The two went to the dealership to ask the price, but it was twice as expensive as Shuan Zi's. Of course, these carriages had a shed, which was obviously more luxurious. But the problem is that Qiao Wei doesn't need it to be grand and only needs to save money.
Maybe it was Qiao Wei’s lucky day; because when she was dissatisfied with several carriages, she miraculously ran into Shuan Zi.
It turned out that Shuan Zi had brought a few people to the town to visit relatives. Presently, he was worried about finding people to hire the carriage back to the village. But, by coincidence, he ran into Qiao Wei.
"Xiao Qiao, why are you going back already? Is the business not good? Can't they be sold or..."
Aunt Luo stared at him and showed him the empty basket with only a few carrot cakes left: "It's sold out early, okay?"
"This, it was sold out?" Shuan Zi couldn't believe it. He had never before met a seller from the village who hadn't met with a rebuff in the town on their first day.
He looked at Xiao Qiao.
Qiao Wei smiled and took out a carrot cake from the basket for him.
After eating, he finally understood why Xiao Qiao's things were sold out.
Before leaving, Qiao Wei went to the bazaar to buy the ingredients needed to make more snacks. She also purchased a crucian carp and braised it for the children at night.
(T/N: Crucian carp - A kind of freshwater fish.)
***
The nanny was taken to the hospital for treatment. The girl was waiting in the carriage, her mood sour, when she noticed the maid concealing something behind her.
She frowned: "What are you hiding?"
The servant girl bit the bullet and took out the "basket of white rabbits.” The basket was about a hand’s size and was very delicate since it was woven from bamboo leaves. The little bunnies were even smaller, but they were vivid, soft, and cute, as if they were real.
"What is this?" the girl asked curiously.
"Dumplings," said the maid.
The girl was surprised that Enbo House didn’t have such exquisite snacks: “Where did you buy it?”
The maid didn’t dare say that it was from the little lady who made the young lady so angry. She only said: “From the town.”
Of course, the girl didn’t guess that it was sold by Qiao Wei. If she’d known, she might have vomited blood*. She usually doesn't eat roadside food, but the appearance of these dumplings was so good that she couldn't help but take a bite, and then she was stunned.
(*T/N: It’s a usage; like, ‘she would get angry enough to vomit blood.’)
The maid opened an exquisite mahogany and silver food box and said, "Miss, these are the Sixi dumplings you brought for Mrs. Ji? Her elderly will definitely like it."
The girl pondered for a moment and then removed the Sixi dumplings from the food box. She then placed the remaining four "little white rabbits" into it.
***
It took Qiao Wei a few hours to buy the ingredients, and it was noon by the time they returned to the village. There was a man standing at the door of Aunt Luo's house. He was medium in stature, burly, dark-skinned, and sturdy. It was Luo Yongzhi, the eldest son of Aunt Luo.
Luo Yongzhi saw his mother and Xiao Qiao's family getting off Shuan Zi's carriage. He was startled for a moment. There was a rumor in the village that his mother recognized Xiao Qiao as a goddaughter. Was it true?
"Mother." He saw that the two were unloading items from Father Shuan's wagon, and he hurried over to help.
He was a sturdy farmer, powerful as an ox, and he unloaded more than 200 kilograms of goods in two to three batches.
Qiao Wei bowed gratefully: "Thank you, big brother."
This ‘big brother’ confirmed Luo Yongzhi's guess.
Luo Yongzhi hadn’t had much contact with Xiao Qiao. His most intuitive impression of her was that she was a young and handsome widow. All women from all over the country can't even compare to her finger.
There were many rumors about her in the village, and most of them were terrible. However, a man's view is always different from that of a woman. He felt that Xiao Qiao was good, beautiful, and pitiful.
(T/N: Women can be non-judgemental too, you know. 😤)
If his mother likes Xiao Qiao, then he likes her too; and Xiao Qiao will be his sister from now on.
"Sister." He greeted generously.
Qiao Wei's heart warmed, and she called the two children and said, "Jingyun, Wangshu, you should greet your Uncle."
The two of them cried out "Uncle" in a loud voice.
Luo Yongzhi gave an honest and straightforward smile: "How adorable! Come to uncle's house to play another day."
Aunt Luo watched the group of them accept the new relationship so quickly and was very happy. She smiled and asked her son: "Why are you back? Is there something the matter?"
Luo Yongzhi was only concerned about recognizing his younger sister and almost forgot his business. He said quickly, "Didn't Cuiyun's younger brother pass the examination as a child? Her father is throwing him a celebration. I am afraid that I will be too busy at that time, and I would like to ask you to help. "
Cuiyun is Luo Yongzhi’s wife. Her little brother has just turned ten this year and has already been admitted as a child student. In an almost illiterate little village, this was a great event.
Aunt Luo asked: "What day is it?"
"The third day." He looked at Xiao Qiao and wanted to ask her if she would like to attend. But when he thought she might find it uncomfortable, he didn't say anything.
Aunt Luo said: "That's the day after tomorrow. All right, I will go."
Luo Yongzhi was distressed that his mother was always alone at home and invited her to stay with him for a few days, but Aunt Luo refused.
Xiao Qiao's business has just started. Xiao Qiao now needs all the manpower she can get, so she can't leave like this.
Luo Yongzhi was very happy for Qiao Wei when he learned about her business. "Why didn’t you tell me earlier? Your sister-in-law’s cooking is great. If you have something you don't know, ask her. She might be able to teach you some tricks."
Qiao Wei smiled and nodded: "Okay. Thank you, big brother."
Luo Yongzhi helped Qiao Wei carry more than 200 kilograms of ingredients to the mountain. He then had lunch and took his leave.
At noon, Qiao Wei braised the fish in soy sauce, and the two children couldn't wait to lick the dishes at the end.
Qiao Wei cleaned up the dishes and went to the kitchen to wash. But Aunt Luo took away her hand and said, "Leave it, I'll do it. You tell the children to have a rest. They are young and need to sleep more. They can't keep their eyes open all day long."
Qiao Wei realized Aunt Luo was right. She didn't have the habit of taking a nap, but she had to think of her children. She immediately called them to the kang* and coaxed them to sleep.
(*T/N: Kang/ kang bed-stove - The Chinese kang is a traditional long platform for general living, working, entertaining, and sleeping used in the northern part of China, where the winter climate is cold. Credits: Wikipedia)
Qiao Wei came to the kitchen door: "Mother, I'll go out for a while."
Aunt Luo looked at her curiously: "Where to? Don't tell me you're going into the mountains again."
Qiao Wei tugged her ears embarrassedly: "I’d set up two cages in the forest yesterday and just want to see if any prey was caught. It's nearby, on the outskirts; very safe."
Aunt Luo: "I really don’t know what to do with you!"
Qiao Wei took the dagger for self-defense. Since she’d met a tiger, she cherished her life more than before, so the place she chose was really not near the mountain forest’s center.
After entering the woods, she found the cage hidden in the bush using the mark she made. She had filled the cage with bait such as carrots and minced meat.
Both cages were open. But strangely, the bait in one of the cages was gone.
The bait is gone. Maybe some small animal had taken the bait.
But then, where is the small animal?
Qiao Wei searched in and near the cage multiple times, but didn’t find the animal that had taken the bait. Instead, she found a couple of silver coins.
What's this situation?
Did someone buy the animal in the cage?
___
(Img. credits: www.meishij.net)
(It's that stage-like thing on which they're sitting)