."
Noodles.
Ji Wan'er felt delighted.
This was simple.
There were also many variations of noodles she could make. She could prepare a different kind of noodles for Xiao Qingming every meal, ensuring that they wouldn't have the same dish for a whole month.
Unfortunately, they didn't have ready-made noodles at home, so she would have to make them from scratch. It would be a bit troublesome and time-consuming.
Ji Wan'er went to the kitchen and found a clean bowl. She added some flour into it.
After adding a portion, Ji Wan'er glanced at Yun Shuang standing beside her and asked, "Do you and Zi An like eating noodles?"
Yun Shuang nodded quickly, "Yes, we both like it."
After hearing her answer, Ji Wan'er added some more flour into the bowl.
It had been a while since she had rolled out noodles, and she wasn't familiar with the Xiao family's appetites. Yesterday, she had cooked three meals, and each one had been completely finished.
She didn't know if everyone had eaten enough.
She guessed that even if they hadn't, no one would dare to tell her.
Upon further consideration, Ji Wan'er added more flour into the bowl.
Food is a fundamental need for people.
It's better to have leftovers than not having enough to eat.
After adding the flour, Ji Wan'er cracked an egg into the bowl and added some salt.
She added water, kneaded the dough, and let it rest.
While the dough was resting, Ji Wan'er went outside to pick some wild vegetables, washed them, and chopped them into small pieces.
When the dough was ready, she started rolling it out and cutting it into thin, long strips.
By that time, Yun Shuang had already boiled a pot of cold water.
Ji Wan'er cooked the noodles and when they were ready, she sprinkled the freshly washed wild vegetables on top, added some seasoning, and drizzled some sesame oil over it in the pot.
A pot of hand-rolled noodles was ready.
"It smells so good!" Zi An couldn't help but exclaim from the doorway.
Ji Wan'er smiled and said, "Go wash your hands and call your brother for the meal."
Zi An's face lit up with joy, and he nodded vigorously, saying, "Okay."
In a short while, Ji Wan'er heard Zi An calling Xiao Qingming from the doorway, "Brother, Sister-in-law is calling you for a meal."
Xiao Qingming had not slept well last night, and he still felt a bit unwell. He looked at the time and found that it was earlier than usual by an hour.
He furrowed his brows.
She tormented him at night, and now she was tormenting him during the day as well.
She was really finding ways to prevent him from studying properly.
"The noodles made by Sister-in-law are so delicious!" Zi An said again.
Noodles?
Xiao Qingming was momentarily taken aback.
By the time Xiao Qingming arrived, the noodles had already been served on the table.
The noodles had a slightly yellowish hue, with green vegetable leaves floating on top, making it look incredibly appealing.
He wondered what was in it, as it smelled so fragrant.
Ji Wan'er felt that just eating noodles would be too plain, so she also prepared a cold dish of wild vegetables, seasoned with salt and sesame oil.
When she arrived, the three siblings from the Xiao family were already seated at the dining table.
The three of them had almost identical actions, all staring at the noodles in front of them.
As soon as she sat down, Xiao Qingming picked up his chopsticks.
Once she started eating, the two children began to eat as well.
Ji Wan'er had a habit of drinking the soup before eating the noodles. After taking a few sips of soup, she heard a chorus of slurping sounds.
"Swoosh, swoosh."
Zi An was slurping the noodles too quickly, causing some soup to splatter onto his face when he finished a mouthful.
He didn't pay much attention to it, simply wiping it off with his hand and quickly chewing the noodles in his mouth.
Ji Wan'er took out a handkerchief and wiped his face for him.
"Is it delicious?" she asked.
Zi An nodded vigorously. "It's delicious!"
After finishing the noodles in his mouth, he added, "These noodles are the most delicious ones I've ever had, even better than the ones Aunt San (Third Aunt) bought in town."
"Really?" Ji Wan'er glanced at the other two.
Yun Shuang, being a girl, ate more gracefully, keeping her head down and taking small bites, occasionally sipping some soup.
As for Xiao Qingming...
He had placed his book on the table and was earnestly eating the noodles.
Ji Wan'er felt relieved.
She had initially thought that the seasoning was insufficient and the noodles were too simple.
Moreover, she hadn't made hand-pulled noodles in a long time and was out of practice.
She had worried that they wouldn't taste good.
Unexpectedly, it turned out to be so well-received.
She hoped that this bowl of noodles could make up for the mistake she made last night.
Coincidentally, Xiao Qingming looked up at Ji Wan'er.
Ji Wan'er smiled at him.
"Is it delicious?" she asked, unintentionally adding a term of endearment, "Darling."
4
Unexpectedly, Xiao Qingming seemed to freeze for a moment, quickly coughing and blushing in the face and ears.
Ji Wan'er was slightly taken aback.
Xiao Qingming already had fair skin, and he had never done any laborious work before.
He was also handsome, and with his face turning red, he looked incredibly youthful.
He seemed shy.
This reaction was somewhat adorable.
"Eat slowly, there's more in the pot," Ji Wan'er's tone unconsciously softened.
However, Xiao Qingming's coughing became even more severe.
It was unclear whether he was angry or embarrassed.
Could she have drugged it?
After a while, Xiao Qingming finally recovered.
Once he regained his composure, he glanced at Ji Wan'er, picked up his bowl, and walked away.
Ji Wan'er looked bewildered.
She hadn't said or done anything wrong, so why did Xiao Qingming seem so eager to avoid her?
The noodles weren't bad either.
This person's silence made it really difficult to understand what he was thinking.
It was challenging to get along with him.
Before Ji Wan'er could figure it out, she saw Xiao Qingming returning with a full bowl of noodles in his hands.
Ji Wan'er raised an eyebrow, feeling relieved.
She had worried too much. The noodles she made today were excellent.
Xiao Qingming indeed loved noodles.
Thinking about the information provided by Yun Shuang, Ji Wan'er turned her head to look at her.
Since Xiao Qingming started coughing, Yun Shuang had stopped eating and nervously stared at the couple.
She was afraid that they would start arguing like before.
Of course, it's only Sister-in-law who would argue. My brother has always been silent.
However, today my brother's reaction is indeed strange.
Although he used to blush before, it would be with a face of worry or anger.
But this time, it was difficult to read his true emotions.
When my brother filled his bowl and started eating again, Yun Shuang picked up her chopsticks and continued her meal.
Before she could take a bite, Sister-in-law looked over.
"Is it delicious?"
Yun Shuang nodded, "Very delicious."
Ji Wan'er smiled at her, "Hmm."
Sister-in-law is really beautiful.
Before my brother got married, she inquired about Sister-in-law's family and had secretly gone to see them with her brother.
In all her years, it was the first time she had seen such a beautiful girl.
Not only was she beautiful, but her clothes and jewelry were also exceptionally stunning.
She looked completely different from the people who grew up in their village.
At that time, she thought that with my brother's exceptional education, only a girl like her could be worthy of him.
After returning home, she eagerly hoped for my brother to marry soon. That way, their household would have one more person, and perhaps their days would be less difficult for her and her brother...
But little did she expect that with the arrival of Sister-in-law, her nightmare would deepen even further.
Now, with this smile, she was brought back to the day she first met Sister-in-law.
Realizing that she had been staring at her for too long, Yun Shuang shyly lowered her head.
The two children were hungry, but their appetites were limited, especially since Ji Wan'er had served more. So, each person eating a little over one bowl was enough to satisfy them.
Ji Wan'er had overestimated Yun Shuang and Zi An's appetites.
She had cooked about six bowls of noodles.
Fortunately, she had also underestimated the portion of another person.
Xiao Qingming had solidly eaten three bowls!
He appeared slender, and she couldn't fathom how he could fit so many noodles in his stomach.
After finishing three bowls, Xiao Qingming noticed Ji Wan'er and his younger siblings looking at him, so he pretended to be calm and returned to his study.
However, just as he had taken a couple of steps, someone called out to him.
"Brother, you forgot your book," Zi An innocently reminded his older brother.
Xiao Qingming's figure paused slightly, then he turned around, picked up the book from the table, and left the hall.
His footsteps seemed somewhat hurried.
After the meal, Ji Wan'er went to the bamboo forest behind the house to cut bamboo.
Yun Shuang and Zi An came to help as well.
After a while, during their break, Ji Wan'er boiled a pot of ginger tea.
Last night, Xiao Qingming had slept on the floor with a particularly thin blanket, and he had been sneezing and coughing.
If, by any chance, Xiao Qingming had caught a cold because of her actions, it would be troublesome.
After it was ready, Ji Wan'er brought a bowl of ginger tea to Xiao Qingming.
"I just made this ginger tea. Have a bowl. It might not taste good, but it helps ward off the cold."
Xiao Qingming reverted back to his bookish appearance and, other than furrowing his brow when she entered the study, he didn't react further.
His eyes remained fixed on the book, never leaving it.
Sometimes, Ji Wan'er truly wondered if Xiao Qingming was mute and couldn't speak.
If he doesn't speak, then so be it. She had done what she needed to do.
"Drink it while it's hot. It won't be as effective if it gets cold."
After saying this, Ji Wan'er left.
Ji Wan'er didn't just make a bowl of ginger tea for Xiao Qingming. She made several.
In ancient times, catching a cold was no small matter, especially for families like theirs who were impoverished.
She served a bowl to each of the two children and one for herself as well.
"Wow, it tastes awful!" Zi An immediately exclaimed after taking a sip.
Yun Shuang's heart skipped a beat, and she quickly glanced at Ji Wan'er before looking at her younger brother.
Zi An also realized that he had said something wrong and cautiously looked at Ji Wan'er.
Ji Wan'er furrowed her brow as she stared at the ginger tea in front of her and said, "Indeed, it doesn't taste good, but ginger tea is good for the body and helps ward off the cold."
Seeing that Ji Wan'er wasn't angry, Yun Shuang and Zi An breathed a sigh of relief.
Yun Shuang discreetly glared at her younger brother, silently signaling him to be more careful with his words in the future.
Zi An glanced at his sister and quickly lowered his head.
For the past two days, his sister-in-law hadn't scolded or punished him, and he had become a bit bold.
He mustn't forget the pain just because the wound is healing. He needed to be more careful, or else he would ultimately suffer the consequences.
Indeed, the ginger tea didn't taste good. Not only did the children dislike it, but Ji Wan'er didn't like it either.
However, she endured it for the sake of their health.
Ji Wan'er stared at the ginger tea in front of her for a while, mentally preparing herself, and then gulped it down.
After finishing, she quickly poured some warm water and rinsed away the taste of ginger tea.
Seeing that she had finished, the two children didn't dare to say they didn't want to drink it anymore and reluctantly drank it all.
Observing that the children didn't look well, Ji Wan'er handed them some warm water and said, "Drink some water quickly."
After reading for a while, Xiao Qingming felt a bit thirsty.
Looking at the ginger tea beside him, he lifted it and took a sip.
Just as it entered his mouth, he almost spit it out.
What is this stuff!
Even though he wasn't particular about food, he couldn't stomach something with such a strange taste.
Last night, she had taken his blanket from him.
And now, she was giving him this terrible-tasting concoction.
Could she have spiked it with something?
At that moment, he heard his younger siblings' conversation from outside.
Xiao Qingming endured and swallowed the ginger tea in his mouth.
Then, he closed his eyes and gulped down the remaining half bowl of ginger tea.
After finishing, the spicy sensation lingered in his mouth for a long time.
Listening to Ji Wan'er's laughter and conversation with his younger siblings outside, he thought about Ji Wan'er's recent abnormal behavior.
This woman was usually never at home, often absent from their sight.
But once she showed up, she became talkative, constantly berating him, and endlessly complaining in his ear, disrupting his ability to study.
If he responded with one sentence, she had ten more waiting for him.
In that state, it was incredibly ugly and terrifying.
Sometimes he would rather she didn't come back at all.
Whenever she went back to her parents' house, it was the most peaceful time for him.
But recently, she had first spent several days lying in bed, not getting up or going out.
He thought she had become obedient, but yesterday she suddenly started cooking again.
Her behavior was very different from usual.
The food she cooked was delicious, distracting his thoughts.
At night, she took his blanket again, leaving him too cold to sleep well.
And now she had served him a bowl of this unpleasant-tasting concoction.
Could it be... she had found another way to torment him?
As he pondered, his body seemed to feel a bit feverish.
Xiao Qingming looked at the bowl beside him.
Could the poison be taking effect?
1
Ji Wan'er had no idea that Xiao Qingming had imagined so much behind her back.
She had intended to go out for a stroll and buy some things, but perhaps lying down for too long had made her feel weak.
Coupled with the gloomy weather, she decided not to go out.
After a while, she went to the bamboo forest behind the house to cut some bamboo, and this time, Yun Shuang and Zi An followed her all the way.
As Ji Wan'er had not fully assimilated the memories of the original owner, she took the opportunity to occasionally inquire about the people and things around her through the two children.
The two children had innocent minds and didn't know what she was thinking, so they told her everything without holding back.
Throughout the day, Ji Wan'er learned many more things than before.
Since seeing Ji Wan'er cutting bamboo in the morning, Sun Xinghua had been suspicious and had been keeping an eye on the grass-thatched house next door.
Considering that the two families were close and within the same village, their relationship should have been good.
But Ji Wan'er was indifferent and preferred the wealthy over the poor, completely ignoring them.
Just a few days after moving in, she had managed to offend all the neighbors.
Sun Xinghua had received a cold response and naturally stopped coming over.
So, despite her curiosity, Sun Xinghua didn't come over and only sneaked a few glances from the doorway.
When she watched at noon, Ji Wan'er was cutting bamboo with the two children. When she watched in the afternoon, Ji Wan'er was still cutting bamboo with the two children.
Moreover, according to her observation, the two children seemed quite close to her, and she could occasionally hear laughter.
This was strange.
As for Ji Wan'er's character, others didn't know, but she knew very well herself.
This woman relied on her family's wealth and good looks, and looked down on people like them.
Even Brother Qingming, who was well-educated, was beneath her notice.
But what was most displeasing to her was that she often scolded and beat the children.
She endured it several times, but finally couldn't help but intervene. However, that woman complained that she was meddling and scolded her harshly.
Later, when that woman was not at home, she went to talk to Brother Qingming.
But Xiao Qingming could only study books and couldn't control his own wife. When his wife said she hadn't beaten the children, he believed her.
The real incident that caused a falling out between the two families was still to come.
She had originally planned to ignore it, but on that day, she saw that woman beating the children again.
Thinking that Brother Qingming was at home, she thought she had caught that woman in the act. She hurriedly ran next door and called Brother Qingming out of his study.
However, the ten-year-old girl endured the pain and insisted that the woman hadn't beaten her.
She said that the injuries on her body were caused by accidentally falling and getting hurt.
As she looked at the tears in the little girl's eyes, she suddenly felt that she might have done something wrong with good intentions.
This child had always been unlucky, having lost her mother early on and now living under the control of her wicked sister-in-law.
If she spoke up against her sister-in-law now, who knows how much more suffering she would have to endure in the future.
But that woman seemed to have caught her vulnerable spot and started verbally abusing her, accusing her of stirring up trouble in their marriage and so on.
From that point on, she never set foot in the neighboring house again, nor did she interfere in their affairs. She only occasionally brought some food for the two children when that woman wasn't at home.
But her ability to help was limited. After all, they had separated from the main family, built their own house, and didn't have much money left. They still had to support three children.
Sun Xinghua stared at the neighboring house all day, feeling more and more that something was not right.
She found an opportunity, saw that Ji Wan'er was not in the courtyard, and beckoned Yun Shuang, calling her over.
"Third sister-in-law," Yun Shuang said.
Sun Xinghua was the daughter-in-law of Xiao Qingming's uncle's family, and her husband was Xing San (San indicates third in the family).
"I'm asking you, what did your sister-in-law take you and Zi An to do behind the house?"
"Cut bamboo."
Upon hearing this, Sun Xinghua became angry and said, "Why did she make you two do it? You're both so thin, can you handle it? Your sister-in-law is becoming more and more unreasonable. Not only does she make you do laundry and cooking, but now she's making you do even heavier work. It's as if her conscience has been eaten by dogs!"
Yun Shuang quickly shook her head and defended Ji Wan'er, saying, "Sister-in-law didn't make me and my brother do it. She did it herself."
"Really? You're not lying to me?"
"Really," Yun Shuang nodded.
Sun Xinghua no longer believed Yun Shuang's words.
This child had never spoken ill of that woman next door.
"Then why was she cutting bamboo?"
"Sister-in-law said there's no fence around the house and she wants to cut some bamboo to make a fence around the property."
This was truly strange. This woman actually started caring about such things.
Wasn't she always complaining and cursing about this side of the village and not wanting to stay here a minute longer?
Due to her understanding of Ji Wan'er, Sun Xinghua was somewhat skeptical.
However, she observed for a whole day, and that woman indeed spent the entire day cutting bamboo.
She couldn't figure out what she was up to, so she thought about calling the children over to ask.
"I haven't seen her scold or beat you for quite some time. Could it be that she's afraid to do it openly and has started doing it secretly behind people's backs?" Sun Xinghua asked.
Yun Shuang vigorously shook her head. "No, no. Sister-in-law hasn't been hitting us recently. She has been treating me and my brother very well."
Sun Xinghua didn't believe it. She had seen how harshly Ji Wan'er used to beat the children.
Afraid that Sun Xinghua wouldn't believe her, Yun Shuang added, "Really, sister-in-law cooked all day yesterday and even gave us eggs and white rice to eat."
Sun Xinghua thought either she was going deaf or Yun Shuang was dreaming.
"This morning she even made egg noodles, and my brother ate three bowls," Yun Shuang said.
The more they talked, the more surreal it seemed.
Thinking that this child had never said anything negative about Ji Wan'er, Sun Xinghua didn't dwell on the matter any longer. She said, "Don't act like a fool, speaking up for her every day. Don't sell yourself to her and count the money for her one day. Your brother is putting all his energy into studying, he might not have time for you, and he might not know the suffering you've endured. If you have any problems, you must talk to your brother, do you understand?"
"Yes," Yun Shuang replied.
After Yun Shuang went back, it was time for dinner, and she hurried to help.
As for the words Sun Xinghua had just spoken to her, she didn't mention a word.
After dinner, Ji Wan'er returned to her room.
Thinking about what she had done last night, in order to make up for her mistake, before going to bed, she brought Xiao Qingming's bedding over and spread it on the floor. She arranged the mattress and unfolded his blanket.
To show her thoughtfulness, she took out a pair of large red pillows with a design of mandarin ducks playing in water from the cabinet and placed them on the mattress.
Clearly, the pillows were a set.
One on the bed and one in the wardrobe.
Since they were in the cabinet, it meant they were Ji Wan'er's dowry.
Perhaps her natal family had given them to her when she got married, but she hadn't let Xiao Qingming use them.
After completing these tasks, Ji Wan'er went to sleep satisfied.
When the moon was high in the sky, Xiao Qingming returned.
Upon entering the room, he went straight to the corner of the wall.
After fumbling around for a while and not finding his bedding, he furrowed his brow and looked at the bed.
What exactly was this woman trying to do?
Xiao Qingming's doubts filled his mind, but they dissipated when he saw the neatly arranged items on the floor.
So it turned out that he had misunderstood her.
Xiao Qingming walked to his bedding, took off his shoes, and lay down on the floor to sleep.
Even with his eyes closed, he continued to think about Ji Wan'er.
She had indeed been different lately.
The ginger tea in the morning was spicy, but it left a warm and comfortable feeling after drinking it.
The food she cooked was delicious, especially the bowl of noodles in the morning.
These thoughts only lasted a moment before Xiao Qingming's mind was occupied by the book he had just read.
He began to review the knowledge he had acquired during the day.
Over the next two days, Ji Wan'er stayed at home and went to the bamboo grove behind with the two children to cut bamboo.
Although they worked slowly, they managed to cut enough.
Building the fence wasn't as tiring.
However, because the yard was relatively large, the three of them took their time and it took them two days to complete it thoroughly.
In the end, they even made a proper gate at the entrance, all made of bamboo.
Looking at the results of their labor over these few days, Ji Wan'er felt a great sense of accomplishment.
This finally felt like a home, a place where people lived, unlike the rundown thatched hut it was before.
In these few days, Ji Wan'er had already recovered quite a bit.
She no longer felt dizzy and uncomfortable.
Coincidentally, they had finished all the available vegetables at home, and their rice and flour supplies were running low. There were no eggs left either.
They had already eaten plenty of wild vegetables around their house, as well as the edible ones from the nearby mountains.
She had had enough for now.
It was time to improve their meals.
That day, after finishing breakfast, Ji Wan'er asked the two children, "I'm going to the town to buy some things. Do you want to come with me?"
Yun Shuang and Zi An were both stunned, and then they exchanged glances.
"Um? Do you want to go?" Ji Wan'er asked, thinking that the town was a bit far from where they lived. She thought the children might not want to go but were hesitant to say so. She added, "It's quite far. If you don't want to go, just stay at home and don't wander around."
"Can we... go?" Yun Shuang asked cautiously.
Their sister-in-law often went out, but she almost always went alone and rarely took them with her.
Even when she did take Yun Shuang, it was usually to help with chores or carry things.
Yun Shuang never expected that today their sister-in-law would actually take them along.
"Of course you can," Ji Wan'er said.
Although she had the memories of the original host, those memories were not complete. Sometimes, she would only have memories related to certain people or places when she saw them.
With Yun Shuang around, she could at least get some guidance.
"I haven't been to the town yet," Zi An's eyes were bright, a mix of excitement and nervousness.
"Well, today I'll take you there," Ji Wan'er said.
"Great!"
Zi An and Yun Shuang went back to change their clothes, while Ji Wan'er returned to her room to fetch something essential for shopping.
Copper coins!
While the Xiao family was poor, Ji Wan'er herself was not destitute.
Nanny Dong saw potential in Xiao Qingming and believed that he would achieve great things in the future, so she married her daughter to him.
Ji Wan'er was well aware of the Xiao family's financial situation, so she had given her daughter a generous dowry.
This dowry consisted not only of intangible assets but also included silver and silver jewelry.
She had thought long-term for her daughter, hoping that by providing some financial support to the Xiao family, Xiao Qingming would owe them a debt of gratitude.
In this way, when Xiao Qingming passed the county-level examination and achieved higher positions, he would appreciate the Ji family's contribution and treat her daughter well.
Unfortunately, the original host did not appreciate Nanny Dong's intentions, and Xiao Qingming had enough money of his own, so he didn't need their financial assistance.
1
She only saw what was in front of her and heard the people in the old house criticizing Xiao Qingming for being incompetent. She also believed that Xiao Qingming was poor and blamed him for being kicked out of the house, which resulted in her being ridiculed by the people around her. Xiao Qingming was always engrossed in his books and didn't care about her.
As for the silver that Xiao Qingming gave her, she had already stashed it away in her dowry and never used it to support the family. She even believed that it was rightfully hers and thought that Xiao Qingming was hiding money, depriving the family of a better lifestyle. She wanted to pressure him to give out more.
The original host was really extravagant.
Nanny Dong had given her eight taels of dowry, but in just half a year, there was less than one tael of silver left in the box.
In this era, an average family's annual expenses were about two taels of silver.
She had more than seven taels of silver, which she exchanged for cosmetics and nice clothes. However, these clothes and jewelry were not top-notch items, and their total value wouldn't exceed two taels of silver.
She really had no idea how she managed to spend the remaining five taels of silver.
On one side of the box, there were the silver accessories given to her by Xiao Qingming.
Ji Wan'er felt fortunate that the original host hadn't spent these items yet.
If she had, it would have been difficult to explain to Xiao Qingming later.
However, this wasn't the right time to return them to Xiao Qingming.
She picked up the silver accessories and hid them at the bottom of the box.
Ji Wan'er counted and realized she still had over seven hundred wen in her savings.
The household had four mouths waiting to be fed.
Both of the children were dressed in tattered clothes and needed new ones.
The money was indeed not enough.
However, Ji Wan'er had no intention of saving money.
She believed that money wasn't saved by being thrifty.
If there wasn't enough money, she would find a way to earn more.
After counting one hundred wen, Ji Wan'er set out.
Both Yun Shuang and Zi An were extremely excited to be able to go to the town.
They were wearing their best clothes, which had a few patches but were clean and neatly pressed.
At this time, there wasn't much work in the fields, and many idle villagers were engaged in small talk.
As the three of them appeared, everyone's gaze turned towards them.
Ji Wan'er regretted going out at this time.
She had overlooked the fact that the original host was a topic of gossip among the villagers.
Her appearance felt like a fashion show.
As Ji Wan'er approached, the people on both sides turned to look at her.
However, with so many people around, she didn't know how to address them. Besides, the original host didn't think highly of these villagers and didn't have any memories about them.
Yun Shuang and Zi An were always quiet and reserved, not speaking much.
Since they had already come this far, they could only continue walking forward with a brave face.
They would just pretend that those people didn't exist.
Ji Wan'er took a deep breath, kept her gaze forward, and walked confidently.
As she walked, she immediately heard buzzing voices behind her.
Ji Wan'er knew that these people wouldn't say anything nice. She was afraid of hearing something that would ruin her good mood. She held Yun Shuang with her left hand and Zi An with her right hand, taking a few quick steps to avoid the noisy voices behind her.
"Isn't that Qingming's wife? We haven't seen her for quite a few days."
"Yeah, I thought she was a modest and decent woman, but look at her now, dressed so flamboyantly, like a colorful butterfly."
"I think it's not a butterfly, but a bee. Attracting all those men..."
"I heard that she got involved with Er Fu from the Qian family village, the rich landowner's second son."
"Really? I saw her with Shunzi from the Zhao family village the other day."
"What? She changed so quickly?"
The gossip continued as Ji Wan'er and the children hurriedly moved away from the noisy crowd.
"Who asked Er Fu to be useless? He got into a fight for her and ended up with broken legs."
"Shunzi's not a good person either. All talk and no action. He's even worse than Er Fu."
"This woman, she's really..."
"Well, isn't it because she found Qingming's family poor? She's one of those who loves the rich and despises the poor! She'll regret it."
"This kind of despicable woman deserves a miserable fate!"
"That's a bit harsh to say. Wasn't she raised in the capital? How could she be interested in those kinds of people?"
"I agree, she's not bad-looking. She shouldn't stoop so low."
"Although she was raised in the capital, her family got into trouble and was driven back here. They're really poor."
"A woman like her naturally attracts bees and butterflies. Your children should stay away from her."
"That's right, that's right."
Ji Wan'er indeed became a hot topic of discussion. They talked about her for half an hour, discussing where they had seen her, what she had done, and which men she had encountered. They speculated on various outcomes before finally changing the topic.
After they had walked a considerable distance, Ji Wan'er slowed down her pace. About twenty minutes later, as they approached the town, she realized that it wasn't just the villagers who were staring at her, but also the passersby.
As she noticed the awe in the eyes of those people, she realized what was happening. She had forgotten that this was ancient times, and the original host was beautiful.
Anticipating even more people in town, she took out a handkerchief and used it as a mask, covering her face. Finally, the number of people staring at her decreased.
Yun Shuang glanced at Ji Wan'er and felt that she was really different from before. Previously, Ji Wan'er took great pride in her appearance and always wanted to show it off. She would be delighted whenever someone praised or looked at her. But now, she was covering her face and not allowing anyone to see.
Soon, they arrived in town.
Calculating from their home to the town, it was a distance of about ten miles, which took a good two to three hours to walk. It was quite far indeed.
The town, being slightly larger and livelier than the village, couldn't be considered particularly prosperous.
Once they arrived, Ji Wan'er took Yun Shuang and Zi An to stroll around the town. While walking, Ji Wan'er held Zi An's hand tightly.
Although the town wasn't crowded, Zi An was still just a child after all. Yun Shuang held Zi An's other hand as the three of them walked along the main street of the town.
Even though Ji Wan'er wore a face cover, people in the town still occasionally stared at them.
After strolling around, Ji Wan'er finally headed towards the vegetable market. That was their main purpose for coming to the town today.
Eggplants, leafy greens, green beans, potatoes, Chinese cabbage...
Considering the distance they had to travel back to the village and the cold weather, Ji Wan'er bought extra vegetables. The prices of the vegetables were very cheap, ranging from two wen per catty to one wen per catty, and sometimes even one wen for two catties, such as Chinese cabbage and leafy greens.
Ji Wan'er wasn't the original host and didn't spend money recklessly. When buying vegetables, she compared prices at different stalls and chose the ones with the best value for money.
They bought around ten catties of vegetables, and in total, it costed less than twenty wen.
After purchasing the vegetables, Ji Wan'er placed them in the bamboo basket she carried.
"Sister-in-law, let me take it," Yun Shuang offered.
In the past, whenever Ji Wan'er went out shopping, she would have Yun Shuang carry the items. She never carried anything herself.
"It's okay, just keep an eye on your little brother," Ji Wan'er replied.
Yun Shuang was so small in stature that carrying the bamboo basket would probably bend her over.
Yun Shuang silently watched Ji Wan'er and tightened her grip on her little brother's hand.
Eggs were also on their shopping list. They were nutritious and cheaper than meat, making them a good choice for nourishment.
Eggs were priced at one wen for two. Ji Wan'er bought twenty eggs in one go.
This time, Yun Shuang snatched them and placed them in the bamboo basket behind her.
Eggs were not heavy, and Yun Shuang was quite steady, so Ji Wan'er followed her lead.
Finally, Ji Wan'er arrived at the meat stall.
Meat was not a scarce commodity for Ji Wan'er, and she wasn't particularly fond of eating it herself.
Perhaps it had been many days since she had eaten any meat, but when she saw it, she suddenly felt a craving.
It wasn't just her craving; Yun Shuang and Zi An's eyes were practically fixated on the meat.
If eye gazes had temperature, these two individuals would have cooked the meat with their stares.
Fatty meat was priced at fifteen wen per jin, while lean meat was priced at twelve wen per jin.
Ji Wan'er didn't particularly enjoy eating fatty meat as it was too greasy, so she naturally chose the cheaper lean meat.
Fresh meat was better for consumption, but without a refrigerator at home, she only purchased around two liang.
After weighing the lean meat, Ji Wan'er noticed the pig bones and pig skin placed aside.
She inquired about their prices as well.
They were very cheap.
This area was not affluent, and most households could only afford to have enough food to eat. They could occasionally taste the flavor of meat.
During such times, people preferred fatty or lean meat over bones without any meat on them. Even if the taste was good, no one was willing to spend money to buy them.
After all, there was no sensation of eating meat.
The butcher selling the meat observed Ji Wan'er's attire and speculated that she must be in good condition.
He intended to sell these items to her at the price of two wen per jin.
In reality, he could only sell the large bones and pig skin for one wen per jin at most, and there was no guarantee that anyone would want them. Sometimes he could only give them away for free since there was no trace of meat on them, completely clean.
Today was not a market day, and there were originally two meat vendors, but the other one had already sold out and left. Only this one remained.
Ji Wan'er had no way to compare the prices.
Moreover, comparing it to the ingredients in her past life, Ji Wan'er felt that two wen was truly too cheap.
She didn't hesitate to buy more lean meat, but she could buy some bones and pig skin for everyone to enjoy.
Just as she was about to ask the boss to weigh them, Yun Shuang tugged at her sleeve.
Ji Wan'er lowered her head and looked at her.
Yun Shuang shook her head at her and quickly glanced at the large bones, whispering, "Sister-in-law, there's no meat on them."
She knew that her sister-in-law had money.
Whenever she accompanied her sister-in-law to buy things before, she never said anything.
Whatever her sister-in-law bought, she would carry it for her.
Because she knew that if she voiced any opinions, her sister-in-law would scold her at best and beat her at worst.
In short, her sister-in-law would not listen to her.
But today, for some reason, when she saw her sister-in-law about to be deceived, she couldn't help but speak up.
Ji Wan'er was about to say something when she saw the butcher glare at Yun Shuang and quickly smiled, trying to please Ji Wan'er. "Young lady, don't listen to this child's nonsense. Kids don't know any better, they haven't seen the world. Although there's not much meat on these, they are all good things."
Ji Wan'er glanced at the butcher and then looked at Yun Shuang.
She saw Yun Shuang pursing her lips, twisting her clothes with her hands, appearing unconvinced but afraid to say anything.
Seeing this, Ji Wan'er turned her head to look at the butcher, smiled, and said, "Well, there's nothing I can do. My younger brother and sister are too weak. I was thinking of buying some meat to help them strengthen their bodies, but since the children don't like it, then we won't buy it."
Upon hearing this, the butcher realized he had misspoke and quickly smiled, looking at Yun Shuang and Zi An.
The butcher had a large build, and when he smiled, the flesh on his face trembled.
Zi An was frightened and hid behind Yun Shuang.
"Little one, although there's no meat on these bones, they are delicious. You've definitely never tried them, right? Let your adults buy some and cook them for you. They're great for making soup and stew."
Yun Shuang firmly shook her head and said, "I've tried them, they're not tasty."
Aunt Da, in the past, had bought pig bones too, but there was only a small piece of meat left on them, and it was all given to her cousins. She could only gnaw on the bones.
She wasn't a dog, her teeth weren't that strong, she couldn't gnaw on them at all.
Aunt Da scolded her for wasting food in front of her grandparents, saying she was ignorant.
Observing Yun Shuang's behavior, the butcher felt embarrassed. He thought that this deal probably wouldn't work out, and these bones would most likely be fed to the dogs.
Yun Shuang was an honest child. Although they had only been together for a day, considering the description of her in the book, Ji Wan'er somewhat understood her character.
If she said it wasn't tasty, then she must have really tried it and found it unpalatable.
Thinking about what she had said yesterday, it was probably Aunt Da who cooked it, and Aunt Da's cooking skills were average at best.
Ji Wan'er had countless ways to prepare these ingredients, and each one was delicious.
She wanted to buy some.
However, at the moment, it wasn't appropriate to say anything more.
But...
"Sigh, I actually wanted to buy some, but the children don't like it," Ji Wan'er deliberately glanced a few more times at the large bones and picked up the weighed lean meat, ready to pay.
It was a good opportunity to test the bottom price of these items.
The butcher noticed Ji Wan'er's expression and thought to himself, there's a chance!
Besides, when it came to children, they couldn't make decisions at home. It ultimately depended on the adults.
"I'll be leaving soon. If you can take everything, I can give you the price of one coin per catty."
One coin per catty for so many large bones and pig skin.
What a great deal!
Ji Wan'er's mind was already filled with images of many delicious dishes.
Bone broth, pork jelly...
Ji Wan'er understood that the butcher had tried to cheat her earlier, and one coin was probably his original price.
Although she knew this, she thought that with only two taels (about 75 grams based on online converters) of meat, it wouldn't be enough for one person to have a decent portion. The two children were so thin, so she gritted her teeth and decided to buy it all.
In total, it was a little over three catties (3.31 lbs), rounding off the remainder. It cost three coins.
Although Yun Shuang felt that she had been taken advantage of, at least it was cheaper than before, and she had lost less.
Ji Wan'er had never eaten these things before, but once she tried them, she would definitely not buy them again.
Afterward, Ji Wan'er bought some seasonings, onions, ginger, garlic, rice, and flour.
When they left the rice and flour shop, the basket behind Ji Wan'er was too full, so Yun Shuang and Zi An, who were lighter, carried it.
They spent nearly forty coins.
Money really doesn't last long.
At this moment, Ji Wan'er noticed that someone was staring at them, especially at the children.
More precisely, they were staring at Yun Shuang and Zi An.
She was slightly surprised.
Yun Shuang and Zi An seemed a bit evasive, looking somewhat uncomfortable.
After walking for a while, as they were about to leave the town, a group of children suddenly came from behind and shouted at Yun Shuang and Zi An, "Little beggars, patching up clothes, can't afford to eat or wear."
Upon hearing this, Ji Wan'er's eyes suddenly became sharp, and she glared at the children who were shouting at Yun Shuang and Zi An.
Those children were still young, so as soon as they saw Ji Wan'er getting angry, they ran away while shouting.
Looking at Yun Shuang and Zi An, both of them lowered their heads and tugged at their clothes.
These were already their best clothes, with only a few patches on them.
Their other clothes had even more patches.
Without their birth mother, there was no one to make clothes for them or mend their clothes.
Their clothes were leftovers from the main and third households.
Those clothes were already of poor quality, and Yun Shuang had done some mending to make them wearable.
Ji Wan'er sighed, holding one child's hand in each of her hands, and said, "I forgot to buy something. Let's go back and buy it."
Not long after, Ji Wan'er took the two children to a ready-made clothing shop.
She bought a set of clothes for each of them, costing fifty coins.
These were just ordinary clothes; better ones would cost over a hundred coins.
In this era, men cultivated the land, and women wove fabric, so not many people would go out to buy clothes.
The bought clothes were also much more expensive than homemade ones.
Unfortunately, Ji Wan'er didn't know how to make clothes, so she had no choice but to buy them.
"Sister-in-law, I don't want it. It's too expensive," Yun Shuang tried to decline.
They had spent only twenty or thirty coins on buying so much food and meat, and now this single piece of clothing was almost the same price.
Although Zi An really wanted it, he also knew the clothes were too expensive, so he didn't dare to ask for it and pushed it away.
Ji Wan'er offered several times, but neither of the two children wanted it.
Fifty coins was indeed a large sum of money for their current financial situation.
However, what needed to be spent had to be spent.
She initially thought that Yun Shuang and Zi An's clothes were perfectly clean after washing, so there shouldn't be any problem.
But she overlooked the gaze of their peers.
Moreover, the two children really didn't have many clothes.
"Sister-in-law, since I married your older brother, I haven't given you any gifts. Consider this clothing as a gift for our first meeting," Ji Wan'er said.
The woman who sold the clothes also chimed in, "Look how kind your sister-in-law is to you. You must treat her well in the future and repay her when you grow up."
Yun Shuang and Zi An still didn't want to accept it.
"Sister-in-law, consider it as compensation for how I treated you poorly before, okay?" Ji Wan'er sincerely said.
Yun Shuang and Zi An glanced at each other.
After all, they were just children and couldn't resist the adults' persuasion.
The new clothes were eventually worn by them.
Yun Shuang felt both uneasy and unable to suppress the joy in her heart.
When her mother was alive, she had made her many clothes.
But after her parents passed away, she never wore new clothes again.
This feeling had been absent for many years.
Zi An was wearing new clothes for the first time. As soon as they left the clothing shop, he couldn't stop smiling, and his walking became unsteady as he hopped and skipped along.
When passing by other children, he deliberately showed off his new clothes.
What a simple happiness it was.
Because they had bought quite a few things, some of which were heavy, they didn't walk back home quickly.
They walked leisurely along the way, stopping from time to time.
By the time they returned to the village, it was already noon.
After they got back, Ji Wan'er put the vegetables and meat in the main room and went to her own room to change clothes.
Yun Shuang and Zi An also went to their room to change clothes.
After Yun Shuang changed her clothes, she noticed that her brother hadn't changed yet.
"Take it off, don't get it dirty. You can wear it when we go out later," she said.
Zi An, being young, didn't think about wearing the new clothes outside later, but rather wanted to go and show off to others first.
Knowing his sister's attitude, he tentatively said, "Sis, I want to go play with Brother Huzi first and then change later. Is that okay?"
Yun Shuang, who usually doted on her younger brother, instinctively refused without hesitation, "No, what if you get it dirty or damaged?"
Zi An hesitated for a moment and said, "I won't, sis. I'll be careful."
Yun Shuang still firmly rejected her brother, "No, that's not allowed."
Zi An hesitated for a while and said, "Then can I just go out to show it to them and come back? Sis, this is my first time having new clothes."
Indeed, it was Zi An's first new clothes.
Seeing her brother's pitiful look, Yun Shuang couldn't bear to refuse anymore and agreed to his request.
Zi An was overjoyed and went out.
He made two trips to the village, wandered around, and expended a lot of energy.
As the evening approached, Ji Wan'er thought of making some simple food, nothing too elaborate, and save the delicious dishes for dinner.
She stewed a dish and prepared a pot of rice soup, her favorite.
That should be enough.
She had really fallen in love with the rice soup cooked in the earth pot and hadn't had enough of it after drinking it for several days.
However, before cooking, she hung the purchased meat and vegetables from the ceiling beams.
Otherwise, she didn't know when they would be eaten by mice.
After finishing these tasks, she took the eggplants and a small piece of meat to the kitchen.
But when she arrived in the kitchen, Ji Wan'er realized an important problem.
They had run out of mantous at home.
She had forgotten to buy them in town just now, and she also forgot to steam the buns.
Looking at the rice and flour beside her, Ji Wan'er thought for a moment and decided to make some pancakes.
While the rice soup was cooking in the pot, Yun Shuang went to wash the eggplants. Ji Wan'er sliced the meat into thin pieces and put them in a bowl, adding some seasonings for marination.
Then, she scooped some flour into a basin and added water, kneading it into a dough.
By this time, Yun Shuang had returned, and the two of them tore the eggplants into chunks.
For some reason, Ji Wan'er always felt that the eggplants torn by hand tasted better than those cut with a knife.
She heated the pan, poured in the marinated meat slices, along with chopped scallions, ginger, and garlic, to stir-fry until fragrant.
These past few days, Yun Shuang had smelled the aroma of various dishes.
Fried mantous became fragrant when cooked in oil, pancakes turned golden and fragrant when cooked in the pan, even stir-fried vegetables smelled delicious.
But the most fragrant of all was the smell of eggs. Fried eggs had a wonderful aroma, and even when beaten and added to the soup, they added a pleasant fragrance.
But if she had to choose the most fragrant, it had to be the scent of meat she was smelling now!
Eggs, although precious, she could occasionally have a few bites of them back in the old house, and even here, she could still catch a glimpse of them.
But it had been a long, long time since she had eaten meat, or to be precise, even smelled it.
Only during the Lunar New Year could she have a few bites, and even then, it was a small amount of minced meat.
Meat was truly fragrant!
Yun Shuang felt her mouth watering and quickly wiped it off.
She felt ashamed of her weak reaction and kept her head down, afraid to look up again.
But the aroma of the meat was so strong that she couldn't help but glance back at the pot.
In fact, not only her but even her brother, who was always immersed in books, had his gaze drift towards the kitchen at this moment.
As the meat was added to the pan, it sizzled and made a delightful sound.
Ji Wan'er, knowing the value of meat, took extra care and effort to stir-fry it, trying her best to bring out the flavor of the meat.
After stir-frying the meat, she added the eggplants to the pan and continued to stir-fry.
Soon, the aroma of the meat and eggplants filled the air, spreading throughout the courtyard.
Although young, Zi An understood the preciousness of his new clothes. So, after showing off for a while outside, he quickly returned home.
Even before reaching the doorstep, he caught a whiff of the meat fragrance and felt envious, wondering which household was cooking such delicious meat.
But the closer he got to his own home, the more surprised he became.
Was the meat fragrance actually coming from their own home?
Thinking about the meat they had just bought with his sister-in-law in the town, Zi An picked up his pace and ran back home.
Standing at the kitchen door, he realized that his thoughts had turned out to be true—his sister-in-law was really cooking meat!
It smelled so good!
He wanted to eat it so badly.
After finishing stir-frying the eggplants, Ji Wan'er added some water to the pan.
As she turned around, she noticed Zi An standing at the door, lost in thought.
"You're back? Take a rest for a while, we'll have dinner soon," she said.
Yun Shuang, who usually pays close attention to her younger brother, realized that she hadn't been mindful of him today.
Seeing that Zi An was still wearing his new clothes, she quickly said, "Zi An, go and change out of your new clothes quickly, don't get them dirty."
"Oh? Oh, okay," Zi An's eyes remained fixed on the pot as he turned his head three times before heading to the main room to change his clothes.
Ji Wan'er had some water on her hands and took a handful of dough, shaping it into thin pancakes and placing them on the pot's base.
Soon, the entire circumference of the pot was filled with pancakes.
Once she covered the pot with a lid, the aroma finally subsided a little, not as intense as before.
However, there was still a faint, continuous aroma emanating from the pot.
Zi An finished changing his clothes and squatted back at the kitchen door.
It has become a common sight for him lately.
Whenever there was something he loved to eat in the pot, he would squat by the door.
At other times, he would sometimes play in the courtyard.
Soon, the eggplants were cooked, and the pancakes were done as well.
As the lid was lifted, a strong aroma of the mixed scent of eggplants and meat wafted out.
Zi An swallowed his saliva and unconsciously stood up.
The aroma was indeed enticing, and Ji Wan'er found it delightful as well.
The pancakes were stuck to the pot's base, with some parts soaked in vegetable broth.
Ji Wan'er used a spatula to carefully remove the pancakes one by one from the pot's base.
She looked at the slightly golden and crispy surface, feeling satisfied.
The rice soup in the pot beside it had already finished simmering a while ago.
The dishes were served, the soup was ladled out, and it was time to have the meal.
Today, she had stewed a good amount of eggplants and used deeper plates to serve them.
Ji Wan'er wrapped the plates with cloth and carried them to the main room.
As she placed the plates on the table, she accidentally burned her hand and instinctively exhaled sharply, then pinched her earlobe with both hands.
When she turned around, she noticed that Xiao Qingming was standing at the entrance of the main room.
He was someone who was devoted to reading and rarely left his study unless called for, yet today he seemed unusually active and came out on his own accord.
When he first caught a whiff of the meat aroma, Xiao Qingming was able to maintain some rationality.
However, gradually, his bodily desires overcame his rationality.
His eyes increasingly glanced towards the kitchen.
He hadn't eaten meat for several months.
As he looked at his younger brother standing and squatting at the doorway, there was a fleeting moment when he actually wanted to join him in squatting at the doorway.
Finally, when he saw Ji Wan'er bringing the dishes over, he couldn't resist any longer and went outside.
He had initially intended to go out and eat the meat, but after seeing Ji Wan'er's actions, he couldn't help but look over.
He was fixated on the plumpness of Ji Wan'er's cheeks and realized that the main character had turned around.
Seeing the surprise in Ji Wan'er's eyes, he quickly averted his gaze.
"I... I'm hungry," Xiao Qingming explained with guilt.
Ji Wan'er raised an eyebrow.
So he can speak.
This was the first time she had heard Xiao Qingming speak.
His voice was quite pleasant.
Gentle and soft-spoken.
It matched his appearance quite well.
Tsk tsk!
She had thought that someone who read books all day could never get hungry. She had never heard him mention hunger before.
"Wash your hands and let's eat."
"Mhmm." After a brief response, Xiao Qingming quickly turned and left.